My Son

(Poseidon's POV of when Percy returns the Master Bolt)

Zeus and I were having an intense argument. We had been at odds since his Master Bolt was stolen at the winter solstice and he had blamed my son, Percy. I knew Percy was innocent—he didn't even know about us being real, or that he was the son of a god. Until his friend Grover—a satyr—brought him to Camp Half-Blood and introduced him to the life of a Demi-God.

There was an awkward silence after we yelled at each other. It was at this time that I saw Percy walking up the steps to the Throne Room and coming toward us. He had a red backpack hanging off his shoulder. Percy looked scared.

He was looking at Zeus for a moment, then his eyes turned to me. They were sea green, like mine, and he also had the same black hair. The same brooding look that came with all my children. His eyes were wide and took in every detail, it seemed. They held a spark of recognition. I recalled when I had visited him when he was a baby. He was very tiny then, but he was much bigger now. Well duh, I thought. He's twelve years old now!

Percy was nearly at our feet now. When he reached us, he kneeled at my feet. He whispered, "Father."

I heard Zeus snort quietly when Percy did that. "Should you not address the master of this house first, boy?" he asked angrily. Percy stayed silent. That was probably a good move.

"Peace brother. The boy defers to his father. This is only right." I said, looking down at Percy.

"You still claim him, then? This child you created against our sacred oath?" I could hear the menace in his voice.

"I have admitted my wrongdoing. Now I would hear him speak." I answered. I knew I wasn't the first one to break the oath. The only one who hadn't was Hades, something I found immensely amusing.

I saw Percy swallow a lump in his throat. He looked a little sad.

"I have spared him once already. Daring to fly through my domain...pah! I should have blasted him out of the sky for his impudence." Zeus grumbled.

"And risk destroying your own master bolt?" I reasoned. "Let us hear him out, brother."

Zeus did some more mumbling, then he eventually said, "I shall listen. Then I shall make up my mind whether of not to cast this boy down from Olympus."

Percy was still kneeling at my feet. "Perseus," I said. "Look at me." I ordered. He looked up at me with indecision in his eyes. His emotions were still hard though, due to his being my son and all. I'm sure my emotions were as unreadable to him as well.

I didn't really know what emotion I was feeling at the moment. I couldn't tell if I was more scared at having a son, or excited. Maybe I was neither! I really couldn't tell my own emotions. That's just sad.

"Address Lord Zeus, boy. Tell him your story." I told him.

Then he started his story. He told us about his adventures on his quest. I remembered watching him and his friends on Hephaestus TV when Ares tricked them into it. It was actually a big hit up here on Olympus.

Percy finished with his tale quickly. When he was done saying it, he brought out the master bolt and laid it at Zeus's feet. Zeus looked at the bolt for a minute before opening his hand. The lightning zoomed into his hand and flickered with electricity. Soon it was as I was used to seeing it, 20 feet long and hissing.

"I sense the boy is telling the truth. But that Ares would do such a thing...it is most unlike him."

"He is proud and impulsive, it runs in the family." I snorted internally. I knew exactly where Ares got that unfortunate gene.

"Lord?" Percy asked.

Both Zeus and I answered, "Yes?"

"Ares didn't act alone. Someone else—something else—came up with the idea." Then he proceeded to describe his dreams and the feelings he'd had on the beach.

"In the dreams, the voice told me to bring the bolt to the Underworld. Ares hinted that he'd been having dreams, too. I think he was being used, just as I was, to start a war," he explained.

"You are accusing Hades, after all?" Zeus asked.

"No. I mean, Lord Zeus, I've been in the presence of Hades. This feeling on the beach was different. It was the same thing I felt when I got close tot hat pit. That was the entrance to Tartarus, wasn't it? Something powerful and evil is stirring down there...something even older than the gods."

Zeus and I looked at each other. We knew exactly what Percy had felt when he was near Tartarus. Kronos. We had a quick discussion in Ancient Greek. I tried to suggest to Zeus that we go and see what Kronos was up to, but he cut me off. I tried to argue with him, but he held up his hand to silence me.

"We will speak of this no more. I must go personally to purify this thunderbolt in the waters of Lemnos, to remove the human taint from its metal." he said.

Zeus rose and looked down at Percy. His normally stoic expression softened ever so slightly. "You have done me a service, boy. Few heroes could have accomplished as much."

"I had help, sir. Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase—" Percy said.

Zeus cut across him. "To show you my thanks, I shall spare you life. I do not trust you, Perseus Jackson. I do not like what you arrival means for the future of Olympus. But for the sake of peace in the family, I shall let you live." Zeus looked at me as he said his last sentence.

"Um...thank you, sir." Percy stuttered.

"Do not presume to fly again. Do not let me find you here when I return. Otherwise you shall taste this bolt. And it shall be you last sensation." Zeus left then, with his usual dramatic exit—thunder and lightning—and then I was alone with my son in the throne room.

"Your uncle, has always had a flair for dramatic exits. I think he would've done well as the god of theater." I sighed. Percy didn't answer and an uncomfortable silence ensued.

Finally, Percy broke it. "Sir, what was in that pit?"

I looked down at him. His eyes were alight with curiosity. "Have you not guessed?" I asked, surprised.

"Kronos," he stated. "The king of the Titans." Though the fire was burning brightly, the heat seemed to tone it down a notch at that name.

I gripped my trident tightly as I explained the wars to Percy. "In the First War, Percy, Zeus cut our father Kronos into a thousand pieces, just as Kronos had done to his own father, Ouranos. Zeus cast Kronos's remains into the darkest pit of Tartarus. The Titan army was scattered, their mountain fortress on Etna destroyed, their monstrous allies driven to the farthest corners of the earth. And yet Titans cannot die, an more than we gods can. Whatever is left of Kronos is still alive in some hideous way, still conscious in his eternal pain, still hungering for power."

He's healing. He's coming back." Percy said.

I shook my head at that. "From time to time, over the eons, Kronos has stirred. He enters men's nightmares and breathes evil thoughts. He wakens restless monsters from the depths. But to suggest he could rise from the pit is another thing."

"That's what he intends, Father. That's what he said." Percy said earnestly.

I was silent for some time after he said that, then, "Lord Zeus has closed discussion on this matter. He will not allow talk of Kronos. You have completed you quest, child. That is all you need to do."

"But—" Percy started, then he stopped. "As...as you wish, Father." he said sheepishly.

A little smile danced across my lips. "Obedience does not come naturally to you, does it?"

"No...sir." he added the 'sir' as an afterthought, I think.

"I must take some blame for that, I suppose. The sea does not like to be restrained." I stood up to my full 15-foot height and grabbed my trident. Then I shimmered and became human-sized. I was standing right in front of Percy. "You must go, child. But first, know that you mother has returned." I wanted to give him that bit of solace, at least he had his mother back.

Percy stared at me, shocked. "My mother?" he asked.

"You will find her at home. Hades sent her when you recovered his helm. Even the Lord of Death pays his debts."

"Do you...would you..." Percy seemed at a loss for words. I just continued looking at him. Finally he gave up trying to ask what he was going to. My eyes became a little sad.

"When you return home, Percy, you must make an important choice. You will find a package waiting in you room." I informed him. He nodded, but he looked confused.

"Your mother is a queen among women. I had not met such a mortal woman in a thousand years. Still...I am sorry you were born, child. I have brought you a hero's fate, and a hero's fate is never happy. It is never anything but tragic."

I think Percy took that the wrong way.

"I don't mind, Father." he whispered.

"Not yet, perhaps. Not yet. But it was an unforgivable mistake on my part."

"I'll leave you then." He bowed a little awkwardly. "I—I won't bother you again." Then he turned away from me and started walking away. When he had taken about five steps I called after him.

"Perseus." He turned at my words, well, word.

I was very proud of my son, even though it would have been better if he hadn't been born. "You did well, Perseus. Do not misunderstand me. Whatever else you do, know that you are mine. You are a true son of the Sea God."

And then Percy walked away.

Hooray! I got a story up! Though my Twilight fanfictions aren't going to be updated much...so...yeah...

Enjoy! Read and Review! ^^ :D