Chapter Text
“f*ck” Percy kicked the side of the bus station. It didn’t help, now he just had a sore foot on top of everything else. He should have known something like this was going to happen. It had all been going far too smoothly.
Percy had miraculously managed to sneak out of camp without anyone noticing.Largely due to Travis causing more chaos than Percy had ever thought possible.
It was the first time Percy had seen Travis smile since the hell hound. Perhaps not the best look on his first day as Head Counselor, but then again it was the Hermes Cabin.
The first snag that Percy hit was the lack of transportation. He could theoretically hitch hike but no mortals came this way. He would have to hike to the main road, and then knowing his luck a serial killer would have picked him up.
After several minutes of calm deliberation, which was certainly not panicking so hard he had to sit down.Percy had a moment of brilliance and hailed the Gray Sister,
He then experienced the second most terrifying ride of his life, only topped by the memorable Sun Chariot ride of flaming death. He loved Thalia but he refused to let her drive again. Ever.
The plan had been to catch up to them at the bus station. That way he could hop onto the bus. Grover and Luke wouldn’t realize he was there until it was far too late.
It was a perfect plan, Percy had even been vaguely proud of himself.
He missed the bus. He missed the f*cking bus.
He had no idea what to do. He remembered Mrs. Dodds had attacked after the Lincoln Tunnel. The bus exploded sometime after that. Somewhere in New Jersey.
Percy wracked his brain trying to remember, but all he got was a vague imagery of a forest which wasn’t f*cking helpful.
He slumped on the bench dropping his head in his hands. He should have planned better. Annabeth wouldn’t have been this stupid, Annabeth would have a backup plan. He didn’t. Now he was stuck on a bench, with a throbbing foot and no way forward.
He had left his friends alone to fend off Mrs. Dodds and her sisters. Annabeth would most be fine…but what if she wasn’t? What if she got hurt because he wasn’t there to protect her?
A thought struck him, She didn’t have her invisibility cap. He had it. He had used it to sneak out of camp. Gods she was going to get hurt and it would be his fault.
Percy yanked at his hair hoping the pin pricks of pain would ground him in his body. It didn’t help, he could feel himself spiraling out of control but he couldn't stop. His eyes started to burn with tears of frustration. What was he doing , why was he nearly crying over something so f*cking stupid.
He shook his head, trying to clear it. He needed to focus, the next bus would be here in half an hour. He would get on that one and keep going until something looked familiar. Surely the bus wreck would be obvious.
Yeah, that’s what he would do. He would not think about Annabeth, fighting Mrs. Dodds with only a knife. She had fought worse and survived. She would be fine. She had to be.
“You look lost.” A voice spoke, maybe an inch or so from his ear.
Acting on instinct alone, Percy threw himself backwards, groping blindly for Riptide. In his frantic flight he fell off the bench, hitting the ground. His elbow slammed into the bench, he nearly avoided slamming his head on the ground.
¨You’re a jumpy one.” He blinked up at the man. He was in his early 20s, pitch black hair, with just the barest hint of lines around his eyes and mouth. The suit he was wearing was rumbled, as if he was fresh off a plane. A battered suitcase at his side. All in all one of hundreds of travelers passing through New York City.
Then Percy caught sight of his eyes. They were an unsettling blue like the sky, and just as ancient. His pupils were elongated and vertical. They weren’t human eyes
Percy blinked, and the man before him flickered. One moment he was an exhausted traveler, the next he wore a chiton, a wide brimmed hat, sending shadows over his face. Those brilliant blue eyes shining out of the darkness, staring deep into his soul.
As if it could see right through any disguise, any trickery, peeling it back layer by layer, all the roads Percy had traveled, all the deals he had made laid bare in front of those eyes. At his side, the suitcase became a staff, with two snakes in constant motion spinning around it.
“Hermes?” Percy wheezed out. The fall had knocked the air from his lungs.
He had never seen his old friend like this. Even when he blinked again and the chiton faded back into a suit, it was so clear that the god never could have been human. The wrinkles in the clothes artfully placed, the circles underneath his eyes only adding to his beauty. Far too perfect to ever be human, just a facade, fake imitation flesh and bone pulled over a core of unimaginable power.
Hermes’ brows furrowed. “Interesting, it’s not often I get recognized so quickly these days.”
Percy flinched, the f*ck was he…. Oh. Oh right. Hermes didn’t know him. This Hermes hadn’t come as close as gods ever do to begging Percy to save his son. The son he had loved so much, loved in a way Percy didn’t know gods could love.
“You look like Luke,” Percy explained. It was the truth, even if most people wouldn’t see it. It was in the subtle expressions, the arch of an eyebrow.
“You are a curious one.” Hermes said thoughtfully. “I don’t think I have ever been recognized though one of my children before”
“Sorry” Percy stared at his hands, unwilling to look the god in the eyes again.
“No need, I have always said that rules are made to be broken, exceptions are what keep the world interesting”
Percy didn’t know how to respond. This Hermes was so different from the Hermes Percy had known, he seemed like a completely different person. He settled for just nodding.
“Now, it seems you are far from where you need to be doesn’t it”
“There’s a quest, It's-it’s supposed to be mine, it was given to someone else by mistake”
“It was given to my son,” Hermes said mildly.
Percy tensed. sh*t, he shouldn’t have said that. His Hermes probably wouldn’t have cared if Percy f*cked up, would have most likely laughed it off. He didn’t know what this version of the god would do. Gods, Annabeth was going to kill him, if he managed to get himself killed by Hermes of all people.
“No sir. It’s just-I had this dream…Luke’s amazing, the best, It’s just-It’s supposed to be me ” He risked a glance. Hermes was watching him.
Percy made the mistake of meeting his eyes again. He was the thief that snuck through the night. The traveler whose purse was just stolen, the trickster, the hand that guided you home, to the last resting place.
Percy dropped his gaze quickly, staring at his ratty sneakers. He didn’t know what to do. Hermes would see through anything he tried before he even opened his mouth. The only thing he could do was be respectful, and hope it worked out.
He was so f*cked.
“You sleep in my cabin.” Hermes said. Percy nodded, not trusting his voice. His mouth always go them in trouble, maybe if he just didn’t speak it would work. “You are unclaimed.”
Percy nodded again. “Who do you think your parents are?”
“I don’t know sir.” Liar liar liar. Hermes raised an eyebrow at him, leaning back against the wall.
“All of Olympus knows who you are, they knew as soon as you stepped foot in that camp. The cat was let out of the bag so to speak, there is no reason for your father not to claim you. No protection he can offer by leaving you nameless”
“I’m not nameless. ” Percy snapped. He was on his feet before his brain could catch up to what the rest of him was doing.
“I am Percy Jackson, son of Sally Jackson. My dad doesn’t matter ” f*ck him. Percy would not take that sh*t laying down. His mom had raised him better than that.
“A mortal’s name holds no power compared to a god’s” Hermes said bemused. At least he seemed more confused than angry, a mercy.
He straightened up, brushing imaginary dirt from his pants. His hands brushed across them, not disturbing a single wrinkle. “Your father has sent me with a message, Perseus” He held out an envelope.
“Percy” He corrected absentmindedly, staring at the envelope.
His father sent him a note. Why? Percy couldn’t think of any reason . He took the envelope turning, it over and over in his hands. It was light, and thin, there couldn’t be much in it.
After several careful tears he managed to open the envelope. There was a single piece of paper in it, the fancy kind with blue and gold swirls along the edges.
Perseus,
You must return my Brother’s bolt.
The world is counting on you.
Percy did not ripe the note to shreds, or set it on fire for all that he desperately wanted to. What the f*ck was that? The first time his dad contacts him and it’s to tell him to do his dirty work. Not even a name, or a reason behind it. Poseidon had thrown him to the wolves without hesitation.
Percy knew his father, knew that he had eventually been able to earn some of his father’s affection. He hadn’t quite realized that he would have to do it all again, but then of course he would have. At this point he had done nothing impressive, nothing worthy of his father's love. It hurt more than he anticipated. He had to swallow the anger, the desperation down.
He glanced up at Hermes who was watching him expectantly. “Thank you” he offered, not sure what the god was looking for.
“You’re welcome” he said, there was a hint of amusem*nt in his voice. “ “I believe you’re in need of a ride.”
He gestured to a car parked near the bus stop, half on the curb. It flickered in and out of focus. One moment it was a bright yellow New York taxi, the next a beat up delivery truck. As Percy squinted at it, it flickered to a wooden chariot.
Hermes walked around towards the driver's seat. “A word of advice” he called over his shoulder “Make sure to remember the lies you tell.” He winked at Percy. “There was no name on the card.”
Oh f*ck.
Annabeth had forgotten just how annoying the forests of New Jersey were. The trees, far too tall, with sprawling roots just waiting to trip an unsuspecting demigod. Hundreds of mosquitoes, thirsty for blood, buzzed around them. Her hair had gotten caught in branches so many times she had lost count.
In short, Annabeth was miserable.
To distract herself she had spent the last hour planning the murder of several people, starting with the Oracle, then her mother(for sending her on another quest, for not caring if she lived or died, only for glory she could win her) and ending with Luke(She never got very far with that, every time she tried all she would see was the dark blood pooling from his body, the light fading from his blue eyes, the smile on his face.).
Gods, how she wished Percy was here. He was supposed to meet up with them at the bus station, but he hadn’t shown. Knowing him, he had probably gotten caught up in some stupid situation that would be completely unbelievable if it had happened to anyone else(What if he was fighting some monster. What if he got hurt, and she wasn’t there to help him ).
They had planned for the furies, but that plan had involved Percy being there.
Without him the fight had gone badly. She didn’t have her hat, making the original plan of running and pulling the emergency brake useless.(She wouldn’t have worn it anyway. the idea of wearing it after everything. A gift from her mother, the same mother who had sent her on that f*cking quest).
She had managed to land a hit on Alecto, a stab straight through her chest. Causing Alecto to explode in a shower of gold dust. A look of absolute rage on her face as she died.
While she had been distracted by that, one of the other ones -Megarea maybe- had slashed at Luke’s arm with her claws. It had been enough to send him stumbling back, crying out in pain.
Annabeth had not panicked(Kronos getting hit by Rachel’s f*cking hairbrush, the sound of Luke’s scream of pain, the instance of hope, that would eventually be her undoing).
She would forever be thankful for Grover’s quick thinking. He managed to get to the front of the bus and yank the emergency break. She registered the bus driver yelling at him, but was too busy trying to fend off both the remaining furies.
They stumbled out of the bus just in time for it to explode behind them.
Annabeth had led them into the woods, trying to get as far away as they could. She had kept her bag on her, so had Luke which meant that technically speaking they were doing better than last time.
Except not actually because blood was dripping from Luke’s arm and the further they got away from camp the lower the chances of Percy catching up to them became.(He was okay, he had to be. She would not even consider any other options).
“Luke,” Annabeth said, interrupting the silence that had fallen over them.
They had run until Grover hadn’t been able to run anymore. (Her lungs used to burn at the slightest bit of movement, but now she wasn’t even wheezing. How much had the pit taken from her without her realizing?). Since then, they had been walking through the forest with no apparent destination.
The sun was setting, casting long shadows through the trees. Luke’s arm needed to be dealt with.
She had assumed Luke would have stopped them eventually. (She hadn’t wanted to interrupt his brooding. She didn’t want him to turn on her with that wild look in his eyes, the same one he had when he sentenced them to death aboard the Princess Andromeda .)
“I know Annie, I know” Luke sighed (he had called her that more in the last week than he had in all the years since his quest . She didn’t know how she felt about it ) “There’s a road up ahead, we’ll follow it until we find a gas station or something”
“Luke, I don’t know if that's a good idea. Your arm’s not looking too hot.” Grover protested, a hesitant note in his voice. Annabeth agreed with him. The road lead to Medusa’s place. Without Percy, and with Luke as injured as he was they wouldn’t stand a chance.
Luke ignored both of them, continuing to just trudge ahead, ignoring the absolute mess that his arm had become, it was covered in blood.
She and Grover exchanged glances. They didn’t really have a choice. The chance of Luke fainting was high, and if he was alone, in the middle of the forest, it was a death sentence. They headed after Luke.
They reached the road, it was a two lane, double yellow highway but it was deserted. Not a single sign of life in either direction. This was such a dumb plan. Annabeth opened her mouth to at least try and make Luke see sense.
Suddenly there was a sound like a bird being tortured. Luke spun around, his sword half drawn. Annabeth’s hand went to her knife, scanning the forest for whatever had made that horrible sound.
Grover stared back at both of them, reed pipes in hand. “Sorry?” he squeaked “I was trying to play a path finding song” Annabeth did not hit her head repeatedly against the tree, but gods did she want to. Why was she surrounded by idiots?
“Well, Stop.” Luke said sharply, “We are trying to keep a low profile.”
Grover dropped his head, his cheeks flushing.
Annabeth closed her eyes. She nearly prayed to her mother for patience, but caught herself in time(She hadn’t prayed to her mother since they had fallen. She learned her lesson, just several years too late. Her mother wouldn’t answer her prayers, she would have to care to do that.)
“Reminds you of old times doesn’t it” Luke broke the awkward silence that had fallen. He flashed a soft smile in her direction.
Annabeth remembered days where food had been impossible to find. Days when it was so cold she couldn’t stop shivering(Thalia’s easy affection, Luke’s smile. Falling asleep between the two of them, Feeling safe for the first time in her life.).
She ignored him, choosing to stare at her feet instead.
What right did Luke have to bring that up? To act as if nothing had changed. The Luke that had held her close, warmed her hands within his own, died with Thalia. She hated the ghost that the boy had left in his place(He was still in there somewhere, buried deep, she had seen it in his smile, the one he wore as he lay dying).
Grover’s head jerked up. He co*cked it to the side as he listened to something none of the rest of them could hear.
“Grover?” Annabeth asked, her hand dropped to her knife at her side. Gods, none of them were in any shape to fight right now.”
“Something’s coming. A car maybe but it’s moving so fast” What?
Headlights blinded their vision, appearing from seemingly nowhere. Annabeth threw up a hand to shield her eyes. The light dimmed enough for her to lower her hand. A taxi was in front of them. One of hundreds that traveled the streets of New York city.
The driver seat door opened and a man stepped out. He looked familiar, a face she had seen a hundred times before, it invited her to tell him all her secrets. She couldn’t remember ever seeing him before. His eyes were a sharp haunting blue, Luke’s eyes. Oh. he had Connor’s nose and the mischievous smirk of the claimed kids of Cabin 11.
At her side, Luke stiffened, his hands clenched into fists.
She risked a glance at him, there was a look of such rage on his face.
In an instance, any remnants of her big brother were gone, washed away. Only the monster, the general of Kronos’s army, remained. The man that had led the charge that had killed more demigods than she could count(they had filled two buses on the way to the Empire State Building. After they had only needed one, and even then there were far too many empty seats.)
“Father.” he said stiffly “What brings you here”
“Luke,” Hermes said softly. The sheer affection in his voice took her breath away. Hermes said his son’s name as if it was a prayer(Her mother had never sounded like that, her mother would never sound like that, no matter how much glory she brought her).
“I’m delivering-” he cut himself off, as his eyes landed on the ugly mess of Luke’s arm. It really did not look good. The blood had stained the tattered remnants of his sleeve. It dripped over the edges, trickling down his fingers, leaving trails of red behind.
“You’re hurt!” He moved faster than Annabeth’s eyes could follow, one instant he was besides his chariot the next he was an inch from Luke’s face. His arm reached up to grasp Luke’s.
Luke recoiled, trying to get away but Hermes held his arm in a tight grip, inspecting the wound. “Hold still, let me heal it.” He scolded.
“It’s fine”
“No it’s not. Come on son, I can see how much it’s bleeding.”
For the briefest of instants Annabeth was sure Luke was going to run the god though with his sword.
Annabeth tensed, her hand resting against her knife. Then the moment passed. Luke started firmly into the forest, refusing to meet the god’s eyes, a scowl on his face but he stilled.
Hermes pressed his hand against the wound, it glowed a soft green “That should heal the worst of it, I’m not my cousin by any means, but we all have some tricks up our sleeves.” He winked at Annabeth.
He let go of Luke’s arm, stepping back, waving his hand. The blood vanished, his jacket repaired itself, even some of the dirt stains vanished.
“There, all fixed!” Luke rolled his shoulder several times, some of the tension faded from his face. He noticeably didn’t thank the god.
“A message, Lord Hermes?” Grover asked, trying to redirect Hermes’s attention away from Luke’s ungratefulness.
“Ah Yes. The lord of the sea has decreed that his name must be cleared” What? Why? Percy hadn’t been claimed yet. There was no demigod that Zeus could blame the theft on. Why would Poseidon need his name cleared? How on earth were they supposed to do it?
Hermes gestured to the passenger side. Percy was standing next to the car. He waved awkwardly at them. Annabeth felt all her fears melt away. Oh thank the gods. As long as Percy was here, everything would be fine. Together there was nothing they couldn’t do.
“Percy!” Grover yelped.
“Hey?” Percy said, a small smile on his face “Fancy meeting you here.” He walked around the car, until he stood next to Annabeth. He brushed his shoulder against hers. Annabeth leaned against him.
“No, you can’t-'' Luke rounded on his father. He didn't sound angry. If Annabeth didn’t know any better she would say he sounded scared.
“There will be war.” Heremes said softly. “Even if you are to return the bolt, My father will not forgive Uncle P for his crimes.”. He gestured at Percy “Unless his son returns the bolt.”
“No,” Luke whispered. “The oath….” There was a look of absolute horror on his face.
Grover shook his head, letting out a nervous bleat. Annabeth didn’t try to pretend to look surprised. She wasn’t that dumb. She wasn’t going to try and trick the god of liars.
“You are a splitting image of your father Percy.”
