In the West

***SPOILERS FOR THE SUN AND THE STAR. Because The Sun and the Star ended without even an IM of Percy and Annabeth finding out that Bob was back. So I wrote this. Because Bob said he was choosing to head west.***

Annabeth woke with a start. For a moment, she was disoriented. The shadows fell on the room strangely and furniture was in weird places. At least, compared to her dorm room in New York City, where she'd been living for the last two years. After a moment, though, as she blinked and fully woke up, she realized she was in her dorm room at New Rome University. Even after two months, she was still getting used to it. It probably didn't help that she spent a fair amount of nights sleeping in Percy's dorm room, too.

Speaking of her boyfriend…

Annabeth rolled onto her back so she could look over at Percy. He was fast asleep, sprawled on his stomach, and totally drooling on her pillow. Annabeth wrinkled her nose. She'd have to do laundry today. But it wasn't the first time. And it was worth it, she had to admit, to be able to fall asleep with Percy's arms around her. She always slept better that way. And since her roommate had gone home for the weekend, they'd taken advantage of the time alone.

For a moment, distracted by pleasant memories of the night before, Annabeth couldn't remember what had woken her up. Judging by the light in her room, it wasn't quite the middle of the night anymore, but it also wasn't fully morning, either. There was a pale gray quality to the light that made her think it was somewhere just before sunrise.

Sunrise…the beach…a tall figure standing in the surf, staring at the western sky as the stars faded and the sun began to rise over the city behind him. A small calico cat curled around his ankles.

Annabeth gasped. She sat up straight as her dream suddenly rushed back over her. A tall figure standing on the shore. She recognized that shore. Or, at least, she'd recognized the very clear landmark rising out of the fog over his shoulder. Even more importantly, she'd recognized the figure's shock of white hair. And his cat. A sob rose in her throat, but she put her hand over her mouth, forcing it back. There would be time for that. If the dream was real.

"Percy," Annabeth hissed, shaking his shoulder. "Percy, wake up."

"Ungh." Percy's hand flailed, trying to knock hers away as he burrowed into the pillow.

"Babe, come on. Seriously." Annabeth shook his shoulder again.

Percy grumbled something unintelligible and pressed his face into the pillow.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. Then she leaned over. Sliding her hand under her boyfriend's t-shirt, she ran her fingers along his back, letting them trace across the spot that had formerly been his Achilles's heel. Percy jumped, very slightly, and Annabeth smiled. Putting her lips near his ear, she said, "I promise it'll be worth it if you get up."

He cracked one eye open. "Oh yeah?"

She nodded.

"Fine." He rolled onto his side. His bedhead hair was an absolute disaster, but she had to admit that her heart fluttered when he grinned at her. "Alright, Wise Girl, what's your plan?"

"This." Annabeth rolled out of bed, grabbed Percy's jeans off the floor, and threw them at him. "Get up and get dressed. We're going to the beach."

Once he'd untangled himself from his jeans, Percy gave her a dirty look. "That wasn't what I thought you meant."

"I know." Annabeth rummaged through her dresser drawers for clean clothes. "But we're going to the beach this morning. You like the beach."

"Not as much as other things."

Annabeth ignored this as she whipped off her sleep shirt and pulled on a clean t-shirt. "Just trust me."

"Fine," Percy grumbled again. There was a creak as the mattress shifted. A moment later, his arms slid around her waist and his lips brushed her neck. "Good morning, by the way."

"Morning." Annabeth turned in his arms and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Now finish getting dressed. We have somewhere to be."

At 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning in San Francisco, the Prius was one of the only cars on the road. So they made good time getting down to the coast. Percy still didn't look fully awake—in fact, he appeared to be nodding off against the car window. But that was fine since Annabeth was driving anyway, trying to match up the coastline to the beach she'd seen in her dream. Finally, as they rounded a curve, Annabeth recognized the shape of the cliffs and the tumble of boulders along the sand.

"This is it!" she shouted, making Percy jump. He grabbed onto the handle over the door as Annabeth swung a hard left into the beach parking lot and threw the car into park. She unbuckled her seat belt and flung open the car door. "Come on, come on!"

"What the heck are we running to?" Percy asked as they jogged across the sand.

"Just trust me," she said for what was probably the tenth time since they'd woken up. She slowed down as they came around the edge of a cliff, scanning the surf. Mist was rolling in, making the beach look hazy and dreamlike. Beside her, Percy bent over, hands on his knees, wheezing. Even after a year, he still sometimes got winded. The acid air of Tartarus had apparently really done a number on his lungs, which made Annabeth's own chest hurt every time he wheezed. Now, she rested a hand on his back. "Sorry, babe, catch your breath."

"I'm good," Percy managed. After a few more gasps, he took a couple of deep breaths, then straightened up. "Okay, now can you tell me why we're here?"

Fifty feet up the beach, the mist thinned, revealing a tall figure with a shock of white hair. Not trusting her voice, Annabeth raised a shaking hand to point.

Percy's gaze followed her finger. And then his face went slack. "Holy shit. Is that—"

"BOB!" Annabeth called out. When the Titan of the West turned to her and smiled, Annabeth started running again. She threw her arms around his neck when she reached him. He didn't smell like lemon cleaning solution anymore, but his stubbled cheek was the same when she kissed it. And his powerful arms were surprisingly gentle as he lifted her off the ground in a hug. This time, Annabeth couldn't stop the sobs.

"Hello, Annabeth Chase," Bob said. "It is good to see you again."

"Bob, I'm sorry," she said. "We should have helped Nico and Will, but—"

Bob shushed her. "It is okay. The quest was intended for them. Just as you two were meant to return to the world above last year."

"Still," Annabeth sniffled as Bob set her back down. "It's so good to see you. I can't believe you're here."

Bob smiled again. "It is good to be back in the world. I have missed it."

"Hey, Bob." Percy had reached them. His expression was uncertain, as if he expected the Titan to shout at him. Tentatively, Percy held out his hand.

Bob studied him for a moment, then grinned and shook Percy's hand, before pulling him into a hug. "Hello again, Percy Jackson."

Percy's shoulders sagged in relief and he patted the Titan's back. "Bob. It is great to see you."

"How did you know I was here?" Bob asked.

"I had a dream," Annabeth admitted. "And I was really hoping it was the demigod kind."

"Lucky it was," Percy said as Bob smiled at them.

They sat down on boulders near the shoreline and Bob told them about his experience being captured by Nyx and how Nico and Will had rescued him, then about their journey out of Tartarus.

When Bob finished, Percy gave a low whistle. "Wow. That's intense. And I'm sorry, Bob. We should have—we should have offered to go with Nico and Will. After what you did for us—"

"No, friends." Bob shook his head. "Damasen and I did not make the choice we did so that you would have to return to the Underworld."

Small Bob leapt onto Annabeth's lap, then curled up, purring loudly. She ran her hand gently along the kitten's spine, which was bony through his soft fur. "Still. But I'm glad it worked out. What Nyx did to you, though," Annabeth shook her head. Her fingers trembled against the kitten's back. "That was horrible."

"It was torture," Bob said, his voice calm as he gazed out over the sea. "It was difficult to hold onto myself. But I had made my choice. I much prefer being Bob." He drew in a deep breath, his silvery eyes closing, the sunlight making his hair glow. "This brings me peace."

After a few quiet moments, Percy asked, "What are you going to do next, Bob?"

"I don't know," Bob said, but he was smiling. "It is nice to have choices, though."

"For sure," Percy said.

The three of them sat there for several minutes, just enjoying the peace of the morning as the sun rose, burning off the fog. The waves lapped against the shore, and Small Bob continued to purr contentedly on Annabeth's lap. Finally, Annabeth worked up the courage to ask, "Was there…any sign of Damasen?"

Bob shook his head and Annabeth's heart sank. "Nico di Angelo and Will Solace stayed in his hut, but there was no sign of the giant."

"Damn," Percy said quietly.

"Indeed," Bob agreed. "But there is always hope."

"Always." Annabeth reached over to take Percy's hand, smiling as he laced their fingers together.

The three of them had once stood together in the most hopeless moment of Annabeth's life. Now, just over a year later, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders as they sat together in contented quiet in a beautiful morning on the beach.

There was always hope.

***Short, but hopefully sweet. Thanks for reading!***