After that lesson at Brooklyn House, I got a lot more hopeful. Suddenly, I had a way to work magic, at least some of it. Some of it, like controlling the Duat, or the Mist, or whatever, I still had to learn the hard way. And I still wanted to learn the Egyptian words for the spells, so that I could do it right. But it felt great to know that there wasn't something wrong with me, I just learned differently than the others in the class. I wasn't an idiot - I had to follow my own path.
I was done with school and homework for the day and was working on a list of Ancient Greek words that I might be able to use as spells when Percy carefully traced the back of my neck.
"Any chance you want to ignore whatever you're doing and come have fun?"
"What did you have in mind?"
He gave me one of his signature grins and led me out the door. Soon, we were cruising along with the windows down.
"Do I get to know where we're going?"
"Someplace special." He informed me.
"Good special?"
"Good special."
"Mortal special or godly special?"
"You ask too many questions."
"I feel like that's a fair question!" I protested. "We know there are at least Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Norse gods still around. It's fair to say there are others out there too. I feel like I should get to know where we're going in case we trespass on some god's favorite hang out spot."
"I think we'll be ok." Percy assured me.
"You say that, but our history begs to differ."
Percy laughed. "It'll be good, I promise."
I settled down after that. If Percy promised I'd be safe, well, despite all the monsters, gods, demons and who-knows-what-else that could come at us, I believed him. I hadn't realized I had dozed off until Percy was tapping my shoulder.
I yawned as he explained, "We're here, come look."
I stepped out of the car and saw a small baby-blue cabin, very run down. One shutter banged against the wall in the wind. I gave Percy a curious look.
"This is my mom and my cabin. Back before, you know." I did know. Percy had mentioned this cabin more times than I could count. It had been his favorite place before Camp.
I smiled and slid my hand into his. "Show me around."
I'd love to say the place had redeeming qualities, but other than the fact that Percy loved it, there really weren't any. In fact, within the first three minutes of entering, I had to go wait in the car while Percy attempted to get rid of all the spiders. After only a few minutes, Percy came back to the car.
"Yeah…. I think we're going to need to call a professional. It looks like the owner has really let the place go."
I gave him a small smile - I was still alarmed by the large amount of spiders.. "Still, I… I like seeing this place. Since it's important to you."
Percy opened my door and waved me out. "We can at least still walk on the beach. No spiders. Or at least, a lot fewer."
I grinned and got out. We spent what felt like an eternity and only an eye blink, talking about everything. Every bit of stress, worry, and fear was taken out by the tide. I wished that we could just stop the clock, stay here, not worry about Egyptian or Greek or Roman or Norse doomsdays. The sky turned dark as we laughed over memories of Grover wearing a wedding dress, Percy demanding his pen back from an Egyptian god, and the defeat of our enemies through the magic of Diet Coke.
"Should we head back?" I whispered as we traced the Hydra figure in the sky, our hands overlapping.
Percy carefully kissed my temple. "Soon. First, I have marshmallows."
I laughed, but got up to join him. I LOVE s'mores. I had never had one until I was on the road with Thalia and Luke. Percy ensured these were even better - they were bright blue. We enjoyed s'mores, cuddling up together and dreaming of our plans for college. Percy decided he wanted to try sports, arts, music, and anything else he could try when we got to New Rome. After all, it's rather hard to find things you enjoy when you are just trying to survive monster attacks and graduate from school.
It was late when we finally started back to New York. We were both tired, so Percy turned on Disney music and we sang along, badly, at the top of our lungs to stay awake. When we got home, the lights were off. A note was on the counter -
Percy + Annabeth -
Hope you both enjoyed your day and are not dead. If you are dead, please come wake us. If you are not dead, please be quiet. Estelle is testing how much sleep two adults need to function.
With love, Paul
I smothered a laugh and showed Percy, who grinned. We got ready for bed as quietly as we could. I'd love to say that after such a picture-perfect day, I slept equally well, with no nightmares. But this wouldn't be my life if I got off so easy.
Rachel was being dragged into a dungeon in chains. She was so thin her clothes were hanging off her body. Her hair was a rats' nest that seemed to include more than one colored pencil.
"Finally!" A cold voice called out. "I have them all. I have all the remaining Oracles. The future belongs to Nero!"
The image slipped away before I could grab Rachel.
The next image was somehow worse - I was flying on a pegasus above New York, the city in flames.
"We stopped this." I protested. "Percy and I…. Luke took his own life to ensure this wouldn't happen."
A rumble shook the city and my dreams changed. Suddenly, I was stumbling across an island. How I knew it was an island I can't explain. But there was Magnus's friend, Alex. She was fighting some kind of giant dragon, except it had no wings. She was tiring quickly. Battle raged all around us. I ran to try to help, but my feet sank in the sand like quicksand. I'd never get there in time. I watched, helpless, as the monster tossed her in the air and swallowed her whole.
"Alex!" I screamed, and noticed an echo. I turned to find Magnus running, his sword in his hand. Somehow, the sand wasn't affecting him. He managed to kill the beast, and was trying to find Alex, when I saw it - a stray javelin.
"No." I muttered, desperately trying to free my legs. "No, not Magnus. No, I can't lose another family member."
I heard his gasp as it hit him squarely in the chest and I woke with a start. I looked around - finding the glow-in-the-dark sea animals on the ceiling. I was at Percy's. I was safe. Magnus, Alex, Rachel, and everyone I loved was safe. I looked around and noticed Percy was gone. I staggered out to the living room, the blanket still wrapped around my shoulders.
Percy was on the couch, cradling Estelle.
"Hey." I said, still not over my dream.
"Hey." He agreed with a sleepy grin. "I heard her start to fuss and wanted to give my parents a break."
I nodded and came over to sit by them. I wrapped the blanket around the three of us and tried to remind myself that it had all been a nightmare, we were safe and fine. We had just had a great day together. Estelle seemed to grin when she saw me, but I wasn't sure she was old enough to understand yet. I leaned against Percy's shoulder and tickled her. Slowly, my breathing turned back to it's normal, steady pace and I felt my heart stop thudding so hard in my chest. I was nearly asleep against Percy's shoulder when I heard -
"Do you ever think about having kids, someday?" Percy asked in the quiet. I felt a shiver go down my spine, but it wasn't fear. Excitement, maybe. Anticipation.
I kissed him gently on the lips. "Definitely. But not yet, ok?" I brushed a hand across Estelle's cheek. "We deserve a few years to ourselves. We've never really gotten to know each other when we're not in mortal danger."
"Or immortal danger." Percy joked, but he nodded. "You think our kids will be this cute?"
"Definitely." I assured him. "And they'll be able to speak to horses."
"Yeah, and fight really well."
"And they'll be terrible at school." I added.
"But they'll have an army of aunts and uncles to help."
"And when they tell their classmates they spent their vacation in Atlantis, they'll all think they meant the waterpark."
Percy laughed, which jolted Estelle back awake. I gestured to take her and started to rock her. I sang the song Thalia had always sang to me on the streets.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy, when skies are gray."
By the time I finished the song, she was asleep. So was Percy. I took Estelle back to her crib and came back out to cover Percy in a blanket. I watched him for another few seconds. It was crazy, in a good way, to think about our future together. It gave me hope that maybe, the nightmares would stay nightmares.