This story is going to be years after the Giant War, so not really AU.

#3: Just an Ocean

"Mommy, will you tell me a story?" A little girl asked, before bed with her mother.

"Which one?"
"You know...once upon a time, there was two people..."
Her mother sighed. "You always want that one."
"I like that one! Plus, it's my birthday tomorrow..."
"Oh, fine. But only because you're turning five."
The little girl snuggled into her mother, staring at her fiercely with sea-green eyes.

"Once upon a time, there were two people. Two people who loved each other very, very much. They got married when they were 18 and had a lovely marriage for a year. By then, they both had city jobs, but still were in love. They'd take days off just to spend time with each other. And then one day, the wife realized that she was pregnant with twins. They were overjoyed—they'd always wanted children. But some weren't overjoyed.

"The gods were jealous, see, because of these people's love. Their love was so great, so pure, that the gods were tired of being beaten. So, the day after their children were born, the gods separated their family—they took the husband and baby boy and sent him across the ocean, to Europe while the wife had to stay in America. They told them that they could only see each other every twenty years, and that's the only thing that kept them going—the idea that they could someday see their loved ones once again. They are still waiting, still wanting nothing more than to see each other."
"Mommy, what..." The little girl was almost asleep. "What were their names?" She whispered, and closed her eyes.

Her mother smiled sadly, tears in her eyes, and swept the girl's hair off her forehead.

"The wife's name is Annabeth, and her husband is Percy."
7 Years Later

"Mom? I'm home!" Called 11—almost 12—year old Abby Jackson. Annabeth stuck her head out of the kitchen.

"Well, how was school?"
"Good," Abby said, dropping her bookbag on the table. "They sang happy birthday to me at lunch."
"Oh, that's nice. Did they like the treats?"
Abby nodded. "Yeah, but Jack took two." She rolled her eyes, thinking of the boy.

Annabeth laughed. "So, what do you want to do tomorrow?"

"We're going to the city, right?"
Annabeth nodded.
"Well, I'd like to go shopping. And maybe some sightseeing?"
"But no-"
"No Empire State Building. Yeah, I know."

AAAA

Her mom shook her head sadly as Abby went upstairs with her bookbag.
"Twelve. How'd that happen?" She sighed, looking at the framed photo on the wall. "Only eight more years, right Percy?"

Those eyes stared back at her.

"Mom?" Abby yelled from upstairs.

"What?"
"Who're you talking to?"

"Myself! Stop eavesdropping!"

She heard Abby mutter.

Hours later, when they both had their pajamas on, Annabeth knocked on Abby's door.

"Hey. Do you want to hear the story?" She asked quietly. Abby nodded enthusiastically and put her book down. Annabeth sighed and sat on the end of her bed.

"Once upon a time, there were two people..."

When she was finished, Abby asked, as she did every year, "What were their names?"
She wasn't falling asleep for once.

"Percy and Annabeth," Annabeth said, quiet.

Abby opened her mouth and closed it. "But...you always told me Dad died!"
"No, I told you he was taken from us."
"I always thought you were weirdly sentimental and just didn't want to say dead!"
Annabeth shook her head. "Nope. The story I've told you for seven years is true. Somewhere across the ocean is your father and your brother, probably doing the same exact thing."

Abby shook her mouth. "So the gods..."
"Percy's father was Poseidon, my mother was Athena."
"'Was'?"
"We don't really talk anymore."
"Do I have powers like the myths?"
"Probably. 12 is usually the age they start, as well as monsters."
"Sheesh." She kneaded her forehead. "I always thought you were sort of crazy."
"Figured."
"So, what, we have to wait eight years before we can see them again?"
Annabeth nodded.

"But...how did...I'm so confused."
"I'd better start at the beginning."
And she did—she started with the boy who killed the minotaur, who stumbled into camp and passed out and drooled. The boy she'd married.

Abby was too tired to ask questions by the end of it—she just closed her eyes and fell right asleep.

Annabeth left the room and went down to the beach, staring across the ocean.

"Happy birthday, Ashton. Miss you, Percy."

aaaa

Abby wasn't as tired as she seemed. She watched her mother out the window, on her knees in the water, hugging herself and crying.

"Eight years," She whispered to herself. "I'm not waiting eight years to see my family."
She turned her eyes up. "You hear me, Grandparents? You hear me? I'm coming. Tomorrow. Leave the elevator unlocked.

They drove the long drive to New York the next morning, both quiet. They went to several stores and then to lunch. Then they went to Macy's.

"Mom? I have to go to the bathroom," Abby told Annabeth. Annabeth nodded, looking at a pair of shoes.

aaaa

Abby went up the escalator, and down the elevator. Her mom hadn't moved. So she sneaked through the store to the doors. Hesitating only for a second, she slipped through them and out onto the street.

There were an insane amount of people on the streets compared to Montauk.
"Excuse me, sorry, can I just get through here please?" She elbowed through and managed to get to the crosswalk. She had to wait a minute for it to change, but she rushed across with the rest of the people.

She crossed a couple of more times, glancing over her shoulder anxiously for Annabeth, but there was no sign.

The Empire State Building was open, a few people going in and out. Abby waited until it was mostly empty before approaching the security guard.

"600th floor, please."
He glanced up. "No such thing, kid. Beat it."
She put on her best confused expression.

"But my mom told me there was!"
"Who's your mom?"
"Annabeth Jackson."
He dropped the magazine and stared at her.

"Eh? No way."
Abby pulled her mother's bronze knife out of her purse. "Way."
The guard shook his head and handed her a security card.

"Make sure you're the only one in the elevator, okay, kid? Sheesh."
She put the knife back and went to the elevator. It was empty, so Abby stuck the card in and pushed the button that appeared.

AAAA

Annabeth shoved people out of the way and slammed open the Empire State Building doors. The guard at the desk jumped.

"Where's my daughter?" She asked, dead calm.

He shook his head. "Wh—who?"
"Don't pretend to be an idiot. I am too ticked off right now."
"She—she went up. She had your knife."
"Yeah? I have my sword. Give me the card."
aaaa

Abby sped past the gardens and mansions, past the staring gods. She made it to the palace in record time, the elevator doors opening far behind her.

The throne room doors were huge. Abby shoved them as hard as she could and they cracked opened. She slipped through the gap.

"Excuse me?" She said, hesitantly, looking up at the giant figures. There were only five of them, but Abby knew enough mythology to identify them: Zeus, Hera, Posiedon, Athena, and Aphrodite.

"And who are you?" Zeus thundered at her. She didn't even blink.

"Abby Jackson. I believe you know my parents?"
Zeus sighed. Poseidon grinned.

"Yes, child. We know them. They usually bow."
"Good for them. Listen, I have a request."
"And can you pay?"

Abby shifted her weight and put her hand on her hip. "Excuse me? They saved your sorry butts and you gave them one gift. Mom didn't even get to choose! And then they did it again, and you didn't even reward them. So, yeah, I can pay—I'm calling on that favor."
Zeus growled. "Be careful of your mouth, child."

"Or what? You'll blast me? Yeah, and then they'd be pissed. Because they defeated Titans, who were greater than you. You think you could get them?"
"They wouldn't dare-"
"No, the only reason they haven't is because you're they're parents."
"Abby!" Annabeth's voice rang across the throne room.

"I want them back," Abby said, backing away. "Today."

AAAA

Annabeth grabbed her hand and shoved her out of the room. She stood, tall and proud, facing her mother and grandfather.

"I'd apologize," She spat. "Except I really don't think that you like lies."
She spun out of the throne room and dragged Abby with her.

The car ride back was quiet. But when they pulled into the garage, Annabeth didn't get out. She turned to face Abby. "You aren't grounded. You probably should be, because you snuck away from me and risked your life."
"I know. I'm sorry, Mom."
She pulled out the knife she'd took and held it out to Annabeth.

Annabeth shook her head. "No, I want you to keep it. You're going to start training."
That night, they had a late-night picnic on the beach with blue cake. They took Annabeth's watch and laid it on the blanket.

"Three...two...one." Annabeth smiled. "You are officially 12 years old."
But Abby wasn't looking at her. She was staring at the ocean, a firmly concentrating look on her face.

"Mom," She whispered. "What's that?"
Annabeth looked. There were two silhouettes on the water, moving like they were walking, except that was crazy. No one could walk on water...

And Annabeth was up and running, sprinting across the sand and into the shallow water. One of the figures caught her, swung her in his arms and kissed her as hard as he could. The other figure came up onto the beach and stopped next to Abby, staring at her with sea-green eyes that matched hers to the exact shade.

"Is that blue cake?"

I've had this story in my head for years!Please review, favorite, and follow!