Our Last Stand (A Percy Jackson Fanfic)

1. Saved by Finding Nemo

Percy watched out the window that night, and every night, for the past three years. Hoping upon hope, dreaming upon dream, that he would see her run up the sidewalk and jump up the steps. He wished her blonde framed face would burst through the door, like she had never left all those years ago.

He remembered the day she left. I'll only be gone for a week. she had said. You've been on quests longer than this, I'll be fine.

A small black haired boy with mischievous green eyes launched himself into Percy's lap. "Daddy, can you come read me a bedtime story?" he asked, pleading with eyes that Percy had never been able to argue with.

A blonde woman appeared behind them at the bottom of the stairs. "Sorry, but he wants you to read to him tonight." she told him, walking up to Percy and hugging him from behind. "Why don't I watch for a while?" she asked, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Percy nodded. "Hey, Sam, why don't you go ahead and pick out a book and I'll be up as soon as I can, okay?"

The boy jumped off his lap and bounded up the stairs, chanting Finding Nemo as he went.

Percy stood and faced the woman, both of them hugging each other. "Annabeth, I'm just so worried." he whispered. "I should have gone with her."

Annabeth blinked back tears. "I know, Percy." she pulled away to see his face. "But she's our daughter, Percy. If anyone is going to come back, it will be Alex."

Percy frowned but nodded.

Annabeth gave a strained smile, "We told Chiron we would be there tomorrow," She told him. "It wouldn't be fair to make them leave here in the middle of the night." He knew she meant the two kids upstairs. "We'll leave first thing. I promise."

Percy nodded, "I know, I was just hoping Chiron meant she was coming home." He told her, kissed her, than followed Sam up the stairs. Annabeth sighed then took Percy's seat at the window. She watched the front walk and the stairs, wishing the same thing as Percy.

These last three years have been hard on Percy, but it was even worse on Annabeth. She had to be the strong one, for her husband and kids. But now, tears streamed down her face. Her daughter was gone, Annabeth knew she should hope for the best, but a year after she had disappeared they had asked Nico the worst question Annabeth had ever asked. He didn't say for sure, he tried to relieve their fears, but she recognized the look in his eyes. She cried that day, more than she had ever cried before.

Percy, however, held onto the hope that she was still alive. She's thirteen, Annabeth. Thats older than we were on our first quest. He had said, his words so hopeful she had almost believed him. But the look in Nico's eyes, haunted her.

Well, she would be sixteen now. Annabeth missed three years, if there were even three years to miss. But Chiron's message earlier had given her hope that she might be alive. A camper might have seen her. He said. But he won't speak to us.

"Mommy, are we leaving now?" Annabeth turned to see a little girl, gods she looked just like her sister, but had traded in her father's green eyes for her mother's grey. Percy claimed that she looked exactly like a young Annabeth, but Annabeth denied this, while secretly hoping he was right.

She pulled the little girl onto her lap. "Leaving for where? Why aren't you in bed, Lilli?"

Lilli looked at her mother, "I heard Daddy telling Sam that we are going to camp. Are we leaving now?"

Annabeth smiled softly, "No, we are leaving tomorrow morning."

"Oh," Lilli breathed, looking out the window. She breathed on the window, dogging it enough so she could draw a smile on the window.

Annabeth smiled at her drawing, then looked past it and out the window, feeling a knot grow in her stomach as she looked. A dark shadow crept up to the yard, following a creature as it disappeared into the grass. "Or maybe we will leave tonight." she lifted Lilli onto the floor and nudged her towards the stairs. "Go upstairs and pack your overnight bags. Percy get down here!" she called.

Lilli passed Percy on the stairs as he raced down the stairs. "What, what happened?"

"We have company." Annabeth responded, brandishing a bronze dagger as she waited by the door.

Percy nodded, drawing Riptide and taking over her place. "Grab the bags and get the car ready."

"Can you handle it on your own?"

Instead of responding, he blew out a taxi-cab whistle and a shadow in the corner of the room darkened before a giant hellhound leapt through.

"Nevermind. Hi, Mrs. O'Leary." Annabeth grabbed two, already packed duffle bags out of the closet and rushed through the garage door, grabbing the keys off the hook. She quickly unlocked the doors to the blue Jeep and threw the bags in the trunk. Heading back through to the stairs, Annabeth paused briefly as something started to slam itself into the front door. Percy raised his sword higher and Ms. O'Leary growled.

Annabeth raced up the steps, stopping in Sam's room first. He was aggressively trying to shove more books into his bag. Annabeth stopped him by taking the books into her arms and helping him close the bag. "Come on, we have to go." she took his hand and lead him back out into the hallway, locking the door to his bedroom as she left, tucking the key into her pocket. In Lilli's room, she was packing up the smaller bag attached to the cat carrier as her cat, Seastar, grumbled unhappily of having to be in the carrier. "Help your sister, I'll be right back." Annabeth told Sam, nudging him into the room. "Hey, If I tell you to, shut this door and lock it, okay?" she told him.

Sam nodded and started to help Lilli pack a few cat toys and food. Annabeth locked the other doors in the hallway, pausing in her office to grab the extra weapons and a small bag of drachma. Then she locked that door too. Just a precaution, anyone who wanted to find something in their house would have to work harder to get it. And the locked doors tended to distract from the hidden panic room under the carpet in the office.

She walked back into Lilli's room and picked up the carrier. The two kids shouldered their bags and followed Annabeth back into the hall, where she locked the door and lead them down the steps.

The creature still slammed against the door, which was now splintering. "Hurry," Percy called.

Annabeth lead the way to the car, taking the bags from the kids and putting them in the back while they buckled themselves in, the cat carrier between them. She hopped into the driver's seat and honked once. Percy rushed out with Ms. O'Leary on his heels, locking the door and jumping into the seat next to Annabeth. The garage door opened and they drove onto the street, racing down the road. They watched Ms. O'Leary leap into a shadow before leaving town, heading towards Long Island, not knowing what they would discover at camp after being away for almost eighteen years.