Chapter Text
***So as much as I enjoyed Blood of Olympus (and I really, truly did), there were a few things that I missed or wanted more of—mostly I wanted more scenes with the Seven. Also, although there were some great moments, the book was seriously lacking in Percy/Annabeth fluff. Which is all why I decided to write a "missing moments" story. It's told primarily from Annabeth and Hazel's POVs, because they were two of the characters I wanted to hear more from in the actual book.
This first chapter takes place while Jason, Piper, and Annabeth are on Ithaca and continues when they get back.
There are ten chapters total in this story, which was originally posted several years ago on Fanfiction.net. Thanks for reading!***
ANNABETH:
Annabeth knew it was necessary. And the plan was a good one. But that didn't mean she had to like her stupid disguise.
"Sit still," Piper ordered her through a mouthful of bobby pins. Annabeth made a face at her friend in the mirror, but tried not to fidget as Piper finished pinning up her blonde curls. Piper's own dark hair was already braided and twisted on top of her head in a style that made Annabeth think of prom. But they weren't going to a dance. They were getting ready to infiltrate a gathering of evil spirits, disguised as Greek serving maidens. Piper was still wearing jeans and a tank top, but Annabeth was already dressed in a white Greek dress and laced up sandals. The dress was a lot more revealing than anything she typically wore, which made her a little uncomfortable, but their entire plan revolved around her, Piper, and Jason looking their parts, so she figured she would just have to put up with it. At least she got to carry her sword in her water jug.
"There," Piper said, putting a last pin in place and setting the extras down on the sink in the girls' bathroom. "It looks good, right?"
"Yeah," Annabeth admitted grudgingly. "Although it's not going to last very long if we have to fight."
"Hopefully it won't come to that," Piper said. "The point of this mission is stealth, not combat."
"True." Annabeth checked her reflection one last time, sighed, then said, "You'd better get dressed. It's almost time to go."
Piper nodded. "I'm going to check on Jason and Hazel, too; see how that's going. Meet you on deck."
The summer air was as hot and humid as a sauna, but Annabeth didn't mind. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of feeling the sun and wind on her skin after being trapped in the sulfurous darkness of Tartarus. She took a deep breath, enjoying the sunlight, then looked out at Ithaca.
The colors of the island seemed especially vibrant—the pure white cliffs, the houses with their bright red roofs, the green of the trees covering the hillsides, and the brilliant blue of the ocean. The view was gorgeous, but Annabeth's eyes zeroed in on the ruins, which she could just barely make out from this distance. The home of Odysseus, one of the greatest Greek heroes, a personal favorite of her mother, Athena. And she, Piper, and Jason were supposed to sneak into the ruins of his palace to gather information from the ghosts of the suitors Odysseus had killed, information that might help them solve their current problem. Hopefully.
Hazel, Jason, and Piper were still below getting ready, but the others were on deck. Leo was tinkering with one of Festus's eyes, whistling happily. Frank was up in the crow's nest keeping watch and Percy was standing at the railing, looking out to sea. Presumably because of the heat (and the fact that they wouldn't have to leave the ship), all three of them were sporting the shirtless look. Not that Annabeth was complaining; it gave her an excuse to check out her boyfriend. Like her, Percy had lost some weight in Tartarus, but the muscles in his arms and back were still well-defined, especially with the way he was leaning against the railing. Annabeth's stomach fluttered.
Get a grip, she told herself sternly. You're about to go on a dangerous mission, for Zeus's sake.
"Hey, Seaweed Brain," she said as she joined him at the railing.
"Wow." Percy's eyes widened when he saw her. "You look great."
"I feel ridiculous."
"You don't look ridiculous," he assured her. "You look amazing."
She had to smile at that. "Thanks. You're sweet."
"I try." He kissed her, which Annabeth had to admit did make her feel better. But when he pulled away, Percy's eyes were worried. Annabeth guessed she knew why. This would be the first time they'd been apart for something dangerous since Tartarus. But it didn't make sense for Percy to go to Odysseus's palace, too; three was the best number for a quest and he would be more useful staying on the ship.
"It'll be fine," she told him. "We're just going to sneak in, get the information we need, and come right back."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Percy said, though he still looked worried. He leaned in to kiss her again, but before he could, Piper's voice rang out.
"Percy, I swear, if you mess up her makeup, I'll kill you."
"I should probably take that threat seriously, right?" Percy murmured against her lips.
"Probably." Annabeth kissed him lightly, then turned to where the rest of their friends were coming up the stairs. Piper was now also dressed in a white sleeveless gown, with her cornucopia tied to the belt at her waist. Hazel looked normal, in shorts and a t-shirt. And Jason, well, didn't look at all like Jason.
Leo gave a low whistle when he saw Jason. "Dude. I mean, the girls look great, but you—"
"Shut up, Leo," Jason muttered.
"Wow, Hazel," Annabeth said, impressed. "That's incredible."
"Thanks." Hazel beamed, clearly pleased with her work, though Jason just as obviously wasn't thrilled.
He looked like a seventy-five year old man. His back was hunched, he had balding gray hair and liver spots, and his normally electric blue eyes were cloudy with cataracts. He was holding a cane in one gnarled hand. "This information better be worth it," he grumbled.
"You even sound like a grumpy old man," Leo said gleefully as he walked over. Frank landed on the deck as a hawk, then turned back into himself. As many times as she'd seen him change form, Annabeth could never quite get used to it.
"And that's all just the Mist?" Frank asked Hazel.
"Yep," she said. "I have to focus to keep up the illusion, but it should fool the spirits."
"Should?" Percy asked.
"It will," Hazel corrected herself.
"We'll be fine," Piper said, picking up the amphora jar that concealed her sword.
As she picked up her own amphora, Annabeth thought that for the seven of them, things weren't usually "fine." Plans typically ended "epically badly." She decided not to mention this. "As soon as we get back with the information, we can make a plan about what to do next."
Frank nodded. "And figure out how to, you know, save the world and stuff."
"I like saving the world. And stuff," Leo agreed.
Percy kissed Annabeth's cheek. "Just come back, okay?"
She squeezed his hand. "We will."
"Alright, you three, stand by the railing," Hazel said.
Annabeth and Piper moved to stand on either side of Jason, who smelled vaguely like chicken soup and something else Annabeth couldn't quite identify—maybe mothballs? Piper took Jason's hand and Annabeth lightly grabbed his arm. Hazel took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The deck disappeared from beneath Annabeth's feet. There was a rush of darkness. The next second, Piper, Jason, and Annabeth were standing on the beach, looking out at the Argo II anchored a few hundred yards away in the water.
"She's getting really good," Piper said.
"Almost too good." Jason winced and put a wrinkled hand on his back.
Annabeth turned to look at the hill towering over them. A rocky path led up the steep hillside. At the top, she could just make out the ruins of the palace. Time to focus.
Annabeth adjusted her amphora more securely on her back. "Let's go."
HAZEL:
When Piper, Jason, and Annabeth left, a tense silence settled over the Argo II. Frank paced the deck, occasionally turning into a falcon and flying up to perch on the mast for a better view. Leo was in the bow, tinkering with Festus's brain again. Percy stood at the port rail, eyes fixed on the island, though every couple minutes he scanned the sea for any signs of an attack. After reassuring herself that the Mist disguises she'd given the others were working, Hazel joined him at the rail.
"I hate this," Percy muttered. "Waiting and not knowing what's going on drive me crazy."
Hazel gaze him a sympathetic look. "The others will be fine. They're just going to sneak in, get the information we need, and come right back. Besides, if it comes to a fight, you know it's the ghosts who should be scared."
"True." Percy gave her a small smile. "How are you always so calm?"
"Not always," Hazel said. "I threw a fit when Leo and I were cut off from the others after that stupid tunnel collapsed in the House of Hades. Not my proudest moment."
"It happens. Believe me. Speaking of Leo," Percy glanced over his shoulder at Leo, who was using his own hand as a welding torch. "Do you know what his deal is? He seems kind of angry at me and I have no idea why."
"Oh." Hazel flashed back to the night before, when Leo had told her where Khione had sent him and who he'd met there. She knew exactly why Leo was mad at Percy, but she wasn't sure how much she should say. "Remember when Piper was talking about how Khione the snow goddess showed up?"
"Yeah." Percy frowned, like he wasn't sure where she was going with this.
"Khione blasted Leo into the sky, supposedly to a place of no return." Hazel hesitated. "He, um, met someone there. I think you know her."
Percy's brow furrowed, then suddenly his eyes widened in understanding. "Oooohhh. Khione sent him—?"
"Yep."
"And he met—?"
"Yes."
"Huh. That explains a lot." Percy glanced at Leo again and winced. "I'll talk to him."
"Good." A flash of light caught Hazel's eye. She turned to the island. The flash came again, from the top of the hill where the palace of Odysseus was located. "Did you see that?"
"See what?" Percy, too, turned back to the island as several flashes blinked out. "It almost looks like a signal."
Realization dawned on Hazel. "Leo! Get over here!"
Leo hurried to the railing. "What's wrong?"
"The others are signaling us." Hazel pointed to the hillside. "I think it's Morse code."
Leo squinted at the flashes. "H—U—R—T."
"Hurt? Who's hurt?" Percy asked, his voice tense.
"Don't know, man." Leo was still watching the signals. "N—E—E—D—H—E—L—P. Need help."
"Someone's hurt and they need help." Hazel's stomach twisted. She waved to Frank, perched at the top of the mast, and he flew down.
"What's going on?" he asked after transforming back into himself.
"We may need a medical evac," Leo said. Signals flashed again on the hill. "J—A—S—O—N—H—U—R—T—N—E—E—D—H—E—L—P."
"Jason hurt, need help," Frank translated.
Leo's jaw tightened. "Festus! Use fire to send a Morse code message: Sending Frank." The dragon roared acknowledgement, then flashed the signals. "Frank, go."
"Tell Piper and Annabeth we'll pick them up at the beach," Hazel added.
Frank nodded, then transformed into a giant eagle and took off. The other three watched him fly away. A ripple of fear ran down Hazel's spine; the others wouldn't have signaled for help unless it was really bad.
"I'll go to the beach and get the girls," Percy volunteered.
Hazel shook her head. "I'll go. Frank and Leo will need your help to get Jason to sickbay."
For a moment, she thought Percy was going to protest, but then he nodded.
Leo headed for the helm. "I'll cover you guys from here, just in case anything tries to attack from the island."
Hazel took a deep breath. She called on the Mist. Keeping her destination firmly in mind, she dissolved into darkness.
ANNABETH:
Annabeth was impressed with how calmly Piper had handled Jason's injury. But as soon as Dragon Frank took off, Jason swinging below him in his hastily-constructed litter, Piper burst into tears. Annabeth hugged her friend. She didn't offer any words of comfort; they would have just sounded hollow. Instead, she patted her back as Piper sobbed into her shoulder.
After about a minute, Piper took a shaky breath and pulled back. She wiped a hand across her eyes. "Thanks. I didn't mean to fall apart like that, but…"
"It's fine," Annabeth reassured her. "You were amazing, taking care of his injury. And Jason's a fighter. He's going to make it."
Piper didn't say anything. She just bent down to pick up her sword and Jason's gladius.
"Come on," Annabeth said. "Let's get to the beach so we can catch our ride back to the ship."
The walk back down the hill was harder than the walk up. It should have been easier, but Annabeth's ankle was killing her. Stupid Arachne, she thought viciously as she limped a few steps behind Piper down the hillside. Stupid Gaea. Stupid giants and ghosts that stab my friends. And stupid Hera, with her complete lack of any real help. She shut off her mental tirade as they reached the beach and saw Hazel waiting for them.
"What happened?" Hazel's expression confirmed Annabeth's suspicion that she and Piper looked a lot worse than when they'd left the ship.
"Our cover was blown," Annabeth said. "But we got the information we came for. We'll tell you guys later though." She glanced at Piper, whose eyes were fixed on the ship.
Hazel nodded and held out her hands. "Let's check on the guys."
Shadow-travel, or Mist-travel, or whatever it was, wasn't Annabeth's favorite mode of transportation, but at least it was fast. However, when they appeared on the ship, none of the guys were on deck. Annabeth and Hazel exchanged worried looks, then followed Piper down to sickbay.
An hour later, Annabeth had changed clothes and cleaned up. Thanks to some ambrosia, the cut on her neck had healed and the pain in her ankle had subsided to a dull throb. Jason was stable; Piper was sitting with him while he rested in sickbay. They'd told Leo to set course for Olympia, but Piper and Annabeth were waiting until dinner to discuss what the suitors had said with the rest of the crew, mostly because Jason was the one with the majority of the information. Exhaustion was beginning to overcome the adrenaline still coursing through her and Annabeth was sitting on her bed debating taking a nap when Percy appeared in her doorway.
"Hey," he said. "Can I come in?"
"Of course. Just leave the door open so Buford doesn't have a fit."
Percy smirked. "I think the table and hologram might actually be a more effective chaperone than the real coach."
"Don't ever let Hedge hear you say that," Annabeth warned.
"Oh gods, no," Percy said as he sat down beside her. "He'd come after me with that baseball bat."
Annabeth leaned against Percy. "I can't believe you're afraid of a satyr."
"You would be, too, if you'd seen him ninja-kick Keto in the back of the head."
They were quiet for a minute. Percy put his arm around her. "You okay?"
Annabeth shrugged. "Long day." Unbidden, a tear slipped down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away.
"Want to tell me about it?" Percy prompted gently.
Annabeth told him what had happened in the ruins of Odysseus's palace, about the suitors, how Jason's mom had shown up, and the fight that followed, culminating with Jason being stabbed by Michael Varus.
"Wow," Percy said when she finished. "Jason's really not having a good day."
"Not at all," Annabeth agreed. Another tear slipped down her cheek. She ignored it. "It was just so cruel."
"Varus stabbing him?"
"No. Well, yeah, that too, but I was talking about his mom."
"Oh, yeah. Gods, I can't even imagine. Even when things have been crazy, I've always had my mom." Percy's voice caught just the tiniest bit. "I, um, tried to send her an IM when we got back, you know, from Tartarus, but it didn't go through."
"You're getting home to your mom, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said fiercely. "We're all going to make it back."
"I hope so." Percy didn't sound like he believed her, but before Annabeth could say anything, he changed the subject. "Were you limping earlier?"
"Oh, that." Annabeth sighed. "I don't think my ankle ever healed properly. Sometimes, like when I'm stressed, it still hurts."
"Seriously?" Percy pulled back to look at her, forcing Annabeth to reluctantly lift her head off his shoulder. "Why didn't you say anything?"
His brows were furrowed in concern, which always made Annabeth flash back to the balcony at the Plaza, after she'd been stabbed. "It's not that big of a deal, Percy. I had some ambrosia and it feels better. Besides, Jason's the one who got stabbed, not me. You should be worried about him."
"I am, but I can worry about you, too. I mean, Jason's not my girlfriend."
"Glad you cleared that up," came Leo's voice from the doorway, making both Percy and Annabeth jump.
Percy turned bright red. "That came out wrong."
"Yes, it did," Leo agreed.
Annabeth fought back a laugh. "What's up, Leo?"
"Jason, who is not Percy's girlfriend, is up, so we're meeting in the mess hall to talk about what you guys learned in Ithaca."
"We'll be right there," Annabeth said.
Leo disappeared down the hall and Annabeth gave Percy a kiss on the cheek. "Come on, Seaweed Brain. Time to get back to work."