Divergent Path

Love Through A Legacy

Chapter 25: Love Through A Legacy

Percy's eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the same well-lit hospital room he had woken up in once before. Just like last time, Apollo stood with his back turned, leaning against the corner of the bed. Silently, Percy's hand traveled up to his throbbing head. He tried to organize his jumbled memories of how he had ended up here, separating what he knew had happened from what he desperately prayed hadn't. Apollo, sensing movement, whirled around with his signature grin plastered across his face.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Perce!" Apollo said brightly before he leaned in and his expression turned deadly serious.

Artemis jerked awake from a chair adjacent to the bed, pulled out of her sleep by her twin's excited voice.

"It's been eighty-four years," the sun god said gravely while his patient's eyes darted around the room.

Percy didn't even acknowledge the statement, his vision settling on an object in the corner closest to the door. Percy stared at Poseidon's golden trident leaning proudly against the doorframe as it called to him. The memories that he had wished were just nightmares rushed to the forefront of his mind and the pain of reliving them washed over him. Percy shut his eyes tightly and his body faded into shadow.

"Okay, my joke wasn't that bad," Apollo huffed, straightening his back, "It's from Titanic; I thought everyone loved that movie!"

Artemis didn't respond, focused on Percy's sudden disappearance. She followed his gaze, saddened as she realized the culprit of his reaction. The goddess also vanished, leaving in a flash of silver.

(Line Break)

Artemis appeared on the familiar shoreline of Alcatraz Island just a few yards behind Percy. He was sitting in the sand in the same way he always had, and the goddess felt waves of nostalgia roll over her as she recalled all of the times she had come here to find him. She took her own seat in the sand alongside him, mirroring his position.

Percy's eyes never left the water, transfixed on their Sea Jewel that no longer gave off even a semblance of shine. Artemis turned to look at him, finding a stone expression that couldn't hide streaks of tears. She knew she couldn't be the one to bring it up, and settled on giving him good news instead.

"Last night, all of the demigods were safely transported back to Camp Half-Blood right after Tartarus' defeat. The fallen ones' shrouds were burned earlier today, and Hades personally expedited Elysium for all of them."

Percy cracked a small smile.

"So, it hasn't actually been eighty-four years?" he asked quietly.

Artemis nudged his shoulder with her own, smiling softly.

"No, it hasn't; I would have hit you very hard if you had taken that long to wake up. But now that you have, Apollo has likely already informed my father, which means the awards ceremony will be tonight," Artemis said tentatively, building to something.

Percy understood.

"And I'll have to 'take my place,'" he said stoically, his face morphing back into a frown.

Artemis didn't respond, and they sat in silence until she rested her head on his shoulder. Percy began to shake softly as he cried before Artemis wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. He buried his head in her neck, sobbing silently.

The goddess mentally cursed herself, feeling helpless as the man she loved cried in her arms. She wished she knew exactly what to say to make all of his pain fade, but Artemis didn't even know the circumstances of how her uncle had passed away. As if hearing her thoughts, Percy's form fell still and silent.