𝙄𝙉𝙁𝙇𝘼𝙈𝙀𝘿; heroes of olympus

skyfall

ERITH JAY
"DID YOU KNOW I HELD UP THE SKY ONCE?"

That was how Percy started his serious conversation with her. It was a hot summer day and they lounged in the grass on Half-Blood Hill. She stared up at the sky, her legs on top of his, while he traced patterns on her sun-tanned knees.

Of course Erith knew. Zoe had showed her, and even though the ghost of the girl was gone, the memories remained locked into place in Erith's head: the foggy mountain. Luke's sword at Annabeth's throat. Percy's trembling shoulders. Artemis sparring Atlas. Zoe's fall.

Percy took her silence as an invitation to keep going. "I held up the sky, and I wouldn't say it was the worst night of my life. There were pros and cons. Thalia kicked Luke off a cliff. Zoe died. I almost got incinerated, but I did get to slow dance with Annabeth.

"I'm getting sidetracked. My point, Erith, is sometimes we have to do hard things. When I was fourteen, I went back home to my shitty stepdad and my mom, because I couldn't bear to leave her, not when I had almost lost her. 

"I brought her Medusa's head. Weird, I know, but hear me out. I had just met my father for the first time. He called her a queen, Rith. The point is, I could've saved her. I could've killed Gabe. I could've made her famous, or rich, or both. All I had to have done was asked my dad.

"But I didn't. Because sometimes you have to do the hard thing. But your ends aren't going to close until you close them yourself." He caught her eyes. "Do you understand?"

Unfortunately, she did. She understood just as well that Percy was going to be gone to New Rome in a week and so was Annabeth. She understood that this was maybe the last time he would just be hers and she would just be his.

So she stood and he stood and she took his hand. "Then come with me."

His shoulder bumped hers. "Always."

—

The drive was almost an exact hour and a half, and when Percy pulled up at the house, Erith felt vaguely sick.

She wanted to get out of the car and start running. She wanted to cower under the seat. She wanted to demand Percy start driving again. She wanted to get her own hands on the wheel and floor it.

She did none of those things.

Percy took her hand. His fingers were warm when they curled around hers. "Look at me," he whispered.

She looked at him. He pressed his forehead to hers. "When I was seventeen, I went to Luke's mother's house. Her name is May. She is insane, and always grieving." She could feel his breath on her lips when he whispered, "Please don't share his fate."

She had gotten this far. She could take a few steps more.

She pulled away from Percy, unbuckled her seat belt, got out of the car. Percy met her on the other side. Hands intertwined, they started up the steps.

—

Hope was quick to answer the door.

She had dark hair, darker freckles. Light brown skin. Warm eyes. Her shoulders were pulled forward. She wore a white buttoned blouse and dark jeans.

"Erith," she said softly, her voice cracking, and in a blur, Erith understood what Apollo had seen in her all those years ago.

"Mom," she breathed.

—

Percy and Annabeth left two nights later, after the fireworks. Erith didn't know how to say goodbye. Percy had become a part of her soul, and Annabeth had saved both their lives. But only one of them got to keep their good luck charm.

She had been trying to ignore it. Trying to combat the idea of them being at camp one day and them being gone the next. She didn't realize how complete it would feel, though, once they were gone with Grover and she was alone on the beach with shaking hand and a heavy heart.

If there was something Percy had been perfect for, it was fitting his hand into hers. If there was something Annabeth had been perfect for, it was her sun-smeared smile.

Erith brought out the dirty yellow bandana that had been through hell and back with her and clutched it to her face. It smelled like Damasen's hut, and that was when her tears finally came.

She was interrupted by a sound and she looked up quickly, her face tearstained. Nico di Angelo was standing there in the moonlight, a small smile on his face. "They've been asking about you."

She wiped her face furiously. She wasn't afraid of him seeing her cry, not after all of this. "Who?"

"The ghosts." He held out his hand. "I believe I owe you a walk."

She stood, stuffing the bandana in her pocket. "I miss them," she said softly, not yet grabbing onto him.

He smiled sadly. "I miss them too." Then he wrapped his arms around her, and the world dissolved into shadow, and all she felt was his fingers pressed to her back, carrying her through, just as she had carried him. Just as they had always carried each other.

—
an; sorry for the short chapter. i think they're going to be shorter because i'm nearing the ending but i want to split each part up into its own lil thing so. yea! hope u liked it <3

"My ghost, where'd you go?"