The Last // pjo

Chapter Seventeen // Our Reunions Are Cut Short

 Percy squeezed my hand–catching my attention from the conversation Annabeth and I were having about her newly appointed job.

She had promptly recruited me to help her bring color (interior and exterior designing) to Olympus–as it was pretty freaking bland.

And we were talking about rugs and shit when Percy suddenly said, "I'll meet you at the elevator."

I looked over his shoulder–spying Hermes across the way and pinched my lips.

Lifting my gaze to my brother, I raised a brow–my silent question, Debrief me later?

He bobbed his head and turned his eyes to Annabeth as she asked, "You sure?" But she answered her own question and said, "Yeah, you're sure. Come on, Sal."

We linked arms, and I gave my brother a wink as we continued our way to the elevators.

I had been talking about some of the local vendors that would probably be willing to help us buy their stuff in bulk–which would set them up for a while with the funds from the gods–when Annabeth suddenly asked me, "Why do you think the gods thanked you like that?"

I choked on air for a second before I shrugged, "Maybe because they finally got their heads out of their asses and realized I'm actually cool."

She frowned, "I don't think that's why."

Looking at her as we walked, I asked, "Why do you think they did it?"

"Do the gods know about your amnesia?"

"Probably; they seem to know everything."

"Do you think they have something to do with you disappearing earlier? I mean, my mom said to watch for the pegasus–did a pegasus show up right before your memory blanks?"

My best friend was approaching this as she always did with problems she swore to figure out.

And I was thankful for it–because now we had time to figure out what the hell was going on.

I zoned out as I watched our feet pad across the walkway–trying to recall anything after falling into the river.

And then–there it was.

The flash of wings. The arms around my waist. The wind whistling through my hair as we flew away from the destroyed bridge.

We?

"There was a pegasus," I drew out slowly. My head started to pound as I was talking. I briefly caught glimpses of the person who pulled me from the river, "And...And a girl..."

Annabeth stopped walking–staring at me with piercing gray eyes, "What girl?"

"I-I don't know..." I rubbed my forehead–trying to ignore the pain climbing up my spine. "She...She's familiar, though. I think we've met her. Uh..." I lifted my eyes to Annabeth, "Not Rachel...Raquelle? Ruth? Rey..." I felt like my head was going to explode. "Rey—"

"Sally, stop," Annabeth ordered, grabbing me by the shoulders. She looked heavily concerned.

I blinked a couple times, "What's wrong?"

"Your nose is bleeding."

I wiped under my nostril, and it came away with fresh blood I scowled at it as the pain subsided, "Shit..."

She squeezed my shoulders, "It'll be okay. We'll figure it out. Just...don't do that right now..."

I nodded, wiping the blood on my pants before sighing heavily, "Anyways...can we talk about how Percy turned down immortality for you?"

Annabeth's face turned strawberry red, "W-What?! N-no, he didn't!"

"Annie, hate to tell you this, but you're just as delusional as he is sometimes."

She floundered to find words before she leveled a smug look on me, "Well, you turned it down for Freckles."

Even though I'm sure my face was just as red as hers, I even said, "I know."

Annabeth was infuriated as I went with the flow and laughed at her stammering attitude around Percy's decision.

They are so whipped for each other.

It wasn't long before Percy rejoined us–smelling like a campfire.

Annabeth took this as an opportunity to change the subject and calm herself, "Why do you smell like smoke?"

Percy caught my eye, and I knew we were gonna have some stuff to talk about later, "Long story..."

But by the time we returned to the lobby–I was nearly jumping out of my skin.

Then I heard their voices.

"I'm telling you, we have to go up! My children—" She caught sight of me and Percy, "Percy! Sally!"

Me and my brother took off for a run.

He rushed to her, and I ran to—

"Dad!" The choked word fell from my mouth before I could think about it.

His arms wrapped around me and swept me off the ground, and I was suddenly home again.

He kissed my head repeatedly as I cried gently into his shirt–still aware of everyone around us.

"Thank God you're safe..." He whispered.

I squeezed him tighter, "Right back at you..."

"We saw the building lit up blue," Mom said as she tore me from Dad's arms. "But then you didn't come down. You went up hours ago!"

"She was getting a bit anxious," Dad said–his eyes watching us carefully as if he were scared we would vanish.

"We're all right," Percy promised for us as Mom pulled Annabeth in for a hug too. "Everything's okay now."

"Mr. Blofis," Annabeth smirked at him, "that was wicked sword work."

Dad shrugged–putting an arm around my shoulders, "It seemed like the thing to do. But Percy, Sally, is this really . . . I mean, this story about the six hundredth floor?"

"It is Olympus," I chuckled.

He stared up at the ceiling with an awed expression, "I'd like to see that."

"Paul," Mom scolded. "It's not for mortals. Anyway, the important thing is we're safe. All of us."

Just as I was finally about to relax, Nico and Ric sprinted toward us.

I frowned at their expressions, but my words did not express my worry as I said, "How the hell did you guys get down here before us?"

Nico was about to explain when Ric said, "It's your Rachel, friend. We just ran into her down on 32nd Street."

I glanced at Annabeth as she dryly asked, "What's she done this time?"

"It's where she's gone," Nico jumped in–wringing his hands. "We told her she would die if she tried, but she insisted. She just took Blackjack and—"

"She took my pegasus?" Percy demanded–his brows shooting up.

"Our pegasus," I muttered.

Nico ignored me–his voice grave (hahah), "She's heading to Half-Blood Hill. She said she had to get to camp."