percyjackson135: Thank you! Your comments make my day!
This story is scheduled to be 23 chapters long. Let's see if it works out. We all know what happened to the last story.
Listening to – Rise by John Dreamer
Kronos and Thalia were arguing. Percy could feel the shaking in the walls as the Titan's power threatened to shatter the foundations of Olympus.
"I need your dagger!" Annabeth panted.
"Wha… where's your knife?"
"Thalia took it, she was out of arrows."
Percy flipped Oneroi into her hands, glad that she didn't ask for Riptide. Holding on to the sword made him feel a bit more grounded.
Annabeth rushed up to the immense doors but stopped behind them, crouching down anxiously. Percy mimicked her and they listened to the dialogue.
"… so what's your plan now?" Kronos asked, scathing and abrasive. "Will you revoke the Hunter's Oath? Will you try to kill me yourself?"
Annabeth grabbed Percy's wrist, stunned. Percy swallowed, straining his ears to listen to Thalia's reply.
"I need to talk to Luke."
"Luke's dead."
"I don't believe you. Just let me talk to him."
Thalia's voice shook. Even under the snappy tone, the tiny warble was detectable. Percy held his breath. It sounded like she was crying.
Kronos began to laugh. It was terrible sound. It grated onto his soul like nials being dragged down a chalkboard. Annabeth flinched, ducking her head. Percy turned his palm and caught her fingers, lacing them together.
The laughter dimmed until his voice lashed out, turning into a vicious hiss. "What makes you so confident?!"
This time, Thalia sounded a little braver. "Your failed recruitment told me."
The heat from the throne room seemed to rise. Kronos was mad.
"She's a little weakling –"
"Prove it."
Percy could hear the sudden determination in her voice. Both he and Annabeth shared a quick look, clearly thinking the same thing. Could they barge in now? Would things escalate?
"He's gone, Thalia," Kronos said, sounding serious and supremely pissed. The way he said her name made Percy frown. There was a familiarity there, that shouldn't have existed. Not if Kronos didn't care.
For a moment, there was nothing else said. Annabeth nearly surged forwards but Thalia spoke again, shocking everyone.
"I thought you loved me."
Annabeth's breath hitched. Percy stared right ahead, trying to imagine Kronos' face.
"You said you loved me, Luke," Thalia continued in a whisper. "Were you lying?"
Percy turned his head to look at a stunned Annabeth. He had never really though there had been anything between Thalia and Luke. But Annabeth looked hopeful, waiting with bated breath at the response.
"When I woke up…" Thalia said after sucking in a quick breath, "everyone told me what you did… I didn't believe it. I couldn't, because that's not you. You'd never hurt Annabeth, you'd never do such things."
"Stop –"
"You promised me we'd find a home."
"I said sto –"
"Family. That's what you told me. That night in Scranton, you told Annabeth and me that the three of us mattered even when nobody else cared. Why did you lie?"
"I wasn't lying!" Luke's voice came out like a shriek, panicked and more frightened of Thalia's tears than Kronos's wrath.
Annabeth immediately stood up. Before Percy could stop her, she was running to pull open the door to look at the scene. It swung open and Percy caught sight of Thalia and Luke (Luke!) standing in front of the thrones, weapons pointing loosely towards the ground, crying silently while having eyes for no one but each other.
Somehow, the gold aura had been suppressed. The blue of his eyes were wet and Luke looked defeated at the sight of Thalia looking so forlorn.
"I missed you," Thalia gasped, dropping her blades and throwing her arms around Luke's neck. Percy nearly shouted in alarm but Luke let go of Kronos's scythe and hugged her back, lifting her off the ground.
Luke coughed out, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was an ass!"
"You still are!" Thalia retorted, clutching him close. They were weeping into each other's embrace. Annabeth placed a hand over her mouth, trying to hold back her own sob. Her shoulders shook from the effort.
"I missed you so much!" Luke cried, clutching at her armour. "I hated myself so much when the Cyclops… It just… it should've been me! You'd never have done this. I should have died a long time ago. I love you so much!"
That must have done it for her because Thalia pulled back, grabbed the top of Luke's chest plate and brought him into a kiss.
"Thalia, don't!" Annabeth screamed, but Percy felt the throne room shake again. This time, it wasn't caused by Titan magic.
The throne of Lady Artemis grew bright silvery white, glowing all over the surface as it sensed the Hunter's Oath being broken, right in front of it, right in the sacred council room of the Olympians.
The throne let out a blast, a beam of pure hot energy in Thalia's direction.
Annabeth tried to jump in, probably ready to push the couple out of the way, but Percy had caught her arm yanking her back. Thalia swore just as Luke turned them, letting the blast slam into his back. The energy threw propelled them sideways. They flew straight ahead, narrowly missing Hephaestus's throne, hitting the marble pillar and toppling onto the hard floor.
Smoke rose from Luke's body. He groaned, eyes closed and letting his head fall onto the floor. Thalia rolled off of him and yanked the silver circlet out of her hair, the symbol of her being the first lieutenant of Artemis.
"I guess I resign," Thalia muttered.
Luke gasped out a laugh, "You could have resigned before you kissed me."
"Right, because now's the perfect time to make jokes," Percy muttered. He and Annabeth ran towards them.
Annabeth fell to her knees and hugged Luke just as he sat up. He winced from the force but grinned, hugging her back. Thalia smiled at him, and went ahead, bring both of them into her arms.
It was more than bittersweet, it was painful, tragic, and traumatic. Everyone in the room knew what was going to happen.
Percy didn't want to be the jerk who had to break them up, but they were running out of time.
Luke opened his eyes like he'd just realised that Percy was there, watching them. There was a tense moment of eye contact before Percy kicked something on the ground which slid towards Luke, stopping right by Thalia's knee.
Annabeth's knife was a daunting thing.
"How long can you keep him out?" Annabeth whispered into his shoulder, not willing to let go.
"Not long… he's struggling…" Luke was sweating, now. His skin looked dusty from Artemis's curse, red and raw from the blast.
"We need to figure out – " Thalia began, but Luke shook his head.
"I came to say goodbye," Luke said, switching between the girls. "You know that."
"No, we need a plan – "
"I'm running out of time, he's seriously pissed now."
"No, no! Look, the same thing… it's happened to someone I know, and the thing left his body. We just need to –"
Annabeth sounded like she could break any moment. Percy held in the harsh shudder that threatened to wrack his body. He was glad she didn't say his name outright, but Luke probably already knew.
"This isn't just some 'thing', Annabeth," Luke panted, screwing his eyes shut. Thalia squeezed his hand. "This is a Titan, who's growing stronger with every second. I need to finish it."
"Please! Thalia, tell him!"
One look at Thalia's face told Percy what she was thinking. She knew that Luke was right. They were on borrowed time. Annabeth probably knew it as well, but she kept shaking her head like a little kid who couldn't understand why bad things happened.
"You don't let this happen to anyone else," Luke told Thalia, his tired eyes turning to steel. "No other demigod should feel abandoned. Promise me."
Thalia looked like she wasn't even breathing. Percy wasn't sure if she was about to start yelling or had shut down.
"I – I promise."
"Annabeth…," Thalia blinked quickly.
"Wait, wait! We can –"
The smoke rising from Luke's body had stopped and was replaced by gold vapour that seemed to be breaking through the skin. He shuddered, wincing and jerking his head to the side.
"He's coming back, I can't… the knife."
Annabeth stiffened, "No, please Luke."
"I love you, Annabeth. You're the strongest kid I've ever known."
She sniffed as Thalia, shoulders hunched, pulled her away. Luke shared a look with Percy, but they had no words for each other.
Or so Percy thought because Luke said, "Don't leave them."
Thalia clutched her tightly. Annabeth let out a heart wrenching sob as Luke grabbed for her knife.
The undead army were able to subdue the monsters. Demeter and Persephone had the absolute pleasure of kicking Helios back into Tartarus. Bianca and Nico fought side by side along with their father whose presence along sent the rogue hellhounds scampering.
They'd won.
Percy felt like a rock had crushed something in his chest. He didn't feel like a winner, let alone a hero.
The Olympians took down Typhon far before he'd even reached Pennsylvania. Poseidon's intervention saved them.
Annabeth was still crouched by Luke's body, now covered by a sheet offered by Hestia. She buried her face into her palms, having stopped crying a while ago, but still not moving from the spot.
They'd won.
Thalia took off her armour, the plate engraved with the symbol of Artemis. As she undid her ties, Percy noticed that the edges of the metal had burned her skin. The Goddess was not happy.
Annabeth's knife was stained with Luke's blood. He'd been the only one who'd known where his mortal spot had been.
Don't leave them.
Percy wasn't a hero. He didn't think he could be. But Luke was right. This couldn't happen again. They had to make sure of that.
They'd won, so when the Gods appeared into the throne room one by one, it was a surprise that nobody looked pleased.
That was, as Percy noticed, because Artemis teleported in, glowing silver, a vision of fury. She glowered at Thalia, who stood up and faced her, head bowed low.
Most of the Olympians stepped back towards their throne. Hermes and Athena flew over to Annabeth. Aphrodite was whispering to Hades and Hestia. Hera glared at Annabeth, and Artemis stalked over to Thalia, murder in her eyes.
Her body grew twenty feet tall, towering over the other Gods for a moment. Her skin emitted a silvery glow and a bow and arrow appeared her hands.
The council fell silent and Percy made to run after her, but Poseidon held him back.
For a moment, it seemed as though Artemis was truly going to kill Thalia. But the Goddess hadn't accounted for their father.
Zeus appeared right in front of Thalia, blocking Artemis with a glare of his own. He grew taller than her and was equally enraged.
"Step back, Artemis."
His growl silenced the room. Electricity crackled around them and thunder could be heard from the clouds surrounding the Empire State Building. Poseidon's hand clamped tight on Percy's shoulder.
"She is in direct violation of my Oath, Lord Zeus."
"She took on the prophecy and won. My Father has returned to Tartarus where he will remain for a few millennia more. You have her to thank."
Zeus's words seemed to leave no room for negotiation, but Artemis would not back down.
"She could have achieved that without spitting on my name. She was not coerced or manipulated, she chose to engage in a dalliance –"
"Dalliance?! It was just a kiss!" Zeus snorted.
Artemis stood straight. "Are you disregarding all that I stand for? My Hunters and I have served Olympus for most of your reign. If you choose to reject my loyalty, state it in the proper words."
"Artemis," Athena called out. "An escalation will not help –"
"You play more the devil than devil's advocate, did you know, Athena?"
Percy's jaw dropped. Aphrodite clapped a hand over her mouth. Ares went, "Oooooh!"
Zeus shot a sharp look towards him and turned back to Artemis. "Thalia is my daughter and since she has successfully saved us –"
"She did nothing!" Hermes snapped. He was crouched by Luke's body, fingers digging into the sheet. "Luke was the hero!"
Hades raised an eyebrow. "The boy who helped raised Father, who stole the lightning bolt and my helm of darkness, who stormed camp last summer with an army… he's the hero?"
Hermes stood up so fast it was like a flash. The throne room grew hot as all the angry Gods glared at each other.
"Either you cool off right now, or I bring half the Arctic waters to flush you down," Poseidon threatened. He pushed Percy to the side, away from the confrontation. Athena stood in front of a still kneeling and stunned Annabeth. Thalia didn't dare to look up from the floor.
Artemis cocked her head. "Did you forget, I'm your daughter as well?"
"I did not," Zeus said in a tone that implied he totally did. "And I love the both of you equally, so no killing each other, okay?"
Hera snorted. She drifted towards her throne and sat down like she'd tuned into her favourite sitcom.
"A flouting of my Oath requires consequence. She will not go without punishment," Artemis snapped.
"She's been punished enough," Aphrodite pointed out.
Artemis blanched. She rounded onto her and said, "This is your doing!"
Aphrodite tittered. She placed a hand over her heart and batted her eyelashes innocently. "Sweetheart! Of course, it is! How did it take you so long to figure it out?"
"How could… we had an agreement! You would not make any more of my Hunters fall in love with a boy!"
"I didn't make them fall in love! They never stopped. I guessed it would lead to this. It is such a good story, though." Aphrodite sighed even as Artemis wished her dead. Suddenly, her expression soured and she looked over to Hera.
"Not to mention, if a falling statue had stopped her, I would have been quite displeased."
Hera rolled her eyes. "I don't control statues."
"Of course, you don't."
"I haven't missed the bickering, not one bit," Hades muttered under his breath.
Artemis made her weapons disappear.
"Eyes at me, Thalia," she commanded.
Zeus frowned, but Thalia raised her head. Artemis gave her a hard look.
"You've thrown away a great gift that I had offered in a time when your faith required healing. You will never have my sympathy. You will not find solace in my household. You will never find aim with a bow and arrow. I will not hear your prayers. Go on with your mortal life and die with a broken heart."
Thalia swallowed, "I take your leave, My Lady."
"I'm not your lady."
Artemis turned and disappeared in a flash of light.
The pressure in the room dissipated. Percy leaned against his father, trying to feel relieved.
"So…," Apollo said, stepping forwards to get everyone attention, "who'd like some good news?"
Nobody said anything. Ares raised his hand.
"Awesome!" Apollo clapped once before pointing towards the door. "You're about to get good news in T-3 seconds!"
"What?" Demeter said. Percy looked towards the door. He could hear the sounds of somebody running.
Rachel burst through the doors, holding Pandora's Pithos in her hands. Bessie, the Ophiotaurus, the one and only cow-serpent Percy had rescued, was strung on her back, piggybacking her. Rachel didn't seem burdened by Bessie's weight which must have been at least 200 pounds.
"Oh!" She squeaked when she found everyone looking her way. She looked frazzled like she'd run all around Olympus before making the trip back.
Hestia blinked. "Is that Pandora's Pithos?"
Poseidon gaped. "Is that the Ophiotaurus?"
Aphrodite chimed. "Is that Rachel Elizabeth Dare?"
Apollo spread out his hands, nearly clipping Hephaestus. "That's my new Oracle! Look at her! She's alive, brand new! Totally walking and everything!"
It was past midnight when the residents of New York had awoken. The Gods had cleared up the city. The heroes piled up in the van to drive back to camp, while Mrs. O'Leary and Nico helped shadow travel some of the more dire cases.
It was rather quiet. Percy was in good enough health that he helped bring the worst wounded to the Infirmary. The Hunters set up their stuff in Artemis's cabin, occasionally glancing back at Thalia who was seated in the mess hall. Bianca and another girl had been the only ones brave enough to talk their ex-lieutenant.
Bianca was sporting a new silver circled in her hair, having been recently promoted to Thalia's old position. It was jarring for Percy to see the twelve year old giving orders to the other Hunters.
Of course, Bianca was now fourteen…
Nico was sitting opposite to Thalia, pigging out from a plate of hot dogs. He'd burned enough calories to leave him starving for the better part of the day.
The funerals were due in the evening, once everyone was settled and no longer in vivid shock of everything that had gone down. It was 2 in the morning on August 18 and they were bleary eyed and working on automatic.
Percy sat at the Poseidon table in the mess hall and looked all around him. His body felt cold but he was sweating. A feverish shudder went through him and he exhaled, trying to calm down.
Annabeth approached him. He knew she'd spent a good twenty minutes in the Athena cabin, bawling her eyes out. Her face was swollen and her voice croaked as she spoke, "Are you hungry?"
He looked down at what she held. It was a chocolate bar.
"I dunno," he whispered, pressing a fist into his gut. Was his stomach growling? Was he just feeling empty all over?
"Let's share," she suggested and sat beside him. She split the bar into two and they munched on it for a silent minute.
She smelt of warm salty tears.
"When are you leaving?"
"Hmm?"
Annabeth turned. "Your mom's still in the hospital, right?"
Percy froze, mid-chew. The baby.
"Oh my gods." He nearly dropped the bar. "I forgot!"
"Go now, if you need to get away –"
"I can't! I… I can't just go!"
She frowned, turning to face him fully. The grey streak in her hair was nearly hidden underneath the glow from the fireplace.
"I… the funerals are at 6."
"We can do that. You need to go. Sally would need to see you."
Percy closed his eyes and remembered the bright blue light of his hands, the light that destroyed the Minotaur, the light that could hurt anybody. What if he lost control and hurt his mom? The baby?
Percy swallowed, "I can't go meet her like this. I look… she'd be scared."
Annabeth frowned. "Then go shower. Don't you want to see your sibling?"
Percy dropped his head onto the table. "Please don't say that."
He could feel her unblinking stare. "Percy… it's oka –"
"Don't say that. You know it isn't."
There was a sob building up in his chest. It was heavy and bubbling, threatening to come out and overwhelm him. Oh gods, he couldn't cry in public. That would be bad. He needed to leave –
Annabeth hand wrapped around his wrist. Her whisper was low but clear. "I'm here. Come on, let's go to your cabin."
Somehow, she managed to bring him to his bunk. Percy collapsed on the familiar mattress and did his best to not look over at Tyson's bed, or any of the decorations hanging from the ceiling that Tyson had put up many, many months ago, or the sea plants Tyson had planted on the window sills, or the fountain Tyson had rebuilt more than a year ago.
Percy turned around, pressed his face into a pillow and cried.
An hour later, Rachel brought a yawning Nico in, and the two of them, along with Annabeth were able to get Percy decent enough to use the floo in the Big House.
Sirius didn't look as gaunt as he did when Harry had first laid his eyes on him as a thirteen year old. Just-escaped-from-Azkaban had a practically hopeless aura than the one here. But seeing the man lie on the bed so still and quiet was a blow to Harry.
This was the first time he'd been allowed into the very secure and private room. Sirius's case had been very troubling. The curse he'd been hit by, months ago had drained a good percentage of life from his body. The Order and the hospital were afraid that if Harry got into the room, he'd try to heal Sirius.
Like that was a bad thing.
Tonks stood by the door, her eyes insistent on his back. Harry stared at Sirius's face. It felt like he'd wake up any moment now. Harry had just given him news of a lifetime.
Sirius was a father now. He should wake up for that. If he could break out of Azkaban for Harry and DJ, he should wake up from a coma for his new born daughter. The rule still applied, no matter what state he was in.
But he didn't move and gave no indication that he would ever move. Harry looked down and focused on his chest which rose and fell. That should have been comforting.
"Time's up," Tonks whispered.
Harry held his tongue. He wanted to snap at her, though.
Fine. If Sirius didn't want to see his kid…
It was not a rational way of thinking, but Harry wanted to be mad at somebody. And as mad he always was at Voldemort, it was refreshing to direct it at someone new. He didn't want to yell at Tonks. She was just looking out for him.
"Fine," he said shortly and stood up, nearly toppling his chair. He memorized the path they'd take to reach the private room. May be he could sneak back in next week.
Tonks and Harry made their way back to the second floor where Sally was staying. A welcome sight met their eyes and Harry finally smiled in relief.
Remus and Rosalie were cooing at the baby. Sally sat up slowly, still feeling sleepy. She'd just fed the baby and was now watching as Rosalie rocked the tiny thing back to slumber land. Remus was holding up one of the many stuffed toys Harry had gotten from the gift shop.
The baby, Kimmy, hadn't really opened her eyes yet, but had blinked a bit when Rosalie took her. She swore to Sally that her eyes were a dark brown.
Sally's heart had skipped at the thought. Her sister's eyes had been dark brown as well. They'd looked practically black. If the soft peach fuzz on the baby's head would grow out blonde, it might feel like her sister was back.
That wasn't possible, of course. Both, Sally and Sirius had black hair.
Rosalie and Remus were suddenly smiling up at Sally.
"What?" She whispered, almost ready to go back to sleep.
"You're about to have some good news," Rosalie said, her voice soft and melodious. They looked over to the closed door and Sally looked up, wondering what…
The door opened and Harry poked his head in. He had a suppressed grin, the one that made his dimples half pop out. Sally knew that he hadn't slept through the night, yet something had given him enough energy to look happy.
"Hi m – Sally. I have a surprise."
"Uhuh?" Sally shot a look at Remus before turning back to the boy. "What is it?"
Harry opened the door fully and stepped inside, letting the newcomer walk in. Sally froze as Percy came into sight, standing there, a little hesitant, very exhausted, but incredibly hopeful as well. His eyes were big and round as he took in the tiny blanket in Rosalie's arms. Then he looked over to Sally.
"Hi mom… I have a surprise too."
Sally could barely speak when Percy stepped aside and revealed Rachel, who shuffled in, nervous and smiley. She looked different, her red, frizzy hair in rough tangles, but tied into a tight and hurried pony tail. She now wore a bright orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, the exact same one that Percy, Nico, and even Harry sometimes used to wear around the house.
"Um, hi Ms. Jackson," Rachel mumbled before clearing her throat and waving shyly. "And yeah, I have a surprise too."
Sally wouldn't be able to take another surprise. She leaned heavily back against her propped up pillow and practically gasped when the last figure stepped in the room, just a few inches shy of Rachel in height.
Nico had grown. His hair was long and curly, even messier than Harry's. He wore one of Sirius's old biker jacket over a faded black t-shirt. He stood there, awkward and gangly, like he was not yet used to the growth spurt.
To look at Nico was to get a wave of air and fresh blood all through her body. All the anxiety that had boiled in her through the months was dissipating and dying. The sight of the four kids was everything that Sally could have hoped for.
"You took your time!" She choked. "Get over here!"
Her bones popped as she stood up to hug them all. But her exhaustion and ache was nothing compared to what they'd all gone through since December.
This chapter is late because I'd only written half of it last week and delayed updating 2k word chapter. Plus, the website was glitching and refusing to upload the document for some reason. It's sorted now.
We're done with the first half of this fic. Next chapter is an interlude. We're bring in some heavy players. Hopefully, I can finish writing it all next weekend. Stay tuned, folks!
Cabba.
