A/N:
I was sick and tired of how authors bash characters for the sake of the story. Because Annabeth was never that much of a bitch and the campers love Percy. Plus, his mom would never kick him out, even with a baby on the way.
In regards to the timeline here, the first Chapter was post Titan War. The Gaia War is pushed back by five years, meaning that the main foe is Gaia. Yeah. Enjoy~
For Protection C02:
It took five years, five years until Percy Jackson returned home from training under Chaos. And when he did go back, tired and sore from training, another crisis arose, in the form of Gaia, who was stirring.
-0-
5 years ago, September 2nd, Camp Half-Blood:
'Where is he?" Annabeth yelled hysterically at the Son of Hades. Logically, she knew that she shouldn't take her temper out on her friend, but her emotions were getting the better of her. Ever since Nico had found Percy's cabin ransacked and empty, but with no signs of struggle, of both said teen and his belongings, she had assembled all the demigods to go search for him.
Dark, worried eyes looked at her under his fringe. "We'll find him, I promise."
Annabeth gnawed on her bottom lip, a habit she could never get rid of. All she could think about was that it was her fault Percy had left. Maybe, if she hadn't broken up with him, he would still be here. Of course, even she wasn't arrogant enough to say that it was entirely her fault. The death of his family most likely played the greatest part in his leaving but maybe if she had stayed with him, he wouldn't have left her.
A part of her had felt guilty, had felt responsible for Percy leaving; the other part could only feel relief. She didn't have to confront him about the breakup, didn't have to suffer through the awkwardness that was sure to come. And then, the guilt would come again, guilt for even thinking this way.
"– nnabeth! Annabeth!"
Malcom's voice reverberated through camp to her, jolting her out of her thoughts. Grey eyes blinked owlishly for a fraction of a second before sharpening as Annabeth turned her head towards her half-brother.
"What is it?" she asked, making sure to conceal the tinge of irritation that spiked up at the distraction.
Malcolm nervously scratched his chin, grey eyes stormy. "Uhh… Sorry to interrupt you, buy Mother has demanded that you go back to designing Olympus. She says that you shouldn't spend all your time pining for a, and I quote 'stupid sea spawn'."
The spike of irritation gave way to a large one. Her mother never understood, much less approved of, her fascination with the Son of Poseidon. Percy just had that certain charm that drew her in, made her think she had loved him, but she realised it was only as the younger brother she had always wanted – her two actual younger brothers were hell spawns Annabeth swears.
-0-
Five Years Ago, October 20th, Somewhere in Singapore:
Nico cursed. Another dead end. Of course, the world was huge, and Percy could've hidden in so many places, but the ones that Nico had checked, hundreds of them, held no trace of the Son of Poseidon.
A clue, one clue! That's all I ask for.
Because Nico is still in love with Percy, had only grown to love him more in his absence, and he would never give up on someone he loves, not again.
-0-
Current, September 2nd, Manhattan:
Ahh…, Percy thought, it's good to be back home. He'd travelled down to Earth, Mother Gaia; right after his training was complete. As he stood atop the Empire State Building, below Olympus, he could glimpse the people scurrying down below, as small as ants to him.
At twenty-two years old, Percy had finally returned home, with the same black hair, green eyes and the orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt though the words were a little worn. With a smile, he spread his arms as if they were wings, delighting in the breeze that gently caressed his skin.
And then he jumped off, and disappeared from view. No one in Manhattan noticed anything.
-0-
September 2nd, Outside of Camp Half-Blood's borders:
As Percy stood atop the hill and gazed over the place he'd once called his (second) home, his eyes misted over, and memories surged forward. The blond hair that he'd grown fond of, grey eyes he had loved. Of course, after five years, he'd gotten over the blond, but a small part of him still carried some lingering feelings. They would never be ignited again – it was too late for that – but they could still be best friends.
After such a long time, Percy finally felt that he was ready to go and mend the broken relationship between Annabeth and himself; as friends only of course.
As the Son of Poseidon strolled through the barriers, a grin on his face as he walked through familiar pathways, he had finally encountered another person, a boy who looked just like him, except… he was fifteen years old.
Was that…?
"Hey, new demigod? Where's your satyr?" His lookalike asked, arms crossed over his chest. It did not escape Percy's notice that his whole body was tense and ready to fight or flee in case he, Percy, turned out to be an enemy.
In the five years that Percy had trained, the one thing he did learn, painfully, was that strangers were not to be trusted, and the best way to get them to back off was to ignore them. When he found Annabeth or Nico, then he would consider even communicating with people he didn't know.
A traitorous part of his mind whispered that in such a long time, Annabeth and Nico might have become strangers as well. Percy kindly told it to shut the Hades up.
So in accordance to his instincts, the Son of Poseidon had just ignored the boy trying to speak to him and continued on his way, eyes darting, scrutinising, across Camp in search of the blonde or the Son of Hades.
Before he could go more than a few steps, he found the same boy glaring at him, blocking his way, bronze blade pointed threateningly at his neck.
"We are at war here stranger, and I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me who you are and your purpose here. Judging from your familiarity with the place, I'd say you're not new here. However, I've been here for a year, and I have never seen you before. So you'd better tell me who you are or I'll sound an alarm and you'll be surrounded by every able-bodied demigod with no chance of escape. So who are you? Are you one of the remnants of Kronos's forces?"
The boy's green – more emerald than sea green – eyes were narrowed and drilling holes upon holes into his body. If Percy was anyone less, he probably would've cowered before the boy.
Seeing that yes, he had to answer if he didn't want to attack the demigods, Percy sighed. Well, it seems like he did have to talk to strangers after all.
"My name," and he paused here for dramatic effect, "is Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon."
As quick as lightning – Zeus's son? – the other boy grabbed his wrist and dragged him along into camp, shouting for Chiron, Annabeth and Nico to 'get their goddamn butts to the Big House ASAP'.
And Percy, after he resisted his first instinct to throw the boy onto the ground, could only smile helplessly as he was pulled along. Well, at least he would see his friends again very soon.