The hallway was the same as ever. Each turn was just like I remembered, but it smelled like new paint. My heart jumped in my chest when I saw my door number. My stomach was empty, but it felt shaky with excitement anyway.

I took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell lightly. Gods, I was nervous. I only hoped Mom wouldn't kill me for surprising her.

To my dismay, Paul opened the door instead of Mom. I froze, not sure how he'd react. Paul opened his mouth, a smile spreading quickly, but I put a finger over my lips, signaling for him not to shout. I realized suddenly how much taller than Paul I had grown. There were a few more streaks of gray in his salt-and-pepper hair that matched my gray streak exactly.

The smell of my favorite cookies wafted through the doorway. I breathed it in ecstatically. Paul chuckled quietly, noticing my excitement.

"Come in," he mouthed. I nodded.

"Sally, there's someone here for you!" Paul called in through the entryway.

"I'll be there in a minute. Just let me get these cookies off the tray!"

I beamed at the sound of her voice, and stepped inside a bit more, shrugging my jacket off my shoulders.

I watched Mom's expression change from confusion, to shock, to something unreadable as she rounded the corner. "Hi," I said sheepishly.

"Percy—how—where the hell have you been?!" Mom cried, a mixture of exasperation and relief in her voice. I backed up a bit, thinking she was going to throttle me.

But she just buried herself in my arms and sobbed. I rested my chin on the top of her head. I might have cried a bit too, though I'd probably never admit it.

When Mom composed herself enough to speak like a normal person, I was surprised at her first question.

"Where's Annabeth?" Her eyebrows knit with concern.

"Fine. She's okay." Mom's expression relaxed. "She's at her Dad's house. We can Iris message her, if—"

"No, no, it's fine. I was just worried that maybe, well, you know…"

"I know, Mom. We're okay, I promise. Just really, really tired." I smiled reassuringly.

Mom's face lit up suddenly. "I have cookies! Come in, come in!"

I stepped into the living room of my apartment for the first time since… I didn't really even remember. It seemed smaller than the last time I'd been there, but it still looked just about the same since I'd left. There was a vase of fresh roses on the coffee table, which was new. Also, I noticed that there was an old family photo hanging over the electric fireplace.

"Mom?" I called.

"I'm in the kitchen, honey!"

"Okay, I just wanted to go up to my room."

I walked down the familiar hall, a feeling of sentimentality washing over me as I pushed open my door. I saw the pencil lines scratched onto the door, marking my height up until I was 13 or so. The line reached up to my chest now. I smiled.

My room looked the same as I had left it, except with maybe a little more dust. I dropped my backpack on the floor and flopped backwards onto my bed. This apartment held so many precious memories, most of them good. I spent a few minutes reminiscing about life away from Camp Half-Blood. It occurred to me how disturbingly calm things were when I was at home. No monsters to fight, no awesome girlfriend to hang out with, no hellhounds to play fetch with.

"Percy, the cookies are on the table if you want to come out here. It's okay if you want to rest, though. You've had a long day, I assume." My mothers voice slips through my doorway.

"I'll be out in a sec, Mom."

Yeah, life was mellow here. I could get used to it.

A/N: Finito! How'd y'all like it? I had fun writing from Percy's perspective (mainly because I didn't have to be so descriptive). Thanks for reading this quick oneshot.

Reviews are blue chocolate-chip cookies!

-C