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Percy inhaled shakily as he approached the cabin steps. His mom had to be here. She had to be. Alecto had taken the helm from him in this very spot several days ago. Hades had to have returned her by now. If he hadn’t, Percy thought darkly, he would be having WORDS with his uncle. He glanced out at the sea, tide low on the Montauk beach, trying to steady his breathing and push down the anxiety.
He just wanted to see his mom.
Percy turned back towards the house and took a step. Then he stumbled as white hot pain punched through him. Looking down in confusion, he saw a large golden blade sticking out of his chest. Percy stared at it in disbelief as blood slowly dripped off the edge onto the sand at his feet. Why was there a sword sticking out of his chest? He watched, unable to reconcile what he was seeing, as blood spread rapidly across the front of his t-shirt, a macabre Rorschach pattern painting his fate. Percy's breathing stuttered, his lungs suddenly failing to do their job.
A large body pressed up against his back, pulling him tight with a vice-like grip.
"I told you you'd won an enemy for life," Ares hissed in Percy's ear, the god's hot breath on his neck. "Guess I was just too impatient to make you wait and wonder."
Ares released him, ripping his sword out of Percy's back as he went. Percy gasped in pain as the blade pulled free, dragging at his insides. Tears sprang to his eyes as black spots appeared in his vision. Without the support of the heavy weapon and the vindictive god, he dropped heavily to his knees, then pitched forward into the sand.
Percy lay on the beach, gasping for air, breath ragged, fighting against dying lungs. He thought about trying to crawl for the water but he knew he didn't have the time. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ares' big black boots as the god strolled past him and planted his feet between the boy and the ocean. Clearly the same idea had crossed his mind. Percy tried to mentally reach out to the water, to summon another tidal wave, or at least call for help. But he could feel no connection to it. His life was seeping away too quickly; he was too weak. He couldn't even lift his head to glare defiantly at Ares like he so wanted to.
Percy felt his heart slowing, could actually feel the beats coming less and less frequently. Oxygen was no longer getting to his brain. His vision was going dark. The sand was hot and sticky beneath him, the wind cold on his blood-soaked back.
The gaping wound didn't really hurt anymore though. Distantly he realized that was probably a bad thing.
"Ya know kid," Ares said with a grim smile, "I didn't think I'd get this much pleasure from watching you bleed out. But this is actually quite rewarding." He planted his sword's blade into the sand and leaned on the pommel nonchalantly, watching the life drain out of the demigod.
Percy's eyelids fluttered shut. Please, he thought dimly. If my mom is back, please don't let her find me like this.
The last thing Percy heard was Ares' deep, raspy laugh as he stood over the dying boy.
****
Percy woke up on the floor, cheek pressed against cold, hard obsidian. He blinked his eyes open, trying to figure out where he was.
"Fancy meeting you here," a voice spoke from above him. A familiar voice. An annoying voice.
Percy blinked in confusion then slowly pushed himself up until he was standing in front of his uncle Hades. He looked down at his chest, patting the t-shirt in wonder. No blood stains. No rips from a very large sword. He craned his neck around, trying to see his back.
"Congratulations. You're dead," Hades said drily. "No more peek-a-boo chest cavity. It's kinda like hitting the factory reset button."
Percy's head snapped up, putting the pieces together.
"I didn't expect to see you back here so soon, nephew," Hades continued. "Ah, who are we kidding?" Hades barked out a laugh. "Of course I did!"
Percy just stared at him with barely veiled disgust.
"Is my mom here?" he demanded at last.
"Kid!" Hades pressed his hand to his heart in mock offense. "I ALWAYS keep my word. What do you take me for, some kind of monster?"
Percy stared at him in disbelief. Actually, that pretty much WAS what he thought of him.
"So you returned her? You sent her home? She's safe?" Percy's voice caught on the last word and he blinked back hot tears, praying Hades was speaking the truth.
Hades' expression softened for a moment. "Yeah, she's safe and sound. Waiting for you."
Percy's heart sank into his feet. His mom was home waiting for him. But she would keep waiting. She'd never see him again. This would break her. Then he realized HE'D never see HER again. Percy quickly turned away, hiding the tears that suddenly sprang from his eyes. He wiped his face hurriedly as Hades started speaking again, casual cruelty back in his voice.
"So what'll it be kid? Elysium? Asphodel?" He rubbed his hands with dark glee. "Tartarus?"
"How about option D?" Percy asked coldly, turning back to face his uncle.
"And what might that be, little hero?" Hades asked, sounding a bit bored with the conversation already.
Percy's mind raced. Could he really ask to be returned to the realm of the living? Was that beyond even Hades' powers? Was it too impertinent? Then again, what did he have to lose at this point? He was already dead. I mean, Hades could always damn him to eternal punishment; a lifetime of swirlies or something. But eh, worth a shot nonetheless. Percy cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders, trying to appear confident.
"You could always let me go," he said as casually as he could.
Hades stared at him, eyes wide for a long moment. Then he burst out laughing. Percy shrank back a little, heart sinking once more. Hades tried to speak but just started laughing harder, doubling over, hands on his knees. Percy sighed, looking around the throne room. This guy. Honestly, he was getting pretty tired of his uncle's theatrics.
Finally Hades wiped tears of mirth out of his eyes, straightening up.
"You want me to.....let you go?" he asked bluntly. "Just like that?"
Percy shrugged and nodded.
"Kid, WHY would I do that? I'm HADES. I got a reputation to uphold! I can't just be bringing people back from the dead, all willy-nilly!
"Look," Percy said, anger flaring up. "I've had a long day. I've had a long MONTH! I lost my mom. I did what the god's wanted. I fought off monsters. I finished my quest. I stopped a WAR! And then after all that, what did it get me? MURDERED! That's what. Some butt hurt god straight up murdered me. So, not gonna lie, I'm a little tired of getting jerked around!" Percy stopped, breathing heavily, surprised by his own outburst.
Hades glared at him, eyes narrowed. Percy waited to be smited, or whatever it was the god of the Underworld does to bratty little demigods who scream in their faces. Then Hades sighed heavily.
"Look, I never do this. Never. But since you did me a solid by getting my helm back, stopped that dumb war, warned us about Kronos... I guess I could give you one more shot. Ya know, to make up for that whole kidnapping your mom thing. Though," Hades said, jabbing a finger at Percy, "I contend that I SAVED her by doing that. So really, I did you a favor."
Percy's hands curled into fists but he remained silent, afraid if he so much as breathed wrong Hades might change his mind.
"Ares really wants you dead. Spoiling Ares' plans is always a kick. I can't stand that guy. Yeah," Hades said, nodding to himself as he warmed to the idea. "I like this plan. I'm so glad I came up with it. "
"But doesn't he give you lots of souls with his war?" Percy asked, confused.
"Do I look like I need more souls?!" Hades exclaimed in exasperation. "Plus," he considered thoughtfully, "Zeus kinda wants you dead. Which kinda makes me want you alive."
Percy raised his eyebrow in disbelief.
"It's a sibling thing," Hades said, waving his hand dismissively. "You wouldn't get it."
Percy tried to suppress another eye roll. Being sassy right now wouldn't help his cause. Hades had been pacing excitedly but now he stopped in front of Percy.
"So yeah kid. I'll do it."
Percy's heart stuttered. He tried to push down the swell of hope in his chest in case this was just a cruel joke.
"You'll—you'll do it? You'll send me back?"
"I'll send you back!" Hades crowed, clearly pleased with himself.
"Just to be clear," Percy said. "You'll bring me back to life. WithOUT a gaping hole in my chest. And not in front of Ares so he can just shish kebab me again and send me right back here?"
"Yeah, yeah," Hades nodded, waving a hand impatiently. "No tricks, no loopholes. Though I admire the suspicion. I AM crafty after all. You can never be too careful when you're dealing with the god of the Underworld. I give Hermes a run for his money in the trickster department." Hades winked.
"So—I can go home. I can see my mom?" Percy asked in a small voice. Despite all the bravado of his big speech, sticking it to his uncle, in reality Percy was scared and tired and just really wanted his mom. This had all been…a lot. He honestly didn't know how much more he could take.
"You can go home and see your mom. I grant your request. After all—" Hades spread his hands wide. "What's family for?"
There was a blinding flash and Percy squeezed his eyes shut tight.
****
Percy stumbled as his feet hit soft sand. Wobbling, he fell to his knees, legs like jelly, stomach queasy. He looked down, patting his chest, checking to make sure that he was in one piece. Then he lifted his head and saw the Montauk cabin just a few feet in front of him. He was back. He glanced around but there was no sign of Ares. Percy released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Then he scrambled to his feet and ran up the porch steps. He banged the door open and it slammed against the back wall, stained glass rattling.
"Mom? MOM?!" Percy shouted from the doorway, breath held, muscles taut. The house was quiet. "Mom?" he called out again softly, hope fading.
No... No, no, Hades wouldn't do this to him; he couldn't have lied to him.
Did he lie to him?
Tears welled up and spilled over as Percy felt the last spark of hope leave his body. He dropped to his knees on the welcome mat and put his head in his hands, fingers fisted in his hair. He felt like he was shattering into pieces.
Then he heard the creak of a floorboard. His head snapped up as Sally hesitantly rounded the corner of the hallway and stopped dead. She stared at her son in disbelief, as if she couldn't trust what she was seeing. Percy stared back at her, afraid if he blinked he would disappear. Then she rushed towards him at the same moment that he leapt to his feet. They collided in the middle of the room, both sobbing. Percy wrapped his arms around his mom and clung to her like he might never let go again.
“I got back and you weren’t here and I didn’t know what to do Percy. Oh god, I didn’t know what to do,” Sally cried.
“I’m so sorry mom, I tried to save you but I had to take the bolt to Zeus, and then I had to go back to camp, and then there was this war and—”
She could feel him trembling in her arms.
“Oh Percy, oh sweetie, shhh,” she murmured, squeezing him tight. “It’s okay, shhh….”
After a long time she gently pulled away and cupped her hands to his tear-stained cheeks.
"You got so big," she whispered as she looked him up and down, eyes bright with tears. “When did you get so big?” She smoothed his hair down with her hand, looking at him with so much love he felt his heart would crack in two.
Hades had kept his promise. Percy couldn’t believe it. He’d actually kept his promise. Maybe his family wasn’t all that bad after all.
"I missed you so much mom," he said in a choked voice, pulling her back to him once more. “You won’t believe everything that happened. I held fast though. I never gave up. I held fast."
“I am SO proud of you Percy. So proud.”
Sally shut her eyes, smiling as she held him close. She knew she’d have to let him go again. She knew there would be sorrow and danger in his future.
But for now, against all odds, they’d managed to find their way to a happy ending.