Chapter 1
Location: Long Island, New York
Date: 6/9/2010
Time: 18:43
Subject: Percy Jackson
It was quiet in Camp Half-blood. Everyone was in the Dining Hall, all but two.
Annabeth pulled Percy aside. He smiled at her, wondering why she was keeping him from his dinner. She didn't smile back. She knew his world was about to fall apart.
"Percy," she said, "I think we should take a break."
Percy frowned in confusion. "Are you breaking up with me?" He asked.
"No… Yes. I don't know. It's just, I'm not feeling it anymore and I want to see what else is out there. We've been together for years, and I want to see what the world holds." Annabeth sighed, taking in the pained expression on Percy's face, "I don't want to break up with you, not really. I thought that maybe we could take a year apart, with no contact. And then we could meet and see how we feel. I feel like we need to spend some time apart, if only to become who we were meant to be. I'm sorry Percy, I truly am. I do love you, but more as a friend than anything else. Maybe what I need is a year to work myself out."
Percy smiled sadly, soaking in the details of Annabeth's face. "You do whatever you need to do Annabeth. I'll see you in a year. But know this, I will always, ALWAYS wait for you. Take the time you need, we have our whole lives ahead of us."
Percy turned and walked away, leaving her standing there with tears streaming down her face. Everything would be alright. He would be seeing her in a year. Just a year. It wasn't that long. Percy went to his cabin. He packed his belongings and left. Annabeth was right. They needed a break, not from each other perhaps, but from the world. And there was only one way that he was going to manage that.
Location: Empire State Building, New York
Date: 6/10/2010
Time: 10:06
Subject: Percy Jackson
Percy was nervous. You didn't ask for favours from the Gods. Not if you wanted to live. And he did, he wanted to be around in a year to meet up with Annabeth, to prove to her that they should give their relationship a shot. After all, when your fatal flaw is loyalty, there can be no one else. But that was why he was here. He couldn't be at Camp Half-blood. He needed to see the world, to experience a life that had some semblance of being normal. He needed the Gods to remove his demigod scent. He needed them to leave him alone.
The doors opened, and there they were. All of the Gods, every single one. All staring at him. All wondering why he was here.
"Why have you called us here, Perseus Jackson?" Percy hid his scowl at the use of his name.
"I have come to ask you for a favour." He replied.
"A favour?" Zeus cried, "What right do you have to ask a favour."
Percy stared at him and narrowed his eyes. "Every right. You owe, you all do. You owe all of the demigods. I merely request for you to remove my demigod scent, so that I might live past the age of eighteen, and," he said, gazing at each of the Gods individually, "Leave me alone."
The room erupted in small mutters.
"But, my son," Poseidon said, "What if we need you?"
"I will always help, I will always be there, but I beg you, until that time comes, let me have at least something resembling a normal life. That is all I ask." Poseidon nodded, a look of understanding flashing across his face. Aphrodite would have already informed them of Percy and Annabeth's break up, they understood.
Zeus nodded slowly. "I shall grant your wish. And beyond that, I will give you safe passage through my domain, but only if you swear on the River Styx that you will betray us, never conspire against and NEVER meddle in our affairs unless requested to do so. Swear it, and I will do as you have requested."
"You're telling the person whose fatal flaw is loyalty to never betray you." Percy asked with a smirk.
Zeus merely narrowed his eyes.
"Fine." Percy sighed, "I swear on the River Styx that I will never betray you, never conspire against you and I won't meddle in the God's business unless requested to by a god."
The Gods smiled. Zeus pointed a finger at Percy, and then he was radiating a neon, blue light from every pore. The light faded. His scent was gone.
Location: San Francisco
Date: 6/9/2011
Time: 18:42
Subject: Percy Jackson
The man on the sidewalk swallowed nervously, his fingers twitching erratically. He was scared, terrified, but, at the same time, the slightest bit excited. He was going to see her again. His life, his Annabeth. The year had been difficult. Percy Jackson had lived with his mother, getting a job at a veterinary clinic. He had started by cleaning out the animal cages and mucking out stalls. Now he was an assistant, helping the vets during surgery, assisting in saving lives. He loved it. Percy had requested a leave of absence, taking the week off to fly to San Francisco. To meet her. To convince her of their relationship. He stepped forward, striding towards the picket fence, all nervousness apparently faded. He opened the gate and walked up the footpath.
This was it, the moment of truth. He lifted a hand to knock on the door and heard a laugh. Annabeth's laugh. It was followed by a deep, baritone chuckle. A man. Percy lowered his hand, stepped off the porch and, crouching in the garden, peeked through the living room window. Annabeth was there, pouring a glass of wine for someone. Someone with his back to Percy. He turned and picked up the glass, clinking it against Annabeth's glass gently. He said something and she laughed again, her face lit up with joy before the unknown man pressed a kiss to her lips.
A tear trickled down Percy's cheek. She had moved on, forgotten about their decision, forgotten about him. At first there was rage, an undeniable anger filling his heart and almost bursting out of his chest. But then she laughed again, so light and carefree. She was happy. And who was he to take it away. There could be no one else for him, Percy knew that, but Annabeth could be happy, and who was he to take that away?
Percy left the garden and strode back down the path. As he latched the picket gate shut, he looked back at the house, a sad smile gracing his lips. She was happy, and that was good enough for him.