When We Were 'Us'

A Broken Heart Returning Home- Annabeth POV

I watched the beat-up old Toyota pull onto the gravel driveway. With Leo's newfound passion for tinkering with cars, Chiron had finally caved and given him a way to get in and out more easily than winding the huge machines through the forest. 

Leo now had a decent sized garage out behind the Big House that housed three old cars he was working on. This Toyota wasn't one of them.

A couple campers who didn't have anything to do were waiting by the garage to greet the Romans as they got out. I kept my distance, knowing who was with them and not really sure if I wanted to see him.

"You said you'd try to apologize."

"Well I'm not going to just walk up to him and start talking, Luke. He'd probably punch me."

"I don't think Percy would punch you over something that trivial."

"I do." I snorted. "I'll apologize, eventually."

Three guys walked around the Big House, talking with some of the kids who had met them.

Percy stood tall in the middle, a thin strip of bandages wrapped around his head. He looked very different from when he left Camp Half-Blood, his black band shirt and dark jeans standing out aggressively against the bright orange.

He looked like the skater kid he used to be.

A girl in a purple shirt ran past me and towards the group, waving excitedly. "Haley, you're here! I missed you!"

Percy grinned and crouched, holding his arms out and letting her hit him at full speed. She almost knocked him backwards and he braced himself, laughing.

"How's your swordsmanship doing, kid?" He tugged her braid lightly. "Hope these Greek kids are giving you a good challenge."

"I learned a new disarming technique!"

"Good! I'll have to see what you can do now."

She giggled, then looked up at the older of the two with Percy.

"So your swords instructor more important to you than your dad, huh?" The guy grinned, adjusting his glasses. The girl jumped up and hugged him too.

"What happened to your face?"

The man touched the thin cut running along his cheekbone. "Got in a fender-bender on the way here. We're all fine though. Haley just hit his head."

Percy snickered. "And you told me to wear the gauze for sympathy points."

The man shrugged. "Well the gods dragged you across the country again and you nearly died, they should feel bad."

Thunder rumbled and Percy rolled his eyes. "Cut it out, Freddie."

As Freddie chuckled and quieted down, Percy glanced around. His eyes met mine and I felt a shard of ice hit me in the chest at the way his expression changed.

People like Percy are very expressive, especially with emotions like pain.

"I'm gonna take a walk," Percy told Freddie flatly. "See what I missed out on."

He stalked off silently and Freddie looked around as well, trying to figure out what upset the son of Poseidon. I took that as my cue and awkwardly walked up.

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. I'm-"

"Annabeth Chase." The boy with Freddie sneered suddenly. He was watching me like a caged animal, aggressive but wary.

"Cooper," Freddie said warningly, glancing at him.

Cooper glared at me for a moment, then darted off after Percy. Freddie shook his head and ruffled his daughter's hair, turning back to me.

"You're the one who set all this into motion."

"He still hates me, doesn't he?"

Freddie paused and glanced after Percy and Cooper, who were disappearing between two cabins. "I don't know. I can't read him like Carmen. You'd have to ask him."

"You don't hate me," I commented, watching him.

He shrugged. "I don't know the situation, kid, it's not my place to judge. I do know that you seriously hurt him though."

I sighed, getting the silent message. "I'll try to catch him in a little bit to talk."

"Approach with caution," Freddie suggested, then looked down at his daughter. "Alright, Kel, give me the tour."

She giggled and pulled him off. [A/N for quick reference Freddie was previously married and his wife left him. Kellsey (had a coworker who spelled it like that) is his daughter from that marriage, Carmen plans to adopt her once she and Freddie tie the knot]

I gave Percy an hour before trying to find him. Hopefully that would give him enough time to re-absorb Camp Half-Blood and maybe calm down a little.

I didn't fully expect him to hear me out, after what had happened between us. But even if I believed my choice was right (because it was), I owed him an apology for the thoughtless way I went about it.

He was sitting with Cooper by the canoe lake, talking and waving his hands around to illustrate what he was saying.

"Percy? Can I talk to you?"

[A/N get you a Toyota if you need a long-lasting car, kids. I have a 2004 Sienna that my family has been driving since 2007, which we bought used. Thing's still pushing through. My dad's Camry is only a couple years younger and I think it was used as well

Also I'm kind of picturing Freddie as looking like a redhead version of Logan Sanders as teardroppeddew draws him (specifically in the drawing titled 'Lost In Thought') bc her interpretation is GREAT]