When Memories Go Away

When Memories Die

Henry ducked under the bushes and crept out of his parents sight. After having sandwiches and going to bed, Conner pulled him aside.

"Hey, you okay? I know seeing your parents must be hard,"

"Yeah, I just—I thought I saw my dad be my dad. Not some brainwashed puppet, but Percy friking Jackson,"

"That means we have a chance," Conner smiled, turning around to go to his tent.

"Conner?" Henry stopped him, "do you think they would be proud of me?"

That seemed to hit Conner close to home. A little boy wanting someone he looked up too to be proud of him. It was a feeling Conner knew all too well.

"I think they could never be disappointed in who you've become,"

"Thanks," Henry beamed, running off towards his tent, leaving Conner to walk over to his brother.

"Hey Conner," his older brother greeted him, ushering him inside the tent. "What's up?"

"Do you think moms proud of me?" Conner blurted out.

The topic of parents were rare for the stolls, and if it was ever brought out they ended up talking about their father; hermes.

It was rare that their mother was brought up, especially from one of the two brothers. There mother had always been proud of Travis—the smarter of the two.

But to her, Conner was just a screw up. A screw up who didn't even go to college.

Travis would still visit his mother (though it was once a year at most), but Conner hadn't seen her since he was twelve.

It wasn't even a question to stag at camp when they were offered, especially because it had made Conner feel more at home than ever before.

Although it might sound cheesy, Conner smiling again was one of the reasons Travis had wanted to stay at camp anyway. It was why they pranked so much.

"You've done so much good for the world, if mom isn't proud of you then it's her bad,"

Conner gave a small smile, thankful he had his big brother, "thanks,"

The brothers went their separate ways and Travis went on watch while Conner drifted off to sleep.

Dreams for a demigod were never good, and this was no exception. He was in a cloudy room, a somehow comfortable blackness being the only thing he could see.

Out of the fog, he could make out two figures. When they came towards him he barreled them in a bear hug.

"Conner!" Both boys beamed as he yelled their names.

The raven haired son of the diseased god posiedon smiled, hand enterlocked with Leo's. "How's Henry? I saw him earlier,"

"He told me about that. He asked if you would be proud of who he is, I doubt he would believe me if I said how I knew,"

"Yeah, it's a good thing we had you and Travis. Speaking of your brother, is he on watch? He's not here," Leo asked.

"Yeah. Have you woke up besides Henry?" The ex-prankster asked.

"Once. I saw Annabeth screaming and for a split second I could control my body. But nothing as long as Henry," Percy answered.

"And what about you leo?"

"When I saw Harleys grave. I cried and I was out there for a moment,"

"So it all has to do with some sort of emotional pull. That might be the reason you can contact us,"

"But why not Henry then?"

"You've never actually met him. We're the closest thing you've always had,"

"But technically hasn't Percy met him?" Leo asked, "you could pull him here,"

"That's...true," Percy said before closing his eyes and concentrated. Soon, a curly haired kid appeared and walked to them.

"Conner?" Henry asked, "dads?"

Before anyone knew what was happening, Percy, Leo, and Henry were all in one big hug. Conner cut them short, "so kiddo, what do you think about your parents?"

Henry turned and hugged Conner, "you found them,"

It broke the stoll brothers heart to have to explain that his parents weren't actually here. But he had to anyway.

"No," he whispered, "Your parents love you but this is just their consciousness. They are really still out there,"

"You don't seem surprised by this. Have you been talking to them?" Henry asked, his chocolate brown eyes wide.

"I couldn't. If I did it could put you in danger,"

"How?"

"I've seen what magic like this has done to people. Knowing this, one of my old friends turned to evil to get them out,"

"Who was the soul? Who was the friend?" Henry spouted off.

"Luke castellian loved Thalia grace, and could only ever talk to her in his sleep. He went mad and found peace with kronos,"

"I've heard about him. And that's Elizas mom. Grover told me about what happened and why if you go to where the old camp half blood you'll see the tree on the hill,"

"Yeah, she was one of our best friends," Percy said, hand placed on his sons shoulder.

"Conner! Henry!" Travis's voice boomed over the black, urgent. "Wake up!"

"We have to go," Conner said, fading into the black as Henry did the same.

When they woke up they ran to Travis, Barry, and Eliza. "What is it?"

"Percy," Travis said, He's found us,"

Luckily, everything had been packed and they just and to press a button to get the tents. All five of them sprinted out of the way to percy.

"Wait!" Henry cried, "the tool belt! It's the only thing I have from my dad,"

Conner and Travis had a quick silent conversation that ended with a nod from Travis and Conner grabbing Henry's hand.

Henry grabbed the tool belt and Percy walked towards him, though his sea green eyes looked at war with himself.

Nonetheless, riptide was raising. Conner jumped in front of Henry, "run!"

Henry ran but managed close enough to see what was going on. No matter how hard percy was fighting, he couldn't control what was about to happen.

Riptide went through conners heart.