Family Ties (Percy Jackson and the Avengers)

Chapter 6

"Stop! Whatever you do, do not press that button!" Tony shouts above the ruckus.

Nico and Leo pause mid-action, eyes traveling down to the large red button Leo's hand just came very, very close to landing on. During their argument, Nico had backed Leo up against the control panel and in the heat of the moment, neither one had realized that they are extremely close to pressing the emergency eject button.

Nico grimaces. "It's your fault for putting the button where anyone could hit it."

Tony's eyes narrow. "It's in the cockpit of the jet where you shouldn't be and it was behind a giant glass box that you managed to break."

"It's not my fault you need better locks." Nico retorts calmly.

"I can fix them for you if you want," Leo puts in not-so-helpfully.

Tony is almost as red-faced as the poor pilot. Fortunately, Pepper steps in at this point and starts shoving them out. "All right. That's enough. Everyone go sit down in Tony's overstuffed couches and I'll bring you your apple juice."

"Uh, I take Vodka." Tony protests.

Pepper shakes her head. "Not on a mission to save your nephew, you don't."

Jason is sitting on one of the love seats with Piper tucked against his side. Annabeth sleeps on the other side of Piper. He smiles as everyone settles down. "Well, that was very uneventful."

"Tell me about it," Steve grumbles around a cup of hot chocolate. He is soaking wet with only a large towel for warmth. "I'm just glad I didn't get pushed out of the jet this time."

"That was a total accident," Jason complains.

Natasha raises an eyebrow. "All three times."

"Well not the second," Tony amends.

Steve shakes his head. "I still can't believe you pushed me out just to see how fast I would sink."

Tony smirks. "You're surprisingly buoyant for having all that muscle." He looks thoughtful for a moment. "But then again ice floats doesn't it Capsicle?"

"Shut up," Steve replies.

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Percy tosses and turns in his sleep, sweat rolling in sheets of his skin. He's trapped within his memories, unable to escape their angry wrath. The sheets are tangled around his body and his loose white shirt is soaked. His throat is parched and his cheeks are speckled pink from the beginnings of a fever.

It shouldn't be like this. He shouldn't become more exhausted from sleeping, but yet he is. Fury and Alicia had tag-teamed him after lunch and forced him to at least try to nap. It was impossible to tell what causes this bad of a nightmare, but the fact is, he can't wake up. He can't escape it like he normally does.

Alicia bends over his agonized form, calmly whispering soothing words and trying desperately to reach out to his unconscious mind. Nothings working. Her heart beats rapidly against her chest as panic begins to set in. She's been at this for the last forty minutes. He can't hear her it seems. Fury and Hill are outside the room waiting. She refuses to let them, refuses to let them see Percy in such a vulnerable state.

Her shoulders shake as she leans over and presses her forehead to his slick one. Tears begin to prick at the corners of her eyes, but she doesn't let them fall. "Wake up." she finally pleads. "Please, please wake up. Percy, you're needed. You have to open your eyes. Please. I need you."

She goes on and on, begging in the same manner. After a couple of minutes, he begins to still, though his muscle remains coiled. His harsh breathing evens out ever so slightly. Alicia's words catch in her throat and her breath catches.

Slowly, terribly slow, his eyes flutter open. They are unfocused and he likely isn't even aware, but it' enough for her. She sighs and runs a finger down the side of his face. "You had me scared you, idiot. Just for that, I'm making you take me out for ice cream, you hear?"

His eyes flicker weakly in her direction. He can't see her, probably can't even understand what she is saying, but he can hear her voice. It seems to relax him a bit.

She runs her finger through his hair and begins to babble just because he finds comfort in the familiarity of her voice. "And after ice cream, you're taking me to the movies. There are at least four that I really need to see. I wanna meet Blackjack too and try the climbing wall. We've been together for months and I haven't raced the lava. We have to fix that..."

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Fury is surprised when Percy finally emerges from his room around nightfall. He's pale and sweaty, a small fever evident in the slight tint to his cheeks. There are bags under his eyes and his clothes are extremely tousled. Alicia had told them that he was just in a bad mood when they went to find him around dinner time and that's why she had them wait in the hall. Fury should have known it is something more. Is the kid sick?

Wordlessly they sit down to eat a very late meal. The Director decides it might not be the best time to mention the Stark's jet tailing them or that they will arrive at Kos in around twenty-four hours.

He sits back in his chair when he's finished. Percy's barely ate any of his meal and Alicia seems to entirely forget about her in her concern for her boyfriend. Not for the first time, Fury and Agent Hill wonder just what exactly they have gotten themselves into.

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"So....." Annabeth starts. "Who wants to call Thalia and Tyson. Not it!"

"Not it."

"Not it."

"Not it."

"Not it."

"Not- awe come on. Why me?" Leo complains. "I don't even know them that well."

Jason laughs. "That's just how it is man. Come on. You're iris-messaging them. It's not like they can eat you through the rainbow or anything."

"Yeah Fleecy only lets that happen when she's in a bad mood and she's generally a way too happy person," Annabeth adds.

"Besides Thalia won't eat you. She isn't allowed to touch boys," Piper says, laying a hand on Leo's shoulder. "And Tyson has only accidentally suffocated two people with his hugs."

Leo's eyes widen. "I'm doomed."

Nico snorts. "Come on Valdez. Man up."

"Why don't you do it then?" Leo snaps."

"Because I said 'not it.'"

Leo grumbles but get's up and stomps over to the drinking fountain in the corner. Seriously who has a drinking fountain in the corner of their private jet? Isn't that what flight attendants are for? He digs the first drachma out of his pocket and when Jason has successfully created a rainbow he throws it in.

"Oh Fleecy, do me a solid. Please be in a good mood and give me Thalia from wherever it is that she is at the moment."

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Kind of a cliffy isn't it. I want lots of votes and comments if you want to know what happens next. :)

~Halie