𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓! [pjo]

XX; demi-god dreams

━━━demi-god dreams

.・゜゜・───・゜゜・

The house made Cal feel homesick for something. It reminded her of a big blue house that sat at the top of a hill, with a wrap-around porch and a pinochle table. Her stomach warmed a little bit at the memory.

In front of her, Frank was hesitating in front of the door.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked.

Frank shook his head, "Nothing. Sorry." His hands shook as he stuck the key in.

Inside, the house was musty and smelled sweet. It was dark and shadowy, with covered windows. They checked all the downstairs rooms, saw the dirty dishes stacked up in the sink and the dust collecting on the mantle. The fireplace was cold and dark. Frank sucked in a breath.

Callahan let out a breath and blinked. On the mantle was a collection of pictures, one of a beautiful Chinese woman wearing an army dress, hands resting on a young Frank's shoulders.

"Your mother?" Hazel muttered, "She's beautiful."

Callahan watched Frank blush and nod. Looking at Frank, Cal could see the similarities. They had the same soft face displaced by strong shoulders and a sturdy build, and something incredibly kind and assuring always in their eyes, even in a photograph.

"You look like her," Cal muttered. Frank didn't respond.

Upstairs was filled with shut doors leading to empty rooms. They approached the last one, and Frank knocked. No one responded, but the door opened a little under his weight. He pushed the door open, and the room behind was dimly-lit by a single candle. Frank's grandmother lay in the middle of a big bed, white hair spread out around her like a halo. The room was creepy, yet beautiful.

Frank muttered something under his breath, staring at a spot beside his Grandmother's bed.

"Frank, what do you mean Mars?" Hazel whispered. Something cold settled on Callahan's shoulders.

" who?" Percy asked, gripping his sword. "Mars? Where?"

Frank let out a breath, "Why don't you guys get comfortable? I'll be out soon."

Percy and Hazel looked skeptical, but Cal heard the apprehension in his voice. She touched Percy and Hazel's shoulders, guiding them out carefully. Hazel took a little tugging.

.・゜゜・───・゜゜・

The ceiling above the bed was plain white, a single light sitting in the middle. The shower in the bathroom was running, Callahan listened to the house settle on its foundations. Her stomach was full of rice and eggs, her body warm and her limbs heavy. She could feel sleep tug at her eyes, trying to get them to close. She didn't want to sleep yet. Sleep never meant rest when you're a demigod.

When Percy got out of the shower, Cal was curled up in the middle of the bed, hair splayed around her. She was sleeping, chest rising and falling slowly, face relaxed, cheeks pink. He laughed under his breath, a smile splitting his face. Her mouth was open a little.

Inside her head, Callahan was sitting on a bench in a park. Central Park? She watched as a brunette with a silver circlet and parka run by, leading a pack of young girls wearing the same parkas. All of them carried bows and glowed softly under the moonlight. Hunters of Artemis her mind supplied. She watched them dash past, hair moving in a wind she couldn't feel.

Before she could call out, the image changed, and she stood in an apartment, nice, cluttered, familiar. Quiet. Sitting in the kitchen was a table, and around the table was a group of people. Beautiful, familiar people. One was a brunette woman, older, with kind brown eyes saddened by something heavy. The woman standing behind her was a redhead, small and slight like a pixie. The third was--Annabeth. Smarties. Wise Girl. Her heart soared seeing again until she noticed the wetness of her cheeks, and how gaunt they were. She kneeled beside the blonde, watching a tear roll off her chin.

"Oh, Annie." She whispered. "Why haven't you been eating?"

Annabeth cleared her throat and sucked on her bottom lip.

"How long until the Argo II is ready?" the man beside her asked, and looking up Callahan's heart stopped.

"Dad?" She whispered. "Dad..."

His complexion was pale and thin, his eyes red. Callahan wanted nothing more than to touch him, reassure him that she was alive and okay.

"Oh, 아빠" Her throat closed, "왜 우는거야?" (Oh dad, why are you crying?)

"Uhh" Annabeth cleared her throat, "It shouldn't be that long now. Leo says maybe one more month? Hopefully less, but..."

Her dad nodded, "Thank you, Annabeth, for being here." He still had a slight accent.

Annabeth shook her head, "Please, Mr. Lee, she would want me here."

Callahan knew without asking that they were talking about her.

He nodded and kissed her forehead. "How many times have I told you to call me Tae-jin?"

Annabeth let out a watery laugh."Too many."

ϕϕϕ

Cal woke up to the house shaking, Percy's chest solid against her back. Her cheeks were wet.

"Oh, gods." She pulled herself away from Percy and off the bed, rolling her shoulders back. Her cheeks were wet, and the floor was cold. Her pajama pants brushed the ground when she padded into the bathroom.

When she came out, freshly cleaned and dressed, Percy was sitting up, bleary-eyed. She smiled at his expression,

"Sleep well?" He nodded.

"You look good." He said, voice rough. She smiled lightly, looking down at her black shirt and jeans. She shrugged at him, and he shook at her head. Then, the house shook.

"You should get up." She looked out the window, at the ogres emerging from the trees. "We got problems. Big problems."

Percy kissed her cheek as he walked past.

━━━demi-god dreams

.・゜゜・───・゜゜・