Percy Jackson, The Missing Hero.

10. Home.

"This isn't anywhere near my mom's apartment." Percy frowned, glancing around them. Nico merely grinned and gestured for him to follow. "Where are we?"

"Your dad bought them a house," Nico responded as he led Percy up a path to a blue front door. "Said that it was something he should have done years ago. Paul is still at Goode, but your mom is a full-time writer now."

Nico didn't have to knock, producing his own set of keys from his pocket, all attached to a goofy looking killer whale charm.

"Nice whale." Percy laughed, still not fully processing how much had changed in five years. "Very you."

"Your dad gave it to me after he took me to a protest at SeaWorld." Nico grinned in response and Percy just stared at him for a moment.

"I have no words." He finally settled on his response.

"The whale is called Felix," Nico informed him before unlocking the front door. He stepped inside before looking at Percy with an embarrassed blush as he called out, "Mom, I'm home!"

"We're in the kitchen!" Sally called in response.

"She gets upset if I call her Sally," Nico muttered in explanation as he kicked off his shoes. "Sorry if it weirds you out, I should-"

"Nic, I'm not bothered by it," Percy assured him. "I swear."

"I hope you don't mind, but I brought a guest," Nico informed Sally as they neared the kitchen.

"You've finally brought a boyfriend to breakfast?" Sally laughed.

Percy faltered in the doorway of the kitchen, nearly gasping at the sight of his mom stood by the counter. He had been used to leaving for extended periods of time due to attendance at boarding schools when they ran out of schools in the city that would take him, but nothing had prepared him for leaving her for five years – not even the time stolen by Hera.

"Not exactly," Nico responded to Sally's question. "He arrived at camp yesterday with a very interesting explanation as to where he has been for the past five years."

"Hi, mom." Percy managed to choke out, the words catching slightly in his throat.

Sally spun, hands flying to cover her mouth.

"Percy?" Paul's stunned tone drew his attention over to the table where his step-father was sat.

The little girl sat across from him twisted in her seat and looked at him with wide eyes. "Percy!" She let out a delighted squeal. "Like my big brother Percy?"

"I figured that your mom should get to tell you about the little one." Nico murmured softly.

"Hi sweetheart," Percy greeted faintly. "You weren't here last time."

He didn't get to say anything else, swept into a tight hug by his mom. All he could do was return it, suddenly overwhelmed by emotion. When he'd left camp, he'd reconciled himself with the fact he was losing all of the people and the friends he had made there. When Chaos had made his offer, he'd accepted, only thinking of the people at camp. It was only later, when everything had started to sink in that he had realised in a panic that he wouldn't be able to tell his mom and Paul where he was, what he was doing. Not without leading Chaos straight to his weak point.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered, repeating it several times, hoping that she realised swiftly that he truly was sorry for leaving without a trace.

She lightly slapped his shoulder after releasing him, shaking her head. "I can't believe you let Hades tell us that you had disappeared off with some god, and then not even call." Sally scolded.