"Sally? Sally I'm home!"
When Sally didn't reply Paul Blofis panicked a little. Rushed into the corridor his room his head was already spinning out sickening scenarios involving monsters, armed demigods or mythical objects that could turn you to dust...When your wife's first husband had been the God of Sea and their child- now your stepson- was a demigod it was hard to rule anything out.
"Sally?"
"In here Paul." He relaxed somewhat at the sound of her voice but he didn't slow down as he followed the sound into the living room.
He nearly jumped at what he saw. Percy Jackson demigod stepson in question, who had been missing for nearly a year and his best friend and girlfriend Annabeth Chase were asleep on the couch.
Sally was kneeling in front of the pair. As she brushed some hair out of her son's eyes the relief on her face was so pure and heartfelt that Paul felt his own heart tighten a little in return.
"So Percy's back." He whispered softly. There was so many intrinsic things, so many hurts and happiness's tied up into that statement he didn't know where to begin, part of him had been terrified that he would never be able to say those words at all. So instead he opted to kneel down beside her and take her into his arms. Sally crumpled against him in response, sighing deeply. He heard and months and months of intense worry leaving her in that liberating rush of air.
"He's been to Tartarus and back this time, literally. They both have." She leaned against him as she muttered it. Paul's tried to take this in. His stepson had been to Tartarus. His stepson had been to Tartarus- All his brain could think of that was -How the hell did he escape?
Then again he was related to Sally, sheer resilience was definitely in his genes.
His eyes roamed over the pair's slumbering forms again, wincing as he took in the sheer amount of injuries covering both of them. Annabeth in particular, her face was a mess of bruises, bandages spiraled up her arms and from what he could see of her ankle where it wasn't entwined with Percy's was in some kind of temporary splint.
"I've spoken to her father; he's on his way here." She had noticed the direction of his gaze and anticipated the following question. "Apparently she broke her ankle before they fell into the pit but I don't know the full-story. Yet."
"Dear gods." He breathed, trying to process this new titbit of information as he struggled to imagine what the two teens had been through exactly. They were still so young, exceedingly brave and tough for their age but still so young. Although he had known about Percy's heritage for over a year now it was only in moments like this where the impact of that really hit him. Demigods like this two never really had the chance to be normal teenagers and never would.
Suddenly Percy smiled and opened his eyes a crack, breaking him out of his musing. Annabeth did the same simultaneously, like they were somehow exactly in sync. "Hey mom. Hey Paul."
"Hello Percy. I hear you went to Tartarus?" He questioned, Percy's face twisted at the question and his grip tightened anxiously around his girlfriend like she was what was anchoring him to his sanity. Considering the subject matter she probably was.
"Yep I did. On the bright side at least it'll look great on my C.V." Paul had to smile at that- Still Percy Jackson I see.
"If you ever try to do that, or even try to use it as an icebreaker at some godforsaken party I will feed you to the harpies, understand Seaweed Brain? I don't even want to remember that place unless I absolutely have to. Not.. not when we almost died."
"Hey, hey we made it out didn't we?" he sat up to face Annabeth, that uncommon gentleness in his eyes that he only had when he looked at her softening the sea-green. Seemingly forgetting they had company when their eyes met he reached up to touch her face tenderly. Paul felt a little like he was intruding on a private moment.
"I'm just glad you two are safe." Percy turned and wrapped his arms around his mother at this statement and after a moment's hesitation Annabeth joined in.
The four of them stayed like that for a while. Later there would be more time for explanations and discussions and healing. This was that strange quiet stage where they had managed to make it to the eye of the storm and the calm within it and could enjoy the moment rest before the next hurricane came to batter them again. So they were just happy to remain, relishing the feeling of being together again and safe after so long. Like a family.