Chapter 71

Percy

I saw her and knew I had made it home. I could only whisper her name, "Annabeth", then ask for water. I'm not sure if she even heard that. It didn't matter. I could die now, I was home after so many weeks away. Of course I had found out over the last few weeks that I couldn't die. Didn't matter. I was home now.

I had been fighting since Nico made it out. It never stopped. They were always on the attack. I soon found that although I could fight with a sword, my wand would actually kill them. At least for a little while. They grew right back.

Before we left I had visited the restricted section on the Hogwarts library and loaded some particularly violent spells, including the killing curse. It would kill them, and if I followed up by hitting their corpses with reducto curse they exploded and were scattered. That made it take longer for them to be reborn.

I made it out. I was burned, blistered and exhausted, but alive. I couldn't die no matter what they hit me with, no matter how great the agony. The pain and torture made me beyond reason at times, but I finally figured a way to escape. It took weeks it seemed.

"Stay back kids, go get Aunt Calypso and Uncle Nico if you can find them"

"Annabeth... water" I whispered as she approached. She looked as beautiful as the day she told me I drooled in my sleep. I had no idea who the kids were. Some young godlings I guessed if they were related to Calypso and Nico. That made no sense but nothing really did at that moment anyway. They were too young for Half Blood or Hogwarts. It didn't matter. Annabeth was there. I was safe now. Gods how I had missed her and the kids!

"What th... Percy? What, Agua eructo!" She said as she aimed her wand at me and sprayed me with a garden hose like flow of the coolest, most wonderful water I had ever tasted. It seemed forever since I had any. I hadn't been able to use my survival thermos thing since I entered the Archeron. Was that yesterday? Last week? I didn't know. Time was different there.

She saw me trying to catch it in my mouth and failing. For some reason she was spraying it all over me. Okay I was a bit muddy and covered with blisters from the burns, especially on my feet and legs so that felt great, but I was so very thirsty. Annabeth is smart and observant though. She figured this out, dropped her sword and while she continued to hose me down, with her free hand got out her own canteen, opened it against her body and began pouring it into my mouth.

I don't have any idea how much I drank or how long. I was suddenly quite cold and shivering.

Annabeth was silent but I heard another familiar voice.

"Oh gods! I'll fetch grandfather." Calypso said. I closed my eyes, it hurt even to do that, and a moment later felt someone touch me.

"Owie"

The pain from my wounds and burns was gone. I was still in agony, and so tired. I passed out. I felt like I was flying. I was still so very cold.

I woke up underwater, still cold, but not as bad. It took me a minute to realize I was in the pool at our home. I had never had a chance to use it since we moved in. The water healed me, but I was still in near agony, and exhausted. I looked around the edge and saw people staring into the water at me. All of Annabeth's mortal family was there with her. She was crying. Calypso, Nico and most of the gang as well. It was time to rise for a minute if only to let them know I was alive and glad to be back.

"Annabeth. Thank gods I made it." I said as I broke through the surface.

"Come on. Its time to go. He's okay now. Nico are you sure you don't mind?" She said, ignoring me.

"No problem. I hate crowds anyway. Plus Will and I want to watch Hephestus TV to see if its on the news. Congratulations again Annabeth. Its going to be okay."

"Hmmph." She said as she led her sad looking family and our miserable looking friends away.

She ignored me. She had tears in her eyes, and she ignored me.

I fell back in the water and passed out again.

I woke up again out of the pool and with Will helping me to the bathroom where I peed for what seemed like a half hour. I glanced in the mirror and didn't recognize myself. I was gaunt, maybe half my normal weight, nothing but skin and bones. I had new scars I didn't remember, and my hair was mostly gone, like it had been burned off. Where it was, it was gray and long. I had several days growth of beard and in places it appeared to have been singed off rather than shaved. The remnants of the cargo shorts I had worn when we left no longer really fit me and were held up by what appeared to be a rope of snakeskin. I had no shirt, socks or shoes. I looked like total shit.

What the hell had happened to me? Oh yeah. I had been through hell. Literally. Again.

But I was home to Annabeth now. It would be okay.

I found our bedroom, again with Will walking me there, and went to my dresser to find it full of Annabeth's things. Will suggested I look at some boxes in the closet and sure enough there were a few with my name scrawled on them, and within I found my clothes. New underwear, shorts a Camp Half Blood tee and socks were the first order of business. I threw what I had on in the trash. Even a repario spell was not going to bring them back. Nothing fit but I had a web belt to at least hold the shorts up. I was ugly, but at least not nearly naked anymore.

The next order of business was to check on the kids. I missed them as much as I missed Annabeth I think. The whole time they filled my thoughts. It was late so I figured they would be in the nursery asleep but when I checked, well, the nursery was gone.

What the fuck?

"Will, Where are Grover and Calypso?"

"Oh, they are with Annabeth and her family. They should be back soon."

"But Will, where.. where do they sleep? The nursery is gone."

"In their rooms Percy. Come on, you better come back to the family room with me and sit down. You must be hungry. I'll have the aerial servants bring you something."

"Okay." I was so confused.

I settled into an easy chair I didn't recognize, but all of our stuff was so new I guess I just hadn't noticed it before. Nico put a pillow under my head and pulled a comforter over me while Will fetched a mug of what tasted like warm chicken soup, only with no noodles. Or chicken.

"Here is some broth. You should probably avoid solids for a day or so Percy."

It was the most wonderful thing I had tasted in as long as I could remember. It wasn't even blue. I drank it, felt warm and good all over, then fell promptly back to sleep. I didn't really wake up, but I heard them talking if that makes sense.

"The kids are asleep, I've got it from here. Thanks for everything Will" Annabeth said. I tried to open my eyelids to see her again, but they were just too heavy.

"No problem. He will probably feel some more pain. He seems to go to sleep when he does, that is how his body is dealing with it right now. I'm leaving some nectar and unicorn draught for you. Alternate them every couple of hours, no more. Just one measure then. He's had so much I don't want to burn him up."

"I'm... I can't do that. No. Leave it on the table beside him, he can figure it out." she replied. She sounded callous, but she sniffed as if she was crying. I wanted to tell her it was okay, to get some rest, I knew she must be exhausted with worry.

"Annabeth!" My mother exclaimed.

"No. I... just can't right now Sally. I just can't."

"You can't tell me you don't care."

"I do, you know that. Its just... after everything that happened, I...I have a lot to work through. It will be okay. Just leave it there Will. He's immortal. He can't die anyway."

"I'll stay with him" Mom said.

"No no, you go home Sally." Annabeth urged her.

"Annabeth, he may be your husband, he may be immortal from saving the damned world too damned much, but he's my boy. I know you're angry. You can be angry later. I'm staying." Mom said. And she did. She was on the couch by my side all night, and just as Will predicted, every couple of hours I awoke in agony, and mom gave me the draughts that eased it and put me back to sleep.

What the fuck was Annabeth acting like that for? Figuring that out was beyond me. I couldn't think clear, and couldn't remember things from one minute to the next. I remembered that we fought the night before I left. I had never told her I promised Hades a favor for letting me leave the underworld before. I should of, but when I woke up in the bath at Hogwarts I was just so happy to see her it didn't seem important in the big scheme of things. And it never came up again until Nico delivered his request. I figured Hades would want me to put in a good word with my father for him, something like that, not march through Tartarus again. I thought we were past that when I left. I guess she was still mad about it.

I was back though. We would work it out, once I felt better we would talk. I loved Annabeth. She was and is my world. Her and the kids. Life was good again.

I woke up nauseous and soaked with sweat.

"What's wrong Will?" I heard my mother ask.

"His temp is down to about one oh three, and it looks like his body is finally trying to control it. This is progress Sally. We will take him down to the pool and cool him down some more. He should start feeling better pretty soon, He will be weak though. Lets see if we can get him awake enough to get some more nutrition in him."

"Pancakes. Blue pancakes." I mumbled. I was really in the mood for the sugary sweetness of some blue pancakes with syrup.

"Nothing that solid yet Percy. Gatorade on the way though, you need your electrolytes." I heard him say as he giggled at my request.

Damn. The Gatorade was cool and delicious, but I really wanted my pancakes.

I slept in the bottom of the pool all morning and by lunch time I was strong enough to have the water lift me out. Then I went to the bathroom and between relieving myself began to get the dry heaves, or in my case, the wet heaves. I vomited what seemed like a gallon of water.

I looked in the mirror but was still ugly, only now I was ugly, scrawny and bloated. It was an attractive package.

I pulled the water from me, it took a couple tries before I was dry but that was an improvement. I don't know how I had gotten out of the pool the day before. I hurt all over as if I had come back from the dead, but even that was an improvement pain wise. So, I was on the mend. Time to find out why my wife and kids were avoiding me.

I went back to the family room and found mom asleep on the couch, Will asleep on the recliner, and Calypso, Leo, Ginny and Harry seated around the room.

"Percy!" Ginny nearly shouted as I walked in. She jumped up and threw her arms around me as the folks sleeping came to life. "Gods we missed you so much! Don't ever do that again!"

"Percy! How do you feel?" Will asked.

"Uh. Bad. Really bad. But better, where is"

"Percy, we all missed you so much!" Mom exclaimed as she took Ginny's place.

"Annabeth?" I finished.

"Oh, she's around somewhere. We have so much to tell you. Why don't you take the couch, I'll sit over here. Are you warm? Cold?"

"Uh no. I've been cold since I got back, now I'm.. I'm okay I guess. Where is"

"Hang on" Will interrupted as he stuck some device in my ear. I heard a beep and he said "98.4, we're back to normal."

"Why was I too cold or something?"

"No Percy you were hot. I don't really know how hot. My thermometer doesn't measure temperatures high enough to boil flesh and cause steam to roll off when you're hit by a garden hose. It would have been fatal to a mortal though. You say your nauseous? Think you could keep some broth down?"

"Uh sure that.. that would be good. Now. Shut up. Where are Annabeth, Calypso and Grover? My daughter Calypso I mean, I'm not crazy, I know you are there" I smiled at her and Leo.

"The kids are with Jason and Piper Percy, maybe you should sit down. Guys, could you give us a minute?" Mom asked.

"Sure" both Harry and Leo said. "Good to see you back man, we'll talk later."

Everyone left although Will would return with the broth and join us before mom spoke.

"Percy, uh, Annabeth, she... well she loves you very much, but"

"But what?"

"Well, she is really upset with you. She doesn't think she can talk to you until you are strong enough to hear what she has to say. She has hurt really bad and you being back, well, she is over joyed but, well, she has a lot of pain to deal with and... its going to be tough for both of you to have that conversation. The kids are great though, they are anxious to see you, but Annabeth thinks she should talk to them first. You understand?"

"No. I mean, why talk to them, its not like they will understand, I mean, gods, I've thought of nothing but them for weeks, and where in the hell is the nursery we built?"

"Percy" Will gently said, "How long do you think you were gone?"

"I don't know, time doesn't work the same there, its confusing. A few weeks? A month or so maybe a month and half, we only meant to be gone a few days, but I've been fighting giants and titans every day and night so its not like I kept a diary or anything."

"Percy" Mom said with a tear in her eye, "You've been gone four years."

"Four y..." I said, then passed out as the blood rushed to my head.

I woke again sometime later with a throbbing head ache and the voice of an angel beside me.

"He's coming around, are you sure?" I heard a woman's voice ask.

"Yes mother, I'm sure. He.. I love him, we'll fight later. I'm not going to kick him when he's down, its just, the last few days have been..."

"A very immature time for you. Now, you are a wife, a mother and a daughter of wisdom. Act like it. Save your wrath for later. It would do no good now or then anyway. He practically died, and he is immortal. Give it a rest as you say. He is probably the only one that can stop a war at this point." I heard, finally recognizing the voice of Athena. It was good she was in my corner, if she really was, which I somehow doubted. War? What the hell was that about? And if Athena was in my corner, exactly how angry was Annabeth? Geez.

"I know, but I'm human too. And... well I can cope. He needs me. I'm here. I just don't know if things will ever be the uh, same."

"They won't. Change is the only doesn't mean it won't get better. I've got to go. Zeus is calling a council on the solstice. I must prepare."

"Annabeth" I whispered. I'm not sure if she heard me as I was face down on the couch, The leather smelled nice. I didn't know we had a leather couch.

"I didn't know... four years, I didn't know. I thought we would be back in days. Four years..."

"We'll talk about that later. How do you feel?" she asked as she kissed my brow. Her lips were soft and wonderful. I so badly wanted to kiss her back but just the pain of rolling to my side to face her was almost unbearable.

"You are so beautiful... I... I didn't know I was gone that long. I'm so sorry."

"I know. Enough about that. We will talk later, how do you feel?"

"You mean have a big ass fight later?" I tried to smile.

"Probably. You're a seaweed brain. You let your precious honor hurt your family. The last four years have been unbearable. You're back now, and we will make it work. I love you. That's all that matters right now. We will talk of it no more. How do you feel?"

"Is the nectar Will left still over there?"

"Yes... so you heard that?"

"Some. It's okay, You have every right to be angry. I understand. But you loving me isn't all that matters. I love you too. That matters. For, uh, the last four years I guess, that is all I've had. Pour your heart out on me. I'm immortal anyway. We have forever to sort it out."

"I'm sorry. I wish you had not heard all that. I was in a bad state, confused about everything. I do love you Percy, I will until the end of time."

I took her hand and whispered as best as I could. "That's all I need to hear right now."

She poured a measure of either unicorn draught or nectar, I wasn't sure which as at the moment my mouth was so dry I couldn't taste anything, but I instantly felt better, and for the moment did not feel like going back to sleep. I wished for something to drink and an aerial brought it in moments. While she watched I guzzled another quart of gatorade.

"Do you want to talk about your uh... quest?"

I thought for a second before I replied. "No."

"Uh, okay, any idea when you could, I mean, uh, a lot of folks are wondering how"

"Never." I interrupted her, and immediately felt bad about doing so.

"I understand. I've been there, remember?" she smiled.

"This was worse. I was alone, it was... worse."

"I was too. That's what hurt so bad. But I'm not now. Mom, Aphrodite, Piper and I spent the day talking. I'm angry Percy, I have a lot of rage, but... I'm not so sure its at you. They are pestering me to find out how you escaped from the giants and titans, but if you don't want to talk about it we will just tell them all to fuck off."

"I killed them. I killed them all Annabeth. Over and over and over, a thousand times probably. Every time I did, they would grow back. I came up with creative ways to kill them, I would blow up and destroy their corpses, toss part into the Archeron and blow up the rest just to slow down their rebirth. I killed them all Annabeth. And a lot of other things. I don't ever want to talk about it."

"But a hero can't kill a them alone, you have to have help from a god."

"I'm not a hero. I'm not really a god. But my wand has the hair of a god as its core. I killed them Annabeth. Before we left I programmed the killing curse and a few other really nasty, evil things, all the unforgivables, and more. They have no immunity to Hecate's magic if it is cast by us. If there is one thing they hate more than the gods, its me. I killed them and killed them and killed a bunch of other stuff too. I tortured them and used the imperious to set them to killing each other. I don't ever want to talk about. I'm only telling you because I don't ever want to keep anything from you, but don't ask the details, I beg you."

"Its okay, they were trying to kill you"

"No, they were trying to torture me. They wanted me to turn on the gods. I almost did. I..."

"You killed them. Its okay, its what we do Percy."

"No, I mean, I want you to understand. After awhile,... I liked it. I liked killing them, I never felt that before, growing up at Half Blood, it was just something I was supposed to do. But after a while in Tartarus I liked killing the way they liked to kill things. I liked hurting them, destroying them. It was.. It was my passion there. And I don't really... I don't want to talk about it because I think you might hate me for it. I hate myself because I loved hearing their screams. It was my only pleasure." I said as I wept like a little boy.

"Its okay Percy, it will be okay, we're together now. You get well, no one will hurt you here. Do you want to talk about something else or rest?"

"Calypso and Grover, are they okay? Gods I miss them! Where are they?"

"I.. they are great, they are with Rachel, Neville and Reyna. They will be back tonight. They like the chocolate in New Rome so they might not want to go to sleep, but I will make sure they know you need your rest. Percy, I, I'm not sure I want the first time they see you to be like this. I want them to know how strong and brave and beautiful you are."

"Right now I'm weak, crying and ugly. You're right. Until I can get a haircut and some color back it would be" I grinned.

"No, you're wounded, recovering and beautiful, and we aren't waiting. The kids need their father, but, uh, I don't mean to be vain, but do you trust me on something? Can we fix you up a bit?"

"I've seen myself in the bathroom mirror Annabeth. I look like shit. That someone has stepped in. Then shit on again." I laughed. "But I... I really need to see our kids, and of course I trust you."

"Good then! You will see them, and if you are worried about how you look, well, uh, some people are here that really want to say 'hi'and help. Uh but Percy, there may be some surprising changes for you, are you up to it?"

"They tell me I'm immortal."

"Okay, come on in guys!" She nearly yelled.

I figured Rachel would be bringing the kids in, but instead Jason walked in, behind a very pregnant Piper. They were both radiant.

"So, is it a good time guys?" Jason asked.

"It is now" Annabeth answered, holding up our interlocked hands with a smile.

"Geez Percy, you look like you've been through hell." Piper grinned. "We missed you so much, we have a lot of catching up to do but, uh, Annabeth, can I hug your husband?"

"Yeah, I'm not the jealous type. Every woman and most of the men that have seen him today has hugged him whether he was awake or not."

Piper sat on the couch as I scooted over as best I could, then leaned down and gently embraced me.

"We really did miss you Percy, you just don't know how much. I bless you on behalf of my mother, may your life be filled with love and happiness."

Neither of us could really hug but she did sort of squeeze me a little I guess, and I suddenly felt a rush of goodness. I still hurt, but I felt really great at the same time. It was an unusual sensation. Then she sat up, reached in her purse and pulled out a compact. She opened it and held the mirror in front of me.

My hair was back, although with some gray, and I looked, well, really good. Like my old self, only really skinny.

"Get some weight on you and your back in business big guy." She laughed.

"Wow. So that's what the mark of Aphrodite feels like. Thanks Piper, I was worried about the kids seeing me that way.

"Oh no Percy, you're way past the mark now" Jason said.

"Nope, you got the blessing, and you really did look terrible." She smiled.

"Just truly horrible. Damned ugly in fact." Jason smirked.

"Yeah, lets see what you look like after four years in the underworld. I thought I came out pretty handsome relatively speaking."

"Geez Percy what did everything else look like down there?" Leo said as he came around the door.

"You were always handsome to me" Annabeth said, her eyes finally twinkling a bit as she looked at me. I could only smile back.

"It's so good to see you all again," I whispered as I was beginning to choke up a bit.

There was a long silence.

"You, uh, you want to talk about it?" Piper asked.

"Yes! Absolutely! So when are you due? Boy or girl?"

"Any day now. Annabeth proved we only have to be pregnant for a couple of weeks and I'm at thirteen days. We think. Maybe fourteen or twelve. Possibly eleven. We were, uh, well we had a lot of spare time a couple weekends ago. And Jason Jr is a boy. But thats not what I meant, I meant, do you want to talk about the underworld?"

"Nope."

"Oh, well if you ever need an ear, we're here for you Percy. All of us."

"Nope. I realized something over the last couple of days,,, have I been back a couple of days now?" I asked Annabeth.

"Yes, well, you're on day three. You've been sleeping in the pool a lot."

"Right. Well I've noticed one thing."

"What's that?" Jason asked.

"I'm not in the underworld."