"Reunions of Demgods"
Mystic25
Rating: T for language and some violence.
Summary: Okay, another one of those The Son of Neptune ending reunion scenes between our leading couple. What does such a reuniting between two demigods who haven't seen each other in eight months and finally meet face to face by a huge flying boat arriving at Camp Jupiter look like?
A/N: Sorry, the title was all I could come up with.
Disclaimer: Rick Riordian is their creator, I am their theif.
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J: "It is better to have loved and lost, then to have..."
K: "Try it."
"Men in Black"
"Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven."
~Tryon Edwards
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Time slowing had never been a literal thing for Percy.
At least, not until he had met Kronos last summer and had literally felt time slowing down so much that trying to walk five feet in front of him was like trudging through about fifty gallons of Aunt Jemima's maple syrup. And, it felt completely ridiculous to fight the God of Time like someone had set him on Slow Motion on their VCR.
That time was literal; this time was metaphysical ? No wait, that was about religion right? This time wasn't real, but it certainly felt like it. Percy couldn't remember the last time he had thought in some many mental italics.
But, he had never stood at the edge of the boundaries of Camp Jupiter, a Roman Camp for demigod children of Roman soldiers, waiting for a huge flying ship to make port. Can flying ships even make port? Wouldn't it be more like tethering?
Okay whatever it was, it wanted to make him swear as much as Arion, because it was talking too long for that docking or tethering to take place.
Horses no swear, sea controlling demigod, we tell things true.
Arion's thoughts reached him at the same time a snort came from the stallion who's nose was inches from Percy's face. The horse studied the commotion aboard Argos II as the huge flying creation was being tied down to large boulders. In actuality, those boulders were really the remains of the crumbled buildings that had fallen in the Monster Attack. Some of the legions had taken the rubble that was too badly destroyed to be reused out to the edge of the city.
This had become Percy's home as much as Camp Half Blood; and it was a sad sight; even though the Legions could build an entirely new camp in about ten days, it still wasn't easy watching the Campers bring out piles upon piles of rubble slated as nothing more than rocky trash.
Beside Percy, well on the other side of him, since Arion claimed the entire right side, and then some ten feet after that, Frank was standing there. His eyes watching the progress of ropes and gang planks being lowered down by what looked like dozens of orange sized blurs. The ship was about thirty yards out, enough to tell that those orange things were people, but not close enough to be able to discern any shapes of those people.
A fact that was maddening for Percy, because those orange people on board were his friends. He wanted to run flat out and meet the ship, but he stayed. He knew that his speech inside hadn't convinced all of the Roman kids that this wasn't some sort of attack from Graceus demons – not his words. He knew that his standing there was the only thing keeping those who still had doubts from running forward and charging.
Okay, so those few were only about 10 kids, but ten kids armed with Imperial gold weapons would still be taken as a threat, especially considering all the people Percy suspected were on Argos II. But still Percy found himself marked as an ambassador of sorts to this meeting of two groups, who up until now, never even knew that the other one existed.
So he had to be diplomatic about it, and stand there trying to look like some ancient leader who had long since dried up and was partying down on the Isle of Blest mocking his 'diplomatic stance'
It was especially hard to stand there, when Tyson had ran by him calling: "General Tyson's reinforcement golden ship! Half Blood Friends, Annabeth has come!" with Ella the Harpy flapping her wings above him chanting facts about Annabeth overhead, "Annabeth Chase, 16! Daughter of Athena! 23 Rivers Drive San Francisco, She likes reading The Leather Stocking Tales in Percy's bed –"
"Tyson!" Percy calling after the giant Cyclops stopped him like a train derailing, one huge eye turned to him, with the biggest smile below it. Percy had no idea how Ella knew all those things about Annabeth, but that wasn't the point. What was the point was that –
"Brother the ship!" Tyson was practically stamping his foot in frustration at being held up. "Annabeth has come!" he said like it was a Christmas present of a swimming pool of peanut butter. Tyson was nuts about Annabeth.
"I, yeah-" Percy felt his ears going red, creeping up on him, he shook his head.
Tyson's one eyebrow creased in a Cyclops sized amount of concern. "My brother is sick?" He took a lumbering step towards Percy, Ella clinging tight to his back.
"No no," Percy reassured the big guy, but Tyson still pressed a massive hand to his forehead, making him crash backwards into Arion who cursed a lot of good horse words.
"Dude!" Percy warned the horse, while Hazel was busy picking herself up from where Arion had pitched her. She didn't look too happy with her horse either. "Stop cussing! We've got company!"
Arion's reply to this was less than censored, there were a few choice remarks about where this company could go. But Percy didn't have time to react because Tyson began knocking into him with his huge hands, examining his eyes, his mouth. Percy loved his brother, but Tyson's finger was the size of his whole arm, and it prying open his mouth tasted like he had rolled his hand around with something that had died in the wall.
"I will get medicines from the Boat!" Tyson proclaimed.
"Tyson!" Percy managed to pry the Cyclops massive hands from his mouth. "It's okay buddy-"
"Lying down is the best thing for sickness!" Tyson's big eye was set to 'concerned little Cyclops brother'
"I'm okay dude," Percy dodged Tyson's hand that would've sent him sprawling again. "I'm not sick, just regular 'Fighting Monsters' tired."
"Percy is not sick, Percy is tired." Ella's harpy voice chanted in her high girly manic sounding voice. It wasn't scary, it was more like a sugar high giddy sound. "He sleeps with Annabeth when he is tired-"
"Tyson, the boats docking!" Percy cut off Ella's chant, his ears weren't just red now, they were burning. Beside him, Frank and Hazel were pretending not to have heard what Ella just said.
Tyson's focus suddenly turned away from Percy and back out to the commotion surrounding the airship. The ship was docked twenty feet in the air, swaying slightly in a buffering wind that blew cold against Percy's face.
"I must meet our friends!" Tyson sounded very in charge when he said that, more diplomatic than Percy felt standing there, waiting like some anxious toddler for the candy store to open. One massive eye looked back down to Percy "My brother is truly fine?"
"Yeah, truly." Percy replied, giving him his best 'See? Fine' smile, hoping all the while that his blush wasn't spreading to his face.
"Truly!"Ella squawked "Root word 'true' Aletheios in Greek! AL-et-hios!" Ella's voice breaking the word down into Greek echoed like the chords of a song as Tyson finally continued his run down to the ship, Ella's claws firmly in his back.
"They are the weirdest couple ever," Hazel proclaimed as he watched them go, her eyes found Percy. But there was nothing mocking in that look, and she was smiling. "Those are the sweetest ones."
"So, ah Percy-" Frank coughed like he had a real reason to besides trying to pretend he was. "You and Annabeth huh?" he coughed again. "I mean, you guys-"
"She spent two days of Winter Break with me," Percy's voice sounded unusually high, like he was trying to get out an excuse like this to Annabeth's father, or gods- Athena. "My apartment is small, we don't have any spare rooms. So I gave her my bed-I slept on the couch-We, ah, she was reading that Stocking book to me, and I, fell asleep before I could go back out to the living room. It was morning when I opened my eyes,- somehow, she, her head was on my shoulder, but that's it-"Percy suddenly found himself chanting to Athena, hoping that he wouldn't find himself as smoky tinder, or as a puddle of something liquefied.
"Percy relax," Hazel's hand was on his shoulder. If Percy didn't look like he was about to hyperventilate, she might have laughed at him. Annabeth Chase must be some girl. "We believe you. I think you're too much of a gentleman to do something like that."
"Thanks."Percy didn't know whether to thank her or feel insulted. Hazel was only 13, but she had come from a different Era. She and Frank held hands and kissed, but certain things weren't as freely given between teenagers back then as nowadays. So maybe it was a good thing that she considered him too gentlemanly to be with- gods, now couldn't he get that idea out of his head! Athena was going to smite him back to his birthday.
"Legions!"
Reyna's voice snapped Percy of his battle with his own mind. She was approaching Percy, Frank and Hazel, who were the closest to all the activities of the warship that was now suddenly free of activity and stood like a ghost ship. Reyna was usually flying, so to see her on foot looked unnatural, like a dog walking on its hind legs. Seeing her in her bright purple toga, flapping against her brown thong sandals, laurel in her hair – it made Percy more uncomfortable in his matching outfit. He was a pretty easy going guy, but wearing purple bedsheets wasn't something he would've done had he not been dressed at lightning speed by a group of half drunk fawns before the Feast of Fortuna.
Now he didn't even have time to change,because Reyna's call of "Legions" sounded like something important was about to happen.
Reyna pushed ahead of Percy and his friends, turning back to face the entire camp, where scores of purple shirts and togas stood, awaiting her like an orchestra to its maestro.
"These Greek Demigods are choosing to send us an Ambassador to speak on their behalf! The rest of their crew will remain on board until it is determined that there is no threat!" Reyna eyed Percy when she said this. It wasn't that she didn't trust him; it wasn't his trust she was worried about.
Reyna's voice was so stiff and formal sounding. After getting to know her, Percy knew she was cool. But, with that voice he half expected her to say: "Percy Jackson, there is no talking during the SAT!"
"Percy Jackson, our new Praetor, will meet their Ambassador, and determine if they are worthy to enter Camp Jupiter!"
There was a cheer from a few in the crowd, some clapping, and what sounded like Octavian coughing obscenities into his hand.
Percy finger waved at the crowd. Nervousness welled in his gut like a hurricane. Those guys on that ship were his friends, but he had never spoken to them as an "Praetor" of something before. Percy felt like he was back in first grade, about to dance the lead part in his class's production of Peter Pan. His mom's huge RCA camcorder about to capture every embarrassing moment, because being a dyslexic half blood, all he could remember was the first line "I'm Peter Pan, and I fly around!" Bullies at school like to beat up little kids who sounded that lame. Too bad he didn't know Annabeth back them, he was pretty sure that she would've punched them on his behalf.
"Legions of Camp Jupiter – " Reyna's voice echoed over the crowd, as one of the First Legion blew into a Ram's Horn trumpet. "The Demigod of Greece's Ambassador, Annabeth Melinda Chase!"
The first thing Percy thought was: 'Annabeth is so going to kill Reyna for that. She HATES her middle name." But then his mind switched into a puddle of: "Wait what? Annabeth?"
A blur of orange was on the horizon where the gigantic form of Argos II sat bumping in the air like a ship tied to a mooring. The orange blur morphed into a shape as it came closer, legs walking in a pair of battered Converse and jeans. A head full of thick blond hair barely contained in a pony tail. Over her dirty jeans and orange shirt, the girl wore a breast plate made of Celestial Bronze, and carried a massive circular shield made of a reflective mirrored material. The hilt of a knife stuck out of a side arm scabbard on her right arm. She was thin, her armor clinked against the gaps that had formed on her from her weight loss, and her cheeks had a sunken look to them.
But her gray eyes were intense, battle honed, and she carried her armor and weapons in the stance of warrior.
"Holy Mother of Mars! That's Annabeth?" Frank side barred to Percy in a whisper. "Dude, she's hot! No wonder you sleep with Annabeth when you're tired!"
"Frank Zhang are you done!" Hazel hissed at him, and Arion bumped Frank in the shoulder none to friendly.
Frank stumbled forward for a step, and met Hazel's glare. She packed a big wallop for a little thing. "I mean, I'm sorry?"he looked at Hazel sheepishly, brushing mud off his jeans. that had splattered there from the puddle Arion had pitched him into.
"She's beautiful Percy," Hazel said, close by Percy's left side where they all watched as Annabeth closed the gap between herself and Reyna.
"Yeah she is," Percy didn't realize he was holding his breath until he spoke these words. Annabeth stopped in front of Reyna, her shield lowered to the ground, and stood facing the other girl.
"Welcome Ambassador Chase," Reyna offered Annabeth her hand, and Annabeth eyed it like it was a weapon.
While this was going on Percy was just staring at her. She was even thinner up close, her armor seemed to be practically hanging off of her body. Her hair was now a dirty blonde because of all the dirt in it. The hand that held the shield had a prominent bit of wrist bone sticking out of it. She looked ill, but she wasn't letting it show, her chin high as she finally accepted Reyna's handshake, but with a bit of hesitation, examining the handshake like the strategist that she was.
Gods, she was beautiful.
"Thank you for listening to us Praetor Reyna," Annabeth's voice was strong, despite her body, with a hardness to it that Percy had heard when she had been at odds with Rachel.
Reyna shook Annabeth's hand like she was touching a live bomb. Both girls didn't know what to make of each other, and they each had weapons to use against people they didn't know what to make of. "I can't say the pleasure is all mine Ambassador Chase; I am not the one who will determine if you and your crew are allowed to enter Camp Jupiter. That duty falls on our Ambassador, my co-Praetor, Percy Jackson."
Annabeth's eyes clouded over like a storm at the mention of Percy's name. For the first time since arriving in front of Camp Jupiter, she actively started scanning the crowd for him. Percy was standing only ten feet from her, but he was wearing a purple toga, so maybe it had taken longer for her to realize who she was looking at.
When she finally met his eyes it was like someone had punched Percy in the chest, because he felt completely winded. Eight months of not seeing something that had been so commonplace for over six years, that feeling was like no other.
Neither of them moved. Annabeth looked caught halfway between wanting to bolt to him and wanting to kill him. But she stayed there, blinking away that look, and then eyeing him like a politician meeting a foreign diplomat. "We've got a lot to discuss concerning our two camps Percy."
Hearing Annabeth say his name was like drinking five cans of Surge Cola, it left his heart racing, his chest aching, left him wanting more. "Yes, it would seem that we do." Gods, her eyes. No memory of them could equal seeing the real thing right in front of his own.
"This Camp knows of your union with our Praetor, Ambassador Chase," Reyna said union like she was speaking about a marriage. It made both Percy and Annabeth fight the blush from rising to their faces. "There is no need to pretend. You may acknowledge it."
All of the Roman Campers, including Hazel and Frank, were now looking at Annabeth and Percy expectantly. Percy felt like they was on the Jumbo Tron at Yankee Stadium and everyone was chanting: "Kiss, KISS!"
Annabeth took the first step towards Percy, her shield still in her hand. Percy walked to match her, until they met on her fifth step, and his third.
It was awkward. They hadn't seen each other in eight months, and now they were both on public display for this reunion, everyone expecting Percy to grab her and throw her down with mad passionate kissing…yeah, defiantly awkward.
"Annabeth."
"Percy" Annabeth nodded at him like they were just passing each other in the street. "It's been a long time." Something very tiny faltered in her voice, she didn't cry, Annabeth wasn't a weepy girl, but Percy had head it.
"Yeah it has," Percy found a bit of a tremble in his own voice. "Sorry, something funny happened on the way back to my cabin."
Annabeth shook her head like she was taking in that lie for fact. She flicked her eyes over his toga. "Nice dress, Percy."
Percy suddenly found himself laughing a short laugh. "It's the latest on Roman runways I hear, and I think I'm rocking it."
Annabeth rolled her eyes at him, but then she raised an arm and pressed a hand to the side of his face.
Percy's breathing suddenly slowed to one deep breath, feeling her touch so deeply it sent shockwaves down to his toes.
It lasted for only ten seconds before her hand pulled away, ten seconds when he wanted to just grab her and give everyone the show that they were expecting. But, he didn't and neither did she.
They were both too versed in strategy to do something to weaken their deals for both Camps. PDA with your girlfriend and boyfriend was too teenagery for even teenage demigods. Especially when they were acting on behalf of said camps. They had to maintain diplomacy.
That was the formal excuse that Percy gave himself for not just grabbing Annabeth and holding her.
Formal excuses sucked all Arion's cursing combined.
There was a dry, heavy clapping, that made the Roman Campers and Annabeth turn to the source of the noise.
"Gods Percy, you call that acknowledgement?" Octavian sneered from his position behind the crowd of Campers. His Purple toga flapped in a sudden breeze, flowing almost regally, making the sneer that much more annoying. He walked until he was a foot in front of Annabeth, surveying her like a stallion he was looking to buy.
Annabeth eyed him like the scum that he was. "And you are?"
"Octavian, Co-Praetor before Percy My Lady," Octavian gave her a little sarcastic bow complete with hand wave. "Percy here has talked about you enough Annabeth, but we never thought that someone like you would be Jackson's girlfriend."
Annabeth only looked like she was refrained from cursing by sheer will power. "And what does that mean?" Her gray eyes were boring holes into Octavian's skull, like she was deciding where to best stick her knife to cause maximum pain.
"Percy's not the most intelligent of Demigods My Lady," Octavian kept calling Annabeth "My Lady" with enough of a sneer for her to get what he meant. "We all that his girlfriend would be a bit, well not hot like you. And-" his smile wasn't pleasant. "It's just that one with think with such a jewel as you to claim as his own, that Percy would be a bit more 'adamant' about seeing you after eight months." His eyes flicked over Annabeth, and not a casual flick. He stepped closer to her, one finger idly moving a piece of hair off of her armor. "I know I would."
Percy could practically hear the 'I'll adamant YOU pal' come from Annabeth's thoughts. His thoughts were more on 'I swear on the River Styx if he TOUCHES her again he's going to lose that finger'
Annabeth's fists were clenched at her side, her knife hand twitched, but she forced the fist closed. "You're very flattering Octavian," she watched Octavian actually smile at the compliment, she smiled bigger, forced, but bigger "You might want to watch all that talk about jewels and claiming, because my mother's the Lady, I'm not, so that leaves me clear to say a few things about you."
There was a quiet, but still audible "Pwoned!" from one of the Second Legion, laughter rippled through the Campers. Even Reyna stifled a smile in her hand.
Octavian's eyes burned, but before he could counter Reyna raised her hands up to get everyone's attention.
"Okay everyone, the Ambassador has to give her speech before her crew melts inside their ship." Reyna's voice called out, waving off the group like they were a middle school class. "Let's take this inside, shall we? Octavian-" Reyna stepped closer to the former Praetor, because he had not moved from his 'invasion of personal space' closeness to Annabeth. Octavian may have been a Co-Praetor before Jason, but he was still a slimeball. "You can talk more with Ambassador Chase inside."
Octavian's eyes were still burning like fire, but he physically shook himself into a smile. He grabbed Annabeth's free hand before she could react. "Until then, My Lady," he repeated words rose in their level of 'scumbaggedness' . It was subtle, but still there, a gentleman's smile to make reassurances, but underlying it, was the trash talking he was going for. He kissed the flat of her hand.
Annabeth had to resist very hard against forming that hand into a fist and punching Octavian in the face. Instead, she gave him a hard, dazzling smile. "I look forward to it."
Octavian released her hand, and walked away from them and into the crowd, who began to disperse for him like he had rolled around in diseased water.
"Gods what a JERK!" Jessica Ranier, from the Third Legion hissed loud enough for her words to carry over the crowd.
"She should've just knocked him out," Lester Flemming, also of Third Legion responded. Everyone could hear him, but he didn't care "I would've LOVED to see that smile being punched off that dooshy face."
"Ambassador Chase-"
Reyna's words were so formal that Percy felt like he was in a school assembly. But, even though he had become friends with this girl, he knew that she was acting on a official behalf of Camp Jupiter. She couldn't very well say 'Hey, girl what's up?' and fist bump Annabeth or anything.
"Octavian is a former Co Praetor," Reyna put just enough of an edge in 'former' for everyone to get what she meant. "His actions do not speak for the whole of Camp Jupiter, and he is a bit of an-"
"Dooshbag?" Percy ventured. I'm sorry guys, but official meeting between two Demi God Camps or not, it had to be said.
Reyna's eyes turned to his, but not angrily, and Percy thought he saw a hint of a smile creep on her lips before her 'Praetor Face' fell back over it. She didn't even correct Percy's words, she just went on like, 'basically' "My co-Praetor Percy Jackson has already ah -determined you worthy to enter our walls." Our Camp is a Democracy Annabeth, your will be heard, and it will be formally determined if this is a cause we will undertake with you."
The words seemed harsh; but Annabeth digested, knowing that Reyna was just being cautious. She held the entire future of her Camp on her shoulders; she couldn't just weigh fate of hundreds of lives against one dirty and tired blond teenage demigod. Something Annabeth could relate too. She had become an unofficial leader of Camp Half Blood after Percy- after he was gone.
"What about my friends?" Annabeth asked, casting eyes back to the enormous airship that sat buffering in the wind "The ship isn't exactly open and airy, and a few kids are already airsick."
"Unfortunately, they cannot step into Camp until the Vote has been cast," Reyna's voice was sincerely apologetic when she said this. "But the land where your ship is tethered is outside our borders. If you can guarantee your ranks will remain there, they may stretch their legs."
"Fair enough," Despite looking as exhausted as Percy knew Annabeth to be, she was in her element. Negotiating and strategizing were like breathing and walking to them. "I'll let them know My Lady," Annabeth's My Lady was said in the way the words were meant to, a mark of respect. Annabeth only knew Reyna for 15 minutes, but she had already started to 'get her' She was someone very loyal to her friends and her duties as leader of this place. Annabeth could respect that. "But, if I may, I'd like a few words alone with your Ambassador."
Annabeth cast eyes to Percy, drinking him after eight months. She dreamt about him almost every night; but the real thing was entirely different. he was clean, and looked a bit ridiculous in that purple toga, with a new shorter haircut taming his black hair. His face was scratched, she could see healing scratches on his hands, hardened with calluses from the things he had done in those last eight months. His eyes were still deep green, ocean green, but they were tired, exhausted. She wondered what had happened in those eight months – and she didn't want to know.
Reyna's eyebrows rose, and she looked between Percy and Annabeth, judging exactly what 'alone' for them meant. "You may. But, I'm afraid I must ask Frank Zhang and Hazel Levenqusie to stay. They accompanied Percy on his mission to Alaska, they are his closet friends here. No offense Madame Ambassador, but I will need a less biased account of what was said here, then just yourself and Percy Jackson."
Again Annabeth didn't take any offense. Renya was a born leader, she was covering all her bases.
"Deal." Annabeth said.
Reyna looked over Annabeth's head, to the hundreds of Demigods in Camp Jupiter, the silence was almost deafening. "Our two Ambassadors will converse with ah- chaperones?"
"First Rank" Frank ventured.
Reyna looked at him like she wanted to kiss him, because 'chaperones' sounded like Percy and Annabeth were kindergartners. Frank looked like he wanted to blush clear up to his hairline at Reyna's look.
"Yes, right." Reyna agreed with Frank's words. "Ambassador Chase," Reyna's words to Annabeth were formal, but there was something in her voice that wasn't. "I must ask – is – I mean – is Jason Grace among your ranks?"
Annabeth studied the other girls' face. After all these months of knowing Piper McClean, the look Reyna was wearing on her face at the question about Jason, it would crush her. "Yes he is."
Reyna's eyes rose, her entire face lit up, before she could let it fall away into her 'leader face' "And, is he well?"
"He's fine." Annabeth didn't know what she was going to say to Piper about this. But, Reyna looked so sincerely relieved, so sad, the same way Annabeth was looking at Percy, that she had to tell the other girl about Jason. Annabeth didn't know what they meant to each other, but she couldn't deny Renya this news. Because, she knew what that kind of thing felt like.
"Good," Reyna looked three seconds away from crying, but all she said was that one word. She blinked and the teary eyes fell away, and she cast her eyes over the crowd, all watching her." There's barbeque in the Principia everyone."
The crowd began to disperse in maddening excitement after the promise of barbeque was mentioned. No one pretended to be vegetarians here. A few of Percy's friends from the Fifth Legion came up to Percy and Annabeth, the girls a bit shyly and timid, not wanting to be on the receiving line of Annabeth's insults.
"Hey Annabeth, I'm Janelle, Percy and I are in the same Legion, that's my boyfriend Evan over there," Janelle, a thin girl with brunette hair braided in intricate woven braids down her back said this all in one breath, pointing to an African American guy who was currently shouting: "Whoo barbeque!" at the head of the line heading inside the Camp.
"I'm Lisa," Lisa Watersbee, also of the Fifth Legion came up next to Janelle. She was a very pretty girl with a hint of a southern accent, and springy red curls that framed her face like a halo. "My boyfriend is Janelle's boyfriend's best friend, his name's Ted. That's him, dunking Evan into that vat of BBQ sauce."
Ted waved back at Lisa when she waved at him. "We'll see you inside okay?"
The two girls left with nothing more than that. Leaving Annabeth and Percy alone with Frank and Hazel and Arion who stood munching a golden nugget Hazel had managed to find him.
Blonde one little Lord's girlfriend?
Yeah,Percy thought back to Arion That's Annabeth.
Blonde FIllie very pretty. Arion would- " Arion whinnied and snorted.
"Dude!" Percy glared at the horse. "That's nasty! Never think that again!"
Arion looked smug, and over to Annabeth, who only raised her eyebrows.
"Sorry," Percy looked at her sheepishly. "Arion doesn't have a censor on his mouth. But he thinks you're-"
Percy's words were cut off when a fist slammed into his gut, winding him. Then another before he could react, both thrown from Annabeth.
"Annabeth!" Percy choked her name out around his need to get air. He was curled on himself on the ground. It wasn't his most flattering appearance. Even after a 10 pound stress induced weight loss, Annabeth could throw a punch "What in Hades-"
"Something funny happened on the way back to my Cabin?" Annabeth's eyes were murderous, glaring over Percy.
"I'm sorry." Percy felt the need to apologize, even though none of this was his fault.
"Sorry?" Annabeth kicked a pile of rocks, scattering dirt over his clothes. "Eight MONTHS! I thought you were dead! and you're SORRY?" Her armor rattled against her as she moved, grabbing up plants by their roots and hurling them at him, showering Percy with more dirt that fell from their roots.
Hazel and Frank both looked at each other, each debating whether or not to interfere. Finally it was decided when Hazel spoke up. "Annabeth it wasn't his fault! Juno took away his memories, Percy didn't want this to happen!"
Annabeth seemed not to have heard her. "Paul wanted to have a memorial for you Percy! Your mom and I had to talk him out of it, do you know what that felt like? He was going to give you a headstone at your Montauk Cabin! He had it MADE! He asked Chiron for your SHROUD to burn!"
Percy felt like Annabeth had punched him again, even when she didn't. A headstone? Paul was going to bury him? And his mom- oh gods calling her from that payphone, it was hard, he wanted to be with her, what had she thought? What if she had started believing Paul, what if he had never called? Would all his family be standing beside a stone marker with no body? Crying over him? What would Annabeth have done?
"Annabeth, I didn't- I didn't know-" Percy started clamoring to his feet, Frank gave him a hand up. "Annabeth I'm sorry!"
Percy was apologizing for memory loss, and being chased by monsters, and hurled into an unfamiliar Camp with Roman Demigods, traveling to Alaska to free Death, and almost dying half a dozen times along the way. But, the way Annabeth was looking at him, Percy would've apologized for everything that had happened to them in the last six years.
Because there was such a furious, angry, pained look on her face.
Percy raised his right hand, but what for, he didn't even know. He wanted to, what? Touch her, hug her? Maybe erase that sadness. Because watching her was starting to hurt.
Annabeth set her shield to the ground. She then grabbed at the straps of her breastplate, and undid them in two quick movements.
Percy's watched her in confusion ash she set her armor beside the shield. Without it she looked even thinner. She still had her athletic build, but it was like a thin layered skin on top of protruding bone. Her chest was heaving, her eyes glaring.
She walked to him with this stance, and Percy actually braced himself for her next punch. Because he had sparred with her enough times to know what a look like that meant. Watching her undo her armor, he knew that it was just so she could get to him faster to sock him in the face. And he waited for it, because – well, what else was he going to do? Fight his own girlfriend for being scared that he had died?
Annabeth was two paces from him when Percy felt her slam into him, hard. It winded him, even more then her previous punches to the gut. But oddly Percy didn't feel any punching this time. Instead, he felt something else.
Annabeth's arms were locked around his neck, her face was in his shoulder, her thick blond hair tickling his nose.
Percy finally found something to do with his right hand as it settled behind her back with his left, until he was holding her like she was holding him.
She smelled like Lemon Soap and dirt and monster blood. Gods she smelled—WONDERFUL.
That thing that hurt, seeing her, still did. It was blown wide open, and was so painful it was aching his ribs. But, it was that good kind of pain. That kind you felt when a wound finally started to heal. Eight months he had missed her, but, standing there, with her right next to him, holding onto her reality, he finally really remembered why.
"Annabeth?"
"Shut up Seaweed Brain," Annabeth's voice was almost lost in his shoulder. She pulled back, her eyes two steps short of crying, two steps she tried to stay head of, to be mad at him. She was squeezing him so hard she knew he was probably choking, but the idiot deserved it. Gods, what would she have done if – "I hate you." her chest was heaving, she was now only one step away from crying. But, one step was still ahead.
Percy could only smile so heavily it felt liked whipped cream, it made his insides ache, that smile. Because he hadn't used it in so long. "I hate you too."
She kissed him first, then he countered. The end result wasn't something 'heavy' or 'hot' It was something so deeply real it made Annabeth treacherously lose a few tears when it happened. She tasted it down her lips, feeling her own heartbeat exploding out of her chest.
Percy's forehead was against hers, his thumb wiping at her eyes. Because he knew she hated crying in public, and he was helping her save face, after all she was the Camp Half Blood Ambassador.
But when he heard her whispered "I missed you." travel through the air, he knew that he was really just wanting to touch her.
"I remember missing you." Okay, so maybe it was a stupid thing to say, but she didn't punch him, or glare at him. Instead she took his face in her hands and kissed his eyes. So stupid or not, he didn't regret it.
It was Hazel who finally cleared her throat in a 'uh guys' way. She found two sets of eyes on her. One she'd come to know over the last eight months. And the other, gray, fierce loyal, attached to a hand that was currently grasping Percy's.
"Hi," Okay, completely and utterly LAME. Hazel cleared her throat. "Hi, Annabeth, I mean –Ambassador Chase, or-gods, whatever, I'm Hazel. Hazel Levenqueue, Daughter of Pluto." Hazel stumbled over her words, but then decided to screw it, and speak like she would normally do. Annabeth was surveying her with those intense gray eyes.
She wasn't kidding with Percy, Annabeth was pretty. She was everything Hazel could hear in Percy's voice when he talked about her. She was-she and Percy were both only 16, but Hazel knew, Annabeth was Percy's life.
"Frank Zhang, Son of Mars." Frank spoke up giving a short wave, trying not to stare too long at Annabeth. Octavian was a First Class Idiot, but he was right about one thing. Frank didn't picture Percy's girlfriend as—well he expected some sweet girl with Cat eye glasses, who liked to read books, since her mother was Athena, maybe fought with a dagger, when she had too, but preferred the library. But, not this, fierce looking blonde girl with swirling gray eyes with a wicked looking knife strapped to her arm. Gods she was HOT. No bad thoughts Frank, think of Hazel, think of Hazel, think of how Hazel would KILL you if she knew what you were thinking right now.
"Mars?" Annabeth's eyes surveyed Frank, who tried not to hyperventilate. She said this like she couldn't decide whether to fear that kind of declaration or make fun of it. But in the end, she could see that Frank was a good guy, she decided to like him instead. "You've got about ten Greek siblings on my ship Frank."
Frank stopped hyperventilating long enough to hear what Annabeth had just said. "Really? That's so cool!" Frank had been an only child for so long, that the prospect of siblings, no matter where they came from was something. "I can't wait to meet them Annabeth, I mean, if they're as cool as you- I mean-" Frank felt like a lumbering idiot, instead of one of the Heros of Camp Jupiter. Annabeth wasn't model beautiful. She was beautiful yes, Gods yes.
But, it was the way she commanded herself that made Frank come up short, the way she held her head up high to Octavian even as he was sleazing all over her, the way she took charge of those on board that airship. The way she didn't let anyone see her weakness except Percy.
No, Octavian was right, this wasn't the girlfriend any of them pictured for Percy Jackson. But, she was the only one worthy of the title.
"You are the one thing that Percy could remember Annabeth; even when all he could remember was your name. I believe in Life Forces Annabeth, and I think you're his."
Whoa, okay, where did THAT piece of poetic verse come from Frank? Frank felt almost like his grandmother's ghost had inhabited his body. He sounded like one of those dusty old fortune teller machines he had seen at a street fair. Hazel was giving him a curious look, but she wasn't looking at him like he was overly full of crazy, just like he had said something that they were all thinking.
Annabeth looked down at Percy's hand liked with hers, like she was studying the nature of what linked them together in the first place. Life Force. She had never thought of what she had with Percy in terms like that. But being without him the past eight months, there was no other description for it.
Seeing Paul uncover that headstone just sitting in Percy's apartment like a piece of furniture - Annabeth hadn't told Percy all the details. Sally had thrown her hands over her mouth, and had started to cry, yelling at Paul at the same time, that it didn't belong there, that her son was alive, she could still feel him. Paul had tried to calm her down, finding Annabeth's eyes from where she stood across the tiny living room in shock. Paul had called her there as an advocate; to try and help Sally understand, because it had been so long since Percy had vanished, and they had to let him go. It hurt Paul down to his bones, but he was trying to be realistic.
Annabeth had just stood there, seeing the inscription: Perseus Aaron Jackson '1993-2009' Below that an inscription in Greek:
Είστε ο ήρωας μας
You are our Hero.
Annabeth could hear Sally crying and screaming at Paul in the background like white noise. She had grabbed a huge metal Frisby for Mrs. O'Leary in the corner of the kitchen, and had hurled it at the headstone, cracking it at the top half, crumbling out Percy's last name.
"HE'S NOT DEAD PAUL!" Her scream had been so loud it echoed through the whole apartment. Paul had stopped trying to calm his wife, and stood facing the 16 year old girl in his tiny apartment, chest heaving, eyes on fire with such pain and sadness and anger.
"Percy's alive! He's alive Paul!" It was the first time she had Paul by his first name. "You understand?" Her eyes had met Sally Jackson's from across the room, and the woman hand reached out to take Annabeth's hand, grasping it, because it was a link to her son. Because Paul was her husband, but only Annabeth could understand what this felt like.
If Percy was dead, then Annabeth would have been too.
Life Force.
Frank Zhang was right.
"Annabeth?" Percy was talking to her.
She blinked and looked at him.
"You okay? Cause I think we're over due for that meeting, he checked a watch that had broken on his first fight with the Medusas, but one that he had never taken off. "Eight Months Ago." He offered her a grin despite how strongly he felt her hand grasping his. He thought back to his dream of Juno, about what she said about Annabeth.
He needed her watching his back. He needed her period. She was his strongest and weakest link, and that's what scared him. Because he couldn't live without her again.
Her hand squeezed a little harder into his, he could feel the bones in his hand shifting around. "You ready then?" she spoke this like he had been holding her up this entire time.
Percy's grin broadened, whether real or not, but it was there. "Baby, I'm ready for anything."
Annabeth punched him in the shoulder. "Don't call me baby."
"No problem babe," He ducked at her next punch.
"I see where you're so adept at battle reflexes Percy," Hazel said in amusement. She was holding to Arion's reigns, and Percy was trying to ignore all the vulgarity coming from the stallion's mouth of how (the G Rated Version of it would be 'hot') he thought Annabeth was.
She released Arion's reigns, and threw a pile of gold scrap metal in front of the horse. "All for you big guy." She patted the horses' neck while he tore happily into the scraps.
"I suggest we get on with the meeting, Reyna's probably ready to kill us for holding it up. And all your other friends have got to be hot in that boat Percy, it doesn't exactly look, arid. And, I've already died once already."
Annabeth didn't even bat an eye at such a statement, or a horse eating gold, or Percy telling said horse: Dude, stop hitting on my girlfriend! Such was the norm of her life.
As was the fierceness at which she was holding to Percy's hand. It wasn't the dream that she had for months, where his hands looked perfect and smooth, but felt like smoke. It was thinner like hers, but it was solid, real.
It scared her to death to lose it again. The lives of Demigods wasn't an absolute, it was carved through war and pain and loss. But it was also made with such joy, with love so deep it scarred. And, she could take the pain and war, but she couldn't go back to not being here.
A drop in the Ocean
A Change in the Weather
I was praying that you and me might end up together
That future that Percy could see now, in this Roman City, it had become so much sharper now that Annabeth was here. Demigods lived and raised families in this place, free of monsters, and gods deciding their lives. He was only 16, and so was she, but he wanted that. He had been to actual Greek Heaven, had been given a chance at immortality. But he had refused it, because, down there, in that crumbling mess was what he would fight for. That piece of everyday that was more of a heaven because it was short, they would age, but that's what made it worth something.
It's like wishing for Rain, as I stand in the Desert,
But I'm holding you close than most.
Cause you are my Heaven.
Percy wondered what their children would look like. Probably a bunch of little Hades raisers who fought like Bears and liked to read Tennyson.
He wondered if he would live long enough to see them be born, because he really wanted to meet them.
His grip on Annabeth's hand matched her tightness."Let's do it."
xxxxXxxxx
End.
The lyrics at the end are "A Drop in the Ocean" by: Ron Pope. This may have been a bit "schmoozy" by some people's standards, but I just wrote it the way I saw it, so I regret nothing.
Reviews won't get you different character POV or new fun filled chapters. They will, however make me happy in knowing that what I wrote affected you. So, please, and thank you.
Peace,
Mystic.