To Drown or Burn... or Let it Get You

We Meet Depression, and He Sucks

2 Days Later

Percy tried to move on, but he couldn't forget his friends. They were everywhere. Leo was in the fires, the machines. Hazel was in the golden drachmas. Frank was in the wildlife. Nico was in the shadows and darkness, while Will was in the infirmary and the sun. Thalia was in the ever-present arrows and moon. Jason was in the air, while Piper was in the daggers, and both of them were in the sky. And Annabeth... Annabeth was in everything around him. Happy memories and sad memories. Every night he was forced to relive the Pit or the war or both. when he woke up screaming for her, and she wasn't there, it broke a little more of his soul. He told himself that if he had run a little faster, fought a little harder, been a little stronger, trained a little more, just been better, he could've saved at least some of them. An Apollo kid, Isa, told him he was suffering from survivor's guilt and PTSD. He told her to go away.

But he had to move forward. Everyone depended on him to be their leader. So that's what he continued to be. At night, in his cabins, he would sulk. He would remember them, after blocking them out during the day. He taught classes to the younger kids, talked to the others, cleaned his cabin to a shine, anything he could do to forget, to block it out.

~One month later~

Percy Jackson walks into the big house after visiting his mom for a while, and is met with Mr. D playing Pinochle.

"Hi Mr. D!" He forces himself to smile. "Where's Chiron?"

"He's by the forest, Perry." Shaking his head, Percy walks back out the door and towards the forest. At least it's not Perseus.

"Chiron."

"Percy! Welcome back!" The centaur trots forward, hugging his trainee.

"Thanks, Chiron. Why are you out here?"

"Capture the flag."

"Oh yeah. Has anything happened since I left?"

"Actually I have a job offer. I know you've been looking for one" They wander around the cabins back towards the big house.

"Colour me intrigued."

"It is for a boy from England. My old friend asked for a bodyguard for him. And while it does pay differently, it's better than any pay in the states." Percy sighs

"What's the catch?"

"He's a wizard." Percy stares at him.

"Seriously? Wizards? Can you explain?" they arrive at the big house and just stand outside.

"Long ago, Hecate blessed a mortal with a very small amount of magical powers. The amount of blessed individuals, or those who are descendants of the blessed grows yearly, and while they do not know of their origins, they have created an entire magical world, with communities around the globe. Your job would be to bodyguard the hero of their war, that ended last fall. You would go to their boarding school, which is in Great Britain. Or technically Scotland but you board the train in England. If you did choose to accept, Lady Hecate would bless you with the smallest amount of magic possible."

"Do they know about demigods?"

"Not most of them. When Camp Half-Blood was in Britain I met my friend and told her about the gods."

"How long would it be for?"

"Probably a year."

"Sounds good. I'll take the job. I just need to IM mom first." Chiron nods, smiling softly as Percy goes into his cabin for the rainbow. He flicks a golden drachma through the mist, saying "Iris, Goddess of the rainbow, show me Sally Jackson in Manhattan." His mothers form shimmers into being through the water.

"Hi, mom."

"Percy! What happened?"

"I have to go to England for a job Chiron just offered me- I promise I'll call!"

"Okay... stay safe." Her eyebrows crease in worry. "I love you, Percy!"

"I will! Love you too, mom!" His hand slices through the rainbow, ending the short call. He walks out to Chiron.

"Alright. I'll take the job." Suddenly, there is a flash of bright light behind them. Percy closes his eyes reflexively. They turn around.

"Lady Hecate." Percy drops to one knee.

"Percy Jackson. I heard you are willing to accept a position in my world."

"Yes." He stands, barely his fists clenching in hatred towards them. The gods.

"In that case, I will need to show you there and give you a margin of the abilities I give to my wix." She stands there, lifting her hands and, without waiting for him to get ready taps Percy's head. He sways. His eyelids feel heavy before he forces them open, not allowing himself to faint.

"Very well, I will be visiting you to explain a few things to you but whatever the case, close your eyes." she holds out her hand and he grabs it with closed eyes, as the goddess brings him across the world and away from the only home he's ever had.