Studies Of A Half-Blood

Visits From Beyond The Grave

Percy was walking home when it hit him: he had gotten through the day without breaking down one time. It was the anniversary of his mother's death - and his failure to save her - but he had been able to make it through the day and not let anyone around him realize how upset he was. It wasn't until he was a block or so away from his apartment complex when he realized how weird it was that Annabeth hadn't called him at all. She usually called three or four times on this particular day. It was then that his phone decided to ring.

Sighing, he reached into his pocket and took out his phone, raising it to his ear. "Hello?"
"Oh, Percy, it's you."

Confused, Percy came to a stop next to a cafe he sometimes went to. "Annabeth? What's going on? Why wouldn't it be me?"

There was a crackle of static over the line and it sounded like Annabeth was talking to someone - Thalia, maybe? "It's... Well... We're not sure, but Nico said... Luke..."

When Percy heard that last name he froze, his fingers clenching around the phone. "What did you say?" He managed. "Did you say..." He trailed off, unable to even say the name of the man who had betrayed both Percy and Annabeth not long before Percy had lost his mother.

"Luke? Yeah. He's..." Annabeth's voice was lost to static and Percy found himself staring blankly at the wall of the building across the street as the call was cut off.

Percy knew he should try to call Annabeth back, but the only thing he could focus on was the fact that a very familiar man was standing in front of Percy's apartment building across the street, along with a woman he never thought he would see again. Percy barely registered the fact that he was crossing the street until he was standing no less than five feet away from Luke, and his...mother. "Mom?"

She grinned and opened her arms, pulling Percy into a hug, which he quickly returned. His grip was probably too tight, but his breaths were coming too fast, bordering on hysterical. When Percy finally moved back all he could do was grip her arms and stare at her face, trying to convince himself he wasn't dreaming. "How?" He finally choked out.

Sally's smile was sad, but at the same time it was filled with joy. She glanced at Luke. "That's not a question I have an answer to."

Percy found himself staring at Luke and he knew Luke could see how much this meant to him. "I can't - "

"Don't thank me, Percy." Luke's blue eyes were strangely gentle as they focused on Percy.
Percy knew they couldn't leave it at that and as Luke started to walk away, he found himself reaching out and taking hold of Luke's sleeve. "Don't. Just...don't leave."

Luke was staring at him and Percy suddenly felt like all the air had been sucked away from him. He supposed this was what drowning would feel like. Luke glanced down at Percy's hand before his eyes moved back up to stare into Percy's. "Okay," he whispered. "I won't."

Percy didn't know how long he stood there, just staring, but soon enough his mom was pulling out of Percy's grip and placing a hand on his shoulder. Her smile was gentle as Percy turned to watch her. "We aren't going anywhere, Percy. This is real, I promise you that." She leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. "I don't know about Luke here but I am extremely tired." She glanced towards the building. "Your friend Annabeth told us where you lived, but she was insistent that we both get some rest."

Percy nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, you guys can rest in my apartment." He glanced back at Luke, dark blue eyes narrowing as he dared Luke to try to leave. "Just... Follow me." He walked up to the door and opened it, holding it open for Sally and then for Luke, whose arm brushed against Percy's as he passed.

Percy stumbled slightly as he led them to the elevator and then followed them inside. He glanced at Luke, who was leaning casually against the wall, though Percy noticed Luke looked kind of pale. He shook his head as he turned back to the panel and pushed a button on it to take them to his floor. As soon as the elevator stopped Sally walked out, Luke right behind her, his steps dragging slightly. Percy's eyes narrowed in concern but he decided to wait until they were in his apartment to say anything.

As it turned out, Luke didn't have that long.

He collapsed right before they reached the door.

"Luke!"

Percy dropped to the floor next to Luke, his hand hesitantly inching towards Luke's own. Sally was on Luke's other side, her eyes wide. Luke blinked sluggishly at Percy. "I...tried to...leave."

Percy's hand finally found Luke's and he gripped it tight, afraid if he let go so would Luke. "You knew this would happen." Percy's voice was a whisper, barely even loud enough to hear.

Luke nodded. "I brought...your...mother." His face paled even more and his fingers tightened around Percy's. "After...what happened with...mine...I...owed you..."

Percy shook his head. "No. No, I was just trying to do what was right."

Luke's smile was tight. "You...always do."

Percy felt a sort of tightness in his chest, much like what he had felt when he had lost his mother to Hades. "I can't lose you." Percy's voice shook and he knew if he lost Luke again it would break him.

Luke's free hand slid shakily up to press against Percy's cheek. "It's...okay..."

Percy shook his head, hand moving up to cover Luke's. "It's not."

Luke's smile was pained and his eyes were drifting closed. "It...will...be..."

As Luke's breaths started to come faster Percy leaned down, his lips a breath away from Luke's. "You'll be alright, Luke." His eyes closed as he fought not to break down, to rage against the gods and everything they stood for. "You have to be."

His lips met Luke's in a gentle brush of skin, their breaths intertwined, as shallow as Luke's were. When Percy pulled back Luke's breath was almost nonexistent, his skin deathly white. The tightness in Percy's chest was almost enough to choke him, but as he held onto Luke's hand he thought maybe if he could be here for Luke in this moment, maybe it would be enough. Maybe it would make up for not being able to help him before...before, when they had been enemies.

Percy wasn't sure when Luke stopped breathing, but he knew the exact moment he knew Luke was gone. It was the moment when he felt his heart constrict and his vision blur; it was the moment when his world stopped, if only for a moment.

Percy didn't know how he managed it, but somehow he found himself on his feet, leaning against a wall. His mother's hand was on his shoulder and she was trying to offer words of comfort, but Percy couldn't hear anything. His breaths were starting to come faster and he pressed a fist against his mouth, knowing how close he was to hyperventilating.

The hand on his shoulder suddenly disappeared and Percy found himself turning around, just to make sure his mom wasn't in danger (he couldn't let anything happen to anyone else today). His eyes widened as he saw what had captured her attention.

Luke was standing up and looking around with a questioning look in his eyes. His gaze finally focused on Percy as he lifted a hand up and pressed two fingers against his bottom lip. Percy backed up into the wall, his fingers digging into his palms. "You can't... How..."

Luke dropped his hand, his eyes meeting Percy's. "Hades is a dick."