A.N: Hey guys! It's been a while, but that's mostly because of school and work. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. This would have been posted on Christmas day but I forgot about this website, so this is a late gift!

This chapter we get to see Luke and we see Percy grow a crush on him and watch as she drools over a sword. Next chapter should have some truths being told and a breakdown because of her actions and wow, that's going to be complicated to write. Anyways, like always I hope you guys enjoyed this and leave a review telling we what you though of this chapter!

MortemPlasmon: Thank you and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

The Sorrowful Deity: Yeah, it would be very dangerous, but who knows what will happen? ;)

Coolabigirl: Thanks so much, darling! I'm glad you liked it!

Flowerangel502: Thank you!

Hannah Fernando: Thank you, love! I'm really glad to that you enjoyed. I wasn't sure if many people liked it! I hope you enjoy this update!

Percy loves the water, any water, but specifically the ocean.

The ocean is one of the world's largest mysteries. No one really knows what lies far down below the surface. Something new is being discovered almost every time an expedition is sent and even with the knowledge they have, they've only explored less than five percent.

However, Percy can breathe underneath the surface. She's not sure how it works but only that it does and that's enough for her.

She wants to ask her mother how she got it, but she knows that her mother will answer the same as always.

"It is an ability that is passed through your father's line. I will explain in detail when it's time."

Her mother liked to be vague at times. It was rather annoying, but she'd be patient, at least this once.

She could be patient for these answers.

It's summer and she hates being home every day.

(It's just more time that she spends in Gabe's lovely presence.)

The time she spends near him make the days go longer and she hates it. It's just more time to get yelled at and to get hit with fists.

She's grown accosted to the taste of copper and basil mingling in the back of her mouth.

He hits her harder once he realizes that she heals quickly; that or he thinks she's hard to bruise. It's hard to tell nowadays. Percy likes to believe that it's the latter or else the beatings would be even more frequent.

Either way, he thinks he can get away with his actions.

He's partially correct, Percy thinks because so long as he never hurts her sweet, loving mother - her world - no word of what he does would be exchanged.

But still, it's not like the beatings really hurt, but rather it's his words. Bruises, cuts, scrapes, and everything in between heal all too quickly for her. It's his words that cut deep into her soul.

Percy wants to believe that they are all lies, but there's truth hidden behind his words. She knows how much her mother loves her - she's felt it all her life -and she knows that being different is okay.

However, she also knows that she is a burden to her mother; she could've been successful if it wasn't for her birth. In addition to that, she knows that being different is not always a good thing.

It is only thanks to her mother that she can push those thoughts from her mind.

Percy, her mother had once said, you're the best thing that has ever happened to me. You've brought me so many good things and you will never know how grateful I am for you. I love you so much, my precious princess.

Percy attempts to convince herself that her words are true because she would never lie to her and yet-

She can't.

It's nearing the new school year when she finally says what's been on her mind since that year.

"Mom, can I go to a boarding school?"

Her mother turns around immediately and puts down the ladle in her hand and beckons her forward.

"Is there any particular reason why you're asking now?" There's a glint in her mother's eyes that implies that she already knows. Too bad Percy just won't say it.

"Well, I've heard that they're kinder to those with my... disabilities. Also, they have a more rigorous curriculum which will surely keep me entertained. Not to mention-" Her rambling is cut off when her mother takes her hands into her own.

"Okay."

"... Okay?"

"Okay."

A breath of relief filled the room, proclaiming everything and yet nothing at all.

Percy falls into her mother's arms as she hugs her fiercely.

"Thank you, Mom."

"It's my pleasure, mi amor."

"Mi amor?"

"It means my love in Spanish."

"... Can you teach me?"

"Of course, mi princesa."

Virgin's bowers vine wrap around her arms and coral honeysuckle blossoms grow in her hair as lavender lies in her mouth.

Percy paces her new dorm as her thoughts consume her. This is a new environment for her and not to mention, she's going to have to share her personal space with someone she doesn't even know.

She does her best to try and calm herself but it just doesn't work. Usually, she would let her flowers bloom from her but she's too cautious of who might see and what if there's cameras she hasn't seen it. It's not worth being caught just to be relieved of stress.

A knock interrupts her thoughts and her mind begins to run a mile a minute.

"I'm coming, one second please." Percy scanned the room for any imperfections and though she found a few, she ignored it and made way for the door.

When she opened it, she found a girl who was a few years older than her. She had long brown hair and her skin was lightly tanned. She wore a pair of black leggings and a large pullover with it. She looked plain in a beautiful sort of way, but her most distinctive feature had to be her eyes. They were a bright blue color that shifted to a deep gray. Not to mention the golden flecks that sprinkled her irises. She was bright in a way she'd never seen before. Overall, Percy found her roommate to be very pretty.

"Hi, I guess I'm your roommate!" She was a bubbly type of person as it seemed.

"Come on in," Percy said as she moved out of the way to let the older girl in, "I hope you don't mind I've taken the right side."

"Not at all. To be honest, I was hoping for the left side." The brunette turned around once she put down her last item and she had a wide smile on her face.

"Anyways, I'm Marigold!" She reached out her hand and Percy took it. Silently, she thinks that the name is perfect for someone so bright and affectionate, completely ignoring the omen her name otherwise suggests.

"I'm Percy. It's nice to meet you." And they shook hands.

They stared at each other again, sizing one another up, and at the same time they smiled and nodded their head.

"I think I quite like you." Marigold's voice was soft, almost hesitant, like she'd never said this to anyone else before.

"Well," Percy said with a small smile gracing her face, "I'm glad you feel the same because I'd be quite sad if the feeling wasn't reciprocated."

Yes, Percy thought with happiness clouding her mind, I think this is the beginning of a great friendship.

(If yellow and pink roses found themselves intermingled in her throat, well... Only Percy really knew. )

School is difficult to say the least. She had a hard time adjusting to the newness of it all, but by mid-October, Percy likes to think that she's at the top once more.

Reading is a chore as is paying attention, but Marigold helped her along. Her best friend - because that's what she was, no doubt about it - had picked up on her problems rather quickly.

("You have ADHD and dyslexia, don't you?" Marigold's gaze was piercing and though Percy was going to tell her the truth anyways, she felt the need to even more.

"How'd you know?" Marigold's eyes lit up and she smiled before she shook her head, her sigh wistful. Percy wondered why.

"I have it too. Here's some ways to combat it...")

She helped immensely and even when she didn't pay attention in class, she still understood the gist of it.

It was difficult, but she would endure. She always would.

She consumes every book she gets her hands on and the books she's brought from home are sure to be well-worn once the year is over.

She learns to survive because you never know what might save your life.

Her flowers are getting easier and easier to conceal and she's not sure if she should feel proud of that fact.

On one side, she has a better grasp on this ability, but on the other, it feels wrong hiding away something she felt pride in having.

Yet, it means that her control has improved.

The flowers and vines still grow from her, but they never leave, she doesn't let them. Perhaps it's wrong to conceal them, but until that time, concealed they must stay.

Time goes on and most of the school adores her. Her teachers see her as kind and sweet. Her peers view her as helpful and easy-going and her upperclassmen view her as adorable.

She's only had a few rough bumps - bullies, lectures, and detentions - but they don't matter in the long run. Not really.

The first half of the school year passes her by quickly. It had snuck up on her. That is, the decision to come home to her strong and sweet mother - and back to bloody noses, bruised cheeks, and cruel, cruel words - or stay during the break and be - safe from him - lonely.

It was a decision she hadn't wanted to make. However she already made up her mind a long time ago, so she called her mother.

("... can I stay here? For winter break?" There's a silence that takes away her breath but it's back as soon as her mother speaks.

"Of course sweetie! Now tell me all about..."

Percy doesn't cry, but it's a near thing. She likes to think her mother understands. For that, she loves her even more.)

Once school starts again, it passes by in a flurry and it's spring break before she knows it.

She's waiting by the fountain, the one she always feels at peace when near. It calms her, but not enough. Her foot is tapping, her knee is bobbing up and down, and her nails tap away at the fountain bench.

She's waiting - steadfast and patient - when she sees the dark blue Volvo that is her mother's car.

Her heart pounds underneath her skin. It had been too long since she had seen her mother. She wonders if her mother still loves her and with that thought comes chaos.

What ifs fill her mind, doubt clouds her vision, daffodils lay in her mouth, and her beating heart is all she can hear. Her palms are sweaty and she can't see. Her head is pounding, thoughts too loud and-

Percy is engulfed in a warm, gentle embrace.

"Oh, mi amor. I've missed you so much." And like that, she's pulled back to reality.

Her mother pulls back from her but her hands hold onto Percy's. She smiles and it takes away Percy's breath.

She's missed this so much, her mother and the comfort she brings. She wills away the many blooms that threaten to leave her, to declare all she feels for her mother. She'll wait another time, when it's just them two, to tell her, to show her what she feels.

"Mama, I've missed you too. So much. It was hard not being near you. I love you so much."

"And I, you." She pulls her in for another hug before Percy sees the mischief in her mother's eyes. She lifts her and twirls her around.

She smiles widely and wraps her arms around her mother's neck. Her mother is all the things she's ever loved or maybe it's all the things she loves that's based on her mother. Either way, she loves her mother without a doubt. She's the only constant - besides her abilities, but that's a given - she's ever known and to be honest, she's perfectly okay with that.

"Now, I've got a surprise for you. I know that you've mentioned you wanted to go camping this past year. Somehow, I've managed to get some time off and have already bought our supplies. We'll be tent camping and-"

She is interrupted by Percy's squeal of excitement as she's griped tightly once more.

She looks up and into her mother's calm blue eyes and says, "Just us?"

"Yeah," Sally says with a wistful smile on her face, "just us. Like it used to be."

There's something in her mother's voice that she can't describe, but it almost sounds like guilt to her ears.

Yellow zinnia and purple hyacinths fill her heart for a moment because she remembers when she could see her mother everyday without Gabe there and it brings her so much sorrow because those were times she still mourns.

"Yeah, like it used to be..."

(As they leave, Percy swears that she sees eyes like her own in the fountain and when they meet, she recognizes them. Just as she goes to look further, they disappear. During the entire car-ride, it's all she can think about.)

The place where they end up is beautiful and is all she could ever hope for. It's secluded and nature fills her senses and she feels at peace.

Here, she can bloom, without fear or caution because it's only her mother, wild animals, and nature.

Like the ocean (or really any other body of water), nature has always called out to her. Whether it be in the form of those flowers she loves so much or in trees or really anything that grows. Nature obeys her and does her bidding. It doesn't come as easily as water does, but she's okay with that. Water - in any form - has obeyed her with only needing a small inkling to do what she wants.

She's figured it out overtime that it's all about the intent, the emotions put behind the actions. She has to want it - need it - and then will it do what she requires.

Looking around the area, she found herself in a open space with little trees and the sun shined down on her. It was warm and bright, and she found herself smiling softly. It felt almost as if the sun was caressing her, giving her a hug. She faintly wondered if what she was feeling was a dream or is it was real.

It felt real and honestly, that was enough for her. Doing something, she hadn't done since the school year started, she knelt on one knee and let the sun beat down on her.

"Lord Apollo, may I thank you for your graciousness and thank you for your favor as I have no idea what I've done to deserve it. I know that these sort of sacrifices usually require food and a fire. However, I have hopes that this is sufficient enough and that you accept my sacrifice."

With that said, she looks at the emptiness of the field around her and thinks of any and every flower that would have meaning to the sun god and watches as they bloom around her.

She lets out a small gasp as she begins to feel a drain on her reserves and clenches her eyes tight. She had underestimated the size of the area, as it seems. Still, she preserved and would see this action through.

When she opened her eyes, everything around her was shining and illuminated. It was like looking at the sun.

With a wide grin spread on her face, she fell backwards onto the flowers behind her and let out a delighted laugh.

Her mind ran a million miles per second, but one thought was prevalent: The gods are real.

Apollo, a so-called myth of a god, responded to her thanks and took head of her.

The gods are real.

They had to be.

Her mother had taught her of these myths and of the language, not to entertain her, but to inform her.

Suddenly she felt something sweep over her and for a moment, she swore she saw her skin glow a radiant gold. She decides it's a trick of light.

Percy closes her eyes once more and lets the fact that's been revealed to her soak in.

If the gods are real, then that must mean that-

"Percy, darling! Dinner's ready!"

And just like that, the thought vanishes and she gets up quickly, not looking back even once.

(If she had, she would have seen an apparition of a blue-eyed man with golden skin and golden hair. His eyes were wide as he stared at the field of flowers around him. His eyes turned gold but glowed an eerie green and he began to levitate as words fell from his lips.)

It was the second to last day Percy would get to spend with her mother when she explored further than she usually did. She was feeling rather adventurous and wanted to see more.

Cattail and Christmas roses follow her as she explores.

As she ventured further and further into the woods, her ears pick up of the sound of rushing water. She grins and begins to run to where she hears the water.

The source turned out to be a gushing river. She couldn't have been more pleased. Well, she could have, but there's no oceans where she's at.

At once, she dives into the water and is pleased by the coolness of it. She's long since learned that her clothes will dry as soon as she's out, so there's no need to strip.

She finds herself a good ten feet or so below the surface and is surprised at how deep it is. She looks around and sees a plethora of animals surrounding her.

She's shocked at how she can understand the things they say and so wanting to see if they could understand her, she speaks.

"Hello, can you understand me?" They stop what they're doing for a moment and in an instant they look at her and begin to speak.

"Guys! There's a Child of the Sea here!"

"Sea Princess!"

"Daughter of the Sea!

"Princess! Princess! Princess!

"Sea Child!"

Percy thinks it fits, the names that is. She could do without the princess part because only her mom gets to call her that, but otherwise she likes the way it feels right.

Time passes all too quickly as she mingles with the animals.

She swims like she's made to belong in the water and not on land. She smiles softly as some of the fish begin to talk about how lovely it was to meet someone who could communicate with them.

For a moment, a mind flashes back to the sushi she ate and she feels terrible thinking about how it was once an animal she could understand that she ate. She decides quickly to avoid any type of seafood.

As she peaks her head out of the water, she gasps slightly as the sun looked due to set soon. She'd spent at least five hours under the surface and she hadn't noticed at all.

She says goodbye to the critters that surround her and exits the raging river as if the current doesn't have a single effect on her. Once she exits completely, her body is dry completely. Her hair is already back to its standard curls than opposed to the sleek wet hair she had underwater.

Percy begins to make her way toward her campsite when her mind - which is always so very loud - goes silent and suddenly she hears a scream and an even louder growl.

She whips her head to the area she heard it from and when she narrows her eyes, she can see a gigantic sized black dog and a blonde haired boy.

Before she can comprehend what's happening, her legs take off running towards the dog and boy.

Her heart is racing and she can feel something sizzle beneath her skin - waiting, waiting, waiting to strike at its prey - and she feels right.

The closer she gets, the more confused she gets. The boy is wielding a sword - a gods to honest sword - but he's faring pretty damn well from what she can tell.

She wants one for herself.

She's nearing and she's almost there when the boy spots her. His eyes widen slightly, and the dog - it's a hell hound - looks at straight towards her.

The hell hound stills for a moment before it runs after her. She's glad because she could sense that the blonde boy was getting tired, but then she realizes it's coming for her.

She decides to let it come for her, so she stops and she can see the boy running, probably to come save her but she thinks she's got this.

There's a moment where the hell hound is almost at her when the world goes still and she can feel the ground rumble before hundreds and hundreds of vines burst from the ground.

(She realizes much later that the feeling of something rushing beneath her skin had to be her powers lying in wait.)

Her hands go up and pushes out and the vines surround the beast and it struggles and manages to rip apart some of her vines but she can see the belladonna and azalea begin to take effect.

It growls and yelps and does everything that it possibly can to escape but Percy thinks it's down for the count.

The boy, and she can see him again, is almost to her with his sword in hand but he stops once he realizes that she is the one containing the hell hound.

He is injured from what she can tell, severely injured. It wrenches her heart that if she hadn't arrived when she did, he might have died.

She gives him a small smile before she gives her full attention to the snarling beast and goes forward and as she holds out her hand, seeds fill it.

Cerbera odollam, known to be on the most deadliest plants on the planet and with enough can cause instantaneous death.

The hell hound growls as she comes near it and with a thought on her mind, a few vines sprout from the ground and opens the mouth of the beast.

Quickly, she shoves the seeds down its mouth and she watches as it starts to resist less until it slumps down and then lets out a small whimper as it bursts into golden dust.

She takes a step back and all the adrenaline leaves her. Tears stream down her face and she pushes down the petals that wish to fall from her eyes. She's just killed something and she didn't feel anything while doing it and she hates herself for it.

Her mind runs a million miles a second and then she sways. Her eyes close and she's going to hit the floor-

"Don't worry; I've got you." She opens her eyes and all she see are eyes of sky blue on a sunny day.

"Thank you." She smiles weakly at him and then she remembers how injured he is.

"Do you have water?" It's an odd question but she hopes that he does. She makes out the slight inclination of his head and feels as he shifts around until she feels water hit her lips.

She feels herself get rejuvenated and senses go back to normal. She leans to the side and he seems to get what she wants as the water stops flowing. She opens her eyes and observes the boy she saved.

The boy in front of her looks to be a few years older than her and he looks dead on his feet. He had a tanned complexion and his hair leaned more on the ashy blonde side than the sunshine blonde she thought and on his cheeks were the faintest freckles.

Aside from his physical appearance, he has has bag under his eyes and has wounds all over his arms and some on his face.

For a moment, she doubts her ability to heal him. After all, she's only healed herself, but at the very least she must try.

Her eyes dart to the opened water bottle and wills it to do her bidding before she's interrupted by him.

"Are you okay?" He asks in a gentle tone and she can feel lavender begin to grow from them and she can't stop them from sprouting around her.

"I feel much better now, but you don't look so well. May I help?" He looks bewildered for a millisecond before it morphs into confusion. He nods his head once and she takes this as the initiative to go through with her

"You have ambro-"

"I'm going to touch your wounds, so it might sting" He looks even more confused as she says this, but she doesn't really notice as she wills herself to heal.

Water crawls up his skin and lingers on the wounds her hands over and she's amazed as the wounds begin to disappear. He hisses softly as her hands gently grip on his worst wound.

She finishes healing his wounds and when she looks up at him, he looks astonished.

He gets out of his stupor and he says, "Thank you so much. I don't think I could have gone on much longer with these wounds."

"You're welcome." It's silent between the two of them and all she can hear is sounds of nature.

"So do you have a name? I don't think mysterious savior is a good one. Mine is-"

Suddenly, someone from a far distance yells, "Blondie! Are you out here?!"

The blonde boy's head whips to the sound and he looks relieved.

"Mi amor! Princessa! Where are you?!" Percy's head whips to the right and then she looks at the boy - she still doesn't have a name for him - and he looks back at her at the same time.

"Seems that we've got to split up."

"Seems that way."

"Thank you," he says and then in a whisper, " I could have died out there, you saved my life."

"You're welcome and to let you know, my name is-"

"Where are you?! You better still be alive or else I'll revive you and then kill you again!"

"Coming, and I'm still alive, Thalia!" He gets up and he looks at her once more. He's grinning and his eyes are filled with so much glee; probably because he thought his friend was gone or something similar, Percy thinks.

"Guess I've gotta go. Thanks for everything and maybe our paths might meet again? Who knows? If we meet again, then it's fate!" He smiles at her and wow, he is really handsome.

He runs off and he is quick on his feet when he isn't so injured. He disappears into the endless greenery all too quickly.

She gets up and begins to run back to her campsite but she takes one look back at the clearing.

Lavender, violets, and a single blue periwinkle grow in a crown around her head.

(It's not until a week later when she's analyzing what took place that she realizes exactly those flowers mean and so what if she smells like a blend of those flowers everytime her mind drifts to him.)