Thanks for all of the feedback! You guys are awesome! I know I said that this chapter would contain both the flashback and the present, but I've had zero time to write these past weeks, and really wanted to get an update out. So this chapter is just finding out what happened the night of Sam's "death". I'm working hard on the chapter where they start to search for Sam, and that one should be coming out over the weekend. Warning: there will be curses in this chapter.

My disclaimer applies to all chapters.

17 years ago…

Poseidon strolled the streets, an almost imperceptible worried wrinkle between his eyes. The sea god wasn't even sure why he was on the streets of an old, backcountry English town, only that something in his gut told him he had to be there. That something was going to happen, and that he needed to be there when it did. And Poseidon, over the years, had learned that his instincts were something that would never lead him astray.

So when the feeling had started tugging at him, he had excused himself from spending time with Sally, and flashed away to England. That he had to cut even more time from his already too little time he had to spend with her irked him, she was like a lighthouse compared to everyone else's dull glows. And he, like a moth to a flame, had been drawn in. Sally was vivacious and could be as stubborn as he was, and had seen far too much pain for her years. She was a breath of fresh air compared to Amphitrite. Who he did love, really, it was just that after a few millennia, things got, well, boring.

Trying to disperse his nearing lovesick thoughts (what Aphrodite would think if she were there), he concentrated on what he was doing in this rundown town. There didn't seem to be much, the typical bar, market, homes, and, a blip in the smooth landscape, a mansion looming out in the distance. Unconsciously, Poseidon had been nearing closer and closer towards the way to the mansion. It seemed dark, foreboding, a place that would get his senses on high alert. He just knew that this mansion had something to do with the feeling he had gotten.

It was night, and besides a few workers heading home or to get drinks, he was alone. Poseidon was passing the doorway of the bar, warm light spilling out of it, when a voice stopped him. "You're not from 'ere. Where yeh headed? I can give directions, if yeh like."

Peering forward he saw an older man stand up from the bench near the door. Poseidon had seen him earlier, and passed him off as no threat. He still didn't seem to be one, just a polite local. Forcing a casual look onto his face, he said, "Might as well. What's the fastest way to get to the edge of the town? I'm trying to reach the property out there." The sea god gestured to the mansion. Privately, Poseidon thought it a waste of time. It wasn't hard to walk forward to the end of the road.

The man's amiable look slid off his face, replaced with fear. "Don't go up there. Strange happenin's around the place. Strange happenin's." He said this in a near whisper, panic lacing his voice.

Bingo. He had found the area where the mysterious event his gut told him to be there for would most likely take place. It all felt very vague, but he couldn't do anything about that. Hoping to get more information, Poseidon asked, "What strange things happen?"

Unfortunately, he wouldn't be getting anymore out of the local. With more force, the man said," Don't go up there. DON'T. Trust me. Bad things happen!"

The man was getting more and more agitated. He decided to drop it, getting the man angry wouldn't help anything. Holding his hands up in surrender, he said, "Okay, okay. I won't go."

The man breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, sir. For heedin' my advice. Have a good night." As he walked away, Poseidon heard the man mutter to himself," Strange happenin's." It was a rather abrupt conversation, with huge mood swings coming from the man. He could have just been drunk, but the sea god was positive there was something more to it.

Bad things happened to people who went up to the property. The instincts screaming at him to be ready, that he was going to need to help. The terrified look in the man's eyes that can't be faked. Something was going to happen up on the estate. And Poseidon could already tell that that something was not going to be good.

Ducking into a side alley, he glanced around to make sure no one was watching, and then flashed away to the land outside the manor. His nerves prickled, and he was closing his eyes, reaching out, searching for a source of power, of myth, of something that would call him to this town. For a few minutes, he just stood out in the grass, undisturbed. And then his eyes flashed opened and he was moving quickly, preparing himself. Because a magical presence had suddenly invaded the area, accompanied by a child's cry.

The presence had power. It wasn't just a mortal. It had to be part of his world. And that meant it would be his job to deal with. He once again flashed, although not assuming his true form (he wanted to know what this presence was and he couldn't find that out with it dead), this time to where he sensed the source of the power.

Appearing in a shadowy clearing surrounded by trees, Poseidon quickly took in the scene. There were two cloaked figures, and making himself apparent with a loud wail, a baby boy. The figures were advancing on the babe, who was laying on the ground. "Shut the thing up already!" the first snapped, his voice revealing her to be a woman.

"You think I haven't already tried that? Idiot. Maybe a little pain will teach the brat to keep his trap closed." And lifting an arm, the second figure, also a man, yelled, "Crucio!" The light shot out, heading toward the child, wisps of magic shaped like waves coming from the boy, futilely trying to stop the impending beam. The baby let out a bloodcurdling, unearthly scream as, Poseidon realized, the spell hit him.

Poseidon made the connections in a time that would shock even Athena. Those figures were wizards. So was the baby, a pretty powerful one if his magic was already defending him. And the couple were using their powers to hurt the child. With a roar of fury, he stepped out from the shadows he was hidden in, and before the wizards could even react, he waved his hand, simultaneously throwing them back and killing them. The spell broke on the baby. Perhaps it was his own childhood (or lack of one), but Poseidon could not stand those low enough to harm innocent babies. Although some might question that and say that he had killed both innocents and children, but long ago, he had turned over a new leaf, and he liked to believe he was now one of the most down to earth gods.

He turned around, planning on checking the baby. The young child stared up at him, fear plain to see in his eyes. Poseidon forced himself to chill as he noticed he was literally glowing with rage, and crouched down, smiling at the boy. Gently scooping him into his arms, he tried to remember how to hold a mortal baby. All he could recall was that they were very fragile.

But nothing could have told him about how it felt to be holding such a small thing, knowing that this tiny thing was depending on him. How it felt when the boy reached up a curious hand and touched his beard. It brought back buried memories of fatherhood. A warm feeling flooded into his chest. Poseidon smiled, eyes fixated on the kid. "Hi there," he whispered. Idly, he wondered what he was supposed to do with him. Assuming those bastards he had killed were the parents, this child had no one to raise him. And even if the couple wasn't, there was no way in Hades he would be returning the boy to parents who would give their son up to monsters.

"How… adorable." Poseidon had been so distracted by the child, he completely missed the woman arriving at the clearing.

"Hecate." Poseidon tried to be polite, but for their sake, what could she possibly be there to complain for? "What are you doing here?"

Airily, the goddess replied. "Tactful as always. But if you don't have time for pleasantries, let me cut to the chase." She smiled a cold smile, looking almost predatory. "You entered my domain." He really wanted to blow off her head at the moment. Or at least punch it.

Sighing heavily, he asked, "So now all of Britain belongs to you?" Poseidon really didn't have time for this.

She laughed arrogantly. "No. But when you intervened with wizards, those are my people. Mine. And we all know the rule. No entering others domains." Damn it. If they were normal scum, it wouldn't have mattered, but if they were magic scum, obviously it was a huge deal.

He could be arrogant as well, though. "If they are yours, then you should thank me. I did you a favor, getting rid of them."

This was becoming a diplomatic game, filled with thinly veiled meanings under fake niceties. "Maybe. But that was for me to decide. And that baby," she pointed to the child, silent like he understood that this was important. "Was supposed to die. Give him here, so I can fix my world."

Damn her. Not only would she let a defenseless kid die, but she is demanding that after his life was saved, to hand him over to be killed. And if he didn't hand the boy over, who knew what trouble she would stir up against him. Luckily, a loophole, a dangerous one, but a loophole nonetheless came to his mind. "No." He spoke strongly, surely, causing her to raise her eyebrow.

"No….?" she asked, looking ready to kill. So was he.

"No." Poseidon confirmed. "I can't because he will become my son." He shrugged apologetically, a triumphant smirk on his face. Hecate's eyes were narrowed to slits, and the only thing colder than them was her voice.

"Hmm, been a long time since you tried that." He still could picture the disastrous ceremony. "Great thing I'm here then. You do need the goddess of magic to perform a magic ritual. Let's hope it works this time."

Obviously, Hecate thought that by calling his bluff, he would back down. She was wrong. Poseidon considered his options. It was either hand the baby over to die, or perform a ceremony that would most likely kill him. Poseidon knew he had to take the chance. "Good. Ready to start?"

Exhaling sharply and giving a fake smile, she nodded. "I was created ready. I just need a moment to prepare my powers." As she did so, he looked worriedly down at the boy, who looked back with now trusting eyes. "Hang in there," he murmured. Poseidon tried to reassure himself that this would work. The baby was remarkably strong already, and it was true that he made Poseidon care for him already. But he couldn't shake the feeling of dread, that this would fail just like it had before.

"What's his name?" Hecate interrupted his thoughts once more. At his clueless look, she groaned and explained. "I need your child's name to perform the ceremony. Or it won't go correctly. And we wouldn't want that, would we?" She was asking to be castrated. But it was a good question. What would his name be?

Looking at his soon-to-be child, he saw, surprisingly, a flash of Sally in his features. And Poseidon remembered how when they once talked about children, she told him she would name a boy after the one hero who got a happy ending. And the name fit this baby. Poseidon would name him to honor Sally. "Perseus. His name is Perseus."

Hecate simply nodded. It appeared that her mocking was done for now. If there was anything the goddess took seriously, it would be her magic. Raising her hand in front of her, she summoned a glowing fire. "We will begin." She took Perseus from his arms, and placed him in the leaping flames.

Poseidon would have been terrified for Perseus, had he not known that the fire was completely harmless during the ritual. Hecate began chanting, weaving her magic. "Μπορείτε , Περσέας , τοποθετούνται στην πάντα φλόγα της Δύσης."

"Μπορείτε να γίνει ένας αληθινός γιος του Ποσειδώνα , τη θάλασσα στο αίμα σας ." With those words, she removed an ancient clay cup, shining gold, and covered in carvings of the Olympians. She sliced open first Perseus's hand, letting a drop of blood fall into the cup. The cut healed instantly. Then she turned to Poseidon. He knew that this was the time to think also of Perseus's would-be mother, to fully make him their son. He thought of Amphitrite, but as Hecate cut into his palm and the blood fell, for a split-second his mind shifted. Although Poseidon didn't notice this, too worried about the outcome that was fast approaching, wishing he could pray to some greater force to keep Perseus alive.

Hecate turned back to the flame, and dumped the cup's contents onto Perseus's head. Finishing the spell, she chanted, "Γυρίστε σε στάχτες , και την αναγέννηση ισχυρότερη από ποτέ . Φως και σκοτάδι , παράδεισος και κόλαση , συνδυάζουν και να αποδεχθεί !" Lights swirled around, forming huge columns and dropping, surrounding the three and wrapping them in magic.

Then there was that heart-stopping moment when everything stopped. It was like the universe was holding its breath, just waiting for the verdict. This was the make or break time, when everything hung in the balance. But nothing was happening. The fire died, flickering out. As Poseidon's hope weaned, a blasting white light pulsed, blinding both deities.

When Poseidon's vision returned, he heard a familiar cry. It couldn't be possible… But there was Hecate, looking bitter and a child laying on the forest ground. Poseidon felt a rush of relief and joy and giddiness pass through him. He didn't realize Perseus meant so much to him, Poseidon thought when he noticed the absolute happiness that consumed him when holding his son. His son. He had never believed in love at first sight, but he had experienced it with every child he had, and was feeling it again. Not one thing could ruin this perfect second. Perseus had done what no other had, this tiny child had survived.

Unfortunately, he was wrong. Hecate cackled, a literal out-of-the-sixties-witch laugh. "What?" Poseidon demanded, fear coursing through him once more. Could something have gone wrong? Although, it sounded like Hecate to do that just to freak him out, he reasoned. He couldn't let his panic show. "You've lost. You didn't get your petty way. Perseus is my son, and you can't do a thing about it." He said this proudly, ready to bring his son home, putting any doubts out of his head.

"Oh, I think I still won. He is your son, but not your darling wife's." As Poseidon's face paled, she added gloatingly. "Good luck with the prophecy in sixteen years." She disappeared, her victory obvious.

Poseidon stood there, thunderstruck. He glanced down at Perseus, and saw that he, completely exhausted, had fallen asleep. Hecate was right. He may have won the battle, but she won the war. Because he had thought of Sally Jackson at the crucial time, of how she would have loved Perseus so much. He failed. Not only did he not manage to properly save Perseus, he bought him a hero's fate and had brought Sally, free high-spirited Sally, a responsibility that should have been his, that would most likely end up killing her. And added to that, considering that Perseus even survived that long, he had brought a possible death sentence to all of Olympus. All he wanted to do was protect this wonderful baby boy, and he couldn't even manage to do that now. Poseidon walked away, heart heavier than he had ever thought it could be.

{/***\}

Poseidon arrived at Montauk beach, mentally preparing himself to let Perseus go. To make a queen in her own right hate him. He had taken the long way to the beach, spending every possible second he could with his son, the one he was supposed to have forever with. He had prepared a speech, but the second he saw Sally on the porch swing outside her cabin, it slipped through his mind.

"Poseidon!" she called, running up to him. "I've missed y- Is that a baby?" Sally asked, looking happily shocked. He nodded miserably, not able to even fake a smile.

She looked worriedly at him, all compassion. At her unspoken question, he gestured that they should go for a walk. "I have something to tell you." And as they strolled down the waterline, Poseidon told her the story, the words pouring desperately out of him.

He watched her face as he spoke, as it smiled and gasped and looked at the end, more than anything, he saw that it looked strong. As he finished speaking, she said something so Sally that he had to smile. "His nickname will be Percy, you know." When looking at this beautiful woman and child, he knew the only thing he could do was enjoy his last seconds of them together as a family.

But when he tried to speak, his attempt at cheer flew out the window, pushed out by his grief and guilt. "I'm sorry," he gasped out, choked by tears. "I-I forced this onto you, and it will be hard, and you and Percy don't deserve this, and you're too good for me, and-"

Sally cut him off with a kiss to the lips. "You did a good thing. Don't argue because you. Did. A. Good. Thing. You saved an innocent child when everyone else was content to watch. And now it's my turn to do a good thing."

This woman continued to amaze him every time he saw her. "At least let me help. Please, if you won't come with me, can I… make sure you have a good home, or money?" Sally deserved the world on a gold plate, and he wanted to give it to her. To say thanks, to say sorry, to show that he cared for her. But he knew her answer, she was as stubborn as him.

"You know that if I don't live my own life, I won't be happy. Just promise me one thing, okay?" Poseidon expected it to be something sappy, like remember me or help Percy. He should have known better. This was Sally Jackson they were talking about here. "Don't interfere."

"What?" He couldn't do that. He needed to protect them.

"You heard me," she said breathlessly, her own words starting to sound distorted with tears. "Don't interfere. You did a selfless, brave thing today, so now I stand here, doing the same. I'm going to have to make tough choices to keep Percy safe, and you won't like them. Just like you had to make an impossible decision today, I'm making one. I know this is hard, giving each other up, but the second we see you after this, they'll come for Percy. And I can't take that chance."

He couldn't let this happen. But he had to, this was the woman he cared about immensely, begging him to do one thing for her. "I promise. And I understand. But I believe that someday, we will see each other again."

She nodded, tears running down her face. He knew she wasn't the only one. He leaned down towards Percy. "Perseus, be strong. Things won't be easy. Just remember, you are my son." Turning towards Sally, they had one last kiss. It was hungry, yet chaste; intense, yet soft. It was a goodbye kiss. "I'll never forget you," he whispered, his tears streaming into her hair as they hugged one last time. He didn't tell her he loved her, he said that too many times without meaning to use it now, at this parting moment.

"Good," she murmured back. They didn't say 'I love you'. They didn't need to.

And as Poseidon turned towards the ocean, leaving Sally and Percy on the beach, he, through his tears and pain, couldn't help thinking that this was the best mistake he had made. And as he waved goodbye for the last time, he knew that things would be alright.

So, that was Chapter 2. I felt that it was kind of hard to capture all of this emotion that changed throughout the chapter, and hope I did a decent job of it. Poseidon and Sally are Percy's parents, but so are Lily and James. I hope that Poseidon wasn't OOC, and that it all made sense. Thanks for reading!

If anyone's interested in the translations for the ritual here it is, one line at a time. I got this from Google translate, so it's probably not 100% correct, and there are no rituals where gods or goddesses make mortals their children (or not that I know of), so I made that completely up. But that's artistic license, I guess, being able to slaughter mythology. The lines are:

You, Perseus, are placed in the forever burning flame of the West.

You become a true son of Poseidon, sea in your blood.

Turn to ashes, and rebirth stronger than ever.

Light and dark, heaven and hell, combine and accept!