Hey Guys!

Ask, and ye shall receive! You might not 'receive' until a week after asking, but at least you receive... right?

Anyways, HAPPY 5TH OF JULY! Of course, the 4th was pretty cool too, I guess. My family went hiking, but I think we all just considered it driving. Two hours up into the mountains, and then only an hour and a half of what felt more like walking than hiking. I want to feel the burn in my legs, dang it! Mosquito bites and sunburn, followed by an aching in my legs! Either way, I had fun.

So, I never drew attention to this before, but... WE REACHED 1K REVIEWS! WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOO! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY I AM! I WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR NEVER BRINGING IT UP BEFORE, BUT NOW I WILL!

WE REACHED 1K REVIEWS! WOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Anyways, here is your chapter! Straight to business!

Disclaimer: I'm not Rick or Marvel.


Jason:

Jason hated boats.

He didn't get seasick, like Hazel. He didn't feel threatened when he swam in deep water. He didn't even hate the ocean. It was pretty cool, in his mind.

But boats- ships designed to sail across oceans? It wasn't smart, in his mind. At least in an airplane, you could find a place to land when a storm approached. But a boat? It was the next location or bust. No place to dock, and no outrunning the storms…

He could stand the Argo II, seeing as it was made to both fly and sail. Flying was controlled. Flying was faster. Boats weren't his thing.

Jason sat beside his wife in what he would describe as 'coach'. Seats sat in neat rows of three, divided into five sections. They were comfortable, if not a bit close together. It was a shared armrest and nowhere to put their bags. Jason kept his and Piper's carry ons off to the side of his seat, leaning against the wall. Large square windows lined the entire deck, giving Jason an amazing view of the surrounding land masses. Forests and rocky beaches, as far as the eye could see (besides the ocean itself).

They had sat at the front, because the boat didn't really have any sort of seating chart. Most of the deck itself was empty, but that didn't surprise Jason. There was a lounge a deck above them, a cafe at the back of the boat, and each deck had an outdoor area to walk around in. The coach seats didn't appear to be all that desired.

But the seats reclined. And a few TV's lined the edges of the walls. The sun was just beginning to rise, but Piper was snoring away beside him, oblivious to his pale knuckles and vice grip on his armrest.

It's not that Jason wasn't a fan of the movie playing (he loved a good Disney classic), but his mind was moving at a thousand miles per minute, and he felt like he needed to use the bathroom, and he just knew the moment he would sit on any toilet some sea monster would appear and eat his wife.

No, he wasn't being paranoid. Sadly, he was being realistic.

So he sat obediently, scanning the crowds as they walked past the doors to their deck. Many of the people around them appeared to be fishing enthusiasts, coming north for Salmon fishing. Jason had met a few college students on Summer Break, just wanting to see the great white north. There were a few environmentalists, and he had to remind himself these ones weren't satyrs. He watched for danger, though none stood out.

"Hey." Someone said behind him. Jason hadn't even realized Grover had come in.

"When did you get here?" Jason whispered, not wanting to wake Piper. He put his free hand on her shoulder, the contact giving him a sense of reassurance.

The satyr shrugged, jerking his thumb behind him. Only then did Jason see another entrance that he didn't even know had existed. His cheeks began to feel warm. "Do you think we could talk? Like, outside for a minute?" He asked, already standing and moving toward the exit Jason hadn't noticed before.

Jason weighed his options, but it was when Piper sighed and sat up in her seat a little more that Jason decided it would be okay. He would be a room away, watching through the doorway if need be. And, as much as it still made him feel nervous, Piper could take care of herself, even while pregnant. He could trust her.

He followed after the satyr.

As it turned out, the only thing separating him and his wife was a pane of heavy duty glass and the chair he'd been in a minute ago. Grover had led Jason out onto the side of the boat, where you could walk around the entire ship if you wanted to. Sunlight was just touching the edges of the mountains Jason could see from across the ocean that surrounded them. The islands that ran parallel to the mainland were, admittedly, awesome. Pine trees and rocky beaches that weaved a maze that Jason guessed looked much more impressive from above. He wondered if his dad was somehow watching them, and if he appreciated the view as much as Jason would've.

But no, they were on a dangerous quest in the Land Beyond the Gods. No, Zeus wasn't watching.

Grover was leaning against the railing, looking out over the water like it was an old friend, or maybe a crush. He bounced on his fake feet, and if Jason looked closely enough he could see a shiny hoof pop out from under his jeans. He didn't comment on it, though. "What do you wanna talk about?" Jason asked.

Grover didn't move. He kept staring out over the water, and Jason realized the expression he held. Aching was the best word to describe it. As if Grover had sensed Jason's realization, he stood up straighter to adjust his hoodie and began to speak. "You know, I have to turn down a dozen satyrs every year because they want to spend a week, just a week, up here? And it's always hard to say no." He said, shaking his head sadly.

"Why would a satyr be needed here?" Jason asked, looking around. The only demigod Jason knew this far north was… Well, Hazel, but she wasn't born here. She'd been forced to raise Gaea's eldest son by her mother. And that was a once-in-another-lifetime thing. They didn't need satyrs up here.

"Exactly why I have to tell them no. But even then, they aren't coming up here to find demigods. At least, it isn't priority." He said. "But man, I know why they want to be up here. There were a lot of times I wanted to be up here."

Jason took a deep breath, his nostrils being invaded by pine and salt. It wasn't hard to guess why a satyr would want to be up here. "The nature, right? Everything is kinda wild."

"Exactly. Alaska, and anything really north of Quebec, is just… primal, I guess. Everything is sharper, and less developed, and it just looks better, right? I mean, I've heard the naiads up here aren't the most friendly to outsiders, but they still respect the elders." Grover said. "And when Percy explained it to me from when he was up here… I'd be lying if I didn't say I tried to bend the rules on more than one occasion."

Jason nodded in understanding, but still a bit confused. What did this have to do with what they were doing? What did it have to do with Percy? "What did you want to talk about? Just nature?"

"I take offense to that." Grover said. "After all, 'nature' is my whole career. Do you know how hard it is to keep this… this?" He said, gesturing towards the landscape around them. The sun was just reaching above the mountains, and the ocean began to sparkle around them like a million drachmas.

Jason took his place beside Grover, leaning against the rail as well. He nodded to himself, thinking over the satyr's words. He guessed that made sense, in it's own way. But when Jason saw wild, he saw the untame, killing machines that could be hiding in the trees. The shadows that could be lurking under the water, smelling demigod blood…

"But you're right. I wanted to talk to you about something else." Grover said, staring into the water. His tone had changed.

"Like what?" Jason asked. He guessed the topic already. It had it's own brand of emotional baggage that only a troublemaking demigod could.

"He's going to be there, Jason." Grover said quietly. "He's going to be watching us, if he isn't already. And I'm not sure if we're going to see the same person. The same Percy." Grover said.

Jason felt his own mood darken. He'd already thought about this. He'd already run this question through his mind a million times. On the plane, at the airport, in the Subway, the ferry terminal- It lurked like a monster at the back of his mind. As scary as the idea that a monster could kill his wife, Jason kept seeing Percy holding a sword to his throat. Jason's worst nightmares realized: Percy seeking revenge.

"I thought you said he just wanted to talk." Jason said, scratching his neck subconsciously. "Don't you trust him?"

"Of course I trust him." Grover said. "And I hope he just wants to talk. He's been away from us too long, and I know he's going to be different, but… I want to hold on to who he was before, you know? You never knew him when he first came into camp, but I do. And I want to see him for who he was, man. Even if that means I get laughed at."

Jason digested his answer. "Piper wants me to trust him. She wants me to believe that he just wants to see us again. That he needs a friend." He said, turning to Grover. "But he has friends. Powerful friends. The Avengers are some of the most amazing people- I mean, could we have held off an invasion in Manhattan? Or stopped a meteor from hitting the Earth? Even we aren't that powerful. Maybe our parents, but us- why would he want to talk to us again?"

Grover lifted a finger. "First off, know that Percy has held off an invasion of Manhattan. Twice now, if we're counting Hydra. And I'm not sure you're giving yourself enough credit. Speaking as the satyr that's discovered four different children of the Big Three and the god of the wild himself, I can assure you that you can do better." He said. "And the Avengers might be 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes', or whatever, but they're still people. People don't always understand other people's problems."

Jason snorted, unconvinced. "And demigods can? Percy's coming to us for advice?"

"Exactly." Grover said. "I'm glad you understand."

"No, I don't." Jason insisted, raising his hands in exasperation. "Why come to us after what we did to him? Why would he ever want to see us again?"

"That was five years ago, Jason." Grover said softly. "I think he's better."

"We can't assume things like this, Grover!" He whispered urgently. "Why come to us? Why does he need us?"

"Because humans can't always help demigods!" Grover hissed back. "He's hurt, for all we know! He's taking so much time to get us to him-"

"Just like every quest he's ever been on." Jason deadpanned, shutting Grover down. "Every villain lets us come to them. I can't be sure if he's using himself as bait or if this is just supposed to be some kind of family reunion. Either way, I will not risk my wife and unborn child's life because I let my guard down over an assumption. And clearing the path of other monsters? I don't even know what that could mean."

Grover remained quiet while Jason silently fumed. He hated not knowing, and this was just too much for him. It wasn't his life on the line this time, in his mind. It was Piper's life. It was Jason Jr.'s life.

When Jason had simmered down, Grover spoke again, quietly. The ocean below them churned and gurgled along, completely calm and gentle. "I'm a protector, Jason. More than anything, that's my job. I vow, right this moment, that I will do whatever it takes to keep them and you and Rachel alive."

Jason shook his head. "That's not your job, Grover. I'm in charge of keeping my wife alive. If something happens to either of them on this quest, it's on me. And I'm not sure I'd ever be able to live with myself if she dies." He admitted. "So, if Percy wants my trust, he's going to have to earn it."

Jason wished Grover a safe time out on deck, then made his way back to his coach seat.

Grover:

The satyr sighed heavily when Jason left, but wasn't surprised. In fact, it was almost exactly what Grover expected him to say.

And his words had confirmed a suspicion that Grover had been having since they'd gotten onto the ferry.

While Jason had spoken, Grover had felt something. Something he hadn't felt since one of his best friends had disappeared off of the face of the Earth.

Anger, pain, understanding, want, need, caring, forgiveness, shame. So, so much shame. And none of it came from Jason, thought Grover had been paying attention to the son of Zeus' emotions as well. These emotions were much more heavy, and much more connected. It was as if someone was looking through his eyes. Someone listening through his ears.

Grover imagined a screen ahead of him, as if he were looking at an Iris Message. He hadn't had to do this in five years, and he hadn't attempted in over eight.

Empathy Links were such unreliable tethers. They usually dissolved after a few years if they were left unattended, but Grover guessed no one had told Percy that.

He could see him. Gods, he could see him. Green eyes and black hair, a troubled expression across his face. He must be dreaming, trying to find this connection and understand it. Grover let a faint smile play across his lips, but it quickly disappeared.

"We know you won't be who you once were, and that's okay." Grover said to the image. He looked his best friend in the eye. "Just don't be a jerk, or try to kill us, and I'm sure Jason will forgive you for whatever he thinks you're going to do." He said. Grover was about to swipe the connection away, but thought better of it. He stared straight at Percy through whatever he was being looked through. His gaze was steely, but his smile wide. "And if you think I'm not going to punch you for all the anxiety you've caused me over the past few years, you are sorely mistaken." He warned.

And with those parting words, Grover broke the connection. Somewhere, at the end of their journey, the son of Poseidon was waking up.

Wanda:

The training rooms were always a good place to go to for Wanda when she was sad, or angry, or just anxious. She enjoyed the rushes of adrenaline that she'd get from using her powers differently than she'd thought she could, or the sense of accomplishment when Tony had to pay for some serious damages done. There must be a very disgruntled insurance agent somewhere, trying to figure out what kind of coverage they had for superhero damages. The thought made her smile.

She was jumping between platforms today, lifted off the ground using the same repulsor technology that kept the Iron Man suit from crashing down to Earth. She didn't understand why Stark was so adamant that technology would be the next big advancement in whatever race every major politician, businessman, and military big wig wanted to be a part of. It wasn't like Wanda didn't think technology was inferior. Ultron had taught her that.

But her powers, the ability to reach into someone's head or break an object by thinking about it hard enough seemed much more advanced.

It terrified her, what she could do some days. When the Mind Stone had gifted her and her brother with these powers, it was difficult to comprehend. He was constantly tapping his foot, or shaking his hands, or just moving something because he thought he could control the power like that. By using his pent up energy as a valve, and slowing himself down. He was scared to get too close to anyone. To move to fast.

Wanda was worse. She had to watch her very thoughts. Emotions flared her powers like a heartbeat. She had to check herself constantly at first, especially when any scientist decided to get too close. One wrong word and snap!- dead. Destroyed. Ash. She wouldn't touch Pietro, fearful that she might incinerate him. Fearful of herself, and what she had become.

Vision helped. Vision was kind, and just, and wasn't afraid like everyone else seemed to be. In a few ways, Vision understood her in ways that even Pietro hadn't. Vision wanted to know more about the Mind Stone. Wanda wanted to help unlock it.

But these enhancements- these powers -were the future. They were new, and they were helpful, and Wanda could do so many great things. More than a flying hunk of iron, anyways.

But she wasn't sure she could do what Percy asked. What Percy needed from her.

Wanda brought her hand forward, spiderwebs of red lightning weaving between her fingers. She wasn't even sure what actually flew out of her fingers- Pietro had told her that her eyes glowed red as well, and reminded him of the time she'd stepped in a campfire when they were ten. She'd told him to shut up.

She could see the platform above, and although she'd been practicing jumping, she imagined that strange insect boy from after the Siege of Manhattan. He'd used webs to pull himself between places, so why not her?

She imagined a line between her and the platform, and she imagined gripping it between her hands. She hadn't stopped running, and reached the end of the platform. She jumped-

Taunt. Snap! Thud.

Wanda hit the ground hard, rolling so as not to injure herself further. She crossed that power off of the lost she'd been keeping- leaving the swinging to the Spider-Man was in her best interests.

No one was in the compound today. Everyone was in a buzz, going to report to superiors, or distracting themselves in their labs. Vision was browsing YouTube, last time she'd checked.

And Percy was gone. For who-knows-how-long.

Her email weighed heavily on her mind. She'd only read it three hours ago, but her part to play- it was too much. She didn't know if she could do it. She didn't know if she'd even dare try. The very aggravation she had felt at his request was enough for a few books to fly off of the shelves in her room. She couldn't do it.

She picked herself off of the polished training room floor, gazing up at the platforms around her. Her fists clenched at her sides.

She couldn't do it. Not yet. But for Percy, she'd try.


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