In the days after the attack on our apartment, we were still recovering. The whole squad pretty much were glued to each other, never letting our children or each other out of site. We were all staying at Camp Half-Blood for the time being, us not having a home to go back to.
Everyone kind of shirked their responsibilities for a little while. They didn't seem as important. Not as important as being together, at least.
Everyone kept expressing their gratitude toward me in different ways. Right after it happened, Calypso practically threw herself forward to hug me, sobbing and thanking me for protecting her children.
Leo in the way he wouldn't joke at my expense for once. How he credited me for the protection of his children instead of the endangerment.
There was more respect in Nico's gaze toward me than there was before. Whenever Will's eyes met mine, his filled with gratitude and he would give me a nod and a smile.
I saw it in the way Piper braided Ari's hair, telling her stories of past quests, glancing at me ever so often. How Jason would pat me on the shoulder in passing.
I remembered after, when we set off for Camp, how both Hazel and Frank pulled me into one big hug.
And the kids all were more at ease around me. Like they trusted me. It made me feel good, and scared at the same time. Like it filled my heart with this wonderful feeling, this...love. But at the same time, I knew that trusting me meant getting hurt. Always hurt.
I was the reason we were ever in that situation to begin with. The empousi came for me, and seeing I was with the kids, decided to torment all of us. Decided to target the kids. Never would I ever let something happen to them. Not if I was still breathing.
I was shaken from my thoughts when I heard a shriek come from the rec room. We were just all stationed in the Big House living room at the moment and most of the kids were playing in the next room over.
I jumped up, along with the others, to investigate the sound of the shriek.
Turns out it was just Sammy. Milo, Sammy, and Maria had been tormenting Luke, Riley, and Ariana. It turned into a full fledged fight, pillows and objects being thrown. The shriek came from Sammy when he saw Luke, who stood staring at awe at the bubble of water wrapped around his clenched fist.
I felt all the tension go out of my shoulders as I stumbled back through the hall. I bumped into the wall and then fell into a random room, scooting myself up against the wall.
I was shocked, for starters. I was also terrified.
There was a knock on the door and Calypso stuck her head in. She left the door open a crack and came to sit next to me.
"You alright?" She asked, probably noticing the tears that started leaking from the corners of my eyes. It seemed I was more susceptible to tears nowadays. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Right after Annabeth died, I never seemed to be able to summon them, but now they came whether I wanted them to or not. But I guess you rarely ever want to cry, now do you?
"I'm scared," I whispered. "About what?" She asked patiently, "of Luke having powers?"
"No," I grumbled, burying my head in my hands. "I don't want him to have a life like mine," I said, raising my head to look at her. "I never ever want him to go through what I did. It's not fair."
"Percy," she said, looking away, as if searching for the right words, " the life of a demigod is never fair. The very fact that he was ever born promises pain and suffrage. But that's true for every single life on this earth. It's just life. And him having power? That's just greater means for him to protect himself," she explained.
"So what do I do?" I asked.
"You help him. You train him right and be the father you never had. Maybe even send him to Camp when he's old enough, but that's up to you."
I nodded along. I guess what she said made sense. "Thanks, Callie," I said. "Of course Percy," she nodded, giving me a quick hug before standing and offering me a hand. I took and she pulled me up.
"Now go talk to him," she said, gesturing to where Luke was still standing.