13 Years Later

II. An Advancement

A/N: Comment what you think!

1726 words

Percy was sitting by the lake looking at a photo of Annabeth. It was still unreal that she was gone. Every time he wanted to turn to her but realized she wasn't there, he would start crying and couldn't stop crying until one of his friends brought him to a body of water. The ocean was best because he felt such a strong connection to it. It beckoned him to live beneath their waves.

Percy was remembering their first underwater kiss when Leo Valdez came up behind him. Leo was the only one who seemed to be able to make Percy laugh. Percy didn't know if that was because he saw himself in Leo or if his jokes were so bad he couldn't not laugh. Either way, Leo was the one to cheer Percy up after he came out of an episode lost in grief.

Nico had already assured Percy that Annabeth was in Elysium, but he also said she tried for rebirth. It sent a clear message telling Percy to stay in the land of the living because she wouldn't be in the land of the dead.

Percy was pulled from his thoughts by Leo's voice. "Hey, Percy!"

Percy gave the younger boy a strained smile. "Hi, Leo. Come to join me?"

"You know my ADHD wouldn't let me. But in any case, Chiron sent me to get you. He wants a word in the Big House. I kinda forgot what he said, but I think it was something about a blanket."

"A blanket?"

"Yeah, I don't know. Anyway, let's go!"

"Alright, Supreme Commander, let's go."

Down at the Big House, Chiron was reading a newspaper. He quickly stuffed it away when Percy approached. Leo had already run off shouting at the Stolls not to touch his stuff, so it was just Percy and Chiron at the moment.

"How are you, my boy?"

"Doing better. I think. Leo said you wanted to see me? Something about blankets?"

"Blankets? No, I never said anything about blankets." Chiron sighed, "Sometimes I wonder what goes on in that child's head."

A small chuckle, not enough to be a laugh, came out of Percy's mouth. The simple sound made Chiron swell with joy, but it quickly turned to guilt for the message he was about to deliver.

"What I need to tell you is that the gods have requested your presence on Olympus. I wasn't told what for."

"But you know what it's about, don't you?"

Chiron was once again surprised at Percy's perceptiveness. After all the times he had witnessed it, you'd think it would shock him less. But Percy always had that aloof personality that made you forget, purposefully or not, about his sharp wits and instincts.

"I'm afraid I do. But if the council has called you, they want to be the ones to tell you," Chiron said with a sad expression.

"Fine. Wouldn't want to keep them waiting," was Percy's sarcastic remark. "Is Argus taking me?"

"Yes, the car is waiting at the bottom of Half-Blood Hill."

"Thank you, Chiron. I'll see you when I get back."

"Goodbye, Percy," he waved as the young man jogged away.

On the drive, Argus avoided going past Percy's apartment. When they finally got to the Empire State Building, Percy went up to the reception desk.

"I need to get to the 600th floor, please."

"No such thing. Scram, kid," the man said without looking up.