Trouble at Tulip Time

by LakeAwen

Summary:

Surprise, surprise, Percy and Annabeth’s date gets interrupted by a pissed-off goddess.
Except, she's not actually upset with them, and the little girl she's yelling at looks weirdly familiar.

Percy froze. “She just turned two, and her mom’s a sailor.”
“Yeah.”
"You think-"
“I think two out of the Big Three probably kept their pants on for exactly as long as it took to get out of Olympus after the war.”

Notes:

I started this in the car on the way home from Tulip Time last year and sat on it until it was seasonal again lol

If you're not familiar, Tulip Time is an annual flower festival in Holland, MI. It's super kitschy but a lot of fun, and I thought it would be cute if Percy brought Annabeth to see the only historical windmill The Netherlands has allowed to be moved outside their country.

It was also inspired by discovering that there's a Greek goddess of marshes and spring flowers, two things Holland has in ABUNDANCE.

Chapter 1: Holland, Michigan

A woman started yelling in the tulip fields below. Percy leaned over the railing of the 19th century windmill, half-hoping for some entertaining gossip to pass on to Grover later. He frowned. The woman was dressed in gold robes, with a wreath of tulips and daffodils on her head, and she was yelling at a kid. The little girl stood with a crumpled tulip in hand, staring at her. No one else seemed to notice the woman. The kid couldn’t have been more than two, and she was starting to cry.

Percy sighed, and nudged Annabeth. She broke off mid-architecture lesson, looking reluctantly away from the blades of the mill. “I’ve got to go handle something downstairs. You can come if you want, otherwise I’ll meet you back up here.” 

She glanced over the railing and made a face. “No, I’ll come with you.” 

They hurried down the flights of curving stairs, back out into the sunshine. Percy came up behind the woman and tapped her on the shoulder. “Hey lady, let’s take five.” 

The woman spun around, stared at him, then flung up her hands. “About time!” she huffed. “Get your sea spawn in line, and teach her to stop picking people’s flowers!” 

“She’s not-” Percy took a deep breath. “Is this all over a flower? She’s a toddler. She’ll learn.” 

The woman’s eyes glowed, and he cursed silently. He’d guessed she wasn’t mortal, but he’d still been holding out hope it was another weird costume. “All over a flower? At one of the most sacred celebrations of spring? At a flower festival in the marshlands? How about I come down to your house during Poseidea and strangle a few fish?”

Percy rubbed his temples. “Nope, not doing this today. Today I’m having a nice date with my girlfriend, and enjoying the view of the flowers, which you were very kind to provide. The kid made a mistake, she’s done now, you scared her plenty, we’ll be off now. Have the day you deserve.” 

He stepped past her and crouched next to the kid. Her green eyes were brimming with tears. “Where’s your grown-up, kiddo?” 

The girl nervously lifted her empty hand, pointing to a pretty blonde woman a few yards behind the goddess. The woman was deep in conversation, and didn’t seem to have heard the fight.

“Cool, let’s go talk to her.” Percy offered his hand, and she nervously took it. He led her around the goddess, who was still trying to complain to Annabeth. As soon as they got past the scary lady, the little girl took off running, hugging her mom around the knees. 

The woman looked down in surprise, laying a hand on the girl’s dark curls. “Hey, Charlie. Oh, honey, what’s wrong?” 

“Some woman was yelling at her for picking a flower.” Percy explained. He gestured toward Annabeth, who was now extricating herself from the goddess’s tirade. “My girlfriend and I got the lady calmed down a little, but Charlie might be a little shaken up. The lady got pretty mean.” 

The woman swept her daughter up, frowning. “Oh, sweetheart, are you alright? We’re not supposed to pick the flowers, but that doesn’t mean it was okay for her to yell at you. We’ll remember now, right? We don’t pick flowers unless Mama says it’s okay.” 

The girl nodded, and burst into tears. Her mom hugged her close, nodding at Percy. “Thank you, I’m so sorry. My friend and I got busy talking, and I thought she was right here behind me. Once she finds a puddle, she usually doesn’t budge.” 

Annabeth waved as she joined them. Behind her, the goddess stormed away, scattering flower petals in her wake. “No worries, just glad she’s okay. Annabeth Chase.” she offered her hand, and the woman took it, a little awkwardly. 

“Sarah Van der Meer. Thank you.” 

“Oh, no worries. Percy’s got a little sister who’s got those same curls, so she caught my eye. How old is she?”  

“Just turned two,” her mom said proudly. “You guys have any of your own?” 

“No.” Annabeth flushed. “No, we’re still in college. No plans anytime soon.” 

“Well,” Sarah rolled her eyes, swaying with her daughter. “Neither did I. But I wouldn't trade Charlie for the world. I can’t thank you enough.” 

“This is such a beautiful town,” Annabeth pressed on. “I was just telling Percy we might want to think about moving here after we graduate. Seems like a nice place to settle down.” 

He barely hesitated, rolling with whatever she was up to. “It really is. I love to sail, seems like a good town for it.” 

“Oh, it is. I actually work at the college here, and we’ve got a great sailing team. I was on it for a while.” 

“That sounds so fun! We’re out in San Francisco these days, we’re just visiting friends and decided to swing by for the festival. But Percy mostly sails on the Bay these days.”

“I’ve only sailed on the ocean a couple times, but it is so much fun.” Sarah waggled her eyebrows. “No sharks in the Great Lakes, though. There are many benefits to fresh water.” 

Percy laughed. “Oh, sharks don’t usually bother me. I’ll keep that in mind, though.” 

“Well, if we do decide to move here, we’ll have at least two friends in town,” Annabeth grinned. “You and Charlie.” 

“I’ll keep an eye out at the marina,” Sarah joked. “Thanks again, folks. Enjoy the rest of your day.” 

Annabeth and Percy waved as she left. Percy waited until Sarah was out of earshot to mutter “What was that all about?” 

“Something Antheia said.” 

“Who?” 

“The Charis. The flower lady. She called Charlie sea spawn, and thought she was yours.” 

“Like, she recognized me?” 

“More than that, I think.” Annabeth stared after Sarah and Charlie. “After you came over here, she was saying something about Charlie’s scent, and saltwater making her flowers wilt before Charlie picked one.” 

Percy froze. “She just turned two, and her mom’s a sailor.” 

“Yeah.” 

“You think-”

“I think two out of the Big Three probably kept their pants on for exactly as long as it took to get out of Olympus after the war.” 

“Fuck.” Percy raked a hand through his hair. “I need to talk to Tri.” 

 

~~~~~

 

“Hello, Percy. I thought you were staying in New Rome this weekend.” 

“Yeah, well, plans changed.” Percy hopped onto Triton’s desk, sitting cross-legged on top of his work. “Tell me, Triton. Is there any chance, even the smallest chance, that I have any demigod siblings alive right now?” 

Triton looked pointedly at his desk, waited a few seconds, then realized Percy wasn’t going to budge. He sighed. “I’d say there’s a decent chance. He doesn’t usually keep us updated on all his affairs, thank the stars. The oath is done with, at your own request.” 

“Could that decent chance include a kid in Michigan? Say about two years old, dark curly hair, mom’s a sailor?” 

Triton leaned back in his chair. “That sounds like his style.” 

“She’s not yours?” 

“Mortals aren’t really my taste. It’s been a while.” 

“Kym?” 

Triton snorted. “No, and not Ben or Rhode either. You found a demigod?” 

“According to some flower goddess, she smells like salt water, and she can see through the Mist, unlike her mom. Seems likely.” 

“More than likely.” Triton waved a hand. “You know where he is?” 

“I’ve got a good idea.” Percy hopped off the desk, heading for the door. 

 

He found Poseidon in the council chamber, studying a map of Atlantis. A couple of courtiers hovered nearby. Percy gave them a tight smile and held open the door. “If you don’t mind, I need a private word with my father.” 

The courtiers exchanged a look and left as fast as they could. Percy snapped the door shut behind them and turned on his dad. 

“Sarah and Charlie Van der Meer. Ring a bell?” 

Poseidon frowned. “Possibly. Why-” 

Percy hit him with a current, knocking him off balance. Poseidon’s face darkened with anger. “How dare-” 

“Is she your kid? Is Charlie Van der Meer your daughter? Two years old? Dark curly hair, and likes to play in puddles? Mom’s a blonde sailor from Michigan?” Some kind of recognition kindled in Poseidon’s eyes, and Percy waited, tense as a bowstring. 

“There was a sailor in New Orleans, that August. She might have had a child.” 

Percy snatched up a map weight, flinging it across the room. It hit a statue, smashing the nymph’s ear. “Did you even wait a day? Did you even try to find out? Or were you just so relieved you could finally have kids again without any consequences that you didn’t care enough to bother?” 

“There’s no guarantee of a child, I don’t always-” 

“You’re a god . You can find out. You can do your fucking due diligence!” Percy jabbed a finger at him. “Sarah’s not even clear-sighted. She’s got no idea what she’s dealing with. That kid is facing all of this with no fucking clue what’s going on. She was getting screamed at by a goddess, and not a single person noticed or stepped in, because no one else could see it happening. She was all alone, and couldn’t get to her mom, and you sure as fuck weren’t there to help, and it’s sheer fucking luck that Annabeth and I were! 

“I didn’t expect much from the others, but you pretended like you cared. You told me you would have been there if you could. If the oath hadn’t stopped you. The oath isn’t there anymore, Dad . You could have claimed her the second she was born. Could have sent her a Protector already. She’s not illegal. Her scent is already strong enough that a goddess noticed and thought she was my kid. She’s gonna be dead in a year or two if you don’t get off your fucking tail and do your job as a parent!” 

Poseidon stared him down, arms folded. “Are you done?” 

Percy laughed bitterly. “Yeah, sure. I’m done.” 

“I lost track of Sarah. We met once in New Orleans, and I knew little except that she was there on vacation. She mentioned she was from the Great Lakes, but never told me her last name. I didn’t know where she was from, or where she ended up. She didn’t know who I was, so she never prayed to me. I promise you I didn’t know about this daughter until today. I will pay a visit, and see if she is mine, but I think you’re probably right.” 

Percy leaned against the table, folding his arms. “Then what?” 

“I’ll keep watch over her. If raising a demigod proves more than her mother can handle, I will see that the child gets to camp.” 

“Are you going to pay child support?” 

Poseidon hesitated. 

“Going to give Sarah a heads up what she’s dealing with?” 

“If she can’t see through the Mist, it may be kinder not to-” 

“Are you even going to tell her about camp? Or just kidnap her kid one day after a monster attack? What counts as ‘more than she can handle?’ When Sarah dies in an attack? When Charlie gets hurt badly enough?” 

“Your mother kept you safe, while the oath was in place.” 

“Don’t you dare.” Percy’s voice was low, and colder than the deepest waters. “You know what she had to do. I know you know. Five years later, Tartarus still smelled like him . Don’t you dare tell me that’s good enough for Charlie. Oath or not.” 

“You’re right to be angry, but do not put words in my mouth. I know it wasn’t enough. I am sorry, Percy. More sorry than I can say. I’ll speak with Sarah.” 

Percy pushed away from the table. “I’m going home. Sort your shit out and let me know when it’s done. They deserve better.”  

 

~~~~~

 

“Is it enough?” Annabeth asked that night.

Percy traced a circle on her arm. “I don’t trust him to do it well. He’s been doing this for eight thousand years or something, right? He should be able to handle it. But I keep thinking about Sarah not even being able to see through the Mist.” 

“If you want to go talk to her, I’ll go with you.” 

He nodded. “I might. I’ll give it some time.” 

 

~~~~~

 

Percy frowned at his caller ID. Unknown number, 616 area code. Not many people had his number, and to be honest, he didn’t use the phone much. Safe devices were still rare, even with Annabeth and Leo’s efforts to block the demigod lojack. Most people he would call still used Iris Messages instead. 

He thought of the voicemail he had left for his mom, on the way to Alaska. He hit the answer button as he pushed through the doors of the history building. 

“Hullo?” 

“Hi, I’m calling for Percy Jackson? This is Sarah Van der Meer.” 

Percy stopped halfway down the steps. “Hi. Hi! This is Percy.” 

“I um, got this number from your dad? I hope it’s okay that I’m calling. He said you would be interested in talking.” 

“Yeah! Absolutely.” A group of students came out the doors behind him, laughing and calling to each other. He jogged down the steps and headed toward the aquaduct. “He came to talk to you?” 

“Yeah, he said that you and your girlfriend were the couple who helped Charlie at Tulip Time, and you noticed the family resemblance?” 

“She uh, looks a lot like my baby photos. And Dad’s kinda got a thing for sailing.” 

Sarah laughed. “Guess so. Even if it was a guess, it was a lucky one. It’s been a few years, but I recognized him, and Charlie certainly takes after your side in looks.” She cleared her throat. “I know you live across the country, but I would like her to know something about her dad’s side of the family. Custody’s not on the table. Your dad said he’s not interested, and I’m not offering. But if you wanted to stay in touch?” 

“Yeah!” Percy sat under one of the arches of the aqueduct, leaning his back against the stone. “Yes, I would love that. Dad’s got a few other kids, all a bit older than me. I met Rhode and Tri a couple years ago, and they’ve been really great. My mom remarried a few years ago, and she and my stepdad had Estelle. She’s about a year old, and she means the world to me. I know I’d never forgive myself if I missed the chance to know Charlie, you know?”

“She’s a pretty great kid,” Sarah said fondly.

“Did he offer to pay child support?”

“Yeah, we’re figuring that out.” 

“Good. If he doesn’t keep up his end of that, you let me know and I’ll kick his butt for you.” 

“Will do.” She laughed. “You said you and your girlfriend are going to college?” 

“Yeah, she’s studying architecture, and she’s incredible at it. Already designed some of the coolest buildings I’ve ever seen, and she’s only getting better. I thought about marine biology, but ended up settling on education. My stepdad’s an English teacher, and I had a really good Latin teacher as a kid. Also had some really sucky teachers. I’d like to help the kids who are dealing with the kind of stuff I was. Annabeth and I both have dyslexia and ADHD. We actually met at a camp for kids with learning disabilities and uh…a rough home life. Stuff like that. We still go back every summer to help out there. I want to do more, and I figured this is a good place to start.” 

“That sounds incredible. Does the dyslexia run in the family?” 

“Yeah.” Percy picked a blade of grass, twisting it around his finger. “It does. Pretty strong. There’s a really good chance Charlie will have both. She might need some extra support.” 

“She’ll get it. My brother’s dyslexic, and I’m an adjunct at the college here, so I know a bit about it.” 

“What do you teach?” 

“World languages.” 

He smiled. “That sounds great. I bet Charlie’s going to grow up super smart.” 

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s the one who ends up a marine biologist someday. She’s two and I swear she already swims like a fish. Can hardly keep her out of the bathtub.” 

“You and my mom should commiserate sometime. Apparently I jumped into any fountain I saw.” 

“I’m having alarming visions of my future.” 

He laughed. “She seems like a great kid, Sarah. You’re gonna do great. And you’ve got my number now, so you call anytime, alright? If you want my mom or Annabeth’s number, just let me know. We’ve got a big family scattered around, and it’s kind of a mess sometimes, but they’ll all step up when someone needs them. No matter how weird the problem.” 

“You seem like a good kid, Percy. I’m glad we had a chance to talk again.” 

“Me too. You take care. Say hi to Charlie for me, if you would?” 

“I will.” 

They hung up and Percy sat in silence for a long time, staring into the distance. 

 

Chapter 2: First Aid

Summary:

Sarah, Percy, and Charlie get to know each other better.

Notes:

Cw in end notes, nothing major.

Three Months Later

His phone buzzed, and he snatched it up, barely glancing at the ID before answering. Tucking the phone against his shoulder, he snatched the pasta pot off the burner, carrying it to the sink.

“Percy?” 

“Yeah, what’s up?” He flipped the pot, dumping the spaghetti into the colander. 

“I…look, maybe I’m being silly, and I shouldn’t have called. I’m probably making too big a deal out of this, and I know you’re a ways away-” 

He could hear tears in her voice. He set down the pot. “You’re family, Sarah. If it’s nothing, we’ll chat for a bit and no harm done. Either way I’m glad you called. Is Charlie okay?” 

“You said I could call if anything weird happened, and she-” Sarah broke off, and he heard her take a deep breath. He smelled something starting to burn and hurried to flip the chicken. “We were walking home from her doctor’s appointment, and these gulls started chasing us. I didn’t think they got that close, but Charlie started screaming like she was hurt, and she’s got marks all over her. We got home, and we’re inside now, but the birds are still outside, and-” 

Percy shut off the stove. “Are they trying to get in?” 

“They’re throwing themselves against the windows.” 

“Alright, I’m going to need you and Charlie to get to an inner room, something without windows if you can.”

“Like for a tornado?” 

“Yeah, whatever you do for that. Grab a knife and a couple heavy blankets to take with you, and lock the door. Don’t open the door until I tell you it’s safe. Can you do that for Charlie?” 

“Yeah.” Her voice shook. “Yeah, I can do that. But are they just going to go away?” 

“I’ll sort it out, Sarah. I promise.” He left the kitchen, grabbing a heavy jacket and shield from the closet by the door. “I just need you to trust me for a bit. I know it doesn’t make sense, and it’s not going to make sense for a while, but I’m going to keep you and Charlie safe. Can you trust me to do that?” 

There was a few seconds of silence, and he could hear the faint thuds of birds trying to break through the windows. “We’ll be in the basement.” 

“I’m going to hang up for a while to get some help, but if anything changes, you call me back.” 

“Okay.” 

He hit the red button, and the front door swung open, almost hitting him. “Hey!” 

Annabeth jumped. “Percy!” She glanced toward the kitchen. “What’s wrong?” 

“Charlie needs our help. I’m going to get a couple others for back-up, and call Mrs. O’Leary.” 

She dropped her satchel and reopened the closet. “What are we dealing with?” 

“Feather-Shooting Birds, I think. Maybe Stymphalian. They’re taking shelter in the basement, but Charlie’s bruised up, and Sarah can’t see clearly.” 

“Frank and Hazel. I just saw them in the Forum.” She strapped on a sword and shield and followed him out the door. 

They found Frank and Hazel within minutes. Annabeth tapped Hazel on the shoulder while Percy whistled for their ride. “Rescue mission in Michigan. Percy needs you.” 

Neither hesitated. Hazel grabbed a hairtie from her pocket, pulling her braids back. “What are we fighting?” 

Annabeth passed on what they knew, and Mrs. O’Leary bounded into the Forum, scattering the crowd. A few people screamed, but Percy was already boosting Annabeth and Hazel onto the dog’s back. 

“Armory, then Charlie and Sarah’s house.” 

Mrs. O’Leary woofed, and they were off. 

 

They landed in the backyard. They had no trouble finding shade, because the sky was almost black with Feather-Shooting Birds. Percy was the first off Mrs. O’Leary, Riptide already uncapped. Frank transformed into a dragon, scorching swathes of birds into dust. 

Glass broke, and birds began pouring into the house. “Hazel, the basement!” Annabeth called. “Get inside and defend them if they need it!” 

Hazel lifted her spatha in acknowledgement and vanished back into the shadows. Frank dove across the yard, ground shaking as he landed, and did his best to keep more birds from getting in through the broken window. Mrs. O’Leary snapped at the air, snatching birds mid-flight and shaking them apart. Percy and Annabeth slashed and hacked, all three demigods quickly becoming bruised and bloody. Percy almost slipped on the feathers layering the ground around them. 

“You’d think they’d run out,” he complained, slicing another bird into dust. 

“That’d be too easy, then what would we do for entertainment?” 

Frank vaporized another bunch of birds. The sky was finally beginning to clear, but they could hear thuds and flapping from inside the house.

Annabeth edged toward the back door. “Cover me!” 

Percy guarded her back as she shoved open the door, and they both stumbled in. She slammed the door behind them, and he spun to join her in cutting through the birds that swarmed through the house. After a few minutes, Frank joined them, back in human form. 

Finally, covered in yellow dust, sweat, and trickling blood, they ran out of targets. Annabeth came out of the bedroom. “We’re clear,” she said. 

“Think I saw the basement door in the kitchen,” Frank offered. 

Percy headed that way. He lifted a hand to knock, then lowered it. “Hazel? Sarah?” 

“We’re in here!” 

“All clear. You can come out.” He swung open the door. 

Hazel was at the foot of the cellar stairs, sword in hand. She sheathed it and turned to her right. “Sarah? Percy’s here. It’s safe.” 

There was a muffled sob, and Percy closed his eyes. “Hazel, you want to help Frank and Annabeth clean up a little?” 

Hazel nodded and ran up the stairs. She gave him an apologetic look. “I think I startled her, popping in like that.” she whispered. 

“Yeah, there’s a lot of that going around today. Thanks for standing guard.” He clapped her on the shoulder and headed downstairs, capping Riptide. 

Sarah huddled under a blanket in the far corner of the cellar, Charlie in her lap. Charlie had run out of tears, and was playing with a little gold horse. Sarah’s face was blotchy with tears, and she cradled Charlie like porcelain. The knife lay on the floor a couple inches from her knee. She stared up at Percy. Her mouth opened and closed. She swallowed. 

“Is she going to be okay?” 

Percy tucked his pen in his pocket and sat on the stone floor a few feet from her. “She’s got a lot of people looking out for her, Sarah. We’ve got some medicine that will help Charlie heal. She’s going to be okay.” 

“Those weren’t- You’re-” She took a long, shuddering breath. “Is Charlie like you?”

“Yeah. I grew up a lot like this. Charlie won’t go through everything I did. My mom didn’t have the support that you will, but there’s going to be some scary stuff.” 

“The others?” 

“Annabeth, Hazel, my friend Frank upstairs, they’re like me and Charlie. Different parents, but similar stuff. When Annabeth was little, it was spiders. No one else saw them, and no one believed her. But they were real, and she survived. She learned how to stay safe. We’ll teach Charlie when she’s old enough. For now, we’ll protect her.” 

“You were in San Francisco?”

“Yeah. But you called. You did the right thing, Sarah. You got Charlie to a safe place, and you called people who can help.” 

She smoothed Charlie’s hair. “Will she appear like that? Like Hazel does?” 

“No, Hazel’s got a different dad.” 

Sarah nodded slowly. “The swim lessons.” 

Percy waited. 

Sarah looked down as Charlie made the horse run up her arm. “I took her to swim lessons down the street. But she didn’t…I don’t think she ever got wet. She does in the bath, and at the beach, but I don’t think she likes the pool water, and it was like…it seemed impossible, so I told myself I was imagining it, but we stopped going to swim lessons.” 

“I only get wet if I want to. She’ll have more control over it as she gets older, but she’ll never drown.” He pushed aside a memory of the muskeg. 

Sarah shook her head. “I shouldn’t be believing any of this. It’s literally impossible.” 

“I know.” 

“Tell me I’m not crazy, Percy.” 

“You’re not crazy. I swear it on the Styx, Sarah. There’s a lot of stuff out there that’s real, and most people’s brains have trouble processing it, so they make up excuses. Your brains fill in the gaps, and tell you it must have been a seagull, must have just been a creepy person at the park, or a new swimsuit fabric. But they’re real, and if you know they’re real, you can help Charlie stay safe. My stepdad can’t see them either, but he knows there’s things he can’t explain. He’s learned to spot the gaps. The moments when things don’t match up.” 

“At Tulip Time, when you found Charlie.” 

“Yeah, you didn’t notice the woman yelling at her because the woman was invisible to most people. Charlie, Annabeth, and I could hear her. If you’d focused, you might have seen an angry blonde lady throwing a fit about tulips. But she probably would have been hard to look at, and you wouldn’t have remembered clearly afterward. You thought Charlie was playing by you, so you weren’t looking for it.” 

“Not sure if that makes me feel like a better mom or a really terrible one.” Sarah laughed shakily. 

“You’re doing great, and you trying to see and help makes a world of difference. A lot of mortal parents don’t try.” 

“Mortal.” She hugged Charlie a little closer. “You said it’s your dad, so-” 

“I don’t know how much he told you. But yeah, he’s a lot older than he looks. Charlie and I, and kids like us, we age normally. She’ll grow up like any other kid. But she’s going to be stronger, be able to do things that don’t make much sense. You know the old stories about heroes? Like Theseus, and Atalanta, and Achilles?”

“He’s not named after the Greek god.” 

“No.” 

She took a deep breath. “I think that might be my limit for the day. I’m assuming there’s a mess upstairs?” 

“The others are starting to clean up. But we’ll need to get one of the windows covered up until someone can come replace it.” 

“Right.” She stumbled to her feet, still shaky. She shifted Charlie to one hip and the toddler snuggled against her side, dropping the little gold horse. “Let’s check the damage. You’re probably all covered in dirt. If you need showers, help yourself to the bathroom. I need to check over Charlie’s bruises.” 

Percy bundled up the blankets and grabbed the knife from the floor. “I’ll grab some of the medicine we use, and teach you how to use it. We’re all trained in first aid, and Annabeth’s usually got a kit on her.” 

Sarah stepped aside so he could lead the way upstairs. Percy wasn’t sure if she was nervous about the damage she was about to see, or wanted him as a human shield, or just didn’t want him behind her with a knife. He wouldn’t blame her for any of the above. 

The others had almost finished cleaning up the monster dust and broken glass. They all stopped as Percy came into the living room. Annabeth shut off the vacuum, propping it upright. 

“Thanks, guys. Is Mrs. O’Leary still outside?” 

“She’s napping until we’re ready to leave,” Hazel said. 

Sarah stopped in the doorway, staring at the mess. She blinked a few times, as if her vision was trying to adjust. “Thank you,” she said finally. “For coming in the first place. I don’t even know all your names.” 

“Well, you know me and Annabeth.” Percy pointed. “And this is my friend Hazel, who came down to stand guard for you, and my friend Frank Zhang, who was helping us upstairs here. They both live in the Bay Area with us.” 

She looked from Hazel to Frank. “So you’re all…” 

Hazel raised her hand. “Daughter of Pluto.” 

“Son of Mars and uh…descendant of Poseidon.” 

“Daughter of Athena.” 

“And Mrs. O’Leary is my dog; she’s outside taking a nap. She’s very big but I promise she’s a sweetheart. The biggest risk is smothering in her fur.” Percy paused. “Sorry, that’s a joke. It’s probably kind of hard to tell right now.” 

“It’s mostly a joke.” Annabeth shrugged. “She is very big and very furry.” 

“Right. I’m going to go check on Charlie’s injuries.” She looked at their various cuts and bruises. “Help yourself to anything you need. Percy said you have a first aid kit, but I’ve got stuff in the bathroom, and you’re all welcome to take a shower or whatever else is needed.” 

They thanked her as she left the room. Annabeth switched the vacuum back on, and they finished cleaning up the living room. Percy and Hazel found supplies to cover the broken window while Annabeth and Frank dug out the ambrosia and started cleaning themselves up. Annabeth came outside and leaned against the side of the house near Percy.

“How are you?” she asked quietly. 

“I’ll be alright until we get home.” 

She nodded. They were both still full of adrenaline. “Do you want to check on them?” 

“Soon as I get this window covered. I want to make sure they’re secure.” 

“Frank and I can handle this, Seaweed Brain. Go check on your sister and let that ambrosia do its job.” 

He opened his mouth to protest, then lowered his hammer and nodded. “Yeah. Alright.” 

Notes:

CW: canon-typical violence, child in danger

Chapter 3: Aftermath

Summary:

Sarah processes and makes some difficult decisions.

“Sarah?” he tapped on the doorframe. 

She glanced up. “Come in.” 

He stepped into the bedroom, holding up the tupperware. “I brought the medicine I mentioned.” He popped it open, showing it to her. 

“Are those lemon bars?” 

“That’s what they’ll look like to you. To be honest, that’s kinda what they look like to me. I can’t let you taste them; they’d burn you to ashes. It’s ambrosia, the food of the gods. It’ll burn demigods if we eat too much of it, but in small amounts it can heal us. Like any medicine, you have to use the right dosage. I haven’t had any yet, but I’ll eat some now so you can see how it works, if that’s alright?” 

She nodded, and he picked up one of the ambrosia squares, breaking it into quarters. He ate a couple and set the tupperware down. He pulled off his torn jacket, letting her watch as the cuts and bruises began to fade from his arms. She looked from him to Charlie, who was hugging a stuffie. The toddler’s arms and face were still covered with wounds. 

“How much is safe for her?” 

“Start small, and work up from there. Maybe an eighth of a bar. The worse she’s hurt, the more she might need, but if she starts to feel feverish, you need to stop. My friend Will is a medic at Camp Half-Blood, I can ask him for more detailed instructions. He’s been running the infirmary there for a few years, so he’s probably got a whole scale drawn up based on age and weight.”

“Camp Half-Blood? Is that the place you all met?” 

“Where Annabeth and I met, yeah. It’s where Greek demigods can go to learn how to stay safe and protect themselves against monsters as they get older. Most of us do have dyslexia and ADHD; that part’s entirely true. A lot of us have been kicked out of schools or gotten in trouble because adults couldn’t see what was really happening, and we got blamed for the mess. It’s a summer camp, and most kids only go there for a few months each year, starting when they’re around twelve.” 

“Most?” 

Percy chose his next words very carefully. “Monsters find demigods by their scent. The stronger a demigod is, and the more they know about who they are, the stronger they tend to smell. A child of Iris who isn’t aware of their powers might live a really normal life. They could come to camp a few times starting when they’re fourteen, then go back to their life, just keeping an eye out for weird stuff.” 

“And the strong ones?” her voice wavered. 

“Often end up coming to camp younger, and sometimes living there year-round because it’s the only safe place for them. Not all the year-rounders are there for that. Some don’t have a good place to go home to, so camp is…kind of their foster home, I guess.” 

“Did you?” she finally looked up at him. “Stay year-round, I mean?” 

“No. I was a summer camper. But it wasn’t easy. I got kicked out of a lot of schools, I got in trouble with the police, and I had to learn to fight really well. There was stuff all through my childhood, starting when I was about the age Charlie is now. It got a lot worse when I was twelve, when my powers started to get stronger.” He sat on the end of the bed. 

“I’m going to be really honest with you, Sarah. I probably only had that much time at home because my mom married a really abusive man. He smelled…rancid. Worst guy I’ve ever met or had the bad luck to smell. It covered up the demigod scent enough to keep me at home. It was the best choice Mom had, but it wasn’t a good one. I wasn’t supposed to exist in the first place. My dad and his brothers took an oath almost a hundred years ago that they wouldn’t have any more kids. They broke it, and I was born anyway, but it meant my mom had fewer options than you do. She had to work as hard to protect me from the gods as she did the monsters.

“The oath is over now. It doesn’t apply to Charlie, and Dad can openly claim her without putting her in danger. We can all do more to protect her.” 

“You said the more she knows, the stronger she smells.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Do you? All of you?” 

“The four of us probably smell like a five course gourmet meal. We’ve seen a lot, and studied a lot. But we’re also old enough that monsters are going to hesitate to come anywhere near. They want an easy meal, not to get turned to dust. Part of the reason kids can leave camp around eighteen is they’re strong enough that most monsters won’t try to mess with them anymore.” 

“But will you draw attention to Charlie?” 

“I don’t know,” he admitted. 

Sarah let out a long breath. “Percy, I don’t…This is a lot to take in.” 

“Believe me, I know.” He raked his hair back. “Look, I will answer any questions you have. I’m pretty sure the others will, too. Knowing isn’t going to put you in danger. The way Rhode explained it, it’s something about the ichor in our blood. Knowing it’s there and using our power brings it up to the surface, and that’s what makes the scent stronger. You don’t have any ichor, so there’s nothing to draw attention.”

“But the more Charlie knows, the stronger she smells.” 

“Yeah. She’s little enough now, she probably doesn’t really understand what any of this means. She might not even remember it. But the older she gets, the more she understands, yeah.” 

“I- I need to think.” 

“I’ll uh, leave the ambrosia for you. You can keep the rest of it.” He left, closing the bedroom door behind him. Hazel hugged him as he rejoined the others in the living room. 

“How’d it go?” Frank whispered. 

“Not sure there was a way for it to go well,” Percy muttered. 

Frank winced. “Should we leave?” 

“Probably for the best. I think we’ve done what we can, and they need time to process. Sarah’s got my number if she needs anything else.” 

Annabeth wrapped an arm around his waist. “You did the best you could, Seaweed Brain.” 

“I know.” He rubbed his forehead. “Let’s wake up Mrs. O’Leary and get home. I really do need a shower, and I left a chicken piccata half-made.” 

He got the ambrosia dosage charts from Will and sent them to Sarah that night. She didn’t respond. 

 

~~~~~

 

When the phone rang a couple weeks later, he almost didn’t answer it in time. He stared at the caller ID for way too long, part of him shocked she’d called at all, part of him scared to hear what she might say.

“This is Percy,” he answered finally.

“Percy. Hi. It’s Sarah.” 

“How are you? How is Charlie?” 

“We’re good. We’re both healed up. Look, we need to talk about you and Charlie.” 

He swallowed, getting up from the couch. “Right. I get that this is really scary, and I know you want to protect her.”

“I do, and the other day was…terrifying. I still can’t remember it clearly, and her bruises are long gone, but I know I saw something I can’t explain, and I know Charlie got hurt. I know it could- no, that it will probably happen again.” 

Percy bit his tongue, staring out the window. The lake in the distance glimmered under the summer sun, bright as diamonds. Part of him wanted to jump in, cut her off and say it before she did. Maybe lessen the blow. But he was pretty sure she needed to work through this on her own. Especially if there was any hope of seeing Charlie again someday at camp. 

“You said the more she knows, the stronger her scent will be, right?” 

“Yeah.” His voice was quiet. 

“I wanted to be sure, because I don’t trust that I’m remembering everything correctly. I won’t lie, Percy. I did think about moving somewhere, changing our names, and trying to pretend none of this ever happened. But Charlie will still be Charlie. And I wouldn’t change that even if I could.” 

“She seems like a really great kid.” 

“She is. She really is.” She cleared her throat. “And I thought about you all showing up. It took you less time to show up than it took me to get up the guts to call you. Hazel scared the heck out of me, popping up like that. But she was so gentle with Charlie, and gave her that little horse, and she was so confident. I keep thinking, if Charlie could be like that someday, maybe the best thing I can do is help her toward that. I need you to be really honest with me, Percy. Is Charlie going to be safe if I run? If I try to hide all this from her, and protect her on my own?” 

He leaned against the window frame. “No,” he whispered. “She might not make it to twelve. She’s going to be strong, Sarah. Our dad’s a powerful guy, and she’s already using her powers without realizing it.” 

“Monsters can already smell her.” 

“Probably not a lot yet, but some will notice. Like the birds. Once they figured it out, they weren’t going to stop.” 

“Will you train her?” 

Percy straightened, frowning. “Yes? Yes, of course! Just say the word.” 

“Not yet, but when she’s old enough to need it. When she’s ready. I’ll do what I can to protect her until then, and I think I can call you or the rest of the family when I need help. But I don’t want to lose her, Percy, and I don’t want her to live her whole life scared. I want her to have a chance to be someone like you and Hazel. Someone kind and confident.” 

He ran a finger over the beads on his necklace, swallowing hard. “I’d be honored, Sarah.” 

“I think maybe we got really lucky that day at the windmill.” 

“Me too.” He paced back to the couch, sitting down hard. “Sarah, you’re gonna do great with her. You know that, right?” 

“I’m going to do my best. I think that’s all any parent can do.” 

He ran a finger along one of the many scars that marked his arms. “Yeah,” he said softly. 

 

~~~~~

 

“Percy!” 

“Hey there, small fry!” He caught the kid mid-leap and swung her into the air. “Whoa, you’re like a foot taller than last time I saw you!” 

Charlie hugged him tightly, her curls ticking his ear. “I had a growth spurt and grew like two whole inches in a month!” 

“Gonna have to put a brick on your head so you don’t get taller than me.” He set her down and turned to his right. “Estelle, this is Charlie and her mom Sarah.” 

Sarah waved to her. “Nice to finally meet you, Estelle.”

“Thanks, you too.” Estelle folded her arms, the sequins on her pegasus shirt catching the light. Percy realized she was mirroring his stance. 

Charlie turned to her mom. “Can we go?” 

Sarah sighed, and folded her own arms. Percy got the feeling she was trying not to fix Charlie’s hair. “You’ve got all your stuff ready, I guess there’s nothing to wait for. Unless I can offer you guys some lemonade?” 

Percy eyed Charlie. “I think we’ll be alright. We better hit the road before these two explode of excitement.”

The 8 and 9 year old shot him a dirty look, then went back to trying to seem grown-up and casual. He grinned at Sarah. “Mrs. O’Leary’s waiting. We’ll call you and let you know how we’re getting settled in. There’s a spot right in our cabin to make calls, so no excuses.” 

Sarah raised her eyebrows at Charlie. “Hear that?” 

Charlie sighed noisily. “I hear you, Mom.” 

“Alright, safe travels, you guys. I’ll see you soon, honey.” 

Percy led the girls across the backyard to where Mrs. O’Leary was curled under a maple tree. Both girls paused to scratch her ears, and her tail thudded happily against the ground, making the leaves rustle overhead. 

“This is your first time at Camp?” Estelle asked casually.

“Yeah, Mom finally let me come. I’ve been asking for forever .” Charlie rolled her eyes. 

“Well, you’re in the best cabin, and Percy and I are really really good at pegasus riding, so you’ll have a good time.” 

Charlie’s eyes widened. “Wait, are you a demigod too? I thought Percy said you were mortal.” 

Estelle puffed up a little. “I am, but I have a blessing, and I can see through the Mist, and I know basically everyone there, so I’m allowed to go.” 

Percy tried not to smile as he boosted Estelle onto Mrs. O’Leary’s back. “Stella can’t do all the activities you can, but she does know pretty much everyone. Since you two are less than a year apart, I thought maybe she could show you around.” He offered Charlie his hand. “Probably safer than letting the Hermes kids show you around when I’m busy.” 

“Hold on tight,” Estelle advised as Charlie climbed up behind her. “She goes super fast, and it feels like your face is melting, and you’ll probably hear horrifying screams, but it’s okay because Mrs. O’Leary and Percy will keep us safe.” 

“Please keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times,” Percy sing-songed as he hopped up behind Charlie. “In case of emergency, there are no seatbelts, and you should absolutely not exit, just hold on tight.” 

Before Charlie could change her mind, he signaled to Mrs. O’Leary. The hellhound leapt forward, and the shadows swallowed them. 

Notes:

This one was a bit different from my usual fare, but I had a lot of fun writing something in a more familiar setting. Also, Estelle is a gem, in any 'verse. <3

Happy Spring (or Autumn) everyone! I'll be back next week with....probably the SallyCath fic I just finished for April's YOTP. If you read No Need To Fake It, good news on that front. I've been plugging away at the sequel for months and finally got it to a point where I'm pretty happy with it. I think it's going to turn out to be a trilogy lmaooo but I created a series for it and Part 2 should be posting soon :D