A/N: So, this is the re-upload of 'The Sea's Tranquility', you do see right. A few may ask why? The reason is actually really simple - I just wasn't satisfied with the way the first story seemed to take. I did have some personal issues that needed a little resolving, which is why I didn't upload after the fifth chapter, and in that time the whole plot I had outlined just turned upside down. As you may see, this chapter is very similar to the other version's first chapter; at least the first parts.

I did make some changes: Percy will be sixteen when we start delving into The Lightning Thief. I just need her more mature for this story and the future pairing to work. Also, yes, the endgame pairing will be Percy/Apollo/Hermes/Ares. There will be no silly fighting over her; she'll be together with all three of them. At the same time. I think it'll make for a very exciting dynamic that I'm really looking forward to write.

Also, this story will divert from canon as it progresses; I already screwed the original plot over by having Percy as Aphrodite's champion, Sally not marrying Gabe and being able to live a somewhat comfortable life.

Warning: The rating will go up once we get to the cool stuff ... *cough* smut *cough*.

Happy reading ya all!

And remember, reviews are better than sex.

DESTINY CALLING

1. BORN AT DAWN

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For as long as she could remember, Sally Jackson had known the world she lived in was a dangerous, unfamiliar as merely a child, she'd seen the things for what they truly were, and usually, those things stared right back at her. She couldn't quite put her finger on when it started, when everything had become so perfectly clear that she wondered why other people couldn't see. Frankly, there hadn't even been a moment of discovery to begin with. It just … was. She'd always been able to see what was hidden. It was right under all their noses.

When she mentioned it to her parents, Walter and Daria Jackson, they had immediately started worrying about the state of her mentality. Sally was only ten years old at that time and her parents didn't make it obvious, but she'd always been a smart girl, even back then. She saw it in the way her father looked at her over the edge of the newspapers. She saw it in the way her mother began reading books about parenting, obviously worried whether or not she'd done something wrong. But Sally knew there was nothing off with her. She was still the same ordinary girl on the edge of puberty. At school, there were no complaints from teachers or other students' parents. She had good grades, did her homework, and had some nice friends she liked to spend her pastime with. It all reached its peak, however, when her parents send her to a child therapist. Sally wouldn't have it that way, of course; she wasn't crazy. She was still a fully sane person, and the fact that she saw things beyond other's imagination didn't make her any less normal than them. After that scenario and a huge fight with her parents, Sally never, ever mentioned it to someone again.

The older she became, the more she became used to the things she was able to see. She'd never said it aloud but there was only one word suitable enough to describe those things.

Monsters.

She saw monsters. Dogs the size of cars, completely inhuman looking creatures, people with distorted facial features, and so much more. They never did something to harm her, though. As a child, she'd never been afraid of monsters because of exactly that. It was hard to fear them when you saw them every day on the streets, and so it didn't surprise Sally when, one day, she discovered that she had made peace with her ability.

After earning her scholarship, she got accepted into NYU. The fight with her parents several years ago, when they wanted to take her to a therapist, faded into obscurity as things went back to normal. Since discovering the magic that was books, Sally had been wanting to become a writer, dreaming about the books she'd publish some day in the future. She enrolled at some creative writing courses at college, and for quite some time, things looked absolutely amazing.

One day, however, changed the entire course of her life.

It was the middle of September, the day she turned twenty, when she and some of her friends drove to Montauk, where they intended to spend the weekend in order to celebrate her birthday. They had rented a small cabin near by the beach, and everyone was looking forward to it, especially so Sally.

Late in the evening, after they had made themselves comfortable in the cabin, Sally headed down to the beach, her head slightly spinning due to the few beers she'd already had. With her gaze resting on the calm sea stretching out in front of her, she wandered along the shore, the waves splashing her bare feet in rippling currents, her chestnut hair piled into a messy knot at the top of her head.

Then she met him.

She actually kind of stumbled upon him, seeing him sitting on some rocks all by himself, his eyes fixated on the waves crashing softly against the shore. He was extremely handsome, she couldn't deny that. His facial features were all kinds of sharp and angular, his jaw was strong, those strong, muscular arms of his tanned and scarred. His jet-black hair matched his neatly trimmed beard. Sally knew, just by observing him from afar, that he had to be the most stunning man she'd ever laid eyes on.

She didn't know who he was, or where he came from, but he told her his name Poseidon, which was funny considering the fact that Sally liked Greek Mythology. She wasn't a fanatic by any means, but some of the stories and legends she could really get into. She also learned that she liked his eyes. A lot. They were a beautiful shade of sea-green, deep and piercing, the expression in them old, however, and maybe even a little bit sad. Sally could tell he was older than her, but she didn't dare ask about his age. It wasn't an important matter to delve into, because she doubted she would see him again.

They talked for about two hours when Sally realized how late it had gotten. After saying goodbye to him, she walked back to the cabin, disappointment nagging at the back of her head. He was a mere strange, and still she couldn't help but wish to perhaps see him again someday.

Two weeks later, and Sally found herself at Montauk again. She had never planned to go back there. Except for the beautiful landscape there wasn't anything binding her to that place. But something had drawn her to the beach. Something had awakened her curiosity. It wasn't until she met Poseidon by the shore that she understood the reason why. She sat next to him again, and they talked about all the things they liked about the ocean while the seagulls screeched above them. He didn't talk about himself often, he rather listened to her ramble on about college, her books, and her friends.

Those encounters continued happening. They never met anywhere else but Montauk, and Sally kind of liked that. Maybe it gave her the feeling that the fragile bond she shared with Poseidon was special, something that was only reserved for her.

That changed, however, when they started to go up to the cabin, and Sally noticed he started opening himself up to her more. He told her about his siblings and his nephews and nieces while she listened to him with a smile on her face, her fingers absently running over his forearms. He was strong and intimidating, all man and experienced, nothing like the college boys she used to hang around with, but he was also gentle. He had a kindness inside him she'd never found in anyone else before. His smile that had deep wrinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes always left her breathless. Things became more intense, more heated, and when they kissed for the first time, it felt as if she was trapped in the middle of a storm, the world around them disappearing as they lost themselves in each other over and over again.

He made love to her, night after night, his strong hands moving across her pale, softly curved body, his lips tracing every single freckle on her skin. Whispering sweet nothings into her ear, he moved deep within her as she raked her nails across his back, leaving her mark on him. He caressed her breasts and the curve of her hips while she took every kiss and every deep thrust to herself, shuddering when he came deep inside her, taking her with him over the edge of ecstasy.

Sally knew.

She'd fallen in love with Poseidon.

But she also knew something was off about him. Whenever he was truly angry, she could almost feel that heaviness in the room. She could almost taste the salty water of the sea. Sometimes, when he was angry enough and she closed her eyes, she could imagine herself standing on a wooden raft in the middle of a raging sea. She thought it felt magnificent. It would feel downright terrifying to other people, but to Sally it felt like being set free. There was a hidden power beneath his skin that made him appear bigger than life, bigger than anything else on earth.

So when he told her about who he really was, she wondered if she should have been surprised. Frankly, she'd already seen it coming. She had seen monsters, the real deal, all her life long. It wasn't that much of a shock when Poseidon told her he really was Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Sally felt dumbfounded, of course, she was beyond astonished and amazed, but at the same time that revelation opened her eyes to a world she'd seen only a fraction of. It didn't just consist of monsters. Mount Olympus existed, as did the Olympians and thousands of other gods. Every Greek creature she'd ever heard of walked among the planet, and the gods still visited the mortal world to mingle with humans, spring demigods. Knowing all that alone made Sally's head spin, her mind not really capable of grasping that reality.

She also found out what exactly her ability was. She was a clear-sighted mortal, as Poseidon explained to her, one of the few rare humans gifted with the ability to see through the mist that clouded the mortals' eyes, preventing them of seeing the other world like Sally did. It was both amazing and frightening.

A few weeks after New Year's Eve, Sally made a shocking discovery. She sat on her bed alone in her room, staring down at the test she was holding between her fingers, the two lines telling her one truth - she was pregnant.

Pregnant.

With Poseidon's child at that.

It was hard to take that in. Babies were a subject she had paid little attention to, expecting to have one or two kids when she was older, more mature, more stable in her life. She had no idea what to think of that, how she should tell her parents and her friends, and more importantly … what she should tell Poseidon. She wasn't stupid. She knew in an instant the child wouldn't be fully human - it would be half-human, half-god. The lump in her throat tightened as Sally thought about all the ancient stories of Hercules, Theseus, and many others. Each one of them had been the child of a god, had been forced to go through horrible trials only to find an awful death at the end.

Sally didn't want that for her child, but she also knew she wasn't going to get rid of the baby.

When she told Poseidon about the pregnancy, he was both the saddest and happiest she'd ever seen him be. He sat her down on the couch and told her about the pact he'd made with his brothers - no more demigod children for they were too powerful. Their baby would be seen as a threat, a danger.

With that also came another truth that left her breathless in pain.

Poseidon wouldn't stay forever.

He had a wife and other children, it was forbidden for him to raise his mortal offspring, the Ancient Laws telling that gods weren't allowed to interfere with the lives of demi-gods. He had a kingdom to rule and their lives were as different as it could be. She was a mortal woman and he was a God. The both of them weren't supposed to be together forever.

All of that and much more led to the moment where Sally gave birth to a baby girl after nine months of uncertainty and fear. She stared at the baby in her arms, surprised that it was a girl because they had anticipated a boy. The doctor had even told her that she awaiting a son, not a daughter. But upon looking at the squirming baby in her arms that was blinking at her tiredly, a tuft of dark hair on its head, her heart practically spilled over with love. Smiling in amazement, Sally grabbed her daughter's tiny hand, bringing it up to her lips to place a gentle kiss on it. The girl's eyes were almost fully closed, her small mouth faintly forming a silent O, but Sally still saw that her daughter's eyes were her father's eye color. A deep sea green with tiny turquoise and black speckles around the pupils, the color of an endless sea full of mysteries and treasures.

It was unusual that she didn't have the normal baby blue eye color, but Sally supposed that was something every demigod child shared.

"How are you going to name her?" The doctor asked.

Sally smiled, not once lifting her gaze from her daughter who was now fully asleep in her arms, her tiny face pressed against the warmth of her chest. "Perseia," she said lovingly, her index finger softly stroking the baby's cheek. "Her name is Perseia Nyx Jackson."

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One week after giving birth to Perseia, Sally could go home. She had decided to stay in her own apartment that was close to her parents' house. Thanks to all gods, her parents and her friends were helping her, so that she could balance college and raising her daughter at the same time. They didn't know anything about Poseidon. Sally had never told them about him and she intended to keep it that way. Their relationship was coming to an end, she was aware of that, and she didn't want the people around her sticking their nose into that matter.

It was late in the evening when he knocked at her door.

She was busy breastfeeding her daughter, softly whispering loving words to the baby girl who listened attentively. Perseia was a quiet baby. She didn't cry a lot, was always constant by being near her mother. It was hard taking care of a baby, of course, but Sally wouldn't trade the happiness which was her daughter for anything in the world.

"There you go, baby girl," Sally muttered softly, putting her down into the crib. Her daughter stared back at her with eyes that reminded her so much of Poseidon it was almost painful to look at her. Sally pulled her robe tighter around her body, brushing a brunette strand of hair behind her ear as she played with her daughter's small hands. It was in that moment that she heard the knock on the front door.

Furrowing her brow in confusion, Sally looked at her daughter who was busy trying to fit her tiny fist into her mouth, and left the nursery. When she opened the door, her jaw almost dropped in surprise. Poseidon stood there with an uncertain look in his gaze. He took her in with his eyes, causing her to pull her robe tighter around herself as her cheeks reddened slightly.

"Sally," he breathed softly.

"P-Poseidon …" she said breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"

He seemed hesitant, almost awkward as he stared into her azure eyes that he'd fallen in love with in the first place. "I came to see you, Sally. And our son, of course. I would like to meet him if that's fine with you."

She took a sharp intake of breath, running a hand through her long hair. Poseidon didn't know that he had a daughter. He still believed she had given birth to a boy. Sally stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. "Yes, sure. Please come in."

"I'm sorry if it's not a good time," he sighed as he stepped into her apartment, his sea-green eyes looking down at her with a silent apology inside them. Sally smiled weakly. He still had the ability to make her go weak in the knees with just one look. His voice sounded strangely nonchalant, but she knew him too well to know that he tried to cover his longing and worry as much as he could. "I must've completely thrown you off with my visit."

"No, it's okay," she whispered. "You're always welcome here, please don't doubt that. I just thought … that it was too dangerous for you to visit."

"It is," Poseidon admitted, his eyes wandering across the room, taking in the tasteful decorations and furnishing. "I took care of everything to make it less dangerous, but I still can't be here for too long, otherwise my presence will attract unwanted attention."

Sally flinched slightly when her daughter chose that time to let out a tired whine. She watched as Poseidon's head snapped into the direction the sound had come from and she could see the widening of his eyes. Leading him into the nursery, she leaned over the crib, grabbing her daughter who was softly whining, and turned to Poseidon.

"Time to meet your daddy, princess," she whispered against the forehead of the baby before gazing at Poseidon who looked like he'd been slapped across the face. "Poseidon, meet our daughter, Perseia Nyx Jackson."

The first thing Poseidon saw was a pair of beautiful sea-green eyes that stared at him curiously. His first thought was that the girl had inherited his eyes. He was pretty sure that she could even wrap Hades around her little finger with those innocent eyes.

His eyes snapped back to Sally, and he whispered her name in disbelief.

"I know," she said with a small chuckle. "It surprised me, too. It thought right until the end that it was a boy, but then the doctor put this beautiful girl into my arms."

"A daughter," he breathed, taking a deep, shaky breath. "I've never had a mortal daughter before."

"I know," Sally said again. She had to admit, she was surprised when she saw an emotion in his eyes that she'd never seen before there – fear. "But as the saying goes – there's a first time for everything, right?"

"I just –" Poseidon shook his head as though not believing his own eyes. Gods, he had a daughter. A little girl. What the Tartarus was he supposed to do with a daughter? He'd always had boys, he never even thought about the possibility of someday having a mortal daughter. As he stared back at the baby who drooled all over its tiny fist, those big eyes still staring at him silently, he knew that he was blessed with something beautiful. "Can I … can I hold her?"

Sally smiled. "Of course."

As she handed him his daughter, he closed his arms around her small body, staring down at the huge eyes that reminded him so much of his own. Then, slowly, becoming familiar with the arms she was suddenly put into, his daughter gave him a toothless grin, and Sally could practically see him melting into a puddle.

"She's beautiful," he muttered in awe. He would have to prepare his army of Cyclopes for when she was older – just in case some mortal or, even worse, a god might get the idea of wooing his precious baby girl. When he took her small hand into his large one, her tiny fist immediately closed around his index finger with a strength he didn't know an infant could possess. "You do remember everything I told you about Camp Half-Blood, Sally?"

"Yes, I do," she nodded tiredly. "But to be completely honest, I don't want to send her to that place at all. I don't want my daughter to be raised by strangers."

Poseidon sighed softly. "It wouldn't be that way, my love. She doesn't have to go all year-long, she could only go for the summer. And when she's strong enough to deal with the monsters on her own, she could come back to you and not go at all anymore. You have to be rational about that. I'm sorry for doing this to you both, but closing your eyes and ignoring the monsters won't do any good. Our daughter has to be trained at Camp, so she can learn how to fight and how to survive. She's a hero, Sally. They normally don't tend to lead safe lives."

"I know." Sally's voice sounded thin.

"My offer still stands, Sally," Poseidon said as he stared at his former lover he still felt deeply for. "I love you, Sally, and I would give everything to be with you and our daughter. My brothers would kill you and our child without hesitation, but you and Perseia can go into my domain. You could live there. You'd be safe there, both of you. I promise that I won't do anything to make you regret that if you take that offer. I would make sure that you have everything you want and ever wished for."

Sally stared at him, not having expected his words. Her heart warmed upon hearing him say that, but she knew that his plan wasn't really realistic, even though he seemed to believe that. She didn't want to go into hiding, leaving everything behind and robbing her daughter of choice. She wanted her daughter to live her life to her fullest, to make her own experiences and choices. She didn't want her to live under the sea with no chance of seeing the beauty of the world and meet other people, go to school, fall in love, build her own life.

"Poseidon, we've already been over this," she whispered, exhaustion creeping up her bones. "Things aren't that simple. You have a wife and your other children there. I still love you so much, I'll never stop, but I'm a mortal woman, and you're a god. We're just not destined. I can't expect of you the things that I want because you're not human, my love. We have to accept that before it's going to hurt us both even more."

The look on his face was heartbreaking. "Sally, please just …" He sounded so desperate. "I won't give up. I have already built our house in the sea. I'm only waiting for the day I can bring you and our daughter home."

Sally was silent, not knowing what to say. She was almost glad when the baby girl in Poseidon's arms let out a soft whine, looking at both her parents who shifted their attention to her. Perseia looked like she was about to cry, as though she understood every word her parents had shared.

"My beautiful daughter," Poseidon whispered in Ancient Greek, trying to soothe her. "I know you won't remember me when you're older, but I still want you to know that I love you so much. Never doubt that. You're so loved by me and your mother. I know that life won't be easy on you, and I hate that I can't be a visible presence in your life, watching you grow up into the strong, beautiful woman you're meant to become, but I will help you any way I can." His daughter babbled something to him as she lifted her tiny hand to pat his cheek, giggling at the feel of his beard. He smiled as he placed a loving kiss on her palm. "I'm so sorry for the burden you will bear and the obstacles you'll encounter as my child, but don't ever doubt my love for you, my daughter. I'm already so proud of you."

Upon placing a kiss on her forehead, he gave her his blessing. Sally felt his power flare briefly, leaving the fresh smell of an ocean's breeze. As he put his daughter down into her crib, the baby girl fell asleep watching her parents leave the room, saying goodbye to each other with the knowledge that this was probably the last time they would see each other for a long time.

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The baby grew up to be a beautiful girl.

There were many times when Sally thought about the 'what ifs' that would have followed if she'd accepted Poseidon's invitation, but at the end of the day she knew she had made the right choice. There was nothing more beautiful than seeing her baby girl run up to her, excitedly telling her about the new friends she'd made.

Perseia, or simply Percy as she demanded to be called, was a happy, spirited little girl. She drew people to her like a moth to flame, and could get herself anything just by widening her eyes and blinking innocently. Sally had developed a defense mechanism against that, she just had to as a mother. Nevertheless, it was sometimes far too amusing to watch whenever her daughter worked her magic. It got her out of lots of trouble, because as adorable as Percy was, she also reminded Sally of a little hurricane at times.

Gods be damned, Sally thought one evening after having convinced Percy to get rid of some of her old dolls, that girl can sure as hell throw a tantrum.

That was proof of her being truly Poseidon's child. As a kid, Sally had never been one of the wild ones, so it was only Poseidon's temper that spoke from Percy whenever she wouldn't get her way. It wasn't just the temper, though. The way she would pronounce a word or frown deep in thought was entirely Poseidon, too. And she liked a challenge. Sally had lost count of how many things Percy was determined to try - first, it was drawing; as it turned out, her daughter wasn't really capable in that area, her pictures resembling a tornado in numerous different colors she had just mixed together for the sake of it. Still, Sally pinned the drawing to the fridge with a proud look. After deciding drawing was boring, Percy demanded to go to ballet classes. That was a success, though. She stuck with it and announced excitedly that she wanted to become a professional ballerina after just her first day at the dancing school. Playing an instrument, however, was a disaster. Needless to say, the only thing Percy managed to do was elicit a few cringe-worthy accords from the acoustic guitar.

They didn't live the most luxurious life, but Percy was happy and content with what they had, and for Sally that was the most important thing. She was still a little too young to understand why her father was lost at sea, as Sally had explained to her the first time Percy asked about her dad, but it didn't keep her from asking questions - but we have to find him, Mommy, if he's lost at sea. When will he come back to us? Did he love us?

Percy asked questions that were the most difficult to answer. She longed for a father's embrace, for someone to call her 'princess' like the dads of her friends called their daughters. Sally had once caught her writing a letter to her father. I will throw it into the sea, her six-year-old said, showing her the message she'd written in her messy child's handwriting, maybe the fishes will bring this to my dad.

Sally just hoped her daughter wouldn't develop a grudge for him not being there at a time when she so obviously needed a father in her life.

But the weirdest thing happened on a sun-filled afternoon when Sally took her daughter to the park. She sat on a squeaky bench, keeping an eye on Percy who dug around in the sand with her pink toy shovel, obviously planning on building a sandcastle. Her dark hair, braided into pigtails, shone in the sun, and the laughter bubbling from her lips whenever she interacted with the other kids brought a smile to Sally's face.

"She's gorgeous," a female voice said out of nowhere. Sally jumped, putting a hand on her chest to calm her racing heart, and turned to look at the woman who had appeared beside her. She was, to put it simply, stunning. With honey-blonde hair flowing across her back and eyes that seemed to change colors like a kaleidoscope. It wasn't hard to guess her identity - Poseidon had once told her about the distinctive features of the other gods.

"Lady Aphrodite?"

"The one and only," Aphrodite smiled, crossing her long legs. "It seems Poseidon didn't leave you clueless."

Sally stared at her. She blinked several times. "I don't want to sound disrespectful, but … what are you doing here?"

The goddess sighed, the smile leaving her face to make place for a deep frown. "Don't worry, my dear. I'm not here to harm you or your daughter. I want to offer you my help."

"Help?" Sally looked at her with a baffled expression. "What kind of help? I'm sorry, but I'm just not in the habit of having an Olympian visit me and offer me their help."

Instead of smiting her or sending her into Nirvana with a snap of her fingers, Aphrodite laughed, the sound spreading across the park like a gentle breeze. "Sally, I'm perfectly aware of who your daughter's father is - no need to panic about that. I must admit I'm not always the one playing matchmaker, sometimes people feel drawn to each other on their own, but I still do sense those feelings, the attraction." Aphrodite glanced over at Percy, who was happily letting sand run through her fingers. "I want to offer you my assistance. I want your daughter to be my champion."

"Your champion?" Silence hang between them. Aphrodite waited for her response, and Sally struggled to say something. "Why?"

"I'm going to be honest with you, Sally. Your daughter won't have it easy once she gets introduced to our world. She will need someone to have her back, and I sense great potential in her. Call it whatever you want, but I genuinely want to help your daughter," Aphrodite explained. She sounded grave, maybe even a little sad, but when Sally met her eyes, she saw nothing but honesty.

"What does being your champion entail?" Sally was still not sure about that whole champion business. Putting a part of her daughter's safety into the hands of a goddess sounded like a damn wrong idea.

"I would be her patron, for once. As you may know, a patron protects the people it's responsible for. Your daughter's scent would go unnoticed by monsters for a little while longer. She would, of course, have some powers similar to mine - for example, she'd find it much easier to learn French than the average human. I'd guide her through difficult trials, and unlike her father, I would be allowed to interfere directly."

Sally didn't answer. She let the words sink in, knowing it should be too good to be true, but there she was, having Aphrodite's offer dangle in front of her like a necklace meant to hypnotize her.

"Can I … can I think about it?"

"Of course." Aphrodite smiled brilliantly. "Take all the time you need. When you're ready to make a choice, you just have to summon me by praying to me."

Sally nodded. "All right." Just as the goddess was about to disappear, she added, "Lady Aphrodite … thank you."

The Olympian goddess smiled, her gaze once again flickering to Percy with an unreadable expression, before she said, "You're very welcome, dear."

Then she disappeared in a twirl of her red dress, leaving behind the scent of roses and cherries.

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Sally did agree a few weeks later, and Aphrodite made an oath on the River Styx to always guide Perseia Jackson into the light.

As the years passed by, life started to look good. Just two years after her encounter with Aphrodite, Sally published her first book, which became a hit in many countries, even earning her the first place on New York Times' best sellers. For the first time in her life, she had the promise of a comfortable life, and the first thing she did was ditch their shabby apartment and move into a nice house in the suburban area of New York.

She never married anyone.

She did date a few guys, but most men ran away screaming the moment they learned she was a single mom. The few that didn't - well, those just turned out to be slimy assholes.

It was the middle of March, 2006, when her daughter's life changed drastically. It happened without any warning sensations - Percy drove off to school, and a few hours later Sally received a call from a Mr. Brunner, who informed her that they had sent someone from Camp Half-Blood Hill to watch over her daughter.