GO FORWARD AND BE EATEN.

GO BACK AND REGRET IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

NOT MUCH OF A CHOICE, IS IT?

If no one reviews to say that I should keep chapter twenty six, I'm getting rid of it. Also, when the next chapter comes, should I put all the chapters in time order? Or do you guys like it random?

Paul's P.O.V.

I opened the door to the apartment and turned on the light in the hallway. Sally and I had just gone out for dinner to celebrate the end of the war. Don't ask me how she knew it was over, because nobody told us.

Sally walked down the short corridor to the living room. I turned around when I heard her purse, thump to the floor.

"Paul," she whispered in a strangled voice, "Paul, they're back."

"What?" I gasped and strode to her side. There, lying on the couch, curled up together under a blanket, were Percy and Annabeth. We just stared at them for a shocked second. Then I started forward, opening my mouth to speak. But Sally grabbed my arm and whispered, "Wait, not yet. Let them sleep."

I looked at her. Her eyes were wet with tears of joy. I understood. After years of worry, she couldn't bear to wake them up when they looked so peaceful.

Sally sank down in an arm chair, her eyes still fixed on her son's sleeping face. I looked at her.

"You're going to stay here," I guessed.

She nodded.

"Could you wake me up at seven, if I fall asleep?"

I nodded. "Sure."

I took a shower and changed into my tee shirt and old sweats. When I went back to the living room, Sally was zonked out too. I smiled and sat in the chair next to her. The next second, I was passed out too.

Percy's P.O.V.

I woke to my stomach grumbling. I could guess why. The delicious smell of home made waffles and bacon permeated the air. Gods. I hadn't smelled that for years. Carefully, so as not to wake Annabeth, I sat up, wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth as a reflex.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head," a familiar voice called cheerfully.

"Mom?"

"Of course silly," she said, engulfing me in a hug.

"It's so good to have my baby boy home," she whispered in my ear, and proceeded to try to kiss every inch of my face.

"It's good to see you too mom," I said, laughing out of pure relief and hugging her back.

Paul came up and clapped me on the back.

"Glad you're back, Percy," he said, then lowered his voice slightly and continued drily, "Your mom was a bit worried whether you'd come home at all."

"Nice to know everyone has so much faith in me," I muttered, while my mom swatted Paul's arm.

"Don't be silly, you two, I had complete faith in you! But really, Percy, eight months without a word and then you call to say you're on a quest? Do you know how worried we all were?"

"Do I smell waffles?" Annabeth asked, waking up, rubbing her eyes and looking around blearily.

Saved, I thought, as Mom started fussing over her. Soon we were all seated at the kitchen table, talking and laughing as if we'd never left.

"So, Percy," Paul said, handing over the jug of maple syrup, "How do you plan on making up for missing you two final years of high school?"

I was so startled that I upended half the syrup onto my plate, completely drowning my breakfast.

"Uh, I hadn't really thought about that . . ."

"Of course, you've been busy saving the world," Paul acknowledged, while Annabeth gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like, Seaweedbrain.

I spent the rest of the morning having to think about all that awful stuff. Finally, at around one, I stood up and said,

"Um, we can talk about this later, right? Annabeth and I should probably go . . ." I looked at her, hoping for help, but she just winked at me and said innocently, "Go where Percy?"

"Go no where, not for at least a week," Mom said sharply, "You just got back, let me keep you a little while longer."

"You two can stay here," Paul said cheerfully, "We don't mind. And we're having pasta with meatballs for lunch."

Annabeth looked at me beseechingly.

"Well, if you insist . . ."

This story is almost done! So review like Barney is chasing you with a rubber snake on roller skates! Faster! Don't give in to the non-reviewing forces of darkness!