I do not own any of the Percy Jackson Characters, nor any of the Heroes of Olympus Characters

The Gods Reward Us

Percy's POV:

We're torn, and bloody and tired. But still, we stand in the center of the throne room, waiting the verdict of the gods. I admit, I'm a bit nervous. I suspect they're going to try to force a gift on me, especially after what happened the last time I was standing in front of them.

Annabeth squeezes my hand and I squeeze hers back. At least my Wise Girl is still with me. Tartarus freaked me out, I couldn't take one step without feeling like I failed her.

I look away from the floor as Zeus clears his throat. On my left, I can see Athena glaring at me, no doubt about Annabeth. Annabeth is glaring right back at her though, and that kind of makes up for it.

"Jason Grace, my son, step forward." Zeus thunders.

Jason glances at Piper, then lets go of her hand and steps forward.

"For exceptional deeds, I award you one request. And yes, if you ask it, you may have it. Is anyone unwilling? Is he not deserving?" Zeus asks, glancing around the throne room.

Piper's paled, much like Annabeth did when I was offered godhood after we fought Kronos. Jason is looking at her, and I know he's going to do as I did.

"No, father. I have one simple request, and that is of Venus. May I?" Jason says, looking up at his father. Zeus nods, and Jason crosses the room to Aphrodite.

"Lady Venus," He begins, bowing, " I ask permission to have your daughter's hand in marriage."

Aphrodite is looking rather cross, no doubt about Jason thinking of her in Roman from. She looks happy though too. She nods. "Jason Grace, I find you fit to marry my daughter. Yes." She says.

Jason smiles, and Piper is blushing. He bows again. "Thank you my lady." He returns to Piper's side. He kneels, and says "Piper McLean, will you be mine for the rest of our lives?"

She screams. "YES!" And she hugs him. Aphrodite is smiling.

Poseidon looks at Zeus, then at me. Zeus nods, and Poseidon grins. Zeus clears his throat again.

"Percy Jackson, you will not have a choice. Your gift is one that is not offered, it is only given. And once given, it is not declined." Zeus warns.

"Percy-" Annabeth's grip on my hand never lessens.

I look at her, pleading. "It will be fine, Wise Girl. You and I till the end, remember?" I say softly to her.

She nods, her eyes holding back tears. "Seaweed Brain." She says and hugs me tightly.

Then she releases me and I turn to my father.

He's smiling, and I know that he knows something I don't.

"Perseus, I have the honor of bestowing this gift upon you. Thank you for serving us and keeping the world from harm. You, Percy, will become the god of heroes. " He says, his eyes shining.

I'm stunned. The gods have voted once again to make me a god, but this time they aren't taking no for an answer. I'm not sure I want to leave Annabeth.

I kneel. "Thank you father." The only thing that I can say that won't offend the gods I say, then stand next to his throne.

Athena finally breaks her perfect stare-down to look at Annabeth.

I'm staring at her, my Wise Girl, and she's looking at me. Her beautiful blond hair is dirty, and there's a scratch down the left side of her face. She's crying. Piper is there, trying to console her. I want to go to her, to make her happy again, but I cannot move.

Annabeth's POV

I hear those words, and I 'm mute. I cannot shout, even though my heart wants to scream out.

When my voice is found, before I can stop myself, I scream out the only thing that is on my mind. "How could you do this to us? How? When we were finally happy?" My scream echos around the chamber, and in the silence that follows, they sound inhuman.

I'm crying, there's no way that they could do this to me. I know who's work this was, and she did promise to make our life interesting. Ugh that silly love goddess. I never liked her. I swallow my tears, and try to regain my composure.

"Oh no, sweetheart, that was not me. I was done with you two." The particular love goddess says in my mind.

Athena clears her throat. "Annabeth Chase, my daughter, you too are given a gift that cannot be refused."

I step forward. I'm nervous now, even though I have been in this position before, when I became Architect of Olympus. I bow to Zeus, then kneel in front of my mother.

"I'm sorry darling." Athena starts.

I look up at her in surprise. I have never heard my mom call me darling.

"You are given the gift of knowledge, use it wisely my child." Athena says, placing a hand on my head.

It thunders, and I look at Zeus. "Athena-" He starts.

"No father! I will not have you making the decisions on my daughter! She deserves it, does she not?" Athena shouts at Zeus.

He looks down. "I guess you are right. Now, lets award the others."

Leo's POV:

My hands are warm, and my body is tingling. It has not stopped since I used my fire to keep the monsters away from the others. I'm weaker than before, and there's little holes all over my shirt and pants. I badly need a sandwich and a long, long nap. Ambrosia did help, but not with this.

To be serious, this is freaking me out.

I have never been in the throne room of Olympus. It's huge, and with the gods in it, I feel small and tiny compared to them.

That was before I heard the thunder magnified in the throne room. By the way everyone is looking at Zeus, this must not be good.

"Leo Valdez, my son, come forward." Hephaestus says from my right. I bow to Zeus like the others, then kneel in front of my father's throne.

"Because of your deeds, Calypso has been freed from her wrongful punishment." I smile. This is the best gift ever.

"You are especially good with tools and mechanics. You have a special power within you, and I shall help you with it. Come forward." He says gruffly.

I step forward, and he touches my arm. My body burns, even worse than before. Just before I almost yell out in pain, the burning sensation lessens, then fades. I feel ten times better, and when I flex my wrist and snap my fingers, a tiny flame licks the air around them. I smile.

"Thank you father, for helping me to control my power." I say, bowing once again.

He smiles, a rare sight for him.

Hazel's POV:

"Hazel, my daughter, come forward." Pluto says, from a solid black throne on the left of Zeus.

I glance at Frank, then I release his hand and step forward. I bow to Zeus, and kneel in front of my father. This is it. He's going to take me back now, back to where Nico found me, back to the underworld. I know the time I had was borrowed, and I need to give it back.

"Though my son brought you back to life, and I punished him for that, I cannot take you back. You have earned the life that you deserve. You gave your life once before, and I know that you are prepared to give your life once more. My child, I give you the gift of a long and happy lifetime. You earned it, child." Pluto says, his image a little-off?- because of the conflicting Roman/Greek thing.

I bow to him, and speak. "Thank you father." I say, returning to Frank. He smiles, and I take his hand again. It feels good to be able to not worry about when Thantos would come for me. At least I know it will not be for a while now.

Frank's POV:

Once Pluto gives Hazel her gift, I am relieved. I had only wanted her to have the life she deserves. I had walked in here, ready to give my life in order for her to have hers. She's smiling, her eyes wet with tears of joy. She takes my hand, and I am finally happy now, that she gets to stay here with me.

"FRANK!" Mars yells.

I wince. To be honest, my father scares me whenever he's around. I still wonder how my father can be Mars when I am usually so gentle, despite my build. Following everyone else's lead, I bow to Jupiter and then kneel in front of my father.

"Frank, you have proven yourself to be both your mother's son and mine." Mars begins. "That is why I am giving you this. Give me the piece of wood in your breast pocket, Hazel Levesque." He says, turning to Hazel.

She looks frightened, shooting me a glance. I nod. She goes to Mars and hands him the wood that ties me to life.

He holds it, then glances at Juno. She nods once, and Mars smiles. He's clutching a thin, gnarled, tiny branch, and it's hard to believe it is my life.

Then it bursts into flames.

And I can feel my life slipping away. All my time with Hazel has burnt up. I will no longer be in a tiny bit. The pain hits me like a sledge hammer, and I know how I am dying.

Poisoned.

It spreads across my arms and chest, expanding, finding ever nook and cranny in my body and burning away my life.

Then it stops. I glance at Mars, and he is grinning. There is nothing but a pile of ashes in his hand. I glance at Pluto, and he looks uncomfortable, but he too is grinning.

"My son, I lift the short life that was placed upon you at birth. You shall live a long and happy life with this girl, Hazel Levesque." Mars says.

I smile. "Thank you father." I say, bowing to him once more.

Jupiter claps his hands. "That is all, Heroes. I believe, there is a reception waiting for you at Camp Half-Blood. They are eager for your return."

All the gods clap their hands once, and instantly, the six of us are transported to the Half- Blood Hill, over looking Camp Half-Blood.

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