She jerked awake, tears in her cheeks and heart racing. Silently as possible, she rose from the bed, tying on a light blue robe. Paul was still asleep, used to her leaving and returning after the months of her waking up at least once each night in terror, filled with worry.
Percy. Her baby boy. Albeit he wasn't a baby anymore, a warrior and Savior of the gods several times over, but her baby nontheless. He could defeat all the monsters in the world, but she would remember the sweet little boy with green eyes, talking to fish through the aquarium glass.
Sighing and trying to shake off the nightmare, Sally poured some hot water in with her favorite kind of tea bag, the sound of the water alone beginning to soothe her. Just a dream, she reminded herself. Percy's probably still safe at Camp Jupiter, making new friends with no memory of the old.
She had spent countless afternoons with annabeth, crying at the very thought, but they both knew Percy's character; regardless of whatever the ridiculous meddling goddess did, he would stay loyal to the people he cared about in the end, whether or not he could remember them.
Draining the mug, she placed it in the sink, her stress beginning to subside. The anxiety remained, as a mother it was constant bar when she was with him, but it was more generalized than a panic over his impending death.
Tiredness setting in, she stepped to the answering machine as she did each night, hitting the play button almost religiously.
"...I'll make it home. I promise. Love you."
The machine beeped to signify the end of the recording, and she took a deep breath. Though vague and more than a month old, with no new information, the message gave her hope. I promise. Percy was many things, but he always kept his promises, and she had to trust that in his past five years living the life of a demigod he had gained the skills and knowledge necessary to make it home safe.
Even more reassuring was the prospect of Annabeth finding him; if there was anything to convince her that her son would be okay, it was knowing he had someone so intelligent and experienced at his side; someone who loved him as much as she did. She had to believe he would be fine.
Turning off the light of the fan, she trudged back to her room, lying down feeling only marginally more peaceful.
I swear, Hera, if anything happens to him there's not a god in this world who can keep you safe.
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"Morning," Paul greeted her with a kiss on the cheek as she entered the kitchen the following morning; it was a Saturday, so they were both relaxed with a day off ahead of them, but still. She had a feeling something important would happen...something bad?
"How bad was it last night?" He asked with a squeeze of her hand, as he did customarily.
"Mostly the same. The nightmares just keep getting more vivid."
"I'm sorry, love. I was wondering what caused you to desire a salomi and pickle sandwich at two in the morning, not to mention the cake."
"What are you talking about?" She responded with a befuddled expression, and he gestured to a plate with half a sandwich and a bite of chocolate cake on the counter.
"I don't...I don't remember doing that. Maybe I woke up again and was just so exhausted I didn't bother to store the memory?" She theorized, thoroughly confused as Paul merely shrugged it off.
"Paul, did you have to trail dirt all over? I just mopped this floor two days ago! And the shoes in the middle of the living room?"
"You know I always use the doormat, Sally, and all my shoes are accounted for. What are you..." He trailed off, seeing the evidence for himself with wide eyes. "This wasn't me. And you didn't eat the food...someone else is here."
She nodded, picking up an old baseball bat. "How could someone have gotten in?" She asked in a whisper, looking around for other signs of an intruder. "The doors and windows are locked."
"Maybe..a demigod?" He reasoned, and she nodded in agreement just as a snore was heard from one of the other two bedrooms. Tiptoeing through the hall, Sally raised the bar, her anger climaxing upon realizing the stranger was in Percy's room as she approached.
Lifting the bat, she reached for the doorknob just as it swung open, revealing a familiar face, in an older but more scarred body, eyes heavy from sleep and hair all over the place.
Taking in the boy before her, Sally pressed a hand to her heart. "Percy," she whispered, "You're home."
A small smile appeared on his haggard face, and he leaned down to envelop her in a hug.
"Hey, Mom," he replied, speaking while still squeezing her as tears of relief coursed down her face. "You wouldn't believe the summer I've had."