Chapter 50 - I Find My Missing Piece
Three chapters Percy? I mean, ok, fine, I already told my point of view on a lot of that. But come on! Ok…. let's see… you all probably already know a lot of the rest of the story. You know that Jason was fine - he woke up enough to ask to be taken to his room and Piper kept an eye on him the rest of the day. You know about us finding out about the Eidolons taking over Leo, Jason and Percy and finding out that was why Leo tried to destroy New Rome. You know about our stopping in Salt Lake City to repair the ship. I guess the best thing to end on would be Percy and I's conversation that first day. We'd both showered and changed clothes after our experience in Salt Lake City left us both with more tar on us than we'd like. I took him to his cabin for the first time.
He looked around, and I smiled as I watched his eyes find the details. The blue quilt his mom had bought him. The photos I'd taped above the desk. The water plants arranged on his bedside table, secured with duct tape in case the ship tilted. Extra weapons placed where he could get them in a hurry. His favorite sneakers tucked under the desk. The drawing Rachel had made of our first kiss at Camp hung above his bed.
He turned to me with a grin. "You decorated it for me?"
I smiled, trying to hold back the tears. "Yeah. I-I brought a lot of this stuff but kept it in my cabin until I was sure -" My voice caughter. He sat on the bunk and patted the spot beside him. I joined him, leaning against him. We were together, just the two of us, for the first time. He still smelled like the ocean and I took several long, deep breaths, just enjoying that he was really, truly here. This wasn't a mirage or a vision or a dream visit. I kissed his neck and he let out a little sigh. His arm wrapped around me and I looked at it. The tattoo of the Roman camp. Percy's was a trident and one mark. I traced my fingers across it, feeling raised skin like it was new and a little painful. Percy winced.
"Does it hurt?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah. It felt like being branded."
I desperately wanted those marks gone. They felt like….. Well, like a temptation, something that Percy would always want to go back to. He stroked my hair.
"Your stripe is gone."
"Yours too." I said sadly.
He smiled. "They were kinda painful souvenirs."
"But they were part of us, you know? Making us a set. Even Luke didn't get one."
He grinned at me. "We'll always be a set, ok? Even if I've got a Roman tattoo."
I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Promise?" I mustered up the courage to meet his green eyes.
"I will never, ever leave you. Never again. I promise." He whispered. He bent down and gave me a gentle kiss. I wrapped my arms around him and he wrapped his around me. And that sense of calm that Percy always gave me settled over me like a blanket. Finally, a part of me wasn't missing anymore.
/ Thanks for reading everyone! I hope you enjoyed the story!