Favorite : Change for the both of us

Chapter 28

We're told that Percy is healing at an impeccable speed. Even though it feels like eternity, he's recovering faster than any one ever thought he would. Within five days he didn't need the oxygen mask, and after a week he could sit up without support. Everyone's happy about his recovery - everybody but Percy.

"I need to move," he groans, trying to sit up. I push him back down on to the bed gently, careful not to hurt him.

"No, you need rest," I say.

"I'm ADHD!" Percy stresses. He's been complaining for hours about it. "I don't know what 'rest' is. Wasn't being unable to move at all for a week enough of stupid 'rest'?"

I roll his eyes. "That was a coma. It's different,"

He huffs. "Well, when will I be allowed to get out of bed? My legs aren't going to be able to move if I keep them still for much longer,"

"Who were stabbed, Percy," Annabeth sighs from her bed, playing on her Athena's phone (who'd gone to get some coffee and sweets). Since spending hours trying to search for our missing children, and then sitting with them in their hospital room, Athena and I have made a mutual agreement not to argue - for Percy and Annabeth's sakes. "You're not going to be able to put weight on your leg for another couple of days,"

Percy looks at me, putting on his best puppy-dog face. Unfortunately, with all his bruises and pale skin and bandaged body and being in a critical state a mere two weeks ago, his puppy-dog face is about ten times more effective than usual. "Can you ask the doctor? Please,"

"I'll consider it," I reply, my usual firmness and rational thoughts sliding. "If you stop complaining,"

My son nods, grinning. I never knew how much I missed his grin until I saw it again - weak and forced, but there when he woke up. When he finally woke up and removed the heavy weight from my chest.

Athena returns to the room. She hands me a coffee, Percy a packet of soft gummy sweets (he can't eat hard foods just yet, considering he was punched in the jaw a lot of times) and then goes and sits with Annabeth with some sweets for her also.

"I spoke to some officers," she says to me grimly. "Hermes has cracked through the firewalls surrounding the CCTV footage of the place where they suspect they were found," she nods to our kids. "They'd like us to, uh, view them,"

Annabeth chokes on her fruit-juice. "What?" she gasps.

"What do you mean?" Percy asks, glancing between us.

"Well, they're almost certain that you were being kept at the vineyard, as you know," Athena says, eying her daughter and my son in concern. "So your cousin has been using his computer-skills to get into the CCTV. He's managed it and the police are scanning through it tomorrow,"

"Why do we have to be there?" I question.

"In case we recognise the...ahem, offenders," Athena tells me. "No one here knows Kronos as well as you and your siblings, Poseidon. If it was him who took Percy and Annabeth, you can confirm it for sure,"

I glance down at Percy, who is as pale as a sheet. I wrap an arm around his shoulders, recognising the ghostly look in his eyes. He's remembering. "Don't worry," I murmur to him, stroking back his hair comfortingly.

"It's hard to forget," Percy mutters in response.

I nod, his hollow tone plucking at my heartstrings. "I know. But you're here now, and you're safe. We're going to find them and they're going to be punished?"

Percy glances over at Annabeth an they exchange smiles. Ever since being taken, something's changed between them. It's plain as day to anyone who knew them beforehand. They're protective and scared of losing one another. It's sweet and haunting at the same time.