Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus

Hello again everyone! Once again, I apologize, but I'm leaving to go out of state for the weekend, so I don't know if I'll be able to update. The drive will be even longer this time, so I'll have time to write if I have ideas. I was planning on this being the last chapter, but someone said in a review that they would like to see what would happen when he got home, so I think this will be a combined chapter for both branches, as there isn't supposed to be any variation in this part.

Also, sad to say, this story is almost over, so I need new ideas! I'm asking all of you to review or PM me ideas, because I'm not creative at coming up with ideas, so, please suggest anything from Romance, to Depressing topics, AU (I'll consider it) or anything. I'll consider all of them for my next story and please give me a brief description of it to build off of.

Lastly, I'm considering putting a likeness of myself into the next story as an OC, solely because I think it would be interesting and I can follow my own train of thought and emotions. I'll put a short description of my appearance and personality at the bottom, and let me know which godly parent you think I would have, or a few things to change that would make it that way.

This was way longer than I wanted the note to be, so now, let's begin!

Chapter 16 Combined Branches

Percy's POV

Blackjack dropped me off near the apartment where my mom lived in an out-of-the-way alley where there was nothing but a homeless man who was asleep against a dumpster.

I walked out of the alley and onto the street into the bustle of people who were always present in Manhattan. I looked around and felt a small surge of happiness. I was back in my element. Some people may not be comfortable in crowded areas like New York, but this was where I'd grown up, and I was used to being here.

I walked down the street towards our apartment, dodging through people, and occasionally across the street to get where I needed to. The streets were filled with honking cars, loud people bustling around each other, each going wherever they were needed, whether it was going home, to work, or to visit someone.

It took about thirty minutes of walking through the streets until I stood in front of my apartment building. I knew my mom and Paul would be there, waiting for me to arrive home.

I stood there for a few more seconds before walking into the building. I decided to take the stairs because it would probably be faster and the exercise didn't bother me. After fighting countless monsters, titans, and giants, not very much did.

I walked up the stairs quickly and hesitated for a second before opening the door. Had anyone told my mom what had happened? I knew she deserved to know, but at the same time, I didn't want her to worry about me like I knew she would.

I gripped the doorknob and opened it. About a two seconds after I'd opened the door I was buried in my mom's arms in a hug.

"Percy what happened to you?" I assumed someone had told her what had happened.

"Mom, I'm fine ok?" I told her, hoping to reassure her.

She held me out at arm's length by my shoulders. "No you're not, you can't expect me to believe that after what happened."

"Mom, really I'm ok. You don't need to worry about me, Nico has been helping me recover."

She pulled me to my room by my arm and made me sit down on my bed.

"I want you to tell me everything that happened."

I could tell she wasn't going to let me off without telling her, so I gave in. I recounted everything that had happened to me. I told her about the breakup, the next few days of depression, the dreams telling me that I was alone and didn't have anyone who cared for me, Nico helping me recover since the moment I woke up in the infirmary (Although I left the bit out of him admitting his feelings), the notes, though I didn't share what they actually said, and everything in between.

She was a good listener and didn't interrupt while I was talking. She had some tears in her eyes, but they weren't getting farther than that.

"How could you think no one cares for you Percy? Even without Annabeth, you have some great friends who are always there for you, along with me and Paul."

I felt guilty for what I'd put her through, but I didn't know what to say to her.

"I'm sorry." I said.

She smiled at me, "You don't need to be sorry Percy, just remember that I'm always here for you, and so are your friends."

She pulled me into another hug and I couldn't help from feeling a bit better next to her. My mom had always been really understanding of anything I did, and I liked feeling that she understood what I'd been through.

Well, I'm going to go start dinner, Paul will be home soon too, so you'd better put your things away if you want to have time to relax tonight. Remember you have school starting again next Monday.

I groaned a little bit at the thought of going back to school. The idea of math, english, and reading homework nearly made me long for fighting monsters.

My mom left my room and I started unpacking. I had all of my clothes put away, and had my pen in my pocket as I always did. I got to the bottom of the bag and found my journal. I flipped it open quickly and read the notes again. I smiled after I'd finished them and put the journal into the drawer of my nightstand.

"Percy, dinner is ready!" I heard my mom call.

"I'm coming!" I yelled back.

I walked to my door and looked back into my room. I smiled. Maybe life would finally get back to what it used to be, or at least close.

I shut my door and went to eat dinner with my family.

I hope you enjoyed this one! Like I said, I wasn't planning on writing this chapter, so I apologize if it was short, but I wasn't sure what to do with it. I'm sorry to say, but I think there's only one more chapter for each branch until this story is over. I think you'll all like one conclusion or the other, I decided on each of them hoping you would all like at least one!

Please review and let me know what you think. Also, let me know any ideas for my next story.

As promised, a description of me: I'm 6' 2", so tall, brown hair, green eyes. I'm mostly a loner with very few friends, I like snowboarding, wakeboarding, and swimming. I'm very pessimistic and don't think well of myself or any situation. Let me know who should be the godly parent of my semblance in the story, and what few things should change to fit the parent.

I hope all of you enjoyed, and I hope to see you in the next one!