Percy felt the dock shudder as Luke fell to the ground, a dagger in his side. His left side…. The world slowed down. Percy could have sworn he was watching the whole scene from a distance.

"NO! NO LUKE!" Annabeth screamed from the water.

The time-traveler almost didn't hear her as he stared. Luke had… the boy who had joined Kronos, who had so much anger and rage in him… he'd pushed them out of the way? And… the dagger… on his left side… so close to his mortal point…

Demigods were hurting. Annabeth was hurting.

"No, Annabeth!" Grover yelled. "Don't get up there! We're safer in the water!"

"I don't care! Let me go!"

She kept screaming. Grover was afraid. Luke was bleeding… and Circe just laughed. Percy managed to turn his head and look at her. She was grinning maniacally and had fire glowing in her hands.

"You may be immune to my magic, but once I let this go, it should burn you just fine," she said. Percy didn't know if she was talking to him or Luke, but… did it matter? She'd try to kill them all anyway.

Kill his friends.

His best friends.

His wife.

His demigods.

A scream of rage tore itself from his throat and the part of himself he'd been keeping at bay, the Destroyer, came forward gleefully, drawing that power out of the crack inside of him, prying it apart again. Percy ignored that, reaching out and grabbing the ocean. Then he pulled. Pushing aside the excruciating tearing in his stomach, he forced himself to his feet, gesturing for the water to rise until he held a several story high Tsunami over the island. It happened in seconds.

"If you even dare try," he said, noting and not caring how his voice echoed with power, "I will destroy everything you have ever made!" Wait? Destroy? Styx! He couldn't let that out (he tried to remember why, but then he always had a hard time remembering when this happened). It took everything inside of him to keep that part of himself in check. He wanted to destroy! To tear down and show her what it meant to mess with him. But Annabeth could still see him. And Grover. And even Luke. Not to mention, Reyna and Hylla and other innocent girls were on that island.

He knew he'd never forgive himself if he didn't stop it, and while the Destroyer fought to release his rage, it hadn't truly broken free yet.

He wouldn't let it. Couldn't. His future self would thank him. Or, at least not hate him.

For a moment, Circe looked confused, and then her face drained of color.

"D… Destroyer…" she whispered. He didn't know how she knew, but he grinned, mouth full of too many teeth.

"You understand then," he shot back. "Now will you let us leave? Or do you wish to fight? I will remind you again that you are in my domain just as much as we are in yours!"

For several far-too-long seconds, where Percy felt more and more of himself tear apart, she studied him and then the dock.

"You're not a demigod."

"Whatever I am is none of your business."

She grit her teeth angrily, but stepped aside. "Don't return."

"Naturally," he growled. The water rippled with the sound of his voice. His gut hurt more than ever. They needed to leave, now, or everyone would witness an ascension right here. That, at least, he felt something about. He didn't want Circe to witness anything that would leave him so vulnerable.

Thankfully, she disappeared. Percy still didn't dare let his wave down.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked, her voice small.

"Hurry… carry him…" he was losing his grip on too many things, trying to use his power and maintain his hold on humanity when he could barely walk.

Soaking wet, Annabeth clambered out of the water, followed closely by Grover. Between the two of them, they managed to carry Luke to the boat as Percy followed behind, concentrating almost solely on that wave.

He'd gone back to burning up from the inside. He could feel the energy leaking out of him again, but he forced himself to walk anyway, slowly, as they made their way to a large speed boat with a sail (weird). He doubted he could go much faster without openly stumbling, to be fair.

"Start the engine!" Percy said when the other two had laid Luke down. The older boy groaned. Percy tried not to wince at the knife still sticking out of his side or how he'd vowed to help Luke. He tried not to remember the floor room of Olympus and the boy lying on it, or Annabeth purposefully not sobbing or Thalia or…

Or himself. Sixteen and scared and still convinced he would die sometime soon as he watched another demigod choose death over being used by the beings more powerful than them.

He got onto the boat, somehow. He didn't remember doing so, but he never lost his focus on that wave looming over C.C.'s Resort and Spa.

The boat rumbled to life beneath him. They began to speed away.

"Luke!" Annabeth said behind him, sounding on the verge of tears.

Percy didn't lose focus. He could feel himself glowing, but behind him Luke was growing weaker. Ironic that they had two opposite problems and would likely loose two people, one to godhood, one to death. If only he could transfer his abundance of energy to…

Wait.

Slowly, carefully, he lowered the wave, making sure to not hurt anyone on that island. It had been a threat, and they were safe now. The Destroyer wasn't happy, but he ignored that part of him. There were more important things to focus on. Like how he could still feel the energy leaking into, and then out of him, bleeding off of him in an aura all could see.

Oh, and it still hurt. Hah, if he went far enough in the understatement category, maybe he'd circle around and hit what he couldn't otherwise describe from the other side?

That thought vanished almost as soon as it happened, swallowed up in the agony that consumed him.

He dropped to the deck with a pained shriek almost as soon as that thought crossed his mind, and Grover called his name, but he focused on the horn somewhere near his hip. His hands fumbled, fingers not listening to him, and yet, as he put the horn to his mouth, he knew exactly what to do—part of blowing on a magical horn, he supposed.

With a deep breath, he blew, vibrating his lips in a way he never had before but suddenly seemed natural. A long, mournful moan escaped from the other end and all of his leaking energy changed direction, flowing into his mouth, then out into the air around him. He heard Annabeth gasp and Grover bleat. More, he could sense them—and Luke—in a way he couldn't before. He couldn't describe it. But he also felt a connection to people on the island… Reyna? Hylla? Ebele

"Percy? What are you—" Grover started, but Percy cut him off.

"Water!" he said, gasping when he could no longer blow that horn. "Hurry!"

Then he took another breath and blew his horn again. He tried to focus on Luke's thread, pouring what he could into that, but it only worked so well. Still, the older demigod's energy wasn't fading anymore and while it hurt more than almost anything else Percy had ever done, he wasn't ascending. Not anymore.

Grover splashed a cup of water on his face.

"Grover! Not there! He's breathing!" Annabeth said. She'd taken the knife out of Luke and was feeding him… ambrosia? Yeah, that looked about right.

Percy didn't care, he kept blowing that horn.

The water helped.

"More," he gasped, and blew again.

He didn't know how long he'd been blowing his horn by the time he passed out.

xXx

The boat engine was off when Percy woke next. Night had fallen and he was wrapped in a blanket on the deck of a mid-sized boat next to Luke, who was also sleeping and bundled in his own blanket. Blinking, Percy went to sit up, but his stomach protested.

He hissed in pain and had to force his body to relax.

"Percy?" Annabeth's voice asked quietly. He opened his eyes again and managed to move his head to look at her. He smiled at the sight of her face in the dim moonlight.

"Hi," he croaked.

She looked relieved. "Here," she said, holding out a piece of Ambrosia.

He smiled and reached for it, nibbling on the corner and feeling its warmth spread through his body along with the taste of chocolate chip cookies. He paid close attention to his gut, but nothing happened to the metaphysical crack (at least it wasn't leaking as badly as before), so he took another nibble.

No, wait… if anything, the crack began to close.

Well, there was irony for him. Then again, Ambrosia was supposed to return mortals who could eat it to their basic, healthiest state, in theory. Too much, and it was, again, like shoving someone full of divine energy, but before that level, it could heal even some divine wounds. It made him a little too ridiculously happy that the divine food returned him to peak mortal. It made no sense, but he would take it!

"Can you… explain what happened back there?" Annabeth asked after a couple of quiet moments.

Percy paused in chewing for a second, then swallowed and glanced over at her. "You already have some hypotheses, don't you?"

She huffed. "Of course I do. But I want to hear it from you."

He sighed. That was fair enough. He took another nibble and curled up tighter under his blanket.

"Liquids," he finally said, "include blood."

A gulp—not of surprise (she already knew), but horror. He tried not to let that hurt. He did.

"But… Poseidon—" she started.

"Not his. Can't say more outside of a shield."

"And the wave?" she asked after several uncomfortable seconds.

He sighed again and pointed to himself, holding up one finger for the next couple of words respectively. "Loyalty. Demigods. Water, still. Well, it's deeper than that," heh, too bad she didn't have the context to get his pun, "but yeah. She threatened you. All of you."

A frown. "You were glowing."

"Yeah."

"But the horn stopped it."

He shrugged. "My father said I would need it."

Her face twisted in frustration. "Luke heard it and stayed alive."

Percy blinked, curled up a little more, and sighed. He didn't think Luke would have died from that wound, but… "It takes my energy and siphons it off to all allies that hear it."

"Is… that why I don't need to sleep?"

That had Percy moving to face her entirely, despite the pain. It wasn't nearly as bad as he remembered anyway. "What?"

"I haven't gotten tired, even though it's almost two in the morning. Neither has Grover." She pointed to the other end of the far newer boat they were on, where Grover sat blowing into his pipes quietly. He didn't seem to hear them.

Percy blinked. "Oh. I… uh, don't know? Probably."

She let out a long sigh. "Seaweed Brain."

Percy froze.

"W...what did you just call me?"

She frowned at him. "You just said it earlier, that you're a 'Seaweed Brain'." Her frown deepened. "Why?"

The time-traveler gulped. "I… my wife used to call me that."

Annabeth frowned. "She doesn't sound very nice then."

Percy snorted in sad amusement. "It started out as an insult. As our relationship went on, though, it grew into a reminder of where we'd started—how far we'd come. It helped keep things in perspective. And she wasn't wrong. I'm not stupid, but I do tend to overlook things a lot."

He was shaking a bit now, and to stop from having to talk anymore, he bit off a little more ambrosia than he probably should, but nothing happened and he still needed it. That one didn't help the crack inside of him as much, though. So there was a limit? He almost kicked himself. Of course there was. He'd just thought about it not two minutes before.

Annabeth didn't seem to know what to make of what he'd just said.

"I'm sorry," she finally settled on. "That you lost her."

Percy stared at this look-alike of his lovely wife—his best friend and the most reliable person he'd ever known. It hurt, to see her and know it wasn't really her.

"Me too," he whispered. Then swallowed the ambrosia in his mouth and smiled. "Thank you."

"Get some more sleep. I think your body still needs to heal from your power overuse."

He snorted, but nodded. "I will. Thanks."

"Hmm," was all she said before he turned back over and curled up in the cold. He had half a mind to let himself drag through the water…

Actually…

"Hey, do you mind tethering me and letting me rest in the ocean?"

Annabeth looked taken back. "What, really?"

He nodded. "I can breathe under water. Could since I was eleven. Besides—" he pointed up to the sail above their heads— "this is a hybrid boat, with both an engine and a sail." He didn't need to have his normal connection to boats to know that. "We should be able to keep sailing in the right direction for the rest of the day without my help or use of the engine."

Once again, she just stared at him, but eventually shrugged and began looking for some rope. Grover saw her moving around and came over to help as well. Eventually, they found some in the stuff he and Luke had managed to get onto the boat (not all of it, but a lot of it, thankfully). They tied Percy to the aft of the boat before helping him into the water—after they'd made sure the engine was off, of course. No need to get stuck or sliced into bits by even a small propeller.

Almost immediately, the cool liquid soothed his aching gut and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks," he said again, before disappearing under the waves.

Eventually, even though he was being dragged behind a relatively small boat in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, he managed to drift off.

If anybody asked, it was a Poseidon thing.

xXx

He didn't know whether it was because he'd fallen asleep under water, or because of his own exhaustion and him nearly ascending, but almost the moment he drifted off, he found himself in a demigod dream. Of course. He stood on air over the Pit in the underworld. Face twisting in revulsion (and some terror of course), Percy tried to back away, but he couldn't. Naturally.

He could smell the warm, sulfur-heavy air, feel it prickling at his skin, despite not actually being there. Trying to clam his suddenly racing heart (more difficult in a dream than in real life), he glanced around, unable to help noticing how the 'stone' in the area pulsated slightly, like it was beginning the transition into Tartarus already. Some sort of evil umbilical cord? No, he didn't want to think about that.

Unfortunately, trying to distract himself was not working. He tried to close his eyes and forced himself to not panic. He'd gone over his fear of Tartarus with multiple people and therapists (in New Rome and later New Corinth when they'd established that) even. He was fine.

(He didn't feel fine.)

A deep rumbling and all too familiar voice snaked up from below.

"So, you've returned."

Percy swallowed his fear of the voice, and set his (likely non-existent—he couldn't see himself or really move) jaw firmly, defiantly.

"Hello, Grandfather." And if he sounded utterly unimpressed, well… it was him.

"Tell me, Perseus, do you understand anything about time?"

Percy grit his teeth against the name. "The concept? Yes. The implications? Some. As a domain? Very little."

What sounded (and felt with the wind that came up) like a snort blew past him. "At least you're honest."

"You should try it sometime," Percy returned with a grin. What? Again, it was him. He couldn't not mouth off.

Instead of the outrage he expected, though, Kronos seemed to find that amusing. He snickered. That… made the demigod more uneasy than he'd like to admit.

"You know, Time has far more reach than almost anyone, even gods, can understand. Maybe a truly omnipotent god, like Chaos, could comprehend, but even I, with my domain, can't grasp it entirely.

"And yet, here you are, with your limited knowledge, back in time, and changing so many little things."

Percy rolled his (non-existent) eyes. "Yes, when you step on a butterfly in America, it can cause a typhoon in China. For want of a nail, the shoe was lost, then the horse for the shoe, the rider for the horse, the message for the rider, the battle for the message, the war for the battle, all for want of a nail. I get that."

"So you do understand some, I see." Percy nodded firmly, sure Kronos could sense it. He'd apparently been right because Kronos said: "Then why have you been stepping on so many butterflies?"

It took Percy a moment to realize he meant metaphorical butterflies, referring to his first example of effects in time, and couldn't help that he'd stiffened. If Kronos noticed that, he didn't mention it.

For several seconds, Percy wondered how he should answer. He'd known he was 'stepping on butterflies' almost from the get go. The Fates had told him as much, and with what he'd seen from the other pantheon's weavers…

And yet…

"Why do you want to know?" he asked slowly, carefully.

Another long pause passed.

"Did you not want my scrutiny? The Titan of Time? Surely you didn't think you'd be able to avoid my notice…."

Percy sighed. Of course he knew he'd be getting Kronos' attention. He honestly hadn't expected his reaction to be so… civil though.

"I do happen to have some positions open if you wish to join—" the Titan started. Which, of course he did.

Percy cut him off. "No."

He practically felt Kronos' (also) non-existent eyes narrow. "Pity."

Percy thought about how he could wake himself up. If that was all Kronos wanted, then—

"There is no logic to your actions," Kronos interrupted Percy's thoughts. "I know you hail from the future, bringing back some of my own memories—thank you, by the way." He said it with such malicious smugness, Percy almost dismissed himself from the entire confrontation right then and there (he was sure he'd find a way), not wanting to even bother right now. Then Kronos went back to puzzled; intrigued even. "But you seem to actively seek out ways to change the world around you, giving up all of your power and foreknowledge. If not to gain my attention, then… why?"

Oh, so he didn't understand and wanted to. So badly he was willing to come out and ask Percy. How his pride must sting. Still, something about that—how Kronos had said it—bothered him. None of this conversation seemed normal. Was Percy just seeing the situation through (much) older eyes? Understanding more? Picking up on more? Or was he just… more willing to see something that may not actually be there?

And what something did he supposedly see? Kronos couldn't be reasoned with. He knew that from his encounters with the Titan, from prophecies, from histories and stories. And yet… something in him whispered at him to try. He frowned, but decided to push.

"I… have an answer I'm willing to tell you, but you need to listen to the whole explanation. Swear it on the Styx."

Grumbling, Kronos did so. Percy smiled.

"I step on 'butterflies' because… Well, you created mortals during your time. Did you ever care for them?"

A pause. "Of course." At least he hadn't backed off or kicked Percy out of the dream. He very likely could, despite his oath.

"Convincing," Percy grumbled quietly. "But if you didn't, for argument's sake, they would be (and likely still are) almost nothing to you. Fireflies that blink into existence and out again just as fast—bright and awe-inspiring in their own way, but otherwise useless."

Kronos didn't say anything, but he didn't have to.

"The thing is, those little 'insects' have done incredible things. Look at the kinds of machines humans make and the medical advancements in the last century alone. Their understanding of the world can go so much deeper than most gods realize. And no, humans aren't perfect, but the progress they've made is amazing. And that's worth preserving. So I will fight for them. And if I have to step on a couple of butterflies to give them a better, fighting chance… so be it." Well, his true reasons were more personal, and probably more selfish, but Kronos didn't need to know that.

"Now, if you weren't lying and you did care for your mortals, then perhaps you can understand better why I fight."

He sighed. "Look, I get it. Humans aren't your mortals. You want them destroyed because they're the creation of the gods. Don't deny it." He almost felt the Titan pause in saying something and back off with a metaphorical surrender. "But they're also an existence all their own, beings who don't really understand their own power, but they're working on it. People who deserve a chance to live, and be happy."

Something snapped into place inside him and he blinked, looking down at his chest. What had that been? None of his domains… so—

"People mean this much to you?" The Titan lord asked slowly.

"Humans do, yes," Percy said. It wasn't a lie, per se. He just tended to love certain humans more than others. Namely, demigods. And his family of course.

"Is there nothing I can say to persuade you otherwise?"

Percy sighed. "Not unless you give me a better deal than the gods."

"Ultimate power," Kronos said almost immediately.

A snort made its way out of the time-traveler's mouth. "You don't know me very well, do you." It wasn't a question. "Besides, let's say that was something I craved, what would this 'ultimate' power look like? Serving under you for eternity after watching my entire world be destroyed? Thank you, no. Not only is that not 'ultimate' power—a position I highly doubt you'd give up—but you could only take me so far anyway. And even then, I don't care about power. Not like you do. I realize that's a foreign concept, but the only power I want is to—" save his friends and family, but he wasn't about to put them in the firing line. "Influence my own life," he finally said. "And the lives of humans for the better if I can. And I think I have more than enough for that, right now." A lie, but not unreasonable coming from a twelve-year-old, memories or not.

"Hmm," Kronos said. "You realize this means we will meet in war."

Percy sighed. So much for that idea. "If that's what has to happen."

They sat in silence for several seconds before Kronos spoke again. "Very well. So be it." With that, a large gale blew past Percy from the Pit. Percy threw up his hands to protect his face on instinct, and as he flew backwards with the force of the gale, he heard Kronos again. "Fight. Struggle. But understand; now that I have my memories too. There is nothing you can do to stop me."

He woke up with a gasp to darkness and slowly vanishing stars overhead, the boat rocking back and forth violently for several seconds. Shouts and a couple of thumps sounded nearby and he had to reach out to the sea to calm it.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked, climbing over Luke and Grover to see him. "What was that?!"

He took a deep breath. "Bad dream," he muttered.

"Really?" Luke asked sardonically, "because your little upset just knocked Grover out."

"What?!" Percy and Annabeth yelped at the same time.

Percy scrambled to his feet, rushing over to Grover who lay sprawled on the deck half-way down side of the ship. Annabeth followed right behind.

When they reached the satyr, Percy skidded to his knees, noting the large lump on his best friend's forehead. Biting his lip, Percy reached out to feel his friend's blood. It was pumping well, and not pooling anywhere… He breathed a sigh of relief.

"He's just knocked out. May have a concussion, but I doubt it."

The other two demigods turned to him.

"How do you know?" Luke asked, voice tense.

Percy looked at him for several seconds before glancing down. "I can sense how his blood flows."

Luke just looked at him, face unreadable. Percy had to clamp down on his desire to tap into Luke's emotions. Again.

"Right," the son of Hermes finally said, voice deliberately neutral. "There's a room below, if you want to move Grover." Percy knew better than to move anyone when they're hurt. It would probably be fine, but why risk it?

He shook his head. "Probably better if he stays here."

Luke nodded, face still cautiously blank. "Okay, then how about you stay here with Grover, since you can tell if he's doing alright or not. Annabeth and I will keep a lookout." Percy nodded immediately, more than willing to acquiesce if it kept him on better terms with the other two demigods.

"Sure. Unless Annabeth needs to sleep?" He glanced at her. She shook her head.

"Good," Luke said, standing up. "Annabeth, do you want the front or the back?"

"Front," she answered, though she didn't look happy. Right, her seasickness. Luke nodded, turned, and made his way towards the aft of the boat again. Their much more modern boat. Percy didn't even know its name. It should have a name. He made a mental note to check and see the next time he was in the water.

Annabeth studied Percy for a minute, before she silently made her way to the front, leaving the time-traveler alone in the middle of the boat with their injured satyr, feeling awkward, powerful yet inadequate.

Again.

Story of his life.

They sailed in a delicate silence for the rest of the night.

xXx

AN: It's amazing what just listening to your own chapter can point out. There were so many points in this chapter that didn't make sense. It's better now... I hope. Thanks to my fabulous beta readers! Also my discord helpers, and tier 3 and 4 readers: Berix, The Shadow Slayer, Asterius Daemon, Quathis, Harlequin, Speedster, Snow, Starlightluv, Squirps, and The Chronomancer! Also, all of my discord peeps and my readers here! Thank you! (If I've missed anyone, PLEASE let me know!

Obi's Discord: discord. gg/xDDz3gqWfy (no spaces)