Percabeth Fluff and Other Stuff II

Missing You

Omg am I actually writing? Yes. I am. Be proud, be very proud.

This takes place while Percy is missing. Kind of an inside scoop on how the family is handling the situation.

Enjoy!

Sometimes, Paul would walk into Percy's room to check on him and find Annabeth asleep on his bed, hair a mess, a wet spot on the pillow where she had cried the night before. It was the moments that Annabeth would stir in her sleep and he had to decide: would it be best to leave her alone and act like he saw nothing— or to hug her because she would cry the moment she woke and didn't find Percy there.

There would be times that Annabeth would be gone, clues leading to Percy. She had to be the one to find him. She hadn't yet, but every time she returned Sally had this hopeful smile. Paul was always there to catch her as her heart was shattered again by the downcast look in Annabeth's eyes. He would hold both of them close as they sobbed, leading them to the couch, and bringing them back two hot cocoas.

———

"Sally, I had a dream last night. It told me to find the boy with one shoe. I'm not sure. But I know it has to have something to do with Percy. I'm gonna find him." Annabeth sounded so hopeful when she spoke. Like she knew. She knew that it was going to be Percy, and he would be completely okay.

If only it were that simple.

Annabeth returned crying a week from then. Sally and Paul's hearts shattered. For Percy and for her.

"I thought it would be him, Sally. I really did. And it wasn't. It's a boy named Jason. I—"

They pulled Annabeth into the apartment and into their arms. The three of them hugged tightly.

That night, Annabeth slept in Percy's room, which had now nearly become hers. She left hair clips and ties in there, and had a drawer for her clothes. Blueprints sat on the desk, another sign of her. It gave Annabeth comfort to be surrounded by his smell, imagining what it would be like to actually sleep in the same bed as him— not in that way you pervs— and to wake up with his arms around her again.

She wanted to know what it would be like to live with him all the time. To be surrounded by him 24/7. Then she laughed because she knew he would definitely annoy her to no end. But she loved it. She... loved him too. She thought so anyways. Her mom always told her that loving him would cause her pain. She began to see why. It caused her grief to know he wasn't there. And she didn't know how long it would be until he was. It hurt like hell to not see him and have no way to get ahold of him. But she tried to IM every day.

One day, it finally worked.

———

The night that Percy had called, Sally had been out on a date with Paul. He had hoped would get their mind off of everything. It had almost worked too. She had been so happy with him. She couldn't forget about Percy, but it at least soothed the pain a little bit. But when they went back to the apartment, memories washed over her.

A younger Percy asking for help on his geometry homework. Introducing his new friends to her. Him meeting Paul for the first time and being so nervous. Hugging her before he left for camp. These past few months where he was sneaking kisses with Annabeth on movie night, and Sally pretended not to notice. Everything came rushing back. Paul hugged her despite the tears in his eyes too. He knew. He always knew.

She went to check the answering machine, a daily routine. There was never anything, but she just hoped.

For the first time in a long time, there was a message.

She played it and dropped to the floor in tears when she heard his voice. It didn't matter what he said, or what he was apologizing for. He was okay. Her baby was okay.

"Paul!" She exclaimed. But he was right next to her, crying too.

"He's okay," Paul whispered and kissed the top of Sally's head. "He's okay."

•••

Sally hadn't heard much about Percy's quest, only bits and pieces from him IM-ing her. But it had been over a month since he had last done so. She worried about him and Annabeth.

She heard a knock on the door one Saturday morning while she was enjoying breakfast with Paul. He got up and opened it to the guest.

"Sally! Look who's here!" She set her coffee mug down and jumped up from the kitchen table. She considered the idea of Percy. Was that really possible?

She knew the moment that she saw a figure hugging Paul. It had to be him. When he pulled away, she waited patiently, hoping that she was right. Then she took him in. She froze in shock, unsure what to do. She had imagined this moment so many times, but it was different here and now. He had gotten taller than she remembered and more muscular too. And...

"Is that a tattoo?" She blurted. Percy looked confused momentarily and then laughed.

"Really Mom?"

She ran forward to hug him. He immediately wrapped his arms around her as well.

"I love you so much. And you better never cause us all this much stress again. I mean it. If you ever—"

"Annabeth already went over the threats, mom, don't worry. I love you too." He pulled her closer to him, and tucked his head into the crook of her neck. She felt something wet there and realized he was crying. Suddenly she was crying too.

"I missed you, sweetie."