The Battle for Olympus

Percy

Percy wasn't usually one for a grand entrance, but after Thalia blew the wall in the opportunity was too good. And the look on Annabeth's face was totally worth it.

Jason and Octavian were somewhere in the rubble, and Piper and Leo stared at him like he was back from the dead, but he only cared about Annabeth. Her bronze knife at her side, blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, sparkling gray eyes- Percy surged forward and wrapped his arms around her.

"Percy," Annabeth breathed as her arms slipped around his waist and held him tight. Her hair smelled like lemon soap and Percy's hands started shaking though he didn't know why.

"Percy," Annabeth choked out again, like there was nothing else to say. And finally, it was all worth it. All the travel, the quests, the suffering. It was all worth it because he was with her again, and she was with him.

Percy finally pulled away, blinking back tears. "I'm- I'm sorry I didn't come earlier, and I'm sorry I was gone so long, I-"

"Shhh." Annabeth covered his mouth with her hand. "That wasn't your fault. Just hold me, seaweed brain." She hugged him again, softer this time and rested her head on his shoulder.

Percy couldn't stand it any longer and cupped her face with his hands. "I love you," he whispered. Then he leaned in and kissed her, kissed her for all the months they'd been apart, for all the memories he'd lost. He kissed her and it didn't matter that the world was falling apart. All that mattered was Annabeth Chase.

When they broke apart, the rest of the room came back into focus. Octavian staggered to his feet behind them, Jason on his knees coughing out dust. Thalia hugged Annabeth before pointing her silver bow at Octavian, and Nico drew his Stygian iron sword.

"Thalia?" Jason murmured, righting himself.

Thalia shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jason. I don't want to fight you."

"Oh really?" Jason glared over at her. "Then why are you here? Why are you all here?"

"The same reason you are," Thalia said carefully, like she was talking to a wounded animal. "To stop Gaea."

"I am stopping Gaea! God, you're all blind. Juno's plan is not going to work," Jason insisted. "I can't be the only one who knows that!"

"I of all people know Hera's limits," Thalia growled. "But this isn't the answer."

"You don't know what the answer is!" Jason yelled. "No one does!"

"Oh but you do?"

Jason drew his sword. "I'm done. Get out of here, Thalia. I don't want you to get hurt."

Thalia looked away. "Jason, please-"

"Get out of here!"

Thalia took a couple steps back, then looked at Percy, her eyes red rimmed. "Can you-"

"Yeah," Percy said. "Yeah of course. Take Piper and Leo out of here." He turned back to Jason and summoned Riptide. "I've been waiting for this for a long time."

Annabeth drew her dagger and stepped up to his side, just like old times. He felt much better with Annabeth there. But he couldn't let her get hurt.

"Go with them," Percy said, knowing she'd immediately refuse. "Nico and I have this."

"What? Percy, he betrayed me!"

"I-I know. But the campers need their leader. And if I'm right, you have a plan to end this, don't you?"

Annabeth's eyes narrowed, and Percy could nearly see the gears turning. "I... wait where's Reyna?"

Piper whipped around. "Well that's bad. If she organizes the romans-"