Champion of Love

Why Did I Expect Any Better

Percy pulled his friends over to the crowd and police men and did their best to look relieved, which wasn't hard–they were so close to completing the quest and going home.

Percy turned on the waterworks as he tearfully explained how that terrible man had kidnapped them in a park in New York and had dragged them all the way to California. Percy had gotten ahold of one of the man's guns and took him down. The horrible man got away, but the kids were finally free of him and now they needed to get home to their parents.

People passed a hat around and raised enough money for three plane tickets East. They were so moved by the story that some even patter Percy on the back and someone gave him their coat–it was large on his short, slim frame, but comfy with fur lining the inside. He gratefully wrapped it around himself. People gave coats to Annabeth and Grover too. Someone noticed Percy had no shoes and gave him some they had in their car–the nice woman explained that she'd been about to give all her son's old clothes and shoes to a Goodwill when she'd stopped to see what was happening. Percy got a new pair of red Chuck Taylors in decent condition. He thanked the woman and she ended up giving him, Grover, and Annabeth a ride to the nearest airport and guiding them through security as far as the airport personnel would let her.

Her soft-spoken nature and habit of looking around to make sure all the kids were still with her reminded Percy of his mother. Pain stung through his chest at the reminder: Sally was still in line in the underworld, waiting to be judged. After all these years, she still hadn't even gotten to rest yet. He'd always imagined her happy in Elysium, living a much better life than the one she'd had. How could Fate be so cruel to such a kind soul?

Grover's hand found his while Percy gazed at the fluffy clouds below them out the window of an airplane. Percy figured the satyr could guess what he was thinking about.

"Hey, you did Hades not one, but two favors. The least he could do is speed up the process for your mom." Grover said quietly.

Annabeth leaned forward to look at both of them. "If you ask in front of the whole counsel, it would look really bad to say no to a small favor like that." She added, then tried how that sounded. "Not that your mom's afterlife in unimportant, it's just that it wouldn't be too much of a hassle for Hades for just one soul, and–"

"Annabeth." Percy cut off her rambling. She looked at him nervously and he smiled. "Thank you. And yeah, I get what you're saying."

She smiled in relief and sat back. Percy noticed then that she was holding Grover's other hand tightly and he figured she didn't like flying any more than he did. Then he also realized that she'd let Percy have the window seat because he was upset about a lot of things and it was more personal for him. She was hoping he'd be more comfortable in the window seat.

Warmth bloomed in his chest once more and he leaned his head against the window and squeezed Grover's hand, watching the clouds go by and the sun's light change as they passed through the different time zones.

§~•~§~•~§

The local press was waiting for them outside security, but they managed to evade them thanks to Annabeth, who lured them away in her
invisible Yankees cap, shouting, "They're over by the frozen yogurt! Come on!" She rejoined Percy and Grover at the baggage claim.

They split up at the taxi stand. Percy told Annabeth and Grover to get back to Half-Blood Hill and let Chiron know about everything had happened. They protested, and it was surprisingly hard to let them go after all they'd been through together,
but Percy knew he had to do this last part of the quest by himself. If things went wrong, if the gods saw him in the same room as Poseidon and turned on him, he wanted Annabeth and Grover to survive to tell Chiron about the enemy rising in the shadows.