There is a chance you may or may not hate me… but hey! Nothing new! :D
Even though he got on her nerves, Sophia heeded Percy's advice and made sure Tobias always had someone with him, be it her, Vicky or one of his friends. He didn't mind the company, going for anything- even Vicky- to take his mind off things.
And he seemed to be on a bit of a mission as well- for the last few months, he hadn't been himself. Now, it was like he was trying to make up for the poor attention he had given them. He proved to be even more of a loving dad and husband. Every morning, Sophia found a new bouquet of flowers in a new vase and breakfast was ready for her and the kids. On Saturdays, Tobias would take the children out for the day, leaving Sophia and Vicky to have a 'girly day in'. Sundays was date night, Vicky baby-sitting.
Sophia almost said things were starting to look up.
Almost.
Why couldn't the Fates (me) just bugger off and leave the Jacksons alone? Why did they (me) have to be so cruel? (Because that would be boring and you guys know what I'm like when I'm bored- MURDEROUS).
Tobias and Sophia were taking the kids to the park. Tobias had to promise ice-cream for Finn to be quiet and not-so-hyper for five minutes.
"Swings!" Samantha insisted, pulling on her father's arm eagerly. Tobias hefted her up and sat her on his shoulders.
"No, slide!" Finn contradicted.
"Ducks!" Darcy cut in. Tobias and Sophia shared a glance- your kids.
"Big dog!"
"What?" Tobias frowned at Finn bemusedly. Finn frowned back and pointed, stamping his foot.
"Big. Dog." There was a growl and then that ever-amazing smell of sulphur.
"Holy Poseidon's underpants."
"What?" Sophia demanded. Tobias didn't respond, handing Samantha over and drawing Ice from his pocket. "Uh, no running off, Jackson. You said we're sticking together."
"Unless it was an emergency." He added. "This counts as an emergency in my book."
"You don't even have a book!" She argued, half-smiling. Tobias didn't respond to that, darting off to deal with the hellhound. "Tobias Christian Jackson, you get back here!"
"Oooh, he gonna be in trouble." Samantha giggled. Such a delightful child.
Trouble didn't even cover it.
The hellhound bounded from the cluster of trees, snarling and dribbling in a very unbecoming manner. Hades really needed to house train his demonic house guests.
And then the trees started smoking at the roots and it just made everything even more natural. It was such a great day to be Tobias.
Tobias dodged around the hellhound and swiped at its back legs. It yelped and exploded into yellow dust, but judging by the baying calls in the distance, its brethren would be on Tobias's case soon enough.
He was glad to see that Sophia and the children had run off to what he hoped was safety. He had no idea where though and it troubled him.
Smoke was furling thickly from the roots now, smelling of acrid flames and clogging his airways. He stumbled, half-blind, towards the public footpath, hoping to find clearer air and ground on which to fight.
Beyond the treeline, a startled yell set Tobias's heart thudding in panic.
That was Sage.
Months of cold feeling and bitter resentment melted away and he sprinted, unseeingly, into the thicker smoke, Ice giving the minimalist glow of bronze. He called for his sister, spluttering on the stench overwhelming him.
"Tobias!" She screamed. "Go away!"
Rude.
He tripped on a protruding tree root and collided with a smaller figure. He and the obstacle tumbled to the floor.
"Ow…"
"Alvie?"
"Oh gods…"
"Yeah, hi to you too." On the ground, the smoke wasn't as thick-which was weird considering it came from the roots- Tobias could see the white glow of Alvie's eyes. "What's going on?"
"Mad." Alvie replied, pushing himself up. "You need to go."
"I can help."
"You can't."
"Why not?!" But Alvie didn't reply, which pretty much summed up the last six months. "Whatever." Tobias took off again, following Sage's violent curses. She was only twelve, for crying out loud, but spoken like a true daughter of Annabeth.
"Back off or I swear I'll-" A loud thud snuffed out her voice, replaced by a whimper. "Stupid mutt." Another dull thud. "That's right, go back to the Underworld, peasant."
"Sage!"
"Tobias!" He caught the briefest glimpse of a smile and then she was scolding him. "You shouldn't be here!"
"I can manage." He muttered, antipathy boiling through him once again. "What's going on? This smoke, the hellhounds…"
"Oh, I think our creepy, sinister friend way downstairs is having a bit of a party."
"Joy." She hummed absent-mindedly in reply, wiping her knife clean on her jeans. She seemed so blasé, as though she and the others hadn't shut Tobias out for so long. "I've seen Alvie too. Who else is here?"
"We're all here." She looked at him then, silently questioning something. "Why are you here?"
"Oh you know, peaceful day in the park with a murderous wife, hyperactive kids, promises of ice-cream and hellhounds. Just another day." She scoffed, sheathing her knife in the holster on her belt. "Where are the others?"
"Around. Whoever sent these hellhounds isn't letting up." She waved at the smoke. "We should try and get out of this."
"No duh." A sharp, shrill whistle sounded. Sage replied similarly and five other whistles echoed around at varying volumes. "Now what?"
"Signalling the others. Someone has to keep things together."
"You've done a marvellous job of that." She sighed, her casual façade crumbling.
"Tobias, listen-"
"No." And he was off again.
"Tobias!" She reprimanded, hurrying after him. "I wouldn't have thought you could get more annoying, but clearly I was wrong. A first." She added in an undertone.
"It's amazing what happens in six months." He shot back, enough venom in his voice to make her wince. She opened her mouth to reply, but he interrupted. "Save it." Sunlight gleamed faintly to his left and he headed towards that. Sage started talking, but Tobias blocked her out, listening to the numerous cries of monstrous dogs all around.
"Oy!" Sophia called. Tobias breathed in the fresh air. "What is she doing here?" Sage staggered to a halt next to him, inhaling deeply.
"I'm trying to explain, but this idiot," She gestured angrily at her brother, "won't stop to listen."
"I don't blame him!" Sophia countered, her eyes flashing dangerously. Sage clenched her jaw stubbornly, meeting Sophia's glare with one of her own.
"Daddy, big dog!" Samantha pointed frantically, hiding behind her mother's legs. Finn growled back at the hellhound, but Sophia pulled him and Darcy out of harm's way. "Beat it up, Daddy! Stab it!" A true delight.
Sage got it first though, embedding her knife in its maw. Samantha sulked, not at all impressed. "You're not Daddy, go away."
"Charming." Sage grumbled. "There are hundreds of these crawling about the park."
"Go and get them then." Sophia growled, bunching her fists. Tobias moved to her side, placing a consoling hand on her shoulder. "Are you defending her?" She protested.
"No." Tobias answered calmly. Alvie staggered from the smoke, rubbing at his eyes. When he looked up, they saw they were scarlet with blood.
"Alvie?" Sage asked worriedly. "What is it?"
"The thing…" Alvie croaked. He looked up in Tobias's general direction. "You need to go."
"So I've heard." His siblings made to argue back, but he didn't give them the chance. "Look, you need my help. Where are the others? Alvie, send them messages and tell them to rendezvous at that fountain." He pointed. "We'll hold our ground there and hopefully sort this mess out." Sage glanced at Alvie- it was a fairly good plan, for Tobias- but getting him involved…
"We'll hold off there. You're going to go home."
"Soph, take the kids. I'll meet you there in a bit."
"I am not leaving you here with this lot! You turn your back on them, they'll… they'll Caesar you all over again!"
"Caesar?" Sage questioned, almost amused. Sophia glowered at her and the pre-teen wisely stayed quiet.
"I won't let them, don't worry."
"I do worry! They're a bunch of b-" Alvie raised his hand and Sophia's voice cut off. Her hand went to her throat and she turned her glare on Alvie. Thankfully, he couldn't see, vision obscured by blood.
"You have to go." The psychic repeated.
"I'm staying." Tobias defied.
And he did.
Within the next ten minutes, the other Jacksons had arrived. The Valdezs joined them minutes later, Louisa looking about furiously, her bow loaded and ready.
"Tobias?" Annabeth stared at him incredulously, a look they didn't see often. "What are you doing here? You should go!"
"I'm not going anywhere!" His mother gained a firm expression, but before she could say anything, hellhounds rained in from all directions.
It was absolute bedlam. Sophia pulled the kids away, but thankfully the hellhounds were more focused on the demigods and legacies stabbing and shooting them. She had never thought that there could be so many. It was just an endless tide of black fur, claws and teeth; snarls filled the air, exchanged with swipes of swords and the thwips of arrows.
Percy summoned a hurricane at one point and cleared the ground. Louisa willed the fountain to explode. Water crashed down on the remaining hellhounds with enough force to disintegrate them entirely.
"You could have done that earlier." Tobias muttered, flexing his fingers as he scanned the surrounding woods. The smoke was starting to clear and there was the small hope that things would be OK now.
"Tobias!" Alvie had his hands over his eyes, blood trickling down his wrists. "You have to get out of here!"
"I am not going anywhere!" Puddles left over from the wave started to freeze over, the ground trembling beneath their feet.
"Tobias…" Percy started, looking anxiously at the ground, his hand up as though it would placate his eldest son.
"Don't! Don't shut me out again, don't you dare!"
"Isn't this a lovely family reunion?" They didn't get to see the speaker, their attention locking on a sphere of ice blue energy.
It hurtled towards Max, who stood tense and wide-eyed, panic-stricken.
Tobias got there first.
Light exploded in all directions, searing their eyes. When it cleared…
Tobias had got there first.
Tobias had gone.
Told you :D