Project Percy (Kotlc Meets Percy Jackson)

Chapter 13

"Where have you been?" his dad shouted as Percy set foot through the door. His round face, usually so soft, was bent and twisted into hard lines.

His mom rubbed her temples. "We almost called the police."

Percy's eyes burned with unshed tears. His parents, his house, his whole life for the past twelve years, this was the last time he would see any of it. It was far, far too much for his brain to process, so he did the only thing he could do. He raced across the room, threw his arms around them, and hugged as hard as he could.

"Did something happen, Percy?" his dad asked after a minute. "Your school called and said you left early."

"Nothing bad happened. It's just been a strange day." He buried his face into his mom's side. "I love you guys."

"We love you  too," his mom whispered, totally confused.

"What's going on?" his dad asked.

"He's just trying to get out of trouble," Tyson said, poking into the room. "Sorry, brother, but it's the truth."

Percy winced. "How long am I grounded for?"

"Three months."

"It doesn't matter," Percy said, still hugging his parents. "I'm sorry for worrying you guys. I won't do it again. I promise." They wouldn't worry if they knew he was dead, right?

"Well, maybe two months," his mom decided, rubbing Percy's back.

Tyson sighed, and Percy couldn't help but smile.

He was stunned to realize at that moment that he was going to miss Tyson. His annoying, idiotic, pain-in-the-butt little brother. Sure, Tyson was mentally exhausting, but...he was so kind and sweet. How had he never realized that before?

He ran over and wrapped Tyson up in a hug.

His parents gasped.

"What's happening?" Tyson asked, squirming in Percy's tight embrace.

Percy ignored his struggles. "I know we don't always get along, Tyson, but you're my brother and I love you."

Tyson let go. "Why are you being weird?"

"I'm not being weird. I just wanted to tell you I love you. I love all of you." He turned to his parents, who were watching the strange scene play out between their sons with their mouths open. "I couldn't have asked for a better family."

"What happened to you?" Tyson asked.

"Nothing." He turned away to blink back tears. "I'm going to my room now."

His dad cleared his throat, coming to his senses. "You're not off the hook yet, Percy. We still need to talk about what happened today."

"We will," he agreed, desperate to get out of there. Annabeth was keeping watch outside the apartment building, and he had to hurry. "Later."

He raced to his room and packed in a daze. He didn't take much. Everything felt like it belonged to someone else. To another life.

When he was done, he allowed himself one minute to rememorize every detail of his old room: blue walls, dusty bookshelf, the blue and yellow quilt his mother made for him when he was a baby. The room looked empty now. Maybe that was because he felt empty. Then he took a deep breath, turned off the light, and closed the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" his dad demanded, glaring at the backpack slung over his shoulder. "Aren't you in enough trouble already?"

"Perseus Achilles Jackson, you tell us what's going on right now," his mom yelled.

Percy stared at them, his fingers tapping at lightning speed. "I'm sorry," he said. "I have to leave."

His dad moved between him and the door. "You're not going anywhere."

"This will be better for all of us," he insisted.

"Sit down," his dad demanded, pointing to the couch.

Clearly, they weren't going to let him go, and time was all but up. "Fine. I promise I'll explain everything if you just sit down and listen to me."

He cringed at the lie, hating himself for saying it. But it worked. They moved to the couch and waited for him to start talking.

He couldn't let his last words to his family be a lie.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I don't belong. I'm tired of everything here...the fear, the bullies, the feeling of not belonging. I'm going to a better place. It's the best for all of us."

"Percy," his mom said, alarmed. He'd carefully chosen the words to have two layers: the truth, and what he wanted them to believe. His mother was believing the second, and his throat caught.

"Please, please know that I love you. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. I have to go now, but I will never forget you."

Tears blurred their faces as he took a breath and sprinted for the door. His family cried out, but he sprinted down the hallway. Somehow he made it to the elevator, and pressed the button for the ground floor. Somehow he made it outside. Somehow he ended up at the rendezvous point, an allyway where they could light leap away without everyone thinking.

He crumpled to the ground, burying his face in his hands.

"It's going to be ok, Percy. It's going to be ok."

It took him a second to recognize that the voice belonged to Annabeth. She crouched on the floor, holding him against her shoulder. Some part of his brain knew that he should be embarrassed about smearing tears and drool and snot all over her jacket, but he couldn't make himself care.

"My family thinks I'm dead," he whispered.

"You did the right thing."

"It doesn't feel like the right thing."

She squeezed him tighter as another round of sobs overcame him. "Look, Percy. I feel like a jerk for saying this, but we should probably go. I'll run back to your apartment and get your bags."

He pointed to his worn blue backpack. "This is all I'm taking."

"That's all?"

"What am I supposed to take?"

Annabeth sighed. "Don't leave anything behind that you'll regret later."

He shook his head. "I have everything I need." He swallowed back his tears. "I'm ready to go."

Annabeth helped him to his feet and raised her pathfinder. A big part of him wanted to look back at the human world one last time, but he kept his eyes on the pathfinder. Then, adjusting the straps on his backpack, he clutched Annabeth's hands and took the two hardest steps he'd ever taken into the light: one out of the past, one into the future.