Melancholy Kaleidescope | PJO

Ch. 10: A God & A Meal

"He's going to be okay," Jinora said as Annabeth and Grover followed her down the steps and outside, where the Fire Department was working on tending to those who were inside the Arch during the explosion. Police had already sectioned off the structure and taped off the perimeter. "And if he's not, I'll kill him myself."

The three of them stormed through the crowds, searching the shore of the river for any sign of Percy. They continued walking through all the crowd and foot traffic, calling out Percy's name. No one paid them much attention, more focused on the smoke coming from the hold at the top of the Arch. The news was calling it a terrorist attack.

Finally, they made it to the dock and were no longer surrounded by people–whether they be mortals or monsters in disguise. They continued to call out his name, when he suddenly appeared at the end of the dock, climbing over the railing. He was completely dry. It was like the water from the fountain had been sucked out of his clothes and into the river, leaving him looking like he'd never dipped into the water.

"Percy," Grover bleated, tackling the blond in a bear (goat?) hug. "We thought you had gone to Hades the hard way!"

Annabeth had tried to look angry, but really she was just relieved that he wasn't dead and gave him a hug as well.

Then there was Jinora, who actually was mad. If looks could kill, Percy would have survived the drop from the Arch for nothing. Grover and Annabeth stepped to the side, making sure they were out of the fire path. Percy gulped nervously, and it didn't help when Annabeth nudged Grover and suggested that they give "Seaweed Brain and Bandit" a minute alone.

Percy laughed nervously. "So...how's it going?"

"How's it going," she repeated, marching toward him. He took a few tentative steps back. "You trick me into grabbing your sword and fight the Chimera while you're dying, and all you have to say is, 'How's it going?'" She punched him in the shoulder. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

She shoved him, his back hitting the rail with a wince.

"Do you have–" Jinora sucked in a stuttered breath. "–any idea h-how badly you scared me? You can't just do that, Percy."

Percy frowned, and then flinched. Just when he thought Jinora was about to hit or shove him again, she instead wrapped her arms around him and hugged tightly, gripping the back of his flannel in her clenched hands.

Her anger and fear melted into desperation as she clung to him, tears threatening to fall as he hugged her back. In that moment, the inch he had on her seemed much greater. She felt so small in her anxiety. But she felt his heart pounding in his chest as a reminder that he was, in fact, alive. He was okay, and that's what mattered most to her.

When she pulled away from the hug, she punched him in the shoulder one more time for good measure. "Don't you ever do that again!"

Percy clutched his shoulder and grimaced. "Yes ma'am."

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat. Jinora and Percy turned their heads and looked over at Grover and Annabeth, who were walking back up the dock (though Jinora had no doubt they had been eavesdropping).

"Long story short," Percy said, still rubbing his shoulder. There was definitely going to be a decent bruise there by the end of the day. "We need to go to Santa Monica."

Annabeth's brows shot up. "What, like...right now?"

Percy nodded. "My father is going to meet me there. He's gonna help us."

The four of them raced as quickly as they could back to the Amtrak station. Luckily, they did it without getting spotted. It was a risk, given that the cops thought that they had caused the train crash earlier that afternoon and–based on what they saw on the televisions they passed–the explosion at the Arch, but they made it back on just as the train was getting ready to depart.