Percy

When I can see again, I'm on a beach. But not the beach I go to with Castiel. Looking around, I see a group of people on the shore and a boat rowing in towards them. Not sure where else to go, I join the people on shore. They're listening intently to the man speaking to the crowd. When the men in the boat get to shore, one gets excited and says something about a guy named John and the teacher. His partner is seemingly not in the mood for it, but all the same when the teacher asks if he can stand on the boat so us in the crowd can hear him better, he allows it. He starts telling some kind of story about fishermen, and how they catch all kinds of different fish and have to sort them out, the good from the bad. Then he dismisses the crowd. I stick around though, figuring I'm here for a reason. The teacher winks at me and walks over. He sticks out his hand and I shake it, a greeting I haven't had in the whole time I've been on this journey. Did handshakes recently get invented?

"It's good to see you again, Percy. It has been many years."

"How do you know my name?" I ask, not recognizing this man. But he gently smiles at me, and I realize he has some of Mary's face in his own. And he looks like how God appeared whenever he came down to men, but without all the glowing brilliance and clothed in glory bits. "You're Jesus." I say.

"I am. I suppose it's many years for me, but a few moments for you."

"Something like that. Like Castiel told me, It's hard to keep track of time when you keep jumping through it."

"I suppose it is. Now, Information that's important for later. Did you know that your mother is a descendant of the tribe of Judah many generations back?" He asks.

"No. Why is that important?"

"It will just make it easier for the men you'll be around soon to accept you. I know you've had a long journey, and are anxious to return home to your family. You will soon, although I can't say how soon soon will be. But I thank you for taking this journey to give me a chance."

"What do you want me to do?" I ask. He smiles again.

"Just watch." He says and goes back over to the boat. The two fishermen are wrapping up, "Throw the net out for a catch." He tells the men. One jumps up and immediately agrees, the other groans.

"Look, Rabbi, I mean no disrespect, and I have no quarrel with you, but We've been out here all night and not a single fish is in the sea it seems." Jesus just smiles at them. After a second the guy sighs. "Fine. But there are no fish." He says, and he along with the other guy throw the net out. After a few seconds nothing happens, and the guy looks at Jesus kinda like I told you so. But Jesus just keeps smiling at him, kinda smirking more like, and tilts his head. The second he does, the boat lurches and the nets start sinking. The two men try to pull them up, but they can't and they start calling for Help. I rush over to help them, as well as three men from a boat down shore, while Jesus keeps smiling and softly laughing. When we finally get the nets in the boat, the boat is so filled with fish it starts to sink and would if the water wasn't so shallow. All of us in the boat start laughing together when it's done, relieved to have gotten the catch in.

"I told you! I told you, Simon!" One of the fishermen says, smiling and laughing. We all have to get out of the boat before it breaks apart from the weight of the fish.

The fisherman Jesus was talking to jumps out of the boat and gets on his knees before Jesus.

"Go away from me! For I am a sinful man, you don't know what I have done!"

"Don't be afraid, Simon." Jesus tells him.

"The Baptizer, and my brother Andrew they said, they said you are the Lamb of God, yes?" He cries.

"I am." Jesus replies.

"I'm sorry-my faith! We've waited for you for so long and we've believed but my faith-"

"Lift up your head, Fisherman." Jesus tells him. Simon looks up at him.

"Whatever you want. Tell me and I will do it. Whatever you say." Simon says. Jesus leans down and smiles.

"Follow me." He tells him. Simon stands up.

"I will." He answers. Andrew's smile gets wider and he walks over and nods to Jesus.

"Rabbi."He nods. Jesus nods back, then looks over at the rest of us.

"You too!" He says. I purse my lips, and the guys next to me point to themselves in Disbelief. "Yes! You! James and John, Sons of Zebedee! You as well, Percy!" I shrug and start heading over while James and John talk to their father. I get to Jesus and stick out my hand again and he takes it.

"Thank you for the chance to see the things I have."

"Would you say by now I'm different from the Olympians?" He asks.

"Incredibly so."

"I will enjoy the time we get to spend together before you go home." He says, and the other 4 men gather around us. "Alright, Meet me this time tomorrow on the road to Capa. Use this time to say goodbye to your families." He tells us, then clasps Andrew on the shoulder. "Andrew?"

"Yes, Rabbi?"

"This is Percy." He says and gestures to me. "His father is Greek, but please don't hold that against him. His mother is of the tribe of Judah. Please be kind enough to take him with you to your home so he can rest, eat, and get a change of clothes."

"Of course, Rabbi. Anything!" Andrew says. Jesus smiles at all of us.

"I will see you all tomorrow." He tells us, then walks off.

"I need to go see Eden!" Simon says, then runs off. James and John look at each other and go back to their father. Andrew clasps my shoulder and we start walking.

"So your father is Greek, huh? Tell me, did your mother have you circumcised?"

The Hell?

"Uh, yeah." I say. What kind of question is that?

"Good. So she kept the covenant with you. But do you know Torah?"

"Ummmm….What's Torah?" I ask. He sighs.

"I guess not. Torah is the books of our laws. We also have the books of the prophets."

"Oh. Well, I at least know a lot of history."

"Really? What stories do you know?" He asks. I sigh, thinking about all I've been through on this journey.

"I know about how sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, the Flood with Noah, What Moses did with the plagues, Passover, and parting the Red Sea. The Water from the Rock, and bread from Heaven. Joshua parting the Jordan and Rahab and the spies and Jericho. Gideon, King David, Elijah on Mt. Carmel, Daniel in the Lions Den, the Fiery Furnace, and Jonah."

"Good. Those are good stories. I suppose you should learn the rest. Want me to teach you?"

"I guess. I'm just here to do whatever Jesus says to do. If he wants me to learn that stuff, I will."

We walk the rest of the way with Andrew filling in gaps of my knowledge of the history, promising me we'd go over law tomorrow. In the meantime, he packs a satchel and gives me a change of clothes: A simple tunic with tassels hanging on the bottom and a green vest thing.

We eat and talk, and he shows me to a place where I can lay down and sleep. When night comes around, I lay down and use my arm as a pillow, my other hand reaching into my bag and pulling out the clay jar with Annabeth's perfume. I think about how long it's been since I last saw her, and I honestly have no clue. I miss her in my arms, I miss her kissing me when I say something stupid, I miss everything about her. How long has it been? Months? Years? I can't keep track. But unlike a while ago where I'd have given anything to not have said yes to this journey, I'm glad I took it now, no matter how much I miss her. And soon, not sure how soon, but soon, I'll be right where I was the moment I left, in bed with my Wise Girl in my arms. I pull out her picture and look at it. The curls in her hair, pulled back by a bandana, the cure of her lips in her smile, the way even in a drawing her gray eyes seem to sparkle.

"I'll be back soon, Wise Girl." I say, then let myself drift off to sleep.