Shattered

Cookies

Percy tried not to shiver, as the frigid cold from a winter night was blasted away from his freezing form.

'Two thousand er- One thousand nine hundred miles...'

Walking through the spinning doors that guarded the apartment building's lobby from the outside elements, Percy waved at the familiar attendant that stood guard behind his desk. He was a young man of about twenty, sandy blonde hair, pale blue eyes, mortal. Nothing truly remarkable about the man. The man waved back at Percy.

'Three thousand kilometers.'

Taking the stairs two steps at a time, Percy glided up the eight set of stairs with unbelievable swiftness, which may or may not have been due to him not wearing his bracelets at that moment.

'And I bet she'd expect me to be quick about it too.'

On the map Artemis had given to Percy, clear instructions had told him to meet her and her hunters at Keystone, Colorado. She would be expecting him to take the journey on foot...

Although how much time she was giving was not specified, Percy thought it best that he should assume he didn't have long.

But suffice what Artemis wanted, the son of Poseidon had to visit his mother and let her know he was well, before having to embark on yet another adventure. Besides, he had a gut feeling telling him that his mother had a batch of her blue cookies ready.

It didn't take him long to navigate through the halls and find his mother's apartment, despite the fact had been two whole years since he had last seen this specific apartment. In all honesty, the place she had taken up with her future husband, Paul Blofis had been a much nicer place, but the small apartement Sally liven in presently had a nice homey feeling as she was the only one living in it with an extra guest bedroom.

As he nervously approached the thick spruce door, wondering if he had remembered the correct one, the warm aroma of his mother's mouth-watering chocolate chip cookies filled the air.

He stood in front of the door labeled 4B, pausing to take in the wafting smells. Yep. That confirmed it. He knew to always trust his gut.

He knocked with purpose, before tapping his foot anxiously for an answer.

"One moment!" Percy smiled as he heard his mother's sweet voice.

He missed his mother. While he had technically spoken to her before the quest, the conversation was rather short and the only true conversation he had had with his mother hadn't been since before the titan war.

The apartment door swung open, and Sally Jackson's blue eyes lit up when she saw her son's weathered, but healthy face.

"Percy!" Before he could react, the son of the sea god was wrapped into a spine crushing hug. He would deny it and take it to the grave, but he loved his mother's hugs.

"Mom... Can't – breathe," the boy managed to choke out.

His mother untangled her arms from the boy, before pulling him into the household.

"Oh Percy! You're back. I was expecting you to not come back until next weekend! How was the rescue? I'm sure you three did absolutely great!" she said excitingly, before seating him down on their couch, before hurrying to the kitchen.

"You stay right there! You and your timing Percy, I swear. It's almost as if you can smell these things from miles away!" she yelled from the kitchen before bringing in a warm tray of steaming hot blue cookies. The chocolate was even still melted.

"Maybe I should make a batch every time I need you home," she teased, before setting the tray on the coffee table. "Now tell me, what happened?"

"Well, you see... the rescue went fine. The two of them are safe. But the thing is... their dad is Hades," Percy started.

Sally pursed her lips, but nodded for her son to continue.

"Well, actually we found out during the quest. You see Art-Athena got captured, and we got sent on this quest to go rescue her –"

Percy cursed himself for his slip up. He wasn't quite prepared to face his mother about the prospects of time travel.

Percy gave his mother a quick summary about the quest. From what had happened at Washington DC, to the battle atop Mt. Tam. Unconsciously, he left out the parts of time traveling.

"– Annabeth... She – She didn't make it."

Sally held her son close, as Percy began to come to full terms by the events of what had happened. He had sacrificed Annabeth's life for Zoe and Bianca's. After minutes of silence between the two, he finally sobered.

"I was supposed to be the child of the prophecy. But because of the change in fate, Luke – who was meant to host Kronos was killed. The fates commanded that my aging was to be paused so that Bianca – one of the demigods we saved at Westover, is to be the child of the prophecy. Also, Thalia decided to join the hunt to delay the war, but the same time, I have to stay with the hunt too."

Sally's eyes widened in surprise.

"Lady Artemis has deman – requested, that I spend the next few years training with her hunters," he explained.

Sally closed her eyes, comprehending all the things her son had told her. Only half of it made sense. Percy's rushed explanations were loose and didn't make sense, but she absorbed them. While she was heartbroken that Annabeth had died – she was quite fond of the girl – she was definitely glad that her son wasn't some kind of chosen one. It might have been selfish of her, but from what she knew of the myths, heroes did not usually get happy endings.

"Lady Artemis – She isn't known for liking the company of men," Sally said, rather confused. "How did she agree to take you into the hunt?"

Percy took a bite into the cookie he was holding; savoring the flavor, before shrugging. "I think Artemis has come to... tolerate me, I guess. It's her hunters, that I will have to worry about.

Percy sighed.

"Well, at least I will have Zoe, Thalia and Bianca with me. They aren't too bad," he spoke, shrugging.

Sally smiled, understandably. At the very least, her son wouldn't be entirely alone. Although she was quite unsure of her son's long term reaction to his best friend's death. While her son did not want admit it, she felt that he was more attached to Annabeth Chase then he had ever let on to her.

"Who is Zoe, and didn't Bianca quit the hunt?"

Percy took the time to chew his cookie before answering with an empty mouth.

"Zoe is the lieutenant of Artemis' hunters. She was with us in the quest. While she was hesitant at first, I think we're on fair terms now. As for Bianca, the gods decided it was best for her to continue her training with Artemis anyway. At least, until Summer."

Percy's mom sighed, before getting up from their seat. "Alright, Percy, as long as you're safe."

Percy bounced up, before hugging her tightly. His eyes were wet. "I will mom. I... I should be going. The hunt will be waiting."

He grabbed as many cookies as his hands would allow him too, before getting one of his spare coats from the hallway closet. His mother rolled her eyes at him.

"Where would you be meeting Lady Artemis and her hunters? I can give you a ride."

Percy winked at her. "They'll be no need. I can go on food," he said before opening the door. "I meeting them in Colorado. I'll send home postcards. Thanks mom!"

Before she could reply, the son of Poseidon took off, running down the hall.

Sally was left in her lone apartment, wondering how her son was supposed to travel half way across the country.

She closed the door and went to the window, looking out frigid streets before seeing her son jog down the sidewalk on an adventure that could take him almost anywhere. Anywhere, but home.

"Just be safe, Percy," she whispered to no one in particular. "That's my Christmas wish. For him to just be safe."

She sighed, before staring back at the living room, where the Jackson family tree laid barren. It had been a tradition since he was small that they would decorate it together. Now it was the day before Christmas Eve, and her son had finally left the nest.

'Just be safe, Percy.' She thought before leaving the window.