The Sibling's Battle

Chapter 22

I find myself walking around the busting street of New York. I also happened to not be wearing a jacket, so it was pretty cold too. Then there was the fact that I was lost. I had been walking for about an hour, not paying attention to where I was going. I had no phone so I couldn't call anybody, and even if I could use a phone I don't think camp has a phone, and even if they did, I would 't know the number. I kept walking. Eventually I got too cold, and walked into a Starbucks. It was warm and smelled like coffee. I notice the girl at the counter staring at me. She looks vaguely familiar. I turn away but I can feel her watching me. I look back up and her eyes are wide now. "Jes..." she starts to say.

"Stacey!" I yell. I run behind the counter and give her a hug. Stacey was my baby sitter when I was little, after Luke left.

"Oh my god you have gotten so tall"

"Yeah I didn't know you moved to New York. Oh and it's Ellie by the way."

"Yeah I did, and did you change... "

"Yeah I did. My mom thought it would keep me safe."

"Okay so what are you doing in New York alone. You can't be more than 14."

"No, I sorta got lost and I don't know the way back home."

"Did you move here or something?"

"Something like that."

"Okay well do you need to use a phone or..."

"Actually we don't have phones so I can't exactly call anyone really." I finish saying that just as someone walks into the restaurant.

"Hello Mrs. Jackson. The usual?" says Stacey

"That would be wonderful Stacey" says the woman. I turn to look at her as Stacey walks into the back to get her drink.

"M... Mom?" I say.

"Ellie. How nice to see you here. Are you here alone?"

"Uh yeah I am. I left camp and I didn't really observe where I was going, so I kinda got lost and came here."

"Here you go!" announces Stacey as she walks out with the coffee.

"Thank you" says Mom paying for the coffee and taking it. "How about, you come over to my apartment, and spend the night. A little mother daughter bonding. We could Iris Message camp, and let them know you're okay..."

Iris message! Stupid! "... Then we could take you back in the morning."

"I think that would be wonderful" I say. This is the first real face to face moment with my real mom. It's exciting. We walk out of the restaurant as Stacey yells "Nice to see you uh... Ellie" mom hails a cab and we climb in. We talk the whole ride about how camp is, and how life has been going lately so I lose track of time. We pull up to an apartment complex, and we get out if the car. We ride the elevator up to the apartment room, and walk inside. It was nice. It was just the right size, and very cozy with a fire going in the corner. There was a man sitting on a couch near the fire. He looked about mid-forties with salt and pepper hair. As we walk through the door he turns around. "Hey Sally... Uh who's this?"

"This is my daughter Ellie." she replies.

"You must be Paul" I say putting out my hand for him to shake it. He does and says "So you would be Percy's sister."

"Yup" I say.

"Can you do all that creepy water magic too?"

"I can, but if it makes you uncomfortable, then I won't use it."

I kept talking to Paul, while mom went to the kitchen. When she came back she had a tray of blue cookies, and three mugs filled with hot cocoa. "Should we Iris Message Percy? He's probably freaking out right now." I ask

"Sure" replies mom. She hands me a drachma, I create a mist and throw the drachma in. "Percy Jackson, camp half blood." I say. An image appears in the water, of Percy and Annabeth kissing. I clear my throat, and they look up.

"Oh... Uh... Ellie... Why are you with mom... At her apartment?"

"You mean you didn't know I was gone? What were you making out with Annabeth the whole like hour and a half I was gone?" I ask

"Uh... No"

"Well, I'm here. So don't worry about me."

"Hello Sally." pipes in Annabeth.

"Hello dear" mom replies. Then Percy and Annabeth glance at each other. Annabeth nods her head at Percy. "Mom, we gotta tell you something." he says with a smile on his face. "Annabeth and I are engaged."

I turn to mom who is staring and the mist like Percy and Annabeth aren't even there. "Uh... Mom?" asks Percy. A smile slowly appears on her face, until its a grin going from ear to ear. "That's wonderful! Congratulations! That's fantastic!"

"Thanks" says Annabeth with a smile on her face. "Now we should probably get going, it was nice talking to you."

"You too Annabeth" replies mom

"Bye mom" says Percy

"Bye Perce. Love you"

"Love you too" he says slashing his hand through the mist.

A/N

Okay so this is a really crappy chapter, and I know it took a long time to finish, but I couldn't figure what else to write. So thanks for reading. Don't forget to vote!

~CCla1re