Half out of it, I stared at the stream of syrup in a daze as it drowned my pancakes. It's barely nine in the morning, way earlier than what I wanted to be up. The scent of blueberry pancakes made my stomach override my brain as it made its decision to eat rather than to sleep. So here I am groggily sitting at the kitchen table on Christmas morning drowning my pancakes.

Poseidon and Amphitrite were talking quietly in the living room. I didn't care enough, or more accurately not awake enough to try and eavesdrop.

I yawned and screwed back on the top of the syrup once I efficiently decided that's the correct amount of syrup. Mrs. O'Leary put her head on my lap drooling, yearning for my pancakes. I patted her head affectionately, thinking she's a fool if she thought she was getting any of my pancakes.

Triton came down the stairs rubbing his eyes. The smell of breakfast is probably why he came down so early. He half hazardously thrown a wool robe on top of his pajamas, and his long hair was down. He stared at the plate of pancake on the counter, before shrugging and grabbing a plate himself.

He took the plate and a glass of orange juice and attempted to go back up to his room with his breakfast.

"Triton you better not be taking that plate to your room, young man!" Amphitrite yelled from the living room.

"No mother I wasn't." Triton replied as he grumpily trudge back downstairs. He sat across from me at the table with a huff.

Both Amphitrite and Poseidon ended their conversation and walked into the kitchen.

"Boys, we have a surprise for you." Dad said with a smile.

I raise a brow, while Triton pours the whole bottle of syrup onto his pancakes. Amphitrite scoffed.

"Triton that is way too much syrup. You're going to have a heart attack if you eat that much syrup."

Triton ignored her and still proceeded to drown the pancakes in maplely goodness.

"Heart attacks aside; since this is the first semester I didn't have to make an appearance at the principals office for a scrabble with Luke."-

Triton shot me a glare to shut up. I raise a brow at him, I knew they didn't get along, but damn that's on another whole level.

-"Also since there hasn't been an incident between the two of you. I've got you something."

Poseidon reached into his pockets. Triton's eyes widen at the unmistakable sound of keys. Poseidon tossed the keys to Triton and he caught them.

"You're joking, right?" Triton with the eyes as the size of saucer plates asked.

"Nope. It's all yours."

Triton shot up from his chair and bolted to the window facing the driveway, a new green Kia Sportage car sat in the driveway. He let out a high pitch shriek before rushing outside barefooted.

Amphitrite face palmed before rushing after her son. "Triton put on your shoes! It's icy out. Do you not know it's winter?"

Poseidon let out a chuckle watching his eldest being scolded by his mother. He then turned to me.

"So I've heard that you got roped into doing a project with Athena's daughter for the semester?"

I groaned taking another bite of my pancakes, "Don't remind me. I'm just happy it's over with."

"Well if she's anything like her mother... Yikes!I swear that woman is from Satan itself. Impossible to get along with, always have something to knit-pick. Did you know she had a pet owl? She brought it to school once and it almost pecked my eyes out! That woman is bizarre, and a nuisance. She crawled out of someone's ass, that's for sure." Poseidon shivered.

I just hummed in response. I remember Thalia telling me years ago that something happened between the two of them in high school. I couldn't remember what it was about, but they despise each other.

"Since you had zero incidents with her, better than what I would've done, I got you a gift."

He dug in his pockets again and produced another set of keys. He tossed it at me, which I caught.

I raised my brow quizzically, "I can't drive."

"Who said they're keys for a car?"

What else are these keys for? I turned them over and saw writing on the keychain. I squinted in attempts to read through my dyslexia.

I dropped the keys and stared at my father in shock. "These aren't... You couldn't have! I thought they were going demolish the cabin last year? How did you get a chance to rent it again?"

"The mayor actually shut the project down and used the funds to improve the subway station instead. I didn't rent it either, I bought it. That's yours forever."

I bolted out of chair and jumped into my father's arms almost knocking him over. He returned the hug eagerly, patting me on the back.

These are the keys to the Montauk cabin. It's a cabin by the beach thirty miles away from here. Before my dad married Amphitrite, my mother would fly up to visit me during the summer for two weeks to rent out this cabin. Even though they broke their relationship off, my father would join us for those two weeks. They're my favorite memories. I was completely devastated once I found out they were destroying the cabin to make a resort on the beach.

"Merry Christmas Percy!" Poseidon said as he pulled back from the hug.

"Merry Christmas dad!" I let out a genuine smile. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. The fact he bought it alone rather then renting it makes more authentic.

"There's also something else that I need to tell you. Your physical therapist pulled me aside during your last appointment."

I sat back down on at the table with a confused expression. I thought I was doing well, I've been doing my daily exercises they been telling me to do. "What is it?"

"How do you feel about relearning to drive again? I knew you already practiced before the accident, and your physical therapist told me you can start practicing again. If you do want to learn, you can have Triton's old car. We'll maybe do some modifications on it if need be."

"I can drive? I thought I wouldn't be able to do without my leg?"

"I looked into it, and many amputees can still drive. You can still use your prosthetic as you would as an ordinary leg. I waited for you to be comfortable with prosthetic, before I brought it up to you. You're getting around much better than you were a month ago. If the prosthetic isn't comfortable for you to drive with, there are devices we can install into the drivers seat if need be."

I sat there dumbfounded. All of this time I was mourning not being able to get the freedom of driving. I just needed to heal enough and get used to the prosthetic to be able to do so.

"So what do you think? You wanna start driving?" You're lucky that you have your learners permit still. We can probably start driving in Montauk, they have an open area with no traffic."

"Yes! Can we go today?" I asked.

Poseidon laughed, "Of course we can."


"Slow down Percy." Poseidon said gripping the handle hanging above passenger window.

I reluctantly eased my foot off the gas. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my chest, as I never thought I would ever see myself behind a wheel again.

It's just my father and I in the car. Amphitrite and Triton stayed home, which I'm so ever grateful for.

I haven't really spent alone time with my dad since the hospital over the summer. Which isn't fair, since I don't really remember anything from that time since I was hopped up on medication.

"Alright, let's practice taking some narrow turns. You see that dumpster about thirty meters to your left? You're going to turn behind that dumpster, there's just enough space to drive behind it."

I automatically slowed down enough to try to take the turn.

"Keep turning the wheel. Turn, turn, turn." Poseidon instructed as I slowly turned.

"Look in your rearview mirrors. Even though there's no cars, you need to make it a habit to check the mirrors."

Poseidon let go of the handle bar, straightening up in his seat, "I think that's enough driving for the day, I want you to park on that patch of pavement next to the gravel road."

I parked as he instructed. I've been driving for over a hour and a half, and my prosthetic was getting a bit stiff on my stump.

I got out of the Triton's old car, well I guess it's mine now. It's a four year old blue Honda Accord Sedan Sport, It's still in good condition. Well except for the spot where there's still a stubborn blood stain from the time I cut my chin.

I stretched my leg and half my prosthetic leg. I tossed the keys back to my dad.

"That didn't go as bad as I thought it would. Do you want to check the condition of the cabin before we go?"

I didn't know whenever if that was an insult or a compliment? So I ignored the first statement, "Yeah, let's see how much it's aged."

"How's your leg? Did you feel comfortable while driving with a prosthetic on?"

"It's a bit stiff, but I'm sure I'll get to the motions soon. I'm just glad I can get a driver's license."

I got out the keys and unlocked the cabin door. I swung the door, leaving it wide opened. Every surface was covered in an inch full of dust, it looks like no one has been here for a good decade. Well to be fair it has almost been a decade since I was here last.

"Well this could be a project for the summer." Poseidon commented surveying the inside of the cabin.

I nodded, a bit disappointed in the condition of the cabin. It could sure use some work, it isn't as pristine as what I would've wanted.

My dad threw his arm around my shoulder, "Think of it as bonding experience."

I scoffed, "Bonding experience? Every time you say that you get whisked off on a rescue, leaving Triton and I alone with each other."

Poseidon scratch his neck awkwardly, "I'll send Triton on that call if that happens this year. He's old enough to do those rescue calls himself."

I rolled my eyes not really believing it, but nodded to humor him.

"Speaking of your brother, you do know that I'll be picking you up after school, right? Triton's swim season starts up at the beginning of the semester, and will be practicing after school as well. I'll come and pick up to take you to the aquarium."

"No I did not know that, he doesn't tell me anything. Does that mean it'll be just you and and I at the aquarium?"

"For now yes. I think up until March it will be just you and I at the aquarium, besides the other full-time-employees.

I nodded. I felt an emotion that I haven't felt since my mother died; joy. From the cabin, the car, and some actual bonding experience with my dad, all slapped in one day is playing with my heart strings.

Poseidon cleared his throat before he looked at me, "Keeping it on topic with Triton, have you by chance notice anything weird about Triton lately?"

I was taken aback by that random question. I shook my head, "Weird? No, not really. It's not like we talk, so I wouldn't know."

"I don't know, maybe I'm a paranoid parent, but something's off about him these last two months. I hope it doesn't have to deal with the stress my father is making." Poseidon aired out.

I kicked the lose gravel, feeling uncomfortable. This should be aired out to by a therapist, not your son.

"Forget that I've said anything. Let's go home shall we? It's getting frigid out here. I think Amphitrite made ham for dinner." Poseidon said, as if the previous conversation didn't exist.


A couple things:

1) I have been in a writing frenzy these past two weeks. I want to continue this habit. I'm gonna do monthly updates on my profile on my current works and future works to keep the ball rolling. There's a June edit posted there, it gives you a clue on when I'm going to update again.

2) There will be another story posted after I finish with this. It's a Poseidon's Perspective of this fic. 12 chapters are done, I won't publish them until I finish with this story. I've written four chapters in a spam of a week and a half.