Basically I've been rereading the heroes, I just finished SoN…still two to go but as im not going to finish in time I'll probably read BoO and then read MoA and HoH and then again BoO.

This is the first book in a long time were I didn't read any spoilers…not even accidentally! I haven't been on tumblr all week because of that and so far im doing great so please no spoilers in the reviews or i'll swear I'll block you.

Tomorrow I have a big midterm and after that I'll come home and start reading that freaking book. I swear I'm going to die guys!

Enjoy this one-shot that goes sometime in the end of SoN where Percy, Hazel and Frank are still in Alaska trying to defeat the giant.

Its Annabeth pov

(a/n: a little reminder)

"The station wasn't far. They were just in time to buy tickets for the last train south.

As his friends climbed on board, Percy said, "Be with you in a sec," and ran back into the station.

He got change from the gift shop and stood in front of the pay phone.

He'd never used a pay phone before. They were strange antiques to him, like his mom's turntable or his teacher Chiron's Frank Sinatra cassette tapes.

He wasn't sure how many coins it would take, or if he could even make the call go through, assuming he remembered the number correctly.

Sally Jackson, he thought.

That was his mom's name. And he had a stepdad…Paul.

What did they think had happened to Percy? Maybe they had already held a memorial service. As near as he could figure, he'd lost seven months of his life. Sure, most of that had been during the school year, but still…not cool.

He picked up the receiver and punched in a New York number—his mom's apartment. Voice mail. Percy should have figured. It would be like, midnight in New York. They wouldn't recognize this number.

Hearing Paul's voice on the "on the recording hit Percy in the gut so hard, he could barely speak at the tone.

"Mom," he said. "Hey, I'm alive. Hera put me to sleep for a while, and then she took my memory, and…" His voice faltered. How he could possibly explain all this? "Anyway, I'm okay. I'm sorry. I'm on a quest—" He winced. He shouldn't have said that. His mom knew all about quests, and now she'd be worried. "I'll make it home. I promise. Love you."

Excerpt From: Rick Riordan, "The Son of Neptune." Hyperion Books.

Annabeth was studying some California maps on her Daedalus laptop. She had street view since before it was developed, (of course duh, it was his laptop!) and she was using it now to locate Camp Jupiter. Of course, the Roman camp didn't show in it because of some magical thing like Camp Halfblood, but she was searching the hills, watching the land, just to get familiar with it, more familiar with it, she'd lived there near Mount Tam for a few months.

What terrain they were going to fly to…she was so scared for the whole thing, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all but they couldn't back track…or yes, they could, she couldn't back track, Percy was there.

After Tyson had spoken to her via Iris Message the day before, telling her about how Percy reached to him in dreams and told him to pick up a harpy (that apparently he found cute, ehem, Tyson, not Percy) and brought that harpy named Ella to the Roman camp...well, after that Annabeth had swollen her tears and felt her chest on fire, he was alive and well but...if Tyson had to get the harpy to the camp where was her boyfriend going?

Annabeth searched around the location Tyson told her the camp was...of course she knew it was in California but Jason had never said exactly where. She still was a little suspicious of him, every day she watched him and he seemed to be...restless about the whole thing.

Well, obviously they all where, especially Piper...but Jason, it was like he thought of it as an invasion of his previous home, correction: of his other home. Jason Grace, always so perfect following the rules, doing his duty, he was like man of steel…superman, yeah, but blond. She didn't like him much, he was kinda weird, or yes, yes she did like him, but more like a necessity, they needed him like they needed Percy, he was a fundamental part of the seven but if she was to pick…that said, they were all there for a reason.

Piper would practice her words every day, making them stronger, she was ready; Annabeth knew she was but she had confided that stung of…what? Jealousy or maybe nervousness about that girl…Reyna. Reyna de Praetor, the leader. Annabeth was so curious to meet the girl, there were two possibilities, she thought she could become best friends with Reyna or hate each other to death. Hopefully the first, she didn't want to make any more enemies.

Leo was worried out of him mind with the flying ship, the Argo II, he didn't thought about anything else. Annabeth thought the guy was a mastermind, building that thing…she helped, of course, some of the designs and additions were hers but the guy knew his thing, he was amazing, she told him that sometimes. Now all he worried about was what to put on the mast, maybe a big flag with a smiley face, he said that would do the trick with the Romans. Annabeth wasn't so sure.

She couldn't wait to meet the other two Roman demigods. She couldn't wait to see the seven 'in action' how would they all cope and manage to make it a team.

She ran a hand through her messy blonde hair, her head hurt from all the thinking. Something that was never a problem before, duh, she was used to it, thinking a lot being a daughter of the great goddess Athena of course she did a lot of that. Thinking was never a problem, she loved to think but not now, she kept giving herself really bad headaches.

What did Annabeth thought of flying over to the Romans? Long sigh…

She only thought of it as a rescue mission, she couldn't care less about being nice or anything (not at first anyway), she only wanted to get Percy back and only then she was going to act diplomatic and stuff. She was leaving the diplomacy to Piper. She could only hope the Roman didn't attack on sight.

First: Percy, the: everything else.

Everything else…she felt Athena's silver coin growing hot and heavy in her shorts pocket. 'follow the Mark of Athena, avenge me…'

'Well, maybe later mom,' she thought or maybe a better response 'you know what? Considering everyone that tried that died…well, thanks but no thanks, see you later, love you'. She shook her head as if to clear any thoughts about her mother and that...quest.

First things first: Percy. They were so close yet so far. Where was he now? Was he thinking of her, too?

Ugh, cheesy. No, not cheesy, more like ridiculous. She almost slapped herself, her thoughts sounded so stupid, needy and clingy. She wasn't like that.

Her affections for him, they had grown so strong over the last seven months. He was an essential part of her...she hated to admit that she really couldn't do without him.

She breathed in and kept searching the empty green hills, spanning the mouse around, watching the land from all possible angles.

She studied the poor drawing Jason had made of the whole camp, basically just squares with names. He had described the camp to her in detail, she knew it as if she'd already been there, and judging by her position she was looking at the empty spot where the Principia was, the Praetor's place.

She sighed. Gods. They still had a long way.

She turned on her cellphone for her daily check. It was early; there were probably no calls or anything. Everyone looking for Percy would send her an IM but still she checked every day.

She waited a minute for the signal to act properly taping her fingers on her leg; the magic border was interfering as always so it took it a few seconds to connect.

20 messages from Sally Jackson.

Her heart leaped and twisted. What was so wrong that Sally called her?

She only called her once or twice a week to check on things. Annabeth usually called too just to keep her updated. Every second had been terrible for her; she could only imagine what Sally had to endure.

If she had a kid she would be going out of her mind with worry. She snorted to herself. Kids, she rolled her eyes. That was stupid thought.

She dialed Percy's apartment when someone knock on the door.

"Annabeth!" Chiron called and opened the door. Piper right was behind him.

She held up her hand but they spoke anyway.

"It's Sally"

"She called" Piper said on top of the centaur

"What's up?"

"She wouldn't say..." Chiron started

"She still on the phone in the Big House!" Piper chimed in breathless.

"What? Why didn't you say?!" She dropped her phone in the bed, closed her computer and put it in her backpack and then started running towards to cabin door

"My dear" Chiron grabbed her arm and let her hop in his back "It'll be quicker"

Piper didn't want to be left behind so she ran after them.

Annabeth breathed in, trying to calm down. What was so important that Sally called the camp? She never did.

If Percy–

Tyson had spoken to him yesterday and after that she had willed herself to go to sleep (even if terrors awaited her in dreamland) to try and reach her boyfriend in dreams.

Tyson had said that the last thing he heard Percy say was 'Tell Annabeth–' Tyson thought that must have been very important. But what? Tell Annabeth...what? WHAT GODS DAMMIT?!

That's why she fell asleep in his cabin trying to reach him too, desperately calling him in her dreams. No such luck, he never showed up.

She bit her lip painfully the entire ride towards the Big House and when Chiron stopped she jumped and went straight to his office and picked up the phone.

"Sally!" She answered

"Oh Annabeth!"

Annabeth set a hand on her chest, that was about to burst.

"He called"

"Oh my gods!" She felt about to combust. Two different interactions with her lost boyfriend in two days, he was reaching out to them now. He wanted to come back. He remembered, he was alive somewhere!

"He called us last night. Around one in the morning"

"From...where?" She asked breathless "how did he sound? What did he tell you? Is he okay...how...? Why didn't he call the camp? Does he need help, Wh–?"

"I thought it was you. I thought it was some news about him. When I got up to pick up he had already hung up. It was charged call. He was calling from a pay phone. The number–"

"Was he on the other camp? Near California?" Her heartbeat hit a terrible high.

"No"

"What do you mean no?"

"Annabeth, Paul tracked the number with the computer. It was from Alaska"

"Alaska?!"

Chiron eyes widened and she heard him swallowed loudly. Annabeth sat down on the desk, trying to support herself from falling and gripped the phone tighter. Piper went to her side and grabbed her hand.

"Oh dear, he's in Alaska, on a quest"

Annabeth bit her lip again, there was a gash already there, and it closed everyday to be opened again. She tasted blood and stopped.

"The message, you want to hear it?" Sally asked her.

"Did he say something important?"

"Yes. No, not really. Just– him" Annabeth trembled

Him

"Yes, yes of course I want to hear it"

"We didn't delete the recording, for you"

"Okay, I'm coming. Thanks Mrs Blowfis" she hung up and swallowed hard.

"He's somewhere in Alaska" she said trying hard not to break down

"The land beyond the gods." Chiron said grimly. As if she needed reminding, she knew that. Annabeth nodded staring at nothing.

"What's he doing there?" Piper asked. Annabeth could hear the concern in her voice. She was cute, she didn't even know him. Well, not personally, but Annabeth (and everyone) had filled them in the greatness and sloppiness of the son of Poseidon.

"A quest." She replied, her voice sounding harsh.

Annabeth breathed in deeply, like so many other times in the last seven months or so. That's what she did to get herself together.

Annabeth Chase always breathing in.

"I'm going to New York. I'll be back later" she said hoping off the desk.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Piper most probably already knew what she was going to answer but she asked anyway.

"No Pipes, stay here. Go check on Leo. I'm sure he's in a nervous breakdown double checking every little detail on the Argo II. One of the left boars started making funny sounds earlier, I'm sure he needs the calming down effect" Piper nodded but Annabeth knew what she was thinking 'you need it more' but the girl didn't say anything and just squeezed her hand. Annabeth loved Piper a lot.

"Do you want Argus to take you?" Chiron asked and as if he heard him Argus appeared on the door.

She shook her head. "No, I don't want to bother him, beside it's the rush hour. I'll get Blackjack. Thanks anyway" she tried to smile but it was probably only a grimace.

Chiron nodded and set his hand on her shoulder, she offered him a firm nod to tell him she understood.

She got to the stables with Piper trailing behind her.

She had already everything she needed with her, like always; there was a backpack on her back. She never took it off, she'd been traveling alone for seven months, and she knew how to be ready. Her cell phone stayed behind on her bunk inside her cabin but whatever, she didn't need it particularly, and she had drachmas.

"Blackjack" she called and the Pegasus turned from where he was eating with the others.

He whined as if saying. Percy? Where's Percy?

"Yeah, I miss him too buddy" he nuzzled her arm. "I need to go see Percy's mom. Can you take me?" He made a jump and flattered his wings showing he was ready to leap off the ground in a second.

"Great, thanks"

"He's okay Annabeth" Piper told her and hugged her before she got on the Pegasus's back.

"Yeah, I know." She said halfheartedly and then tried to smile again. Piper frowned, she didn't buy it of course "See you later Pipes, I'll be back in a few hours"

Blackjack flown like Annabeth never saw him fly before, she didn't speak horse like her boyfriend but probably the pegasus understood that this was important, they were in New York in about ten minutes.

She didn't even have time to think on the way, and for that she was grateful. She didn't need to think anymore.

Blackjack landed on the rooftop of Percy's building. She stood there looking at the busy street and she remembered with a bitter taste in her mouth how they done that together once, in their second month anniversary.

They went on a picnic on his rooftop, he was on gym shorts and a hoddie and she had her new school uniform on (she knew he secretly loved how the skirt and shirt looked on her, he saw him staring enough times, it made her smirk)

'Sorry it's not as nice as Towel Eiffel. Not even close but happy anniversary?" he said with that side grin she loved so much and she loved that he had remembered their anniversary and prepared everything for a picnic dinner. They eat sitting on a blanket while the sun set on Manhattan, they even had champagne on paper cups and slow dance to no music, it was lovely. That little dork, she loved him so.

"Thanks Blackjack. You can...go do whatever and I'll call you okay?"

The horse made an agreeing sound maybe? She caressed him between his eyes.

"I'll bring you sugar cubes!" she shouted before going down on the stairs.

She knocked on the door, she had a key but she never used it. When Sally opened the door she wrapped her in a hug.

Annabeth realized she was crying so she patted her back and tried to say something.

"The idiot finally remembered his home phone number, huh?" She said trying (and failing) to light things up, her voice broke and she did what she always did…she breathed in.

"Apparently so." Paul said behind her with an expression that wasn't quite a smile but he was trying, too.

Sally finally let go whipping her eyes. Annabeth saw that they were very red and puffy, she had most probably been crying the whole morning. Sally was no crier, she knew what his son had to endure as a demigod but still she was a mom and she'd held up a lot during these 8 months, she was allowed to shed as many tears as she wanted.

Paul went towards their phone and punched in a combination and handed it to Annabeth.

She put it against her ear. Her heart was racing so fast. She bit her lip opening the gash again.

"Welcome" a pre recorded lady voice said "This is your message recorder. You currently have one new message. To listen to the message press 1" she did and waited

"..."Mom," he said. Annabeth's heart felt like someone was crushing it and twisting it, the pain was too terrible. She almost dropped the phone. There was a pause and that stupid awkward voice he had when he was nervous. "Hey, I'm alive." You little idiot, she wanted to scream and kick "Hera put me to sleep for a while, and then she took my memory, and…" His voice faltered, she noticed it faltering. She felt her legs falter alongside his voice and with Sally's help she got to the couch. "Anyway," he said "I'm okay. I'm sorry. I'm on a quest—" Idiot! Why tell his poor mom he was on a quest? Another considerable pause "I'll make it home. I promise. Love you."

She stayed there dumbfounded with the phone still on her hand.

"To repeat the message press 1, to save it press 2, and to delete it press 3" the lady said.

She wanted to replay it but instead she saved the message again.

The three of them stare at each other. She didn't realize she started to cry, she looked at the floor not sure what to say.

"I think…" she managed. Sally hugged her with one arm and she let her cry on her shoulder, like the mom she never had. "Gods, I'm sorry" she swallowed and pressed the heels of her hands over her eyes trying to stop the stream of tears, they just kept coming. She hadn't cried in a month or two.

"There's nothing you have to be sorry about Annabeth…" Paul said and stood there half way in the living room, she saw that he was trying to comfort her somehow too.

That got her crying even more, they were so good, his parents didn't deserved this either. She didn't deserve this.

Just when they were so close to him, the ship was sailing in two days, three at the most but with this news…Percy in Alaska…she'd started to get her hopes up, she even woke up in a good mood this morning, she showered and changed clothes…hearing that he was there, beyond the gods reach, her reach. It was too much. After 8 hard months of search and then this…she couldn't handle it.

"I'll get you guys something" Paul said and went over to the kitchen probably to give them some time alone.

"He's okay" Sally said like reassuring herself more than Annabeth.

She forced herself to reply "Yeah, of course he is. His head is full of kelp but he'll manage to stay alive just fine. He did it before"

"Not on his own" Sally reminded her and smiled sadly, she cleaned Annabeth's teary cheeks "He's had you all the time…now…"

"He's smarter that he lets on, he's okay."

"Oh, that boy…he's going to give me a heart attack sooner or later"

"I'll bring him back, sooner rather than later"

"I know you will, thanks for all you've done"

"Well, keeping your son alive is a big task Mrs Blofis…it gets harder every time but I promise you, I will bring him back"

"You guys still sailing to Rome?"

"That's the idea I'm afraid"

"Are you guys sure?"

She looked at her and then shrugged "I…I always have to look so, I don't know, confident about everything...in every quest…now-" she let out a shaky breath.

"Annabeth, you know you don't have to here, you can tell me how you feel. I'd seriously prefer you didn't sail anywhere but if it must be done…"

"I'm afraid so" she repeated

"What's the situation? Bad or too bad"

"Worse than too bad maybe"

Sally breathed in like Annabeth did. They kept quiet; there wasn't much to talk about. A minute, two, five…Annabeth looked down at her hands

"You raised him so well…" She started and paused, not knowing how to continue, not knowing if she should really, that could make his mom worse but then the words kept coming "he's probably in Alaska because…well, because you know him, he can't help being so him, so absolutely and freaking unprecedented and…" her chest hurt "that's why he's in a quest even though we told him to stay put a hundred times. His big seaweed brain can't process stuff when other people are in danger so he's probably doing something very noble and stupid right now. He's probably saving the whole world with all his Percyness and then walking out like 'hey what's up? I saved the world what did you do this afternoon?' Or some other sarcastic remarks…" she cursed badly and then regretted it, this was still Percy's mom.

Sally laughed and hugged her tighter; she could see how tears were pooling in the corners of her blue eyes again.

"He's so good, your son-" she tried to calm down before getting choked up in tears again, too "that dork is my best friend…" she pressed her lips together.

"Annabeth, I know, of course I know"

"It's just that I…" Sally nodded as if understanding, Annabeth had never said those words out loud. Not to him, not to Thalia, not to her new girl best friend Piper, not to anyone. "The thing is that I really, really love him"

"I know dear. You know he loves you a lot too, he's brain just takes longer to catch up"

Annabeth smiled with tight lips, yeah, he took long to catch up that Kelp Head "I know" she replied with a small voice "It's just that I didn't know…that I could ever love someone that much or have someone love me the same way"

"We are part of our family, we love you too" Sally said. Paul appeared on the door with two mugs and he was with a little smile on his face, a silent agreement.

She loved them so much; they always received her with open arms. Even these 8 months with Percy gone, sometimes she needed somewhere to crash and she just found her way here, knocking the door. She remember one time during winter when her search for her boyfriend was crazy, when she felt completely hopeless…she was in New York but far away and she walked all the way to their apartment in a pouring rain in the middle of the night, when she got here she was drenched and exhausted, her teeth clattering with the cold. Sally and Paul wouldn't stop fussing over her, seeing that she was warm enough, wrapped in blankets and with a big mug of hot chocolate, warm borrowed clothes and then she slept on his bedroom.

In a way, they felt like her parents too.

Annabeth's smile was genuine for once and they seemed to realize that.

Giving one last hug to Sally she stood and grabbed the tea mug Paul offered to her.

"Do you guys mind if…" She was still clutching the phone in her other hand, she motioned down the hall where his bedroom was "Just stay here for a while?"

"Of course we don't" they replied almost at the same time.

"Thanks"

Paul sat next to Sally and grabbed her hand in his, Annabeth tried to remember Percy's hand in hers, bigger and always so warm…how the first few days of dating him it made her all fuzzy inside whenever he took one of her hands and kissed it like it was something precious.

"Thanks" She repeated and walked over to his bedroom.

She sat on his bed with blue covers and leant on his pillow that smelled more like her than him now. She breathed in; she didn't want to cry anymore.

She was probably going to listen to his message again and again while sipping that tea. She could smell the honey in it, and it made her happy that Paul remembered that she liked it that way.

Whatever Percy was doing in Alaska he was coming back, she knew that. Mainly because he was not done with whatever Hera/Juno wanted him to do. Secondly, and most important, because he promised it to his mom on the message. He was coming home to her, one way or another; she was going to see him in a few days when the Argo II hit Camp Jupiter. He was coming back because they were not done; they were going to go through all this shit with Gaea and the giants just because they were not done, after this they deserve the whole freaking time together. And her promised to him was that they were going to get it.

HAPPY BOO READING! DONT DIE

-NOTE: If my next chapter has boo spoilers or is somewhat connected to the ending I'm going to say it loud and clear! So nobody reads anything they don't want

Leo my bb Valdez's voice:

Yours in demigodishness, and all that. Peace out!

Maria x.