Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus Series.

Story: Champion of the Pit: Destiny's Warrior

Chapter 25: Mind and Heart

Athena's POV

Olympus - Infirmary

I blinked a few times as the light assaulted my eyes, I eventually opened my eyes. I lay on a bed in a white room; the infirmary, I think. My head pounded like a jack hammer. I tried to remember what happened. The battle; I was injured, somehow. I looked around the room frantically, but no one was there. I inspected the room around me; the walls were white, and the smell of antiseptic burned my nostrils. I pushed myself up into a sitting position; my head began to spin. I heard a beeping noise next to me. The sound made my mind focus. I took a few deep breaths before the room finally stopped spinning. I looked toward the sound of the beeping and found a heart monitor. I took a few more deep breaths as my heart rate slowed to normal. The pounding in my head ceased.

I looked down at my arm; there was an IV in it. I pulled out the needle, but didn't flinch; my arm was too numb to feel much of anything. I took off the rest of the equipment before I leaned back on the bed and sighed in relief. I looked down at the hospital gown that I wore, before I looked at my arms and hands; my skin was very tanned, much more than usual. I was in a hospital bed, recovering from an attack. Shouldn't I be pale? I looked at my arms again; my fingers were a little longer than normal. I pulled up the blankets and looked at my legs; they were as tan as my arms. They were also longer and a little more athletic. I looked around the room for a phone or something, but the room was empty, except for the bed, two chairs and the medical equipment.

I needed to get up. I pulled the covers off my legs before I turned my body until my legs hung over the side of the bed. I thought I would be tired, but I felt really good, better than I'd felt in a very, long time. I looked down at my feet. They were a little bigger too, but so were my legs. They really were tan and longer than I remembered. What happened to me?

I reached up to touch my head; it was the first time that I realized that my hair was longer than before. I took a few strands of hair in my hands. I pulled them toward my face; golden blonde hair was in my hands. I was blonde. What happened? I looked at the blonde curls in my hand before a flood of memories flashed through my mind. Annabeth… this was Annabeth's hair. A mirror… I needed a mirror. I looked around the room until my eyes settled upon a metal tray made of stainless steel. I grabbed the tray and pulled it toward me, bandages and other materials scattered onto the floor. I ignored it as I looked into the tray. My face was a little thinner and my facial features a little more angular, but I could tell it was me. My hair was indeed blonde, and it curled just like Annabeth's hair. There might be physical side effects. Annabeth's words echoed through my mind. I looked more like Annabeth now. I didn't complain, most of my children had blonde hair and I had always secretly envied my daughter for her hair. I looked into the tray more, my eyes were grey, but there was a light there, a shine that was never there before. I was me, but I was also Annabeth. I didn't feel her presence, but I had her memories. We were merged. We were one.

"Percy," I said, my voice was different. My voice had always been deeper and sterner, but now my voice was silky smooth, but it still had that determined quality to it. The one that made people listen to me when I spoke. I stepped onto the cold floor, a shiver shot up my spine. The room was cold. I looked around for some clothes before I nearly face palmed myself. I'm a goddess for Rhea's sake. I snapped my fingers before I was clad in tight blue jeans and a grey blouse. My hair was pulled back into a pony tail and I wore black flats on my feet. I took a few careful steps to confirm my balance. Once I'd done that I rushed toward the door and out of the hospital room. I stood in the hallway of the hospital; people looked at me strangely before they bowed as they rushed by. I snapped my fingers again before I disappeared into a golden light. I appeared a moment later in front of the throne room doors.

"Where is she? Where's Athena," a familiar voice yelled from inside of the room. I knew that voice. "Percy," I said.

"Son, she was hurt in the battle…" Poseidon began before his son cut him off. "What? I need to see her?" Percy replied angrily. I couldn't take it anymore I pushed open the doors to the throne room. All the sound in the room stopped as I walked into the room. I looked at the group of gods within the room. Hades and Tartarus stood side by side. They both wore worried expressions before relieved smiles stretched across their faces as they looked at me. Hestia stood next to a teenager that looked like Percy, except for his eyes; his eyes were a bright white with flames of different colors. Thoth, it had to be him. I saw Poseidon standing next to another teenager that looked a great deal like Thoth. I froze. I knew that boy; his messy black hair was more out of place than normal. His tanned skin was golden brown, but his eyes were the things that made me stare in shock. His eyes were sea green that flowed like molten lava with flashes of yellow, blue and black which glittered within the sea of molten green.

"Percy," I said.

He stared at me with those beautiful eyes. He could see into my soul. I watched as he studied me, to see who I was. He looked into my eyes before he gasped slightly. A broad smile stretched across his face. "Athena," he said, his voice was deeper than I remembered, but it held a softness and kindness to it, a tone of voice that could only come from Perseus Jackson. I returned his smile before my feet began to move. We both rushed forward before he engulfed me in a warm embrace. He pulled me up off my feet, but my toes were still able to touch the ground. I guess I really am taller.

Percy stared into my eyes with the biggest smile on his face. He sat me back on the ground before he took a few golden curls in his hand. He twirled them between his fingers. "How?"

Before he could question further, I reached up on my tippy toes and kissed him tenderly. His green eyes widened, which made me smile into the kiss. We finally pulled apart, with both of our faces red. Percy still wore is questioning look, but now he was more embarrassed than anything else.

"That would be our fault," Hades said with Tartarus at his side.

"Yes, Athena was fading, so we found a way to save her," Tartarus added.

Percy looked at them curiously before he turned back to me. "Annabeth, she saved me," I said. Percy just stared at me for a moment before his mind finally registered what happened. "Wise Girl," he whispered. I smiled at the nickname; I didn't know why, but my heart swelled with happiness when he said the name. "Yes, Annabeth's soul joined with mine. She saved me," I explained. Percy stared into my eyes; I was lost in his eyes. He took another golden curl in his hand. He leaned forward and smelled. His crooked grin spread across his face. I couldn't help but return the smile. He leaned forward and kissed me again. I was overwhelmed by the power of the kiss. He pulled away a moment later, but my eyes remained closed until I took a deep breath. I opened my eyes to find him looking at me intently. "I love you," he said. I leaned my forehead against his chest. "I love you more," I replied, which earned a chuckle from him.

Mount Olympus – the Garden of Heroes – a week later

Percy's POV

I said good-bye to my brother, to Thoth. I had to smile at the thought. I had a brother, a twin, so to speak. I left Thoth with Hestia. I knew it would be only a matter of time before the two were engaged, and then there wouldn't be a maiden goddess of the hearth. I was happy for my brother, but I was also anxious. I walked through the streets of Olympus. My own time would come. I would soon propose to Athena as well. I wanted her to be my wife. I wanted her all to myself. That was my greatest wish now. I continued my way through the streets of the city, my new home. I had fought for this place many times, but now it truly was my home. I stopped in front of celestial bronze gates. A golden sign was embedded within the magic metal, it read, the Garden of Heroes. I knew this place. It was one of the first parks that Annabeth had designed after the second Titan war. There were statues of all the fallen heroes within it, Luke, Silena, Beckendorf, and all those others that gave their lives for Olympus and the world.

I opened the gate and entered. I walked slowly through the park as I looked at all of the statues. I smiled at the statue of Beckendorf. I still could feel that old guilt, but I knew he never blamed me. He was in Elysium with Silena, the two were married there at least that's what Nico told me.

I turned from the statue and froze. A golden haired woman in a white dress sat on a stone bench in front of a statue of a teenage girl, it was Athena. I looked at the statue and froze; it was a statue of Annebeth, the one that Athena made after her daughter's death. A lone tear traveled down my cheek as I thought about Annabeth's death. I looked at Athena. She was smiling at the statue, lost in thought. I walked toward her, but I was never one to be too quiet. She turned from the statue and smiled happily when she saw it was me. She stood up and walked toward me. She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the statue. I looked up at the celestial bronze statue. Annabeth stood in her classic warrior pose. She wore her armor with her dagger at the ready. Her eyes stared ahead with an intense look on her face, ready for the battle to come. I smiled at that.

"A beautiful statue," I said. Athena nodded. "I used to come here all the time after, she died… now, I don't really feel the need anymore," Athena said. I could sense the guilt in her words. "Why do you sound so guilty?" I questioned. Athena looked down at the ground, but I placed my hand under her chin and forced her to look at me. "You don't need to feel guilty. She's always with you now. You don't have to look at a statue to see her. You can look in the mirror if you need that."

Athena smiled up at me before she grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers together. "Pretty stupid of me, the wisdom goddess, isn't it?"

I shook my head sincerely. "No its not, emotions are always something that is beyond wisdom. They don't care what is smart. They only do what needs to be done."

"What do you mean?" Athena asked with a questioning look on her face.

I smiled. It isn't every day that me, the Seaweed Brain, can teach Athena something, but today was it. "Emotions make you feel things that your subconscious wants to be let out. You feel guilty for not visiting a place you used to, but that's not it. You feel guilty that your daughter gave up her soul and time in Elysium for you." Athena's mouth hung open in surprise. "Close your mouth you'll catch a fly." I smiled at the pouty face she made at my comment.

Athena frowned before she punched me in the shoulder playfully. She smiled at the fake look of pain on my face before her expression turned serious. "How did you get so smart about emotions?"

I smiled at the question. "I was in a relationship with your daughter, at first as a friend, and later as more. I learned that she was the brains, but I was the emotion. I was the one that helped her express her feelings, just like she was the one that helped me with school." Athena nodded. I could see pain in her greys eyes, and maybe something else, jealousy. "I feel that we have the same relationship, but even stronger." Athena gave me a questioning look. "Our relationship is one that's for grownups. We're not kids, Annabeth and I were teenagers, even if we had to face things that would drive an adult mad, but in the end, we were just kids." I placed my hands on each side of her face as I stared down into her eyes. "I love you more than anyone I've ever know, I want you to know that. I'm proud that Annabeth helped save you, but in the end… you're the one I love." Tears ran down her cheeks; I caught them with my thumbs. I leaned down and kissed her. I could feel the heat and passion in the kiss, but most of all, I could feel love and hope. Hope for the future; our future.

The End

AN: That's the end. I hoped everyone enjoyed this story and now I'm off to work on Perseus and the Monster Force (PMF). I will focus on that story until complete; my other two stories will be on hold until PMF is finished. I want to thank all my readers and reviewers. Your attention to my stories always makes me feel good. Until next time my fearless readers, good-bye from the land beyond the gods.