The Nanny and The Butler.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.
Ok, sorry this took so long! The action is really picking up now so I hope you enjoy!
When Annabeth imagined what it would be like to apply for her architecture course, she hadn't really picture the water fight.
She was at the dining room table, filling in the application form when a water balloon smacked into the glass to her right. Jumping around in her seat, Annabeth caught sight of the kids running around in their swimming suits, with half filled balloons being tossed everywhere. She shook her head and walked over to the door, leaning out far enough to yell, "No running on the terrace!"
She paused and then added, "And no throwing balloons off the building."
Leo looked like she had just crushed his every hope and dream.
She shut the window again and returned to her laptop. Running a hand through her long hair, she was contemplating grabbing a hair tie when her phone went off. She picked it up and frowned at the unknown number flashing on her screen. Normally she wouldn't answer it but a nagging feeling at the back of her skull made her. "Hello?"
"Listen very carefully sweetheart, you don't have much time."
Annabeth froze at the sound of her mother's voice; they hadn't spoken since their meeting before Christmas. That had been months ago. "Mom?" she mumbled, fear rising in her chest.
"Zeus and Hera are on the move; they took action sooner than I thought they would. They've just landed at the airport and are on the way to take the kids. You need to get them out of that apartment. Now."
The swinging door of the kitchen opened and Percy stepped out, halfway through asking her about dinner. He froze when he saw her face and after a moment he said, "It's happening now isn't it?"
The second she nodded, Percy was running over to the balcony door. He started yelling at the kids to get inside but they were confused so he had to hurry them along.
"Mom are you sure?" Annabeth asked as she shut down her laptop and ran her eyes over the room. It was too soon. She hadn't even packed a bag in case of emergency; she didn't even know what to grab.
"Sweetheart, you need to get out of there now. None of my safe houses are ready; do you have someplace to lay low until we get to you?"
"Uh, I think so. Don't worry, we'll be ok."
Annabeth just hung up the phone and grabbed everything from the table. Percy had ushered the kids inside and was ordering them to get dry and dressed as quickly as possible.
"Why?" Hazel asked, "Where are we going?"
Percy looked to Annabeth and she shrugged slightly to tell him she had no idea. "We're going to my mom's," Percy offered, "But if you don't get there in the next few minutes all the cookies she baked will be gone. Nico will eat them."
That got the kids moving. Jason hesitated however, glancing between the two of them and they knew he wasn't buying it. Still he did as he was asked and even hurried the others along as well.
"What do we need?" Percy asked as he and Annabeth strode towards their rooms.
"Pack clothes and toiletries; any money or really personal items. We'll be travelling light."
"But to where? My mom's for real?" Percy called; they continued to talk even though they were in separate rooms.
"I have no idea! It has to be someplace where they can't find us. We can't let them take the kids Percy!"
Percy came into her room with a bag thrown over his shoulder and he braced his hands on either side of the door frame. "They know about my mom's place and Luke and Thalia's. Do you think they'll be safe?"
Annabeth zipped up her own bag and replied, "I doubt they'll go near anyone connected with the other Olympians. But we should warn your mom just in case."
"We can do better," Percy said, "We can bring her and Paul with us, wherever we are going. I can't let anything happen to her."
Annabeth nodded; she nearly gagged at the thought of anything happening to Sally or Paul. "Luckily Luke and Thalia will be safe."
Annabeth was striding towards the door with her bag but she stopped short when she heard him. Percy could practically see the wheels turning in her head. "Your dad's place...they won't look for us there because they don't want to alert anyone to them leaving. Call Blackjack, we need to get to the airport."
Percy was already on the phone before she sprinted past him and headed to the kids' rooms. They of course had packed nothing and had only changed into dry clothes, their hair still wet from the pool.
"Ok guys, go get some snacks from the kitchen while I clean up in here," Annabeth said, grabbing their damp swimsuits from the floor. As soon as they left, she took a suitcase from the closet and filled it with clothes from all four rooms. She took their phones and laptops, leaving them piled in Jason's room in case Zeus or Hera tried to trace them. She also knew that she and Percy would have to dump their phones as well.
Annabeth was fairly sure she should have been freaking out more but her brain told her one thing only: protect those kids. So she did just that.
Jason always knew his parents were crooks. They could drive nice cars and live all over the world but it didn't change the fact that they got their money from less than honest places.
He realised this around the time that he stopped caring about what they thought of him. He stopped running to meet them at the door or showing them his projects for school. He didn't look for them at soccer games or expect them to even call to say goodnight. But that didn't mean he wanted the same for his siblings. So Jason became the one who helped Katie plant her flowers on the balcony, who got Leo out of trouble and made a big deal out of every crayon drawing Hazel did. And he figured he'd do it for the rest of his life as long as his siblings were happy, even if he felt so, so lonely sometimes.
Then, Percy and Annabeth came. Suddenly, he was getting congrats for getting good grades and scoring goals. Percy bought him to kick the ball around in the park and Annabeth smoothed down his hair when it stuck up. He wasn't alone anymore.
Yet, when he overheard them talking about running, about his parents wanting to take them away, he knew that he needed to take charge again.
Percy and Annabeth were all smiles but he could spot the bags they were trying to get out to the taxi. He mumbled something about going to the bathroom but when he was out of sight, he grabbed his phone from his room. Judging by the pile of electronics stacked on his desk, Percy and Annabeth were hoping not to be found.
He rejoined his family at the elevator and they went down to the street. Like Percy had said, they went to his mom's apartment, crossing the city in a taxi. Percy kept looking out the back window throughout the trip. They had been to Sally's apartment before but she seemed tense when she opened the door.
After getting cookies at the dining table, Sally and Paul were rushed off to the other room to whisper with Percy and Annabeth. He could see them standing in the hallway, Annabeth's hand clasped tightly in Percy's.
He didn't want them to go. He didn't want them to leave him and the others.
But when Hazel bit her lip by accident and looked at him with big sad eyes, Jason pushed his fear away. He poured his little sister a glass of milk and gave her another cookie. Katie wasn't paying attention to him because Leo had gotten chocolate over his new jacket. If she had been looking at him, Jason knew she would be able to tell what he was planning. He munched on his own cookie, savouring the taste; it would probably be a while before he got to eat them again.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
"I've always wanted to know what it was like to go on the run."
Annabeth had to laugh at Sally's comment, so upbeat in a time of stress.
Percy squeezed her hand and replied, "Mom, we're just going to Dad's place until Athena can take down the Graces. I don't think we'll be gone long but we need to go now."
Paul nodded and marched towards the bedroom to fill a bag. "I'll get some cookie for the trip. Those kids eat them so fast," Sally mumbled and went in the opposite direction to the kitchen.
"Did you call your dad?" Annabeth asked but then she quickly shook her head. "Wait no bad idea. Zeus and Hera might track the call to his place and they'll know. Call Tyson on his phone with the payphone downstairs."
Percy nodded but when he tried to leave, Annabeth pulled him back for kiss. He pulled away slightly and said, "I'll be back in a minute. Don't worry."
He gave her a playful wink but that barely lifted her mood. Annabeth felt like they were being chased, dogs snapping at their heels. She needed to get everyone out of the city and fast.
Paul and Sally quickly got ready and then Annabeth told them all about the "surprise trip" to the beach again. The kids seemed excited and they needed no hurrying to get out the door this time. Right before they left, Annabeth left all their phones sitting on the coffee table.
She let out a sigh as they got back onto the street, happy to see the Percy had joined them again.
"I'll call a taxi," he said, "We'll have to take two this time."
"We'll catch one further up the street," Paul said, "We'll meet you at the airport."
Sally hugged Percy tightly, gathering Annabeth up in her arms as well. With a pat on the check to all four kids, Sally and Paul strolled down the pavement, their suitcase behind them.
"Alright guys, get ready for a vacation," Annabeth said with some excitement. Percy hailed a cab and as the others climbed in, Jason stepped back.
"I'll go with Paul and Sally," he said, "There will be more room that way."
Annabeth's first instinct was to say no but she saw his logic. It had been a squeeze the first time around. She looked up the street and could see the top of Paul's head as he waited for a taxi.
"Alright, but go straight to them ok?"
Jason nodded and with a last look at his siblings, he jogged away.
"Annabeth hurry, we'll miss our plane!" Leo called and as much as Annabeth wanted to wait to see Jason get in the cab, she knew they had to be quick.
"We're going to the beach! We going to the beach!" the three kids chorused, happy smiles on their faces.
Percy and Annabeth looked over their heads at each other and he gave her an encouraging smile. They could do this; they would do this.
They arrived at the plane before Sally and Paul. The kids got aboard and Blackjack stored away the bags.
"Thank you, Blackjack," Annabeth said, "I know you're taking a risk helping us."
Blackjack just grinned at both her and Percy. "I've been waiting for an excuse to spit in the faces of Zeus and Hera for years-you're just giving me the opportunity."
He climbed into the plane again, ready to take off. Percy and Annabeth waited outside for his parents.
"How long will it be until Athena can get her plan up and running?" Percy asked but Annabeth just shrugged.
"She should be ready to go soon. I'd say she's going to speed things up with Zeus and Hera making a break for it."
Percy nodded but she could see a hesitation in his eyes. They were the first thing she had noticed about him all those months ago; they never failed to distract her, even in times of crisis. "What is it?" she asked softly and Percy met her gaze.
He smiled sadly and answered, "If Zeus and Hera are going to be stopped than my dad is going to get arrested soon..."
Annabeth hugged him, trying to make him feel somewhat better about all this. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her face into his shoulder. "Thank you Wise Girl," Percy murmured, "Having you with me is making it easier."
She sniffed and replied, "My pleasure, Seaweed Brain."
They heard footsteps coming quickly towards them and they both looked over to see Sally and Paul. Annabeth frowned, her gaze sweeping across the wide airport field.
"Where's Jason?!" Percy exclaimed but Sally and Paul just looked at him in confusion.
"He was with you," Sally replied, "Wasn't he?"
Annabeth felt her stomach drop and she breathed out, "Oh my God..."
Jason sat with his back pressed against the couch, staring straight ahead at the blank TV screen. The penthouse seemed so quiet, so still. It made it easy for him to hear the elevator doors opening onto the floor.
He listened to the two sets of footsteps, hitting the hard wood floors of the hallway. He should have told Katie to look after the younger two; he should have thanked Sally for the cookies. He should have given Annabeth more of a chance when they had first met and he really should have said hi to the cute girl with the brown hair in his history class. There were a lot of things he should have done before he went back to his parents.
Zeus and Hera rounded the corner, looking slightly flustered in their tailored suits. He stared at them with a level gaze but they paid him little attention.
"Perfect," Hera said, "We have what we need. Let's go."
Zeus frowned at her, almost in irritation. "You want to leave with an entire office filled with files? We have to take care of them first. Watch him."
Zeus strode away towards the stairs and Hera perched herself on the armchair. Jason clasped his hands together and for the hundredth time that hour, he really wished he had left his phone.
He wished that he hadn't answered their call or returned. He didn't them in his house. Jason swallowed thickly and took in a quiet breath.
He had to do this; he had to protect his family.