Nobody's pov

Percy drove like he'd never driven before. He knew Sally would have a heart attack if she saw the speed he was moving in. But he wanted to get out of there fast. He felt suffocated.

He drove to a forest outside Brookyn. There he parked his car and ran into the forest. He had no idea what he was doing, but it felt good to get away from it all. He ran until he was in the very dept. of the forest. Then he sat down on a tree stump and pug his head in his hands.

He cried. He let go of the tears he'd been keeping inside for so long. He felt if he didn't let go now, he would explode.

"You let me go. I went to Tartarus with you and you let me go. How could you Annabeth? How could you?" He yelled. Then he started crying again.

"Heroes don't cry Perseus." A voice behind said. Even though Percy was surprised by the arrival of the voice's owner, he didn't even steal her a glance.

"How can you call me a hero?" He asked.

" I think it's wisest to call someone who is heroic a hero. Don't you agree?" Athena asked.

"Wise? Of course, the goddess of wisdom would talk about wise." Percy said. Athena smiled.

"You didn't bow." She said. Percy instantly jumped to his feet, then bowed.

"My apologies. I forgot." He said.

"You didn't let me finish Perseus. You didn't bow, but you really don't have to. You deserve more respect than us." She said. Percy blinked in surprise.

"You know who you're talking to, right?" Percy asked in an unsure tone.

"Why of course. I'm talking to the greatest hero ever to serve Olympus." Athena said.

"I'm confused. Did you hurt your head or did I?" Percy said. He knew this rudeness would probably get him vaporized, but he didn't care anymore.

Athena sighed. "I know I've been hard on you Perseus. My rivalry with your dad made me disapprove of you. But you have proved that you are not like your father, and you deserve a lot more than what you have." Athena said.

"O great. Now you approve of me? When I don't care if you do? When Annabeth...Annabeth isn't ...any..more?" Percy's voice cracked at the last sentence. Tears streamed down his face without his permission.

Then Athena did something that really made Percy wonder if he was dreaming. That would've made Apollo give her brain a check-up. That would make Poseidon make fun of her for the rest of eternity. She hugged Percy.

At first, Percy's body stiffened like a cane. But Athena's hug was so motherly, he gave in and hugged her back.

"Don't give up, Perseus. This world needs a hero." She whispered in his year, before pulling away.

"Promise me you'll pull yourself together. At least promise me you'll try." Athena said. Percy cracked a small smile.

"Okay. If you promise to call me Percy." Percy said. Athena smiled.

"Why of course, Percy." She said.

Then Percy averted his eyes, and Athena was gone in a flash. Percy didn't understand why, but that short meeting with Athena seemed to reduce the pain a bit. Probably because he was glad that Athena had gone out of her way to forgive him. He had always blamed himself for Annabeth's death. Now his guilt was reduced a bit.

He started to walk out of the forest, when he sensed the presence of someone in the canopy of the trees. Percy slowly tip-toed his way to the place where he sensed the presence while slowly uncapping Riptide. He swirled around the canopy and pointed the sword to the throat of the intruder.

"Woah, Peter Johnson. That's my neck." Mr. D said. Percy's eyes widened instantly.

He lowered riptide and uncapped it.

"Mr. D! Sorry, I didn't see you there."Percy asked.

"You know, I could turn you into a dolphin for that. But I won't, because then my coming here would be wasted." Mr. D said.

Ah, same old same old. Percy thought internally.

"So...why did you come here?" Percy asked.

"Impatient as ever, aren't you Pedro? No come in, no have a seat." Mr. D said.

"Mr. D, we're in the middle of a forest." Percy pointed out politely.

"Oh, of course. I know that. But you could still have been polite hero." Mr. D said.

You're one to talk, Percy thought. But he didn't say it out loud.

"The reason as to why I'm here, I wanted to talk to you." Mr. D said.

"About a quest?" Percy asked.

"Typical. You think the only reason gods talk to you is because of quests? No, don't answer that." He said, when he saw Percy open his mouth to answer. He knew very well that the answer would be yes.

"Look, remember the conversation we had on Chrysler building?" Mr. Do asked.

"You mean, when you wrapped me up with the wines and lectured me about how heroes are selfish and then let me go telling me that you hoped I would die on the quest?"

"Um... Yeah. That conversation." Mr. D said, surprised he remembered so much.

"What about it?" Percy put his hands in his pockets as he spoke.

"Well, I just wanted you to know that I changed my opinion." Mr. D said.

"About heroes?" Percy asked in an unsure tone. Dionysius nodded. Percy gulped.

"And your opinion has changed to what?" He practically squeaked out.

"That I was wrong. They aren't selfish." Dionysius replied.

"What made you come to that conclusion?" Percy asked, shocked.

"Because I have seen proof that they aren't selfish. At least, one isn't. I've seen this hero face Hades for his loved ones, I've seen him take the sky willingly to save a goddess, I've seen this hero protect his loved ones during the war. What's more, I've seem give up immortality for the betterment of other demigods, and I've seen him fall into Tartarus to save the one he loves. I don't think you could get more selfless that that." Mr. D concluded.

Percy suddenly took an interest in his shoelaces. He knew Mr. D was talking about him, but he didn't know why. Why would he say all this to Percy? Didn't he care about his reputation being ruined for being nice to a demigod and stuff? Then why?

"Mr. D, I'm happy about what you said. But I don't deserve this. Not now, when I've failed." Percy said.

"You sure your fatal flaw is personal loyalty? Sometimes I think it's self criticism." Mr. D said. Percy just stared at him.

"Poseidon was right. You don't know how to take a compliment. Percy, you are a true hero, wether you like it or not." Mr. D said sternly.

"You said Percy." Percy was getting more and more shocked.

"Oh great. I shouldn't have called you that. Now you didn't pay attention to anything else I said. Anyway, I better be going. Remember what I said, Jackson." With that he flashed away, and Percy closed his eyes just in time.

After he was gone, Percy pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Nope, not a dream. Then how was it possible that two gods who hated him the most had come to tell him that he was a true hero?

He drove back home and ran up to his room. He decided to lie down a bit since his mind was still not ready to believe what happened. When he reached his bed, he saw a small package on it.

He opened it and saw a locket of a wolf. With it was a note.

Hey Percy,

This is a gift from Artemis. It will help you with your archery problem. Sorry I couldn't stay for long. I am a little busy.

Love, Thalia.

Percy read the note over and over. A gift from Artemis? Wow, what had happened to the gods? Percy put the locket around his neck, turned the lights out and went to sleep with only one thought : weirdest day ever.