We're Coming Home

She Wanted Freedom and He Wanted Paradise

Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series or the Heroes of Olympus series. They rightfully belong to Rick Riordan. Though, I guess the greek mythology is owned by Greece, and the roman mythology is owned by the Romans. I also do not own the songs Iris and I'm Coming Home II.

Warning: There is Fem!Percy, so if you do not like, then I would advise for you not to read this story. This is also character deaths, along with already dead characters. This story will have slightly sad moments and might have some dark or bloody moments (it has monsters, half-bloods, and immortals for gods sakes!) Little mentions of child-abuse, only in the past, nothing explicit.

Shout Out: CupCake2213 and Iluvbookfandoms for reviewing Chapter Three!

Iluvbookfandoms: Well, just read this chapter!

Enjoy!

P.S: I know, I'm evil...

Chapter Four

Falling To Hell

Part Water-

And the blood will dry underneath my nails.

And the wind will rise up to fill my sails...

...But I know, no matter what it takes,

I'm coming home…

"Oh gods. This can't be true…Persephone?"

Bianca Di' Angelo was sitting up, brown eyes glistening with tears. She was trembling as she touched Persephone's left cheek, as if she was afraid that the girl was a ghost. When Persephone nodded her head, Bianca sprung herself at her friend and hugged her.

"Yeah, I'm here. To stay," says Percy as she stroked the daughter of Hades' hair, comforting the sobbing girl. She smiled sadly as she stared at her cousin.

Leo couldn't help but feel awkward, watching the two girls. It's like he was interrupting a special moment, and that he should leave. He fidgeted, moving his gaze away from the girls, trying not to seem intruding.

"Thank gods! You're back, you're back, you're back! I'll never let you leave again. I'm sorry," cried Bianca, shaking her head sharply.

Persephone grabbed her cousin's face and looked her straight in the eyes. Sea green met Tartarus brown. "It wasn't your fault. There is nothing to forgive. Got that?"

Bianca just nodded and buried her face into Percy's shoulders. Leo then realized just how much the two loved each other. They reminded him of Thalia and Annabeth, best friends and almost sisters. Technically they were close, being cousins and all. But this was different, it was more important. It was sweet and loving, the way Percy was comforting Bianca, it was like…

'...like my mom.' Leo realizes, his heart clenching at the thought of his mom. Esperanza Valdez, lover of Hephaestus. His mom, the one that would teach him how to use tools and morse code. She was always so happy and kind, even when he knew she was suffering.

"Are you sure they're awake? I mean, they had a long way to go, from Calypso's Island to reality," came Piper's voice. Footsteps could be heard, and the two girls stopped hugging each other.

"Whatever, we'll just wake them up," replied Thalia, and Leo somehow knew that the girl was smirking.

"No we wouldn't," snapped Annabeth. "We'd let them sleep, and discuss plans afterwards."

The door opened and everyone stopped when they saw the trio up and awake. Luke, Annabeth, Thalia, Piper, Jason, Frank, and Hazel stood there, all dressed up to get through the day. Though, Luke and Jason were still yawning, and loudly too.

"Oh…you guys are awake," stated Piper, which made Percy and Leo snicker. Bianca just became blank, her expression empty of emotions. Which creeped the Romans and new Greeks out.

"We are." Percy says, rolling her eyes at them. She crossed her arms and stood up, huffing. "Got a problem with it?"

While everyone knew she was joking, Thalia still accepted the challenge. "Yeah, I do" she says, her shield suddenly popping up. Most flinched, but Percy just raised an eyebrow at her cousin, unimpressed by Medusa's face.

"Well, we better fix that." Percy held a gleaming, bronze sword in her left hand. She spun the handle intimidatingly, her green eyes narrowed.

"Yes, we better."

They both shot forward, Thalia's spear appearing in time to fend off Percy's sword. They sparred for a while, though Leo could tell that Percy was holding back. Annabeth stepped between the girls, her hands on her hips.

"Stop it, both of you," scolded the daughter of Athena as she smacked Thalia's head. Percy ducked under Annabeth's hit, much to the child of Athena's annoyance.

Percy snickered at her wise friend. "Wow Wisegirl, you must be rusty in your skills if you can't even smack me," mocked the daughter of Poseidon, her eyes gleaming with an unspoken challenge.

Annabeth just growled and put her hands on her hips in a 'mother hen' like way. Her grey eyes made Leo shiver, they were dark and stormy. Just when he thought that she was going to accept, she spun around and sat at the planning table.

"Okay," started Frank, who was already drawing plans. "We have to travel to Rome and find Malcolm. Then, we have to take whatever he has gained and travel to Greece."

"But what about Camp Half-Blood?" Leo asked, making everyone turn to him. Piper and Jason nodded in agreement with their friend. Percy sat next to him, making Leo smile.

Frank looked thoughtfully at his carefully mapped out plans. "Well, I guess we'll know when we find what Malcolm has, maybe it's a clue." His final answer was awkward and risky, not to mention how nsure he sounded.

After a few moments of silence, Annabeth stood up abruptly. "Okay then! Leo, you go steer Argo II towards Rome! Frank, you and I will start making war plans. The rest, do what you like, but be ready to fight!"

Everyone nodded at Annabeth's words and spread out to do what they wanted. Leo went towards the steering wheel and Percy followed him. She sat in the corner, her legs crossed like a pretzel. She was still wearing her fire-proof blouse and jeans, and her hair was still in a perfect braid.

"So," says Percy, her soft voice carrying throughout the near-empty room. "What do you plan to do once the war is over?"

"What?" Questioned Leo, his eyes widening at the thought of the war ending.

"Well, it seems that the others know what they're going to do, telling by the way that they act. So I wanted to know if you have any plans," explains Percy, her eyes watching the clouds curiously, as though they were something important she had missed.

What do I want to do after the war, Leo asked himself. Honestly, if the war ended, I'm not sure what I would do…would I be left behind by my friends?

Just the thought of it made him feel sick.

"I don't know," he replied truthfully, trying to keep his attention on flying the ship instead of the girl next to him.

"What do you want to do?"

Percy got a dreamy look in her eyes. "I want to see everything, travel the world. I want to experience what I missed, and catch up with the world. Maybe even go to college," admitted Percy as she fiddled with the ends of her shirt.

Leo nodded understandingly, knowing that being a demigod sucks, and leaves you barely any choices in your life that isn't 'save the world from evil like our earth'. He hummed as Festus spewed out some smoke happily, like he couldn't understand the solemn and dreamy state.

Of course he wouldn't, you stupid fire-user. Leo silently chided to himself, not even paying attention to the flight path, knowing that Festus would take care of that.

"Who wouldn't?" Leo flushed when he realized he said his thoughts out loud.

"Oops, I said that?" Asked Leo sheepishly as he ducked his head, trying to not meet the girl's eyes.

Percy looked amused once she found that her friend was only thinking to himself. "Yeah, you did," she replied cheerfully, staring into embarassed, brown eyes.

"So who?" She insistently asked.

"Festus. I was thinking to myself about how this silly guy can't read the emotions because he was is a machine," explained Leo, patting his dragon's head.

The dragon puffed smoke into Leo's face, causing the boy to start a coughing fit. Percy laughed happily as she watched the two's interactions.

"It seems that someone disagrees with you," says Percy. Leo pouted, knowing that Festus and Persephone won.

"I thought you were on my side," exclaimed Leo in mock hurt. Percy put an arm around Leo, despite being quite small compared to the male. She pulled him closer, their noses touching.

Leo closed his eyes as he felt Percy's breath hit his face. Now that he was closer to her, he noticed that she smelled, not only like the ocean, but like cinnamon. Kind of like Calypso, but different, more cheery and innocent. The daughter of Atlas' scent was more sad and old, wise with age. Persephone's scent was innocent and powerful, knowing what betrayal and heartbreak was at such a young age.

"And whoever told you that my cara fuoco," whispered Percy in fluent italian, making Leo cover up a shiver. The italian words rolled off her tongue beautifully, she obviously chose a good language to learn. He would've asked what it meant, but felt that it would've ruined the mystery.

"Nobody, my little concha de mar. Just wondering," he replied, giving her a spanish nickname. She beamed at him before pulling away, much to Leo's disappointment.

"Well come on cara fuoco! You have lots of steering to do," cried Percy as she mock-saluted to Leo, who just shook his head and turned to the wheel.

"Whatever you say, concha de mar, whatever you say."

LxP

"Wait, you're telling me that you escaped Ogygia by this fire-idiot pulling you on a raft?" Malcolm's incredulous words made Percy smirk and nod, both ignoring Leo's cry of protest against being the 'fire-idiot'.

"Yep, pretty much."

"Wow Seph," said Malcolm as he shook his head. "Most of the times, you have the worst luck in the world. But sometimes, your luck can be okay." Percy just grinned before putting an arm around Malcolm.

"Aww, come one Mal! You know you love it!" Malcolm just shook his head, shrugging his friend's arm off of him. He glanced at the son of Hephaestus and smirked when he noticed the piercing glare.

The boy was jealous.

It wasn't hard to see that Leo had some type of feelings for Malcolm's best friends. So, of course, Mal did the sensible thing. Seeing how he was the son of Athena and all…

He decided to tease the boy.

He leaned closer to Percy and pretending to trip over his broken ankle. He put his arm around Percy for support and fake winced. Percy immediately helped her friend and supported him. He ducked his head on her shoulder, breathing hard as he pretended to be in pain.

"Are you okay Mal?" Asked Percy worriedly, her hand going to his head, checking for a fever on instinct. Malcolm smiled in triumph when he felt Leo's glare harden. The boy was probably hoping that he'd blow up in flames. He never knew this was so fun!

"Not really," he replied as he faked another wince, lifting his broken ankle up in a fraud show of hurt. Percy sat down and put his head in her lap, trying to get him to stop using his legs. Malcolm had to hold in his laughter, his best friend was making this all too easy!

Suddenly, Malcolm could properly feel what was on his ankle. He looked down to see thick strands of webs wrapped around his ankle. His eyes widened when he saw the webs move. Arachne was trying to get him! He was stupid to not notice it earlier.

He grabbed Percy's extra dagger, ignoring her cries of protest. He slashed the webs and the stopped moving. He sighed in relief before horror replaced the feeling.

Percy was scolding Malcolm, grabbing her dagger and smacking his head. She never noticed the webs wrapping around her waist.

"You stupid Wise kid! That was my dagger, you should've asked for it if y-Ahh!" She fell to the ground completely helpless as the webs dragged her closer to the dark pit.

"Percy!" Mal tried desperately to grab at his friend's arms, but the girl realized what would happen and pulled her hands back. A sad look crossed her face and she let the webs take her closer and closer to the pit without a fight.

She disappeared into the pit and everyone scrambled to go check the hole to Tartarus. Malcolm tried to stand, but he winced for real. Oh, the irony! Now his ankle hurt!

Everyone sighed in relief when they saw Percy gripping at a rock. Bianca put her hand out, trying to reach for Percy, who just shook her head in refusal.

"Meet me at the Doors of Death! I'll close it on the other side and then escape! Promise me, Bianca!" Percy exclaimed as her fingers started slipping off of the rock.

Bianca started trembling and shaking her head. "Promise me!" Percy insisted, only her index and middle finger was on the rock.

"I promise!" Bianca screamed, her eyes all teary now. Percy smiled fondly and nodded towards her friends sadly. She closed her eyes as a deep and an evil voice washed over the demigods.

"Sacrifices. Such a beautiful sacrifice. Only for the earth goddess." The voice chuckled as Percy felt her index finger slipping off the rock. She felt the air around her whoosh as she started to descend to the definition of Hell.

She could hear screams of protest and tried to block them out as the darkness overflowed her senses. And the last thing she heard from her group of friends was:

"Concha de mar!"

~End of Chapter Four~

Author's Note: Cliffhanger! I'm sorry, but I had to do it. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it! And I'm sorry this chapter is quite short!

Translations (done by Google Translate):

(Spanish) concha de mar: seashell

(Italian) cara fuoco: dear fire

I'm sorry if it's horrible grammar or anything, but I don't speak or write or read in either languages!

Please read and review! Reviews are appreciated and so is constructive criticism!