Chapter 73

Annabeth

I had to admit, for a plan that he clearly developed in the few minutes as we talked, it wasn't bad. It was the best we had anyway.

Percy would not tell me how he escaped. At first I was furious that he was keeping a secret, but when he pointed out that he was doing so to protect me, well, I could live with that. Barely. For the moment. We were safe in New Ionia, even the gods could only come by invitation, and we were probably safe in general until the solstice neared, but this needed to be off our plate and the sooner the better. The best part of his plan was that we could pretty much do it tonight, then wait for the solstice. The bad part was Zeus or Hades might make him explode then. They might do that anyway though the way the current environment was shaping up, but after the night the pressure would be on others.

I was still angry and sorting through that. I wasn't mad Percy had been gone, I was sad about that. I was angry that he had never told me about his promise to do a favor for Hades to begin with and as a result he was gone for four years. But the thing is, the more I was around him, the more I remembered both why and how much I loved him.

That morning we had slept together for the first time since he left. We just slept, but feeling his arms around me made me feel like I had a personal cocoon of safety and love. This was the first time in years I had been able to feel truly at ease, no matter how stressful things were.

I had made them stressful. That was on me. What sort of horrible wretch goes off to walk across a stage to get a piece of paper they could have mailed to them when their lost husband returns so badly beaten, burned and dehydrated that anyone else would have died from it? I had just walked away leaving him in the pool, all because my anger had made me an irrational, spiteful bitch. Later, I had spitefully let him lay on the couch without tending to his agony, and this I had rationalized with the notion that for all that time he had not been there for me, and if he was back I expected him to carry himself. Truthfully, although I was waiting for him to broach the subject, I just could not stand to watch him as he tossed and turned and sometimes screamed through the nightmares he was having. It was disturbing to see him that way, especially on top of all else I was feeling.

Really though I was so in shock at his return I was just sticking my head in the sand. I knew it didn't work that way, we are supposed to carry each other, but that night my heart was hardened and I didn't care if he hurt. I pout myself first, and that was selfish and uncaring. I was a horrible wife. I wasn't even a good girlfriend. Both Aphrodite and my mother were disappointed in me, and I soon realized I was disappointed in myself. I was not by nature a callous person, the universe had made me that way.

Should I even be mad at Percy? Any wrong he did, he had done years before. He suffered for it, more than was equitable. Whatever crime he had committed against our family he had long paid for and then some. It took a long talk from those I admired most to make me realize my anger should be at the universe, at the fates, rather than Percy.

Still, my heart was slow to warm. I loved him. I always would, but I had a lot of shit to deal with before I could explain how I felt and what part he had in bringing about those feelings. Percy kept asking me to just vent and get it out, but for now, it was better to just kick it down the road.

He had been gone for four years. That was a mark against him, no matter how much I realized he had done no wrong really. He had to do what he did. In his favor, he made pancakes with Caly, doted on both me and the kids, and he held me tight while we slept. This time without screaming at the nightmares that had plagued him the last two days. Though small things maybe, they were important to me and carried great weight. The scales were tipping back in his favor. I would keep kicking it down the road until I kicked it away.

"What ya thinking?" Percy asked.

"A lot of things, but mainly how nice it is to sleep beside my husband again, and what a great daddy he is going to be for our kids." I smiled. "I'm so glad you're home Percy, really. I"m sorry if I was snappish a few minutes ago, its just, well, I've got a lot of pain to shed, but, well, I'm shedding it."

"You don't know how bad it hurts to know I hurt you." He began to weep.

"No! No! I didn't mean it like, no! It was fate, or, well.. look I've been going over it all, again and again, and I can't really find a single thing you did that you should have done differently. Okay, yeah, you should have told me about your promise to Hades, but, well, you had to make it. You had to follow it. You had to stay so Nico could get reinforcements and talk his father into letting them in to rescue you. I just,,, well, I can't find anything to be mad at you about but, well"

"You're still mad at me."

"Yeah. But I know I shouldn't be. I should be so thankful you're back. That's what my mind says but my heart... And I am thankful, I'm just..."

"Emotionally fucked up because you're about wisdom and logic and not love?"

"No. Well, yes, maybe. I don't know. Can you just bear with me a while?"

"Sure. How about forever?"

"Forever sounds nice." I said as we kissed. Then kissed again. Then kissed some more. I don't think either of us felt like going further, Percy because he was still recovering and me because I was an industrial size bucket of emotional fuck up. So instead we made out like teenagers, which I guess mentally Percy still was.

We had to stop though. Ron and Hermione would be back with the kids soon and I was still in my pj's.

"Percy would you wait for the kids while I get ready?"

"Sure, but Annabeth, are you sure you don't want to just skip the party? I mean, I appreciate it and all but I'd rather just be here with you, Caly and Tee."

"We're expected. Its part of being a normal grown up person. We don't have to stay long if you don't want to."

"K', be ready to bail" he grinned.

I got cleaned up and ready fast. Magic helps a lot with that. I went down to the main foyer and found no one immediately, but heard something to the right in Percy's old office, which for the last four years was my office. I had been using it to run the company and it was now an organized, efficient room, unlike before, and decorated by the kids with drawings of what they thought daddy must look like, both by himself and with all of us together.

I found Percy with tears running down his face as he slowly examined each one.

"So you found our gallery." I said.

"Yeah... its..." and then he was too choked up to speak.

"Whenever I am busy with work or school and the kids needed something to do I give them paper and crayons and they draw. You are their favorite subject, followed by you, them and me together. Oh, and Nico. There are quite a few of him. Caly went through an Annabeth-mommy phase last year where she really developed as an impressionist, but she returned to her daddy as a pickle with arms roots" I smiled as he put his arm around me and I joined him in studying the drawings as if we were at the Louvre.

"Nico?"

"Yeah, when he came back without you, well, I raged on him pretty bad, but he just took it, cried, shrugged it off, and he kept coming back. Pretty soon I realized, well, it wasn't his fault and he must have been a good friend to you down there. He didn't even have to go, but did anyway. He worked harder than anyone to put together a rescue. After that, well, he... Percy I've depended on Nico so much, he loves the kids so much. They love him too. I mean, he's as dark as ever outwardly, but.. well the kids first words were 'Mama', followed by 'Dada', followed by "Nico', well it sounded like 'Neeeeeko' but, you know. He was here when they took their first steps, and next year he was planning to take them to dance and tee ball while I was in school. I have never asked him to do anything, he just is there, he just does it. He may be the kid's best friend, I mean, they love all our friends, you know, the company, but Nico is special."

I looked and realized Percy was crying even more now.

"What's wrong? Don't feel bad..."

"All I've missed."

"You'll make up for it. You're going to be the best daddy ever!"

"How do you know? I mean, my father was never in my life young. I had Gabe, that is who taught me what a father was supposed to be, and he sucked."

"Percy. You're not Gabe. You're not Poseidon either. You make your own path. You always have." I smiled then kissed his cheek, just as there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it."

"Is he up?" Hazel asked as I opened the door, her face beaming with excitement.

"Sure come on in! Aren't you guys going to the party?"

"Of course" Frank replied.

"I just wanted to talk to Percy for a minute, you know, away from it all if I could" Hazel added.

"I know he would love to. Hey Percy! You have some visitors!"

We went to the family room and I had the invisible servants serve coffee. Percy came in after he composed himself, but his eyes were still red and glistening.

"Wow! Hazel! You're all grown up!" was his first words. It occurred to me that Hazel was eighty five or so when Percy last saw her, but only fourteen of those years had been alive. Now she looked eighteen, taller, far more feminine, but just as beautiful as always.

"Oh Percy!" she exclaimed as she embraced him, "I've missed you so much!"

"I missed you too Hazel. Praetor how are you?"

"I'm good Percy" Frank replied, but I'm not Praetor anymore. You're hugging the Praetor."

"Really? That's awesome! You'll be great!"

"Uh, Percy, she is great. Has been for two years now." Frank grinned.

"Oh, sorry, I'm not really caught up on things."

"No biggie. Reyna retired to go to school and I became senior. Hazel stepped into her place the next spring. I stopped last year so I could start college. Hazel is joining us this fall. But both of us are being replaced by folks from the fifth, so its in good hands. Plus, well, we will be around. Watching. Lurking." He laughed.

"I hate I missed all that. I bet you are awesome at it Hazel."

"I hate you missed it too. It took all of us to get the school running and get the troops back up to snuff, but its good now. Of course if you ever want to stop by for drills we would love to have you. Percy, can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Uh, I guess, well Annabeth may not know but... well Frank does. We've talked a lot since you came back. So..."

"Uh, should I be nervous or something? If you are here to ask how I got out, I can't say yet. Sorry."

"No! No! I, well, everyone is getting pressure about finding that out, but no. You will tell us when you're ready. I understand, we all do. No, I wanted to talk about Nico."

"What about Nico?"

"Well, uh, he..." Hazel stammered.

"He blames himself for you being gone" Frank continued for her.

"Right, and, well, he isn't sure how angry you are at him."

"What? Well that I can answer. I'm not angry at all. I can't wait to see him in fact. Will he be at the party?"

"Really? That's great! I.. no I don't think he's going. You know him and crowds. But I will pass that on. That is such a relief." Hazel smiled.

"No, don't pass it on. Is he at home?"

"Yes, we just left there. I told him to come, that you would want him there, but, well, he's kicking himself really hard. You probably don't know but when you first got back he and Will"

"Sat with me and took care of me. Yes, I know that. Sort of, I was in and out of it for a while but I remember them both being there. Come on" Percy said as he started to leave.

"Percy, the party isn't for another hour or so, where are you going?" I asked.

"To see Nico and slap some sense into him." He replied.

Percy wouldn't stop, no matter how much Hazel suggested he wait until things were not so fresh and raw. As a result that forced the rest of us to walk with him. He wasn't hard to keep up with as his feet and legs were still sore and weak. When we arrived Percy knocked and Will answered. Percy had to lean against the door frame while he waited.

"What are you doing out of bed? I said rest until the party."

"I need to see Nico Will."

"Uh, Percy, I think you should rest up. I mean, I know you're angry but"

"Will, thanks for caring for me. Really. I appreciate it. I... Look, I need to see Nico and tell him some stuff. No, it won't wait, and I'm already not resting so you may as well get him."

"Uh. Okay, but take it easy. For both of your sakes. Please?"

"Sure Will. Thanks again."

"You better come in."

Will led us in to their sitting room and we waited. After a few minutes Nico appeared in the doorway.

"Percy I'm so sorr"

"Shut up!" Percy nearly shouted as he stood and faced Nico. "Don't you dare... don't you dare apologize to me. Don't you..." he stammered as he caught his breath again. He put his hand on Nico's shoulder for support before he continued, and waved off assistance from myself and Will.

"You didn't make a stupid promise. I did. You didn't have to go with me, but you did anyway. You didn't have to raise an army to rescue me and you didn't have to stand up to your father and the pantheon to beg for the opportunity to get your ass hurt or killed trying to get me out. And you didn't have love my wife and kids so much when you got back. Hear their first words, help teach them to walk, change diapers, feed them, clothe them, protect them, care for them and help make them into the great kids they are. You didn't have to do any of that. Don't you dare apologize, you've shown me more loyalty and friendship and love than I could ever deserve. I owe you a debt I can never repay... .don't you dare apologize..Don't you dare." Percy gasped as his eyes filled with tears and he finally threw his arms around Nico, then collapsed to the floor with him as they both wept.

"Uh, lets give them a minute" Will wisely said as he stood and we left the room.

We retired to their den to give Nico and Percy some privacy.

"Thanks Will, I don't think either of them would want witnesses to that conversation." Hazel said as I nodded agreement. I was too choked up to talk.

"Meh, its not that. I always leave when I feel like I'm the straightest man in the room."

"Uh, I was there" Frank said.

"I know." Will replied with a smirk.

We sipped tea and waited fifteen minutes or so until the guys rejoined us, both smiling and happy and and acting as if their tear fest had never happened.

"Sorry about that guys." Percy said.

"Its quite alright. We're all just glad... well, we're just glad." Frank said, and that was the last anyone spoke of it. It was a problem that really never existed and now it was gone. Still, I think I loved my husband even more, if that were possible.

We sat and talked about nothing at all for a bit but eventually we had to get back to meet the kids before the party. Will gave Percy chocolate and orange juice, saying malnutrition was one of the reasons he was so tired and he needed to be consuming a zillion calories a day until he got his vigor back. Just as we were leaving Percy, who for the moment felt better, stopped at the doorway and turned.

"Hey, I have a question since there aren't any Hogwarts folks here. Did Harry ever get his quidditch match he wanted so bad?"

We all turned towards each other and started giggling.

"Hazel, why don't you tell him?" Will finally said.

"Yes, once everything calmed down we went ahead and played. The students kind of demanded it as the Quidditch Cup couldn't be settled as there were two undefeated teams. Will sat in for Annabeth and since I was banned Rachel sat in for me."

"Oh. Who won?"

"America, 150 to nothing."

"What? How?"

"Oh as soon the quaffle was released the snitch leaped from its container and flew up to Rachel. She yelled out 'For the honor of Capture the Flag.' Harry was just barely in top position when it happened. As I understand, it was the second fastest win in Hogwart's history. By the way, Harry still thinks my gift only lets me call precious metals to myself. We never told him otherwise. He believes that the fates just didn't want him to win that day." Hazel grinned.

"Hazel" Percy said as we all giggled about a game we had all forgotten, "I love you!"

Normal was a good feeling and we all needed it.