Author's Note :
This fic is focused mostly on before and after the Giant War rather than how the Argo II journey would have been different without Percy. Meaning this doesn't includes how they defeated Gaea, how Annabeth avoids Tartarus (because she ain't surviving that alone), etc. This fic will be updated as I finish the art and chapters rather than on a scheduled basis, but I'm hoping to have all five parts posted before the New Year! (Art is located on the AO3 version of this story.)
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Would love to hear from you with thoughts, comments, questions, and/or criticisms on the story or the illustrations so please feel free to reach out!
Ig : (focused on main fic, Six Years)
Jason spotted Annabeth on the bow of the ship staring off into the distance with a calculating look. Her hands were white against the railing. With the wind whipping stray curls out of her ponytail she could have looked like a princess longing for a lost love, but her expression was too hard, too serious. Jason thought she looked every bit the leader, the general, she was. She still scared him, but she looked like she needed a friend.
"About two hours out." He said, breaking the silence as he approached. She nodded, continuing to look off into space as he settled beside her, propping his arms on the railing leaning forward.
They stayed like that for a while, just sitting in comfortable silence. It occurred to Jason that he and Annabeth were very alike, not just in appearance but in the way they view the world. So he knew she didn't need someone to ask her what's wrong, just needed someone to sit until she's ready to talk and eventually she did.
Her tone was distant, "If he doesn't remember anything then we won't say anything about it… We're about to go to war, the last thing anyone needs is to be confused and upset. So if he doesn't remember we'll just… go on, I guess."
"Are you sure that's what you want?" It wasn't, it couldn't be, but it's the only plan she could think of that allowed her to continue to fight, if he didn't remember her. She could feel her voice failing her so she just nodded. "He'll probably remember though. I got my memory back pretty quickly all things considered."
But Annabeth knew better than to hope, because when she hoped when she needed the best possible outcome the Fates always let her down.
"He could have built a whole new life there, Jason." You did , she implied.
"Okay," is all he says. He stood with her for a few more minutes before he went to inform the rest of the team of the new directive.
As they approached Jason leading the way, putting himself the furthest in front in hopes that the Romans would recognize him and not attack, Annabeth saw him. Percy was standing in a toga and purple cape, a praetor's cape she realized. A small smile tempted to creep onto her face. Of course, the Romans had seen leadership in him, he had proven himself again. She let herself fixate on him for a moment before they reached him and the girl standing with him, Reyna, Annabeth deduced from Jason's description. He was taller than when she had last seen him, more muscular too, his expression was serious and intimidating, none of the warmth that would come from reuniting with old friends. Her worst fear was being realized right in front of her. Percy didn't know them, he didn't know her.
She took a deep breath steeling herself against the onslaught of emotions. Now was not the time to break down, not with all these Romans staring at her. She doubted they would see a potential ally in a broken girl, weeping at the feet of their praetor. But the look on his face nearly shatters her, crushes her very soul, because after all this time, not just the months spent searching but the years pining after him, fighting to feel like she deserved to be happy with him, it's all just gone, wiped away like sand in a tide.
She looked over to Piper who was flanking Jason on his left side catching her eye Annabeth gave a simple shake of her head, Piper's mouth tightened into a line in acknowledgment of the unspoken order. Do not engage.
As they approached, Reyna called out to Jason, "Jason Grace, my old colleague, it is wonderful to see you returned safely to us, who has accompanied you?"
"Hello, Reyna, I have sailed here with new allies from the East. Greeks from Camp Half-blood." That statement set off a chain reaction of alarmed murmurs. Reyna simply raised an eyebrow.
"Greeks? You brought graecus into our camp?"
"I have come with allies in the upcoming war. Juno sent me to them as a gesture of peace, so that we may unite our two camps and defeat the rising of Gaea." Jason's formal tone was loud, meant to be heard by not just the praetors directly in front of them but the legionnaires that had gathered around at the commotion.
"What do you know of the rising of Gaea, Grace?" A scrawny blonde, said agitatedly. Annabeth caught Percy rolling his eyes at the boy. Something in seeing that hurt, but she had no time to dwell. "I only recently predicted her rising!"
"Our oracle spoke a prophecy, we came here to begin to fulfill it." Piper said, mustering up all her charm and elegance afforded to her as a daughter of Aphrodite. It occurred to Annabeth that she and Jason would make a great team for diplomacy. If this went well they would make perfect ambassadors.
"Very well. Centurions, have the cooks prepare a feast to welcome Jason home. We will discuss matters of alliances and prophecies further over dinner." Reyna said, before giving Percy a nod and walking back into the forum.
It took Percy a moment to realize the interaction was over until Jason turned back to the two girls behind him. Speaking in low voices as they nodded, Jason glanced over his shoulder at Percy before stepping toward him and extending his hand, "Jason Grace, son of Jupiter."
"Percy Jackson, son of Neptune."
"It's nice to meet you, Percy. Praetorship suits you."
Percy let himself crack a smile at the compliment. He had been worried the former praetor would hold his promotion against him, since he had technically replaced him. "Thank you, you left some big shoes to fill."
Jason gave a friendly smile in return, "I am going to return to the ship to inform the rest of the crew." Percy shot a look over Jason's shoulder making eye contact again with the blonde girl who had accompanied Jason. Her sharp eyes darted away as soon as they met, refusing to look at him. He returned his focus to Jason who gave a swift nod and ushered the girls back up the ladder to the war ship.
Jason led the Greeks into the forum for the meal, the tables were set for a traditional feast, with the guests of honor seated at the head table with the praetors and centurions. As expected it didn't take Reyna long to get down to business once the food was served.
"You mentioned a prophecy when you arrived." Her calculated gaze set on Piper.
"Oh, um, yes. Our oracle, Rachel, delivered the prophecy." Piper turned to Annabeth.
"Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire, the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death" Annabeth recited. "It is our interpretation that the Seven mentioned will be a mixture of Roman and Greek demigods which would also fulfill the foes bearing arms portion."
Reyna nodded and turned to address Jason, "So you'll be requesting legionnaires?"
"I think it would be best to take volunteers. They should have quest experience though since this is going to be very involved, any first-timers would put us at a higher risk."
"Frank, Hazel, and I were recently on a quest in Alaska. We could go since that would round out the number to seven easily and we've already worked together before." Percy added.
Piper felt Annabeth tense beside her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her go still, waiting, strategizing, until-
"Percy, you can't go. You were just installed as praetor. There are so many things that need to be done here to ready the legion in case the war does come to fruition. We cannot spare you now." Reyna said, imploring Percy to understand the importance of his new role.
"Oh, well then... I guess I'm staying here." He rubbed the back of his neck to try and relieve some of the awkwardness he felt. "Frank and Hazel should still go. And Hazel's brother, Nico could be the Seventh, if you're wanting to bring on someone they know well."
"Nico?" Annabeth said in disbelief. "Nico Di Angelo? Son of Hades, dark clothes, looks like he hasn't seen the sun in his entire life?"
"Nico Di Angelo, Ambassador of Pluto, but yeah, I guess, sounds like the same guy."
Annabeth mumbled something under her breath in anger.
"Sorry, I didn't catch that." Percy said.
Snapping Annabeth out of her thoughts she replied, "Oh- oh, nothing."
Piper could tell how uncomfortable Annabeth was so she struck up a conversation about Frank and Hazel, making plans with Percy to introduce them when a girl came up to the table crouching beside Percy's chair.
She leaned down, speaking low so only Percy could hear her, but Annabeth isn't sure she could have heard anything over the sound of her heartbeat thundering in her ears.
Please don't be in love with someone else.
She knew it had been a possibility that he had found someone else while he was away, just like she had known there was a possibility that he didn't get his memory back, but that doesn't mean it didn't feel like a knife to the chest seeing her hand on his arm, thumb rubbing small circles on his bicep.
She tore her eyes away from them when she felt Piper's hand take hers under the table. She turned and met her friend's kaleidoscope eyes, knowing hers must have looked slightly panicked. She took only a second to smooth over her expression to one of neutrality to throw up a mask so thick not even the daughter of Aphrodite could not see the heartbreak.
"If you'll excuse me I'm actually going to go ahead and turn in for the night. It's been a long journey so far and I can only anticipate it's about to get a lot longer." She said, giving Piper's hand a quick squeeze before releasing her hold.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Piper asked.
"No, it's alright. I want to check over our maps before I sleep. It'll be pretty boring. Just enjoy the party for me." She said with a smile that takes just a little too much effort to be genuine. She turned to face their hosts. "Praetors" she said with a nod of respectful acknowledgment and then walked out into the night in the direction of the ship.
"Annabeth-" Piper called after her.
"Pipes, just give her a little space. We can check on her before bed tonight. She and Leo both need rest after all the work they did on the ship."
"She built the ship?" Percy asked curiously, turning his full attention toward Annabeth's retreating form, not paying any mind to the girl who had been speaking to him.
"Uh, yeah. I mean- Leo did most of the fabrication, but it's mainly Annabeth's designs. If Leo had had his way it would've been an extremely efficient and practical machine, but he definitely would have forgotten to build basic essentials like bunk rooms." Jason stumbled a bit through the explanation, unsure of how much Annabeth would want this version of Percy to know about her.
"She's a brilliant architect." Piper added in, feeding into Percy's interest. "Designed all the restorations for our camp after the Second Titan War."
"Makes sense. Daughter of Minerva and all. Gotta be good at Arts and Crafts." The girl said a bit too dismissively for Piper's liking as she trieed to gain Percy's attention back.
"Athena." Piper replied in a biting tone. "She's a daughter of Athena."
"Same difference." The girl said, dismissively. Piper clenched her teeth looking at Jason, who looked very uncomfortable with the thinly veiled confrontation taking place.
"And on that note it's been a long day and we should probably turn in. How about you bring Hazel and Frank by tomorrow and we can get acquainted before setting off."
The next morning Annabeth turned around and surveyed New Rome one last time. Looking over the buildings, the legionnaires, and finally the praetors there to see them off.
This was it. She had found him, and now she had to leave him again. But she knew he was safe, even if he didn't remember, even if he never remembered, he's here and he's safe. And if they ever track down Nico she's going to wring his neck, but he'll be able to check in on Percy. If something happened he'd tell her. She's not in the dark anymore, but somehow none of this seemed to stop the cracks from spreading in her heart. Nothing was dulling the ache in her chest when she looked at him.
"It was nice to meet you." He extended his hand.
"You as well, Praetor."
"You can call me Percy."
"No, I don't think I can." She said with a small, sad smile before turning and climbing the ladder to the Argo II, leaving him behind.
Annabeth had been going nonstop since the Argo II left New Rome. Hazel and Frank fell easily into the dynamics of the crew, learning quickly to turn to Annabeth for answers rather than Jason or Piper like those in New Rome had. The first time she seemed to have a second of down time she crashed.
She sat down on the deck of the ship for her watch, letting the night air wash over her as she sank into the warm wood. Legs folded in front of her she let her head drift back to lean against the crate she was propped up against. She tried to find Zoe's stars as the constellations blurred from the tears gathering in her eyes.
That's how Piper found her a few hours later. Tears streaming down her face on the deck with a hundred mile stare. Piper approached her cautiously, speaking soothing words that don't quite make it to Annabeth's ears. The charmspeak fighting a losing battle against her grief. She reached out a hand to touch her ever so lightly on her shoulder, pulling her from what was left of her trance.
"He's really gone." Annabeth whispered.
"I'm so sorry." And just like that the floodgates open. Piper hugged her friend tight to her chest, Annabeth struggled against the affection for a few seconds before she gave in and allowed herself to be held. Piper whispered soothing charmspeak until Annabeth was no longer falling apart at the seams.
"Thank you." She said, swiping at her eyes to clear the tears. Taking a big breath and letting it flow out slowly, she looked up to see the rest of the Argo II's new crew standing on the deck… Jason looked sympathetic but mostly uncomfortable with imposing, Leo wasn't making eye contact, fidgeting with bits and pieces from his tool belt. Finally her gaze turned to Frank and Hazel who seemed to just be shocked and confused. "Uhhh- sorry about that." Annabeth said to them, wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt.
"Maybe you should explain. It may clear some things up."
"That would be helpful… but you can take your time if you need to. That seemed like… a lot." Hazel said meekly, giving Annabeth a small smile, comforting and warm.
"Your new praetor... he was our Jason. A leader plucked from the Greek camp to create an alliance." She was careful not to say his name.
"But Percy doesn't remember anything from before." Hazel interjected softly.
Annabeth looked down at her hands, "No, he doesn't... His father came to warn me a few weeks ago that I might not find him in a state I would be happy with, he was right."
"You two..." Frank trailed off, letting his unspoken question linger. Annabeth simply nodded her head.
"He can't know. There are already protocols in place at Camp Half-Blood in case we don't return with him."
It was Jason this time who spoke, "Protocols? Why didn't we know anything about this?" Piper looked wide eyed at the realization as well, looking between Jason and Leo for any sign that they had known.
"I knew you three would be on the quest. It wasn't necessary to prepare you for the worst case scenario when you needed to be worried about other things." From there her determination inched its way across her features, the heartbroken girl replaced slowly by a calculating leader. "The campers will be informed to not interact in any familiar capacity. Hecate Cabin will manipulate the Mist around the photos in the Big House and his cabin, making it so no one can see him in them. Anything else will be covered, and an alternate story will be told for the trident bead. If any Roman were to come to camp there would be no sign he was ever there."
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Piper asked, still seated beside her on the deck.
"No, but it's what needs to be done. Now, no more time to cry… We have a war to win."
And win they did.