The Road We Travel

Chapter III: Heritage

For Percy, Thanksgiving had always been about family. The food, while always a highlight of the day, was secondary to the feeling of love and admiration of those seated around the table, sharing in the warmth of love and companionship.

So much of his life had been hampered by the existence of his ex-stepfather Gabe that a weight had seemed to settle over him during all celebratory events. So naturally, when Gabe was no longer an influence in his life, and Paul had become a permanent fixture, the importance of family gatherings and the feast that accompanied them found its way to Percy, in a way that could not be quantified with words.

When Paul had entered their lives, he had truly seen his mom happy for the first time in...forever. It had been all he ever wanted for his mother, who had sacrificed so much for him, to be happy. That of course did not mitigate the stress and tension with having a demigod son, but at least she found someone who treated her the way she deserved to be treated.

And so it was, a strange feeling to be standing outside the Chase residence on this beautifully sunny Thanksgiving day. He had always celebrated the holiday with his mom, but living in New Rome put a bit of a crunch on their travel plans, and while he always believed the feast should be celebrated with family, he had to again remind himself that he was engaged to Annabeth, and in time, her family would be his.

Still, it did little to ease his tension as he fidgeted with the tie looped around his neck and fussed with the dress shirt that seemed entirely too restrictive for his liking. Annabeth, carrying a casserole dish of Sally's famous candied yams, shot him a look in an effort to placate his nerves. It never ceased to amuse her that Percy, in his life could face giants, gods and titans, and yet be quelled in nervousness at her mortal family.

"Percy, you're going to wrinkle your shirt," she gently chided as she turned to face him. "Why are you so nervous?"

"I just...I don't know. With my family, I know what to expect, you know? You just grab what you want and eat. But, here, do I just dig in, do I ask for something to be passed to me and wait patiently? I don't want to make a fool of myself..."

"Hey," she said, rearranging the dish so she could place her hand on his arm in support. "My family loves you okay. They know what you've done for me, they're not going to think any less of you if you don't have the right table manners."

The words, while comforting to the young man, did little to ease his anxiety as he fixed his eyes upon his beloved fiance. As strange as it was, he would rather have had dinner with Athena, at least he knew she would be disappointed, but here, he was acutely aware of how fragile his standing in the lives of these people were, and despite Annabeth's reassurances, he was deeply terrified of messing up and spoiling what should be a festive family gathering.

In his life, Percy was simply too accustomed to disappointing people he wanted to impress. Even if had spent time here, getting to know Annabeth's parents and brothers, this was the first time he was invited to an intimate family gathering. He couldn't deny feeling nervous, no matter how silly it seemed.

Offering a teasing smile, Annabeth raised her hand and knocked on the door, waiting patiently while shooting sideways glances at the young man at her side. While he continued to fidget and she waiting patiently, the door opened as Frederic Chase greeted the pair.

"Annabeth, Percy, come in," he smiled, delighted at their arrival as he held the door open and stepped aside, allowing the pair to enter. Stepping over the threshold, Annabeth gave her father a hug, as well as she could holding the casserole dish while Percy stood to the side, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Turning to offer the young man a firm handshake, Frederic eyed the dish in Annabeth's hands. "You didn't have to bring a dish, believe me, we will have more than enough food."

"I know," Annabeth laughed lightly, shouldering off her jacket and passing it to her father's waiting hand. "But Percy said it would not be Thanksgiving without his mom's 'epically awesome, super legendary candied yams'." She said, her mind working to remember the correct order of the adjectives he used.

Smiling at the pair, Frederic nodded his head, "Then I can't wait to try them. You can put the dish on the counter, I'm just going to hang up your coats." Disappearing into the hallway, Frederic left the two demigods to walk to the kitchen and set the casserole dish on the overstuffed counter before greeting Annabeth's stepmother.

"Hello Helen," the blonde demigod said, watching as the older woman opened the oven and pulled out the large pan housing the turkey and proceeded to baste the centerpiece of their meal.

"Hello you two," she smiled, turning only briefly in greeting before returning her concentration to the task at hand. "Did you have have nice trip over?"

"Yeah," Annabeth said, offering a playful smile that her stepmother couldn't see with her back to her. "We borrowed one of the chariots from New Rome, think it surprised a lot of mortals, the mist probably made it look like a carriage and we were the Amish or something."

"Oh...um...well, that's nice then," Helen said, turning to face the pair before once more putting the turkey back in the oven, only to have Annabeth laugh at her joke.

"I'm teasing Helen, we actually brought the SUV," she said, moving to the cabinet and getting a glass and filling it with water from the sink. "Anyway, did you need any help with anything?"

Scanning the kitchen the older woman shook her head as she surveyed the prepared food and what was left to be done. "It's all almost ready, just 20 more minutes for the turkey to finish cooking and we should be good."

"Oh, okay, well, if you need any help just let us know."

"Actually," Helen said, clutching a hand towel in her hands and twisting it nervously, an action that did not go unnoticed by Annabeth. "Your father was wanting to talk to you. There's time now, before dinner."

The cryptic delivery did little to ease Annabeth's curiosity as to the reason her father would want to speak to her when he said nothing when they entered the house, yet she knew drawing baseless guesses as to the reason behind this would prove pointless. Thus, taking Percy by that hand, she guided him from the kitchen and up to the second floor where her father's study was.

Naturally he would be there, researching some battle or historical military conflict that would likely further revolutionize the comprehension of tactical strategies used in wars long since past. As they came to the hallway however, Percy tugged on her hand lightly, staying her course as she fixed him with her steely gray eyes. She could read his expression perfectly, the unasked question that caused him to ponder the reason her father would want to speak to her, and, to a lesser extent, whether he should be accompanying her.

Regardless of her father's intentions, Annabeth silently reassured her fiance that she would not speak to her father regarding any subject of importance without Percy by her side. The truth was, since clawing their way out of Tartarus, they were rarely apart, partly due to the fear they faced at nearly losing each other more times that any wished to relive, but more specifically, because they simply could no longer function without the other by their side. It was a dependence that was both comforting and crippling, and one that neither wished to relinquish even if it were within their power to do so.

Knocking three times on the door before turning the handle and pushing the wooden barrier open, Annabeth and Percy entered the study as Frederic mumbled incoherently, calculating battle lines for the research he was conducting. So lost in thought was he that he had neither heard the knock nor opening of the door. It was only when Annabeth loudly cleared her throat that he was drawn from his studies.

"Oh, hello sweetheart, is dinner ready?"

Furrowing her brow in confusion, Annabeth shook her head. "Uh, no, Helen said you wanted to speak to us..." The use of the plural was not lost on Frederic. He knew of what his wife had referred to, and while his intention was to address the issue with his daughter alone, she had included Percy in their discussion as well.

"Ahh...yes," Frederic began in his usual, befuddled way when contemplating the best way to address a topic or issue he was not wholly comfortable discussing. "I was planning to discuss this with you after we've eaten, but since the subject has been broached, might as well discuss it now I supposed." He stated, offering a smile that was not completely comforting.

"Come in, and, close the door if you wouldn't mind," he said, moving his desk chair to the center of the room and offering a seat on the couch for the pair of demigods. Following the instructions Percy and Annabeth entered the study, sitting upon the couch and waited for Frederic to finish fiddling with his tie as a way to stall before addressing the topic at hand.

"I suppose it would be best to just come out and say it," the scholar stated as he fixed his daughter with his piercing blue eyes. "Your...that is to say, Helen and I have talked about this in great length and we both agree that it's time you tell your brothers about yourself, that is...who you really are..."

The suggestion was perhaps that last thing Annabeth had expected from her father, certainly not recommending a full admission as to her identity as a demigod. For years her father had wanted to hide that part of her life, deny it even as though it did not exist. In recent months they have spoken in detail regarding it and the impact that decision had on their relationship, but Annabeth had never thought her father would embrace it to the point of disclosing their biggest family secret to her brothers. Despite her vast knowledge and gift of adaptability, she was at a loss of how to respond.

"I know what you're thinking..."

"No you don't," Annabeth fired back. The suggestion held far more consequences than she was willing to entertain. Regardless of whether her father had altered his stance on her demigod heritage to a complete reversal of his opinion on the matter, there was the very real risk of disclosing this information could well peal away the veil and reveal for her brothers the monsters that exist in the shadows. The belief that 'ignorance is bliss' was an irony that Annabeth could not even catalog in her sense of rationality.

Regardless of its intent, this information was dangerous.

"This could potentially put them at risk..."

"Or it could potentially save their lives," Frederic countered as he removed his glasses and began wiping the lenses on his shirt. "The point is, Annabeth, your brothers are both very smart. They know there is something uniquely...special, about you, about both of you," he said, correcting himself as he fixed his eyes on Percy.

Something within the statement, or more specifically his choice of words caused the blonde demigod to pause as she narrowed her eyes in look Percy always called her, 'thinking look'. Her father had spent years hiding and denying her demigod heritage, and yet now he was willing to tear away the wall that would protect his sons, and for what? "What happened?"

The question caused a look of nervous tension to arise within her father as he steadied his gaze upon her, before turning his attention to the door, as if hoping it would open and interrupt the coming statement. "It was about two weeks ago. There was a hell hound just down the street from their school. Not sure if there was a demigod nearby from Camp Jupiter or what specifically, but it was enough to worry Helen and me.

"The boys had seen it, and I could tell from their expression that they saw it for what it truly was...at least for a moment. They looked horrified, but calmed down after blinking their eyes several times. Whatever magic blinds mortals from the sight of your world finally kicked in, but...the damage had been done. They had seen it.

"I don't know if it is their own natural intuition that allowed them to perceive the hell hound for what it truly was, or if it was the lingering results of all they contact they've had with you and Percy that allowed them to witness it but..."

At this Annabeth stood from her seat immediately, her breathing hitching in her lungs as she looked at the office door, weighing her options of escape. Immediately Frederic bit back a curse as he rose to join her, his hand resting on her forearm. "Sweetheart, I didn't mean it that way..."

Shaking herself from his grip she turned to Percy, eyes wide with fear that their presence may have put her brothers in danger, or worse, that the blame that they had been put in danger would soon fall on her shoulders once again. Despite everything, she didn't think she could handle either probability.

"We...we to go, now!" Annabeth said frantically, as though expecting a flock of harpies to swoop through the office window and attack her family at any moment.

"No, wait, Annabeth, please, just...don't go," Frederic pleaded, his eyes stricken with a fear that he was again pushing his daughter away, and inciting what appeared to be the onset of a coming panic attack.

It wasn't until Percy had rested his hand on the small of her back and said a simple word that seemed to hold all the power in the world, "Annabeth," that she had calmed herself. Frederic had wondered, from this simple demonstration, how many times Percy had pulled her from the brink of a panic attack, and how many times she had done the same for him.

He had known of the night terrors and the PTSD induced trauma the pair had suffered since their last mission, but was unprepared for the bonded trust on display before him. They had called and spoken to him about counseling them through their many deep-seated fears and anxieties. He had experience working with soldiers suffering from PTSD himself, and being a gentle ear that was intimately connected to the pair, it made sense. But this action, of Percy and Annabeth's unrelenting dependence upon one another was something even he had underestimated.

"Let me explain," Frederic said once Annabeth's breathing had regulated itself as he signaled to the couch, hoping the pair would return to their position as he took his seat again. "Please..."

The last word broke Annabeth's resolve as she returned her place on the couch, Percy joining her, his arm looped over her shoulder in a reassuring connection that reminded the young woman that he was there, and whatever was to happen, they were in it together. It was a gesture that warmed the older man's heart. He had known Percy's devotion to his daughter was steadfast, yet now he understood it as absolute. In that moment he could not be more thankful for the young man to whom his daughter had gifted her heart.

Still, the sudden reaction of Annabeth left Frederic feeling immensely guilty, as though she had expected to be blamed for the ever-subtle awakening of her brothers to the world around them, and that sense of shame and guilt weighed heavily on him, for decisions and mistakes of years past that he still desperately wished to absolve.

Licking his lips while trying to find the right words, he raised his eyes to his daughter, a hopeful plea echoing from his irises as he fixed her with a pointed stare. "I never meant to imply that either Helen or I blamed for you that sweetheart, that was...I never meant it that way.

"This is why I wanted to wait to discuss this after we've eaten, I don't want to ruin what I was hoping was a..." falling silent as he considered his words, what he could do to remedy the tension that had settled upon the shoulders of the two young heroes.

Deciding the best course of action was to plow forward, explain his reasoning and his theory and try to get her to understand, the military scholar squared his shoulders and pushed ahead. "I was only trying to explain a hypothesis as to why your brothers were able to catch a glimpse of the creature. The point is, and this is my belief, but your brothers are far more clever than any of us had given them credit for. Perhaps they've heard conversations we've had, maybe in their own imaginative way they've crafted their own ideas and were closer to the truth than they realized. They remind me a lot of you in that way," Frederic said, a softly genuine smile pulling at the edges of his lips as he realized this common trait would be one they inherited from him and not something Annabeth would have gained from Athena. "They don't like not knowing something."

Taking her time to digest the words her father had disclosed, Annabeth turned her attention to Percy, looking for his support in this subject that was difficult to broach. Taking the look she gave him as an opportunity to speak, Percy locked eyes with the older man. "You know what you're asking us to do Frederic. There won't be no turning back from this."

"I know," he remarked, his eyes settling on neither Annabeth or Percy, but on the pair collectively. "But I've always believed knowledge is power. Perhaps that was what drew Athena to me. At any rate, I'd much rather my sons know of the world they truly live in and be aware of the monsters that exist than for them to blindly stumble upon one such creature in a moment of brief clarity and be ill-prepared for it."

Before an answer could be provided or further discussion could be had, Helen had called up to the trio announcing dinner was ready. The tension within the room, the overarching implications of the request made by Frederic seemed to absolve themselves, at least temporarily as the older man rose from his chair and offered a supportive smile. "Just think about it, okay?"

As he made his way from the room, the couple were left with their own thoughts on the matter. Least of which was Annabeth's fear of burdening her brothers with the truth of her life, hers and Percy's and not wanting to pass that to her siblings. Percy, for his own part, attempted to rationalize the request from his own point of view. What would he do in Annabeth's place. Could he disclose that information to Estelle? Would he even want to?

The conversation had left the pair with a myriad of questions of their own with no answers. Regardless, as they gathered their thoughts they left the room hand-in-hand and made their way to the dining room. Helen had gone all our preparing a Thanksgiving feast that would rival even the spread of Percy's mom. Sitting center in the table was the turkey, adorned with sage, parsley and celery sticks. Then there was stuffing, corn, green beans, rolls and of course, the yams the pair had brought.

It took no time for the family to gather around the table, passing dishes and a general feeling of ease and comfort blanketed the inhabitants of this home as they laughed and feasted on the meal before them. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was at ease and the general sense of togetherness left Annabeth's head whirling with a disorientation she had not expected. It was commonplace for her to feel this comfortable and accepted when at Sally and Paul's home, but this feeling of belonging, in celebration of the day was something rare within the home of her own family, and she wondered how much of her own inability to understand and appreciate the position her father and stepmother were put in, having a demigod living under their roof, was she responsible for.

And now, her father had asked her to pass that burden onto her brothers as well. She wasn't sure if she had the right to do so.

Still, the time spent with her family was one of slow healing, of recapturing lost opportunities in a rocky past and to build the foundation for their future. It was a new beginning, and beyond that, an invitation as the pair were now living in New Rome, to let them know they were welcomed in this home whenever they wished.

And so, as the feast concluded, Percy and Annabeth had helped clean up the leftovers and saw that put away in the fridge before the couple had moved to the sink to clean the dished. Helen had argued that they were guests and that it should not be put on them to clean up, however Annabeth quietly reminded her stepmother that Percy, as the son of Poseidon, could clean the dishes in moments, leaving her task to just put them away.

Surrendering the point, Helen smiled at the pair before leaving to sit on the couch with her husband who was watching the football game as Percy began working his way through the mountain of dirty plates, pans and utensils. As he simply used the water to scrub the plates clean and willing them dry, he set them on the counter, stacking them neatly for Annabeth to put away. Yet, when the first of the dishes had been stacked, Annabeth rested her hand lightly on the counter, her eyes drifting to distant thoughts, the action not lost on her fiance as he paused in his own efforts to clean the dishes and turn his attention to her.

"What do you think Percy? About what my dad said...should we tell them?"

Biting his lip in uncertainty, the young man worked on his own questions and how he would answer if or when the time came to educate his sister on the way the world worked. "Do I have any right in an opinion on this? I mean...they're your family..."

The words brought the young woman's attention to him as she gave him a look of disbelieving irony. Moving her right hand into the sink to clutch his hand, she raised her left hand to display the beautifully crafted ring with the ruby seashell adorning the center. "Percy, you became a part of this the moment you gave me this ring. They're your family too."

Stunned by the admission, the young man lowered his eyes to stare at the sudsy dishwater a moment before turning his head to look over his shoulder in the direction of the living room. A sense of dizzy realization fell upon his shoulders as he realized, without even having the grace to acknowledge it, that Annabeth was right. Of course, the small voice in his head reminded him, when was she ever wrong?

Yet to have the confirmation spoken was as if a new door had been opened. He knew Annabeth accepted that she was part of his family, but to have that same familial bond granted to him had left him acutely humbled.

His first response was to tell her it was ultimately her decision whether to impart the knowledge of the godly world to her brothers, but that thought died the moment it was born into his mind. Annabeth was asking for his input, and more than that, his insight to help her navigate the problem before them. She needed his support, regardless of the outcome. That's what they had been doing for each other since they were 12, and that was why they worked so well as a couple, because they knew each others strengths, accommodated for each others weaknesses, and beyond that, supported each other through all of it.

Turning his attention back to the sink as he considered the position, he felt he could not fully rationalize the right to tell Bobby and Matthew of the dangers that lurked within the shadows of this world, yet, when he substituted Annabeth's brothers for Estelle, his mind was able to find some contemplative rationality.

"I think we should tell them," he said softly, his attention fixating on the water that slowly worked to wash the dishes rather than his usual gusto at cleaning. He was taking his time, choosing his words and Annabeth gave him the minutes he needed as she placed the stack of plates in the overhead cabinet. "There's a lot of dangers in this world, mortal and monsters. I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't give Estelle all the knowledge of knowing what to avoid, how to look for those dangers, how to prepare herself.

"It's just," he said, pausing has he moved to the pans and began controlling the water to scrub the cookware clean. "Well, it's like your dad said, not knowing they're out there doesn't limit the risk, if anything, it only makes them a bigger target. If our scent lingers on them any time we hang out with them, then they're in more danger by not knowing they're in danger...you know?" Percy asked as he turned his attention to Annabeth, his brow furrowing as if wondering whether he made any sense.

Smiling lightly as she laid her hand on his forearm, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek before pulling back to gaze into his beautiful eyes. Just being near him gave her a sense of peace and security she had never known before, even when traveling with Luke and Thalia, she had never trusted anyone as much as him, and she loved him beyond words for that simple comfort, and for so much more.

"I was hoping you'd say that," she responded, her gaze never leaving his as moved only to press her lips against his shoulder before resting her head there. The affirmation was simply that Annabeth had come to the same conclusion, yet Percy's words solidified her commitment to what she needed to do. But Percy also understood how uncertain she was in her own conclusion, and if he rejected the idea, even if it concerned her brothers, she would have vetoed the coming confession all together.

The truth surrounding her reliance on him and his thoughts on the matter warmed his heart and gave him one more reason among the ever-growing list of infinite reasons he loved her.

"Will you be there, when I explain everything to them, will you be there with me?"

"Do you even need ask?" He teased, turning to kiss the top of her head as she shook her head as best she could from her position leaning on his shoulder.

"No, I just like to hear you say it."

Smiling as he leaned his head against the cushion of her curls, he moved his left hand to cover hers, their rings settling comfortably side by side as he squeezed her hand in words unneeded, but spoken anyways. "Always."

A/N: So, this story was written under the assumption that Bobby and Matthew did not know Annabeth and Percy were demigods, obviously. I always wondered what the discussion would be like, whether it was better to hide their demigod heritage from her brothers, and in that same vein, Percy's sister down the line, or to reveal everything. I can't imagine either scenario would be easy to give credence to, but I hope I pulled it off okay.

What I wanted more than anything was to show how supportive the pair are to each other, and in the midst of a day reserved for family, like Thanksgiving, to give Percy a clear view that he is part of Annabeth's family whether he knew it or not.

Anyway, if you've made it this far, any reviews, favorites, or follows would be greatly appreciated. I love knowing when I've written something others enjoy what I did well so I can keep building on it. Thank you for reading.