I have to admit, I logged into my email today to find my inbox filled with a lot of really positive emails from Fanfiction. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my last chapter. It really means a lot to me.

To all those who added this story to their alerts/favs or added me to their author alerts/favs: LaDeDa (); allieapollo; DIGIFAN99; jahfreenalam; Percy Jackson Rulez

Let me know what your thoughts are, thank you.

alidei


Dear Poseidon

Sally Jackson has always loved Poseidon. Even when they parted, even when she gave birth to Percy, even when she married Gabe. She's never lost touch of Poseidon, either. Read her letters to the sea god about life, work, Percy, and her love.


Chapter One

"Sally, please, do consider it." Poseidon begged. "I love you."

Would it have been known that the Sea God was ready to fall on his knees and cry to the whole world that he was in love with Sally Jackson, a mortal? Probably not. But right now, right here, in the quaint park in Manhattan, he was ready to do so.

Sally Jackson shook her head. How she wanted to say yes! Living with the man- er, god- she loves in his underwater palace? The offer was so tempting. But she couldn't. She wanted to live her life independently, without relying on others, especially Poseidon. She loved the guy, but she wanted to follow her heart.

Poseidon watched the mortal women around them, giggling and pointing in hushed voices. No doubt it'd look like he was going to propose to Sally. But that could never happen. Amphitrite would be beyond fury with him. Triton, too. 'Sides, he wasn't the one that went around hooking up with women. That was Zeus' area. No wonder Hera wasn't too fond of her husband.

Sally pressed her lips together. A small crease furrowed between her eyebrows. After pondering for a minute more, she sighed.

"I'll tell you tomorrow."

Poseidon nodded. "Montauk, then."

She nodded, her eyes looking everywhere but him.

He glanced at her once more, and walked out of the park. He walked to the nearest beach- Montauk, surprisingly. The very place where he and Sally had first confessed to each other that they liked each other. So much has changed since that fateful day, one month ago. Back then, he didn't much about offering her a place to live with him in the ocean. Now, he was hoping that she would answer yes and live with him underwater.

Stupid, stupid! He scolded himself as he dived into the water when no one was looking. You're a monster. You just practically forced a human girl to leave her life behind for you. What were you thinking? You are just as stupid, ignorant, and selfish as the men who roamed the world today.

What exactly does Amphitrite see in you? A little voice in the back of his head whispered. She probably sees absolutely nothing. As he swam past schools of fish and was greeted by 'Hello, lord!' all around, he couldn't help thinking- maybe, just maybe, the little voice was correct. Amphitrite was often fussy nowadays; what could possibly have driven her to marry him? Even so, if that was the case, would Sally accept his offer?

Probably not.

Poseidon sighed. Being the god of the sea had its benefits, but right now, he wished that the Fates would will his life to fit perfectly, like little pieces of a puzzle, instead of jumbled thoughts and facts all around.

Like always, when he left, his scent would dance around in the air. One day, she told him that he smelled like seaweed, salt, and fish mashed together. Of course, right after that her hand flew to her mouth, horrified she had said such a thing. Poseidon had just laughed it off.

Sally sighed, whirled on her heels, and walked back in the direction of her cheap apartment.

"Hey lady!" a few drunk, older men whistled and called out to her. She ignored them and quickened her pace. She didn't stop until she slammed the door shut and heard the satisfying click. Sally didn't even realize she was holding her breath until it escaped her.

The problem about being a mortal, she thought. Is that you're no god who can incarnate people within a minute or so.

She changed into baggy clothes and sat on the thing she called a couch. As people scrambled outside to get to their cars to go home for the day, Sally Jackson pondered on what would probably be the most important decision of her life.


"Hey." Poseidon turned around. Standing before was none other than Sally Jackson, who was attempting to avoid chewing her nails but failing miserably.

He nodded. "Hey."

She sat next to him on the sand. Today, the sun was hidden behind the clouds, matching their moods perfectly. A small breeze ran by them, and she shivered.

"Here." He handed her a jacket. She shook her head, and he rolled his eyes- something I taught him, Sally thought proudly- at her stubbornness. "Sally, you'll get sick. Just take it." He stared at her, challenging her to refuse.

She purposely avoided looking into his eyes. She knew that if she looked, or even took a simple glance, she would reconsider her decision. Sighing, she held out her hand, and he placed the coat into it.

Must have been brought out of nowhere, she thought unhappily.

"Sally?" His voice shook her out of her thoughts. She blinked twice rapidly, then remembered why she was here. He motioned her to start.

"Oh. Oh, right." She drew in a deep breath. How should she say it without hurting him or his feelings? Would he destroy her because she is refusing his offer? What would his reaction be?

Shut up, she told herself. He loves you, and hopefully he'll understand your choice. After all, it's not like your life has been made to be a fairytale.

"I…I'm declining your offer, Poseidon." She spoke quickly, as if he would understand if she rushed through it fast.

For a split second, she watched the sea god's face drop, and then it was wiped off just as fast as it had shown. "It's okay, Sally."

She shook her head rapidly. "No, no, it's not. I mean, I love you and all, but I want to live my life independently. I don't want to- wait, correction- I don't need to rely on other people. I'll always love you no matter what, but I- I just…"

After a painful and awkward silence, he spoke quietly, loud enough for her to hear. "I understand. I love you, too."

At that moment, tears filled up in Sally's eyes, and she quickly hugged him. He hugged her back, and she felt his head bury itself in her short, cropped brown hair. She's always hated her hair. It was never pretty enough, never soft enough, and it certainly wasn't attractive enough. Somehow, though, it attracted Poseidon. He always played with her hair so many times whenever they met.

Poseidon felt like crying. Or, at least, dropping the façade he held that he knew Sally could see through. He couldn't compose himself much longer. He inhaled her scent, remembering it forever, and slowly, very slowly, he released himself from her arms. She looked down, and he knew she was just as miserable about as he was.

He didn't turn around to look at her one last time. Seeing her face would tear him down even more than it already was. Instead, he simply walked away into the waters, and disappeared.

The minute he was gone, Sally sprinted back to the apartment, her tears falling out of her eyes as she ran. People stopped and stared at her. Who was this strange girl running from the beach? She looked nowhere close to a teenager, more like a person in their mid- twenties. But with her hair, she probably looked 27 years old; despite the fact she was 23.

When she got back into her apartment, she broke down and cried. For the next few days, she would hardly move from the couch, only leaving to go to the bathroom, or cook something for her to eat. The tissue boxes became her new favorite companion, and she purposely wore anything but the color blue. Blue was his favorite color.

Down below the water level, a certain god swam aimlessly around the ocean. Poseidon had no destination in mind, he just wanted some alone time to straighten his thoughts out. It's for the best, he told himself. For the best.


One week later, Sally got up from the couch. Finally, some sense had found its way back to her. She continued living life like she did before Poseidon, but she couldn't help wondering about him. What was he doing? Was he crying, like her? Probably not. He's a god. Gods probably don't cry. Do they?

Yes, they do.

Sally jumped. What? She turned around frantically, a wild look in her eyes. "I'm positive I heard someone…" she mumbled.

Yes, you did.

"I must be hearing things." She groaned, and brushed her hair back into a somewhat ponytail. Was this what you experience after you break up with a guy you're totally and completely in love with?

Nope. Just call 1-800-call us now. That's 1-800-call us now. If you call within the next twenty minutes, we'll double your offer-

Oh. My. God. It was the TV. Sally had left it on without knowing it. She wanted to slap herself right now. She was about to turn the TV off when she saw what was being advertised. Paper. For writing letters.

For keeping in touch, the sane part of her brain spoke. She stood there for about one minute before she ran to grab her purse and jacket. She slammed the door, and ran down to the busy streets of Manhattan. She walked around for about 10 minutes before she found the nearest scrapbooking store.

"Hello, miss." A young man greeted her. Oddly, he had really puffy rosy cheeks that made him look like a pig, and it painfully reminded Sally of how Poseidon looked like when he was starting to run out of oxygen. Yes, gods needed oxygen to breathe too.

"Hi. Do you have any stationary paper that's ocean-related?"

The young man was taken back at bit. Yes, they did have stationary paper, but ocean-related? That was a bit of an odd request. He looked at the young woman in front of her. Probably early-twenties, he mused. Old enough to have a boyfriend, even. Maybe not, though. Maybe she'd be interested in him…

Stop it. He said to himself. This is a mortal customer, not a snack- I mean, a food. Uh-

"I'll search for one, sweet thang." He smiled his most attractive seductive smile and walked toward the storage compartment. He looked around for a few minutes before finding a pack of 20 sheets of oceanic paper. He walked back to the young woman, who was nervously biting her teeth.

"Here you go, babe." Seriously, what was with the mortal language now? It was much easier and simpler in the 1800s. Now, he had to be like the Greek prostitutes. Not that he minded them; he dearly loved those lust-filled moments in the bed with beautiful girls, but now he had to talk oddly to get a girl to notice him.

"Th-thanks." The young woman watched him warily before slowly and cautiously reaching her hand forward. She grabbed the paper before jerking her hand back in a blink of an eye. He was shocked. Where had that came from? The girl couldn't possibly-

No, she probably couldn't.

Sally knew the minute she started talking that this ordinary looking young man was, in fact, a monster. It was obvious. And, the sight was so revolting and horrifying. She tried to remember what Poseidon had said about the certain monsters that prey on humans as well, but her mind was so fuzzy she couldn't think straight.

"It'll be $3.50,lovely."

Sally mutely handed over the money, then thought twice and dumped the cash onto the counter and ran out as fast as she came in.


Fool, the boy thought. The girl could see. That would explain it. She could see through the Mist. Idiot! He told himself.

He'd have to be more careful. If there were more of these mortals that could see through the Mist and realize who he was, then they'd all be in trouble. All of them in the America country.

Just then, the phone rang.

"Winged Boar Scrapbooking, this is Chrys speaking." (1)

"Hey, bro. 'Sup."

Chrys snorted. "You don't need to sound like those idiots, Peg."

"Look who's talking." Peg snapped back.

Chrys rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Why are you calling?"

"Has that son of Hermes shown his face yet?"

"No, not yet, Peg."

"Listen, I just received his coordinates on where he is."

That got Chrys' attention. "What? That brat of Hermes is actually risking to show his face?"

"Yup. According to this map, I'm pretty sure the kid's gonna be there in about ten minutes, tops. Whatd'ya think?"

Chrys grinned. "Great, man. I'll meet him at that Manhattan forest, near to the Underworld entrance. Think the kid knows that?"

"Pretty sure he does. At least, that's where he's heading."

"Great."

"Yup."

"Peg, I'll meet you there. You, on the other hand, look out for my car."

"Chrys, you're my brother, but I really don't understand why you're in love with a Honda Civic."

"Dude, the 1988 Honda Civic is the best car out there! What's not to like!" Chrys argued.

"Later man."

"Wimp."


Peg hung up. He wanted to man-handle the kid, too. But right now, he had to see his dear father Poseidon about the number of brothers and sisters he had now. Including the annoying young foal named Blackjack. Who named the foal that?

I deserve to name them, after all. Peg thought bitterly. Chrysaor gets to hog all the fun with the demigods. Poseidon gets to have new foals all the time. And Peg? He gets thrown aside.

Angrily, Pegasus opened his wings on a New York building, and flew off in the direction of the ocean.


Fifthteen minutes later, Pegasus' brother Chrysaor was losing a deadly battle with Gus, so of Hermes.

"Not so fast are you now, Chrys?" Gus sneered, sweat rolling off his face.

"We'll see who's still standing, demigod." Chrysaor snarled. Finally. He finally got to fight the insolent demigod again in this life period. But he knew he was losing this battle rapidly. With his last effort, he attempted a suicidal launch at the 16 year old boy, and died.

Gus smiled. His quest was over. With Chrysaor finally defeated for this lifetime, he could take his prize. He walked over the remains of Chrysaor's 1988 Honda Civic when his foot caught on something. He tripped palms forward.

"What the-?" In the dim evening sun, Gus could barely recognize the outline of a pair of fuzzy dice. Fuzzy dice? Chrysaor was insane already, but fuzzy dice? Come on.

Gus smiled. "I'll put it on a bronze plaque." He said. "That way, everyone will know that it was I who defeated the oh-so-great Chrysaor, the winged boar son of Poseidon and Medusa, brother of the great Pegasus."

I'll put it in the attic of the Big House, he decided. Next to all the other famous objects and prizes of other demigods. I'll make my name there. Even if it is in front of that dusty Oracle.

He shivered. Just thinking of the Oracle was creepy already.

And on that cheerful note, he walked back in the direction of Camp Half-Blood.


Sally rarely felt pure terror. Just now in the store was one of those moments. A monster living so close to her. What was she thinking?

I was thinking about a letter and Poseidon, she thought.

She got out a pen Poseidon had given her on their three-week anniversary, took out a sheet of paper, and began to write.

Dear Poseidon,

I don't know why I'm doing this. It just feels… right, I guess. Honestly, I'm terribly sorry. I never meant to hurt you or anything. I just want to live my life dependently. Yes, I know, I already told you this, but I feel like I need to tell you once more just to get it into that your thick headed watery brain. I hope this doesn't offend you.

I don't know what you're doing right now. I don't know what you're feeling like if you do read this letter. The idea of writing to you came to me from a commercial advertising paper. I went to the nearest scrapbooking store to buy paper with an oceanic design on it. I hope you like it. I thought that the dolphins looked like your lieutenant, Delphinus. You said to me once that he is the god of dolphins. I never got to meet him, but may you please tell him hello for me? I'd like to die one day knowing that at least I know the god of dolphins, even if we never formally met.

I really don't know what else to say. But I still want to say that I still love you, no matter what. Even when you have a fit and drown half of Florida, even when you are wild and crazy, I still love you. Do you know why, Poseidon?

Because you are my god of the ocean. When you are angry, I am angry. When you are sad, I follow the same. When you cry tears, my tears will fall just as fast. I will walk to the Montauk beach from my cheap apartment, and I will place this letter gingerly on the water. All I pray is that it will find its way to you, and when you read this, I pray that you are (hopefully) not hurting. I do not know. After all, I'm just a mortal; you're a god. My lifeline is tender compared to yours. You will live forever. I shall not. But that's alright. Because I have a special preference for a certain god.

I'll always love you, no matter what.

Love,

Sally J.


"Lord Poseidon."

Poseidon looked up. Before him swam Delphinus, his expression blank. Poseidon raised an eyebrow.

"I have found a letter at the Montauk beach. It is addressed to you, sir, from a Sally Jackson. Do you wish for me to discard it or not?" Delphinus chirped.

Poseidon's face lit up. Sally. A letter from her. She wrote to him! A smile broke onto the god's face. He nodded feverishly.

"Delphinus, do bring it forth. I would very much like to read it."

"Yes, lord!" Delphinus swam back to Montauk beach.

Next to Poseidon, Amphitrite stiffened. Sally Jackson. A her. A mortal, no doubt. Just when everything was starting to settle down peacefully, her dear husband had to find a mortal woman to talk to. The familiar pang of jealously struck Amphitrite's heart. She instantly decided that she despised this woman. If this woman made Poseidon happy after days of depression, the woman should leave. Yes, Amphitrite loved her husband much more when he was happy, but did it have to take a mortal girl? Of all gods? Not even his wife, Amphitrite?

When Delphinus returned, Poseidon eagerly grabbed the letter. He read through the letter as fast as it had taken Delphinus to deliver it, and when Poseidon was finished, a genuine smile broke onto his face. Sally still loved him. She still loved him that she wrote.

At that moment, he didn't care that Amphitrite had swam off in a huff. He didn't care that Delphinus was staring at the god oddly. He didn't care that a mortal had just drowned off the coast of Mexico. At that point in time, the god of the ocean was really strangely giddy.


Above the water line, Sally went back to her apartment, feeling relieved that a heavy burden was lifted off of her chest. However, just as she walked through the doorway, she collapsed onto the couch, a very painful feeling weaving its way through her abdomen.


(1) That little very random off topic plot about these guys named Gus, Pegasus, and Chrysaor? It was mentioned (I think) in the Last Olympian that there was a pair of fuzzy dices in the attic of the Big House at Camp Half Blood with the inscription plate that they were acquired by some boy named Gus. I don't really know what possessed me to incorporate them in here, the chapter just wrote itself :)

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