Running Over Water

[10 - The King Has Fallen]

Percy

"Mom, hey!"

She looks up from her bowl of soup she was currently eating. "Oh, Percy, sweetheart, how are you?" She asks while teasing a smile. Her silky brunette hair was pulled up in a ponytail. She boosted herself up from her seat, her hands pressing against the table for support of standing. As she stood, she showed off her swollen belly bump. It was larger than I last saw it.

"I'm fine as one could get. I'm sorry for not calling earlier, I was sort of busy." I can't help but stare at her stomach. I've known she was pregnant for a while, but it's only just occurred to me that I'm actually having a little sister. I still can't comprehend that. I know I have Tyson, and he's absolutely great but I'm just a little bit nervous.

"Oh, don't worry 'bout it. I know if Annabeth's there, she's keeping you safe and in-line."

"Mom!" I exasperated, my hands raising up in a I-give-up gesture.

"Kidding, kidding. So, how's the whole hero thing going on?" She grins and shuffles over to the kitchen. She rinses it before putting it in the dishwasher.

"It's tiring but fun," I told her.

"Right, I always knew you had what it takes to be a hero," My mom said, her soft eyes looking at me. She leans against the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, who knew being a hero was this depleting," I replied, leaning against the railing of the balcony.

"Well, sometimes you have to risk certain things for the good and wellbeing of others."

"I know, Mom."

"I know you know. I'm just saying. But it's also good to rest, Percy. You can't always save everybody." She begins to hobble over to the couch, and she flop down on it. She shifts around for a minute to find a comfortable position, and once she finds it, she tilts her head back and closes her eyes. "Speaking of rest, I'm beat. I should really nap now."

"Okay. Sleep well, I love you," I smiled and she opened her eyes slightly to look back at me.

"I love you too."

Before I'm about to swipe my hand through the call, her voice interrupts me. My hand stops mid-air. "One more thing, Percy," she begins. "I saw you on the news today, you're quite the famous person now."

"Oh, right. Well, I'm glad we defeated them and put them to jail," I shrug.

"Yes, but always be careful. If you die, I swear to gods I'm grounding you for life."

I wanted to mention that wouldn't really work out since, well, I'd be dead. But I let my mom have her motherly moment. "Okay, okay, I get it, Mom. Don't worry,"

"I know I don't have to worry, but I do anyways." And she lazily ends the call with her hand.

Before I could recollect myself from that short yet oddly pithy call, I noticed that the sun had almost disappeared along the city skyline. The fleeting colors of dusk faded away till there was nothing except the paint-blotted sky, dotted with midnight colors.

There were few stars I could see in the blank sky, but I barely had time to admire the scene before me when I heard someone call my name from the lounge room. I didn't register it at first, but after a few calls, it finally occurred to me that I was being summoned. I swung the door open and a breeze of cold air reminded me that there was air-conditioning

I realized it was Dr. Wells who had needed me.

It's not that I didn't like him, per se, it's more that he hasn't shown me that I can trust him yet. So why would I? Then again, Barry hadn't really given me much of a reason to give him my trust. But at least he gave off decent vibes.