The Fallen Hero (Percy Jackson x Avengers Crossover)

45: The Evil Automaton Taking Over the World and--Leo, Stop.

For some reason, Sally didn't seem surprised. She laughed and cried, and hugged them both, but she didn't question it.

Paul was...less than calm about it all.

He pulled Percy aside while the girls were huddled together in the living room chattering about dresses and flowers and other...girly things. Leo and Will were in the huddle too, Will seeming a bit more enthusiastic about it than Leo.

"Percy," Paul whispered, "are you sure about this? I mean, you're both still kids...you have your whole lives ahead of you!"

Percy couldn't wipe the grin off his face, however hard he tried. "I'm sure, Paul. I've made some huge, heavy decisions in the past and...this is the first one that actually feels completely right, you know? Except for turning down immortality and jumping into Tartarus...but I made both of those decisions for the same reason I'm making this one: Annabeth."

Paul still didn't look convinced.

"Paul..." Percy blushed suddenly and looked down at his feet. It was harder than he had expected, trying to tell someone else how he actually felt. "If this last year has taught me anything, it's that life without her isn't worth living. And I..." He couldn't finish. He didn't know what else to say.

Paul's expression finally softened. "Okay Percy. I believe you, and I know how that feels--to want to be with someone so much that everything else pales in comparison." His gaze flickered over to Sally and Estelle, then back to his step-son. "And I guess no petty squabbles are going to split you two up, after everything you've been through together, huh?"

Percy shook his head.

Paul smiled, clapping him gently on the back and shaking his hand. "Then I wish you all the best, son."

Percy grinned and slowly wobbled back to Annabeth. She was glowing. She hugged him so tight he figured his ribs might decide to break right then and there, but at the moment, he didn't care.

********************************************************************

"...and then I woke up," Percy concluded, popping the rest of his sandwich into his mouth, and looking around at the grim faces in front of him. 

"So," Annabeth said at last, "Hades has finally fallen off the bandwagon."

Percy shrugged and Rachel nodded.

"Seems like it, anyways," Leo admitted, his knee bouncing up and down at inhuman speed, and a sudden twinkle in his eyes. "Or...what if he didn't and it's an automaton that Hades built to babysit Nico and it went evil and it's going to take over  the world and the Avengers are going to have to stop it and--"

"Leo," Annabeth gave the kid a weird look.

"O-o-o-r maybe not," Leo smirked sheepishly, pulling random bits of tools out of his toolbelt and snapping them together to create an odd-looking machine of some sort.

"I wonder who the mom is," Calypso mused.

Rachel tugged at her curls thoughtfully. "Actually...I may have some insight into that."

All eyes turned to her instantly. 

"There hasn't been another prophecy or anything like that," Rachel hastened to clarify. "But I have been having these weird dreams about a lady from Wisconsin and her son...though he was still a little kid in those dreams. But if you said his name was Jay,"

Percy nodded, "Really dark hair and eyes. Like, darker than Nico's."

Leo whistled, "Now that's an accomplishment,"

Rachel ignored him, "Well, if that's the case, then his mom had an accident that left her wheelchair-bound when he was only six. They didn't have any other relatives, so there was no one to take them in. Jay got placed in the foster care system, and his mom...as far as I know, she still lives at the same disabled care facility just outside of Brillion. What now Leo?"

Leo put his hand down quickly. "Where's Brillion?"

"Green Bay area," Rachel explained. She seemed surprised that he had actually asked a useful question for once. 

"Got it," He went back to fiddling with his tool belt.

"We should go visit Jay's mom," Calypso said decidedly. 

"Um...okay," Will agreed, "but like...don't we need a quest for that?"

Percy shook his head, "Nah, I mean, we're already here. It's not like we're leaving camp without permission or anything."

"Dude! I like the way you think," Leo winked at him and Annabeth and Calypso rolled their eyes in unison. 

"Percy, are you sure you're up for this?" Sally looked at her son with concern.

He wasn't. He knew he was still weak and wounded. But he wasn't about to let Annabeth out of his sight again. At least, not for a long while. And he knew she wasn't about to turn down the opportunity to investigate something as big as this. 

"Sure Mom, I'm fine!" He flashed her a grin and felt Annabeth squeeze his hand a little tighter. He squeezed back, as if to say, I'll be fine, as long as you're with me.

"How are you planning on getting to Brillion?" Paul asked. "Last I heard, that wasn't terribly close to New York, and Percy can't fly."

"Nope, but Festus can!" Leo announced.

Sally looked like she wanted to protest, but she wasn't given a chance. 

Two hours later backpacks were stuffed with necessities, and two demigods, one former magician, and the Oracle of Delphi tumbled out of the Jackson-Blofis apartment and onto the back of a giant, golden dragon. 

Annabeth and Percy were hugging Sally, Paul, and Estelle, and grabbing their stuff to leave, when Leo stuck his head back in. 

"You two little lovebirds comin' or what?"

Percy stuck out his tongue at him and Annabeth laughed, "We're coming, get ready for takeoff as soon as we're there!"

Leo squinted suspiciously, then slauted and shouted, "Aye aye, captain!" and trotted back out.

Annabeth looked at Percy, "Well Seaweed Brain? Ready to go stop World War Three?"

"You know it! Together till the end?"

"And even beyond!"

Hand in hand, Percy and Annabeth stepped out into the sunlight and climbed aboard the giant mechanical dragon parked out front. One command from Leo and they were off on their way to save the world yet again.

But this time something was different.

Because this time they knew where they stood: together.

A/N: The end. No seriously. I did leave an open ending, in case I want to come back and write a sequel someday, but right now I'm going to be focusing on drafting my WIPs. 📝

Also, I just love writing open endings. It leaves the book without the total rounded-out feeling, but it leaves the reader with a brimming imagination full of possibilities. 

Anyway, please let me know what you thought of the story!!📘

Vote, comment, share, and comment some more!👻

I want to add a huge thank you to @NightingaleSong6 for inspiring me to write this and voting, commenting, and cheering me along the whole way!! Couldn't have done it without you Lyn!🥰

Also, thank you to @_CAT_astro_PHE_ who has also been reading and voting since I published the very first chapter!🤗

Thank you to all of the readers who have been with me along the way, I know there's a ton more of you, so thank you and I hope you really enjoyed the story!😅😉

And I'm off to go work on Possessed and Zephyr...see ya around!😉

Byeeeeee!🫡

-Mattea😜