Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series. They belong to the amazing Rick Riordan. I only own my original characters.
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Main Pairing: Apollo/Oc
Summary: Althea Anderson is your normal teenage girl. Trying to get good grades in school, and singing in her school's vocal group. That is, until she finds out her dad is her half brother and they're both Half-Bloods. On her way to Camp Half-Blood Althea runs into a certain god, and her life is forever changed.
A/N: I am writing this fanfiction, along with my other Percy Jackson and the Olympians fanfic : Bay and the Olympians: The Survival Diaries, for National Novel Writing Month as side projects from my original book. If updates seem sporadic or infrequent for the month of November, this is why. The last thing I want to do is update an unedited, short chapter, just to update. Now that this is over, enjoy!
Chapter: Prologue. (This is shorter than all future chapters will be).
I can't believe this. Why would my mom lie to me all these years? I mean, I always thought that Jackson and I were a lot alike, so I would have never guessed that he was not my father. We had the same sea blue eyes, and the same dark brown unruly hair. The only difference between us was that Jason was a lot taller than me, but I'm only 15, so of course I would be shorter, right? I should probably go back and explain what all this is about, and who I am. My name is Althea Aella Anderson. Althea means healing, after a plant in Greek mythology, and Aella means whirlwind, after the warrior who Herakles, also known as Hercules, killed during his twelve labors to become immortal. For some reason my mom really liked Greek mythology when she named me, but she hasn't really mentioned anything Greek mythology related since I've grown older, despite it being my best subject in school.
Now, on to the reason I'm questioning almost everything my mother has told me growing up. Apparently Jackson Anderson is not my real father. He said this as he packed his bags and left our small apartment in Atlanta. I questioned him while he was packing, but all he said is that he did not know who my real dad was, just that I wasn't his daughter. Jackson and I had always been closer than my mom and I. My mom acted like she was walking on eggshells whenever she was around me. Jackson, however, treated me as if I was an actual person. Someone who had thoughts, feelings, and ideas. But I couldn't go with him. He wanted to bring me with him, but Jackson has never had legal custody of me. I knew that he and my mom married after I was born, but I didn't know that the two of them had met after I was born as well. I just always assumed that I was born out of wedlock. Jackson told me he loved me, and that his door would always be open for me. But he was moving to New York. New York. Thousands of miles away. How would I be able to get there? Short answer: I would most likely never get there. Jackson left with a hug, and a stern look at my mother.
"You need to tell her sooner or later, she needs to go to camp to learn how to protect herself." My mother still has not told me what Jackson meant by this statement, despite me asking her multiple times.
"It's better that you don't know, you are so much safer here than you would be anywhere else, Althea." was always her response. Jackson left exactly a week ago, and I was tired of my mother never answering me honestly. So I'm doing the only thing any other teenage girl would do in this situation. I started packing a bag. Just a few clothes and hygiene things, some money I had saved up, a few pictures, a little bit of food, some maps and a small dagger my father, well, not my father gave me. Jackson gave me a medium size dagger that was a pretty bronze color. He always told me to always keep it with me, that I can use it to protect myself if I am ever in danger. Lastly, I shoved the small piece of paper Jackson gave me with his address written on it in his usual chicken scratch into my pocket.
"What on earth are you doing Althea?" My mother asks as I zip up my bag and slip my dagger into my jacket's pocket. I look at her and she is blocking the door of my room. Her hands are crossed across her chest, and her legs are locked. I throw my bag on my back and push past her easily, making my way towards the front door of the small apartment.
"What do you think I'm doing, mom?" I ask. She shakes her head and grabs my arm.
"If you even think about going to Jackson's new house, I will report you as abducted by him to the police." She says, seriously. I take my arm from her grip, opening the door.
"I am not going to Jackson's house." I say with a shrug. "I'm going to camp."
"He told you?" She practically yells. And I shake my head.
"No. He didn't have to tell me." I say. "I know where to go, and you are not going to stop me." I say trying to walk out of the apartment, but my mother stops me.
"You have no idea what you're doing, you will get yourself killed!" My mother says and I shake my head.
"How do you know this? And why did Jackson leave?" I ask. "And please, just tell me the truth." My mother sighs and sits down in a chair in our living room so I shut the door and lean against it.
"I went on the journey you're trying to go on before, Althea." She begins, "I can't tell you exactly what you will face if you go." She shakes her head.
"That doesn't matter to me, mom. I just want to go see dad." I say honestly.
"Not, your dad." She sighs and I roll my eyes.
"Why were you with him and calling him my dad, then?" I question.
"To protect you."
"How the hell is that protecting me?" I practically yell.
"You won't understand until you get to camp." She sighs. "But it's pretty obvious you need to go. Jackson was talking about danger brewing in New York. It might be best for you to go after all." She says, her head hanging in defeat.
"Danger?" I ask. "And me helping Jackson from it? How could I help him if I don't even know what's going on?"
"You will know as soon as you get to camp, Althea. Just please promise me you won't do anything stupid." My mother says and I laugh.
"Mom, it's me." I say pushing away from the door.
"Just, be safe, and send me an IM soon, alright?" She asks. "It seems like the fates want you to go to camp, and I can't stop you."
"The fates?" I ask.
"Something else you'll find out later." She replies quietly and I nod.
"I'll talk to you soon." I say before opening the door.
"Althea." My mom says and I turn my head to look at her. "Don't die." She says seriously and I nod before walking out of the apartment complex as fast as I could. In all honesty I had no clue where camp was. I was just following the address that Jackson left for me, but my mother did not have to know that. I hopped on the next bus near the complex towards my transfer. After that I would be making my way towards the airport. Jackson said he had a friend there once, maybe I can find them and bribe them to let me get a ticket to New York for cheap…
-Break-
I didn't even make it to the airport. Halfway there I stopped at a McDonald's to get something to eat. It seemed like a boring normal day inside. Children screaming, running around the store. Grandparents shaking their heads and laughing at them, or constantly telling them to sit down and be quiet. The hipsters sat holding their coffee, working on their macbooks in the corners, and the workers were constantly arguing with each other, but still getting orders out pretty quickly. After waiting in line for a while, the line moved up and I stepped forward, accidentally running into someone. I looked up and immediately blushed. I hadn't seen this guy a few minutes ago, he appeared out of nowhere. He was tall had sky blue eyes and had blonde hair. He looked like your typical surfer dude. He holds my shoulders to steady me and laughs a bit.
"I'm so sorry." I say after a second, rubbing the back of my neck, "I didn't see you there." The line moves up a bit more behind him and he steps backwards to stay in the line to the front counter.
"It's fine, Althea." He smiles down at me. I nod in understanding, but then pause.
"How do you know my name?" I ask the stranger. "Do I know you?"
"Not yet." He responds simply. "Have lunch with me and I will explain everything, and don't worry, lunch is on me." He says flashing a bright smile at me before grabbing my shoulder and pulling me up to stand by him. Before long we've ordered our food and sat down.
"So," I begin nervously, hoping it didn't show in my voice. "What's your name?" I ask. He raises an eyebrow before he unwraps his burger.
"Apollo." He says. "I'm surprised at the fact that you asked me my name before asking how I knew you, Althea." I shrug in response, picking up a fry and dipping it in ketchup, anything to not look into his eyes. If I did that I would probably die of embarrassment.
"Apollo as in the greek god?" I ask, and he seems proud?
"Yes. I am the greek god." He responds nodding and I almost choke on my food.
"You're joking." I say but he just shakes his head and I feel my mouth open in shock. He smiles at me taking a bite of his food.
"You know you will catch flies like that, especially in a place like this." Apollo smirks. I immediately shut my mouth and shake my head.
"I don't believe you." I say before picking at my fries. He sighs and shakes his head before snapping his fingers. All of a sudden a golden lyre appears in his hands and I grip the table to keep steady.
"Do you believe me now?" He smirks and I slowly nod my head.
"But how? I mean, why stop to talk to me, aren't you supposed to be you know," I say quietly. "Driving the sun?"
"The sun can sit still for a few minutes, no one will notice, besides." Apollo says looking at me. "Someone needs to make sure you don't get yourself killed." I roll my eyes.
"Thanks for the confidence boost, Apollo." I mutter picking up my food again.
"Hey," he says, causing me to look up at him. He quickly throws a fry and it hits my face. "That's lord Apollo to you, hero."
"Did you really just throw a fry at my face?" I ask, "You do know that isn't helping me believe that you are who you say you are." Apollo just shrugs.
"I'm sure I can prove it to you soon."
"Mmhmm," I hum before looking out the window. "Also, why did you call me hero?" I ask.
"How do you know who I am, but you do not know what a hero is." Apollo shoots back and I sigh.
"I know what a hero is, I just don't know what type you are referencing. Hero is the last thing I think of to describe me though." I say, pushing fries around on my tray.
"Hero as in the greek god version, Althea." Apollo says softly.
"But, I can't be." I say shaking my head.
"I know your brother has been watching over you, but you've never met your real father, have you Althea?" Apollo questions and I grip the table in front of me.
"I don't have a brother, and I don't know my real dad, I thought I did, but apparently I don't." I say shaking my head.
'This is a conversation you need to have with Jackson." Apollo sighs under his breath.
"Jackson? What about him, is he okay?" I ask.
"Jackson is okay, he's in New York at the address he gave you, but take another look at that address again, sweetheart." Apollo says. My brow furrows at the pet name but I immediately grab the address to look at it. The location had changed? I thought he lived in Manhattan, but now there is the address of a camp?
Jackson Anderson
Instructor
Half-Blood Hill
Long Island, New York
(800) 008-0008
"How? I ask. This all has to be a dream. I can't be a half-blood. I can't be a demigod. And I especially can't be a hero.
"Well, sweetheart," Apollo says again and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. "When a god gets horny."
"No!" I say a little loudly, feeling my cheeks heat up.
"Things get stormy." He smirks brightly.
"Not that!" I cry out softly.
"Oh, so you mean you don't need that conversation." The sun god teases and I shake my head quickly. He just shrugs and looks outside the window up to the sky.
"Well, I could demonstrate that to you in the future." He says as he wiggles his eyebrows and my cheeks grow hotter. This is blatant flirting from a literally hot god. He's probably used this trick on a lot of girls before. I bite my lip at the thought and lower my head a bit, picking at the last pieces of my food. I look up a bit and he's looking at me with concern in his sky blue eyes.
"I think it is almost time for me to get back to work." He says softly. I nod my head.
"Thank you for the lunch, Lord Apollo." I say getting up to throw my trash away.
"Oh, you thought I was only going to buy you lunch?" He asks. "And drop the lord part while we're alone." He finishes standing up as well. I nod my head and walk to the trash can. Apollo walks beside me and empties his trash in the can beside me. "I'm here for more than just giving you lunch and telling you about who you are." Apollo says and grabs my elbow after I throw away my food. He lightly pulls me out the door to our side and we walk out to a red pickup truck.
"And to hit on me like you do with mortal women?" I ask before I can stop myself.
"You are not like mortal women, Althea." Apollo shakes his head, opening the door to the truck.
"Really?" I question. Apollo nods his head.
"I can explain," Apollo pauses as we hear thunder in the sky. "Kind of." He finishes sheepishly looking up to the sky. The mysterious rumbling in the sky stops and Apollo looks back to me. "Dad has this thing about enforcing the ancient rules of gods not really talking to demigods or helping them. Plus he and your dad are not very close." Apollo shrugs motioning for me to climb up in the truck. I sigh and throw my bag in the floorboard before climbing up into the large vehicle. Apollo shuts the door as I buckle my seatbelt. He quickly walks over to the other side of the truck and puts the keys in the ignition.
"So," I begin.
"So." He teases and I roll my eyes.
"Where are we going?"
"Camp Half-Blood." He says simply, pulling out of the parking spot.
"What?" I ask loudly and I'm greeted by his laughter. "I thought you said you had to get back to work soon!" I continue and he shakes his head at me.
"It's a good thing you are not the daughter of Athena. She would kill you for not figuring it out already." He looks over at me and smirks. I feel a pang in my chest. Am I really that stupid? I mean, I know I was only good at chorus and greek mythos, but I thought that might help me in this situation. Wait. Greek myths. "I did not mean to call you stupid, Althea." Apollo says softly but I shake my head. If it had to do with Greek myths that must mean…
"We are in the sun chariot?" I yell, looking at him. "And you're not wearing a seatbelt? Jesus Christ, Apollo, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Apollo immediately begins to laugh. "What?" I almost shriek. We were on the sun chariot. And this idiot was not wearing a seatbelt. He may have been driving it for a millennia but that doesn't mean that he couldn't get in a wreck. There was still a big possibility!
"I can't die, Althea. I can only fade, and I have a feeling that will not happen anytime soon." He chuckles, calming down. "But thank you for your concern, darling. It really does mean a lot." He looks over and smiles at me briefly before cursing and slamming on the break. I hear him say something under his breath in ancient Greek. "Stupid mortals, why do people allow them to drive like this?"
"And this is the exact reason I told you to put on a seatbelt!" I say smugly. Apollo sighs in defeat and clicks his seatbelt in place. He looks over at me and raises an eyebrow.
"Are you happy now, Lady Althea?" He asks, a humorous glint in his eyes. I feel something stirring in my stomach. Must be the McDonald's, or the stress, or both.
"Yes, Lord Apollo." I reply cheekily. "I am very, very happy." I smile. He rolls his eyes and turns back to the road when the person behind us honks their horn.
"Yeah, yeah. Impatient mortals." He mutters under his breath.
"Hey!" I say in protest. "Not all of us have the luxury of immortality, Lord Apollo."
"Oh shush." He waves his hand. I roll my eyes and look out the window. I immediately regret this decision. We were up in the clouds.
"Jesus Christ." I whisper under my breath, clenching my fists. I hear Apollo's chuckles beside me.
"Now, now Althea." He says, "No using the lord's name in vain."
"Oh shut up." I say before thinking. I freeze and look at Apollo at the corner of my eye.
"Did you just tell me, Apollo, the sun god, to shut up, demigod?" Apollo says in a deathly voice. I feel my heart in my throat and look down at my clenched fists. No longer clenched in fear of the height, but in fear of what Apollo would say. Despite not wanting to be a play thing for the god, I still liked him. I don't respond and I desperately try to hold the tears back. After the already long weak, and now that Apollo probably hates me now, I can't cope. I feel a few tears slide down my face and I look out the passenger side window. I hear Apollo shift and I flinch involuntarily. I feel his hand wipe away my tears.
"I was teasing, Althea." He murmurs before unbuckling me and pulling me into the seat beside him. "I'm sorry." He whispers in my hair, keeping one arm wrapped around my shoulders and his other hand on the wheel.
"It's okay." I whisper back and put my head on his chest. I shouldn't be doing this. I really, really should not be doing this but it just feels right.
"Want me to explain some more things before we get to camp?" He asks, squeezing my shoulder and I nod into his chest, my tears slowing down. "I think the mortals can handle a bit of a longer day." He says more to himself than to me and I smile. Maybe I really am different.