Work Text:
Hurricanes ravaged the coasts, earthquakes shook the Earth, and in the amphitheater at a camp on Long Island Sound, a silvery shroud was burned as the son of the sea mourned.
Everyone knew that as soon as you knew you had godly blood, it was only a matter of time before Thanatos claimed you and Hades judged you.
Every demigod knew to keep two drachma in their pocket just in case they needed to pay Charon.
Everyone knew that the son of the sea and the daughter of wisdom loved each other more than life itself, and had rejoiced when they married.
Everyone thought that after all the odds they had overcome, they could live out their lives and die of old age.
Whatever luck they had, whatever dice they threw, whatever winning hand they had had run out when Annabeth Bernadette Chase died shortly after marrying Perseus Benedict Jackson and the world mourned.
When the pyre burned out, Percy gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
“Percy, don’t do anything you’ll regret, anything she wouldn’t want.” Surprisingly, it was Clarisse who spoke to him, the only one who could nearly come close to understanding his grief.
“She’d want me to be happy. I’m happy with her.” Percy said.
Before the dawn came the next morning, Percy was already standing before the Doors of Orpheus.
Years ago, he stood before the doors with Nico D’Angelo and claimed his singing would start an avalanche.
Today, he stood before the doors and sang Annabeth’s favorite song.
The boulders parted and with determination and love fueling him, Percy descended into the darkness.
It was to be expected; Annabeth Chase shows up in Hades for judgement and Percy Jackson enters the throne room, beseeching the Lord of the dead for his beloved.
“It never works.” Hades looks upon his nephew with a regretful expression.
“I have to try. It’s Annabeth.” Percy who defeated Kronos, Percy who defeated Gaea, Percy who has done more quests in his short years than any demigod in the days of old combined, Percy who looks so desperate and so close to breaking.
And Hades caves; after all, if it were his Queen, there would be nothing he would do short of reclaiming her.
“Very well. Perseus, you claim the Rite of Orpheus. Annabeth!” Hades doesn’t need to say her full name as a ghostly figure appears out of the shadows wearing a dark cloak of the dead; her curly hair tumbling out of the hood hiding her face but Percy knows it is her. “Perseus, Annabeth may go with you back to the living but not by your side. If you turn around, if you look behind you to make sure she is following you, Annabeth stays dead. You may never try again. Do you understand?”
“I do.” Percy repeated the wedding vows he made to Annabeth days prior. He would until the end of time and then some.
“Very well.” Hades gave his blessing and without turning back to make sure Annabeth was following him, Percy turned and walked out of the throne room.
Above him, the three furies fluttered about.
The hellhounds howled in his ears.
The screams of the damned in the distance drowned out the slowly creeping doubts that tried to whisper that Annabeth wasn’t there.
Percy clenched his fists.
“Annabeth, you once trusted me to lead you through Tartarus when you were blind. I trusted you with my Achilles Heel because you are my Heel. I know you are behind me.” Percy said into the darkness before him and heard his voice echo off the steps and the walls.
What if-no.
“Estelle will be happy to have her sister back. She doesn’t know why everyone is so sad when she says you’ll be home soon. But you’ll be home again. And we can help her rub it in everyone’s faces.” Percy said.
He could see the faint light of the door ahead of him.
“Your shroud was beautiful. Athena wanted to make it but Rachel and your siblings beat her to it. Rachel designed it so it had a little of everything from all the quests and your amazing feats and your siblings wove it.” Percy told her.
The door was getting closer.
Percy led on.
“We’re going to grow old together.” Percy said. “I don’t have to be Rachel to know our future.”
Closer.
“I never told you, always said I wasn’t picky, but I want a little girl. Not like right now, but in the future. Little angel that is half you and half me and all little troublemaker. I had a thought, when I met Sadie, that if we ever had a little girl, I’d want her to be like Sadie and if that meant she was the daughter of a Greek pantheon and went over to Brooklyn to learn how to conjure magical whales and drop them on monsters, then that’s the future I want with you.”
Closer.
“Little girl with your curls, your brains, and my eyes? Tell me that kid wouldn’t be the cutest and the smartest kid in the world.”
Closer.
“Course I wouldn’t be upset if we had a boy, don’t get me wrong I will love whatever we have anyway, but I could just see myself as a girl dad. I already have it down with Estelle.”
Closer.
“Little boy with grey eyes and dark hair, he’d be such a mama’s boy. We’d get so many legos and you could teach him architecture while we build the Death Star and I could tell him about the Titanic. Not the one with Kate and Leo. You know how that movie gets on my nerves ever since we tested that theory last summer in the canoe lake.”
Almost…
“Speaking of, thoughts on a romantic picnic under the canoe lake? For a date? I know it’s only been a few days since our wedding but there is no law against still dating your wife.”
Percy could feel the sunshine on his face and hear the birds singing in the distance.
“Of course we still have that honeymoon. Aphrodite owes us one for being her own personal soap opera so anywhere in the world you want Wise Girl, you just say the word.”
Percy stepped out onto the grass.
“Annabeth, I’m not going to turn around until you tell me to.” Percy promised as he walked into the sunlight.
He trusted Annabeth’s judgement.
If she told him not to turn around, he would not.
He walked all the way across the park and didn’t hear a peep.
He didn’t hail a taxi, instead choosing to walk to his parent’s apartment; if Annabeth was alive, they were going to be the first people Percy told.
Blocks and blocks passed until Percy reached into his pocket and pulled out his key. He unlocked the door and went inside.
He listened and hope filled his chest at the delayed shutting of the door.
Elevator? No. That was too risky.
The stairs.
Percy climbed once again, trusting that Annabeth was behind him.
Four flights later, Percy was turning his key in the door.
He smelled bacon cooking, his mother wasn’t humming like she usually did when she cooked.
Estelle was speaking of all she wanted to do when Percy and Annabeth came back.
“Este, Annabeth isn’t coming back.” Paul said softly to the six year old girl.
Estelle’s green eyes met Percy’s and the one behind him.
“Annabeth!” Estelle’s eyes sparkled like stars as she jumped from her chair and raced past Percy into Annabeth’s open arms.
“I knew you’d come back! Everyone said you were gone but I knew Percy would find you.” Estelle wrapped her legs around Annabeth’s waist as she was picked up.
Percy dared look upon his wife for the first time since leaving the underworld.
Her cheeks were rosy.
Her eyes were shining.
Her curls were lively.
And she was so beautiful.
“Reyna says Percy can’t find his way out of a paper bag but I beg to differ.” Annabeth kissed Estelle’s cheek.
“Annabeth?” Sally’s hands shook.
Paul froze mid sip of his coffee.
“Percy found me.” Annabeth smiled at Percy and he would swear that the world was brighter for it.
“Well, now that you’re home you need food. Sit down.” Sally smacked Paul’s arm and jolted him out of his shock.
Paul flipped some pancakes on a plate and Sally made her a cup of coffee.
Percy pulled out her chair at the table.
“My lady,” he grinned.
“Thank you, good sir.” Annabeth sat down; Estelle refused to leave her embrace.
Paul set some plates down at the table and pulled her into a side hug.
“Welcome back.” He whispered into her curls.
Sally came over with Annabeth’s coffee and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Oh my sweet girl,” Sally said between kisses.
Percy never took his eyes off Annabeth.
Never again.