A/N: If you recognize it, it's not mine. Simple as that.
Chapter 2
Perci POV
I felt my mom come up behind me as I packed, but chose to stay quiet, waiting for her to speak.
"Perci, I know why you're really doing this. Why you agreed to go so quickly." She said quietly, sadly. I bit my lip, attempting to keep the tears at bay, hating that I was so obvious to her.
"I just need time away from all this to cope with it, that's all. I didn't expect Lord Zeus to not allow me to turn down immortality." I told her, though it was a lie. Lord Zeus was still a bit angry that I had rejected godhood after the second Titan War, so there was no way he would let me turn down immortality and retire.
Flashback
"Persephone Jackson!" Lord Zeus' voice boomed like the thunder he was known for creating.
I looked up at him from my kneeled position in front of him, the other members of the Seven having already received their rewards.
"Yes, Lord Zeus?" I asked, my voice strong, and nearly defiant. He had already shot me down when I requested to retire, so I had no idea what he had in mind for my 'reward'.
"As reward for your efforts in defeating Gaia and the giants, you are hereby bestowed with immortality." He declared. Before I could protest, tell him that I didn't want immortality, I was covered in sea green light.
End Flashback
I remembered the pain that had come from the loss of my mortality, and then the emotional pain of realizing I would outlive my mother, Annabeth, Nico, and everyone else, save Thalia. Granted, I had been given permission to go to Atlantis anytime I wanted now, and Triton and I were on somewhat better terms now that we would have to put up with each other forever, I still hated the fact that I had basically lost everyone I was close to in one fell swoop. Going to Forks to help with my cousin would help take my mind off of it. Or at least, help me accept it without being surrounded by the people I was leaving behind that I was close to.
She sighed, and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I know that it's hard for you. But, Perci, you can't let this keep weighing you down." She insisted. With that, I lost the fight to keep my tears back, and whirled around to hug her.
"I hate this." I whispered, holding onto her for dear life, savoring the feeling of her arms around me, and her fingers combing through my hair.
"I know, but it's the hand you've been dealt. I always hoped you would be one of the very few demigods to get a happy ending, Perci. And, even though you don't like how it happened, you've got it. You can have a relationship with your father now because of this." She said.
I sighed, before pulling back and wiping away the tears, offering her a small smile, hoping to make her feel better. She was right after all, I did get to have a relationship with Poseidon now that I wasn't mortal. The Ancient Laws only prevented gods from having relationships with their mortal demigod children. I now had the chance to be the daddy's girl I had so longed to be as a child.
"I should finish packing, my bus leaves in two hours." I whispered, and received a slightly sad smile in response. This time, I knew the smile was sad because I was going away again. She had only just gotten me back after Hera had kidnapped me, and all but sent me to war against Gaia a few weeks ago, and now I was off to the opposite end of the country again.
After she left, I quickly finished packing my clothes, a large bag of drachma, and my new celestial bronze hunting knives that Artemis had given to me as a gift. Putting Riptide in my pocket, I glanced around my room one last time. I had to admit to myself, I would miss it, but I was grateful for the chance to wrap my head around things. Heading into the living room, I found my mom and Paul waiting on the couch. Once they caught sight of me though, they both stood.
"Ready to go then?" Mom asked, and I nodded. I gave Paul a quick hug farewell, since mom was the one driving me to the Greyhound station, and walked out the door with mom in tow.
The drive was silent, since neither of us really wanted to say goodbye or anything like that. Once we got to the station though, I caught the glimmer of tears in her eyes.
"Mom, it's not like you can't visit me this time." I tried to joke, and received a slightly watery laugh in response.
"You're right, at least I can visit you this time." She said, pulling me in for a hug.
"Just be careful, Perci. I don't know if Charlie can see through the Mist or not, and if he can, Bella might be able to as well." she told me.
I smiled at her concern, knowing that she knew the importance of keeping the secret of the gods.
"I'll be fine, mom. I'll try to IM as soon as I can." I told her, pulling back from the hug, and receiving a warmer smile in reply.
"You'd better." She said, jokingly serious, before pulling a bag from her purse. I could practically feel my eyes light up at the sight of her blue chocolate chip cookies.
"These are for the trip. I've already sent the recipe with your paperwork for school, so you can bake them when you're there." She told me, handing the bag over. I nodded excitedly and put them in my own purse, which was ocean blue and magically deepened by Aphrodite. I had a bag of ambrosia and a thermos of nectar in there as well.
One of the only perks of immortality so far was that now I didn't have to limit myself on the godly food and drink, though I still preferred to only use it when I was in need of healing and couldn't access water.
Mom stayed with me until it was time to board the bus to Port Angeles, telling me about Charlie, whom she had gotten to know better through phone calls and letters over the years, and even a visit during one of my first summers at camp. When boarding was called, we hugged one last time, and I said a prayer to Hermes for safe travels for once. I could practically hear him laughing at my phrasing, but if it got me to my destination in one piece, with no monster interruptions, I would take being laughed at. With one final wave to my mom, I boarded the bus, taking my seat as I headed to the new place I would call home for a while.