"…I changed my name to Jackson, the only people who would know my real name are," She meets my eyes with uncertainty. "Percy? No, there's no way…"
"And yet, here I am. I've missed you so much, Wise Girl." I smile, and she pulls me into a tight hug, pulling away before I can even kiss her.
"You're only seventeen," She warns, looking herself over.
"But, we love each other," I push, leaning in until she pushes me away.
"Not here, this is my job. They'll think I'm harassing you or something." She whispers, motioning to the door.
We walk out together, its Annabeth's break apparently.
"How did this happen? They took you away from me so many years ago," She questions me, taking a seat on a bench.
"The gods let me free; it's as simple as that." I explain, "They told me…I heard, we have a son?" I ask, raising my eyebrows curiously. She looks away, before returning my gaze.
"Yeah, we have a beautiful boy named Blu. He's thirteen, but…I haven't been able to take him to Camp. I just couldn't…I couldn't go back there." She frowns, tears dotting her eyes. I slide closer to her, gently wiping her tears.
"It's ok, Annabeth. So…where are you living?" The question prompts silence, for over a minute. I get nervous, "Annabeth?" I plead.
"I live on Staten Island, with my…" She pauses, "With my boyfriend."
My jaw drops, and I stand, suddenly jealous.
"How could you…How did it-Who is he?" I shout, the anger rolling off me. I know I have no right to feel so betrayed, in fact, I'd even predicted this situation back on the island. But I still hoped maybe Annabeth wouldn't forget about me so easily, that couldn't have just moved on, with our son.
"Percy you were gone for fourteen years. What was I supposed to do? Sit around and sulk to myself the rest of my life! I thought you were gone forever Percy, I thought I'd never see you again!" She shouts back, defensive.
"Who is he?" I ask again, stepping back when she gets up to face me.
"His name is David, we've been dating for five-" I cut her off.
"Did you tell him about me, about our son? Does he know that you're a demigod?"
"I explained it to him when we first met, I didn't want to begin a relationship on a lie." She sighs.
I sit back down, the anger dissipating.
"Do you…do you love him, Wise Girl? You didn't let me kiss you. But it wasn't because of my age, was it?" I ask quietly, lowering my eyes as I wait for the answer.
"Percy-"
"You do love him, you're over me…" I cut in, again.
"Percy I've always loved you…"
"But you're dating someone else," I point out.
"I thought you were gone," She tries again. I look up at her, her clear grey eyes meeting my murky green ones.
"But now I'm here. So what are you going to do, Wise Girl?"
"You can't just hand me your ultimatum and expect I'll come running into your arms, I have a life Percy…I thought you would've wanted me to be happy, but instead you come back and throw it in my face that I've tried to move forward." Her voice rises again, and she turns away from me.
"Annabeth, I love you. I never gave up on you, but you did me. I've had dreams of New Rome with you, and ever since I found out I had a son I've been wondering about all those moments I'd lost with him, how you must've loved me enough to wish that the gods give you my son…" I whisper, waiting until she turns around again, to stand and bring my lips to hers. I pull away a whole minute later.
"Did you feel anything? Did that kiss mean anything to you?" I ask, imagining the spark that had lit up inside of me when we kissed.
She doesn't say anything.
"So that's it. You may have loved me Annabeth. But I guess you don't love me anymore. I really hope you and David are happy," I finish, already walking away when she finally responds.
"Percy, wait!" She calls, but I don't turn back.
Five minutes later, I find myself at the bus stop. A fairly recognizable goddess sits beside me.
"That was cold you know"
"Just leave me alone Khione" I said miserable.
"After living through the fall of Rome, expansion of America, the World Wars; I never saw anyone that was in more pain then you. I'm sorry for being so harsh towards you when I left but I couldn't let anyone see that I can actually care for someone, someone that went through more pain then me." She confessed
"Can't the gods see you now with me?" I asked afraid she's going to lie.
"Yeah but after your major heartbreak I just can't let you be by yourself. No one helped me when I needed it, that's why I'm the person I am. This is why I will help you, and don't say you're fine. You will be helped, be it by force or not. I will help you" She said looking deep into my eyes showing sorrow.
I sighed "I guess you won't leave me?"
"Nope" she said getting up just as the bus rolled in "Now get up, follow me, and try to have fun" she ordered smiling.
"And what if I don't" I asked emotionlessly.
"Then I will lock you and Annabeth in one room." I looked at her as if to say 'I dare you' "I am a goddess after all"
I sigh "Ok. I give up"
"Alright let's go. Where would you like to go?" she asked cheerfully.
"Why me? Couldn't you choose someone else that went through that much pain?" I asked instead
She sighed in annoyance "I told you, that you went through the most. Not even Heracles went through that much, but really he is a jerk so no wonder."
"OK, ok I give in. Take me to where you want to go"
I was automatically at peace with myself. I felt myself calm down.
"Told you it was a good place to go to. Was I correct?" She asked me putting one hand on her waist.
"I guess" I admitted. Then I got an idea "Were you ever underwater?" I asked smirking
"No, why?" she said completely unaware of my plan.
"Because I'll do this" I said picking her up and jumping into the water. I then made a bubble of oxygen letting Khione breath.
"I… will… kill… you" she said in between breaths
"You kill me and this bubble pops and then my dad will punish you since you're in his domain." I said telling her my plan. Expecting her to be madder, she instead smiled.
"Not bad Seafood" I raised an eyebrow at my nickname.
"Seafood? You're not bad yourself Frosty." I smirked seeing her face turn red in either anger or embarrassment.
"So how do you like it?" I ask
"Like what?" I spread my arms motioning to our surroundings. Then she finally remembered where she was, looking around she gasped. "It's all so beautiful." Just then thunder rumbled. Somehow the sound reached our bubble.
"Zeus is calling for a meeting" Khione told me, causing me to sigh. "Alright let's go" I answered sadly. I closed my eyes feeling us flash out. I opened them again to see that I was in the throne room of the gods.
"Lord Zeus" I said bowing down to him first.
"No need Perseus. Don't bow to me after all the achievements you did." Zeus spoke to me. I nodded standing back up.
"Percy, I would like you to meet someone" Poseidon told me standing up and walking over to me.
"Who dad?" I asked confused. He just turned me around to show a child no older than 14 years old standing behind me.
"Percy, this is your son. This is Blu Perseus Jackson"
"Hi dad" Blu said giving me the same crooked grin I gave Annabeth all these years.
He finally meets his son! I couldn't wait to write this chapter. Hopefully you liked it. Thank you all for reading this story and following and favoriting. It all means a lot to me. My friend wrote the beginning because I needed to add some Percabeth, but no worries it will no longer continue. :D
Your reviews give me inspiration.
Also check out my other 2 stories.
Beast of the Hunt
And
Mistakes, Confusion, Love
This story did not finish yet. Stay tuned for more chapters.