Sitting around the campfire we all laughed. I couldn't tell if we really found what Travis and Conner did funny, or if we were just happy to be alive. The last war we sit around the same campfire, yet we all cried. We had lost so many people last time, but this time the weight was much lighter.
Yeah we lost Leo, but I'm pretty sure he's out there somewhere, and until we find him he's alive in our minds. Our parents came to camp once the Romans left, and dad brought mom. She ran to me in tears demanded to know what happened to me. After I told her what Hera did she almost slapped her. Luckily us campers were faster and grabbed her before she could.
Mom then told us, after saying hello to every camper by name, she was making us all dinner. When we told her not to worry she let us all know that it had been too long since we had a home cooked meal and that's that.
So, we sat eating and laughing around the campfire, and it kind of felt like old days. Back when everyone was waiting for a chance to test their skill. Now though, we all knew we were great. There was no need to get a quest to prove that. We lived through a war, some of us two! What did we have to prove? If our parents couldn't see that to bad!
I looked around at the gods helping their children, some in tears. Ares was sharpening all his children's weapons and blessing them, so they always hit target. Apollo giving his kids instruments of their choice. Annabeth's mother was telling them all that she was sorry. Hephustses was trying to show his kids that the cruse really was just in their heads. He went as far as fixing the things behind their backs to help "fix" the kids confidence. Mr. D. shocked me, because there he was holding his only son as both of them cried.
Dad let me lean against his side as mom slept on my chest his arm around us both. He was talking about something but I couldn't hear him I was to out-of-it. It wasn't until Nico walked over with Hades that I tuned in.
"Percy, are you okay?" Nico asked sitting down. I nodded slowly because I was kind of okay.
"You went to hell I don't think you are." Hades said looking at me. I sighed.
"You might be right, Uncle. I don't know." Was that really my voice? It sounded bad even to me.
"Are you alright, Nico?" Dad asked turning to him. Nico smiled and waved Will over. Will walked over rolling his eyes he took a sit next to him. He looked at us both then went to ask something but Nico and I stopped him.
"If one more person ask if I'm okay they well taste my blade." We said together. They all laughed and nodded. All of us started to talked and laughed for the next hour.
"I think I should take mom to the cabin. She's already passed out and her grip on me hasn't loosened at all. I'm sure if it hasn't by now it won't." I smiled moving mom so I could stand and carry her while she still had a hold on my arm. Dad stood and hovered around us ready to catch us if we fell. I walked slowly, carefully, toward cabin 3. Pausing at the door to let dad open it for me before trying and failing to put mom in her own bed I just laid in bed with her.
Dad pulled the blanket over us and tucked us both in. He pushed some hair out both of our faces and kissed our foreheads. I fell asleep soon after with dad still watching us.