Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or any of the characters

Summary: Rhea Jackson was born into this world, memory fuzzy and body weak; her life connected to one being miles beneath the surface of the ocean. Poseidon is a selfish god with the world at his fingertips and an ocean of blood beneath his feet. Yet, one look into his daughters eyes mirroring his own, and he's irrevocably lost. Self-Insert

Chapter 1: Fate

''We have no choice but to act now, if we desire to achieve another outcome. You know that as well we do, sister.''

Unseeing eyes stared onto a magnificent tapestry, strings of all colours interwoven to form a piece of cloths beyond human comprehension. Eyes that saw nothing, yet everything studied a luminescent strand coloured a mixture between green and blue – its brilliance masking the strands interwoven with it by far.

Yet to those unseeing eyes it was lacking. Its potential buried and hidden, never to be revealed to the world – eventually fading into nothingness.

''I know.'' A hoarse voice answered unhurriedly, echoing strangely in the air. ''Still, we have never interfered before. We are the ultimate neutrals, always watching, yet never involving ourselves.''

A third voice interrupted with quiet sharpness. ''It is necessary.''

''Then we shall tarry no longer. Especially since we have already found the perfect candidate.''

A single eye focused into the distance, power flaring with wild abandon – and the tapestry slowly shifted, a faintly coloured light appearing where before had been none.

And time continued to pass.

Sally Jackson had never liked hospitals.

She found the air too chemical, the smell sticking to her clothes, a constant reminder of her previous destination.

Even when her parents had still been alive, and it had just been unimportant small visits, it had always made her feel subdued for days afterwards. Watching her uncle die, even if he had never treated her particularly well, only deepened those particular feelings.

Yet, in this moment she could not find it in herself to feel even the slightest hint of discontentment.

The bundle in her arms was more important than her bone deep exhaustion or the glaring absence of anyone else in the small room.

Sally looked at her little child – her small daughter – looking so much like her father even after birth, and felt a kind of love she had never felt before, and was convinced she would never feel again after this.

''Your name shall be Rhea Jackson, my precious little bundle of joy. Named after your grandmother. Hopefully this name shall keep you safe.''

Sally Jackson smiled gently – and swore to herself that she would protect this little life – no matter what would happen.

Clear-sighted as she was, Sally Jackson could not perceive the small strand connecting this small life to another one; miles and miles away, far beneath the ocean.

Only a single eye observed this phenomenon – and the owner smiled in satisfaction.

On this day, it would begin.

She remembers the summer of her first year of primary school; the way the sun was boring down on the earth relentlessly – her mother smiling as she remarks on this with childish glee.

She remembers her eighth birthday, as that man walks out of their lives – eyes cold and dismissive, not even pausing to say goodbye.

She remembers being ten, being fifteen and eighteen. She remembers the way nothing and yet everything changed – as her mother drowned herself in alcohol and suddenly she had another's life to manage.

She remembers being twenty, her cell phone cold against the shell of her ear as she hears the words depriving her of her last parent. She remembers feeling torn between sadness and relief at her mothers passing.

She remembers living.

She remembers dying.

A dark truck driving too fast on a dark night, the way everything had stopped for that small moment as she sailed through the air only for the ground to suddenly approach too fast.

Darkness had followed. A comfortable silence and peace, until light had broken that shelter – and forcefully catapulted her back into awareness.

She felt the cold around her body, the way everything felt strange and too out of place.

Finally, she heard a piercing wail.

The sustenance flowing down her throat is a welcome relief.

Her hunger is impossible to ignore, same with every other instinct. Her body desires what it needs, and denying her small body anything is a lost cause.

Days have passed, and she is still drowning in confusion. Her consciousness is fuzzy and weak, her thoughts sluggish as they stray and end in nothingness.

She is too small to see properly, the shapes blurry and undefined – but she knows of her mother.

Sally Jackson, she has heard when her mother had opened the front door once. Rhea, her mother called her with a gentle voice.

She gurgles contently as her mother wipes the milk stains off her face – burying her face in her mother's clothes.

Rhea is a happy child.

She cries when she needs to, and is content with the world around her otherwise. She plays with the toys, and sleeps in her crib and lives her life.

The more days passed, the less Rhea thought about the how's and why's and befores. Her life is a happy one, and time can heal all wounds.

She does not think that anything will change, nor does she wish for it.

He could feel it forming.

A small connection he had felt hundreds of times before. Between his domain and a new small life sired by him.

Poseidon only spared a few moments of thought to his previous lover, and new child – before his attention was caught by one of the generals under his command.

He had more important things to worry about.

Over the next few weeks, even months the god ignored that small tugging somewhere deep inside of him. He had never paid much attention to his demi-god children before – and he had no intention of starting now when he was not actually allowed to have any in the first place.

But it wouldn't leave him alone – this small tug towards the particular direction. An annoyed frown marred Poseidon's face as he finally gave into that strange sensation, so unlike any connection that had formed before.

He had nothing better to do anyways. He might as well take a look at his new son.

Dissolving into his domain, The Storm bringer materialized in the entrance hall of Sally's small apartment, instantly sensing two life forms close by, both deeply asleep.

Opening the door to the room where he felt a hint of his domain, Poseidon stepped into the small slightly cluttered room and instantly halted in his steps.

Poseidon knew Sally. Heard her say laughingly a few times before that no matter the child's father – she would make sure that in case they had a daughter, she would make sure half the clothes and toys would be in rose, and not only sea-green or blue. Poseidon had only smiled at her in tolerant amusement, not taking the words seriously – because he never had any daughters.

After thousands of years Poseidon had accepted this fact. Accepted that this small secret wish of his would never come to pass.

''The Fates must be laughing at me.'' The Earth shaker murmured drily, as he closed the door behind him – approaching the small life that had been the origin of that small tug he had felt since months ago.

Instead of indifference, a hint of expectant joy actually filled his eyes for once – and Poseidon leaned over the small crib and watched as his daughter slumbered peacefully swaddled in plush toys.

A hint of a smile crept over his lips, and before he knew what he was doing, his hands had already reached downwards to pick up this small life.

His movements, normally precise and fluid were slightly awkward – the god unaccustomed to holding a small child in his arms.

Perhaps that's why the previously closed eyes opened sleepily – Poseidon soon enough staring at eyes clearly mirroring his own and for a single impossible moment the god felt like everything had stopped, like the constant rotation of the very planet had halted.

The tug inside of him had become nearly painful, intensifying at a terrifying rate – and yet he could do naught but watch the small being suddenly cradled so very carefully in his arms.

''Hello.'' Poseidon breathed almost reverently, not even noticing how gentle his voice had become – the change as natural as breathing.

Rhea had never felt like this before. Even though she didn't know this stranger who had suddenly woken her up in the middle of the night – she couldn't break this moment, didn't want to leave those arms.

She could somehow feel it, power, thrumming in the air, nearly crackling around him. It felt like a thousand storms, the deepest depth of the ocean, a crushing force that could eradicate everything that stood in its way. Rhea felt drawn to it, wanted to be as close to that man as possible, to feel that power encase her body in a tight hold.

Then the stranger spoke again in his rumbling voice, and the moment was broken.

''I am Poseidon – your father.''

Father? She barely remembered the father in her previous life, only those cold dismissive eyes – and she had always thought to not have one in her new one.

But somehow the resentment wouldn't come. She felt so very comfortable with that heartbeat thundering close to her small ear, safe with his arms around her.

The power she could feel cursing and clashing through his body was utterly and totally soothing to her. She felt loved, protected, like nothing would ever hurt her while she was in that man's grasp. For someone like her who was always relied on in her old life; this complete feeling of security was new, it was exhilarating. She wanted it.

She yearned for this man who had only after months suddenly appeared in her life.

But it felt natural, like this was how it was meant to be. Her worries, her anxiety and her confusion vanished like they had never existed in the first place.

The man – Poseidon – carefully shifted her small body, his free hand tracing lines on her face with his thumb.

It felt rough against her sensitive baby skin, the feeling unexpectedly pleasant – and when the thumb wandered closer to her ear, Rhea couldn't suppress the small shriek of tinkling baby laughter, the way her face stretched into an adorable grin.

Poseidon's chuckled in apparent amusement, his face close enough to be seen even with her not yet fully developed eyes.

''My little princess.'' His smile was gentle. Every syllable filled with the most affectionate love – and Rhea was transfixed by the way his eyes nearly glowed.

Her father's body temperature was hot, his voice soothing – and as he carefully began to rock her, Rhea knew that resisting was a lost cause.

Rhea's eyes slowly fell shut, her body not listening to her commands – as the smell of the ocean filled her nostrils and thrumming warmth encased her.

She fell back asleep only moments after.

Poseidon didn't want to leave. The little life in his hand was still so every fragile, easily crushed if he used just the slightest bit of strength, and the god wondered how mortal babies could even survive those first years.

It filled him with abject unease, the thought of how easily this small fragile life in his hands could be snuffed out. Those feelings gnawing at him were unfamiliar, their intensity different than anything he had ever felt before.

His mouth moved before he could control himself.

''I will protect you.'' His proclamation felt strange on his tongue, the words unfamiliar – but he couldn't regret them.

He wished to protect – to shield – this life from all harm, and the consequences would have to take a back-seat on his mind for this precious almost endless moment. Still, something inside of him had settled down as that resolution formed – Poseidon feeling a strange kind of warmth blooming in his heart.

''Is this the emotion called love, I wonder?''

His words echoed in the small cluttered room, echoing almost hauntingly – but the otherwise empty room wouldn't give him an answer. But then again, Poseidon hadn't expected one.

His movements were gentle as he lowered his daughter into her crib, running his thumb once more over her smooth face almost reverently – before he dissolved into water, leaving only the faint smell of the ocean behind.

A/N First chapter is finished. This story is a rewrite of my story Princess of the Sea, so for those of you who know that story, favorite or follow and enjoy the hopefully much improved version!

Reviews are always appreciated.

C'ya soon!

AriesOrion