So I'm a little sad because it appears to me that readership has gone down for this story… I mean it doesn't really matter because this is, in all likelihood, the penultimate chapter, (I SWEAR THERE IS NO CONNECTION) but it's still a little sad.
Shout out to raewon, percabeth4everandeverandever, and iluvfantasy!
"Goodnight, Annabeth," Thalia said from the door of my guest room in the Big House.
"Night Thals," I answered, it sounded so automatic.
"You sure you're going to be okay all by yourself?" she asked, concern affecting all of her features. I looked at my best friend and sighed. Even though it had been hours since she met me down by the beach her eyes never once lost their sad quality.
"I'll be fine, seriously, don't worry." She didn't look like she bought it. "Look, I'll admit that today had been hard, but… well I've survived right? Battle's is half over." I managed a weak smile. Again she didn't look like she believed me. "Okay, here's the thing, this is pretty much as good as I'm going to get tonight so either you spend the rest of the night in the doorway, bear in mind I will NOT be offering you space in this room, OR you accept it and go get a good night's rest in cabin 8."
"You really wouldn't let me into your room?" I crossed my arms and shook my head.
"That's kind of harsh."
"And you're trying to change the subject."
"Fine, I can see when I'm not wanted," Thalia turned around and traipsed down the stairs. I sighed in relief and walked over to the bed. For a moment I thought about going through all of my pre-bed rituals, but i was just too tired. Instead I just kicked off my shoes and got under the covers, jeans and all. I closed my eyes, but after waiting twenty minutes for sleep to come I just gave up. I sat back up and looked around my room. I had books, of course, but, for the first time I could remember, I didn't feel like writing. I also had my laptop, the one I got from Daedalus, but I couldn't bring myself to work. Finally I decided a walk might do me some good and I went and grabbed my shoes and magical Yankees cap.
I walked down the stairs as quietly as possible, I wasn't really expecting anyone, but now would be a bad time to get caught off guard. I made it to the ground level and was about to go through the door when I heard voices, familiar voices. As far as I could tell, Nico, Thalia, Grover, and Chiron were talking in Chiron's office. I crept up to the door, which had been left open. I couldn't help but wonder if that had been done on purpose, that just maybe, one of them had the suspicion that I might be up sneaking around.
"She's a lot better that I thought she would be," Nico said.
"Yeah well you're a naturally negative person." That sounded like Thalia.
"Do you two ever stop fighting?" That had to be Grover because the end of the question came out as a bleat.
"Enough!" said Chiron in his authoritarian voice, "All in all, I agree with Nico. She could certainly be much worse." I had a sneaking suspicion I knew which she they were talking about.
"This isn't how it's supposed to be," Thalia sounded like she was about to cry. I wanted to go comfort her, but I felt like bad things would happen if I let them know I was there. "I mean don't you feel like something got messed up?" No one had an answer for her.
"The kids are amazing though, aren't they?" When Grover said this with a voice that was both joyful and sad, it was how most people who had known Percy spoke about our kids. What they actually meant was: why did their father have to die before he got to really know his amazing kids?
"Dylan's growing up so fast," Thalia added.
"Isn't he though, and not just in height. Have you talked to him much? It's amazing how adult he sounds." It took a lot to impress Nico, he had met a lot of people, most of them dead, in his lifetime.
"It's in the eyes," it sounded like Chiron had his face in his hands, "you can tell he grew up faster than most."
"And Sofia IS her mom," Thalia's voice was full of pride.
"Yeah, she reminds me of Annabeth at that age so much it's almost scary." Grover sounded just as happy.
"What about Andrew?" Nico asked, and I could hear everyone inside the room sigh.
"He looks exactly like Percy," as Grover said this, the atmosphere in the room changed dramatically. There was no longer pride in their voices, just grief.
"He'll probably have his powers too," added Nico.
"Yeah but he won't get to know him," whispered Grover. I took a step back and the floor creaked, I know Chiron noticed, but as for the others, if they did, the hid it well. I ran out of the Big House into the fresh air. I kept running, not really caring about where. Unfortunately, I ended up in the one place I didn't want to be: in front of cabin 3. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I walked up the steps, but hesitated as I was about to walk in. I knew that there wouldn't be anyone in there, to the best of our knowledge Poseidon hadn't had a kid since Percy, but I still felt like I would be trespassing.
After what felt like an hour I made up my mind and entered the cabin.
So, the next chapter WILL BE THE LAST, I will post it soon, LOVE Y'ALL very much!