It had been the most gruelling two weeks of my life.
The constant snow and the dropping temperatures made things seem almost impassible for me to see where I was going. I was dressed warmly - white parka with a hood, a winter hat, thick trousers and hiking boots with cleats underneath them.
Nico and Frank were at my side. Nico seemed to be struggling the most, because he insisted on going up with his aviator's jacket and nothing more. He did bring clothes though and axes to dig into the mountain of ice that was before us. Frank seemed to be doing alright, though he did come close to falling down the Icefall - he was on a massive serac when one of his axes came out and he was falling. He only managed to stop falling when he whacked his main axe into the ice - he was about fifteen feet from falling into a massive crivace.
Percy and Aaron were the ones who were way above us - they were setting up communications. I couldn't exactly see them above me, which infuriated me. I knew they were the more experienced climbers than we were, but they had to give us some ounce of chance. That was the fairest thing to do, wasn't it?!
I reached the little radio on my shoulder strap. "Jason to Percy. You there Percy?"
A bundle a static later and Percy replied. "Yeah, still here pal. Aaron is just finishing off with the communication, so we should have a stronger signal with the camp in a moment."
"Good," I told him, shivering slightly. "Because I'm freezing my ass off here."
"We won't be any longer," Aaron's voice replied through the radio. "I'm going as fast as I can. Just adding the finishing touches right now. Give me ten more minutes."
"I can't take this any longer," Nico shouted over the howling wind. "I'm going back down."
He started climbing his way down, going slowly so he wouldn't fall.
"Hold on Nico," I yelled. "I'm coming with you! Frank, get us out of here!"
Frank nodded, turning into a massive molted grey dragon and flew us off the mountain.
==========
Twenty minutes went by, and still there was no sign of both Percy and Aaron.
Reyna and I were pacing outside, wondering where those two were. I knew Percy could take of himself, though I knew he would protecting Aaron as much as he could since he was the new kid and all. I was half hoping that they would be back by now, though I knew they wouldn't be - they didn't know this mountain well enough and they needed to focus as much as they could so they could get safely back.
"Where are they?" Reyna asked impatiently. She looked outside the tent where the sky was getting really dark and moody. "They need to get here ASAP."
"Give them some patience, Reyna," I told her. Though I felt like screaming out to the world for those two to hurry the freaking hell up.
Just then, the snow started falling from the sky even faster. I was no expert on snow storms, but I knew this was a big one. Percy and I might know what the cold is, but not this kind of cold.
But, to my utter relief, I saw Percy supporting Aaron through the onslaught of the snow storm. Percy's face was redfaced with effort, but he managed to get Aaron inside Olympus Explorers tent.
"What the hell happened to you two?" Nico yelled from the corner.
Aaron was limping on his left leg and Percy had a slash on his face. Whatever they went through from climbing down from the mountain, it must've been rough.
"Long story," Percy grunted as he sat down. Immediately, one of the campers came forward and gave Percy ambrosia to eat. Straight away, Percy's wounds vanished in an instant.
A second went by, before Percy's phone rang loudly. He was the only one that was allowed a phone here at camp - which would've been totally illegal, but Percy insisted on bringing his phone with him because he needed it to check on Annabeth.
Sure enough, it was Annabeth. "Yo, Percy - it's Annabeth."
Percy's head shot straight up. "Put her on loudspeaker."
I answered Percy's phone and put it on loudspeaker.
"Percy?" Annabeth called. "Are you there?"
"I'm here, Wise Girl," Percy said. "How are you?"
Annabeth didn't answer for a moment but then she had her stern voice on. "You got me on loudspeaker, haven't you? There's an echo on the phone."
"Uh..." Percy tried to speak, but Reyna beat him to it.
"Hi Annabeth," she said, brushing her hair back and leaning forward to talk to Annabeth. "Its Reyna - and yes you're on loud speaker."
Annabeth laughed...as well as Piper and Hazel in the background.
"Hey beautiful," I said to Piper, who was definitely in the conversation.
"Hey babe," Piper answered back in that voice that made me love her so much.
"Percy," Annabeth called. "I only called you because I've got some good news. It's about the baby."
Percy immediately stood more upright than usual. In fact the whole room fell silent, waiting for what Annabeth had to say. I even found myself waiting in anticipation.
"What is it?" Percy asked, his legs shaking.
Annabeth wasn't on FaceTime, but I could imagine that she's smiling. "It's a boy!"
The whole room erupted into cheers. Reyna ACTUALLY whooped! Aaron was clapping.
Percy just sat in his seat, his eyes wide and his jaw slightly open.
"Percy?" Annabeth called, worry etched in her voice. "You okay, sweetheart?"
"Percy's in a state of shock Annabeth," I laughed, throwing my arm around Percy. "Aw, that's great news Annabeth!"
I looked at Percy...shocked to see that he had tears in his eyes - tears of joy trailing out his eyes.
"He's healthy and strong," Annabeth continued on about the baby. "The doctor said that the baby is growing steadily and Piper said that we might have a mini Percy on the way."
A couple of guys swarmed Percy with pats on the back and several punches on the arm. Percy just sat there completely dumbfounded.
He regained his posture and managed to speak. "Annabeth, when I get home, I seriously need to hug and kiss you because I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have someone like you. I love you so, so much."
The crowd quietly said, "Awwww!"
Annabeth sounded like she was crying. "I'm lucky to have you too, Seaweed Brain. Be safe and come home."
"I promise," Percy swore, literally crying now. "I love you."
"I love you too," Annabeth said, ending the phone call.
The crowd once again clapped their hands and cheered for Percy, who collapsed to his knees and just cried.
My bro was all grown up. I couldn't be more proud of him.
==========
I lay awake in my cot, not able to sleep at all. After today's talk from Annabeth, I was so over the moon for both her and Percy.
Then I heard the shuffling of sheets and I turned in my cot to see Percy heading outside the tent. Frowning and thinking where he was going, I got out of bed, threw my coat on and followed him outside.
Percy was sitting on a boulder the size of a bench, and was drinking an actual alcoholic drink. He gazed at the stars as if wondering where he was. He wasn't even in his sleeping clothes, which made me think that he didn't get any sleep at all.
"Hey pal," I said, walking slowly to him. "What are doing out here?"
Percy just turned his head around to look at me over his shoulder. "Couldn't sleep. Want a cider?"
He brought out a cider bottle full of the stuff. On the label it said, 'Angry Orchard', with 5% alcohol written beneath it.
"Are you sure you should be drinking that?" I demanded, wondering how many he already had.
Percy shrugged. "Not really. You still want one?"
I figured out a long time ago that Percy could be pretty stubborn so I decided to give in and had one. The stuff was ice cold, yet somehow refreshing - like I was drinking sparkling apple juice. I sat next to him, deciding that he could use a bit of company.
"So," I said, shoulder bumping him, "it's a boy. How about that?"
Percy nodded, and for the first time in all the years I've known him he actually had a fatherly smile on him. His eyes sparkled.
"Sorry I cried in front of you guys," he sniffed. "Couldn't help it."
"Hey," I said, patting him on the back, "it's alright to cry - doesn't make you any less than a man. I'm proud of you bro. Honestly."
Percy chuckled. "I think that drink went straight to your head, Jay."
I laughed loudly as well as Percy. This is the Percy I knew best - the fun, joke-spilling, all about guy that made you smile all the time. It was like looking at Leo - may he rest in peace in Elysium - because he use to spill jokes all the time, even when things seemed either down or up. That was what it was like between me and Percy now.
Percy tapped his bottle thoughtfully. "You know, Jason...I've been thinking."
I nodded my understanding.
Percy looked me dead in the eye. "Would you and Piper be godparents to my son?"
I looked in Percy and my eyes widened in shock. "Really? Wha-wha-why us?"
Percy gave me that smirk of his again. "Because you're my best friend Jason - and I couldn't think of anyone better than either you and Piper to look after my son. When I look at you, I see one of the most loyal, most caring people I know. Plus, you're like a brother to me, Jason - ask me why you shouldn't be my boy's godfather?"
I felt so honoured by Percy's speech that I momentarily couldn't speak. He trusts me so much...I swore to myself that I would not let him down.
"Percy, I swear on the River Styx that I will be the best godfather to your son," I told him. "I won't let you down."
Percy's smirk deepened. "You never have."