Till Death Do Us Part

Sophia Johnson

Author's Note: 

Thanks a lot to AnnabethPercyThalia and adelene1357! :) And also to the other readers of this story! :) I present to you chapter 14 of Till Death Do Us Part. 

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Chapter 14- Sophia Johnson

She woke up shortly after six the next morning and was dressed and out of the house by seven thirty. When she arrived at Luke Castellan's office at nine, she had already been to the produce market and then the flower market to take pictures. She had added another shot to her series on Chinatown for her gallery show. And she had picked up Fred at the vet. While waiting for Luke, she was lost on her thoughts. Seeing Nico again had been a blow. It had revived too many memories. But that was over now. She knew it. She could live with it. Her new life had begun.

"My, don't you look chirper this morning—and beautiful. That's a marvellous coat." Luke said as he appeared at the door. "You're in a hurry."

"After twenty six months, wouldn't you be too?"

"I know, princess, I know." As he removed the hat and crushed it in a waste basket bin just below. "And that will be the last time you'll ever wear that hat."

She heard the clink of the delicate instruments in the little metal pan, and she felt the tape being pulled slowly from her forehead and her hairline. With every millimetre of skin it freed, she felt that much freer, until at last she felt nothing more, and she heard the little stool whoosh softly away from her. "You can open your eyes now, Sophia. And go look in the mirror." She had made that trip a thousand times. At first only to see a tiny glimpse, a hint, a promise, and then bigger pieces of the puzzle. But she had never seen Sophia Johnson's face free of tape, or stitches, or some reminder of what was being done. She had not seen her face completely bare since it had been the face of Annabeth Chase two years before. "Go on. Take a look."

It was crazy. She was almost afraid. But silently, she stood up and walked slowly to the mirror, and then she stood there with a broad smile, and a narrow river of tears gleaming on her face. He stood behind her, at a good distance. He wanted to leave her alone. This was her moment.

"Oh god, Luke, it's beautiful."

He laughed softly. "Not its beautiful, Annabeth. It's you're beautiful. It is you, you know."

She could only nod and then turn to look at him. It wasn't so much that her face had changed without the few strips of tape on her forehead, but that it was over. She was entirely Sophia now. "Oh Luke …" she wiped her tears. "Look, I can even get wet now and I don't melt."

"And you can take the sun, though not excessively. And you can do anything you want to for the rest of your life. What's first on the agenda?"

"Work." She chuckled and sat down on the little swivel stool he had abandoned, and with her legs tucked up under her chin she spun herself around. "And my gallery show tomorrow."

"Oh my! How time flies. Is it tomorrow?"

"Yes, and I feel nervous."

"You're the most beautiful girl in the world and the most talented artist ever. No reason to get nervous."

She smiled at his encouraging words as she scrutinized herself in the mirror.

Her gallery show the following morning did have a great start. Silena was there with Luke together with some friends from medical school. And her eyes widened as she noticed a new girl whom Luke seemed to be pouring too much attention. Her hair was black and mid-back layered, dark brown eyes, light brown skin and an amazing figure. Her hoop earrings match well her personality. Luke's eyes seem to dazzle whenever he looked at her, much to the embarrassment of the girl.