Disclaimer: I (alas!) do not own The Heroes of Olympus, or Annabeth or anyother chatacter…even though I wish did.
"Camp Jupiter."
Annabeth could hear the joy in Jason's voice. She turned to face him and saw that there were tears in his eyes. "I'm home." his voice choked on the words. She could only imagine what he must be feeling at this very moment. It had been eight months since Hera had taken him from the only home he had truly known and it had not been easy for him.
Annabeth turned back and leaned over the side of the Argo II. She looked down and gasped. The camp only slightly reminded her of Camp Half-Blood. It was bigger than she had expected. Instead of Greek columns, there were buildings clearly of Roman designed. Annabeth tried to count the buildings, but she soon gave up. There just too many. She could also see many people running around, doing many different things. "It's beautiful, Jason. I can see why you missed it."
Yet, even as she spoke, Annabeth felt that she did not belong here. This was wrong. This place was dangerous for Greek demigods like her. These people were enemies. She should turn the ship around and go back to Camp Half-Blood.
No, Annabeth told herself. Percy was down there…somewhere and she was never going to leave until she found him. Eight months. It had seemed like eight years. Even after she had realized where he was, she could not help worrying about him. She was sure that Hera had taken his memory just as she had taken Jason's, and without any memory, would he be able to survive? Even if he had still had his memory, how would the Roman campers treat him? From what Annabeth had heard from Jason, she was afraid that they would not take too kindly to him.
"Wow!"
Annabeth turned to see that Leo and Piper had joined her. Their eyes were wide as they took everything in. "This is awesome!" said Leo. "Do you think they'll let us stay here?"
"I doubt it." said Annabeth. "I seriously doubt they'll trust us…even after Jason explains everything. It will take so time for them to get used to the idea of Greeks and Romans working together…even to save the world."
"Look!" Piper pointed and Annabeth followed her finger. Their ship had been noticed and a crowd was already gathering. As they got closer, Annabeth could see that pretty much all of the campers were armed. Her hand instinctively went to her knife.
Even Jason looked nervous as the ship came down near the crowd. No sooner had they landed and then descended to the ground, than a girl with dark hair and eyes approached. Annabeth got the feeling that she was in charge…she also felt that she had seen this girl somewhere before, but she could not place her face.
The girl's eyes went from one face to another until they rested on Jason. "Jason." she smiled and let out a sigh of relief.
"Reyna." Jason nodded his head in acknowledgement.
Reyna took a step towards him and touched his face as if she were afraid this was just a dream. Out of the corner of her eye, Annabeth saw Piper balled her hands into fists. "Easy." she whispered to her friend.
"So, it's true." said Reyna after a moment's pause. "You have returned." She turned back and looked the others over again. "And these….friends of yours are the Greek demigods whom we are to join forces with?"
Annabeth nearly choked. "That's right." She took a step toward Reyna. "I'm Annabeth Chase, and this is Piper McLean and Leo Valdez." She gestured to them in turn when she introduced them. "I'm curious, Reyna, how did you know about us?"
Instead of answering, Reyna looked over her shoulder and over the heads of the crowd. As if by some unspoken command, the crowd parted like the Red Sea parting for Moses. Coming down the middle, followed by two campers was a familiar figure.
Annabeth caught her breath. Percy! She wanted nothing more than to run to him, to throw her arms around him and kiss him, but the knowledge that might not remember her, held her where she was. All she could do was stare at him.
As he approached, Percy's eyes swept over the group that had just arrived as Reyna's had done. When they spotted Annabeth, his entire face lit up and in that moment she knew he did remember her. "Annabeth!" he shouted, changing from a walk into a run.
"Percy!"
Forgetting everything and everyone else, Annabeth ran towards him. In a moment's they caught each other, and were holding each other close. Both were laughing and crying at the same time. For several seconds, neither one of them could speak.
"I thought you wouldn't remember me." Annabeth said, still clinging to him, afraid to let him go.
"I remember everything." he assured her.
"Hera didn't take your memory?" she asked, surprised. Why would she take Jason's, but not Percy's?
"Oh, she took my memory alright! That is, after she put me to sleep for six months. Then two months ago, I woke up with no memory, but I got it all back a few days ago." he explained, gently pulling away, but keeping Annabeth close. "But I never forgot you." he added softly. "Even when I could not remember anything else, you were the only thing I did remember. You were what kept me going."
Annabeth smiled. "Really?"
Percy smiled back and nodded. "Really."
"So, this is Annabeth."
Percy turned and Annabeth saw the two campers that had been behind him, eyeing her with curiosity. He nodded. "Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, this is Frank Zhang, son of Mars and Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto. Frank, Hazel, and I were sent on a quest together. They are my best friends here."
"Percy saved our lives." said Hazel. "It's an honor to know him. I'm please to meet you, Percy has told us a lot about you."
Annabeth shook Hazel's hand and then Frank's. "I am glad to know Percy has made friends here. I was afraid that no one would trust him."
Annabeth then turned and beckoned to the others. Jason, Piper, and Leo stepped forward. "Percy, let me introduce you to some of my new friends. Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, this Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite, and Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus." Percy shook their hands.
"I've heard a lot about you." said Percy as he shook Jason's hand.
"And I about you." returned Jason. Percy then introduced Jason, Piper, and Leo to Frank and Hazel. Jason nodded at Hazel. "I already know Hazel, but I haven't met Frank." The two shook hands.
Hazel, Annabeth noticed, was starting at Leo as if he were a ghost. She looked between the two in puzzlement. Leo didn't seem to notice Hazel's staring. Frank, did though, and Annabeth noticed that he looked uncomfortable with it.
"I'd like a word with, Jason." said Reyna, joining the small group. "Alone." she nodded at Frank and Hazel. "Why don't you two show Piper and Leo around?" Then she turned to Percy and nodded at Annabeth, "I'll leave you two alone."
She took Jason's arm and began to lead him away. Annabeth noticed that Piper didn't look too happy about that. Frank and Hazel followed Reyna's "suggestion" and began to lead Piper and Leo away showing them around the place.
The crowd had already dispersed, leaving Annabeth alone with Percy. He took her hand and squeezed it. "I missed you."
"I missed you too. When you disappeared...I was afraid that the worst had happened to you. I spent several months searching for you. Learning the truth didn't make things any easier for me, I'm afraid."
"I'm sorry to have made you worry so much."
"It's not your fault, Percy. It's Hera's. She has a lot to answer for."
"That she does." Percy agreed, but then a shadow passed over his face as if he just remembered something unpleasant.
"What is it?"
Percy shook himself and the shadow passed. He smiled. "It's nothing."
Annabeth could tell that it wasn't "nothing," but she decided to let it pass for now. Percy would tell her when he was ready.
They walked through the camp, hand in hand, as Percy told Annabeth all about the quest that he, Frank, and Hazel had been on. She listened with interest and once he was done, told him all about her own adventures.
"So, Jason is Thalia's brother." Percy mused. "I guess I should have realized that. I mean "Grace" isn't a common last name and they both have it. But that thought never occurred to me. They don't look much alike."
Annabeth nodded. "I know. I never would have thought that they were siblings either, until Jason told me." She looked around the camp. "It is a beautiful place."
"Yeah, it is."
There was something in Percy's voice that made Annabeth say quickly, "It isn't Camp Half-Blood."
"I know. Yet, I've come to love the place just as much." He sat down on a nearby stone bench and Annabeth sat down next to him. She got the feeling that he had something on his mind.
"Before…before Hera took my memory and sent me here, I always thought that I would die in battle. I thought that was the destiny of all demigods. I never thought that I'd…" he stopped, he seemed almost afraid to say it.
"What?" asked Annabeth.
"I never thought I'd have a family." He looked at her. "Of my own."
Annabeth understood. She'd felt that way herself all her life. She's tried not to think about it, but thinking about the future she knew she would never have, it haunted her daily. "I know." she said gently.
"But then I came here." Percy continued.
"That doesn't change anything." Annabeth said sadly.
"But it does!" Percy insisted. "You see, the campers here are not just demigods. So of them are the children of demigods…and some the grandchildren." Annabeth's eyes widened in surprise. "There are whole families here, Annabeth. We don't have to go back to die in the mortal world. We can start a life here…start a family."
The way Percy said "we" made Annabeth stare at him for a few seconds. "That almost sounds like you're asking me to marry you, Percy." she pointed out.
Percy blinked in surprise. "I guess it does," he said thoughtfully, "but to be perfect honest, Annabeth, I cannot imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else."
She laid her head on his shoulder. "Same here." she said tenderly.
Percy smiled. "So, is that a yes?" he asked.
Annabeth chuckled. "Well, we are a bit young to be getting engaged."
"True," Percy gently moved her head off his shoulder and held her face in his hands. "Then I promise to propose properly when we're old enough."
Annabeth laughed and Percy's smile grew. "In that case I promise to say 'yes' when you do."
"Good." said Percy, leaning in and kissing her.
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