Confused by Time (Percy Jackson fanfic) (currently being rewritten)

Chapter 46 - Differences

There were a lot of things Percy thought Annabeth would do. Punching him was one of them.

She stormed over to him and slogged him in the jaw, making him reel back and rub his jaw. "What the Tartarus, Percy?" she demanded.

"Jeez," Percy groaned, "how'd you get so strong?"

Annabeth smiled. "I'm a goddess, Percy," she said brightly. "I'm immortal. Like you."

"Huh?" Percy asked. "You're..."

"Yes," she said, still smiling.

"So... uh, what are you doing here in San Francisco? Actually, what the Tartarus are you doing in California?" he asked.

"We're on a quest," Thalia said helpfully.

"I know," Percy said. "That's not helpful."

"We would tell you more, but Kronos would be able to get it from your mind," Annabeth said apologetically. "But Percy... how are you even here?"

"Well, you see, Annabeth," Percy said with a grin. "My mom met Poseidon on the beach and-"

"Not how you were born," Annabeth said with a sigh. "I mean you're supposed to be in Othrys."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Supposed to?" he asked, pushing away from the van. "Now that's just insulting. I'm not one of Kronos' lapdogs. That's Atlas and the other Titans."

"Percy," Abiron said, "is our father... alive?"

Percy nodded. "Yup," he said cheerfully. "After the whole incident with Hyperion he got promoted to 'General' alongside Atlas."

"He's all right?" Zoe prompted.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Kronos may be a prick a lot of the time, but he doesn't kill his brothers."

"What about Hyperion?" Piper asked.

"He's wandering around Canada or America somewhere," Percy said dismissively.

"You've changed," Annabeth said as she stared at him. "For one, you're taller, which shouldn't be possible because you're immortal. And you're acting weird."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "You thought leaving me in Othrys for over four months would be fine? That I wouldn't change?" He laughed. "You were wrong."

"We wanted to, Percy," Piper said. "We didn't want to leave you with Kronos."

Percy just shook his head, trying to calm his racing heart. "You couldn't have just ignored the gods and come to get me anyway? I was terrified!"

He spun away from them and slammed his fist into the van, leaving a dent in its hood. Luke jumped slightly, his eyes widening. "Calm down, Perce. You do not need to go nuclear in a petrol station."

Percy focused on slowing his breathing before turning to face the demigods again. "Look. I just want to know why you think you're safe here. Because Kronos was watching you cross the border into California through a little screen thing - I have no clue what it was – and he was gonna blast your vans to smithereens with a couple lightning bolts."

Annabeth paled. "Really?"

"Duh," Percy said, "he's not an idiot. How did you even get past the eastern front anyway?"

"Eastern front?" Hazel asked.

Percy inwardly swore at his slip. "Yeah. Because you could curve up into Canada and back down. Kronos wants his backside covered... and dam, that sounded weird. Not saying that again."

Leo snorted. "Wow, Percy."

Percy flushed, shoving Luke off the van, the demigod nearly doubling up in his laughter. "Shut up."