Prisoner of Ice and Stone

Chapter 10

A booming silence followed my words and then Annabeth exploded.

"And did you even stop to consider that maybe we feel the same way about you. Percy I lost you! I thought you were-I thought you were-"

And then she was holding me close sobbing into my shoulder.

"Nico couldn't sense you at all. It was like your soul had entirely vanished. Even Hades was confused. He said the only that could have happened was if you-If your soul had been completely destroyed."

Her words were whispered softly into his neck, and Percy felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces. He whispered back,

"I didn't-I didn't-"

Lilly interrupted.

"You didn't think."

Her face was hard for such a young child and her expression reminded me so much of my mother that I nearly choked.

"That's the thing Percy, I don't even know you. You're the brother that mom always talked about. The kid that mom and dad both loved and missed, but one thing was always there whether it was the stories from Aunt Annabeth, Mom, Uncle Leo, or any of them they all told us that you cared about others above yourself and that you were an absolute seaweed brain. I hate you! You can't see what's right in front of you! Even when you're not around you everyone cares about you and worries about you! It's not fair!"

She stormed off seething, and Percy's mom spoke.

"She didn't mean that."

Percy shook his head feeling suddenly exhausted.

"No she did, and I don't blame her. I've been a really idiot. I am sorry, I just haven't been thinking."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"You don't say Seaweed brain."

I sighed and closed my eyes rubbing the back of my head.

"I'll go talk to her."

I walked off heading up the stairs as they gathered in the living room. I headed down the darkened hallway to a doorway slightly ajar faint light spilling from within. I knocked lightly and I heard a muffled 'come in.' I entered and Lilly started talking back to me.

"I know dad, I shouldn't have yelled at him, but I just get so mad! He doesn't get it! He doesn't seem to get just how much loves him! And I know mom loves me and Danny, but it just isn't the same. I know you said she doesn't love him better than me, but I just know its not true and it's just not fair!"

I sighed feeling supremely uncomfortable.

"It certainly isn't kid."

She jumped up so fast with a knife in hand, that I was surprised she didn't get whiplash. I simply raised an eyebrow though. After monsters and Annabeth Lilly was far from the most dangerous thing I'd come across. I sighed again, feeling as if I'd done too much of that lately.

"Look I just wanted to say I am sorry I've been a royal as-"

I trailed re-thinking what I was about to say

"Asterisk?"

I had no idea what that was, just that Annabeth had lectured me on the importance of using it in my grammar at some point and that it wasn't a curse word. Lilly glared at me unimpressed, and I mentally facepalmed. I really sucked at this. So I decided to focus on what I'd heard.

"She doesn't like me better then you."

Lilly stared at me incredulously.

"What would you know, jerk."

I shrugged.

"Not a lot, I don't know if you can tell but I'm kinda an idiot. But I do know this. My mother loves you Just as much if not more than me. You are her's. Her daughter, her little girl. When I was little she would tell me that when she was younger she'd wished that she'd someday have a little girl. She also told me that she was so glad that she got me, and that she hoped that someday she would have a little girl so that I could have a little sister. Someone who I could hang out with. I wasn't always so popular you know."

Lilly snorted.

"Surrrrrrrrrrrrre. You look like a greek god, you're strong, everyone knows you're a hero, and you got to have a mom for way longer than I ever did. You're the definition of popular dimwit."

I actually laughed at that leaning against the bedroom wall.

"First of all I was missing for ten years so I'd say between running from monsters since I was 12 and having to be at boarding school for a long periods of time in order to spread my scent around before that, means that I'd say on the time thing it's probably about the same honestly. Secondly I didn't have any friends before I Grover found me. My mom was putting up with the most horrible piece of trash in order to keep me safe, and I was regularly beat up at school. Even after I joined the other half bloods I wasn't exactly popular for the first few years. Then I got kidnapped by Hera and any friends I did have I lost. Almost got killed by the Romans just for showing up, and you know the whole monster thing throughout all of that. Doesn't really matter though, I got my friends in the end and I'd do anything to keep them safe. Which as you pointed out downstairs is the exact opposite of what I've been doing. I want you to know that you have the right to hate me. I barged in and I've been an absolute idiot since I got back. You're entitled to hate some people, it's just how life works. Heck I still have a thing against Hera regardless of whether what she did saved the world or not. You're an amazing kid, you're probably the only one here who will actually tell me what to do right now, everyone else is walking on eggshells around me. So I have a deal for you."

Lilly stared at me, mouth slightly agape, but snapped it close, going back to glaring suspiciously at me.

"What sort of deal?"

"I want you to tell me when I'm being an idiot, and take me down if I don't stop. Also I need your help convincing mom it's ok for me to leave. I'm not going to walk out totally like I was planning on, but you and Daniel need space. I barged in unannounced even if it wasn't my fault, and you guys didn't deserve that. I'll come over to visit mom and Paul all the time, and maybe get to know you guys if you want, but regardless of what I do on that front, I won't abandon them. Besides I'm nearly 18 I would have needed to move out soon regardless. Plus I'm not really suited for the domestic life if you know what I mean?"

Lilly looked me up and down calculating for a long minute.

"I still hate you, and you're still an idiot. But I accept your deal."

I smiled and held out my hand. She took it and pumped it once, eyes serious. I walked out of the room and down the hall feeling lighter than I had since I woke up, still I was now thoroughly exhausted. Strangely so actually. Stupid emotions. I collapsed on the bed, satisfied that, at least for now I knew what I was going to do.

A/N: Annnnnd  I'm back. My time of  absence was a lot shorter this time, and I hope to continue to decrease the time between updates. Please do tell me what you think of the chapter below. I subsist off comments which is why I struggle to update this story. Here you all are though. One beautifully done chapter with some serious heart to heart.  Also just so you're aware Lilly is ten-ish and Daniel is six or seven I haven't decided yet.  But yea Lilly is (for the most part) super mature and angsty for her age. I couldn't help myself ok.