/ AND we're back! I can officially say that everything from this point on will be canon-compliant with The Sun and The Star. Anything before this point will be edited one day to maintain canon-compliance. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 35 - We Party (Let's End the Book Here, While Everything is Great, Ok?)

The next few days were busy - rehearsals for each of our graduations and helping Sally and Paul put together the decorations for a party. It was going to be a small event - we had tried to contact some of our Roman friends and hadn't gotten through. We had tried to contact Thalia and the Hunters - nothing. But some of our friends from Camp were going to come, and Magnus said he'd try to come by too, you know, if he wasn't needed for Norse end of the world preparation.

My dad came to town for the ceremony, and we spent a day touring museums, eating Chinese food and watching cheesy rom-coms together. It felt nice. He was really trying his hardest to be here for me.

The night of my graduation ceremony, Sally helped do my hair in a pulled-back style she found on Pinterest. It looked really good, and she secured my graduation cap to my curls with some pins. I looked at myself in the mirror, adjusting my owl earrings.

Sally wrapped her arms around me. "Thank you. For everything you've done for our family. I love you."

I teared up, trying not to cry. I had just finished my makeup the way Silena had taught me, I did not want to mess it up. "Love you too."

We went to meet the others in the living room. Sadie, Jaz, Walt, Carter, Zia and Cleo had arrived and were talking with Grover and my brother Malcolm. Rachel, Nico and Will seemed to be laughing at something Percy had said. Chiron had Estelle on his lap and was chatting with Paul. Everyone stopped to applaud as I stepped out of the hallway. It felt weird, in the best way, to see all these people I cared about here. Who cared about me, I realized. I had spent a long time without a true family, a family that cared about me, but now…. They were here. My mortal family arrived and we headed out to the ceremony.

I won't bore you with the details, but I will admit I blushed pretty hard when my cheering section went wild as my name was called. That night, I laid awake, running my fingers through Percy's hair. We had done it. In twenty-four hours, Percy would officially graduate. We would finish high school and get to live our lives in California. Well, assuming no evil emperors or Norse gods or Egyptian monsters ended the world first, but still. Compared to the past? Everything felt so much more certain now. Scary, new, crazy, wonderfully certain.

Percy's ceremony was the next night and was even shorter than my own. It seemed Alternative High School did not have many graduates, and the speeches appeared reused and stale. Still, we went wild when Percy walked across that stage. We screamed and cheered so much he went bright red from embarrassment.

The next day was the graduation party. My dad had found a place with a rooftop garden and it looked stunning. I was admiring the view of the skyline when I heard -

"Oh. Wow."

I turned. Percy was standing there, looking like he had been hit in the face with a fish.

"What?"

"You. I never get tired of seeing how amazing you are."

I blushed and smoothed my dress. "It's the dress."

Percy shook his head and came over to me. "It's you. You are perfect, you know that?"

I laid against him. "So are you."

Another set of arms encircled us. I looked up to find Grover and burst out laughing.

"What? I don't get to join in?" He protested. "I would totally be graduating right now too, you know, if I had any desire to continue in mortal schooling."

"Happy graduation, Grover." I said, giving him a proper hug. "I guess you have graduated, too, huh? Percy's all grown up. You did it. You protected him."

He blushed and shifted on his hooves. "Maybe I should protect him just a little longer. I could come with you, at least make sure you get to California ok."

I looked between them. "I love it." I decided. "Let's go on a road trip, just like our first quest."

"But with less mortal terror." Percy decided.

"And fewer traps." Grover added.

"But even more friendship." We shared a smile. How had we all gotten here? Together, still, safe and sound.

The party got started and I got busy saying hi to everyone. I was welcoming in some of my mortal school friends when a hand pressed against the door. I looked and -

"Mom?" I asked, stepping back in surprise.

"Hello, Annabeth." She held out her arms and I stepped up to her for a hug. She wrapped me carefully in her arms. "You've done well, my dear."

I looked behind her - Poseidon was standing there, looking slightly uncomfortable in khakis and a polo. "She insisted I dress up, at least a little." Poseidon explained.

I laughed and let them in. Sally's jaw dropped when she saw him - "Po- uh, hi."

"Hi, Sally, lovely to see you as always." He hugged her and Paul looked between Poseidon and my mom.

"Uh, hi again." Paul said, putting out his hand. "Percy's dad, right?"

"That's right, and I must thank you for everything you've done for my boy. You really were able to work magic this year - I'd love to talk to you about perhaps becoming a tutor for some of my other children."

Percy stared at Poseidon in horror. "I can never tell if you are kidding about those 'other children' or not."

Poseidon just winked at him and led Paul away. I hoped Poseidon had thought this through and remembered that Paul couldn't breathe underwater. You can never tell with gods how much they remember about us mortals.

Sally looked back at me and my mom. "It's Athena, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's nice to see you again Sally. I must thank you for your assistance and kindness to my daughter."

Sally smiled at me, "She's a pleasure to have around."

"I don't doubt it." Athena murmured, gently stroking Estelle, who giggled. "Annabeth is my favorite child for a reason."

"Mom!" I protested.

Athena just gave me a small smile. She turned to my dad. "And Frederick, you look well. Come, let us discuss your latest paper - I've read your most recent draft and quite frankly, your research is not what it used to be."

"Uh, yes, let's talk." Frederick agreed, following her like a puppy. My stepmom glared at them both, but if Athena noticed, she didn't do anything. That was probably for the best - I felt like getting in the middle of a fight between my mom and stepmom would be about as dangerous as our fight with the Giants.

"So that's a Greek god?" Alex asked from right behind me. I looked over my shoulder at her and she shrugged. "No more intimidating than the Norse ones. Don't know what the big deal is." She went over to talk with Poseidon as I shared a grin with Magnus.

"She won't say anything to get herself blasted to bits in the middle of the party, will she?" I asked Magnus.

"She's handled herself with grace each time we encounter a new god." Magnus assured me. "So long as you consider making snow angels in the magic rainbow bridge as grace."

I thought about it and shrugged. The chances Alex would be impulsive and ready to anger the gods as Percy was felt slim. I went around the party, catching up with old friends and talking about everything from Doomsdays to college to

Sally and Paul brought out the cake. "I would like you to know -" Paul announced to the group, "That Annabeth officially made the cake herself - and did not set anything on fire."

Everyone at the party applauded as I blushed. Percy grinned and gave me a hug.

Sally insisted on getting photos of us with the cake before we could eat it. It wasn't as good as one she could've made, but it was still a good cake. Athena found Percy and I enjoyed our cake with Rachel, Nico and Grover.

"Annabeth, would you come talk to me for a moment?"

"Yes, Mom." I answered automatically. One does not refuse a godly parent, especially now that I know they can just will your heart to stop beating.

We walked over to the far edge of the roof, where we could look out at the world.

"I've been watching you." Athena said quietly. "You are doing well, learning your magic."

I was stunned. "You knew?"

Athena grinned a real, true grin at me. "Yes, Annabeth. I typically know what is going on with my children. It's best I keep my distance, though. Let them find their own paths."

"So…. did you know I had magic."

"I knew you had the potential for magic." Athena explained, looking out at the skyline. "Magic is…. A tricky thing. There are all sorts of ways to acquire it, lose it, learn it, be consumed by it. Most mortals find the power too intoxicating, they lose sight of the rest of their lives. They do not strengthen their other gifts." She turned to lock eyes with me. "Make no mistake, Annabeth, I support your decision. You are correct that once your magic started to escape your control, you had to learn to use it, otherwise it would have consumed you and everyone around you." She spoke so certainly I shuddered. "But it is only one weapon you have. Your wisdom, knowledge, courage and determination got you this far. Don't neglect those, either."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "I am dual-enrolled for college."

Athena smiled at me. "And I am proud of you. But don't get lulled into a false sense of security. Threats still exist in this world. Creatures and events who will try to destroy your happiness. Your job isn't finished."

"I-" I cleared my throat, realizing it had gone dry during her speech. "But Percy had you all promise - no more quests, no more using us."

"Unless you choose to." Athena reminded me gently.

"But we won't choose to." I protested.

"And Annabeth…. I know you well, my darling. You chose to volunteer for the quest for the Master Bolt."

"I wanted to see the world." I agreed.

"And the Sea of Monsters."

"I wanted to save Grover."

"You chose to take the sky from Luke."

"I-I didn't know he would betray me."

Athena held up a hand. "My point, my Annabeth, is you deserve your break. But when danger comes again…. Remember, you have a choice. And remember all the weapons at your disposal."

I nodded, trying not to feel troubled about this maybe being the end of the world again.

"We'll see each other again." Athena promised me. "But for now -" She waved her hand and a solid silver credit card appeared in it. "For your trip, with Grover and Perseus." She held it out to me. "Now, I must go and thank Percy's parents properly. Goodbye for now, my Annabeth."

"Bye, Mom." I hugged her tightly, then went back to join our group.

Once the party was over, I found Percy sitting outside on the fire escape.

"It's been a crazy couple of years." He said quietly, looking at the stars.

"Agreed." I sat next to him and he automatically wrapped an arm around me. "But maybe the craziest part of our life is behind us."

"I'd be good with that." He whispered. "I still wish…. Somehow, that we could have saved them, brought them with us." I knew he meant Bob, Damasen and Small Bob.

"I know." I assured him. "I still try to burn food at least once a week and hope it gets down to that shrine. Maybe, if they lived, they can get back there."

"That'd be good." He whispered. We sat in silence for a while, grateful to be alive and thankful to those that allowed us to still be here.