I had to.

Sally watched the rain fall down her windowsill sitting quietly on the couch in her living room. Paul went out about a half hour ago so he was expected back any second, but Paul wasn't important right now. Sally just kept staring out the window wondering if her son was looking at the same raindrops as she was. She wished he was. Or she wished he was at least looking at the sky at all. If anything happened to her little boy she would be devastated. All her life she spent looking after her baby, and right when things seemed to be going well-for once in their lives-the worst thing imaginable happened. He left.

Sally knew that Percy wasn't just hers. She was going to have to give him up sooner or later, and by the way Annabeth and him were going, she assumed sooner rather than later. But not like this. Her baby was supposed to grow up, move out of the house, get a job, and have babies of his own. Know he was no where to be found.

Sally could feel the tears running down her face while she sat by that cold window. Its been months with nothing to go on. Annabeth came by with updates and Sally tried staying strong for the daughter of Athena's sake, but the not knowing was slowly driving her insane.

Is he okay?

Is he hurt?

Is he even alive?

That last thought was the final straw. Sally got up from the window and ran to her sons room. Her eyes so full of tears and mind too preoccupied to even notice that her husband returned home, and not alone either. She ran to her sons room and collapsed on his bed. No one slept in it since he left, so it still smelled like him. She cried. Cried for her rotten luck, cried for her son, and cried for her family. She cried for what seemed like hours, but may have only been five minutes before she felt the mattress dip and knew that someone was with her. It wasn't long after that when she was being pulled into an embrace.

"Sally, he wouldn't want you to be this torn up about him. Especially today. If he knew he made you cry today of all days, you know it would break his heart" Paul whispered into her ear. Trying to get her to stop the tears from running down her face.

Sally knew Percy would never want her to cry over him. Paul was right when he said Percy would be devastated if he knew he made his mother cry, and it wasn't his fault he went missing. Sally just wanted her son back.

Needed her son back.

Just thinking about him being out there all alone brought on another round of tears. Sally felt bad for not being able to snap out of it, but godsdammit, this was her only son she was thinking about! And he was gone! Paul realized that his words couldn't stop her tears and continued to hold her whispering soft nothings in her ear. Sally was finally calming down when there was a knock on Percys door.

Startled, Sally looked up at Paul. Did he invite someone over? Paul just looked down at his wife and smiled sadly. Before he could say anything the door creeped open.

Grover was the first to walk in holding, what looked like blue cupcakes; then came Nico, then Tyson, Thalia, and Annabeth. Each holding an a different type of blue bakery items, with sad smiles on their faces.

It was then that Sally realized that she wasn't the only one alone on mothers day.

Mothers day was always a day Sally and Percy spent together. It was personally, Sallys favorite day of the year, only because even with Gabe, her and Percy got to have the day all to themselves. These demigods-and satyr-never got that chance with their mothers.

All that did was make Sally cry more, only not only for Percy now, but for her other children. The children she didn't realize meant so much to her. Annabeth was the first to move. She put her tray of blue brownies and climbed on the bed with Sally and Paul. Wordlessly she wrapped her arms around Sally and started to cry silently. Sally wouldn't have even noticed had it not have been for the tears staining her shirt. She wraped her arms around Annabeth fiercely and looked up at the others.

Then one by one they began to walk towards the bed.

No one said a would for a few seconds until Thalia decided to explain, "We're sorry if we interrupted anything Mrs. Jackson, but we felt like we owed it to you and to Perce to stop by.", she whispered. Sally didn't know what to say.

Grover started talking before she had to, "We know how much you like blue food, so we figured we stop by and say thanks for everything you've done for all of us." He was looking down at his hooves, like he was nervous. Annabeth broke from Sally's embrace.

She looked up at Sally with sad grey eyes. "Percy wouldn't want you to be alone on mothers day. Its probably breaking his heart knowing he's missing it. We just wanted to make sure you know how much he loves you. How much we all love you. You've taken care of us, even when our mothers didn't so thank you. For always being there for us."

Sally's heart was breaking. She didn't realize how much these children meant to her until now. Looking around the room, she realized she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Happiness.

Wordlessly Sally got up and hugged each child. Long and hard. First Grover who didn't see it coming and let out a started 'Bahhh' but quickly returned the hug. Thalia was next who before Sally could start the embrace, ran into her arms. Tyson didn't seem to want to wait either so he wrapped his arms around both Sally and Thalia and picked them up off the ground. Everyone let out a soft laughter. Annabeth, who Sally had come to love like a daughter was next in line. Both women looked tired and had red eyes from the crying they both had been experiencing for months now. They gave each other a long strong embrace before pulling away and smiling at each other. Nico was last, standing awkwardly next the Annabeth. Before Sally opened her arms, he too started to embrace her.

"We'll find him. I promise you. We'll find him and bring him back. Soon." Was all he said. Sally felt tears coming to her eyes, but held them back and nodded.

They would find him. It was then that she was sure they would. Percy knew how to pick friends. It was clear on all their faces that they would stop at nothing to find her son.

Each child had a different look of determination.

Sally was scared for whatever tried to get in their way.

-Katimikel