"When Fate Aligns" ~ A Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus Oneshot Collection

"Letting it Go" (Written at Age 14)

Letting it Go

Percy stared at the ground, tilting his head to the side.

The ship’s shadow fell over Camp Half-Blood, like how a ledge of the Grand Canyon would, but he knew no one had noticed it yet. Everyone was still in the pavilion, eating.  It wouldn’t be long until they did, though. And, Percy wasn’t sure if he should prepare to run, it had been so long since he had been to CHB, almost a year. He knew he had changed. Tartarus had changed him, and Annabeth, and this whole quest had changed all of them.

He looked over his shoulder, where he saw Leo playing with some kind of contraption he had made. Was it a helicopter?

Was he even ready for this?

The answer came to him in less than a heartbeat, yes, he was ready. He had been ready ever since he had gotten his memories back from the alien also known as Hera. And he missed Camp, a lot. Many of his friends were here. Annabeth was below the deck in her room, Percy had no idea what she was doing, but knew she was ready, she had been since they had defeated Gaea.

The doors of the Mess Hall swung open and the first of the campers stepped into the open. Percy leaned against the rail and smiled, despite the way his heart was performing jumping-jacks under his chest. He had to force himself to stay put and not go under the deck, where he knew he would never come out if he could. He knew those three, Conner, Travis and Katie.

Travis was the first one to see the shadow. He looked up and Percy laughed as he watched as his eyes widened. The son of Hermes looked shocked. He nudged Conner and then Katie in the sides and pointed up.

Two other jaws hit the floor.

Percy couldn’t resist the grin that spread across his face. Gods, he had missed this place.

“Is anyone up there?” Conner shouted up, and Percy realized he sounded both scared and hopeful. Percy cringed as he remembered they hadn’t even contacted the camp to tell them they were alive. And Gaea had been asleep for about a week. Leo joined Percy so that they stood shoulder-to-shoulder.

“We’re all safe!” the Latino elf shouted back down at him. “Hold on!” he added as Piper and Jason appeared on deck. They had obviously heard the shouting. Percy watched as more and more campers streamed out and he was stunned at the sheer numbers. His eyes widened as he recognized Dakota and Gwen, so, the Romans were here as well?  

Leo went to the control panel and pressed a button. The rope ladder began to unravel and Percy crossed his arms and placed them on the rail. Now that he was here, he suddenly felt scared to go on. What would the others think? He had changed, after all… he wouldn’t be who they expected to see.

“Hey,” a soft voice at his side greeted and Percy relaxed as a warm hand wrapped around his. He entwined his fingers with Annabeth’s and squeezed her hand. “You ready to do this?”

Percy looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “No,” he admitted, “I’m scared.”

Annabeth’s gray eyes filled with compassion and she took a few steps forward and wrapped her arms around him. Percy let out a soft sigh and wrapped his arms around her in return, a meteor could crash into Earth and they would be alright. He closed his eyes and let his head rest on top of hers.

“I know,” her breath tickled his ear, “But it’ll be okay.”

She pulled away and smiled at him. Percy returned it.

“Are you two coming down?” someone from below shouted, Leo. Percy rolled his eyes, would he ever learn a thing called patience?

“Shut up, Leo!” he called over the edge, leaning so that he could see Leo’s face. Leo only grinned, his eyes dancing and Percy pulled away. He turned to Annabeth, “Can I soak him, just once?” he pleaded. Annabeth rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the ear, although Percy noticed she was smiling slightly. She marched (still holding his ear, by the way!) to the other side of the deck and sat on it, letting her foot hang.