Scars - A PJO/HOO Soulmates AU

49.

Douuuuuble update! I hope this kinda makes up for any heartbreak you experienced. The next chapter definitely will.

Chapter 48 - Real Love Can Heal Any Hurting of the Heart

Percy knew he was ignoring Annabeth but he swore he'll talk to her soon.

If she would listen to him, that is. There were so many things he'd wanted to explain yesterday at the car garage, but there were too many people and Percy couldn't find the words.

Not only did he not know what to say, but he also was too much of a coward to go say anything to her. Annabeth could be really scary when she wanted to.

That didn't change the fact that Percy felt horrible for what he said.

He didn't want to be her soulmate? Of course he wanted that, but his first instinct was to turn away from it.

Percy didn't know what to think at the moment, so he said the first thing that came to his head. No.

Laying on his bed, Percy banged his head against the book he was trying to read. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

If only she wasn't actually his soulmate, then none of this would have happened. After thinking that, Percy groaned. Saying that is exactly why Annabeth wasn't talking to him right now.

He missed her. And Percy knew he didn't deserve someone like her, but that didn't mean she had to get hurt too. This was all his fault.

The only problem was that he had no idea how to fix it. So he just laid there, with his head buried in the pillow.

"Percy?" Sally called from the living room, but he didn't respond. He felt her presence enter his room, and she sighed.

"Oh honey, get up," his mother said sadly, "Don't just sit there dejectedly, talk to me."

"It's okay mom," Percy said, his voice muffled by the pillow, "I don't wanna burden you."

Sally sat down on the bed, and pulled Percy up. She put her arm around him and he sighed, burying his head in the crook of her neck.

The two just sat there like that for a while, the silence not making a difference. After a bit, Percy started talking.

"Mom, I did something really bad," Percy said, looking down at the carpet.

"Does this have something to do with Annabeth?" Sally asked, and Percy looked at her surprised.

"How did you know?"

"I'm your mother," Sally said, smiling, "Mothers know everything."

Percy smiled too, but it slowly faded. He didn't say anything, but brought his foot up and rolled his pant leg up to show his mother.

Sally gasped when she saw Annabeth's name instead of tattoos. "When did this happen?" she asked.

"Two days ago," Percy winced, "I kind of said the wrong thing."

"Let me guess," his mom said, "You told her you didn't want a soulmate."

His mother just kept on surprising him.

"You knew I didn't want a soulmate?" Percy asked, "How did you know? I never told you."

"I knew it was going to happen, Percy," Sally sighed, and Percy could see that she was remembering his dad, "You are extremely loyal to people you love. And if someone hurts them, you can't stand that."

Sally looked at him, her eyes shining, "It's what I love about you, what a lot of people loved about you, including Annabeth. The downside to that Percy, is that you hate things that hurt the people you love."

"Like the soulmate system?" Percy asked, starting to understand.

She nodded, "After Gabe, I could tell you felt off about it."

"Even before that mom," Percy said, "I hated it since Thalia's soulmate died, and it hurt her."

"I get that, but Percy," Sally said, turning to her son, "Everyone gets hurt at some point in their life. It just happened to poor Thalia earlier."

"But it happened to you twice mom!" Percy argued, "How can you still be willing to trust it? Even after it broke your heart and hurt you."

"Soulmates are just a system," Sally explained, "Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It's what the people decide in the end, that matters."

She stared pointedly at him and Percy nodded, "I... I understand. Sort of."

Sally smiled, "I knew you would."

For the longest time, it had only really been her and Percy. Her little boy. No matter how old he grew and how mature he became, Sally wouldn't be able to see him as anything else.

"I want to tell you something else," Sally said, "Something my mom told me."

"What is it?"

"I want you to know that real love can heal any hurting of the heart," she told him, "And that doesn't just mean soulmates. It can also mean family, like you and me."

Percy smiled, "You and me. It will always be you and me."

"It will, but not just us. More people will come into our lives," Sally said looking ahead, like she was remembering an old, happy memory, "And you have to let them, otherwise you might miss out on people who will be important to you."

Percy watched as his mom told him some of the most important pieces of wisdom he'd ever heard. And he understood it too.

He couldn't believe he was being so blind.

"After all, if I didn't meet your father," Sally said, "I wouldn't have such a great son as you."

"So I guess I'm lucky then," Percy said slowly, "Because I met Annabeth so early."

Sally nodded, then winked at Percy, "And she's a keeper too. Such a polite and pretty girl, I already think of her as family. Just wait until she's my daughter in law, then we'll really be family."

Percy blushed, and Sally laughed. She decided to tell him about that editor, Paul Blofis, and Percy, being a newly realized individual, was completely okay with it. After talking a bit longer, Percy decided he was going to apologize to Annabeth.

"I'm gonna go say sorry right now!" he declared standing up. But two seconds later, he sat back down, "Or maybe not."

"It'll be New Years in a couple days, do something romantic for her," Sally suggested, "Girls always love sweet gestures."

Percy sighed, feeling anxious, "Okay, but what do I do?"

"Oh I'm sure you'll think of something," his mom said, "For today, let's spend time together. With you spending all your time with your friends, we haven't had a real movie night in forever."

"Okay mom," Percy grinned, "As long as we can watch Finding Nemo."

Sally was completely on board, and halfway through the movie, Percy got a text. He looked down at his phone and saw it was from Hazel.

Hazel to Peeps with Problems™: Heyyy, everyone! Come to the Times Square at 9 pm on New Years, it's time for a night out!

Percy asked his mom if he could go and she said of course, telling him to talk to Annabeth then.

He took a deep breath, thinking about what to say. After a minute, he thought that it probably wouldn't come to him now. He won't know exactly the right thing to say until he was standing in front of her.

Percy just hoped Annabeth wouldn't be too angry with him for being so selfish, and if she was, he didn't blame her.

"She'll forgive you," Sally assured him, "Something tells me she's just waiting for you to go talk to her."

"If you say so," Percy said doubtfully.

Sometime that night, Percy realized that he had let go of his hatred of the soulmate system after what his mom told him.

And he was okay with that.

After all, it brought him to Annabeth.

-Blossom ;)