Favorite : Change for the both of us

Chapter 30

Finally, on the 15th of December, I'm allowed to leave the hospital. After nearly two months of being treated here, I can go home. And not Zeus's. Mine and Poseidon's.

We've finally got that new security system installed. I don't know how it works, but what I do know is that Hermes helped program it and if anyone tries to get in who isn't allowed...well, they'll be in trouble. And besides, Poseidon and I have agreed that I'm not being left on my own at all until Kronos is found. The cops have gotten a lead on him and police forces in about twenty states (possibly more) are searching. With the evidence on our bodies that show he tortured Annabeth and I, as well as other accusations of him killing Bianca and Maria di Angelo, the police are taking it extremely seriously and say he'll be facing a long time in jail.

Things are almost back to the way they were. I mean, If you exclude the nightmares I keep having almost every night, even when I'm with Poseidon. And whenever I look in the mirror, I'm reminded of the torture. The welt marks on my back. The cuts across my body. I might have a hardly noticeable limp forever, along with scars. That's a depressing thought.

On a happier note - whenever they're around Annabeth and I, Athena and Poseidon seem to be getting along decently well. At least, they refrain from arguing, which I appreciate; I sort of expected their bickering to take place again once we were released from the hospital. However, I've been proved wrong. Annabeth and Athena come over to my house daily or I go to hers, along with my cousins.

"Mom, can I sleep here tonight?" Annabeth asks one night, just a few days before Christmas. My first Christmas with Poseidon - every day I think about how lucky I was to be awake and alive to see it. "Please? I want to stay with Percy,"

"I'm not sure, sweetie," Athena replies, glancing at Poseidon. Usually, she wouldn't have a problem, but I guess that the abduction of Annabeth gave Athena quite a scare. Maybe she realised how precious her daughter is after all.

"I'm okay with it," Poseidon says. "However, Percy's...been having trouble sleeping,"

"So have I," Annabeth says. "But it'll be fine. Please, mom,"

"I'd like Annabeth to stay the night," I say, nodding in agreement. "Please, dad?"

It takes a little bit of persuasion and the puppy-dog faces, but eventually our parents give in. Annabeth hugs her mom and we hurry upstairs the best we can on our injured legs. We go into my room and I pull out a sketch pad.

"I want to draw that," I tell her, pointing to a picture on my bedside table. The picture I'm pointing to is of me, my cousins and Annabeth (the one that Hephaestus painted on to my toy shield for me).

Poseidon hired some guys to decorate my room for me as an early Christmas present. My walls are green, just as I wanted, and my carpet is a nice cream (I've had to swear not to drop anything on it - paint, food, dirt, you name it. Or else I lose my aquarium privileges). One wall is plain white which I plan on splattering different shades of green paint on like Jackson Pollock. As well as the picture of me, my cousins and Annabeth, I also have a picture of me and Poseidon on my bedside cabinet. The picture was taken when neither of us were looking – Poseidon has me on his lap and we're both laughing hysterically at something. It's a really nice picture; the only one of me and my dad that I have right now.

"We can do that," Annabeth says confidently, even though we both know that our shaky hands (something to do with PTSD...) won't be able to do that. "Hand me the pencils..."

We spend the next couple of hours re-creating the two photos in the frames. Athena comes by after an hour to give Annabeth her pyjamas for the night, gives her a kiss and then leaves. Similarly, Poseidon comes up every half an hour to make sure we're alright. At seven he comes up with some food.