Disclaimer: All rights belong to Rick Riordan. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made.
Rating: T for dark themes and violence
Author's Note: Last chapter! Thank you all so much for reading and supporting this story! I appreciated all your comments over the past few weeks and I'm glad that you all gave this little story a chance. I never planned on writing this story, it just kind of happened during quarantine, but I'm glad I wrote it and it all came together decently. Percabeth was my first ship and OTP and I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for them.
Chapter 27
The mismatched flotilla reaches Calypso's island a few days later. Clarisse only sticks around long enough to loudly proclaim that she only showed up because it promised a good fight, not because she was helping Percy or anything. Although everyone was more than grateful for her timing and help, they also breathed a sigh of relief when she and her ship headed back out onto the seas.
Calypso is once again a gracious host. The Hunters of Artemis set up tents along the beach for everyone while Leo and Annabeth set to work designing and building more huts in the village area. The once small hearth fire that Annabeth had met Hestia at now burns as a fifteen foot bonfire each night, sailors and hunters and demigods alike gathering around and retelling stories and laughing and singing. Calypso sits slightly off to the side, watching with a content smile. Annabeth can see the hint of sadness behind her eyes, though. She's happy for now, while her island is full of people, but she also knows that it won't last forever.
Annabeth mostly notices her because she, too, sits just outside the crowd. Her eyes are constantly straying out to the sea, watching and waiting for Percy to return. No matter how much the others try to drag her into the festivities, she can never fully take her mind off him.
While the crews heal from their injuries and the ships are being repaired, Annabeth finds time to talk more with the others. She, Reyna, and Piper walk around the island together. It's nice to meet other women who relate to her struggles. Hearing Reyna's stories of how she and Hylla clawed their way to the top of the Queen Anne's Revenge, eventually earning the crew's respect and obedience and Piper's journey of being a daughter of the love goddess and not having high expectations yet blowing everyone away anyway - it makes Annabeth realize that she's not as alone as she thought in this world. She used to think that without Percy, she was on her own; now she knows that there's a world of opportunity awaiting her.
Annabeth also spends a lot of time alone, walking around and observing the interactions between everyone. She notices Reyna and Frank talking seriously one evening after dinner. She sees Thalia and Jason talking animatedly. Piper and Leo seem to have developed a strange friendship where Leo cracks bad jokes and Piper smiles and punches him (though Annabeth could argue that's his relationship with almost everyone). The oddest pair is Hazel and Nico, who spend a lot of time walking around in the shadows. Apparently they share a godly figure for a dad, though Hazel looks vibrant and full of light and life, especially compared to her brother.
All the people on this island come from very different backgrounds and have often fought each other in the past; yet now, bonded by the shared battle and Calypso's magic, unbreakable bonds have been forged. Sciron may have been unsuccessful in his quest for power, but he accomplished something that no one else has been able to do. He changed the world - the magic one, at least.
"The best things can come from the cruelest acts," a voice says. Annabeth blinks out of her thoughts and realizes she's standing by the hearth. Hestia, now in the form of a young woman, sits by the flames.
Annabeth takes a seat across from her. "The past week has been magical," she says. "I've never seen everyone so happy. Even Calypso."
"The gods were cruel to curse Calypso. Even crueler still to not entirely break her curse even after they swore to. But look what her island has become." Hestia spreads her arms out. "This hearth fire is the strongest I've ever felt."
Each one of the people here has a place they call home, whether it be the Argo II, New Rome, the Queen Anne's Revenge, or among their camp, wherever the hunt may take them. But here, on Ogygia, is a place where everyone can call home. A safe place, where monsters cannot reach them and time does not touch them.
"Calypso has spent thousands of years thinking that Ogygia is her curse," Hestia continues. "But look what she's made of it. The gods gave her an island, and she created a home. A paradise for weary and lost travellers."
"I don't know what we would have done without her," Annabeth admits. "Even after what happened between her and Percy, she still welcomed us with open arms."
"My sister, Hera, is the goddess of family, but I believe that Calypso represents those ideals better than my sister ever could. Family is not something that is given; it is created. Hera does not understand that."
"Won't you get in trouble for saying that? Isn't she the queen of the gods?"
Hestia laughs lightly. "I would, if anyone paid me any attention. Most people take what I give for granted. Home is not something people tend to value until they lose theirs."
Annabeth thinks of the faraway sad look in Calypso's eyes this past week, even though she's obviously happy to be surrounded by so many people. She's been so worried about everyone leaving that she hasn't realized how drastically things have changed.
Ogygia is no longer some mysterious island that one hero every millennia gets sent to; it is now a safe place for anyone needing rest and healing. Annabeth wouldn't be surprised if some of the people here choose to stay indefinitely. Perhaps Calypso will find the love she's desperately yearning for in one of them.
"What about you, Annabeth?" Hestia asks, fixing her fiery eyes on her. "Have you decided where your home is?"
For once in her life, Annabeth doesn't think. She just follows her heart. "I do."
"Good." Hestia smiles then waves her hand and disappears in a light column of smoke.
As if on cue, Annabeth hears a shout coming from the beach. She rushes over and sees Percy emerging from the waves, a relaxed smile on his face. He greets everyone and gets stuck in a crowd as everyone congratulates him on his victory or asks questions about his whereabouts. Although Annabeth stands back and lets everyone go ahead of her, she feels happy in a way she didn't know was possible.
That evening, the party rages harder than it has for the past week. Annabeth doesn't stay on the edge of the crowd anymore; she dances in the middle of the group along with all her friends. They stay up until the sun begins rising and the sky turns pink. The fire in the hearth dies down, but the embers glow so strongly that no wind or rain could blow it out.
Annabeth returns to her cabin on the Argo II, which she and Leo have been working hard this past week to repair. She collapses into her hammock, the rocking of the ocean lulling her into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The next day, everything changes.
The hunters pack up and leave in the morning. Thalia doesn't even bother trying to convince Annabeth to join, instead throwing her a knowing wink as they board their ship. Jason and Piper go with them, having made arrangements to be dropped off at New Rome. Annabeth is sad to see them go, but she's sure it won't be the last time they cross paths.
After the midday meal, Reyna, Hylla, and the crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge prepare to leave. Reyna summons Percy and Annabeth, and they stand along the shore by the ship, Frank and Hazel standing at Reyna's right hand side.
"There's been some changes to my ship," Reyna says. "Hylla has decided to join the Amazons. I am now the captain."
"That's great," Percy says. "And also terrifying."
Reyna ignores him. "I've been speaking with Frank a lot recently. I asked him to be my first mate."
Percy looks as shocked as Annabeth feels.
"I said yes," Frank says, clasping his hands in front of him nervously. Hazel reaches out and sets a hand on his arm.
Percy continues looking stunned for a minute before a slow smile breaks out on his face. "I'm happy for you, man."
"You're not mad?"
"Of course not. You'll have command over an entire fleet. It'll be a huge upgrade for you."
Frank looks relieved. He reaches out and he and Percy hug.
"I'll miss you," Percy says. "Keep in touch."
Annabeth gives Frank a hug, too. He whispers in her ear, "Remember what I taught you. You'll need it."
Before Annabeth can ask what he means by that, Reyna gives them both a curt nod and then turns sharply, her cape snapping crisply. The three of them head up the gangplank to their ship.
"I saw them talking," Annabeth says, "but I didn't see that coming."
Percy shrugs. "Frank didn't have too much to do on my ship besides fighting. I think he'll be a lot more useful working with Reyna."
They stand together on the beach until the Queen Anne's Revenge sails out of sight. Annabeth can't but think that if home is people as well as a place, she's losing parts of her home a little at a time. First Beckendorf, now Frank. Will and Percy are all that's left of her best friends from the Pax, not to mention all the other sailors who perished during the battles with Sciron.
That afternoon, the crew of the Argo II packs up the ship. A few sailors from the various ships still remain, either still in the process of healing or simply deciding to stay for a while. Annabeth can see how relieved Calypso looks as she goes around and gets a headcount.
"Looks like your island won't be so lonely, after all," she says, catching the girl between sailors.
"Things have definitely changed around here." Calypso sets her hands on her hips and looks around at the small village of huts Annabeth and Leo had designed. "I'm thinking of expanding on what you've started here. I want this island to be a place for anyone who's lost or sick or in need of help. I want this island to be a safe haven in a world of danger."
"I think that's what Ogygia was always meant to be."
Calypso turns to her. "And what about you? Where will you go?"
"I've really enjoyed my time on the sea, so for now I'm going to stay with the Argo II. While I was here, I realized how much I liked designing and building things, so I think I'm going to try and study architecture a little more. I think one day I'd like to settle down somewhere I've created."
"I'm glad I was able to help." Calypso motions to the huts. "If it's any consolation, I think you've done a great job with the village. If you need somewhere to practice, feel free to come back."
"I will," Annabeth promises. "And Calypso?"
"Yes?"
"I know you're bitter because you were sent here as a curse, but look what a blessing you've made of your circumstances. You saved all of our lives, gave a place where we could rest and recover. Just because you can't leave doesn't mean you can't make an impact on the world. You're a hero, too."
Calypso smiles weakly. "Thank you, Annabeth."
Everyone on the island shares one last meal together. Annabeth walks around the ship afterward as everyone is finishing packing for their next journey. Calypso had been kind enough to give them all fresh clothes and enough food for them to reach the next port.
She sees Nico carrying a bundle of dark clothes and his sword into an empty cabin.
"You're staying?" she asks, unable to hide her surprise.
He shrugs, looking awkward. "For now," he says.
Annabeth thinks of how excited Will is going to be, and she smiles at him. "I'm glad."
Nico's eyebrows crease together, but he doesn't say anything else. Annabeth knows he's not used to being wanted and accepted, but he'll get there. The others on the ship will start to see him not as the son of Hades and the ghost king, but as a young man with a troubled past looking for a better future - just like the rest of them. And if anyone has a problem, she and Will will be there to stick up for him.
She wanders back on deck, where she looks back over the island of Ogygia. There are pairs of lit torches lining the path from the beach to the village as some of the sailors are still bringing things to and from. The firelight glows softly in the early twilight.
She sees Percy standing on the beach, his feet bare and his pants rolled up as the waves roll in up to his ankles. She doesn't entirely understand why he rolls up his pants since he doesn't get wet, but when he waves her over she forgets her line of thought.
She heads down the gangplank and onto the beach. When she reaches him, he has his hands stuffed in his pockets and he's staring out at the remains of the sunset.
"What is it?" she asks, stopping next to him.
"Things are a lot different than when you first joined my ship."
"So I noticed."
Percy's silent for a moment. "When I returned the pearl to my father, we had to tie up some loose ends. Do you remember that buyer I mentioned in England? The one who started the whole quest?"
Annabeth nods.
"Turns out it was a minor god who was trying to create upheaval in Olympus. The minor gods have been angry at the Olympians for a long time. When I saved Olympus from the Titan uprising a few years ago, many of the minor gods had turned. As part of my reward from Zeus, I asked for forgiveness for them, as well as recognition." Percy's voice turns bitter. "Obviously you've seen how well the gods actually carry through on their promises."
The sky rumbles. Percy glares at it.
"My father, along with Artemis and Athena, have been petitioning Zeus to make things right. They are the only Olympians who recognize the chasm between the major gods and the minor ones, as well as demigods. Especially after Sciron, my father realizes how dangerous they can be and how much damage they can do."
"Zeus doesn't sound like he listens to them."
"No. Zeus does what he wants. And Hera isn't helping, either, because she likes to think of herself and the Olympians as superior to the others. Accepting minor gods and demigods doesn't fit into her ideal of a perfect family, especially since a lot of them are Zeus' children with other women."
"So what does that have to do with us?"
Percy hesitates, staring down at the waves washing over their feet. "When I was Sciron's prisoner, I got really angry at the gods. Beckendorf and I were locked in the bottom of his ship, tortured every day for information, and no one came to rescue us. I understood why other demigods and minor gods could turn on Olympus. I was especially enraged at my father, to the point where I actually lost my powers. Beckendorf is the one who talked me out of it. He still believed that they were watching out for us. When he blew up Sciron's ship and my father saved me, I was ashamed to see him after what I had been thinking. My dad did look out for me when he could have let me die. It's not that he abandoned me, it's that he had to let me find my own path."
Annabeth remembers a conversation a long time ago when Percy told her about the ancient laws that required gods to not be involved too directly in the fates of their demigod children. But that doesn't mean abandoning them.
"We talked about it a lot. We made our peace. But there are lots of gods who aren't as caring as my father. There are lots of demigods and minor gods who feel abandoned and no one to prove them wrong. There's an uprising happening, and it's my job to find those people and try to make things right. My father is going to continue petitioning Zeus and the other Olympians, as well as reaching out to his own children and making amends."
"So that's our new mission? Seek out minor gods and lost demigods?"
Percy nods. "As well as trying not to die, like usual."
Annabeth nods. "Where are we headed to first?"
"I'm not sure where we are right now. The island's magic is throwing off my navigation senses. Once we're out to sea, we'll head for the first major port so we can finish loading up on supplies. Then we need to head to Tortuga and recruit some new sailors. We're running on a skeleton crew right now."
"Are you going to look for a new first mate there?"
Percy glances over, giving her a funny look. "What do you mean?"
"Now that Frank's gone, you need a new first mate."
"Actually, I kinda thought you would take that position."
Annabeth is stunned for a moment. Then she realizes why Frank had told her, "Remember what I taught you. You'll need it." Had he known this whole time that he was preparing Annabeth for the position?
"I'd be honored," Annabeth finally says. "But will the crew be okay with it? It's highly unusual, and I've only been on the ship for a few months."
"The crew has seen what you can do. They respect you. And any new sailors we pick up will learn quickly."
Annabeth doesn't feel pressured by the new responsibility. In fact, it energizes her. Already a dozen thoughts race through her mind about things she wants to change, ideas she wants to implement. She turns and begins to pace, murmuring to herself as she sorts them out.
Percy grabs her arm, halting her. He's smiling.
"Before you get too involved with your new job, there's one other thing I wanted to talk about."
"Yeah?"
He reaches up and scratches the back of his neck, one of his nervous habits. Annabeth thinks she knows where this conversation is going and her heart begins to race in anticipation.
"You know when I went to fight Sciron, right before I jumped overboard…" Percy looks down, and even in the dim light Annabeth can see how red his cheeks are.
She knows exactly what he's referring to. She'd kissed him. It had been a completely impulsive move, and now she's super embarrassed. She'd only done it because there was a decent chance one of them was going to die. It was probably a mistake, seeing as their relationship has been so complicated, but she doesn't regret it.
"When I went into the River Styx to become invulnerable, I felt like I was fading away. The river strips away all your hopes and dreams and everything that makes you who you are. It literally tears you apart. I had to focus on the one thing that kept me anchored to the mortal world."
"Like Achilles' mom holding his heel literally kept him anchored," Annabeth blurts out before the full impact of what he's saying settles in. She clamps her mouth shut and then it's her cheeks that are turning bright red.
"Exactly like that." Percy pauses. "Before I went into the river, I had to get my mom's blessing. She's in Elysium, the part of the Underworld for heroes. She got in because she died trying to protect me from the Minotaur. When I saw her, it was hard for me to not want to be there with her. For most of my life, she's all I had. I mean, my friends are great, but not enough for me to want to stay. And - " He chokes up. "Beckendorf was there, too. He'd just arrived."
Annabeth reaches up and sets a hand on his arm, feeling a wave of grief wash over her.
"When I went into the river, I didn't have a reason to stay attached to the mortal world. But then I remembered you. Even though you left with Luke, all I could think about was how Sciron was a threat to you. He was going to tear the whole world apart, magic and normal alike, and you were a part of that world. I couldn't let that happen."
"Percy - "
He turns to her, his eyes intense in a way she's never seen them before. "It scared me how much I cared about you. How desperately protective I felt of you. That's why I avoided you at first when I came back. I was scared of how strongly I felt."
Annabeth takes a step closer and cups her hands around his face. "I came back for you, too." She feels a slow smile spread out across her face. "Now shut up and kiss me."
His lips touch hers, the sea crashing around their feet and the sky darkening above them, and for the first time in her life, Annabeth feels truly, wholly, complete.