Chapter Text
Annabeth's POV:
The Argo II is getting closer and closer to New Rome. Annabeth is getting more and more anxious. A million thoughts are going through her head, making her dizzy. What if he's become a cold, stiff Roman? What if he's gone missing again? What if...
What if he doesn't remember you? The very thought makes her sick to the stomach. So she busies herself to block out her thoughts. Leo rushes around, checking gauges and wrestling with levers. Piper paces back and forth, practicing her lines. Jason is at the crossbow platform, looking uncharacteristically nervous.
She reviews the plan, the backup plan and the backup plan for the backup plan. She even makes sure that Coach Hedge is busy watching martial arts reruns, because the last thing they need is a war-crazed satyr charging at the Romans, yelling death !
Suddenly, horns sound. The Romans have spotted them.
She has trouble believing her eyes. Camp Jupiter is at least twice the size of Camp Half Blood. She scans the group of Romans, hoping to see him. The Argo II comes to a stop and a rope ladder is lowered. She climbs down and scans the crowd again. She sees a girl in armor come forward.
Reyna, she thinks. The Romans fan out from behind her. Reyna looks at them coolly. Jason looks uncomfortable and grasps Piper's hand.
Someone curses loudly and stumbles forward. He looks up, making Annabeth inhale sharply. It's him.
Her mind starts to seize on random details, like how he looks taller and tanner, how his purple toga is crooked and looks awkward on him, how his sea green eyes look brighter than usual. Percy looks at her, making her heart beat faster.
"Jason Grace, my former colleague," Reyna begins, "I welcome you home. And these, you friends... "
Annabeth isn't listening.
She surges forward, ignoring Jason's cry of warning.
Percy puts his arms out.
It feels like she's moving in slow motion.
Suddenly, they're hugging fiercely and Annabeth doesn't want to let go. She breathes in his scent - salty sweet, like the sea. She feels like she's on a high - Percy's back, he's back.
Does he remember you?
She pulls back. There are a million things she wants to say to him, but her mouth betrays her.
"You're wearing a toga."
She almost slaps herself but at the moment she couldn't care less. He has to remember. He has to.
Percy smiles at her - that infuriating crooked smile that makes her knees go weak.
"Hey to you too, Wise Girl."
She smiles like an idiot and crushes her lips to his.