Chapter Text
Percy
Sally nearly crushed Percy in a momma bear hug as soon as she opened the door. Tears were streaming down the woman's face. She hadn't seen her own son in a year, after all. Percy gripped his mother back just as tightly, tears forming in his eyes.
"Oh Percy." Sally murmured. "I'm so glad you're safe." They remained there in silence for a few moments, before they gathered themselves together. Sally peered at the crowd waiting rather awkwardly behind him. She gave Annabeth a quick hug, and then her gaze locked on Tennessee and Bettina. Her eyes danced with excitement, but then narrowed. "You all had better come inside, I'm certain you have a lot of questions."
Once everyone had squeezed into the apartment and settled down, (some squished onto the couch, and others standing), Sally spoke.
"First of all, it's good to see all of you again-" she gestured to both the demigods and the witches, "-but would you care to explain why I haven't heard from you since your... trip to Alaska?" Her jaw tightened, waiting for an answer. Her features appeared calm, but Percy could tell there was an ocean of protectiveness and rage stirring beneath the surface.
Percy's face fell as he remembered their failed attempt at retrieving the Athena Parthenos. "It's a long story, but... the Romans destroyed Camp Half-Blood. We had no choice but to run. I didn't want you and Paul to get involved."
Tegan cleared her throat. "Octavian, the Romans' augur, is now working with our enemy, Joseph. They've been turned into shadow-like creatures, and they now seek revenge on the Coven."
Sally's eyes drooped at the mention of Joseph. "Joseph." She grumbled. She glanced at Bettina. "Your adoptive parents told me what happened after Ruth..." She broke off, squeezing her eyes shut.
Bettina tilted her head, staring at Sally. "So you knew my parents?"
Sally smiled. "Of course. We were best friends."
A glimmer of hope sparked in Percy's chest. "Then, you know the story behind this cup?" The son of Poseidon held up the small sippy cup for his mother to see.
Recognition lit up in Sally's eyes. "Honestly, I thought I'd never see that cup again," she admitted, her gaze fixated on the cup. "It just... disappeared one day." Her lip twitched, as if remembering a happy memory.
"We assumed that you were friends, and that either you might've gotten your cups mixed up, or you gave it to her," Tegan explained. "We were also hoping that you could provide an explanation."
Sally's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Well, you were nearly spot on. I think she might've stolen it from me."
Bettina snickered slightly, turning her gaze towards Tegan. "Like a true bestie," she mock-whispered.
A small smile spread over Sally's face. "I did notice that the cup was gone after her visit. I just never confronted her about it. Swapping little things like that was almost like an inside joke for us." She sighed, her gaze wistful. "As for the Lethe and Phlegethon water, I remember mentioning it to her. She must've combined it with her own potion."
Tenn frowned slightly. "Although, now that I think about it, how did she get to the Underworld in the first place? It isn't an easy place to get to."
Sally chuckled. "She summoned Thanatos and went to the Underworld that way. I've seen her do it. She made it her own personal challenge to somehow weasel her way into every forbidden place she could think of."
Percy's jaw dropped, a giant grin on his face. "Are you saying that Ruth just grabbed Thanatos' robes and piggybacked him to the Underworld?"
Sally laughed at her son's wild imagination. "It would be easier to show you, but since we're lacking options right now..."
"Actually..." Tegan snapped her fingers, a grin on her face. "I can't believe I didn't think of this already. Seek the spells placed here before, Show me how they came to bore. From the start then some more, To the end of magic's store."
Rainbow mist appeared out of thin air, and a hologram of Ruth appeared. Her hands were held out, her magic swirling, as if she'd just finished casting a spell- which she probably had.
Next to her, was a lean and muscular man, with a beautiful face, and honey gold eyes. Dark wings shimmered behind his back. Percy knew who he was; Thanatos, the god of death.
Thanatos narrowed his eyes at the witch. "Ruth Proctor. Spellcaster."
A faint smile appeared on her face. "Thanatos, god of death. I would like to ask for a favor. I would like to request your assistance for a trip to the Underworld, and back, unharmed."
Annoyance flashed in his eyes. "And why, exactly, should I help you?"
Ruth's smile widened. "Oh, nothing too bad, I promise you that. But, I do have some evidence that you are not what you seem... and what you really are. You wouldn't want anyone finding out, now would you?"
Thanatos and Ruth stood in a standstill for a few moments, staring at one another; daring the other to break their gaze first. Eventually, Thanatos sighed, defeat evident on his face. He turned around, and Ruth leapt onto his back, a shit-eating grin on her face. Dark wings popped out from his back, and they poofed into smoke. Sally's disbelieving laughter was the last thing they heard before the hologram faded.
The hologram faded. There was a moment of silence before everyone started laughing together.
"Holy shit, that's actually what she did!" Percy snorted. Actually snorted.
Bettina was giggling like crazy. "My–mother–piggybacked–on the–god–of death's–back!" She managed to say between her maniacal giggling.
Even Tenn couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the scene that had just played before his eyes.
Kessler had tears in his eyes from laughing so hard. "I would say that I could never imagine her doing such a thing; but that's exactly something Ruth would do." he choked out.
After the group managed to cure themselves of their laughter, Tegan's expression morphed into a serious one again.
"So, we figured out how she got the water, and how she included that in the potion," the High Priestess concluded. "She must've known that her children would face this danger in the future if she knew to prepare this well."
Sally nodded. "She did express her worries to me before, and she was always a cautious person."
"What did she tell you?" Bettina asked.
Sally sighed, and Percy saw a faint flicker of sadness in her eyes. "It's a long story, but I'll try to explain."
And so she did. Sally spoke of how Ruth told her that she was the daughter of Archangel Michael, which made Tenn and Bettina the grandchildren of an angel.
Ruth told her about how Michael and Henry actually hid the sword together, because the next time the angel touched his sword, he would be obligated to return it to Heaven.
Both Bettina's adoptive parents and Jackson's parents had met with Ruth before, because Jackson's parents were convinced that their child was the one to save the Lancasters' magic. And so, on that day, Ruth summoned her father, and Michael gave Jackson his magic that day.
Ruth knew that someday, danger would find both her and her children. So, she had arranged for the Blair's to take care of Bettina, and thanks to a convenient phone call, for Tenn to be under Kessler's care.
Timothy also arranged it so that Bettina would live close to the twins. As for how they chose who should live with who, Myrtle decided to butt in, which lead Tegan to live next to Bettina.
Tegan let out a wry chuckle at that.
Sally had a wistful look on her face. "I knew that she was planning to save the spirits from the Gathering. I thought it would work, too, since she was the daughter of an angel."
The room was silent as everyone tried to process the information. Percy didn't like the silence; it made him really twitchy.
Finally, Cooper decided to speak. "Holy shit, Tenn. You're not human. I thought Royce was joking. Royce thought Royce was joking."
Percy joined in, hoping to ease the mood. "At least we've confirmed he's not a vampire!" Thankfully, that seemed to do the trick.
Devon raised her head. "I know that's all a lot of information, and yet I can't help but feel that something is missing."
Sally frowned. "You're right. I know something else. It's just... on the tip of my tongue."
"Would it have anything to do with a locket?" Bettina spoke up for the first time in a while. "Specifically, my locket?"
Sally snapped her fingers. "That's exactly it! Ruth gave it to me for safekeeping, and she told me that when the time was right, you'd be back to retrieve it."
Both Tenn and Bettina gave a faint sigh of relief. "Let's go get it, then."