Fanfiction: I Do Not Belong

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Book 1: The Lightning Thief

Chapter 18: Saying Goodbyes

I stood up with their help and my legs felt like I hadn't used them in years. "How long was I blacked out?" they shared a look and I knew it was longer than I thought. "It's the last day of summer camp." I froze on my spot, I missed that much time…there was no way. We walked outside and I saw it was mid-day, some campers were hugging and others were training before leaving.

"Are you guys staying?" I asked and they smiled at me. "We shall remain with our princess." "We are your protectors after all." I blinked and they continued to smile at me. "What are you talking about?" "Our dad told us once we got you back that you were now ours to protect, you are our princess. The princess of the gods and goddesses." Connor explained and Travis added, "We must follow you whenever you go."

I found myself smiling and jerked them both in for a hug, but we all fell onto the ground. "What's this?" Chiron asked, trotting up, seeing us laughing on the ground. "I see you are feeling better Hesperia." I nodded and stood up, he bowed to me and I bowed back. "My apologizes for leaving the camp without permission." "My dear, you aren't subject to the rules of a demi-god, you are not a demi-god after all."

I looked around at the demi-gods saying goodbyes already. "Will you be remaining at the camp as always?" I looked back at him and shrugged. "I have yet to decide. I think I need to speak with someone first." he nodded and moved out of the way, I walked over to the Poseidon cabin and saw Percy sitting on the pier over the water. "May I join you?" I asked and he looked at me, then nodded.

"Why were you in the throne room?" I sighed and sat beside him. "I hope you will forgive me when I tell you." I mumbled and he tossed a rock into the water. "Just tell me." "I lied to you." "How?" "I told you my name was Erika, it is not. I let you and everyone else assume I was a demi-god, I am not. I lied about everything." I said and he just stared, then threw another stone.

"I kinda guessed you lied about a lot of things whenever you were with the gods and goddesses. I seen how they were watching you, like they were scared you would leave or something." he got quiet again and I didn't know what to say to keep him from being angry. "So what is your name?" he asked, dropping the last pebble into the water, making it ripple.

"Hesperia." "Hesperia? Isn't that a name for the evening star or something like that?" I smiled and nodded, "I am the evening star." his head lifted and he looked at me. "Really?" "Yeah." "That's weird, shouldn't you be in the sky then?" I tossed my head back, laughing. "Perhaps, but for now, I'm here." he turned his gaze back to the water and I couldn't help but smile.

"You know, you remind me of your father." "You know my father?" "I was in love with him for a very long time." he turned so quickly that he slipped off the edge and fell into the water. He came up and I couldn't help but laugh, he was so shocked, he got wet and had a piece of seaweed on his head. I picked it off and helped him out. "You were with my dad? And I kissed you?" I remembered and blushed slightly. "That's why you were acting weird isn't it?" "Of course, but the instant I saw Poseidon, I tried to hurt him." "Why?" "He wasn't supposed to have anymore children…and I was slightly jealous." "Jealous?"

I sighed and nodded, looking at the water. "I thought he loved me more than anything else in the universe. I couldn't help but get jealous when he fell in love with your mother and had you. The times they must have had." "You can't have kids or something?" I snorted and smiled. "I am very capable of having children. However, a god of the sea and the evening star having a child? You think that human's and god's make strong children?" he must have realized that.

"You are quite powerful." "You have no idea." I replied and stood up. "Will you be staying at camp?" "No, I think I'm go home and spend some time with my mom." I nodded and he got up too. "I better get back to Conner and Travis." "Are they like your best friends' now or something?" "What do you mean?" "As soon as you got back, they never left your side, always there, barely even slept."

I blinked and smiled, blushing a bit. "They are more than friends." he looked back at the guys and then at me. "You're dating?" "Both of them." "Good luck." I laughed and he did too. "Percy, I have to thank you." "For what?" "For showing me that I was more than just a huntress, I'm also somewhat human, or at least have feelings like a human." he hugged me and I hugged him back. "Good luck in the real world."

I whispered and then he walked off. I walked back to the guys and Connor laughed as he pulled a piece of kelp of my shoulder. "So what's the plan?" "We are going to do both, half and half…after all, my protectors must not be dumb dumbs!" I joked and they laughed, then realized I was making them go to school. "Oh man!" they chimed and I giggled.

"Where's Luke? I want to talk to him." I saw their faces' change so quickly, the instant I said Luke's name, the situation changed. "What?" I asked and Travis spoke up. "Luke's gone." "Gone?" "He tried to kill Percy…after that, he left camp." I blinked a few times, letting it sink in. "Luke…" I whispered and then shook my head. "I guess if he truly thinks he doesn't belong."

I saw the sun starting to set and realized that we weren't leaving, but they probably had friends to say their goodbyes to. "Go say goodbye to everyone, I'm fine for this short while." They both looked worried about leaving me. I stomped my foot slightly hard and shook the ground barely. "I can take care of myself guys, go." I ordered and they walked away, but kept glancing at me.

I chuckled as they finally got out of my sight, I was in love with two brothers…how was this going to work? I looked around at the other campers saying goodbye and realized I had been here with most of them, even the Stolls', but never even tried to be friends, I was so focused on my anger toward Zeus for taking me from my home. I walked to the pier and walked until nightfall, the guys appeared beside me, each taking a seat.

"What are you doing out here?" "Missing my home." I said simply and they looked up at the sky. I felt a tear slip from my eye and it fell into the water, silvery. "How did you end up down here?" I looked at Travis, he was staring at me closely. "Zeus was obsessed with me, my brightness, my beauty. Finally he decided he had to have me and stole me from my place and home. My sisters and brothers wept for the longest time. Now they shine just as always. My mother still weeps for her missing daughter." "Your mom?" I pointed to the crescent moon. "She hides her face once a month to weep for her children that have left her or been stolen." "Falling stars?" I nodded.

"He brought me to the throne room and I formed into my body, so I would fit in more, after all, a star is only beautiful to those who gaze." I explained and they were waiting for me to continue. "The other gods and goddesses found me beautiful as well. I was their own star, their treasure. I loved Hespera, goddess of the Hearth, she was my favorite, because she treated me more like a daughter than anyone else.""She would sing to me about the home and I used to love her voice, it reminded me of my mother. Then I realized that I wasn't going home and fell into a deep depression, I couldn't even face the goddess I loved anymore, she reminded me of my mother and I couldn't bare to miss home anymore." "What did you do to get stuck down here?"

"Zeus had been trying everything to get me to be with him. Poseidon, however, treated me like I was worthy of going where I pleased. He got me to actually be happy and we fell in love. Zeus found out and decided that if he couldn't have me, no one would. He was going to have me destroyed, but Hespera wouldn't allow it, nor would Poseidon. Hespera told Zeus it was time for me to return to my own home and Poseidon couldn't believe his ears when Zeus agreed."

"So what happened then? Why didn't you go home?" "The night I was supposed to return, Zeus tried to seduce me once more, try to convince me to stay in secret, to be his. I refused, wanting to go home. He got angry and pushed me from the mountain, I fell for the longest time. He chose to send me away from him, but not his sights, he loved my human form more than my star form. I fell to the ground, but wasn't broken, after all I am heavenly."

"So you were forced to remain here?" "I can only go home whenever a god or goddess returns me." I finished my story and they wrapped their arms around me, Travis around my shoulder, Connor around my waist. "Well you are home now, you belong with us always." "My protectors…my loves…my princes…" I mumbled and leaned up to Travis, kissed his lips gently, then did the same with Connor. "This is going to be very strange and difficult isn't it?" Connor asked and I laughed. "That's what dating a star is like." Travis added after me, "We love challenges right Connor."