I do not own Percy Jackson or any of the characters.


Better Late Than Never

I watch Thalia and Annabeth silently. Annabeth has barely slept since I got back. And I should know. I'm so guilty that I lay awake at night listening to her cry. Thalia's comforting her as best she can, but I know it isn't easy. Thalia's exhausted. Not that I'm doing much better. I haven't slept once in the last week. I've been keeping myself going with smuggled five hour energies.

"You alright?" Thalia asks, sitting next to me.

I hadn't even realized I'd spaced out. "Yeah," I say. "Just tired."

"I know how you feel," Thalia says. "I haven't slept well since you got back. That sounds bad."

"I understand," I say. "I haven't slept at all since."

Thalia nods. "Do you really think he could be alive?"

"I would like to think so," I say. "I'd like to think that our prayers aren't being wasted."

Thalia nods. "I'm sorry I haven't been spending much time with you since you got back."

"Don't be," I say, forcing a smile. "Annabeth needs you now. I'll have all eternity with you."

Thalia nods, resting her head on my shoulder. We both fall silent and I reach down, drawing a cross in the sand between my feet, staring at it. A hollow feeling starts to fill me as I stare. Faith isn't easy. It's not supposed to be easy. But this? I've seen beings I've been forcing myself to believe are aliens teleport, create things from nothing, transform a monster into a slug, bring machines to life, and generate whatever kind of drink you want into an empty goblet. I've heard about them doing things like transforming objects into other objects, snapping their fingers and removing objects from existence, and one even turned the body of a friend of mine into a constellation, though I wasn't actually there for that. But the being I worship, thinking back on it, I've never really seen any proof of. No miracles, no angels, no rays of light shining down from the sky on me. I've just heard Christian pastors talk about him, and prayed to him. Was I wrong? I've been to the Underworld. I've been to Olympus. I've been to Othrys. I've been in the Labyrinth, which shouldn't be possibly able to exist. But God? Heaven? Hell? Do I really still believe in those? Or am I just trying to fool myself into thinking I do?

"Are you okay?" Thalia asks.

"I'm not sure," I say. "I...I'm not sure."

Thalia sits up, watching me worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"I...I don't...know what to believe anymore," I say, staring at the cross. "I don't know if I believe in Apollo and the others being gods, or if I believe in the Christian God."

Thalia's silent for a long while before speaking. "Who do you pray to when things get hard and you need help?" Thalia asks. "Not like against Python's son, but like when you were falling after the volcano, or when you were praying for us all to be safe on a quest."

I stare at the ground for a long while. "I prayed to God. But we weren't always safe. We were hurt more times than I can count, and Zoe died."

"Zoe sacrificed herself," Thalia corrects me. "She knew she'd die, but she fought her father anyway. And yes, we may have been hurt, but we were never killed."

"That remains to..." I trail off, staring at the ground in silence.

Thalia remains quiet for a long while before moving to sit in my lap, facing me and cupping my face, making me look up at her. "I can't tell you what to believe in. And You can't just believe in something because it's easy. That's not how faith works. It's called faith because it's a choice. You have to choose to believe, even if there's no proof. Even if it hurts, or if it's hard. You choose to have faith in me to defend myself and to not betray you, right?"

"Of course," I say. "I trust you."

"I know," Thalia smiles. "But you have to choose to have faith in me. With religion, it's the same thing. You have to choose to have faith. You have to trust that God exists, and is watching over you, if you choose to believe in him."

"Do you?" I ask.

"I don't know," Thalia says. "I tried it once. When it was me, Annabeth, and Luke, back when we were first traveling together, I prayed every night to find help. Someplace safe. Somewhere where we could have a home, and people that care about us. Somewhere I could be happy. I prayed to be able to find someone, my knight in shining armor, to fall in love with, and to have him love me back unconditionally. I started to like Luke, and he seemed to like me back, but we didn't get help, or a home, or happiness. We got attacked constantly, and we almost died a bunch of times a week. I lost faith. Eventually Grover found us, and I had hope. Maybe my prayers were being answered. Maybe they were just late. But then the fight on Half-Blood Hill came. I just...well. I lost faith completely. And then I died. But when I woke up, Luke was gone, but I had a home. I had friends. I was happy. And then there was you. You who was so clearly in love with me but trying so hard to deny it to himself. The reason I actually started to like you was because you tried so hard not to like me, and because you tried your hardest to make me feel welcome, and were so devastated when I told you to leave me alone. You were...you were so...honest. And then the more time I spent with you, the more you began to play the part of my knight, without treating me as if I were helpless. And now you even have the shining armor to match. I have everything I prayed for. And the morning of the Mount St. Helens eruption, I prayed again. I had had a nightmare of you lying broken and dead in the middle of the woods somewhere. So I prayed. I prayed to God to watch over you, and to protect you and see you through whatever dangers you face. I prayed for you to come back to me alive. And you lived. You may have been hurt, and you may have almost died, but you didn't. You came back to me. I don't know if it was because I prayed, or because you just got lucky. But I'm willing to try believing if it means you staying safe."

I smile, reaching up and kissing her. She smiles, kissing me back for several long seconds before pulling back, reaching up and lifting my pendant. I look down at her hand and watch as the bow shines, then shrinks into a cross. I stare at it, then up at her and she smiles. Tears fall from my eyes almost instantly and I kiss her again. It's different this time, though. It's no faster or more heated than before, but it somehow feels more...intimate. More meaningful. When we finally separates, she rests her forehead against mine, smiling.

"I love you," she smiles. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," I smile.

She lays her head on my shoulder and I wrap my arms around her, rocking slightly. After a few minutes, she pulls away and stands.

"I have to go see Chiron," she says. "You should talk to Annabeth. She needs to know that she still has you as a friend."

I nod and Thalia turns, walking away from the beach, up toward the Big House. I stand, walking over to Annabeth, who's staring out to sea silently, her expression empty.

"He's gone, isn't he?" Annabeth asks.

"We don't know that," I say. "Percy's always been slow. He'll be here. And when he is, you can slap him for making you wait, then kiss him for coming back."

A ghost of a smile passes over Annabeth's face before vanishing just as fast. "I...I can't lose him. I...need him to be okay."

"He will be," I say. "And he'll be yours. All you have to do is kiss him again."

Annabeth actually blushes, smiling sheepishly. "I was hoping you hadn't seen that."

I chuckle. "Do you know how long I've been trying to get you two together?"

Annabeth smiles. "Probably since you first got to camp."

"Exactly," I grin. "Percy was always just too much of a pussy to ask you on a date."

Her smile fades slowly. "I...I can't...It can't be abut Percy. I wouldn't be able to..."

I fall silent, staring at the ground. "I can't go back in there again."

"I know," Annabeth says. "It was too close. First with KampĂȘ, then the Chimera. You've done enough."

"I'm going to be needed here anyway," I say. "I can help Thalia lead the defense. And...I can't leave Thalia again."

"I know," Annabeth nods. "I understand."

I stare at the sea for a moment before sighing. "I think I need advice."

"After," Annabeth says. "Don't even bring it up before the battle. It's bad luck to talk about it before something dangerous and important. If you do, something will go horribly wrong."

"Okay," I nod.

Just then, Thalia returns with our puppy, Winter. Winter barks excitedly and I smile, scooping him up and petting him as he licks my face rapidly. Annabeth smiles and I pass Winter to her. She gets the same treatment and actually laughs. I wipe my face off and smile at Thalia. She slips her hand into mine and the three of us sit on the beach, using a rock Winter had found to play fetch with him as we wait for Percy to show up.


I wait in silence. It's been two weeks since Mount St. Helens erupted. There's been no word. Thalia is still holding out hope that Percy will show up and save Annabeth from her broken heart, and I hope the same. Annabeth has continued to cry herself to sleep every night. But Annabeth has lost hope. So have all of the others. Finally, Thalia steps out of her cabin and nods, slipping her hand into mine. Together, we walk to the camp fire where Percy's funeral shroud is ready to be burned. Chiron and Annabeth are standing closest to the fire, the rest of us gathering around it. Everyone is here.

"Two weeks have passed since the eruption of Mount St. Helens," Chiron says. "Since then, Percy Jackson has remained missing. At this time, we have to assume he is dead. After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked his best surviving friend to do the final honors."

Annabeth turns to Percy's funeral shroud and lays it on the flames. She's only just keeping from sobbing, though tears are still falling freely down her cheeks. "He...He was...the bravest friend I've ever...had." She's struggling to be able to talk without sobbing, having to pause every few words to restrain herself. "He..." she stops, staring out at the crowd, mouth hanging up and face quickly turning a darker and darker shade of red. "He's right there!"

I blink, then turn, staring through the crowd. She's right. And I was right too. Everyone is here. Including Percy. People begin to turn and back away from him, clearing Chiron a path to Percy, Chiron looking more relieved than I've ever seen him, even when we brought Annabeth back from Mount Othrys. Thalia greets Percy with a bone-crushing hug, and I have to fight not to punch him.

"You're a piece of shit for making me think I let you die," I say, grabbing his forearm, Percy returning the gesture.

"Sorry," Percy says. "How'd you survive?"

"Long story," I say.

"Well, Chiron says, slowing to a stop in front of Percy, smiling. "I don't think I've ever been happier to see a camper return. But you must tell me-"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?" Annabeth all but screams, stepping around Chiron as I take a very large step out of her way. Then, she kisses him. I grin widely as Percy's eyes go wide as saucers, the campers around them all grinning knowingly. Finally, Annabeth pulls back, slapping him before grabbing him by the front of his shirt. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been!? What the hell were you thinking!?"

"I'm sorry," Percy says, face still crimson. "I never meant to worry you. I got lost, and didn't have any drachma."

"LOST!?" Annabeth seethes, shoving him. "Two weeks, Percy! Where in the world-"

"Annabeth," Chiron says, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps we should discuss this someplace a bit more private. The rest of you, back to your normal activities!"

Instantly, and without waiting for permission, he picks up Annabeth and Percy and gallops off toward the Big House. Thalia and I follow instantly.


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