"Who would have thought there were actually still Greek heroes," Frank commented quietly as the bus rattled down the ancient two-lane highway out of New York City. "And they were hiding in Long Island."
"Octavian's going to have a fit," Bobby, the other boy commented watching the trees fly by out the window. "Reyna won't have a choice but to fight them."
"She will, but Octavian would never allow it," Frank responded shaking his head. "He'll read it in the stuffing that the Greeks are going to attack, and then say the Gods have predetermined a war like Troy."
Bobby shook his head turning from the window, "what do you think, Percy?"
Percy looked up from where he had been staring at the floor between his feet. What did he think? He had no idea. This whole thing was still hard for him to wrap his head around. And apparently he was Greek. That would explain the odd behavior of the lares when he had first entered the Roman safe-haven carrying Hera—no, she was Juno. And that girl they had left, he could remember her name, her face, but nothing else.
It had torn her apart; he could see it on her face when he had been talking to her and the satyr—fawn. Why did he keep doing that, he knew the terminology, he had been in Camp Jupiter for three months, he was a Preator after that insanely intense battle when he reclaimed the Legion's Eagle. He had thought his missing memories would return during that quest, but the missing parts of his life still eluded him.
Even now, after meeting his mother, and seeing some of his Greek friends, he still knew nothing. And it bothered him. His whole life was gone for some reason. He wanted to remember, if anything he really wanted all the details back about that girl, Annabeth.
"Earth to Percy," Bobby waved his hand in front of Percy's face. "Dude, a response would be nice. I'll even accept a non-comitial shrug," a smile covered Bobby's face, his eyes flashing in laughter.
Percy forced a smile at the boy across from him, "I was just thinking."
"About that girl?" Frank leaned in closer as he asked, like it was some kind of secret.
"I would," Bobby's smile grew. "That girl was Fine."
"She's Greek Bobby," Frank whispered, leveling a stern glare at the younger demigod.
"That doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good looking woman when I see her. Greek or Roman, the gods were very kind to her," Bobby nodded happily, sitting back and folding his arms over his chest.
Except they really aren't, Percy thought, remembering her stormy grey eyes that looked close to tears when he had left Manhattan. The gods have been overly cruel to her. And me, he added with a heavy sigh.
"Dude, you need to cheer up," Bobby leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees looking at Percy. "You're supposed to be in New Rome, that's why Juno sent you to us."
"According to that fawn, she took Jason away from us too," Frank scratched the back of his head, looking out the window.
"You can't trust a fawn," Bobby shook his head. "Everyone knows they're a bunch of liars and scam artists."
"Grover's not like that," he might not remember the satyr—fawn!—but he knew deep down that Grover was not like what Bobby was saying. And if what Annabeth had said was true, that fawn had once been his best friend. "He wouldn't lie to us."
"Then why wasn't Jason there?" Bobby cocked a brow at Percy, feeling he had trapped Percy with this line that Jason was alive in the Greek camp.
"They just wanted to see Percy," Frank defended quickly, seeing how difficult this was for Percy to talk about. "And we didn't ask to see Jason."
"Because Jason's dead," Bobby stated flatly. "He's been gone for almost a year. He would have contacted someone by now if he was alive."
"Unless the gods took his memories too," Percy breathed pressing his forehead against the window of the bus. "Then he wouldn't remember Camp Jupiter, like I don't remember the Greek Camp."
I'm sorry for the way I hurt when I just walked away. If I could remember I would be back for good. The look in your eyes makes me want to stay.
"Why would the gods do that?" he asks that boy who had his memories taken from him. Bobby was oblivious, Frank covered his eyes and sighed.
"I wish I knew," Percy's head fell again, his eyes returning to the carpeted floor between his feet.
"Right," Bobby sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and looking out the window again. "Sorry."
"Don't worry about it," Percy folded his hands between his knees, staring at the calloused knuckles. Had he built those calluses training with the Greeks on Long Island? He had always had them, well he had had them for the three months worth of memories he had. Had he trained with Annabeth? "It doesn't matter, anymore."
Percy had hoped visiting Manhattan would bring back some of his memories. At least enough of them to let him know what he had done before waking up in the Wolf House with Lupa. It seemed this whole trip had been pointless; it had only hurt a girl who was already in pain.
"Of course it does, those are your memories," Frank tried to console. But it was only making things worse.
"No, I belong in New Rome now. I don't want to feel conflicted about it." Except he was, because of a grey-eyed girl who had cried when she saw him, and a mother who had lost a son who could stand right in front of her, and not remember her.
All I want is to tell you I love you and that I want to stay. Going on like this is tearing me apart. If I could remember I'd come back home to stay. I'm sorry for the way I hurt you when I just walked away. Just know the look in your eyes makes me want to stay.
The gods really were cruel.
A/N Did you enjoy this piece? Are you a fan of my writing style and are you hoping for more? Then review and check out my other works set in the world of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. If you enjoyed this you will not be disappointed by what you find in my various one shots featuring Percabeth and some of your favorite demigods.
