Returning Home

"I found her Percy." Annabeth says as she walks into the small apartment that she and Percy share.

"Who?" asks Percy, obviously confused by who his girlfriend is talking about. Annabeth bites her lip, a nervous habit she picked up from him. This is where things might get tricky, she thinks to herself. She steadies herself though and says.

"Your mom," Percy's mind goes blank. He can feel the pain from all those years ago coming back. Him leaving with his juice box in hand. He still has that picture of her in his wallet. His heart feels like it is shattering. Annabeth knew that he didn't want to find her.

"Why?" Percy asks. His throat is tight and it feels like he's about to break down.

Annabeth answers, "She's your mom Percy; she hasn't seen you in almost 10 years. She's been looking for you all this time. She wants to see you."

"I already told you Annabeth, she's better off without me. I left for a reason back then and it hasn't changed. Besides she probably wouldn't even care. I've been gone longer than she ever had me. She probably moved on Annabeth. Why would she even want to see me?"

"Because you are her son and she loves you and misses you. She wants to find you more than anything in the world. She wants to hold her little boy again."

"How would you know that?"

Annabeth didn't say anything for a moment.

"Annabeth what did you do?" Percy questioned

"…I called her."

"WHAT!"

"Percy you miss her, it kills you that you left and I know you want to see her again. Seeing you would make her happy please just lets go visit. Percy she's your mom she just wants to see you again and I for one know how she feels. I know what it's like to care about you and then have you just disappear. I know that when I lost you I looked for you. I spent every day for almost two years searching for you, and now, knowing you like I do, loving you like I do I would go to the ends of the universe if it meant I would find you. Even if you had amnesia and might not remember me I would search among the stars for you Percy Jackson and I know your mother has been doing the same."

"But Annabeth-"

"No but Annabeth me mister, you are going to see your mom again." Percy was relenting he wanted to see his mom again so badly but he was worried about disrupting her life. He was 9 when he left now he was 22 it had been 13 years since she had seen him, he expected her to move on by now and be happy. He expected her to forget about him. He waited a while deep in thought and eventually he said he would see her, but only if Annabeth came with him. She agreed instantly and they started to pack their stuff to leave on Friday.

Annabeth was driving herself and Percy over to Sally's house. Annabeth could tell how nervous Percy was; he was constantly tapping his leg and fidgeting. Had she not known that this would be good for him she would have felt guilty. As it was though she saw the way he tortured himself by looking at her photo, felt how he tossed and turned at night because of the nightmares. She wasn't sure if he regretted leaving, she was secretly too scared to ask him. Because if he hadn't left then he most likely never would have met her and that was a thought that terrified Annabeth. She loved Percy so much that just the thought of being without him now scared her.

Eventually they pulled up to the house, she could tell how scared Percy was, he was practically hyperventilating. She grabbed his hand and in her most calming voice said, "Percy she is going to be so happy to see you. I know that you're scared but you just need to relax, take my hand and walk up to the front door with me." They exited the car and quickly saw a women run out of the house. Percy could tell instantly that it was his mom. Sally ran up to her son and hugged him so hard he almost couldn't breathe. She refused to let go of the hug for nearly ten minutes and could not help the tears that escaped from her eyes. She looked at her son, eyes still leaking with so much joy and said to him.

"Perseus Jackson you are in so much trouble," Percy was crying as well. He was so happy to see his mom again and when she said that he just couldn't resist but let out a breathy chuckle. Annabeth watched the two and she too had tears in her eyes. She could tell how happy this made her boyfriend and she knew now more than ever that this was the right decision. As she waited a few moments content to stare at the two be reunited Sally turned to her and just pulled her into a massive hug, saying "And you must be Annabeth." Sally then whispered into her ear, "Thank you so much for bringing him back to me, Thank you so much for giving me back my baby boy." She kept whispering words like that into Annabeth's ear and Percy watched on so madly in love with Annabeth. He would be thanking her till the day he died for her caring so much about him to arrange this.

When everyone finally stopped hugging Percy noticed a young child watching them from the porch. The child was a girl and she was adorable being the spitting image of their mother. The little girl had long brown hair and a pair of blue eyes just like his mom. She looked to be about 5 years old and Percy could tell that she was his little sister. He looked over at his mom and she was looking at the two of them. Percy walked over to the little girl and said, "Hi there I'm Percy, what's your name?"

The little girl's eyes went wide and she asked, "I'm Hannah. Are you my big brother Percy? Are you the one who when Mommy talks about you she becomes sad? You shouldn't make Mommy feel sad." Percy felt his heart shatter at that point. When he was nine he thought it was all so simple. He left so his mom could be happy, so that she could have a better life.

So Percy replied in the best way that he could, he said to his little sister, "I am your big brother. And I didn't want to make Mommy sad that was why I left, so Mommy could be happier." Sally had managed to hear that last bit and she was confused. She had always been confused about why Percy had left. It wasn't like she didn't love him; far from it she thought to herself, she loved him so much. She knew she would have to ask him about that later. But at this moment all she wanted was to enjoy her son being home.

As they five of them were eating dinner, (Sally, Percy, Annabeth, Hannah, and Paul (Sally's Husband and Hannah's father), things were somewhat tense but getting better. Sally still couldn't believe that her son was sitting right there, after nearly 15 years she was able to see her son again and he was all grown up. He had found someone he loved who loved him back, he was working, and he was living out in the real world. Sally couldn't have been more proud of him she just wished she had gotten to see her little boy grow. She realized that he never told her what happened over the years, how he had managed to survive, if he had another family or how he met Annabeth.

After dinner and after Hannah had went to bed Sally asked about where Percy had been living all this time. For a second Percy froze up a bit. In truth he didn't want to admit to his mom that he had lived in an abandoned warehouse for a long while, he also didn't want to admit that he had lived with a foster family for a while and left them as well, but he knew he had to. So Percy told his story, he told her about everything up until the point where he was 15 and just starting high school when his mom chimed in.

"But Percy honey why did you leave in the first place? I've been racking my brain for 10 years trying to figure it out."

"Because I knew about all the problems we were having with money mom. I heard you crying in the middle of the night sometimes and I just knew that me leaving would alleviate some of the stress and money issues from you. You are the best person in the world Mom and I just want you to be happy. I knew that you couldn't be that with me because of all the stress I was putting on you so I left. Mom I left because I love you and I just want you to be happy." Percy was looking at his hands, he had a few tears in his eyes but he refused to let them fall. He needed to be strong.

Sally was crying as well. His note he had written had said something similar. Not as well put together but along the same lines. She hated the fact that at 9 years old he had been willing to sacrifice everything just so she could be happier. She walked over to him and said words that broke his heart, "I would have been so much happier had I gotten to see you grow into the man you are today." Percy almost broke down again but he didn't allow himself to.

After they had all gotten resettled Annabeth told Paul and Sally about how they had met. She didn't really mention anything about Percy not speaking or his insecurities. Those were for Percy to tell, she did tell them about how he made her feel even when they were 15 and how she had never stopped feeling that even when he was gone.

It was late by the time they had finished talking and Sally asked the two to stay the night, claiming it was too late to drive home. Not so secretly she wanted her son to stay longer, she didn't want to lose him again quite so soon. They agreed and went to sleep and when they woke up in the mourning Hannah demanded that Percy and Annabeth come back. They agreed and it quickly turned into Percy and Annabeth staying a whole weekend at least once a month.

And after nearly 15 years Sally Jackson-Blofis finally got her little boy back.