The Parenthood Drabbles

Sticking Together

In the style of Sally Jackson and May Castellan.

It wasn't often that people demanded to see Mr D.

It wasn't often that people wanted to see Mr D.

It wasn't often that mortals demanded to see Mr D.

Heck, it wasn't often that anything on the behalf of immortals was demanded by a mortal, but if someone had to do it than Sally Jackson was the best set to do it.

"Yes Will, Mr D." Sally nodded.

Will frowned. "But... you do know what that means... right?"

"Of course I do," Sally said. "Thank you sweetheart."

"I'll be late. Luke's going to be back anytime now." May said nervously next to her. She was clutching Sally's arm, as if they were two schoolgirls parading across the schoolyard. Sometimes that's how Sally felt, depending on how her mood was wavering. One second she was calm and confident and sure of what she was doing, and the next she felt small and powerless and was pretty sure she should run.

"Don't worry May, remember? We left a note for him, and there are sandwiches and Kool-Aid and cookies in the fridge for him."

May nodded, as if that made everything okay and she smiled fondly, remembering her son.

"He should be back from the river soon."

Sally got a chill. That could just as easily have been her fate, what May was currently living. If Percy wasn't as honest with her as he was, she could one day be waiting years for her child to come back home.

Driving to Connecticut and finding May hadn't been very easy, but Sally had managed to coax the information and a promise of silence out of Nico last time he'd had a fight with Hazel and hadn't wanted anything to do with either demigod Camp. Then she'd had to talk May into driving to New York, explain and get through to her about what was going on, and make her believe and remember it. She'd refused to drag Paul or Percy into this (the later knew nothing, as a matter of fact). This was a business of mothers and justice, and so she'd do it on her won with May.

Will soon appeared followed by a squad of satyrs, Mr D, and a bunch of curious campers who were whispering to each other. She honestly hoped Percy was somewhere in the canoe lake with Annabeth, where he couldn't be summoned from- which was the first time she thought that.

"Sally Jackson," he said. "A mortal. Peter's mother."

"Percy's mother."

"What do you want? And why is she back?" Mr D asked, nudging his head at May as if she wasn't actually there.

"You're the god of madness," Sally said. "And you're a god who's left mortal women before. Don't lie My Lord."

"Well, thank you for keeping me informed of my life and if that's all-"

"Sally we should be going." May said tugging on Sally's jacket sleeve. "This isn't a place for us.

"Yes, you really should. Maybe she's not the mad one after all."

"Please, heal her." Sally said.

Mr D's nose crinkled. "You ask this of me?"

"I'm asking, and I'm trying to ask very politely." Sally nodded. "I know the myths. I know you heal madness. You've done it before when you've felt mercy."

"Myths, myths, myths," Mr D said annoyingly.

"Her only son is dead, she doesn't know, she might never know, and even if someone told her she still wouldn't know."

"Sally," May said more insistently. "It's a long drive back to Connecticut, we really should hit the road."

"She's waiting for him but she doesn't know she's been waiting more than ten years and she'll wait for ten or twenty or thirty more depending on how long she lives. Does that not make you feel mercy, Dionysus?" Sally asked.

He looked at her, purple eyes flaring. Sally swallowed nervously, but she made herself stay strong. She wasn't going to be bullied by another lazy and sleazy alcoholic.

"You are arrogant to ask this." Mr D criticized. That was very close to 'I will incinerate you now'.

"Not at all," Sally said. "I'm asking, simply."

It wasn't working, it wasn't working... She changed her tactic quickly.

"And before you turn me into a spider monkey or whatever your preference is, let me remind you that although nothing is going on, May and I were once loved by two quite powerful gods who are to this day higher on the scale of power than you are, and at least I have a son in camp right now. We are not two women whose deaths you want to be accountable for, mark my words."

Mr D's features relaxed, but he didn't look happy about it.

"And what do I get in exchange for my service?"

"Respect," Sally said. "From any demigod's parent, from any camper who holds their mother or father or both to heart, from the gods who couldn't help themselves."

"Drinkers aren't big on respect. You should know out of all people." Mr D said. His purple eyes blazed, he was looking into Sally's memories and making the darkest ones act up. She could tell.

Sally blushed furiously and managed not to get flustered. "Yes but you're sober. I can tell, you should know."

Dionysus looked at Sally.

"You do realise what will happen to her? All the things she'll remember?"

"Sally, I trust you but I don't understand." May whispered to her.

"Yes. It's for the best." Sally said.

He paused for a few seconds longer.

"Come inside the borders, then." Mr D said. "And make her walk faster so you can get out of here faster too."