The eight half bloods left Sally and Paul's apartment at about 10 in the morning. This was due to a minor setback with a Fury visit and Jason's and Percy's equal love for blue waffles, but regardless they were off to see Camp Half-Blood.
"Love you, see you later Mom." Percy smiled fondly and gave Paul a nod of the head before setting off to his other home. Paul smiled again, remembering Mrs. O'Leary trashing the living room and how much knowledge he acquired. Just like that visit, he had educated other half bloods- he now knew more than ever. Especially interested in the roman culture, he couldn't believe what they described the camp like…if only he could really visit.
"Bye Percy. Thanks for everything kids!" Paul's excitement about knowledge was just as bad as Annabeth's sometimes.
"I'll see you later Sally," Annabeth said with a hug. She waved to Paul before everyone else started their massive thank you's and hugs. Percy was glad to see Jason had warmed up to Paul just as much as he did.
"Your parents are the best!" Leo and Frank said, only to turn red that they agreed for once.
"Your mother is very sweet," said Hazel gently.
"Your were a cute little boy," Piper laughed. She loved to see him and Annabeth attached at the hip just like the photo she saw in Chiron's office when her and Jason arrived.
"Um, thanks."
"Hey Annabeth?"
"Yeah?"
"Are Percy's parents your only parents?" Jason asked sincerely. He knew it was a temporary line of truth they had, and it might vary well be over now that the world is safe, but he needed to know. The obvious relief in Sally's eyes and Paul's un-tensed shoulders showed that they wanted two children home.
"Not completely," she said to blow past the subject. She turned and Percy gave a look of 'really? You just saved the world with him can't you just tell them?' She sighed and shoved him a little.
"My father, step-mother, and step-brothers live in San Francisco. I don't visit them very often because I'm only close to my father, at best. My step-mom rejects the demigod life. Sally and Paul are the best parents I've met." Percy blushed at her last sentence, and shifted in his chair next to hers. Percy sat on the head of the table with Jason at the direct opposite end.
"How long has Paul been your step-father?" Piper asked. Paul wasn't there in all the group photos. Most were with Sally and Percy only, with the occasional Paul and Percy's friends.
"Um, it was around the Battle of the Labyrinth for camp. A year and a half or so? He proposed the night of my 15th birthday."
"The night of your birthday? Way to steal your thunder!" Leo laughed. "Or wave I guess since your Poseidon's son," he said. Everyone on board the Argo II rolled their eyes.
"Any way," Piper started again. "That's your only step-dad?"
"I had one before him- a total jerk to my mom and me."
"Your mom and I," Annabeth said to correct his grammar.
"Oh," was all Piper could say.
"Hey should the engine be smoking?" Jason asked.
After discovering a bird flew into the ships engine- even though no one knows how, they landed safely in the volley ball court of camp. No satyrs or demigods were hurt in the landing but the camp went silent as demigods came from literally all angles. Percy started to get nervous for some reason. He hadn't been home in forever- what if they didn't want him here anymore?
He was so unaware of how worried people were. The Aphrodite cabin sobbed for Annabeth, the Athena cabin wanted their sister back to normal, while the Ares cabin simply held there pride and repeated: 'If a goddess could take him away it would take a goddess for us to go look for him.' Clarisse didn't want to admit she missed her bean bag- practice dummy. It was even more fun to hit on him when he had the curse- he crashed all at once from pure exhaustion.
The doors opened and Percy walked out first with Annabeth, who was grinning so wide.
"Percy's back!" Travis and Conner yelled. The whole camp burst into half cheers and half whispers.
"Um, yeah, hi," was Percy's only response as he blushed and held Annabeth's hand tighter.
As Coach Hedge walked out last Clarisse and two of her brothers marched up to Percy.
"How dare you leave like that! You leave us with a roman replacement, Annabeth brokenhearted, and us to fight a Roman camp?! Not to mention how many times I took your chore duty!" Percy looked down and back up at her as he let go of Annabeth's hand. The whole camp went silent to watch the showdown.
"Down yell at me like that! You act like I had a choice in this grand plan of goddesses and titans. And it's not my fault, I'll cover your chores if you're oh so concerned. And don't you even talk about what happened to Annabeth," he said fiercely.
Annabeth blushed and prepared to defend herself like the strong woman she was, that was until Clarisse kicked his legs out from under him and made him fall flat on his back as everyone gasped. Annabeth took a startled step back to let Percy defend himself- like he wanted to do. This was just like his first day at camp, not kissing the boar but flooding toilets to prove his worth. He had proved himself to two camps and Lupa-he knew he could do it again.
"What is it with flipping Percy on his back for a reunion," he said coolly as Clarisse put the sole of her boot against his chest. His instincts kicked in instantly as he twisted her boot and she had to step back. As she prepared Maimer, her brothers advanced on Percy. He stood up with Riptide in hand, and again people backed up. Only Percy broke Maimer, and they wanted to be away from Clarisse when he broke it again.
Clarisse came at Percy's legs first while her brothers swiped simultaneously at his arms. He jumped back from Clarisse's attempt but only blocked one of the swords as his arm received a cut right above his tattoo, which half bloods, satyrs, and an Oracle just noticed.
"What's with the cut? And why the Hades do you have a tattoo- your to much of a wimp to get one," Clarisse remarked with another swing.
"No more Curse of Achilles. And as for the tattoo, it hurt like the River Styx. The Roman camp fits me well also."
"You traitor!"
"I am not! I'm a part of both camps, and you would definitely fit well with the Romans too." He deflected another block and turned around to deflect another as her brothers attacked again. He paid no attention to the gasps from the information as he cut the Achilles muscle of one of them. It was easier to take on two opponents together than three surrounding him. Though he could defend himself and another against dozens like he had done with Annabeth and Frank before.
"Oh really? Explain why they attacked us!" She cut his right arm again and he hissed in pain. He didn't want to have more cuts so he gave in to the familiar tug in his gut.
Water from the beach a ways off floated above everyone's head as he aimed towards her other brother. He wanted to mess with Clarisse for a few moments before trying to press offense. Again, it was easier to play with her head before advancing. The water disarmed the son of Ares as he still spared with Clarisse. Before the son of Ares drowned, Percy evaporated the water that had engulfed him in a semi solid form.
"Not only did we warn you about them," he started and pushed offense. "But we also tried to stop them before Annabeth looked for something. Octavian is the one to blame for that I tried reasoning with him but he doesn't listen. Reyna even tried to prevent him from pressing to New York."
"You mean the leader chick and the crazy blonde?"
"Yes! Who else you idiot!" Clarisse grew more mad and hit Percy with the butt of her sword to knock him on his knees. Then Percy got more mad and that… well that wasn't good for anyone. The anger he tried to contain flew out like a dam had been breached. How could Clarisse sit here and blame him for everything- it was Hera's fault! Gaea's fault!
The earth cracked under Clarisse's feet- only under hers- as she lost balance. The Hurricane came out of no where and how it sustained on the sand of the volleyball pit was a mystery to the others. Chiron stepped forward to break up the fight as Percy pressed Clarisse more with water and pressure- her electric spear had broken under the pressure as she was soaked head to toe with the air practically sucked from her lungs. Percy knew how much she could handle before she would pass out and pulled back before she did.
"Perseus please stop damaging my camp," Chiron said calmly. This wasn't the first fight he had broken up from them, or Percy's first time using his various water powers on others. The water evaporated instantly as Clarisse gasped, though able to breathe, and obviously drenched while Percy remained healthy, dry, an unharmed. His wounds had healed the first time he summoned the water. His heart was beating rapidly for the punishment he would receive and not from the sword fighting and waste of energy from water bending and storm creating.
"You. You're going to get it good at capture the flag, Jackson." She waltzed over and grabbed the collar of his camp shirt. He responded-before Chiron could give him punishment- by pulling her hand away and creating water under his feet. It formed a platform a foot off the ground as he walked backwards.
"Awe, don't be like that. You act like I walk on water," he laughed before Annabeth pulled him down.
"Your asking for it, Seaweed Brain," she snickered. She was glad to see Clarisse had been put in her place, even at Percy's expense.
"I see you and Clarisse have welcomed each other. I'm glad to see you again my boy," Chiron smiled. It was a relief to not see this hero disappear and become a dead demigod of the gods.
"I missed you Chiron," Percy smiled. The two shook hands as Chiron spoke again.
"Why don't you all unload and meet me in my office- all eight of you- in two hours, before the lunch horn?" It was a statement more than a question to them.
"Yes sir!" They all chorused. They laughed as the crowd started to get closer to Percy again, Clarisse had already disappeared to her cabin while her brother with the bleeding ankle was handed ambrosia from the ground.
"Sorry man," Percy said while blushing. He just grumbled and got to his feet.
"Percy it sooo good to see you again," Drew said loudly while breaking through the crowd and effectively moving to the side opposite of Annabeth. She growled as she went to talk. Percy spoke before her, not knowing she was going to speak.
"Um as much as I am glad to see you all," he said while talking her arm of his bicep, "Can you please not stand so close? I'm a little claustrophobic these days." Only Annabeth knew it was because of Tartarus-the others just knew he had become a little touchy on his personal bubble. Drew huffed and took a step back.
"Why don't you visit the Aphrodite cabin later?" She said while shamelessly twirling her hair. Not only did everyone know she had a mad crush on Percy, but also how territorial Annabeth was.
"Back off Drew. I didn't go all that why to see him to get stuck with chore duty for rearranging your face."
"Oh please, you wouldn't do that in front of everyone." Annabeth smiled that she hadn't said she couldn't but that she wouldn't do it with an audience.
"I'm a crowd pleaser- even you could be surprised." Drew huffed and was interrupted by Percy while Piper and the rest of Drew's siblings flushed from embarrassment. She was messing with their mother's OTP, which isn't good.
"Um can we not do this?" Percy volunteered. Drew simply turned away from Annabeth and spoke to Perce again.
"Don't forget the offer! And I think the tattoo is pretty badass," she smiled. Percy only shivered from distaste and turned to judge Annabeth's face. It visibly relaxed as she mumbled to herself about her 'stupid good-looking boyfriend.' Percy sure didn't hear that though.
The camp patted Percy on the back as he made his way to his cabin with Annabeth's hand in his. He walked in and it shocked him. The cabin was just as it was- except for his bed. It wasn't messy from his struggle with the unknown force that took that night- it was neat with his candy wrappers on the ground and in a neat pile next to the pillow. People had backed up and promised to talk him later as he stopped responding to their questions and his face blanked. Piper stepped up to hug Annabeth.
"I won't tell anyone you two were alone," she smiled as she walked off. People had caught the couple alone rarely, but Chiron knew of it. What he and Percy were both unaware of was Annabeth's late night visits, which turned limited after her Yankees cap stopped turning her invisible.
"Why is the bed like that?" Percy asked.
"I got a little too lonely some nights. I missed you a lot." She looked down as he sighed.
"I really am sorry," he sighed. He couldn't explain his sorrow for making Annabeth feel… so lonely.
"Come on Seaweed Brain, let's talk."
"Well, I, I've never been this speech-less," Chiron said. The eight of them had explained everything, taking their turn. But Chiron was especially stuck on Jason's ability to kill monsters by taking the air from them, and Nico, Percy, and Annabeth's trip to Tartarus.
"Well I will tell the Olympians to prepare to see you tomorrow morning. You all will sleep here at camp. Is that okay with your mother Percy, I know she has been worried sick."
"I'll tell her. She knows I would need to go to Olympus in the next 72 hours."
"Okay, see you later."
"How on earth do you loose your nightlight?"
"I unpacked it, but now I can't find it," Percy explained while Athena's daughter rolled her eyes and walked with him to the camp store.
"Where does one find them?" He pondered aloud as he looked in clothing.
"Hey what if it was near blankets and flashlights? Pretty great idea huh?" She said sarcastically, pointing to the nightlights.
"Whatever smart-alec."
As he paid in drachmas to Butch, who said welcome back again, and walked out to inspect it minutes before lights out.
"Jackson?" Percy's head perked at his name. He was being called from one of the Hecate cabin's kids.
"What?"
"Why do you have a nightlight?" Percy blushed.
"I need it to sleep nowadays."
"Wimp." Percy turned defensive- like Annabeth.
"How about you go to Tartarus and back and tell me if you need one," he glowered. He really didn't want to reveal that so soon- because only Chiron knew what happened on the whole mission.
"You went to… into Tartarus?"
"Yeah. You can hear all about it tomorrow. Goodnight," he said and started walking. The Hecate boy only stood there, horrified.
"You didn't owe him an explanation," Annabeth said as he stood at her cabin step. You could see her own nightlight glowing behind the curtains.
"Can we just sleep?"
"Yeah, it's good to be home. Goodnight Percy."
"Goodnight," he whispered. He kissed her softly before gathering her in his arms. He wasn't going to loose her this night, like he did months ago.
"You…You know I love you right?" he whispered. Annabeth nodded and whispered him the three words.
That night Nico crashed before any of the other demigods. Frank rested in the Ares cabin, worried Clarisse would attack him in the middle of the night. He and Hazel had been introduced earlier-he was terrified of her. Piper smiled after kissing Jason good night and walked into her cabin with lighthearted envy and blushing girls. 'I can't believe you landed a son of Zeus,' her sister gushed. And everyone else simply laid down, eager to sleep. Percy's nightlight dimly glowed as he dreamed of a happy future with Annabeth.
Awe, super ku-waii! Anyway next chapter is visiting Olympus… and I'm sensing a major bitch fight! J Anyway, I didn't own anything in this chapter- Unclr Rick does.
