The Broken Hero

Chapter 18

A/N Vaguely based on the line Caroline told Stefan, "I think that someday, you'll meet someone new and you'll fall madly in love, and you'll have moved on without even noticing it."

Percy walked away from the crowd heading off to a garden nearby. The garden walls were covered in what appeared to be stories. There was Poseidon meeting Amphrite, then next to it was there wedding, than there was them with a baby Triton all leading up to Triton being crowned prince. As he walked further in he noticed that Kym was no where on the walls, even though she was born to both Poseidon and Amphrite she was no where to be seen in the story being told. 

The garden floor was covered in pink and blue water lilies, coral of every color, between every lily was a waterwheel. Red Sea Whips danced as Percy walked by, Red Algae was lining the walkway with red and white swirl shells and grey and black rocks. As Percy moved farther into the garden he took note of the golden algae that seemed to be placed in a circle. Inside was a Nymphea in a protective circle of water. Percy remembered what Katie told him when she helped pick out flowers for his mother's birthday. "Nympheas are water flowers, Frank would know them better as Lotuses but their name means Nymph. They are used in gardens to represent Water Nymphs since most overlook them." Percy could only think of one person that wasn't already represented in the garden that is a water nymph. "Kym." Percy smiled, wishing he could take a photo of this to show Kym. "I am surprised that flower is still living." Triton said, walking up behind Percy. "Why? The water is protecting it." Triton scoffed, "You really know nothing do you?" Percy glared at Triton, "More than you." Triton scoffed, "You are the one in love with a sun god not even a year after breaking up with your ex." Triton froze, looking at Percy's face, "Oh shit, Pers-" Percy punched Triton in the face, "For a dick, I thought you would know what is going to far!" 

Percy left the garden, he spotted his father and walked to him. With every step he took a breathe trying to calm down. "Hey Dad, I...I need to go back. I can't.." Percy gasped between words trying to fight of the tears. Poseidon turned around noticing Percy's teary eyes. "Perce...What happened?" Percy shook his head, "Not here. I...I can't right now...I-" Poseidon nodded flashing Percy back to Olympus. "Kym..I need..Kym.." Poseidon summoned Kym into the room. "Father?" Kym asked, looking between him and Percy. "Perce? You in control right now?" Percy shook his head, "Okay. I need you to focus on me okay. We can talk about whatever was said or happened okay?" Percy nodded, looking at Kym. "What happened?" Kym asked hoping to distract him from the growing storm. "I found the flower..the Nymphea...it's so pretty." Kym smiled, nodding along, "It is, father planted that years ago." Percy nodded, "Triton...came and started talking about how he was surprised it was alive..I asked him why..because there was a protective bubble around it making sure it didn't drown." Percy was in more control now, his breathing more even. "He then said that I didn't know anything...maybe he was right, maybe I don't know anything about my abilities or what I thought I knew about water..." Poseidon cursed silently, he would need to talk to Triton about this.

Kym looked at Percy, "That wasn't everything was it?" Percy looked down his green eyes not meeting anyone else's eyes. He had tears running down his cheeks, his breathing more even but still rapid from crying. "I said more than you...he retaliated by saying that I moved on too quickly from Annabeth and that I shouldn't have fell in love with...with..him so soon...I didn't even realize I had moved on....let alone in a year...I...He..I didn't.." Percy broke down in sobs. Kym hugged Percy, "It has been a while Perce...It has been a year." Percy shook his head, "No..It's been months not a year." Poseidon sighed, "Perce, you know how time is different in the Labyrinth and in the Pit?" Percy nodded, "Seconds can be minutes, days can be weeks." Poseidon nodded grimly, "It's the same for gods, what can be days for us will be weeks for a mortal. In human time it has been a year for you it seemed like three months." Percy gasped, "Is this why you never got close before any of this?" Poseidon nodded, "Yeah. What would of been a lifetime to you would seem like maybe a decade to me." Percy gasped, "So...all of them...I...I had to say goodbye because of.." Poseidon nodded, "Thalia won't ever change and also experiences this in the same way." Percy nodded, "Am I able to see her?" Poseidon nodded, "I'll tell Artemis to bring her." Percy nodded, looking down. 

"Perce, can you look at me?" Kym asked. Percy looked up, meeting her stormy green eyes. "Who is he?" Percy looked down, "I can't..." Percy looked away, "I hurt him...I can't say that I like him after that." Artemis walked in, "You too huh? I swear these two can be extreme idiots sometimes." Kym looked at Percy, "Apollo?" Percy looked down, "How...how is he?" Thalia walked in at that moment. "Upset. Percy you tried to push him away, you can't be scared because of how you feel for him." Thalia looked at Percy with sad eyes, "Perce, do you love Apollo?" Percy nodded, pulling his knees up to his chest. "Then why are you pushing him away?" Percy looked at Thalia, "I didn't even notice when Jason died. How can I be trusted in loving someone as fragile hearted as Apollo, if I can't even notice when one of my best friend dies." Thalia walked up to Percy, "No! You don't get to do that to yourself! You don't get to guilt and blame yourself over something no one but the fates could control. You were forced into this, you didn't choose to change. You didn't choose to be unaware. You just recently learned of the time difference. You just learned how to control what you could for years. Don't you dare belittle yourself over something no one  but Jason could foresee happening. I found out weeks after it happened because he was on a quest. No one knew he died until they came back and said so." Percy looked down, "I'm sorry..." Thalia's eyes softened, "Percy, do you get how sad Annabeth was when you left?" Percy nodded, "Yeah..her eyes repeat in my head constantly." Thalia nodded, expecting that answer, "Do you know why she was sad?" Percy went to say yes, but Thalia stopped him, "Because it wasn't from you guys breaking up. She was scared you would never move on. She was scared you would never be able to show love again, that made her sad, the idea of you never smiling, you never being able to love someone." Percy looked at Thalia wide eye, "But I.." Kym got up from when she was sitting, "You can't blame yourself for being scared, but your not just scared are you?" Percy shook his head, "Theirs memories of Apollo and I running through fields with flowers and the sun beaming down on us, of us having picnics, Apollo tackling me, but none of them are mine..." Artemis looks down, "What does he call you in these memories?" Percy looked up, shocked, "He..he calls me Hyacinthus, but he is dead right? There is no way I could have this guys memories." Thalia gasped, "No way." Artemis nodded, "We have been suspecting for a while but..this.." Thalia smiles, "This is like a romance novel Drew would read." Percy looked between everyone confused, "Mind filling me in?" Kym smiled, "Perce, we can't. You have to figure it out on your own, and you will eventually." Percy nodded, "Thals, can I have a hug?" Thalia looked at Artemis who nodded, she walked over to Percy pulling him into a hug. Percy berried his head into Thalia's shoulder. After a few Thalia felt Percy go slack against her, his breathing evening out and low snored coming from him. Thalia chuckled looking at Poseidon, "Hey Lord Poseidon, can you help me, he is drooling." Poseidon chuckled, nodding, heading over to Thalia to lay Percy down in bed. "Thanks." Thalia said getting up, and heading over to Artemis.