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Chapter Text

Sally blows hair out of her face, hands braced against the sink as she stares at the dishes in front of her. 

Percy was talking a mile a minute, telling her yet another story from Camp Half-Blood and she’s so– so grateful that he’s doing okay, or as okay as she can hope considering what he’s been through.

Maybe she shouldn’t be so surprised that Percy’s doing so well and so damn well-adjusted, talking casually about fighting against monsters and running across the country without batting an eye– all of the passion and the audacity that only a twelve-almost-thirteen year old boy can have. It pains her, frustratingly so that she wasn’t able to be there for him for any of it– all the things that she had tried so desperately to keep him from for years now being so much a part of him that she couldn’t bear the thought of what he’d do if he couldn’t see his friends again. 

There were a lot of times in Sally Jackson’s life when she felt as if things were completely out of her control– her parents dying when she was half Percy’s age, dropping out of high school to take care of an insufferable uncle battling cancer who she can’t say she’s sorry that he’s gone, falling in love with a man who wasn’t a man at all– but this, choosing to be everything and anything for her son even if it scared her. 

That was something she’d do anything to protect. 

“And then Annabeth just went up and–”

“How is Annabeth?” She asks, straightening up and turning the water back on– surreptitiously glancing over her shoulder to watch as he turns beet red, rolling his eyes.

“Mom.”

“What? All I asked is how she is. When did that become a crime?”

“When you asked like that ,” Percy points out, glaring at her as he cuts into his waffle. It was blue, just like his eyes and about as big as his head. Cooking hadn’t been the most natural thing to Sally when she first became a mom but now it was second nature, the kind of thing that she’s grateful to have gotten better at if only to see the look on Percy’s face when he takes another bite. 

“ Mom ,” he says, half-chewed food in his mouth making it come out garbled, “this is so good.”

“Close your mouth. Geez, who raised you?” she teases, seeing him grin as she turns back over to the dishes– finishing up the last of the pans. It’s a comfortable quiet, Sally thinking of all the different things she needs to get done for the day.

She needs to get through her shift at Sweet on America and then find a way to make it NYU’s admissions office, all the money now sitting in her bank account making her antsy to get started on finally getting to work on her novel. She’d been toying around with the idea of writing the story of her and Poseidon– without reference to the fact that he was a god, now that he was an actual part of Percy’s life– but there was enough that Sally knew about writing to know what she didn’t , namely how exactly to translate the fantastical world that she had lived in onto pen and paper. 

She’s a little self conscious at the possibility of being a freshman in college in her mid-30s but after years of living under Gabe, years of struggling tooth and nail to protect Percy from the world of his father– only for now each of those things to have come to their conclusion in different ways, Sally knew she couldn’t keep putting herself on the backburner. 

If she was going to continue to make a life worth living for Percy, a life outside the dangers that awaited him at Camp Half-Blood, she had to do more with herself than this. 

She’s startled out of her thoughts when she feels small arms wrap around her waist, laughing when she turns the water off and shifts around to see Percy smiling at her.

“Thanks mom,” he says, eyes boring into hers and simultaneously looking just like her little boy and so much older . 

For all the stories that he’s told her about his trip across the country with Grover and Annabeth, Sally knows– in a way that she can’t explain– that there are some things that he’ll never say, some pieces of him that will forever be out of reach to her.

In some respects, it was normal– any mom knew that the day would come that the person they most wanted to confide in wouldn’t be the one who raised them, but it still ached to know the day had come so soon– Percy having grown up right in front of her eyes. 

She’s thankful for this, for the hugs he still freely gives her and for the way that he laughs when she hugs him back– pressing a sloppy kiss to his cheek as he laughs and squirms.

“Alright, alright, okay, I’m good,” he says but Sally doesn’t let go.

Not yet , she thinks– her brave and beautiful boy being part of a world that she doesn’t understand and that he doesn’t share with her.

She wishes he did. Until then, she’ll do everything she can to make sure his life with her is better than before–

and never be the first to let him go. 

“Unfortunately, you’ll need to–”

“That wasn’t in the application,” Sally says, looking bewildered as she sits in front of the admissions counselor– a kind, but firm expression on their face. “I– I have the money. And my GED. Do you need another copy or–”

“We have all your records,” the woman says, placatingly in a way that just veers on the side of condescending. “But as I said before, the GED you have isn’t quite enough.”

“Why the hell not?” She asks, exasperated as the woman folds her hands together.

“Mrs. Jackson–”

“It’s Ms.,” Sally corrects on auto-pilot, the woman’s lips pursing together.

“ Ms . Jackson, as I was saying, while we do have a copy of your GED, I’m afraid that when we went to verify the validity of the certificate that nothing came up.”

Sally blinks, confused as she asks, “what do you mean?”

“I mean,” the woman says, reaching for the paper in her own files before staring at it appraisingly, “that this is a fraud, coming from an unaccredited organization that’s since been disbanded.

“ What? ” Sally asks, reaching for the paper in the woman’s hands but being unable to– the woman staring at her over her glasses. 

“Now normally, we’d report these things. As you probably know, submitting false documentation like this is a criminal offense–”

“It’s not a fraud,” Sally argues vehemently, “I took classes–”

“But seeing as the company that you completed this… program from has been publicized to provide fraudulent certifications, we won’t hold this against you,” the woman says, Sally sitting back in her chair and feeling every bit of the idiot that she’s so clearly trying to make her feel.

Her mind flashes back to what felt like seemingly countless hours studying for that GED, a crying baby in the other room and a dozen flashcards all around her shitty apartment as she crammed in all that she could in between shifts at the diner she worked in at the time. Sally had never particularly been great in school but she studied harder than anything she’s ever had to make sure that she passed that test– committed even then that she wouldn’t have her son be subjected to the unstable kind of employment that only came from working under the table without a high school diploma.

To know now that all that studying had been for nothing, that all of that work, blood, sweat and tears for a certificate that she’d been proud of– had all been a part of some scam– felt like some cruel trick from the universe.

Or maybe the gods , she thinks ruefully– the woman clearing her throat as she looks back up at her.

“We’re on a rolling admissions basis,” she says primly, “meaning that since everything else is in order, we can keep hold of your application until it’s complete. Once you’re able to secure an accredited GED certificate–”

“I have to take the test again?” She asks, the woman pressing her lips together in annoyance at being interrupted. 

“ Than we can consider your application and move forward.”

Sally sighs, leaning back in her chair even more.

Well, fuck me.

Sally takes her time getting home.

She knows Percy is with Grover, going to see a movie of all things which she’s convinced is some kind of code for something else. She needs to have another talk with him about lying to her– and redefining that a lie by omission is still, in fact, a lie– but for now, she’s grateful that he’s occupied for another hour or two. 

It gives her time to figure out how and what she’s going to do by the time she makes it home.  

More importantly, it gives her time to cry.

It’s a rite of passage to cry on the subway in the city, something that Sally’s not particularly proud of but has done plenty of times before. It’s not as if anyone else gives a shit, millions of people all wrapped up in their own world and trying to do their own thing. 

Sally is used to being alone, to be faced with nothing and no one but the prospect of her own ingenuity to move forward. It’s what helped her survive those years with her uncle, helped her survive years of working to provide for Percy, helped her in surviving under Gabe. 

This feels different, like the rug has been well and truly pulled out from under her– the one thing that she had done for herself and to better herself, the one thing she had had as a point of pride aside from ensuring that Percy stayed alive, happy, and whole, being getting her GED with no one’s help but her own. 

That this has been taken from her, right when everything felt like it was finally going to go right, feels too cruel to put into words.

Sally lets the tears fall as she walks through the subway, wiping them away as she makes her way up the steps and pass the array of flyers and graffiti that adorn her stop– only to pause mid-step when her eyes catch on one that she’s seen and ignored in all the years she’s lived here.

She stares at the piece of paper, faded and markered over as people move around her in annoyance, a plan forming in her mind as she checks her watch.

She has another hour before Percy will be due back home, mentally going through the MTA lines and how long it’ll take her.

Sally turns back around and steps back down into the subway with one destination in mind.

“Hi, welcome to FEAST,” a volunteer says as Sally steps in, a smile on her face as they ask, “what can I help you with?”

“I’m here about the GED classes,” she says, nodding towards them as they smile back at her. 

“Wonderful, we’re just about to start another round next week,” they say, going to grab some papers and a clipboard. “Will you need financial assistance to complete the course?”

“No,” she says, shaking her head as they give her a sympathetic smile– pointedly not looking at the ridiculous striped costume that she’s wearing. 

“If you do, please be sure to check the box here,” they say, marking an x on what looks like an intake form. “Just fill this out and bring it back to me when you’re done. If you have any questions, let me know.”

“Thank you,” Sally says, undeterred by their quiet judgment at her outfit. She has a plan now, a way forward. She can afford to pay for the class, can afford a brand new apartment for her and Percy– the taste of real freedom right at the edge of her tongue now, so close that she can taste it.

Sally takes the pen and the clipboard, goes to sit and fill out the form as she steadies herself. 

Sally’s never let anything bring her down before, not when it came to making a good life for Percy.

She’s not going to start now. 

Chapter Text

“Mom?”

“Yeah?” She asks, taping a box together as Percy walks into her bedroom— at least for the next few hours. She has enough money now from her piece that she could probably afford to get movers and people to pack but there were some things that money couldn’t buy.

Or more to the point, some things that Sally felt were a waste when she had two perfectly good hands and a twelve-year-old with too much energy for his own good. 

She looks up to see what her beloved child is up to now when she laughs, Percy holding up a cracked sculpture in his hand as if it was a bomb.

“Do we really need to pack this?” He asks, eyeing it carefully. “It’s broken.”

“It’s supposed to look like that,” she says, wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. Percy doesn’t look convinced. 

“Why?”

“It’s art, sweetie. That’s how it works.”

“To be bad? Who made this?” He asks, Sally holding back a laugh.

“ I did,” she says, Percy’s eyes widening as he looks to her then back to the “broken” sculpture in his hands.

“Oh. Um—“

“You don’t like it?” She asks teasingly, Percy looking slightly panicked for a beat before his eyes narrow.

“ Mom .”

“I’m hurt. Betrayed. Offended, even,” she says as Percy rolls his eyes, gesturing for her to take it from him.

“I’m not packing this.”

“Good, cause only those who can appreciate it should carry it,” she says as she takes it from, Percy snorting in response. 

“I don’t think Miguel and Sons are gonna appreciate whatever that is.”

“Okay smartass,” Sally says playfully, Percy grinning as she nods towards the direction of his room. “Go finish packing, they’ll be here in an hour.”

“Why did we wait till the last minute to finish packing anyway?” Percy asks, a near complaint but not quite as he still dutifully does what he’s told. Sarcastic little shit that he was, Percy was a good kid— one that while he hasn’t inherited her own sense of artistic vision, was considerate enough to ask before assuming. 

She hadn’t known what was up from down when she was a kid, always getting into her uncle’s things and paying the price for it. Sally learned things the hard way more often than not and while she knew she couldn’t protect him forever– that there were already things she couldn’t have prevented– she was going to do her best to make sure he was prepared for it. 

Percy talks to himself as he makes his way down the hall, Sally smiling as she turns back to her own boxes. 

Sometimes, Sally thinks, she’s doing this mom thing alright. 

Moving is surprisingly simple, especially when you have paid professionals to do all the heavy lifting. It makes Sally wish she had this kind of windfall sooner, thinking of all the sweat and muscle strains she had in trying to manage moving in and out of apartments with patchwork help from her coworkers at the time and an overexcited toddler that got into everything and anything. 

It used to be a full day affair, going back and forth and back again and then taking weeks to finally get settled— no place they ever had ever feeling like they could completely move in from having to slowly unpack in between her shifts. 

Now, moving takes all of four hours and only that long because of traffic— Miguel and Sons moving her from a walk up to an apartment with an honest to god lobby and doorman, Percy eyeing him carefully as they made their way up to the apartment. 

“So, now what?” He asks, looking a little green at all the boxes in front of them.

“I’m thinking pizza,” Sally says, elated at the smile that breaks across Percy’s face. 

“I’llgrabyourwallet,” he calls out as he runs to what’s supposed to be her bedroom, Sally breathing out a sigh as she glances around. 

It’s big, almost too big for just the two of them but Sally figured it was worth the expense– well within the planned budget she gave for herself to be able to manage rent without having to put in too many shifts at the candy store. She’d quit entirely if she could, and maybe if she was a little more frivolous she would, but splurging on the apartment felt risky enough, especially with the amount of money she’d need to pay for tuition– part-time, at first. 

She allows herself a brief moment to wish that she was a little more free and a little more stupid, to splurge on the biggest apartment and quit her job entirely so that she can be a full-time student, throw herself into her writing and be able to afford to send Percy to the best school in the city. 

She’ll allow herself only one of those things, Percy bounding back into the room with her wallet in hand.

“You ready?”

Sally smiles, nodding towards the door as he grins. 

“Your treat,” she jokes as Percy laughs– Sally grabbing their keys and locking the door behind her. 

Percy chatters a mile a minute, deftly handing her the wallet as they walk over to the elevator– Sally thinking to herself that she made the right decision.

It wasn’t the nicest apartment, but it was a better one. She wasn’t able to fully quit her job, but she could scale back her hours. She might not be able to be a full -time student but once she gets the GED course done and passes the test, part-time would work just as well.

Percy coming to live with her for the year, now knowing fully who he is and being that much more comfortable because of it?

Sally is content enough with that.

On the first day of her GED course, Sally is late. 

She should’ve known better than to trust the MTA to be there for her the one time that she needed it to. She had enough to take a taxi to get to FEAST but the thought of wasting all that money for a single car ride felt too ridiculous, particularly when Percy’s birthday was coming up and the first payment for his new school right after. 

Pushing her own attendance to the spring worked out in this respect, even if the reason for it was less than ideal– telling herself that it was for the best so that she can ease her way back into putting in schoolwork and deadlines back into her schedule since she’d struggled so hard the first time. 

It’s much harder to think of having to go to class now as a good thing, after a customer had laid into her about her kid having the wrong kind of candy and Kelly just standing there without saying a word knowing that she had to go. It didn’t usually bother her that a girl half her age was her manager except when it came to the raging asshole customers, Sally knowing that when it came to dealing with him– she was on her own. 

She tries to push that and the frustration of running late to a class that she’s beginning to wonder if she even needs to take by the time she races up the FEAST steps, bursting in through the door and trying to compose herself as she ignores the sweat trickling down her back.

“Hi, welcome to FEAST,” a different woman from before says, smiling at her. “How can I help you?”

“I’m here for the– the GED class?” She asks, embarrassingly out of breath as the woman smiles. 

“Yeah, it’s just down– oh, May?” 

A woman who had just come in from the open hallway turns, a smile on her face as she looks from the receptionist to Sally. 

“Can you take her to the GED class?” 

“I’m late,” Sally says, obviously so– hoping that her hair doesn’t look as crazy as she thinks it does.

May– the woman– smiles as she gestures down the hall she came from. 

“They just started. Come right this way,” she says, Sally giving her thanks to the receptionist as she quickly walks over to where May is. 

May leads her down the hall, Sally working to catch her breath when May asks, “you have everything you need?”

Sally gives her a look that she knows borders on panic, May laughing gently as she asks, “did I need to– I didn’t know–”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” she says,  “just that if you need a pen or paper or anything else, we offer some for participants.”

“ Oh ,” Sally says in relief as May nods towards an open classroom, a man already speaking to the relatively full class as she whispers, “yes, please. That would be great.”

“I’ll come back and bring you one,” May whispers back. “What’s your name?”

“Sally. Jackson,” she says, cheeks flushing in gratitude as May extends her hand, Sally shaking them in return.

“May Parker,” she replies warmly, taking her hand then clasping it with the other. “You’re gonna be fine.”

Sally laughs. “I hope so.”

“I’ll come and find you,” May says, Sally giving her another grateful smile before walking into the class– finding the closest seat to the back and working to calm her racing heart. The room is more full than she expected and with people of surprisingly all ages, Sally feeling a bit more settled now that she’s here. 

She’s not sure what to prepare herself for when she finally gets into NYU or what that’ll be like to be surrounded by fresh out of high school teenagers, but here at FEAST– this feels more like her style, in a room full of people with their own mess and problems but all together for the same goal. 

Not even three minutes later she feels a tap on her shoulder, May Parker back with a pen and notepad in hand– Sally thanking her as May just nods, smiling then moving towards the back. When she does, Sally opens the book and writes down her name and the date– looking back up at the instructor. 

“My name’s Ben,” he says with a smile, “and not so long ago, I was right where you are. I  made it through, with a class just like this and if I can do it, so can you.”

Sally breathes a sigh of relief.

She’s definitely in the right place. 

In the weeks that follow, Sally finds herself in a new routine.

After a party at an actual arcade– though why Percy and his friends wanted to go there, she’ll never know– Percy began his new school year without issue. She braced herself, in the first few weeks, to learn of something else that could’ve happened or some new problem. 

It had broken her heart over the years for Percy to come home from school desperately trying not to cry because of something someone said or did. It got to the point where if she could’ve, Sally would’ve just kept him home– enrolled him into some kind of distance learning instead of subject him to the whims and the troubles of mean kids and annoyed teachers that didn’t understand what he was dealing with. 

Now she felt herself waiting by the phone, metaphorically since she could afford a smart phone now rather than just the pay as you go flip phone she’d kept for emergencies, for the principal to call and tell her that despite all her efforts, another school wasn’t “the right fit” for him. 

The call never came. 

Instead, Sally gets to fill her days with time to herself– putting in shifts at Sweet on America two times a week down from three, spending her days either studying for the GED or outlining the story that she thinks she wants to write. 

It’s much harder, now that she actually has the free time, to even know where to begin but she tells herself that she has the time to figure it out– her classes at FEAST being just as illuminating not just for the classes themselves, but the people.

Particularly May Parker and unsurprisingly, her husband Ben– not just another volunteer there, but one in the same as her GED instructor.

May is friendly and outgoing, making small talk with everyone in the class and outside of it. May is a good ten years older than her, from context clues of the music she’s listened to and the references she and Ben make before and after the class. May is fashionable and put together, someone that immediately makes Sally feel as if she wants to be in the room with her. 

More to the point, May is openly flirty with Ben in a way that reminds Sally of how much she missed being attracted and attractive to someone else– not really considering the possibility of dating so soon after being rid of Gabe but finding that just like everything else in her life, she’s glad to finally have the option. 

A month into taking the class, when they’re released for refreshments, Sally thinks May might also be a little more intuitive than she’s given her credit for as she walks up beside her.

“So, May begins as Sally puts some pretzels on her plate, “how’s your son doing?”

“I’m sorry?” Sally asks, feeling a flare of protectiveness wash over her as May laughs.

“You mentioned him to Tino last week? Sorry, I overheard,” she says, though something about her tone tells her that she isn’t sorry at all. “He’s at a new school this year?” 

In any other context, Sally thinks she might’ve been far more defensive about a woman barging in and bringing up a conversation she had with someone else but considering May was the first person to really help her when she arrived, Sally just lets it slide with a smile as she nods. 

“He’s had some difficulties with school,” she says, “dyslexia, mostly and ADHD.”

“Ah,” May says, understanding. “Well, I’m glad it sounds like he’s doing better? Or in a better place for him?” 

“Yeah,” Sally says with a smile, “it is. I’m so proud of him.”

“I bet,” May says, Sally seeing the way her eyes crinkle at the sides. “My nephew, Peter, he’s already thinking about what schools to apply for next year and Ben and I are running ourselves ragged to make sure he has everything ready for it.”

“How old is he?”

“Thirteen,” May says, sounding tired as Sally just laughs. “Yes, school just started and he’s already thinking about the freshman lottery.”

“Oh boy.”

“Yeah,” May says, a soft amusement in her voice. “Kids, am I right?”

“You are,” she says, a nosy question budding in the back of her mind that she doesn’t say– May seemingly able to pick up on it anyway as she gives her a knowing smile. 

“His parents passed, a few years back,” she says, an explanation that she didn’t need to give and that Sally now feels like shit about even wondering. “Ben and I– we’re still trying to figure all of this out.”

“If it makes you feel any better,” Sally says as she pops a pretzel into her mouth, “my son Percy? Just turned thirteen, had him all his life and I still don’t know what I’m doing half the time.”

“It does, actually,” May says as Sally smirks, chewing and swallowing down the pretzel as May shakes her head. “I’m thinking that maybe that’s the secret.”

Sally waits, May looking at her conspiratorially. 

“ No one knows what they’re doing.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Ben Parker says as he walks up to the two of them, a smile on his face before pressing a kiss to May’s cheek. “Except you, my darling. You know everything.”

“And don’t you forget it,” May replies before kissing him back, on the lips this time around– Sally just taking another bite of her pretzel as she demurs, only for May to bring her attention back to her. 

“I have to ask, is your son obsessed with Legos as well? Sorry,” she turns to Ben, “Lego. Not Legos. Peter gets on me all the time about that.”

“He’s not,” Sally says sympathetically, wondering how to even try and begin to explain that Percy’s new hobbies now involve capping and uncapping his pen that was really a sword made out of a metal that wouldn’t even give a papercut to any of them in the room. “He’s…” she scrambles, pulling out a memory. “Really into some kind of card game.”

“Dungeons and Dragons?” Ben asks, Sally shaking her head. 

“You know, I’m not sure. Something like that,” she says, Ben giving her a knowing look. 

“Rich, my brother, he was really into that kind of thing. I keep thinking Peter’ll get into it but…” he trails off, Sally able to put two and two together as she smiles sympathetically.

“Anyway, we do our best with what we got, right?” He says, throwing an arm around May who just beams at him.

“Right,” she says, Sally nodding in reply as May turns to her.

“We should have our boys meet sometime. Make friends,” she pauses, looking to Ben. “or is thirteen too old for playdates?”

Sally laughs. “If it is, then I missed the memo. I think of this as my own kind of playdate, if that’s not too pathetic,” she says, gesturing to the room that they’re in.

“Not at all,” Ben says warmly, “it’s a great place to be. And I hope the class is helping? You feel ready for it?”

Sally nods. “It is, thank you. And almost, I think I’m gonna split them up. Take them one at a time.” She shrugs, thinking of the spaced out schedule and extra time she has now to get it all done. “No need to rush.” 

“That sounds like a great plan,” May says in a tone that sounds as if she genuinely means it, a kindness in it that makes Sally feel more solidified in her own plan. There’s rarely been a person in her life that’s given her the opportunity to talk about her plans and even less to support her in them– small as it is, the affirmation of May that she was on the right track meant a lot to her.

“Thanks. And thank you for taking the time out to do the class,” she says, directing the latter to Ben. “I don’t know how you manage this and a job at the station.”

Ben shrugs as he says, “it’s like I said that first day. FEAST helped me out when I needed it and now, I get to give back. Which speaking of,” he says, unfurling his arm around May. “I better go and clock in for my shift.”

“Be safe. Love you,” May says, Sally busying herself with her snacks as they say goodbye, nodding to Ben as he walks out of the classroom. 

“Teaching a class then going to work overnight?” Sally asks, May laughing under her breath. 

“I keep telling him to tell the Chief to book him for another time but he tells me ‘ fires can’t be scheduled’ ” she says, doing a poor imitation of his voice. 

Sally smirks, May just smiling in return as she says, “speaking of night, you alright to head home by yourself?”

“I am, thank you,” Sally replies, touched at the concern as May just nods. 

“See you around next week?”

Sally beams, feeling more at home by the minute. 

“Definitely.” 

Chapter Text

Sally has never really considered herself to be an organized person. 

Born more out of necessity, for herself when she was tasked with having to work to cover bills and groceries before her uncle died and then for Percy, she’s worked hard to make sure that she has everything she needs, exactly when she needs it. 

It doesn’t come naturally for her and despite everything she used to watch on tv, age does not automatically bring wisdom or maturity.

Case in point, getting far more than tipsy after passing test two out of four– May Parker sitting beside her with another shot in hand.

“I think I’m done,” Sally says with a hand wave, the bite of the shot she just took clawing at her throat as May jeers.

“Oh come on, one more,” she says teasingly before shooting the shot in her hand back, Sally looking on in amazement as May slams the glass down. “You did it. We should celebrate. We’re celebrating.”

“Yes we are,” Sally replies, laughing as May seems to steady herself– hand on the bar counter as she make a face.

“Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have had that last one,” she says, Sally laughing even harder. She’s not sure if it’s because she’s just on the other side of tipsy or if because being around May Parker– despite being a decade older than her– makes her feel inexplicably young, but she feels ten pounds lighter.

Sally didn’t really get the chance to party or have fun, in the traditional sense– there wasn’t a lot of time for shooting the shit when she was working doubles to pay rent before she could vote. Having Percy had changed her life, in every conceivable way and while she didn’t regret a single second with him, she did sometimes– shamefully– wonder what her life would’ve been like had she decided not to become a parent.

It hadn’t even been a thought to her at the time, mostly because she thought herself to be in love with Poseidon and felt that maybe, he was in love with her. With hindsight, she can say that maybe there was some part of him that loved her as any god could ever love a mortal but love wouldn’t have been enough to pay the bills– not on this side of the sea anyway. 

If Sally let herself think of the what-ifs or the maybes, she would’ve driven herself mad– which is why hanging out with May felt a lot like getting to live that almost life without any of the guilt.

Mainly because May, like her, found herself in a life that she had never expected or planned. 

It had been after the first test, a much bigger celebration that involved more than just the two of them, that Sally had learned more about May’s life— of moving to the city when she was fresh out of high school with dreams of going to college, of having to drop out when she ran out of money and meeting Ben who worked with her at a diner. 

She learned more about Richard and Mary, Peter’s parents who from what she could gather had been around her same age— a silent understanding between them of what each other seemed to get from knowing each other. 

Sally for her part, was just as effusive minus the big things— still unsure if she’d ever tell anyone the truth of Percy’s father or his world, if only because she doubts anyone would believe that it exists or worse— think she’s off her rocker. 

May is kind and funny, the closest thing Sally thinks she’s had to a friend in years. 

She wasn’t so eager to ruin it with stories about lightning bolts and killer summer camps anytime soon. 

“This was fun,” May says, bringing Sally out of her thoughts. “But next time, I think we’ll stick to coffee.”

“You don’t have to take me out for every test,” Sally says, motioning for the bartender so they can close out their tab. “Really, thank you but—“

“It’s more for me than you,” May says with a wink, “you make me feel young.” 

“You are young,” Sally says with a laugh as the bartender comes up, the two of them fishing out their wallets. “You’re what, 41?”

May laughs, sharp and bright as she shakes her head. “I’m gonna keep you around just for that.”

“What?” Sally asks, May beaming as she wipes at her eyes from laughing so hard. 

“I’m 51 ,” May corrects, making a face when Sally puts her card down over both of their receipts. “Sally—“

“Even more reason for me to treat. Someone that looks as good as you deserves to get their drinks take care of,” she says, forcibly shoving the receipt towards the bartender. 

“This is meant to be a celebration for you ,” May argues but Sally just shakes her head. 

“Let me,” she says, May frowning as she continues, “please.” May goes to argue when Sally says, “You need it more than I do.”

May stops, closing her mouth as Sally isn’t stares meaningfully— seeing her shoulder sag as she drops her hand from her wallet as Sally asks, “is Peter doing any better?”

May looks tired , then— sighing as she rubs a hand at her temple. 

“He is, he’s home again, but—“ she shakes her head, a wave of empathy passing over her. “God, I don’t know what we’re gonna do if he has to stay overnight again.”

Sally wishes she knew what to say but experience has taught her that in some cases, it didn’t really matter what you said anyway— just that you were there. In this case, it’s the best thing Sally thinks she can do.

What else is there to say when your friend’s kid was sick more than he wasn’t, asthma and bronchial infections and his most recent bout of pneumonia so bad that he ended up in the ICU. Sally always thought her luck was terrible but at least she and Percy were always healthy— Peter apparently having been a sick kid long before he came to stay with Ben and May.

Sally wishes there was more that she could do, the guilt eating at her when she thinks of the money she has saved in her bank account that could— conceivably— help pay for something , even if it wouldn’t pay for it all. It’s worse now, she thinks, than before she had this particular windfall. Before, when she heard stories from coworkers that they were struggling to make ends meet, she felt the same kind of hopeless solidarity.

Now, knowing she could pay for a hospital bill — even if doing so would wipe out all her savings, Percy’s tuition and her own— made having it so much worse. 

The least she could do was pay for her drinks, though Sally thinks not for the first time that it wasn’t enough. 

“Anyway,” May says, straightening herself up and quietly wiping a tear from her eyes, “it’s about you tonight and you shouldn’t be paying for—“

“It’s already done,” she says as the bartender comes back and passes her back her card. “See? Gone. Already taken care of.”

May just shakes her head, gratefulness in her eyes as she says, “I’m buying next time.”

Sally smiles, shrugging as she says, “we’ll see.”

They don’t end up getting to celebrate for the third test, Peter landing back in the hospital for another infection. 

Sally’s grateful in more ways than one that she has a phone now with an unlimited texting plan, getting updates from May about Peter and more just getting to check in. It’s the kind of thing she would’ve desperately wanted to have when it was just her and Percy and while Sally knows practically it’s not the same— May went back for her degree, works an office job, has a stable partner in Ben— she wants to be there for May, even if it’s just a text good morning and to check in.  

They keep it going off and on that when Sally passes her final test, she understands that May can’t go out to celebrate because Peter’s finally made it back home— safe and sound and doing better, as much as he could.

“I’m so sorry—“ May began but Sally shook her head despite May being unable to see it. 

“It’s okay, really,” she says softly into the phone, Percy squirting out an ungodly amount of blue food dye into the pan. “Percy’s making me the best cake I’ll ever eat .”

“ Oh I have to see that,” May says over the phone, hearing a faint, excited voice on the other line. “That’s mine. Apparently Ned, that’s one of his friends, recorded some movie that they’re— yes, yeah okay I’m sorry, not just some movie but a Star Wars thing that—“

The voice— which must be Peter— gets more excited then, Sally unable to decipher it but laughing at May’s quiet exasperation, watching as Percy sticks his tongue out and proceeds to empty out the dye into the pan.

“Dude,” she says to Percy who glances up, “really?”

“It’s gonna be awesome ,” he says, Sally hearing May sigh on her end. 

“Kids, huh?”

Sally laughs, leaning against the counter. 

“You said it.”

The start of a new year becomes a refresh in more ways than one. 

Going to school, even part-time, is much harder than Sally anticipated. She likes her classes and her professors seem to care but the workload is difficult— not just in content but in the time to keep track of all her assignments and essays and exams, much less to get herself where she needs to go for her shifts for work and make sure Percy can keep his schoolwork on task. 

He likes his school and while it’s overall a better environment, he still needs help with his homework and his tests. For all the different ways that she’s seen him grow up in the last few months, all the ways that she has slowly and painfully tried to get out of him what exactly happened during the time she was in the Underworld, he was still very much a thirteen year old kid— Sally spending most of her evenings helping him prepare for admissions into a brand new high school. It didn't help that she spent half the time convincing him that he should want to go to high school, trying hard not to take it personally when he would talk about all his friends at Camp Half-Blood and the appeal of staying year-round– forcing herself to smile and not to try and dissuade him too much. 

There’s no handbook for trying to raise a kid, much less a demigod and for all the different ways she’s tried to keep him away from that part of his history– he’s in it now, for better or for worse. Sally knows, in a way that she can’t explain, that if she were to push too hard or try too much to keep him close that all it would do is push him further and further to a place that she wouldn’t be able to to pull him back from. 

The back and forth of this type of homework help that felt like anything but just made it so that Sally’s own homework was pushed to the backburner, struggling to keep up with her assignments when Percy had finally gone to bed– if not actually to sleep– and cramming in as much as she could between shifts, grocery runs, cooking meals, laundry, and generally running the life of a thirteen year old, much less herself. 

It made the days of what should’ve been a momentous occasion a bit of a blur, finally feeling like she was coming for air during her spring break– Annabeth and Grover coming over to visit and leaving Sally with a little bit of reprieve to reassess and regroup before the rest of the year.

It’s what finally prompts her to reach out to May again, apologizing profusely for dropping off the face of the planet and for taking so long to text back as the weeks dragged on. 

May seems to take in a stride, another testament to her character to be so unlike the causal friends she’s made— and lost— over the years. Friends who were never quite her age or who didn’t have kids, May assuaging her concerns when they finally met for coffee just a few weeks before school ends for the semester. 

“It’s really okay,” she says, putting a hand over Sally’s. “I get it.”

“I just didn’t want you to think…” She trails off, May smiling encouragingly as she shakes her head. 

“When Peter first came to live with us, it was… difficult,” she says, “and even harder to keep up with friends who didn’t understand.”

Sally gives her a grateful smile, May returning it as she brings her hand up and takes a sip of her coffee. “I get it. I really do.”

Sally gets the sense that May means it, letting her guilt go with a sigh as she settles back in her chair– May smiling before she asks, “so how’s everything going, then? Managing it alright?”

She nods. “Trying to. Percy’s heading back to summer camp so…”

She trails off, Percy’s summer camp being more a source of dread for her than anything else. He was getting antsy, more than normal, restless in a way that he wouldn’t explain and that she couldn’t get out of him. She wishes more than anything that she was the person that he could trust with these things instead of his friends, writing letters to them and impatiently waiting for the mail to get back every day. If she could get a cell phone for him, she would– something to help ease the stress that Sally notices is slowly starting to accumulate across his shoulders as May gives a smile.

“I can’t imagine,” May says, bringing Sally out of her thoughts. “Peter’s never really been to camp, or anywhere, really outside of the city.” 

May doesn’t have to explain, Peter’s bouts of being in and out of the hospital still on her mind as she asks, “is he doing alright now?”

“Better,” she says with a smile, “really looking forward to a field trip to the Avengers Tower next week.” The sarcasm is dripping from her voice, Sally holding back a smirk.

“Not a fan?”

May scoffs. “ I’m not. Ben isn’t. I don’t know where he gets it from but,” May sighs, shaking her head. “I guess if I was a kid that grew up with a literal god in my backyard, maybe I’d think differently.”

I’m not so sure about that, Sally thinks but doesn’t say as she takes a sip of her coffee, May looking on curiously. 

“Are you a fan?”

“I don’t really have an opinion,” she says with a shrug, May giving her a look. “I really don’t. Percy’s never really cared about any of that and I, you know. As long as they don’t mess with traffic…”

May laughs, Sally bringing her coffee down. Some part of her does wonder if there’s some kind of overlap there, if not Thor than maybe one of the other Avengers when May’s phone buzzes– Sally checking the time.

“Shit, I should go,” she says, Sally grabbing her coffee and her purse. 

“Me too, but this was good. Thank you, May again–”

“No sorry’s, I get it,” May says with a smile, shaking the phone in her hand. “If you have time this summer, we’d love to see you around at FEAST. You know, take your mind off things.”

Sally smiles, nodding as she slips her phone in her pocket. “I’d like that.”

May nods, before leaning for a hug, Sally easily returning it and squeezing gently.

“It was good to see you,” May whispers, Sally smiling as May lets go. 

“Same here. Maybe we can plan something with the boys, before Percy leaves.”

“That sounds perfect,” May says, gently waving her phone. “Text me.”

“I will,” she says as May gives her a smile then answers the phone, walking in the opposite direction. 

Sally grabs her things and heads to the subway, a pep in her step at feeling just a bit lighter that things were finally looking up again.

Sally should’ve known good things in her life never last long.

“Where are you? Where are you? Where are you?” She mutters to herself, pacing back and forth in her apartment as her imagination runs wild. Percy is gone , the school finally giving her the call she’d been dreading and magnified by saying he had run off campus– a girl with long braids and another “troubled” student leaving after a fight during gym class. Sally tore into the principal, interrogating them for why they could ever let middle schoolers leave a fucking school without even bothering to run after them but Sally knew it was all for nothing– the Mist working in the way that it was supposed to.

Some part of her, however small, is grateful that this means that Percy was being kept safe from the questioning eyes of mortals who wouldn’t understand. Most of her was terrified out of her mind that her kid was out there somewhere, with Annabeth and who knows who else, running into God knows what and fighting on behalf of the gods most likely. 

The worst part is that Sally knew that there was nothing that she could do, no one that she could call or talk to– Iris messages didn’t work for mortals and until Chiron decided to contact her, if he even decided to– Sally could do nothing but sit and wait.

Just like keeping her life organized, this was something that had never come easy to her– Sally knowing deep in her gut that it didn’t matter how much she had to deal with this, particularly as Percy got further and further into his father’s world, she would never get used to waiting on the sidelines. 

When her phone finally rings close to midnight, Sally could cry with relief– hoping that it was Percy only to see that it was May Parker, Sally wondering why she would be calling at this hour only to feel an immediate regret that she had forgotten to text her and see about meeting up.

A small voice in the back of her head tells her that this wouldn’t be a reason to call her so late, answering with a concerned, “hello?”

“ Sally ,” May breaks over the phone, Sally immediately on edge for a different reason as she grows still.

“What’s wrong?” She asks, though she has a fear that she already knows what it is, May’s stifled cry on the other end confirming it. 

“It’s Peter,” she sobs, “I— he’s—“

“I’ll be right there,” Sally says, going to grab her keys and her shoes as May cries.

“ Sally ,” she whispers again and it makes her heart break, the fear she has clawing at her own chest painfully present at the fear she can hear in May’s voice— knowing that she’d only call now if something was deeply wrong, would only call right now if she needed a friend. 

She has no idea where Percy is though she has a guess, her own terror of what it would be like to lose her child painfully mirrored in May’s voice. 

“I’ll be right there,” she repeats, forcing her own panic and fear aside. 

Sally can’t be there for Percy— wherever he is and whatever he’s facing.

She can be there for May, to hold her hand and keep her company in the face of an unimaginable fear that Sally prays to the gods she doesn’t believe in won’t come true for either of them.

Chapter Text

It’s 3am and Sally is sitting with May Parker in a hospital room in Forest Hills.

Ben is talking to the nurse on call, catching up with what he’s missed while he was out on a call— the smell of soot intermingling with antiseptic in the air. 

Sally looks over to May, who looks dazed— reaching over to take her hand. 

She startles, then gives a grateful smile— one that doesn’t quite reach her eyes she wordlessly takes her hand. 

Peter is in the ICU again, this time in an induced coma— breathing by way of a ventilator and with doctors scrambling to figure out just what the hell went wrong and so fast. 

From what May had told her in whispered, broken sobs, it had happened in an instant— Peter going from talking a mile a minute about his field trip to SI, telling May he wasn’t really hungry and then breaking out into a cold sweat, Sally holding back her own horror at the description May gave for what happened next. 

One minute he was fine and then the next he was seizing, body shaking uncontrollably and eyes rolling to the back of his head as May had frantically called 911. That the call hadn’t been rerouted to Ben had been a stroke of bad luck, May having to watch as the paramedics tried to keep Peter from biting off his own tongue, the brokenness on May’s face as she described Peter’s heart stopping twice before they ever reached the hospital.

Now, Sally knows, May has gone into shock— Ben still trying to wrestle with and argue what else could be done for their nephew. 

She gently squeezes May’s hand but May is lost in her own world, Sally putting forth all her attention and care into the woman sitting beside her. 

There’s not much practically she can do, Sally barely knew enough first aid to cover Percy’s skinned knees— a pang running through her at the worry of where he could be. 

It’s not one thing she can fix or change, much like Peter but at least she can feel useful here— present and aware and holding May’s hand as she works to hold back her grief. 

Sally can barely stomach the idea of what could happen if it all turns for the worse, never having even met Peter yet and a terrible fear now that she never will, wondering if Percy is—

She pushes that away, forcing herself to be in the moment— horrifying as it is May.

It was better than the alternative. 

Though not by much. 

“Is Percy at camp?”

Sally looks up, Ben staring at her as Sally sits up straighter. 

They’ve moved Peter into a room, shared with another but at least allowing visitors— sunlight slowly streaming in.

The click and hiss of Peter’s ventilator whines in the background, May having fallen into a restless sleep half an hour before. 

“He’s with a friend,” Sally replies, not quite the truth but not a lie. It’s too early for Percy to be at camp, if Ben was asking— seeing the concern on his face as he frowns.

“If you need to go—“

“I need to be here,” Sally says, shaking her head as she glances over to her sleeping friend. “For May.” There’s a beat when Sally catches herself, wondering if Ben was trying to give her a hint. “Unless you—“

“No, no, it’s— thank you. For being here,” he says, Ben giving him a tired look of relief. He looks dead on his feet, Sally wondering if he was coming off an overnight shift the way a small breeze could push him over. 

“Of course,” Sally replies, because there was no other option— no way that she would let May deal with this by herself, even with Ben’s presence here. 

Her eyes reach over to Peter who looks impossibly small , so alike Percy with his unruly hair that it makes her chest twinge. 

It’s driving her crazy not to know where he is, if he’s okay or if he’s even alive— some dark part of her wondering if this was better, to have your child laying out in front of you rather than subject to the unknown.

She hates herself a little, for thinking this way— both Ben and May looking as if they’ve aged a decade in just a few short hours. Sally can’t imagine what it’s like to live with a sick kid, day in and day out. 

It speaks to the seriousness of the situation, Sally thinks, for the two of them to be so worried this time. 

She tries, just as desperately, to hope that their worry— just like hers— would be all for nothing. 

Three days pass with Peter in intensive care. 

Sally is finally able to convince May to go home, shower, get her into some clean clothes— Ben keeping watch with Peter before he’s forced to go back into work.

It occurs to Sally then maybe having a committed, loving partner still wasn’t enough to prevent life from happening— hearing the frustration in May’s voice over the phone as she came out of her own shower in their apartment. She didn’t mean to stay with them for so long, but she refused to go back to her own apartment alone— an indescribable terror of going to sleep in her apartment alone and waking up to a phone call or Iris message that’ll change her life just as quickly as May’s had. 

By day five, Sally knows she’s going to have to finally leave to make it to work—debating how terrible of a friend it made her to not want to use her sick days to sit vigil when May gasps.

“Peter? Sweetheart?” She asks, immediately standing up and hovering Peter. Sally tracks May’s face and then her hands, watching as she gently cups Peter’s face with one hand and presses the other lightly to his chest. 

“Peter? Can you hear me?” May asks again, Sally biting the inside of her cheek and forcing herself to look away— the aching expression written all over May’s face almost too much to bear. 

She heard May sharply inhale, looking back on instinct and watching in rapt attention as it feels as if her eyes are playing tricks on her— Peter Parker’s fingers twitching as May wetly laughs. 

“It’s me, it’s May,” she says holding back a sob, the hand cradling his face moving up to brush his hair back. “I’m right here.”

“I’ll go get the nurse,” Sally says but May doesn’t even hear her, all consumed with Peter and his delicate movements— Sally going to stand and turning away quickly as she does.

She wipes the tears from her eyes, bittersweet and feeling guilt flow through her as she tries to find the nurse. 

Five days since Peter slipped into a coma and seemed to now be waking up.

Five days since she’s seen Percy without another word and disappearing without a trace. 

Sally holds the two conflicting feelings in her chest and tries desperately to let it go.

Two days later, May calls Sally while she’s at work– Sally holding back tears as she listens to the voicemail.

Hi Sally, it’s May. I’m– thank you so much for being there. I’m– shit, I’m sorry. He’s fine. I can’t believe he’s okay. Bouncing off the walls again, asking if he and Ben can go play lazer tag, he’s just– he’s awake. He’s here. I’m– The doctors can’t make sense of it but I don’t care. We’re all home now. Ben took a few days off work, thank God. Thank you so much. I– really. Thank you.

Sally quickly wipes away the tears from her eyes, a conflicted rush of emotions flowing through her as she slips her phone back into her pocket.

Relief because Peter was safe, healthy– home . Sally can’t even begin to fathom how to process the unimaginable if things had taken a turn for the worse, the devastation on May’s face over the last few days so evident it was overwhelming.

Jealousy because Peter was safe, healthy– home and Percy wasn’t– still now word on where he is or who he’s with. If he’s even alive or if he’s–

Sally sobs into her mouth, forcing herself to swallow it down. If Percy was– if Percy was dead, she has to believe Poseidon would know and if Poseidon knew, he’d– he’d have to tell her. He’d have to. He would.

Right?

“Jackson?”

“Yeah?” She says, swallowing down her sobs as she works to breathe, sniffing hard and wiping at her face. 

“We need you at the front.”

“Coming,” Sally says as she wipes under her eyes, looks up to the ceiling and tries hard to dial back her tears. 

As much as she wants to, she can’t afford to sit in the middle of her living room and panic– not now, not yet. Not until she knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that she has a reason to.

It doesn’t stop the way her heart clenches when she gets to the front and sees a kid half Percy’s age smiling, tugging at his dad’s shirt and asking for this candy at that.

It doesn’t her from wondering if the moment that she’d finally tell May the truth about Percy and his other life, it would be because Percy wasn’t hers to hold anymore.

Almost three weeks from when he went missing, Percy finally calls her. 

Sally is enraged, more at Chiron than at Percy, to know that he had a cell phone this entire fucking time and never once bothered to text her or to call. She tries to keep her anger from exploding onto her son, wanting desperately to know if he’s okay and what he was going through– only for him to tell her and for Sally to think she might throw up from hearing of it.

She doesn’t, gripping her counter and swallowing down a dozen different things she wants to curse to the heavens and to the underworld, saying instead, “I’m glad you’re safe.”

She can hear the relief in Percy’s voice as he apologizes with, “I’m sorry, mom. I won’t scare you again.” 

“Don’t promise me that, Percy,” she snaps, only to close her eyes and try and control her voice. “You know very well it will only get worse.”

She hates how she sounds, hates how worried she is– for his sake– knowing just how much Percy will try and fix it or think that it’s his fault when it wasn’t his. It was his father’s. 

Percy’s silence on the other end says all that she needs to know, feeling her heart break when he finally says, “I can come for awhile.”

Please. Please come home. Never go back. Leave Camp Half-Blood behind , she thinks but doesn’t say– the truth that Camp Half-Blood would be as much a part of Percy now as she was ever present. There’s a fear in the back of her mind that as he got older, as his father’s world continued to consume him, that it would be more a part of his life and his world than she was– the agony that any parent feels when their child begins to grow up only magnified because of how dangerous that other part of his world could be. 

“No,” she says definitively, opening her eyes and forcing herself to say what she knows Percy wants rather than what breaks her own heart. “No. Stay at camp. Train. Do what you need to do.” She pauses, hating that this was her life now and how much simpler it was before he knew about all of this as she asks, “But will you come home for the next school year?”

“Yeah of course,” he says and Sally could cry from relief. “Um, if a school will take me. I kinda missed all those exams.”

“We’ll figure it out,” she says, shaking her head despite him not being able to see it. “We always do, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Percy says, Sally hearing Annabeth say something in the background. “Ok mom, I gotta go. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she says and then the phone clicks, Sally letting out a sigh as she stares at the phone in her hand. She immediately saves the number, just in case, though she can guess that Chiron won’t be so foolish as to not change his number for the next time Percy is pulled along into some dangerous quest. 

That he would be, without warning and without a thought to the life that he’s leaving behind is something that she’s struggling to accept– feeling alone in a way that she hasn’t in years that her fears while he was missing were still coming true. 

Percy was alive, that much she could be grateful for.

But the Percy she knew, her Percy who would be with her, who made blue cake and ate extra cheesy pizza with her, safe and at home– was gone. 

Sally struggled to accept that. 

With Percy at camp and school finished for the summer, Sally finds herself at a loss.

For most of her life, she’s been a caretaker– first unwillingly and then unfailingly– but now with her uncle long dead and Percy still a kid but getting further and further from her grasp, Sally begins to fully internalize that she needs to do something beyond waiting around for a phone call that she hopes never comes. 

Sally also officially quits Sweet on America, the pay that she gets there not being nearly enough incentive to continue on in a place that takes up so much of her time and her energy– not when what she really needs to do is focus on the future.

After working hard to get in, to retake her GED and balancing her classes, Sally inwardly cringes at her final grades– getting a meeting with her academic advisor and a more solid plan for what she can do, where the tutoring center is, and how she can make sure that her second semester goes better than her first.

It’s what leads her to the library, more to just get the lay of the land when the attendant at the front stares up at her– peering out over his glasses. 

“Do you need some help, ma’am?” he asks, Sally smiling as she walks up to the front desk– reading DAVID on his nametag.

“Hi David, I do, actually,” she says, scrolling on her phone and turning the screen to him. “I was wondering if this is where the career center guides were?”

“Those are online,” he says, Sally feeling herself flush with embarrassment. “We don’t actually have–”

“Oh,” she says, feeling every bit awkward and out of place. “I should’ve– yeah, I mean they’re here.”

“It’s okay,” he says, leaning back in his chair and appraising her a bit. He’s older than a student, that much is clear– flashing her a smile before he asks, “what’s your name again?”

“Sally,” she says, standing up straighter. “Thank you. I’ll um, do you think I could print some of these?”

“Sure, are– are you looking into the career center for…?” He asks, Sally swallowing down her embarrassment as she nods.

“I need a job. Preferably somewhere here, on campus,” she says, the plan she had made on her way over here still at the forefront of her mind. 

She couldn’t work at Sweet on America anymore and if she could help it, she didn’t want to work anywhere that took too much of her focus away from finishing school. If she could get some kind of part-time job at the school, maybe even full-time, she rationalizes that she would be in better shape to actually have the time to complete her schoolwork in time. 

That way when– if – Percy comes back to the city after camp, she’d have an established routine and a way to get what she needed to get done for her degree, while still having time to be there for Percy– whenever and if ever she needed him.

David didn’t need to know any of that, smiling as she asks, “unless you know of a different place I should go?”

David smirks, nodding. 

“I can think of a few ideas.”

“He was flirting with you.”

“He wasn’t ,” Sally argues as May scoffs, the two of them side by side in the back of FEAST’s distribution center. 

“He was . Still is,” she says, hip checking Sally as she folds a sweater and places it in a box. “How do you think you got the job?”

“ Ouch ,” Sally laughs, folding her own pile and adding them into the box. “My skills and talent?”

“And a good ass,” May says with a wink, Sally just laughing as they work in tandem together. 

It’s only been a few weeks from the last time they saw each other but it’s a night and day difference of how May is now compared to then– smiling and laughing with her like she doesn't have a care in the world.

Sally is grateful for May’s presence, as she always is– rattling off in pride at how much Peter’s improved, his latest time in the hospital being transformative in more ways than one. 

“I never thought he’d want to wear those contacts we got him,” she says as the two of them finish up the last of their current shipment, preparing it for the FEAST trucks to go out and hand them out to those who need it most in their running shifts. “He always used to say he hated the thought of something going in his eyes.”

Sally just smiles, May waving a hand to her face to cool down as the air conditioner rattles in the background. 

“This heat is killing me. Did I tell you Ben actually wants to go out next week and see the fireworks?” 

“ Why ?” She asks, making a face. “Isn’t he from here?” 

“He is, I don’t get that man sometimes,” she says with a huff, Sally feeling sweat trickle down her back as she wipes at her forehead. “You’re welcome to join us, by the way. If you’d like.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to–” Sally begins to say, the thought of intruding upon their happy family simultaneously feeling like the best thing for her and the worst.

“Nonsense,” she says, shaking her head. “I’d be losing my mind with worry if Peter was off at camp by himself.”

You have no idea , Sally thinks but doesn’t say as May turns to her and says, “Which, did I tell you? Peter wants to go to a camp next year.”

“Really?” Sally asks, May nodding in reply.

“I was thinking maybe he and Percy could finally get the chance to get to know each other. Meet up this fall, maybe he can go with Percy next year?”

“Oh, it’s– Percy’s camp is… different,” Sally says, scrambling for an excuse. She had so few people in her life that asked questions and cared to, a flare of guilt flowing through her at lying to May. “It’s for his ADHD, you know. A special camp.”

“Oh,” May says, sounding unconvinced, Sally giving her an apologetic smile.

“I think we might have some brochures though, for some others,” she lies, thinking of David and her new job as a receptionist at the school library, “I can bring them for you, next time.”

“Okay,” May replies, still looking as if she doesn’t quite believe her as Sally presses on.

“We definitely should get the boys together, before school,” she says, May finally smiling and relaxing as she nods. 

“I think so too. I can’t believe I still haven’t met Percy.”

Sally’s going to reply when Ben walks in– Peter sliding in behind him.

She’d gotten the chance to really meet him earlier that day, all smiles and with unruly hair instead of hooked up to machines. He looks nothing like Percy really, not like she had thought but the energy of him, the fast way he talks and uses his hands, the way that he flits back and forth and back again reminds her so much of him that there’s an ache in her chest.

She misses Percy so much that it hurts but she had looked to May, seeing the smile on her face, and could only be grateful that Peter was okay. 

“Hey there, watch it,” he says playfully, Peter just smiling as he regains his balance.

“Sorry. Hi May, you ready?”

“I am,” she says, wiping her hands on her jeans before turning to Sally. “We’re off to some museum.”

“It’s MoMath ,” Peter interjects, sounding exasperated as Ben laughs– going to ruffle Peter’s hair.

He dodges it easily, glaring at Ben who just laughs even more so. 

“Next time, we’re going to Moma,” May says definitively, Peter rubbing at his cheek as he winces.

“What’s wrong?” Ben asks, the three of them immediately on edge as he shakes his head.

“I’m fine,” he says, still wincing as he rubs at his cheek– or not quite his cheek, Sally notices, but closer to his ear.

“Is it an infection? Do we need–”

“I’m fine,” Peter snaps, before sitting up straighter. “Sorry, I’m– is the air conditioner… leaking?”

Sally blinks, before looking to May and Ben– the two of them looking just as bewildered as Ben clears his throat.

“Leaking?”

“I just–” he motions to his ear again, something passing over his face before he shakes his head– Sally not missing the way he still winces as he forces a smile. “Never mind.”

“If you’re not feeling well–” Ben begins but Peter shakes his head. 

“No, I’m ready,” he says, forcibly so before turning to Sally. “Would you like to come too, Ms. Jackson?”

“I’m good, thanks. And call me Sally,” she says, Peter smiling politely as he looks to May and Ben expectantly.

“I guess it’s time for us to go,” May replies, something funny in her voice– concerned wrapped up in curiosity as Peter smiles then tugs at Ben’s arm. 

“Come on. We gotta go before the–”

“The exhibit’s not going anywhere, Pete,” he says but lets himself gets dragged away, sending a smile to Sally as he waves. 

The two of them begin to leave, Sally and May going for their purses as May asks, “are you sure you don’t want to come?” 

Sally shakes her head. “Thank you though.”

“You’ll come with us for the fireworks though, right? Next week?”

Sally is going to decline, say no and then she stops herself– thinking of what her plans would’ve been compared to what they would be now.

Before Camp Half-Blood, she and Percy would’ve avoided Gabe as much as they could– made blue cookies and camped out on the rooftop– watching all the fireworks from their apartment. 

Now– with Percy at camp and in a beautiful apartment all to herself– Sally knows that if she declines, she’ll likely go to bed early after a good cry. The joy of solitude only went so far, particularly when her kid was so far away and still a month from returning home. 

“Yeah,” Sally says, seeing May’s smile in response. “Sure, I’ll be there.”

“Perfect. Meet us back here? In front? We can all go over together,” she says, Sally smiling in return. 

“Sounds great,” she says, feeling thankful that of all the people she’s met in her life– she has someone as thoughtful as May Parker by her side.

Chapter Text

“Do we have to do this?”

“ Percy ,” Sally says as the two of them walk up the steps of FEAST. “All those dangerous, very stressful, I can’t believe you went through quests and this is what you’re worried about?” Sally scoffs, shaking her head as Percy drags his feet behind her. “One afternoon of volunteering isn’t gonna kill you.”

“It might ,” Percy mutters, Sally ignoring that as she presses her lips together. Something had been different with him since his return back to the city— the typical deluge of stories and rants and everything in between having completely disappeared. 

She’s picked up that something significant had happened at camp, a girl named Thalia arriving that had put Percy in a sore mood. Sally— wrongly— assumed that there had been something to do with Annabeth, only for that to further push Percy away and send him further into a foul mood.

Three weeks after his return and a quiet birthday with just the two of them, Sally was grasping for any semblance of normalcy. 

She should’ve expected that a fourteen-year old could wake up and suddenly find the rest of the world exasperating— what Sally didn’t expect is that for it to happen to her fourteen-year old, getting the distinct impression that it wasn’t the world that he was necessarily frustrated with, but hers .

It seemed that no matter what she did, Percy didn’t quite respond in the way she expected— shrugging his shoulders at the school that she had found for him in the city, quietly thanking her when she brought out a massive blue cake for his birthday, acting sullen and put out when she asked if Annabeth or Grover would be joining them.

This— keeping her regular volunteer shift at FEAST after taking a few weeks off— was the final thing she could think, some part of her wondering if this was a bad idea in more ways than one. 

Percy runs up ahead of her, opening the door with a tired smile on his face. 

“After you,” he says and in a moment she has a glimpse of the boy that she raised, heart constricting and a thousand questions on her tongue at just what happened that he refused to share. 

What she says instead is “thank you,” bowing dramatically and getting a sharp laugh out of him.

Sally would take it, anything of him that she could. 

It was the only thing she still could handle. 

“How do you think it’s going?” May surreptitiously whispers, Sally shrugging as the two of them watch Peter and Percy stock vegetable cans. 

Play dates might not necessarily be appropriate for fourteen year olds but Sally had at least hoped that the two of them would have some kind of conversation— barely a week apart in age and both Sally and May talking about the other for almost two years. 

A part of Sally wonders if that had worked against the two, watching as the two of them worked in a painful silence— up until Peter finally turns around and glares at May.

“ May .”

“What? We’re checking on you,” May says, a forced kind of casualness that Sally can pick up on now that she’s been friends with her— Percy looking over his shoulder and giving her a look.

“Mom. You’re being weird.”

“I know what you are but what am I?” She jokes, something that used to make him laugh hysterically and call her cheesy. Now, Percy’s face only contorts into a look of an embarrassment— grimacing as he turns back around and works to finish his task.

“A weird mom now, I guess,” May says, pointedly looking at her as the two of them. “We’ll leave you to it then.”

“Ok bye ,” Sally teases, or tries to at least— catching Percy and Peter sharing a look before both returning to their stacking. 

“Well,” May says as they walk away from the stockroom, “ that’s going well.”

“I’m sorry,” Sally offers, May raising an eyebrow as she explains. “I think he’s still just getting readjusted from camp.”

“ I’m sorry too,” May says with a sigh, the two of them walking down the hall. “Peter’s…” 

She trails off, Sally frowning as tilts her head. 

“Is he okay?”

“Oh he’s fine,” May says, catching on to what Sally was meaning. “He’s— yeah, he’s fine. It’s just—“

She cuts herself off, pursing her lips before saying, “he and Ben have been fighting a lot, lately.”

“Oh,” Sally replies, May’s exasperation bleeding through as she continues.

“At first, I thought it was just normal… growing up shit. Agitated, waking up late, just— overnight eating everything in sight,” she says, shaking her head. “He’s been sneaking out. At night, after he thinks we’ve gone to bed.”

Sally raises her eyebrows, May sighing as she runs a hand through her hair. 

“Ben confronted him about it, without telling me he was going to and it just…” she sighs again, bringing her hand down. “I’m sorry, I’m just dumping all of this on you.”

“It’s okay. Really,” Sally offers, making a face. “Honestly, it makes me feel a little bit better.”

May glances over at her, Sally ruefully smiling as she says, “feeling a little less like a fuck up, now.”

May laughs in surprise, Sally smiling in return as Mays, “kids, huh?”

“Something like that,” she replies, thinking that even if Percy was feeling out of sorts, that at least in this, she wasn’t alone. 

The school semester starts and with it, Sally becomes regimented in her new routine. 

Well, new to Percy— who seems less than thrilled at Sally’s new approach to attending school.  

For starters, she wakes up earlier than ever to get them both up and out of the door— sending Percy off to school and then making her way to early shifts at the library. She’s managed it so that most of her classes are in the early afternoon, her classmates mostly trying to stay awake after lunch which made lectures a lot easier to pay attention to. 

Sally works morning shifts whenever she can, attends her classes and then is out in the afternoon— back at home before Percy can get there where she enforces a mandatory homework session that he fights against each and every day.

“Mom,” Percy says, Sally missing the days when her sweet four-year old yelled out mommy from the other room, “why do I even need to know this?”

“It’s math, Percy,” she says, looking over her own notes in preparation for an exam. “Everyone needs to know that.”

“Do they?” He mutters, Sally gritting her teeth and forcing herself not to respond— his little comments here and there about the uselessness of school beginning to grate on her in a way that she hates. 

It’s different for him, Sally knows— not just because of his dyslexia or ADHD but because of the demigod of it all, anytime that she tries to ask questions now about what happened at Camp or during his latest quest getting shot down and becoming silent. 

If there was any reprieve, it was the knowledge that it was something in the air— May texting her updates every few days that made her laugh if only not to cry.

May: Peter slammed a door today so hard that it went off the hinges. pos landlord said it was on us to fix but if the door came off, it’s from his shitty maintenance. 

May: as if he does any kind of maintenance to begin with 

Sally: that’s bullshit. 

Sally: Percy rolled his eyes at me today. I don’t think he saw that I saw but I did. Of course I did. 

May: teenagers. think they know everything. 

Sally: not think. they KNOW they know everything. 

May: 😫

Sally: happy Halloween. Set out some candy and Percy asked me if I really thought we’d get trick or treaters 

May: ouch.

May: what’d you say? 

Sally: to stop being a Scrooge and dig out all the tootsie rolls cause no one likes those 

May: hey. I like tootsie rolls.

Sally: im gonna pretend you didn’t say that 

May: giveaway for a free kid. 14. Eats like he’s being starved and apparently, hordes sweaters now. 

Sally: what?

May: sweaters. Every day this week, Peter has worn every single sweater he owns. 

Sally: on… purpose?

May: i dont even know.

May: we’re home. Again, I’m so sorry tonight. 

Sally: it’s fine. really. I’m more upset that I got duped into buying a shitty silverware set. 

Sally: proof that you can’t trust a brand name unless you try it 

May: ben and I can pay for the replacement. I’m really so sorry that it was ruined. 

Sally: you’re fine. really, May. I’m more upset that Percy was so rude to Peter afterwards. Did you catch what they were arguing about?

May: I wish. Ben asked him about it and he just clammed up. Went to his room and hasn’t spoken a word to us since. 

Sally: Percy too.

Sally: happy Thanksgiving?

May: 🦃 

Sally: if my calendar is right then is it right to say happy hanukkah? 

May: 😂 it is. thank you! need some of that cheer today.

Sally: bad night?

May: ben got home late and caught peter trying to sneak out again. I’ve never heard peter yell like that. 

Sally: yikes. I wish percy would yell. It’s better than just sitting in his room like he does. 

May: tis the season for teenage angst

Sally: 🎉 🎉

A week before winter break, Percy comes out of his room announcing that some of his friends were coming into the city and they wanted to go see a movie. 

“Oh. Okay,” Sally says, setting her coffee down as she sits up. “What are you gonna go see?”

Percy shrugs in that jerky way he does when he’s lying to her. “I don’t know. Thalia picked it.”

She frowns, Percy looking exasperated as he sighs.

“Mom.”

“What?”

“Please don’t be weird when they get here.”

“Why would I be weird?” She asks, Percy just giving her a look. “They’re your friends.”

“Yeah,” he says, as if he’s uncertain of that, Sally raising an eyebrow.

“Right?”

“Right. Yeah, yeah of course,” he replies, almost as if he was convincing himself of that. It pains her to see the way he’s carrying so much inside of himself, just as it pains her even more to know that if she asked him about it— if she pushed— he would just further sink into himself.

“You want me to go with you?” She asks, Percy looking back at her. “Or are you too cool for me now?”

Percy blinks then smiles, the flash of the little boy she knew passing over his face. 

“ Mom .”

“Just checking,” she says, Percy laughing as he goes into the kitchen. “When are they getting here?”

“A few hours,” he says, Sally hearing the fridge open as she settles back into her chair. 

“Plenty of time to clean your room.”

She bites back a smile at the groan of disgust. 

“ Mom .”

At least some things between them, she thinks, could be normal.

Thalia is the opposite of Annabeth in many ways, in appearance and in temperament. She’s just as polite, the two of them making small talk as they rode the subway to the theater— Percy sitting across from and looking put out as they did. 

Sally knew that he was irritated with the fact that she was there at all— hiding her own hurt feelings that he seemed so obviously annoyed with her and trying to remind herself of what it must be like for him.

She doesn’t know the specifics of how quests are run at Camp Half-Blood but she’s for damn sure that there’s hardly ever an adult with them— a group of kids that acted as if they were older because they weren’t just kids all calling the shots with each other.

Sally is smart enough to recognize that Percy isn’t like other fourteen-year olds that play video games and hang around in their room all day. He’s shot up a foot or so it feels within the last few weeks and his restlessness now shows up in the way he volleys his pen-sword back and forth with far more practiced ease. 

It’s unsettling, a little, how easily he wields a weapon despite Sally practically knowing that it was a necessary skill— the kind of thing that stood between him and uncertain death. 

The things that she knows of what a demigod could face confronted with the reality of a surly looking teenager staring at her as she joked with an obvious crush and a new friend worked in conflict with each other, Sally making a last minute decision at the ticket booth.

“I’ll take one for Falling Upwards ,” she says, Annabeth turning to her in surprise. 

“Are you sure you don’t wanna see—“

“I think she’s fine, Annabeth,” Percy says pointedly, so abundantly obvious to Sally that they were going to ditch as soon as she let them out of their sight. 

“It’s fine,” Sally says, paying for her ticket as they walk into the theater. 

“We’re gonna get popcorn,” Annabeth says, Thalia walking with her as Sally holds Percy back.  

He looks at her, a thousand things running through her mind before she presses her lips together. 

“Mom?” He asks, Sally taking a deep breath then sighing as she stares at him.

“Be careful.”

He blanches, something that would be almost cute if it wasn’t for how much he had missed how obvious he was being— Percy having the decency to look sheepish.

“We will.”

“I love you,” she says, eyes searching his face— Percy tall enough now that she can do that without leaning down. It breaks her heart a little, Percy nodding as he smiles.

“I love you too. We’ll be safe. Promise,” he says, giving her a too quick hug then walking backwards to Thalia and Annabeth who hadn’t gone for popcorn at all, before turning to face them— Sally not even bothering to question where Grover might be.

He was likely waiting at whatever rendezvous point they’d set up, feeling the not so subtle stares from the girls as Percy walks up to them and explains.

She tries hard not to cry as she walks up to the concessions and orders popcorn and a large drink, blinking fast and paying for her food quickly as she makes her way into the theater. 

It’s not until she’s sitting in a mostly empty theater, popcorn in hand and commercials beginning to play that she finally breaks— letting her vision get blurry as she begins to cry.

She hates it then, that the only way she could’ve ever gotten Percy being because of Poseidon.

Hates, in a way that just makes her hate herself, that being left behind is something she’ll never be able to outrun even from her own son. 

Sally goes home alone. 

A small part of her is numb, however small it could be— clinging desperately to that feeling only so that she doesn’t have to feel the nerve racking terror that threatens to suffocate her. She tells herself that this was the right thing to do, the better thing to do, than to force Percy into a choice where she’s not sure she would be willing to accept the consequences of such a decision.

She could’ve told him that he wasn’t allowed to go off to wherever it is that Thalia, Annabeth, and Grover really wanted to go– could’ve put her foot down and told him, no uncertain terms, that demigod or not– he had to stay home and return home before curfew. 

She could’ve told him, with finality, that he needed to stay home instead of running off to who knows where but she didn’t– uncertain if she wants to know what the answer would be if Percy was forced to choose between that world and hers.

Maybe less uncertain and more afraid, that she already knows what the answer would be as she grinds her teeth together. 

It weighs on her for the next few days, wringing her hands together and forcing herself to stay occupied with more shifts at the library and decorating their quiet apartment. 

David is friendly enough and a part of Sally thinks that May was right, his flirting getting more and more obvious the longer she works there. He was cute and age appropriate but Sally still feels as if she’s washing off the stench of Gabe from her life and her memories– not yet ready to dive back into dating, no matter how low stakes or easy it would be. 

Without school to take up her time and Percy’s whereabouts unknown, she spends more time at FEAST– the approaching holidays leading to both a surge of patrons and a lack of volunteers as people elect to spend more time with their families.

A week after Percy disappeared from the movie theater, Sally’s in the kitchen rolling out some dough when she sees something flicker out of the corner of her eye– her heart skipping a beat when she sees the telltale shimmer of a rainbow. 

She thinks she could cry, holding back a sob when Percy appears through it– Sally beaming at him as she takes in his face.

“Hi mom.”

“Hi sweetheart,” she says, Percy looking to her surroundings in confusion as she clarifies, “I’m at FEAST.”

“Oh,” Percy says, as if it had never occurred to him that she would be anywhere but home– seeing the frown on his face as he asks, “are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just putting in some time to help out,” she says, caring less about explaining about what she’s been doing and more into learning everything that she can about him. “How are you? What happened? Are you okay?” 

Percy nods then explains a series of events that makes Sally want to throw up, focusing on the good in the only way she knows how when Percy finishes by saying, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Yeah,” he says, something odd in his voice as Sally stands up straighter.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m– are you happy?”

Sally blinks, unable to hide the confusion on her face as she asks, “what?”

“You’re at FEAST, on a Friday night,” Percy says, sounding older now in a way that pains her– as if he’s only beginning to realize how much of her life had been wrapped up in his. 

“I’m okay, Percy,” she says, her own fears and her own guilt completely secondary to the worry she can see written all over Percy’s face. As much as she wants him to stay with her and be with her– safe, happy, home – she refuses to let the same manipulation and guilt that had hung over her childhood with her uncle be something she passes down to Percy too.

As much as it pains her, as much as she hates it, she refuses to let Percy feel an ounce of guilt for following his own path– even if it comes at the cost of being much, much too soon for her to feel ready to let him go. 

Someone begins to walk towards the hallway, Percy still frowning as she forces a smile. 

“I’m happy, Percy. That you’re safe, most of all,” she says, Percy’s frown deepening as she asks, “will you be home for Christmas?”

“Are you putting blue candy in my stocking?”

“If you’re not too old for that,” Sally says with a smile, Percy’s smile making her heart ache in all the best ways.

“Never too old for that.”

“I’ll see you then. I love you,” she says before she goes to wave the message away before someone can see it– just in time for Teana to walk in with a serving platter.

“How’s it coming?”

“Good,” Sally says, working the dough and unable to stop the smile on her face. Percy was safe and was coming home.

That was all the holiday cheer she needed to keep going.

Christmas is relatively quiet with just the two of them. Sally wouldn’t have had it any other way. 

She goes overboard with gifts, mostly things that he could take with him to camp and some new things for the school year– the types of trinkets and games she’d love to buy him being things that Percy stayed far away from now, because of what risk it would bring. 

There’s a night and day difference in Percy from the way that he carries himself, a darkness in his eyes that Sally hates to see. He tells her more about a junkyard turned dangerous, the quiet and horrifyingly casual way that he talks about death making her sick to her stomach as he plays with his food. 

Sally wishes more than anything that she could shield Percy from it, to have to live with the kind of guilt and far-reaching grief that comes with seeing someone you know and care about die right in front of you.

It’s a grief that she knows she can’t keep him from, even if she tried.

It’s a grief that she’s reminded of that touches everyone, when she gets another phone call after midnight, two days before the new year, that brings her to her knees. 

Chapter Text

Sally doesn’t consider herself to be a religious person. 

Before Poseidon, Sally had considered the gods about as real to her as Santa Claus– stories to tell to children and to occupy the time until she gave birth to a child that was anything but. 

She’s met a lot of people in her life of varying backgrounds and beliefs, been a part of and listened to more arguments about religion than she ever wanted to be from working all kinds of service jobs throughout her life. 

An ever present constant, no matter the belief, was dealing with the horrifying reality of what to do when being forced to live on after death. 

Judaism, Sally thinks, might have the right idea. 

May and Peter Parker sit shiva for a week– Sally and Percy coming by their apartment after the new year to bring food, sit with the two of them, and make small talk with the varying relatives and neighbors that also come by.

Percy is uncharacteristically quiet as they sit and eat with them, Sally’s attention shifting from the way he keeps to himself and to May and Peter– the latter of whom looks as if he’s still in shock days later. 

From what she knows now of what happened, she isn’t surprised– pressing her lips together and then looking at May who looks as if she’s barely listening to whoever is speaking to her. 

Sally wonders how many of them know what happened to Ben, the details and not just the broad strokes– wonders if that’s a story that May is telling people or just told to her, desperate and raw and uncontrollable sobs as Sally had rushed with Percy over to the police station. 

She knows that the news report the next day said that it was a robbery gone wrong, a bodega just down the block from their apartment held up at gunpoint. She knows that the news mentions that Ben Parker, 52 died on the scene after attempting to disarm the gunman– knows the article mentioned that there were no other injuries.

What it didn’t mention was that Peter, aside from the attendant, was the only other person on the scene– that Peter, all of fourteen and looking simultaneously so much older and so much younger, had been the one to try and stop the bleeding from Ben’s gunshot wound to the chest. 

What it didn’t say and what had sent a shiver down Sally’s spine when May told her, was that Peter had held Ben as he died– paramedics arriving at the scene a full seven minutes after the fact. 

She didn’t say any of this to Percy, but there’s a horrifying thought in the back of her mind— as Percy gives side glances to Peter— that maybe she doesn’t have to. 

Maybe, because of what he experienced with his friends in that junkyard— of what else he’s experienced now that he’s never shared— that he knows exactly what Peter is dealing with just from the look of him.

It makes her sick to her stomach. 

Two faces that looked that young should never have had to face something like this. 

“I’m Maria, by the way,” the woman beside her says as May helps her wash the dishes, Sally giving a small smile back. 

“Sally. Nice to meet you. Officially,” she says, only to contort her face at the realization of what she’s said.

Maria looks as if she understands, a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes forming on her face as she nods. “I wish it had been under better circumstances.”

Maria passes on a plate for her to dry, Sally taking it into the towel and in her hand as a somber silence falls between them. Sally knew of Maria Leeds in passing because of May, their earlier conversations of bringing the boys together spiraling out into dreams and possibilities of bridging their two worlds together– May talking up Maria as a woman who could cook almost anything that you set your mind to and worked as a doctor at Mount Sinai, Sally wishing that she knew anything of Grover and Annabeth’s family to be able to offer the same kind of stories of the important people in Peter’s life. 

With Percy and Peter’s relationship being what it is, all that chatter and dreams had died down– a painful thought occuring to her that this might be the thing that finally cracks between the two of them. 

Sally is well accustomed to grief and to loss, just as she knows May is– but there was something different, Sally thinks, between the loss that she’s faced and that of May, looking over to her as she makes conversation with Maria’s husband, Edward. 

May loved the people that she’s lost– her parents, her in-laws, and now her husband. Sally doesn’t remember her parents but she remembers the relief she felt when her uncle finally died– any conflicting guilt washing away when she was finally given a taste of freedom when he was gone. 

Loss changes people, Sally knows this– seeing it not just in her own life but in the way Percy carries himself now, the way Peter stares off into the distance as Ned tries to talk to him. Though Sally would like to believe that this won’t be the end between her and May, she can’t say for certain– her own grief in losing Ben as a former teacher and more as a friend paling into comparison of all that May had lost in him. 

May’s priority wouldn’t be anyone or anything but Peter now– not even herself, Sally drying off the dish in her hand and making a promise to herself. 

If May chose to let go or try and fade away, she wouldn’t stop her. She’d let May grieve and choose, in a time when she likely had few others, who and how she spent her time. 

Sally promises as she dries May’s dishes though, that she won’t be the first person to step back– a promise to be there for her, in any way she can, so that someone is looking out for May as much as she would be looking out for Peter.

Maria hands her another dish, Sally taking it and feeling solidified in it.

She wouldn’t be the only one looking out for May.

She still wasn’t going to give up on her.

David brings her flowers on Valentine’s Day. 

It’s a sweet gesture, not wholly unsurprising as Sally thanks him with a smile and a kiss on the cheek. It’s less than friendly, the way that David looks at her when she does but he’s kind and he’s nice and while she doesn’t want to ruin the job that she has with him– she thinks it might be better for the two of them if they finally try and go out, just to see if there was anything between them. 

Percy, for his part, teases her about the flowers and asks a billion questions about David– reminding her more of the little boy he used to be as she placates him and playfully rolls her eyes. She’d relish the reminder of who he used to be, the sarcasm and the quickness of his jokes, if there wasn’t a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that made her wonder just how much of it was an act– seeing something in Percy’s eyes that she never has before that makes her stomach twist at the sight of it. 

He’s different now, more settled despite the frenetic energy bubbling under the surface. She isn’t sure if there’s another quest on the horizon or how any of that works, but contrary to the last few years– Percy doesn’t seem to be in any kind of hurry to make it to Camp this year, asking instead to hang out with her and watch movies or coming with her to volunteer at FEAST.

When Sally finally does go on a date with David, a week after Valentine’s Day, selfishly all she wants to do is to talk to May– the brief texts and few calls that they’ve had since she’d been over at their house being few and far between. 

She’s giving her space, as much as she can, but refuses to let her go– shooting off a text letting her know that just as she promised, that May had been right and that she was going out on a date with David.

Three seconds after sending the text, Sally immediately regrets it– wondering if mentioning that she was going on a date with a man she isn’t even sure she cared about would be insensitive to send to the woman who had just buried the love of her life not even a month before, only for her phone to buzz almost immediately with May’s reply.

May: you better take pictures 

May: i need to see if what you’re wearing shows off your ass 😉

Sally lets out a bark of laughter, Percy dipping his head into her room with a frown.

“Mom? You okay?”

“Yeah,” she says, thumb hovering over the text and grateful for May Parker yet again. 

“I am.”

Life, inevitably, falls into a rhythm. 

Dating David is simple, if not a little boring. Sally doesn’t see their romance going anywhere and for his part, David seems to recognizes that whatever little chemistry they had fizzled sometime after their appetizers and before the main course. Mercifully, he seems to take it in stride– flirting at work becoming more of a banter and to Sally’s ever present gratitude, nothing changing too much for the two of them as the weeks drags on. 

She still thinks of it as a good thing, at least according to May– who knows the details, if not the why of her last relationship– Sally always feeling just a little bit guilty at talking about her love life so soon after Ben. 

“None of that,” May says, forcing a smile on her face as they meet for coffee once again– spring break once again despite the unnatural chill that was in the air. “It’s good for me. To get out.” 

Sally bundles her cardigan over her chest, the two of them watching Peter and Percy talk back and forth. 

“Good for him too,” May says softly, Sally’s eyes drifting over to her as May sighs. 

“How is he?” She asks, a stupid question considering the circumstances but May just shrugs. 

“He won’t talk to me,” May says, biting her lip as Sally waits quietly for her to continue. “School yes, and stuff with Ned but not–” she cuts herself off, shaking her head as she stares at the two of them, Sally’s eyes tracking back to where Percy was excitedly describing something– Peter just nodding along. “I wonder what changed.”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Sally says, having already tried to get it out of Percy for why he and Peter suddenly got along. 

Percy had shrugged it off, changing the subject a little too quickly and mentioning a failed exam– Sally later kicking herself for taking the easy bait. She’s still thinking of it as they ride the subway home after she and May say their goodbyes, walking into the lobby of their apartment as she nudges Percy with her shoulder.

“You and Peter are getting along,” she says as Percy glances over to her, pressing the button in front of the elevator as he shrugs. 

“Yeah, I guess.”

Sally purses her lips, saying nothing for a beat before she asks, “what were you two talking about today?”

Percy says nothing, Sally seeing the way he’s mentally calculating just how much– or what to tell her– when the elevator door dings, people coming out as they step aside to let them. 

When they’re in the elevator, Percy pushing the button for their floor, Sally stares at him expectantly as the doors close– Percy shrugging again.

“Nothing important.”

“Looked pretty exciting, for being nothing important,” she says, Percy avoiding her gaze as she narrows her eyes. “Have you… said anything?” 

Percy looks over to her, Sally seeing the moment when it clicks as he frowns and shakes his head. 

“ No , ‘course not,” he says, a little quickly to believable, Sally feeling her heart skip a beat as he shakes his head again. “He’s a mortal. He wouldn’t get it.”

“Percy,” she says, a little more firmly. “If there’s something going on–”

“There’s not, mom,” Percy says definitively, the elevators dinging to signal their arrival as they open to their floor. Percy steps out, Sally walking in step behind him as he waves his hands. 

“He and his friend Ned, they’re wanting to buy this new Lego set. The Death Star? From that old space movie you like?”

“ Star Wars is not just a space movie,” Sally says, Percy’s deflection being subtle as a brick but playing along anyway. “I raised you better than that.”

“Anyway,” Percy says, rolling his eyes as Sally brings out her keys. “He was asking about like, jobs and stuff that could help out and I was you know, giving him some cool ideas and stuff.”

“ Really ?” Sally asks as she unlocks the door, the two of them stepping into their apartment as Percy nods. 

“Yeah, you know. Just different stuff that he could do. Ned could do. I said I’d help, you know. Go hang out over there.” A beat. “If that’s okay?”

Percy, once again, is very clearly lying to her– Sally evaluating the options she has in front of her in a split second. 

On the one hand, of all the dangerous stunts and quests that he’s been on, hanging around Peter Parker couldn’t possibly be any worse– the question of whatever it is that he’s doing when he’s sneaking out being that much more likely to be found out if she actually pressed Percy about it. 

On the other, if whatever Peter was doing was dangerous– a mortal kind of dangerous or not– Sally wasn’t interested in having a whole new set of things to worry about, no matter how “normal” they would be. 

“Please?” He asks, earnest and smiling at her in a way that makes her heart clench– the rational part of her fritzing out at the feeling that of all the things Percy has done in his life, this was the first time he actually asked her permission. 

Maybe it was backwards, and maybe it was foolish, but parenting was a gamble half the time anyway– Sally nodding as Percy breaks out into a smile. 

“We’re going to FEAST this weekend, right?” He asks, shrugging off his jacket. 

Sally nods. “Don’t forget to put that in the wash,” she says, nodding to the stain on his shirt.

He laughs, tells her that he loves her and then makes a beeline for his room– hearing the shower running as she goes towards her own bedroom. 

She has half a mind to tell May of her own suspicions, wondering just what it is that Percy and Peter were really getting up to only to stop herself before she does.

May had other things to deal with, a whole host of problems and responsibilities when it came to caring for Peter on her own. 

Sally knew a thing or two about that.

This is something she knows she can handle on her own. 

Against her better judgment, Sally downloads a few dating apps. 

Most of it, she admits, is done from encouragement from May– a part of her wondering if this was a project of sorts for her until May all but confirms it during a movie night.

“I can’t sleep,” May admits, Percy and Peter engrossed in some movie and eating popcorn together as Ned whispers behind the scenes things from reading from his phone. 

Sally takes a sip of her wine, May’s fingers trilling over her own glass as she whispers, “it’s so quiet, at night. Without him. Ben snored.” May smiles at that, tries to at least– Sally bringing her glass down as May lets out a soft sigh. 

“I keep thinking he’s… just at work. On call,” she says, Sally’s heart constricting from the way May’s trying not to cry as she looks over to the boys on the couch. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. For either of us.”

“May…” Sally says quietly, May wiping at her face as she looks at Sally with a teary-eyed smile.

“Which is why I need you to go out on a dozen different dates, good, bad, and everything in between,” she whispers, reaching for her hand. Sally takes it, May gently squeezing as she blinks away her tears. “I need to know that life is– it’s still going on. For someone. I need…”

She trails off, Sally squeezing her hand back as she gently jokes, “to live vicariously through me?”

May softly laughs, Sally noticing out of the corner of her eye the way that Peter turns his head to look back at them– feeling his stare as May nods. 

“Something like that,” she says, nodding a few times. “I just– I need to hear something good .” 

Sally doesn’t miss the way that Peter stares then finally turns back to the television, almost as if he could hear them despite how absurd that is as she keeps her eyes focused on May.

“Anything, May. You know that,” she says, May giving her a grateful smile before letting go of her hand. 

“Just pick some good ones, yeah? For some good stories?” She asks, Sally finally turning over to check on the boys who are all watching the movie.

“I will,” she says, nodding before taking her wine glass in hand– clinking it against May’s. “Just for you.” 

She did make a promise, after all. 

Chapter Text

“So what do you do?”

Sally smiles, tries to at least as she says, “professional clown painter. Part-time.”

The guy in front of her blanches, Sally biting back a laugh. 

“It’s a joke.”

“Oh,” is all the reply she gets, Sally taking that as a sign that this round of speed dating wasn’t going to go very far. 

The apps worked well enough, though Sally felt more out of practice for the date aspect than anything else. After a particularly mediocre hook up in the back seat of a piano teacher’s car, Sally had told May that she was thinking of taking herself off the apps only to be convinced that she shouldn’t take herself out of the playing field over all.

“Try some old fashioned dating services. Speed dating! That was always fun,” she’d said, Sally allowing herself to be something of a guinea pig all things considered.

She finished her semester with much better grades than it had been the year before and Percy, after an actual movie date that he profusely proclaimed “wasn’t a date, mom ” went off to Camp as planned— calling her when he arrived from Annabeth’s cell phone to tell her that he was safe.

It was only till later on when she was skimming through the news that she’d seen an article about a disturbance at a nearby bodega, a block from the movie theater that Percy and Annabeth had been at. 

Sally’s smart enough to figure out that something had happened but at least this time she was prepared for it— thankful even if she didn’t say it that Percy had actually called her to let her know he was okay.

She can only wonder how much of everything with Ben or with his friend Bianca, had changed that. 

It’s why she lets herself have a little fun with speed dating, joking and relaxing as much as she can. She doesn’t see herself settling down with any of the people she’s met tonight but she does feel more freedom to have more fun— in part because she knows May will want to hear all about it the morning after. 

The bell dings, a new guy coming up to sit with her as the other leaves. 

“Hi. I’m Gerald.”

“Sally,” she beams. “Nice to meet you.”

A week after July 4th, Sally braces herself.

She knows Peter has been spending more and more time with his friend Ned, May having mentioned it over the phone when she asked about how Percy was doing at camp.

It didn’t surprise her that Peter’s alleged plans or wish to go to a camp of his own had dropped, just as May volunteering at FEAST had— grief having a way of manifesting itself in new and terrible ways.

It’s why Sally wasn’t surprised that May had declined her invitation to spend the holiday together, thinking back to the year before and how much had changed. May was owed time and space to grieve on her own terms but she refused to let her be alone for too long, refused to give up on her and the friendship that they’d made. 

It’s why she invites May over a little over a week later, mostly for wine and under the guise of telling her about a very good night she had with a playwright, she’s prepared for whatever mix of emotions that would be waiting for her when May arrives at her door. 

What she isn’t prepared for is for May to walk in with a look on her face that she’s never seen before— looking as if she’s going to burst as she blurts out, “I met Tony Stark.”

Sally blinks, closing the cabinets carefully as she stares at May.

“You what ?”

“He came over, to our apartment,” May says, Sally feeling bewildered as she brings the glasses over to the table. “Saying that Peter had— he’d applied for some scholarship? September Foundation. You heard of it?”

Sally can’t say that she has, the machinations of the superheroes in her backyard mattering less to her than the gods who also were there as she shakes her head. 

“Tony Stark was in my apartment,” she says, less awe-struck and more bewildered as Sally pours out a glass of wine for each of them. “Invited Peter to intern orientation. He’s there now.”

“He’s… where?” She asks, May taking the glass and taking a long drink, setting it down before she blinks a few times. 

“Upstate? He said, I’m not—“ she lets out a laugh that sounds a little too forced. “I don’t know where Stark Industries is.”

Sally just stares, May seemingly catching on as she says, “you think I’m crazy. Letting him go with Iron Man without knowing where.”

“I think I need a little more information,” Sally says, reserving judgment on May’s parenting skills considering she had no idea where Percy could be at this moment— more curious than anything when she asks, “Peter applied for an internship or a scholarship?”

“Both, I guess,” May says, sounding a little relieved as she sits back. “I— the last few months have been…”

She trails off, neither one of them needing her to rehash just how much she had lost when May clears her throat. “He’s been good, the last few weeks. Better.”

“Yeah?”

May nods. “I thought that he was just adjusting, you know kids. When he lost his parents, he was so quiet for so long, after.” May looks as if she’s lost in the memory of it, Sally taking a sip of her own wine as May continues. “After Ben—“

She stops herself, voice cracking as Sally’s heart constricts, May taking a beat before saying, “I was— I didn’t know how he’d be. I— I was worried for him.”

“Of course,” Sally says, encouraging her to continue as May softly smiles. 

“But scholarships? An internship? I— that’s good, right? That he’s thinking of those things? Still?” She asks, almost as if she was looking for affirmation.

Sally freely gives it as she nods, a smile on her face as she says, “it is. It’s really good.”

May smiles back, Sally unable to stop herself from asking what she really wants to know.

“I didn’t know Iron Man made house calls for interns,” she says carefully, Sally giving her a knowing look. “How is he? In real life?”

“I thought you didn’t have an opinion about the Avengers,” May says with a laugh, grabbing her wine glass as Sally gives her a look.

“I thought you didn’t like them,” she counters, May smirking over her glass as she takes a drink. “One wink and a check from Tony Stark and that goes all down the drink?”

“ Sally ,” May admonishes, only to grin as she sets the glass down. “It was more than a wink.” A beat. “He ate my date loaf.”

“He what? ”  

The laugh May gives is so bright and carefree that for a moment, it reminds her of how things had been before— smiling as she continues by asking, “is that some kind of innuendo I don’t know?”

“You’d know that better than me,” May says softly, Sally reaching for her hand.

May takes it quietly, nothing else needing to be said.

“So,” Sally says, staring at Percy and Annabeth in front of her, “you wrecked Alcatraz Island, made Mount St. Helens explode and displaced half a million people.”

Annabeth and Percy share a look, Sally choosing to focus on the one thing she can be thankful for as she says, “At least you’re safe.”

It’s clearly what Percy needed to hear, seeing the relieved smile on his face as she asks the question she really wants to know.

“What happens now?”

Annabeth leans forward, Sally seeing the tension between the two of them start to increase as she says, “Percy has a plan.”

Percy explains his plan, the details of it not nearly as relevant as the fact that she’s asking her fourteen-year old what his plan is to save their friends. It makes no sense to her, for the gods to let their kids run around and fight battles for them— just as she hates that she’s willfully allowing it to happen. She likes to think that she’s doing a good enough job in not making Percy feel guilty for running off without warning but the fact that he’s here, explaining what’s happened thus far and what he plans to do next, simultaneously feels like a step forward and a step back.

She appreciates the heads up— it was better than the alternative of being left to spiral and wonder— but she hates herself, a little, for letting him go on these dangerous quests without putting up more of a fight. There’s no recourse for mortal parents, no one else she can talk to and Chiron’s kindness only went so far. 

Sally does the only thing she can do, pushing forward some more of the blue cookies and looking at each of them as she says, “just be careful. Please.”

“We’ll try, Ms. Jackson,” Annabeth says, shifting in her seat. “Keeping your son safe is a big job, though.”

Sally watches as Annabeth folds her arms and glares at the window, seeing Percy pick at his napkin and look five seconds away from saying something only to stop himself.

Sally might not be able to do much for her son in terms of making sure he’s well fed, well rested, or even safe most days but this— girl trouble, as it so clearly seems to be— is something she can try and help with. 

“What’s going on with you two?” She asks, frowning as she looks between them. “Have you been fighting?”

The silence is all the answer she needs, eyes narrowing as she says, “I see.”

Percy gives her a look as if to wonder if she really did , his questions on how much she could see through the Mist reminding her that while she was a mortal— she still could understand. 

At the very least, she wants to be given the chance to, eyes flicking between them when she says, “good friends are hard to come by. Whatever’s going on, work through it. Trust each other.”

Annabeth shifts, Percy looking uncomfortable as Sally raises an eyebrow— looking every bit the stubborn fourteen year olds that they are. 

Maybe some things were universal after all.

Three weeks later, Sally takes a stabling breath outside of her balcony– hearing footsteps come behind her. 

“I’ll be right–” she begins then stops, seeing May’s knowing smile on her face as she exhales. 

“So,” May says, sidling up to her as she mirrors her posture– leaning against the edge of the balcony. “ That’s Percy’s dad?”

Sally huffs out a laugh, wishing she still had a drink or seven as he looks back out over the skyline.

“That’s him,” she says, softer than she intends as May hums beside her. 

She’s sure that May has questions but she leaves them be for a beat, seemingly knowing Sally well enough that she was just trying to catch her breath in any way she could for the unexpected visit.

She hasn’t seen Poseidon in years, never expected to see him again unless it was for all the wrong reasons. She knows that Percy and Annabeth’s plan was a success and that things were slowly beginning to change– not necessarily for the better. All Sally thought she’d have to manage tonight were Percy’s emotions about a certain someone who wasn’t there– neither Annabeth nor his new friend Rachel, who he suspected might be the cause of the former’s absence, were present at the party– though she can hear Percy and his half-brother Tyson yelling in glee over some game they’re playing with Peter and Ned. 

Poseidon showing up to talk to Percy about something she knows she’ll never get to be privy to, being in his life again at all after years of radio silence– it was all just a little much for Sally to try and handle on a good night.

May, who is the one that Sally should be looking out for, seems to have beat her to the punch.

“He’s very handsome,” she offers, Sally smirking before glancing over to her– May’s words teasing even if her tone and her expression are not. She searches her face, looking for something before she asks, “did it end badly?”

Sally shakes her head, looking back down to her hands as she thinks of just how things ended with her and Poseidon– a relationship that in hindsight, wasn’t much of a relationship at all.

“He’s not a bad guy,” Sally says, thinking of the nights she spent with him– how naive she was and how smitten he’d been. 

“But he’s not involved,” May says, not as a question but a statement– something about her tone telling Sally that no matter what she’ll try and Sally, May’s already made up her mind about him.

“He hasn’t been. Lately he’s… tried,” she finally settles on, looking over to May who just looks unconvinced. “He’s not dangerous or anything I just–” 

Sally sighs, looking back over the skyline. “I can’t believe he’s fifteen.”

May hums at that again, hip checking her as she says, “me neither.”

Sally glances to May whose eyes are now over the skyline, a faraway expression in them as quietly says, “I don’t know how you do it, Sally. Raising him, all by yourself.”

A pang shoots through her, the grief of Ben’s loss hitting her like a tidal wave as May blinks fast– clearing her throat as she says, “but that’s just life, huh?”

“I didn’t do it all by myself,” she says, May looking over confused before she gives a small smile– Sally already returning it as she says, “it helps. Having good people.” 

“Yeah, it does,” May replies, holding her gaze for a beat– the kinship she feels with May solidifying in a way she would’ve never expected. 

There’s a loud yell from the apartment, Sally turning over her shoulder and seeing Ned wave his hands towards Percy as she laughs– May turning as well as Sally says, “we should probably get in there before they kill each other.”

“My bet’s on Tyson,” she says, “he’s huge .”

Sally laughs, long and hard– feeling that much better about Posiedon showing up unexpectedly. 

This wasn’t the life that she had planned nor did she feel particularly helpful when it came to whatever was coming for Percy and his father’s world. 

At the very least, she had a good friend to stick beside her– someone who understood her now, more than ever. 

She wonders sometimes, if she should tell May the truth– May having become more than a friend at this point, but the closest thing to family she thinks she’s ever had. 

She wonders but doesn’t yet– unsure if she’ll ever be able to cross that bridge. Not if she could help it.

With all the things that she and Peter have already faced, all the trouble and all the fear, Sally isn’t sure if she could live with herself if she added another burden for her to live with.

May’s life was better off being as safe and as normal as possible.

Sally makes another promise to herself to ensure that it remains just that. 

With a brand new semester on the horizon and with more savings under her belt from working at the library, Sally makes the decision to go school full-time. 

She’s gotten through most of her basic requirements now, having caught up during the summer while Percy was fighting in a maze of all things. She can see it now, the path towards graduation– a joke to herself and sometimes to Percy that if she plans things out right, works hard enough, the two of them could end up graduating at the same time. 

Something about those jokes don’t always land, a sadness in his eyes that he quickly tried to cover. Sally would attempt to needle out more of what he knows or what was keeping him from planning for the future but there’s something that makes her stop— a shameful fear that she isn’t sure she wants to know the truth. 

It keeps her up at night more often than she’s willing to admit. 

“Mom?”

Sally looks up, Percy fidgeting back and forth as he wrings his hands together. 

“Can I um, go and hang out with Ned tonight?”

She frowns, looking at her watch and then back over to Percy. 

“Aren’t he and Peter at homecoming?” She asks, remembering May’s texts from earlier in quiet surprise that he had actually asked her to help him prepare for the dance. 

She knows it’s been difficult for her, even more so, getting an earful over coffee after Peter went missing for an entire day only to come home smelling, in her words, like garbage. 

Sally had just listened, wishing that she could say that she understood but holding back because of how much she’d then have to explain about Percy and his world. For all the different ways that May Parker felt like the sister she’s never had, Sally isn’t sure if she knows how to handle the possibility that telling Percy’s secret– a secret that wasn’t really hers to tell– would be the thing that would send her running. 

Hearing her rant about the Tony Stark internship and of Peter losing it had seemed to be more than enough for May to handle. 

She’s not particularly interested in adding on more to her plate if she doesn’t have to.

“He is. He was ,” Percy corrects, lying through his teeth in a way that she’s almost glad that he’s still not good enough at this that he can pull one over on her. “But he um, he got sick so he’s gonna go home.”

“Got sick? With what? Does Maria–”

“Not sick sick. Just– sick, you know. Of the dance. Ready to like, go home,” Percy says weakly, her eyes narrowing as he seems to realize how far he’s being spun out.

“Percy,” she says carefully, “what’s going on?”

Percy stares at her, seeing the way that he’s calculating what and how much to tell as he wrings his hands together. 

Sally doesn’t consider herself to be much of a patient person, but she waits as Percy seems to run through a dozen different emotions– thinking again of May and of whatever Peter was going through that she hadn’t been able to figure out. 

Percy looks antsy, as if he’s going to fling himself out the window if he doesn’t get to go when he finally says, “I’ll tell you everything, I promise.”

Sally raises an eyebrow, Percy glancing at his watch. “I just– I really, really need to go.”

There’s a part of her that says, yet again, that she could say no– she’s his mother and while he’s in the city, he’s her son– not Poseidon’s.

But whatever was happening with Ned or more likely with Peter couldn’t possibly be more dangerous than blowing up a volcano or fighting their way through a labyrinth of horrors. Percy had done more in his short life than most ever did in a lifetime, the tightness in her chest that she hopes he has a long life coming up empty when she sees his face.

He’s asking permission, could’ve just as easily as snuck out and Sally would’ve been none the wiser– not at least until right before bed. 

Twisted and convoluted as it is, she takes that for the give that it is, sighing as she nods towards the door.

“Let me know you’re safe.”

“I will, promise iloveyoubye,” Percy says as he grabs his keys and then heads off, Sally’s fingers itching to text May and let her know that something was going on.

When she does, all she sees is the last text that had a dancing gif to signify her joy that Peter had been dropped off– Sally sighing again as she leans back against the couch.

Against all logic and reason, she had to trust that Percy was telling her the truth– that he would tell her the truth, when he made it home.

Sally holds on to the belief that no matter what, he would .

Percy makes it back home right after midnight.

He looks fine, if not a little tired– almost embarrassed as she stares at him as he walks into the door. 

“Hi mom.”

“Hey kid,” she says, waiting for him as he runs a hand over his face and stifles a yawn. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say that he was faking it to avoid talking about whatever it was that was going on with Peter.

She knows her kid though, despite all that he’s been through without her, and she can tell that his exhaustion is genuine– going to stand as Percy blinks up at her.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow, okay? Take a shower, go to bed,” she says, Percy blinking once then shoulders sagging in relief.

“‘Kay,” he says as Sally comes up and gives him a hug, Percy immediately returning it as she holds him close.

He smells slightly of burnt rubber, something that Sally tries to push out of her mind as she squeezes him tight then lets him go– kissing him on the cheek as he laughs.

“Goodnight mom.”

“Goodnight. I love you.”

“Love you too,” he says, stifling another yawn then heading towards his room– Sally checking her phone again and finding nothing.

Whatever happened with Ned and Peter, May didn’t seem to know about it yet.

She clicks her phone off and hopes that after tomorrow, she and Percy will finally be able to get to the bottom of it.

Sally should’ve expected that life has a way of surprising her. 

Missed Call from May Parker

Missed Call from May Parker

Sally : in class. are you okay? 

May : call me when you get out

May : you are not going to fucking believe this

Chapter Text

Sally wraps her fingers around the mug in her hand, watching carefully as May seethes– pacing back and forth in her kitchen.

Peter– and Percy– were in Peter’s room, almost too quiet in a way that would worry her if it wasn’t for the body language of May that is at the forefront of her mind. 

She listened as May patiently, albeit loudly , explained the reason for Peter’s constant disappearances and the so-called Stark Internship– explained why he had been missing that day and listened to her as her rantings became increasingly heated as she explained to her– in detail– what actually happened at homecoming the night before. 

Of all the things that May could’ve revealed about Peter’s extracurricular activities or to try and give an explanation for why he had been acting the way he had– being Spider-Man would’ve never have crossed her radar. 

However, being the mother of a demigod, Sally thinks that of all the things it could’ve been– this wasn’t so bad. 

She didn’t say that to May though, feeling as if she was finally getting the reality check of what it was like to be a normal, mortal person thrust in the world of the abnormal– all the feelings that May has so well-articulated for the past hour being things that she had let swirl around in her brain but never once had another person to share it with. 

There’s a guilt that eats at her now, of the secret that she’s kept from all these years– a lie of protection but a lie nonetheless– of keeping Percy’s world and his real identity away from her all this time. It’s not her secret to tell and before an hour ago, Sally would’ve wondered if May would even believe her– all things considered.

Now, watching as May huffs as she runs a hand through her hair, she can’t decide if she would handle it just as well or would potentially have it be her last straw.

“I’m so sorry,” May says, still pacing as she shakes her head. “I’m– this is–”

“It’s okay,” Sally begins but May’s head keeps shaking, fury washing over her as she interjects.

“It’s not . It’s really– God , I’m such an idiot. I let that– Tony Stark just waltz into my apartment, winking and smiling and like a fool I just let him– let him – take my kid to– to fucking Germany ?”

May stops, as if the realization just hit her. “Oh God. He’s from Brooklyn . From– Peter! ”

Sally waits as Peter walks back into the kitchen, looking as if he had been listening to every word as Percy trails in behind him. 

The thought occurs to her that he just might be able to as May asks, “when you said that you fought Steve from Brooklyn. You didn’t mean a kid, did you?”

“No,” he says, Sally feeling like she’s eavesdropping on a conversation that she shouldn’t be. 

“That was Captain America.”

“Yes,” Peter says, Percy looking just as uncomfortable.

May makes a noise in the back of her throat, Sally seeing the way her hand twitches as she runs a hand over her face again.

“God. God .”

“May, I’m really, really –”

May puts a hand up, Peter clamping his mouth shut as May seems to come back to herself, looking at Peter then Percy as she then says, “he brought you into this too, didn’t he?”

Percy just nods, shooting a look at Sally. True to his word, he’d told her everything on the subway ride there– Sally glad for it in a way so that she could help school her own expression when May explained the whole thing back to her with even more details by the time they arrived. 

“I’m so sorry,” May says, directing that to Sally who looks over to her. “I’m– I can’t believe that–”

“May, um. I’m sorry, but– Peter didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Percy,” Sally says with a warning, not interested in her too-grown-for-his-own-good kid stepping over May’s right to have a moment of shock. Percy wouldn’t get it, just as Peter likely didn’t either, of how terrifying it was to learn how useless you were in the grand scheme of things– for your kid to have an entire world that they were involved in, completely outside of anything that you knew or could protect them from. 

Sally didn’t blame May for her reaction, just as she knew that when given a beat to recover– she’d be just as supportive as she could possibly imagine. 

She knew that from experience.

“Whatever it is,” May says, looking between the two of them. “Peter shouldn’t have put you in that position to keep a secret like this.”

Sally feels an uncomfortable pull in her stomach, only to watch as Peter and Percy share a look– unable to hide the shock on her face as she looks to Percy.

“Um,” Percy says, eyes flicking over to Sally. “It actually wasn’t so bad. You know. Because of me.”

Sally says nothing, Percy looking to her in encouragement. She feels as if her heart swells, to think that her boy– fifteen years old and still impossibly five years old in her heart– is looking to her still for that extra push. 

“Because of…” May begins then trails off, Sally looking over to May and hoping beyond all hopes, that she’ll understand as she locks eyes with her. “Sally?”

“I wanted to tell you and Ben–” she feels the wince before she sees it, the sharp reminder of who else would’ve been in this conversation a year before. “I wanted to tell you, I just–”

“It’s kind of hard to explain,” Percy says, Peter looking at him and grimacing as he does.

“Dude, you don’t have to–”

“Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” May interjects, a wave of sympathy passing over Sally as Percy takes a step forward. 

“May,” he says, Sally letting her son take the lead– as she knows he’s done time and time again– as he clears his throat, “I’m a half-blood.”

May blinks, Sally adjusting herself in her seat to explain when Percy beats her to the punch.

“A demigod. You know. The son of a— you met my dad, remember?”

“Poseidon,” May replies with a laugh that Sally can tell is a little too forced to feel natural. “Right. Like the…”

She stops, Sally watching in real-time as the moment clicks for her– eyes widening as she takes an involuntary step back, eyes flicking between Percy, Peter and then Sally.

“Poseidon,” She repeats, Sally biting her lip as May seems to absorb that for a beat. 

When Sally doesn’t clarify anything, just holds her gaze and lets May process the five stages of grief in about as many seconds– May’s shoulders sag, pulling open a chair and plopping down as she takes a breath.

“Start from the beginning,” she says, eyes more on Sally than on Percy– as she knew it would be.

“Please.”

It takes another few hours before May seems to fully wrap her head around the idea. 

They order in pizza– extra now, since out of this conversation came the revelation that Peter not only ate more than any of them could comprehend because he was a teenager but because of the superpowers – May and Sally drinking wine as Peter and Percy talked with them about what they had been talking about for the last few months.

All of the puzzle pieces that neither of them had been able to put together were now seamlessly snapping into place now, Sally realizing just how poignant it was for Peter to find the one person he could truly confide in that would really get what it was like– being dropped into a world that felt like it changed overnight, albeit with Percy having a bit of an edge in the scheme of things. 

It’s in this conversation that Percy finally admits something that Sally had feared, that the reason he was so reluctant to talk about the future or plan for it was because of a prophecy that was all her worst fears come to life– a prophecy that he would decide the fate of the world by the time he was sixteen. 

She held his hand and tried not to cry, keenly aware that this was the most vulnerable he’d been with her since he first went off to Camp Half-Blood. She hated this for him, that he carried so much weight on his shoulders and more that he didn’t feel like he could tell things to her but she tried to be grateful that he was telling her now– surrounded by the two people he probably trusted most in this world that wasn’t a part of the other.

A part of her world, and still indelibly his. 

As the night winds down, Sally takes May’s offer to stay the night– neither of them particularly into the idea of taking the subway home when they’re all emotionally been through the ringer. It feels like a night like any other except for all the ways it isn’t, Sally sensing that May was holding something back as their boys joke and laugh, getting ready for bed. 

Once they’re off in Peter’s room, Sally and May having gotten quiet as she wordlessly invites her to stay in her bedroom, Sally braces herself for some kind of confrontation– wondering if this was the last night that she would ever really and truly be friends with May Parker. 

She wouldn’t blame her, not with everything– that revelation that Peter is Spider-Man no doubt being more than enough for her to even begin to handle, in light of everything else. To learn that Sally and Percy had been lying to her for years, that they’d kept something this big and this significant from the two of them without ever saying a word and likely never would’ve planned to– Sally convinces herself that the minute May walks back in from the restroom that she’s going to tell her that this is the end. 

She’s convinced herself so thoroughly that when May finally steps out of her en suite bathroom, Sally shoots up from the bed– going to apologize to her and tell her that she understood when May Parker– as ever– surprises her.

May walks up to her without a word, throwing her arms around her and pulling her into a hug. 

Sally freezes for a beat then relaxes into it, hugging her tightly as May whispers in her ear, “oh Sally.”

“May, I– I’m so sorry that I–”

“Sorry?” May asks, leaning backwards and Sally immediately seeing the confusion on her face. “For what?”

“For– for not telling you. About Percy,” Sally says, something soft passing over May’s face as pulls her back into a hug.

“It’s your boy,” she says into her hair, May’s grip on her tightening. “I understand.”

Sally is flabbergasted, the anger and the betrayal that she had imagined nowhere to be found as she hugs May back– only for her heart to leap into her throat when May whispers, “you’ve been all by yourself.”

It’s a simple truth, plain and to the point– something that each of them had long known about her since their early days of friendship.

But for May to say it now so succinctly– for May to fully understand the depth of how Sally has been alone – in life, in raising Percy, in being the other woman for an immortal god– breaks something within Sally that she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding.

It breaks and with it, tears spring up into her eyes– feeling a sob building up in her throat that May seems to intimately understand as her grip becomes just a touch tighter. 

“ I’m sorry,” she says, “I didn’t know.”

There’s no way she could’ve, and that just causes the dam to burst– Sally holding onto May for dear life as she lets the tears fall.

A very old, deeply buried hurt comes to the surface– tears not of a 35-year old woman holding her best friend but of a 30-year old in an abusive marriage to protect her child, a 25-year old completely out of her depth with the monsters that find them, a 20-year old pregnant and terrified. 

The fears, the hurt, the worries that had plagued her for as long as she could remember– when she still lived under her uncles thumb and used to cry herself to sleep, wishing she could remember what it was like to have been loved and wanted– all bubble up to the surface, the gentle touch of May Parker’s hands gently brushing against her back as Sally cries feeling like a release in more ways than one. 

How foolish she’d been, to ever think that something like this would ever have made May want to push her away or leave. How shortsighted and small, to ever think so poorly of the one person in her life who had proven that she was there .

Sally cries, letting May comfort her despite how much she thinks she should be doing the same– in the bedroom that she and Ben used to share. 

She wonders maybe, as she does, if this is something that the two of them had talked about with each other. 

Sally holds May tighter and makes another promise to never let go. 

The weekend passes and with it, something shifts. 

There’s a freedom, Sally finds, from having no secrets– the fears that she had buried are all wiped away with May hugging her tight and from the tears that they’d both shed. 

Peter is grounded, albeit for only two weeks as May tells Sally that she needs some time to “wrap my head around everything” which she of all people could understand. Percy seems sympathetic, if not a little curious why May was so concerned.

“You let me go on quests all the time,” he says flippantly, biting into a blue pancake the next weekend. 

Sally bites her tongue to not let him know how much that terrifies her. 

May adjusts, as Sally knew she would– late night calls questioning how terrible it makes her to allow him to go out and patrol, laughable as it was to sit back and consider.

“He’s fifteen ,” May says while she’s at work, having already mentioned how much Peter is grating from staying at home. “He’s– he’s too young to be–”

She cuts herself off, Sally repositioning the phone in the crook of her neck as she washes her dishes. Having a dishwasher in her apartment has not yet rid her of the need to want to do things with her own hands, at least when she wants to focus.

“Will he do it anyway?”

Silence. 

“What do you mean?” May asks, Sally sighing as she runs the plate under the water.

“If you tell him no,” she begins, rinsing the plate in her hand before settling it on the rack to dry. “Will he still go?”

There’s another beat, May not having to reply for the two of them to know the answer. 

“How do you do it?” May asks instead, Sally beginning to question that very same thing for herself as she grabs another plate from the sink.

“Melatonin,” she deadpans, “it’s the only way I can sleep.”

“Sally.”

“I don’t know, May,” she says honestly, using the scrub that she has over the dirty plate. “I– I knew when I had him that this… this would be his life someday. I know it’s not the same for you, with Peter…”

She trails off, reminded again of the Peter she had met all those years ago– sickly and smart and just as earnest then as he is now, albeit in a different way. 

May’s mind seems to be on the same wavelength as she softly replies, “it’s never been easy for him.”

Sally bites the inside of her cheek before finally saying, “no. It hasn’t.”

May sighs, Sally letting her exasperation hang between them for a beat before she asks, “what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” May says, only to let out a sharp laugh.

“What?”

“I know what I’m going to do first,” May says, Sally holding back a laugh at what she says next. 

“I’m going to give Tony Stark a piece of my fucking mind.” 

May: happy halloween. If i commit a murder, will you bail me out?

Sally: time and place. Delete the texts. Where’s the body?

May: 😂 that was too quick

Sally: someone’s gotta be on your side. 

Sally: how’s iron man doing

May: pain in my fucking ass. do you know he had the audacity to tell me that peter should be allowed to patrol all night during halloween? because it helps keep the city safe??????

Sally: i don’t even know how to respond to that

May: give me 5 minutes and I’ll tell you what I said. 

Sally: is this really happening

May: are you texting me right now. 

May: we’re sitting right next to each other. 

Sally: iron man is here. 

May: yes i know

May: i thought you didn’t care about the avengers

Sally: i didn’t before you fucking knew one of them 

Sally: why is he here

May: fixing my oven. 

Sally: ….why????

May: for thanksgiving. say something before he gets suspicious

Sally: why is he fixing your oven for thanksgiving??? 

Sally: is he coming over???????

Sally: May stop talking about asparagus and answer me!

May: good timing for christmas this year

Sally: merry christmas!

May: happy hanukkah! think the boys will like their gift?

Sally: a Lego Millennium Falcon? Are you kidding? 

May: i can’t wait to see Peter’s face

Sally: how’s he doing?

May: good. better. I think i scared him more than anything. 

Sally: you had every right to be.

May: i know. 

May: God it doesn’t get any easier does it? 

Sally: no, it doesn’t

May: seeing him in that hospital bed. All i wanted to do was talk to Ben. 

May: instead I have Tony Stark up my ass, asking me questions about Peter’s classes next semester.

May: did i tell you he wants to give him an internship? A real one this time.

Sally: he might as well. It’ll look good on his college applications. 

May: maybe. I know it’s crazy to say that I need to think about it.

Sally: it’s not crazy

May: how’s Percy?

Sally: he’s ok. I think something’s going on with him and annabeth.

May: oh?

Sally: he has a new friend, Rachel.

May: ohhhh

Sally: is it terrible of me to be happy about it

Sally: that his big problem right now is that he has a crush on another girl? 

May: his father is a god and my kid fought an underground mole in broad daylight this week

May: i think we should take all the normal that we can get 

Sally: do you need me to bring more wine?

May: i’ll never say no.

Sally: fuck you 2016 🎉

Sally: is it cheesy to say that my new years resolution is to sleep more? 

May: not at all

May: 2017 is the year of sleep

Sally: 🥳 🎉 

In hindsight, Sally would think back on that year as being the best of her life.

It’s a year that almost nothing significant happens– no quests that Percy drops everything for and disappears, no fights or monsters or anything that tries to take him away. It’s a year where May grows more accepting, if not fully comfortable, with Peter being Spider-Man– no less begrudgingly aware that Tony Stark was a person that she had in her list of contacts, much to Sally’s amusement. It was a year where Sally went on dates and May started to as well– though infrequent and ending more often than not in tears of what she still missed.

It’s a year where Sally actually began to work on her book, having not just a friend but an accountability partner in May– who she could now fully tell the story of how she and Poseidon met, could send her paragraphs and other pages that she fit in between classes to see if she was on the right track. 

It was a year where Sally could almost forget that there was a prophecy that was looming over Percy’s head, the days of spring giving way to summer in an easy kind of way– to watch as Peter, Percy, and Ned would hang out as a trio more often than not, Rachel sometimes joining and Sally always wondering in the back of her mind how much Percy seemed to miss Annabeth. 

It was a year that in hindsight would be the very last of its kind, the last year in any of their lives where they’d all be together and safe. 

The last year where they’d all be whole. 

It’s a year that comes to an end all too soon, a week before Percy’s birthday when he leaves to go get ice cream with Rachel– only for Rachel to be the only one to come back.

“He’s gone, isn’t he?” Sally asks, Rachel nodding somberly as she stood in the doorway. 

“I’m sorry,” she says and Sally wishes she wouldn’t. 

At the time, she didn’t think that Rachel had anything to apologize for. 

In hindsight, Sally wonders if Rachel had known. 

Chapter Text

“Percy,” Sally says, grounding herself as she works to try and accept what he’s explained to her. She can’t, she refuses to when it’s been said so succinctly and so clearly that it’s even more terrifying to let herself understand. “It’s dangerous. Even for you.”

"Mom, I know. I could die,” Percy replies simply, as if that was just a tiny thing to consider. How callously he treats himself and his life has unnerved her for years and she regrets now, how often she held that back. “Nico explained that. But if we don't try—"

"We'll all die," Nico interjected, a little boy that doesn’t act so little. From the way he carries himself, Sally would think he’s so much older— leaning forward as he says, "Ms. Jackson, we don't stand a chance against an invasion.” 

He looks grim, pressing his lips together as he continues, “and there will be an invasion."

"An invasion of New York?" Sally asks in disbelief, shaking her head. "Is that even possible? How could we not see— the Avengers— “

She’s cut off from Nico again, bracing herself as he asks her to do something she knows she can’t possibly agree to. 

“Ms. Jackson," Nico says, "the Avengers can’t stop this.”

“Thor maybe,” Percy mutters, Nico shooting him a look before Nico continues. “Percy needs your blessing. The process has to start that way. I wasn't sure until we met Luke's mom.”

Nico looks at Percy warily, something passing between them. “But now I'm positive. This has only been done successfully twice before. Both times? The mother had to give her blessing. She had to be willing to let her son take the risk."

Sally looks on in disbelief, the urgency and the certainty in each of their faces as she shakes her head. She bristles at the idea that her part in all of this, to finally be included in Percy’s world, revolved in godly rule about mothers only acting as a blessing to their sons. 

"You want me to bless this ?" She asks incredulously as Percy leans forward in his chair. "This— this is crazy. Percy, please—"

"Mom,” he says, eyes searching hers. “I can't do it without you."

I can’t live without you, she thinks but doesn’t say— the thought of what could happen if they don’t succeed, if he doesn’t come back, too much to bear. Most of her adult life has been lived in keeping Percy alive, healthy— safe . The last few years he’s spent running headfirst into danger, never with her explicit permission but a passive understanding— going against every instinct that she has to protect him and keep him from any harm. Refusing to let him know just how much it aches to see him walk away because of how much she refuses to let him feel an ounce of guilt. 

Now that he’s here, asking for her permission— for her blessing— for something of his own world and not just in her own, makes her wonder if all she’s ever done has been for nothing if it could only have led to this. 

"And if you survive this—this process?" She asks, hating herself for even entertaining something as dangerous and as foolish as what they’re asking of her. 

"Then I go to war," Percy says, an assuredness that Sally wants to believe comes from his age but more likely comes from experience. 

She hates with every fiber of her being, how much experience he has in facing death as he continues, “Me against Kronos. And only one of us will survive."

He presses his lips together, a tell that Sally knows means that he’s holding something back— the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach growing at the thought that he wasn’t just asking for her blessing so that he could finish this mission.

He was asking for her blessing to die. 

"You're my son," she says miserably, an ache that’s suffocating as she shakes her head. "I can't just—“

She closes her eyes, a flood of memories running through her mind. The first moment she knew she was pregnant. The first time she felt him kick. The first time he cried, tears of joy and exhaustion streaming down her cheeks before he was plopped right into her chest. 

His first laugh. His first hiccup. His first word. 

Dozens and dozens of memories of a little boy who talked faster than his mouth could keep up with and who could never sit still, a boy now sitting in front of her asking for her willingness to let him go .

Sally doesn’t consider herself a brave person, not nearly as much as the one she’s raised but she puts all of her energy into holding back the urge to cry as she opens her eyes— praying to gods she doesn’t even believe in that when she speaks her next words, they serve their purpose to help save him instead of a final condemnation.

"Percy," she says quietly, steeling herself. "I give you my blessing."

Percy blinks, then glances to Nico— the latter looking even more anxious to leave.

“It’s time,” he says with a nod, the two of them going to stand when Sally realizes she can’t let him go without making a request. 

“Percy,” she says, watching him stop and wait as she takes a deep breath, exhaling out her fear. 

“One last thing.”

Percy and Nico leave— pulling him into a hug that she prays and prays isn’t a final goodbye— Sally alone in her apartment for two seconds before she has her phone out, calling the only person who could possibly understand. 

“Hi! I was just about to—“

“ May—“ Sally says, unable to stop the tears now— May going silent on the other end for a moment before she hears shuffling in the background. 

“Where are you?”

“Home. I—“ Sally says with a sob, hearing the sound of the wind outside and the background on May’s phone change. 

“I’m on my way. Okay? I’ll be right there.”

Sally says nothing, holding onto her phone— onto May— like the lifeline it is.

“He’s okay,” Sally whispers, vision blurring as May holds on tight— the two of them watching the Empire State Building transform into a bright blue. 

“He did it,” May says in disbelief, having gotten the run down from Sally as soon as she arrived. “Wow.”

Sally laughs, tears still streaming down her face as she puts a hand over her mouth— the two of them hugging each other in the street. 

They probably looked ridiculous to the mortals that were still out and about in this weather but Sally didn’t care, overwhelmed with gratitude that Percy had made good on his promise to let her know that he was okay.

When the battle was underway, Sally did the only thing she knew to do— using whatever Sight she still had to be able to clock whatever monsters came in front of her, May standing with her in backup if not solidarity. 

If Sally had any question on whether May had the Sight it was eliminated now, May having been frantic and readying herself despite facing the wrong direction half the time.

Despite how much she knew it had irritated him from the call he made to May, Sally was selfishly glad that Peter was upstate with Iron Man working on a suit repair— now currently on his way back because of the amount of damage that was reported throughout the city.

To the rest of them, it had just been a freak hurricane. For Sally, she knew just how much their world had been kept safer because of her son.

Her son, who’s alive and sent her a signal because of it— Sally feeling as if she could fall down to her knees and thank the gods in relief that he was okay. 

“He did it,” May says, bringing her back into the present as Sally nods and smiles— holding May’s hand tightly.

Her son was alive , safe and ready to come home. 

Sally would think later how much of an omen that would be. 

“What do you mean you don’t know what I’m talking about?” Sally asks hotly, May beside her looking just as stern as the security guard blithely stares at the two of them.

“Sorry, ma’am. I can’t let you—“

“I’m telling you,” Sally says through gritted teeth, “we have to go up. My son—“ she sees movement out of the corner of her eye, relief washing over her as he runs up to her.  

“Percy!” She exclaims then throws her arms around him, sobbing into his neck as she holds him close. Percy holds her just as tight, seeing Annabeth move behind him as Sally goes to hug her as well.

“We saw the building light up blue,” she says, hugging Annabeth who stiffens at first but then relaxes into the hug before she lets her go, “but you didn’t come down. That was hours ago.”

“I’m all right, everything’s okay now,” Percy says, looking at May. “I saw you guys out there.”

“We did our best,” May says, looking frazzled— Sally noticing the same moment that May does that he’s looking for another person that wasn’t there. “Peter was upstate. I know he’s sorry that he couldn’t—“

“No that’s good,” Percy says, sounding relieved , a pang running through Sally’s chest at the grief that passes over his face. “That— he was safe.”

“Are you okay?” Sally asks, a foolish question but one she has to say anyway. 

Percy looks pained, Annabeth slipping her hand into his as if to stable him. 

“I will be. I—“ Percy begins only to be cut off as someone runs up to them, Sally immediately recognizing him.

Nico’s eyes are only on Percy as he says, “it’s Rachel. I just ran into her down 32nd street.”

“What’s she done this time?” Annabeth asks with a frown.

“It’s where she’s gone,” Nico says, talking to Percy and Annabeth as if she and May aren’t even here. “I told her she would die if she tried but she insisted. She just took Blackjack and—“

“She took my Pegasus?” Percy asks, taking a step forward as Sally scrambles to keep up.

“She’s heading to Half-Blood Hill,” Nico says, already walking backwards as both Percy and Annabeth step forward. “She said she has to get to camp.”

“Let’s go,” Annabeth says, already following after Nico— Percy not two steps behind her when Sally reaches out. 

“Percy—“

“I have to go,” he says, looking back to her with a pleading look on his face. “Rachel, she’s—“

Everything in her wants to keep him here , wants to scream that he’s just put himself at risk to save the world and was now running off again with no telling when he would be back. 

If he would be back.

“I love you,” Percy says, rather than promise he’ll see her soon— Sally involuntarily taking a step forward as Percy turns away from her and runs off after Nico and Annabeth.

“I love you,” she calls out, May’s hand immediately in hers as she squeezes it— gasping out a cry that she’s barely able to keep inside. 

“He’s gonna be okay,” May says. Sally looks at her and knows she’s lying— Sally’s shoulder’s sagging as she lets out a shaky breath.

“It’s his birthday,” she says, May’s expression shifting as she pulls her in.

Sally cries on the ground floor of the Empire State Building— in relief, in dread, in the overwhelming feeling that despite the prophecy being over, this wasn’t the end.

Percy disappears for two weeks.

Peter was predictably annoyed that he “missed all the fun” according to May, Sally taking it as a small relief that at least both of their boys weren’t in danger.

“He’ll come home,” May says with a certainty that Sally doesn’t feel, clinging to the belief that all would be well.

It’s the Sunday before school begins when Sally hears the door unlock, dropping the shirt she was folding on the couch as she runs over to it— breaking out into a smile when Percy steps in.

“Hey mom— oof,” he breathes out, Sally immediately wrapping her arms around him. 

“You’re home,” she says, hearing Percy laugh as he hugs her back.

“I’m home,” he repeats, and it’s as if she finally has permission to breathe. 

Not completely, not totally, but enough— to hold her boy in her arms and be thankful she gets to do so one more time. 

Percy and Peter begin their junior year to both Sally and May’s utter relief. 

They commiserate over sending them off to school over late afternoon coffee, Sally having figured out a semester where she could take all morning classes and May being in-between jobs. 

“I knew it was coming,” she says, holding the cup in her hand. “Whispers have been going around for weeks that the lay offs would hit our department but…”

“I’m sorry, May,” Sally says, May just waving her hand. 

“I’ll be fine. There’s always work in the city, if you’re willing to get your hands dirty,” she says before smiling widely. “How are you feeling? Last semester?”

“I can’t believe it,” she says, softly shaking her head. May beams with pride as Sally continues, “it doesn’t seem real.”

“You’ve worked your ass off,” May says, leaning forward as Sally gives a small smile. “That’s something.”

“Yeah,” she says, smiling back at May, a comfortable silence falling between them.

With a degree in hand, all the opportunities that Sally would’ve never thought possible would be at her fingertips— all the dreams she has for Percy bubbling up inside of her. With his penchant for disappearing and middling grades, she doesn’t have any illusion that he would be on the same path as Peter but it’s still something— a hope beyond all hope that if she were able to finish her degree and walk across that stage, maybe something in that would inspire Percy to do the same. 

It’s a foolish hope, one that she doesn’t speak even to May— hearing May sigh as she looks back up to her and sees her smile soften. 

“Ben would be so proud of you.”

Her chest twinges, Sally nodding in reply before she finally says, “of you too.”

May laughs, too sharp and a beat too loud but Sally hears it for what it is— an acknowledgment of grief that will never fade. 

Neither of them need to say it to understand. 

The next few weeks pass and with it, an uneasy sense of normalcy passes. 

The prophecy was finished, or so she was told— Percy excitably telling her of how much he was looking forward to Camp Half-Blood again with Annabeth.

Whatever had been between him and Rachel fizzled out, from what she gathered— though Percy didn’t seem particularly upset about it. 

Especially not after Percy told her why it fizzled. 

It was as if a dam had burst, Percy being far more forthcoming now that the worst of it was behind him— answering her questions and letting slip stories here and there of some of the things he’s seen and done. 

Despite the feeling of comfort and stability that ushered in the fall, Sally couldn’t escape the pull in the pit of her stomach— the question that there was something else that was waiting for, something wrong. 

Call it mothers intuition or whatever vestiges of the sight she had left. 

In hindsight, Sally should’ve known better. 

“I’m told congratulations are in order.”

Sally turns to see Tony Stark in front of her, a smile on his face as he passes her a flute of champagne. 

“Thank you,” she says, taking it with a nod as Tony seems to appraise her. She’s had a fair amount of interactions with the man now, not enough to feel fully comfortable but easily able to make conversation.

She hopes so at least, considering she agreed to be May’s plus one to the Stark Industries Christmas gala. Tony, it seems, had been particularly insistent— arguing that May deserved a night out, though why  this would qualify Sally didn’t know. 

What she did is that she couldn’t say no to going with May when she asked, taking it as the graduation celebration that the two of them wish that they could afford. 

A night surrounded by Tony Stark and his excess wasn’t a bad trade. 

It doesn’t stop her from glancing around the room to see where May is, Tony speaking up again before she can.

“How’s your next steps looking? English, right?” Tony asks, Sally blinking in surprise. 

She’s not sure if she’s ever mentioned what she was studying. Maybe she has and she forgot or— what was more likely— Tony Stark just knew these things by virtue of being a billionaire. 

Regardless, Sally smiles as she says, “interviewing now, mostly freelance.”

Tony hums, Sally taking a sip of her champagne as he says, “well. If you need a reference…”

Sally nearly chokes on her drink, bringing a hand to her mouth to prevent herself from spilling anything out. 

“I’m sorry,” she says, clearing her throat. “What?”

“Any friend of May’s is a friend of mine,” he says, in a tone she can’t quite read when he flicks his eyes over to her. “She’s a very persuasive woman.”

It hits her then, that this isn’t just an act of generosity on Tony’s part. She knows him but not that well, most of their interactions filtered through May’s rants and the odd drop by during dinner. 

This was a request made by May, Sally feeling equal parts embarrassment and gratitude as she says, “you don’t have to do that.”

Tony shrugs as if to say “ I know” only for the words to actually come out of his mouth be, “like I said, May Parker is persuasive. If she says you’re good people then…”

He trails off, a question in that as he stares at her— Sally holding back the urge to laugh in his face. 

Tony Stark, not so subtly questioning her as a means to protect May , as if she hadn’t been in May’s life long before Tony had ever known she existed. 

Sally’s had experience with dealing with those who believe themselves to be more important than they are, even more experience with those who do have that kind of power as her lips twist into a wry smile. 

“Is that a question or a statement?”

“Take from it what you will,” Tony replies, mild surprise flashing across his face as he studies her. “Your son, Percy. He goes to Goode?”

Sally straightens up, a wave of protection washing over her as she stares. Percy has enough things on his plate, he didn’t need the attention of a billionaire superhero who in May’s words “doesn’t know how to leave well enough alone.”

“Smart kid. Got a smart mouth,” Tony says, Sally pressing her lips together as Tony smirks. 

Sally doesn’t know how to respond to that, only for Tony to look around the room as he asks, “never thought of putting him in Midtown?”

“No.”

Tony seems to wait for an explanation, Sally debating within herself before finally relenting. 

“He has severe dyslexia and ADHD,” she says, Tony surprisingly staying quiet as he listens. “He doesn’t do well with school.” 

Tony hums yet again, Sally getting increasingly annoyed at the sound before he surprises her. 

“There’s programs that can help him, if college is the plan,” he says off-hand, a woman with red hair signaling for him. “That’d be the missus.”

He turns to her, nods before saying, “let me know.”

Sally watches in disbelief as he walks away, May choosing this moment to finally reappear by her side. 

“Hey,” she says, a smile on her face that immediately confirms for Sally that her absence was intentional. “How’d that go?”

“You’re shameless, you know that?” Sally replies, taking another sip of her drink as May just laughs.

“And proud of it too,” she says with a grin, looping her arm with hers. “We’re gonna get you hired. Somewhere good, well paid.”  

“So you’ll let Tony Stark help me pay the bills but not you?”

May just winks, Sally hip checking her and letting her be led away as May deftly changes the subject. 

She’s not so sure she’ll take Tony up on his offer— Sally doesn’t like the idea of owing anyone, much less someone this powerful— but she appreciates the thought, from May.

All these years and it still feels brand new, to find out just how much someone cares about her. 

Sally’s hands shake as she waits in the line for her name to be called, scanning the crowd in vain. 

When Percy had asked if he could go visit Camp Half-Blood— and by default Annabeth— when classes went out, Sally had let him. Some part of her wondered what he would do if she ever actually told him no but another just couldn’t bear the thought of forcing him into making that choice. 

Her only request was that he make it back in time for her graduation that Saturday, Percy promising up and down that he wouldn’t miss it for anything— even telling her that he’d come back early on Friday morning, with Annabeth to cheer her on. 

Now, standing in the line and walking step by step towards the stage, Sally can’t escape the pull in the pit of her stomach.

Something is wrong. 

The rational part of her, the sensible and mature and even-keeled aspect of her brain tells her that he’s fine— that there’s any number of reasons for him not to be here.

Maybe he is , she says to herself, minding her step to not bump into the person next to her— unable to pick out where May and Peter were in the crowd. 

She knows the two of them have signs and horns, May making her a promise that she’d be “loud as hell” when they called her name. 

Just as she promised to text the moment Percy arrived— Sally’s palms slick with sweat as she looks back down to her phone. 

No notifications, checking that the ringer is off and refreshing the screen— seeing nothing as she grinds her teeth.

If Percy was a regular kid and Sally just a regular mom, maybe she could entertain the possibility that he just… forgot. He’s sixteen, going to visit his friends and his girlfriend for the first time in months. It wouldn’t be the craziest thing for a kid to oversleep or miss a bus. 

That Percy isn’t a regular kid and that Sally isn’t a regular mom just twists something in her gut, an uneasiness that she’s not fully able to explain away as nerves at the prospect of graduating for the first time. 

What’s supposed to be a momentous occasion in her life ends up passing in a blur, just barely remembering to put her phone in her pocket as she makes it across the stage— forcing a smile as she takes her diploma with one hand and shakes with the other. 

It’s not till she’s off the stage and back in her seat that she looks at the diploma and finds that it’s just a piece of blank paper, looking confused until someone next to her tells her it’s just a placeholder. 

“They send the real thing in the mail later,” they say, Sally nodding, the world feeling a little fuzzy around her as she stares at the blank page. 

Something about it feels poignant, almost too much on the nose— of reaching the kind of milestone that she has in her life without the person she cares about most. 

Sally closes the booklet they gave her and brings her attention back to her phone.

“I’m so so so proud of you!”

“Congratulations,” Peter chimes in as Sally pulls her into a hug, Sally’s eyes watery as she hugs her tight. 

“Did—“

“I haven’t seen him,” May says into her ear, Sally looking over to Peter.

His smile falls, looking helpless as May leans back.

“He should be here,” Sally says dumbly, May nodding sympathetically.

“I know. Do you want to—“

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ.

Sally feels her heart stop, reaching for her pocket and frantically taking out her phone— the world all fading out of focus.

CALL FROM:

ANNABETH CHASE 

“Is it him?” May asks, so much hope in her voice that it hurts. 

It isn’t, Sally knows. 

Something is wrong. 

Chapter Text

“Let me talk to Chiron.”

“I don’t think—“ Annabeth begins, Sally pinching the bridge of her nose. 

“Annabeth. Please ,” she says, breathing in carefully and exhaling solely. She can’t take her frustration out on a sixteen-year old. It wasn’t Annabeth’s fault that her son was prone to disappearances more than skinned knees or that she’d had dread building in the pit of her stomach for months since the fight with Kronos. 

It’s because of Annabeth that she even knows he’s missing , her futile attempt to be calm bleeding through her voice as Sally grounds herself. 

She would put her ire towards someone who was in charge or responsible.

After what happened in the city, Sally refused to be on the sidelines any longer. 

May looks at her in earnest, Peter awkwardly shifting his weight back and forth. 

“We should go,” May says, Sally nodding in reply.

There was nothing here for her anymore. 

Not when a piece of her heart was nowhere to be found. 

Chiron has no answers.

Grover can’t sense him. 

Annabeth promises she’ll find him.

Sally is lost. 

The first time Percy went missing, after a problem with his school and a PE class gone wrong, all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and forget the world. 

She told herself she couldn’t, not till she knew that something was wrong— thinking back to herself how foolish she had been, how willfully naive not to consider what dangers her thirteen year old was getting up to.

Sally would never say the words aloud but there had been some kind of twisted relief in Peter being rushed to the hospital, hindsight and knowledge now telling her that the same week that Percy had disappeared the first time had been the same one that had transformed Peter. 

There are no hands to hold now to distract her except for her own, no crisis that she can throw herself into. There’s no assignment, no job, nothing that can keep her afloat as she struggles with the weight of indecision— terrified of where Percy could be and even more so that no one else in his life knew either. 

For all the panic Sally knows she feels, her heart breaks for Annabeth— asking if she wanted to spend some time in the city, for the company if not to help her in her own way.

When Annabeth declines, Sally doesn't take it personally— having no say or power over what she does, except for the connection in that the two of them love Percy.

Sally tries desperately not to think of it as loved .

The days drag on— whatever energy she has being thrown into trying to find her son the normal way, only to be frozen in fear at what that might mean for him. 

Sally wouldn’t dream of pretending that she knew the inner workings of the lives of gods and demigods but she knew enough about monsters, about evil— how much his world had kept their eyes focused on Percy and how dangerous it could be if anyone who shouldn’t found out he was missing. 

Few monsters would likely search through the missing kids database but Sally couldn’t bring herself to do it— a very old terror gripping her that sent her back into time, when her Sight was stronger and Percy had been all but oblivious to who he was. 

Now that he did, now that he’s saved everything, if Percy was missing, it could only make trouble for him— and for Annabeth— if the rest of the world knew. 

It’s why she declines, despite how much it pains her, May’s urging to get Tony Stark to run surveillance— a man far too nosy and with too much mortal power to risk, not when there’s so much that she doesn’t know. 

What she does ask is for him to write that recommendation, to find her a job no matter what it is. 

If she lets herself, Sally knows she would drown in her grief.

Sally sometimes wonders if succumbing would be a relief. 

May: just checking in.

Sally: thank you

Sally : you don’t have to bring chocolate

Sally: didn’t you have a date tonight 

May: yep. 

May: you.

May: ☘️ there’s a sale on wine for St. Paddy’s day. Want some?

Sally: im ok 

Sally: thank you 

May: I’m outside 

May: anything? 

Sally: no

May : I’m so sorry 

Sally : me too

Towards the end of the school year, Goode begins to ask questions. 

Sally had put them off in January for a sickness, February for travel. It was some small miracle that spring break happened without a truant officer at her door— a miracle that Sally couldn’t help but wonder, however impossible it was, had a name that was on the side of a building. 

Whatever the case, Sally knew her luck on accepting that Percy wasn’t going to be back in time to finish the year— the fear that grips her that he might never come back— was coming to an end, right when she gets a sternly worded email from the principal. She should’ve just de-enrolled him, say that she was choosing homeschooling despite how difficult that would be for him. The chances of a counselor arguing against it were slim, but not impossible. 

It would be Sally’s luck to make the case her son to learn at home, only for his case to be the one chosen for a review.  

Sally’s eyes glaze over the message, sitting at her desk at a temp job that pays her rent but not much else— her savings getting dangerously close to depleting, arguably being enough of a push to hit the ground running. 

She can’t, despite how much she tries— unsure of how she’s still breathing half the time when she gets the email.

It’s short and to the point and it’s just enough to send her over the edge, Sally struggling not to cry as her vision blurs. 

Her son is missing and no one has any answers or is anywhere close to knowing where he could be. 

How can she even begin to try and explain to his school the unexplainable— caring little of the risk to herself and everything to what official reporting and records would do for him.

Sally wishes more than anything that Poseidon heard her cries, the first and only time she’s ever made an offering to him where he didn’t appear immediately.

Some part of her fears that it means the worst— that Percy was gone and even the thought of that brought her to her knees, only for the faintest sliver of hope to come back to her. 

Poseidon wasn’t present for most of his life but he loved Percy, Sally knew that to be true. 

The seas were calm.

The weather was perfect. 

Sally held onto that as a life raft of proof that he was okay.

Sally should know better than to believe in that.

“And then I was like, no , I’m not gonna be there,” Frankie says, gum smacking and adjusting her headphones as she talks into the mic. The chances that Frankie was actually on the line with a customer are slim to none but Sally doesn’t get paid enough in this call center to care— not when her mind is still focused on the email from Goode she hasn’t replied to.

“Right, right, that’s what I said but you know Nono, if he says left, he wants left,” Frankie continues, Sally staring at the computer screen in front of her. She can almost tune out Frankie, most days— a slight headache building in the back of her neck that she’s been unable to get rid of. 

Maybe she should quit, rent be damned— it’s not as if this was a particularly fruitful use of her time. Sally thinks she’d rather work at Sweet on America again than here, the pay not being much better despite the newly minted college degree she now had. 

Maybe she should’ve gone into something useful, like accounting or nursing, her dreams of being a writer feeling just as out of reach as her long forgotten draft. She hadn’t touched it since before Thanksgiving of last year, telling herself that after graduation and with a new job that she’d have the chance to finally start the process of finding an agent and publishing. 

Now, it feels about as useless as the degree still sitting in her counter— unable to bring herself to finish the love story of her and Poseidon when their son—

Sally shakily exhales, putting her head in her hands as Frankie’s chatter begins to ramp up— hearing something panicked in her voice. 

“Hold on. Hold on, I—“

Frankie cuts herself off, Sally lifting her head up to see if their boss was making the rounds only to frown. 

Frankie was gone. 

Sally sits up, half-standing over the small cubicle when she sees her headset still there— her mind not quite making sense of what she’s seeing when Xavier runs in.

“Did anyone see—“ he begins, only for Sally to watch in horror as he begins to disintegrate , the hands that are out in front of him crumbling apart as Sally takes a step back.

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my—“ Xavier rambles and then he’s gone, fear clutching at Sally’s throat as she stares where he had just been then looks around their office. 

The voices all around her begin to heighten, Sally immediately grabbing her purse, her keys and slipping on her tennis shoes— glancing around for the nearest exit when the fire alarm goes off. 

“Everyone, remain calm,” Bernice calls out, her voice shaking as Sally locks eyes with her. 

If Sally had any doubt, the terror on Bernice’s face proves to her that this has nothing to do with her Sight.

Something else has gone terribly wrong. 

The streets are in chaos.

Sally half-runs, half-walks from her office towards her apartment— phone immediately dialing out to the only person she knows she can call.

May is working as a hospital receptionist just a few blocks away from her apartment, agreeing to meet her when the line goes dead. There’s no tone when she tries to dial again, Sally wondering what— or who— had made the phone lines go down as the mayhem that surrounds her reaches a fever pitch.

The sky is a pretty, clear blue— hauntingly familiar to a sunny day in September and yet another half a decade before. 

Sally forces herself to push forward, the screams of terror of people around her propelling her to move closer and closer to her apartment. 

She finds May waiting for her outside, breaking out into a sprint as she wraps her arms around her— May’s grip so tight that she can barely breathe. 

Almost at least, until the wind’s taken out of her entirely— May pulling back and Sally seeing a look on her face that she instantly recognizes, a look she’s seen in the mirror time and time again.

“Peter’s gone.”

Sirens blare out all throughout the night, May pacing back and forth in Sally’s living room. Neither of them have made a move to sleep, nor does Sally think she even could if she tried— failing to rid herself of the memory of Xavier disintegrating in front of her eyes.

The emergency broadcast is the only thing playing on television, phone lines down and internet access non-existent. She feels trapped in her own apartment, just as she knows May does— desperately wanting to make it back to Queens despite how dangerous of a trek that would be. 

“Come on, come on, come on,” May mutters, dialing out her phone in vain— Sally feeling numb as she physically holds herself together. 

She knows now that Peter was meant to be on a field trip and that he’d been jetted off to space, Sally hating that May had seemingly seen footage of “Iron Man and Spider-Man” being beamed up there like Star Trek. 

There’s been no word from the school, no way for them to get it even if they did— the only plan they have in place being to return back home in case of an emergency. 

May is muttering something to herself that Sally can’t decipher, turning to look at her and seeing the tears streaming down her face— May looking as if she was completely unaware of it as she continues to pace. 

“Tony gave me a satellite phone,” she says, almost to herself. “That’s— this. He made it so that I’m connected to the SI satellite.”

“Okay,” Sally says, May’s face contorting. 

“It’s connected to the— the best fucking satellite out there and I can’t— I can’t—“

May’s voice is cut out with a sob, Sally immediately moving to stand as she pulls her into a hug.

She doesn’t try and soothe her with lies or comfort, unable to soothe herself with the terror of what this new thing could mean for Percy… wherever he is.

There’s a terror, deep in the pit of her stomach, to wonder—

Sally forcibly stops herself.

She can’t afford to break down, not anymore. 

Not when May needs her now. 

The days pass as if wading through molasses. 

Sally and May are stuck at her apartment, more or less because of the traffic jams and intermediate lockdown that’s been put into place. The world feels chaotic which is only magnified by the panic between both she and May, neither of them speaking a word because of how much tightly coiled tension is between them.

It’s grief, it’s anger, it’s the anxiety of knowing something has happened and for May— that Peter is clearly wrapped up in it. Sally understands better than anyone ever could of what May is going through, just as she understands that there’s nothing she could say that would make her feel better. 

A week passes and then another, with official word coming from whatever governments and news still exist. Death counts, of which that’s the only explanation that can be given for someone to disintegrate before them, rack up in the millions— all the while Sally is terrified that Percy is among them.

She hasn’t heard from Annabeth or Grover, her calls to Chiron going unanswered— Sally half-convincing herself to march to the Empire State Building to demand them to tell her what’s going on.

For May’s part, she spends her days searching for signs of Iron Man or the Avengers, the internet kicking back on midway through the second week as she scours blog posts and websites like never before. 

She learns through May that Maria is gone too, Ned and his little sister also seemingly having disappeared from the quiet cries of her husband Edward. 

 “They should be back by now,” May says to herself one day, approaching three weeks since what reporters are now calling the Blip.

“What could they be doing up there?” Sally asks, May not having any more of an answer than she does as she sighs.

“I just need to—“ May stops, her phone buzzing in her hand as she stares at the screen, Sally sitting up from the couch as she answers.

“Hello?” She says, only for her face to transform as she breaks out into a relieved smile. “ Pepper .” Sally’s mind filling in the blanks to that being the “missus” Tony had mentioned. “I didn’t know— where is—“

There are moments in life, Sally thinks that can be defined as the before and after. 

It’s not always obvious, a shift that can change everything sometimes flying by unscathed. It’s only looking back, in hindsight, that she’s able to see it— the exact moment that everything changed, only made clear from what was to come. 

This is not one of those moments.

Sally watches as May gets news that she knows will forever change their lives— the exact second that the last shred of hope May has is ripped away from her. 

She’s on her feet in an instant, rushing to May to break her fall— an guttural, soul-crushing wail that rattles her insides as May crumples in her arms. 

Her sobs are loud, shoulders shaking as she clings to Sally— a suffocating ache in her own chest at the confirmation of what she had long feared to be true made real in an instant. 

Their boys are gone. 

Chapter Text

When Sally wakes up the next morning, she feels numb. 

It’s not a new feeling, she’s felt more numb than alive in the last few months but there’s something different in the air now. A resolution. Complete. 

Her son is missing. 

Peter is dead. 

She closes her eyes, wondering how and why the universe could be so cruel to both her and May. 

Had she not suffered enough? Had May not suffered more than enough in the past year and a half? 

The air feels different now, waking up in the solid knowledge that Peter is dead and Percy very well could be— the hope that she’s clinging to feeling more and more foolish as time passes. Even if Percy had survived the Blip, she had no way of knowing if he was alive now— every day the two of them hearing stories of missing people and loss of life, not just from people turning to dust in front of them but from the effects of millions being gone in an instant. 

The world feels like chaos and that much darker, with their boys gone— Sally’s nose wrinkling when she smells something like smoke in the air. 

It takes her a half beat to realize that the smell wasn’t a result of anything outside but much closer to home, sitting up and looking around her bedroom before she moves quickly towards the kitchen. 

She’s surprised to see May at the stove, swearing to herself as she turns on the vent and then fans at what looks like burnt eggs— sighing and throwing them into the sink as Sally stares. 

“Breakfast,” May says, sounding helpless. “I was trying…”

“It’s okay—“

“ No , it’s not,” May snaps, Sally pressing her lips together as May runs a hand over her face. “I’m sorry. I— I’m sorry.”

Sally knows there’s nothing to apologize for but also knows there’s nothing she could do to stop May from trying to do something, the two of them far more alike in this respect as May braces herself against the counter. 

“I can’t stay,” she says, Sally nodding in understanding. She knew it was a matter of time before May would insist on making the treck back over to her own apartment, the trains still jammed and wreckage everywhere making it difficult to do anything but walk.

As if she could read Sally’s mind, May shakes her head. 

“Not- I can’t go home. Not yet. Not when he’s—“ her voice breaks, Sally fighting the lump in her own throat as May takes a deep breath. “I can’t stay here, in this apartment and do… nothing.”

Sally stares, blinking a few times as May searches her face— an almost pleading expression in it.

“Come with me?” She asks, Sally nodding even if she has no idea where May wants to go.

It doesn’t matter, really. For either of them.

They’re all that each other has left. 

It shouldn’t surprise her that May wants to go to FEAST. Long before she had ever met Sally, May had made a home for herself at FEAST— Sally’s guilt at stepping back from her own volunteering having waxed and waned as the years have gone by. She’d made an effort, right after Ben’s death but as she worked to finish her degree and with everything with Percy—

FEAST had slipped off her mind. 

It’s a guilt that’s easily assuaged the minute she and May make it to the closest location, the amount of people that were there feeling painfully familiar— a hum of noise and bustling around as people talked with each other, cried and even kids laughing as they played, only for Sally’s heart to sink when one of the volunteers to mention that their parents and guardians are nowhere to be found. 

“We don’t know if they’re Blipped or dead,” he says bluntly, more to the point than any attempt to be cruel as he continues. “But if you’re here and want to help—“

“Yes,” May says immediately, looking to Sally for confirmation as she nods in reply.

“Yes, of course,” Sally says without question, a quiet understanding between the two of them as she locks eyes with May.

This is how they would survive. 

“I’m Paul,” he says, extending out a hand. 

“May, this is Sally,” May says by way of introduction, Sally shaking his hand after she does.

“Nice to meet you.”

Paul nods, eyes catching someone’s behind their heads as he says, “you said you’ve been here before, right?”

They both nod, Paul motioning to whoever was behind them.

“I need to sort this out, but— go for it. It’s all hands on deck, obviously,” he says, a hollowness in his eyes that Sally knows all too well.

He doesn’t need to say what they all know, of how much there is to be done in the wake of so much loss— a smallest bit of something almost like relief in Sally’s chest that she doesn’t try to explain.

She and May had been cooped up in her apartment for almost three weeks, consuming every piece of news that they could only filtered through the screen and through the neighbors that surrounded her. 

Being here, with the people at FEAST, in the wake of disaster and seeing the way they had already worked to collaborate together—

Oddly, it felt like home. 

“We should go back,” May says, as they walk back to the apartment— a bone-tired exhaustion creeping down her spine as Sally nods. 

The streets are still mostly empty, wrecked and abandoned cars still all around. In the wake of what could only be classified as an apocalypse, Sally’s surprised that there’s not more looting or destruction all around— the reality of living in a world post-life altering tragedy being so much different than what she had ever seen in a movie. 

Then again, Sally muses to herself darkly, so had raising a child from a god.

She doesn’t think about what the Olympians must be doing from their thrones— realizing as her shoes hit the pavement that for the first time in weeks, she hadn’t thought about Poseidon at all.

She thought of Percy every waking moment, her heart clenching in her chest when she saw a flurry of blonde curls whizz past her and feeling as if the wind was knocked out of her when another kid laughed in a way that sounded so much like him. 

Poseidon however and his world— the gods and their lack of attention to what had happened hadn’t crossed her mind.

It wasn’t as if Sally believed they would involve themselves— it wouldn’t be the first time that they had stepped back in times humanity needed them— but it’s the first time that she wonders if any of it is related, a question that she goes to ask May only to stop herself. 

Less than 24 hours ago, she’d gotten a call not even from the man himself but his wife— that her kid was lost just like billions had been. 

Whatever knowledge that Tony Stark has of what happened in space, how or if it was related, wasn’t something for Sally to know.

She keeps her thoughts to herself, May just as much in her own mind, as they walk back to the apartment together. 

The days pass, albeit with more purpose. 

Sally and May create a routine with each other, getting ready and heading out for the day. Their roles at FEAST are different than they’d been before, less formal but no less organized— Paul having been right in his assessment at the start.

It was all hands on deck.

FEAST, as a facility and an organization, could not sustain all the resources that a city in need was looking for but by nature of serving the most vulnerable in the best of times it became something of a beacon in the immediate aftermath— bringing in hundreds of people from all walks of life, searching for something in the wake of all that they’d lost. 

It’s in being with people that Sally hears more about their stories and how similar they were to her own, a morbid kinship in having watched people die right in front of them.

At least, that’s how Sally considered it— though she learns not everyone does. 

“I don’t think they’re dead,” Margaret says with a sniff, pulling her sweater over her chest. There’s been an unnatural chill in the air despite the season, the coldest month of May that Sally had ever remembered. 

No one knew why, another thing that been chalked up with the rampant conspiracy theories as Margaret continues, “if you ask me, they’ve all been transported to another planet. It’s the Chitauti again, mark my words.”

“It was a guy named Thanos, you quack,” says Earl, Sally having learned from another volunteer that Margaret and Earl had been staples at this particular FEAST since long before the Blip. “Ain’t you hear a word Captain America said?”

“Captain America?” Sally asks, a girl beside her that couldn’t have been more than nineteen nodding.

“They had a press conference, the Avengers I mean,” she says, making a face. “Or what’s left. I don’t know. It was just Captain America.”

“Is Iron Man dead?” Someone asks, whispers going around the room as the girl— Ivy, Sally thinks her name is— shrugs.

“I don’t know, I missed the first part,” she says, eyes meeting those around her. “But I did hear it was a um, an alien named Thanos.”

Sally considers that, the name feeling familiar as Margaret chimes in again. 

“See, aliens. It’s always the aliens.”

“Will you shut up!”

Sally goes to leave, check in with others around her— her mind now fixed on the name Thanos and how familiar it sounds 

It clicks just when she gets back to the food, Thanatos coming to mind as she frowns. 

She doubts that they’re connected—Thanatos was thought to be the god of peaceful death, or so she thinks she remembers. 

Sally looks around FEAST, the clusters of people all together searching for a place to call home. 

And wonders. 

“So what’d you do, before?” Paul asks Sally and May, the short-hand that’s quickly developed being one that they immediately understand. 

“I worked at a hospital, administration,” May says and immediately clarifies as Paul opens his mouth, “not a nurse or doctor or anything useful like that.”

“You’re plenty useful,” Paul says with a smile, nodding to the assembly line that they’re now in to pack up tents. “I heard through the grapevine that the FEAST Queens location wouldn’t have run without you, some years.”

May laughs, the sound taking Sally aback in the realization of how long it’s been since she heard it when she says, “well, that’s very flattering and very untrue. It takes a team.”

“Spoken like someone who does more than what they say,” Paul says congenially, May just smiling as Sally does the same. 

“How about you?”

Sally realizes the question is directed to her, looking from May to Paul as she clears her throat. 

“Just a temp job at a call center,” Sally says, shaking her head. 

“She just graduated with her bachelors,” May says, the pride in her voice so clear that it makes Sally flush. 

“Congratulations,” Paul says warmly, Sally just shrugging in response. 

“Thank you. I know it’s a late start but—“

“Never too late to learn,” Paul says sincerely, smiling softly as he continues. “I should know. I was a teacher.”

A painful moment passes, each of them seemingly reminded of the kids they’ve lost when May asks, “what grade?”

“High school English, at Goode,” Paul says, something passing over his face as Sally’s eyes widen— feeling May tense beside her. 

“Goode? That’s—my son went there,” Sally says without thinking, Paul immediately perking up.

“Is— did he—“ Paul begins, only for Sally to come back to herself. 

She can’t say with any certainty if he was lost like Peter is, only for her fear at doing more damage being absolved with the reality of where they were now. 

Almost no one would care now, that she had lied about where Percy had been— not now when so many had disappeared or died in the aftermath. 

“I don’t know,” Sally answers honestly, “he went missing, before.”

Paul frowns, only for it to look like a lightbulb went off as he ways, “Percy Jackson.”

It feels as if she’s been punched in the gut, looking at him in shock as May stands protectively next to her. 

“Did you—“

“I wondered what happened to him,” Paul says, looking at Sally again as if in a new light. “Admin said that he was sick than he was traveling…”

“He’s missing,” Sally admits, because she has nothing left to lose now— nothing and no one to protect as May’s hand reaches out to gently rub at her back. 

“I’m so sorry,” Paul says, shaking his head sadly. “I wish I’d known.”

“You knew him?” Sally asks, Paul nodding— a sad smile on his face. 

“Not well, he wasn’t in my class but I uh, had stopped him once from getting into a fight.”

Sally grimaces, Paul just smiling as he shakes his head. 

“It was for a good cause. Some kid getting shoved in a locker. Your son was ready to tackle the other one,” Paul says, Sally letting out a bark of laughter that surprises her. 

“That sounds like him,” she says, voice wavering as she presses her lips together— a not quite comfortable silence falling between them.

“I’m so sorry,” Paul repeats, Sally shaking her head. 

“That’s why we’re here,” she says, locking eyes with May who nods in affirmation. “We need to help.”

Paul nods, a look in his eyes that feels a lot like solidarity before he looks back down— the three of them getting back to work. 

Change is inevitable. 

Sally learned that a long time ago.

She also learned early that even when it hurt, when it felt like she couldn’t breathe and like there wasn’t anything that could keep her getting back up— get back up she did. 

From her earliest memories with her uncle, to long shifts at the diner, to a crying baby in the other room, to the moves and evasion of a bitter man— Sally is well-equipped to adjust.

She hates how quickly she readjusts to this. 

She goes with May to her apartment in Queens, enlisting the help of Ivy who had overheard their plans. It wasn’t nearly as dangerous as Sally had thought, only long— the four hour trip taking nearly twice as long because of the wreckage up and down the streets. 

There’s been some chatter that the government would begin to work on the clean up, even more chatter questioning where the Avengers weren’t around to help.

Sally ignored the chatter, just as May did— that being a conversation neither dared to start. 

May is surprised to find that her apartment is safe and well-kept, only to run into Edward Leeds and realize he had been the reason for it— Edward turning down the offer to come back with them to Manhattan the next morning. 

“When they come back,” he said with a nod, “I want to be home for them.”

None of them dared to question if that would ever come to pass. 

“Do you think he’s right?” May asks, a few days later— the two of them standing outside her balcony as they watch the sunset. There were no fireworks this year, no party or independence to celebrate. Tradition felt important though, the two of them still choosing to look out over their half-destroyed city— together. 

“Who?” Sally asks, seeing a shadow pass over May’s face. 

“Edward. Do you think…” she begins then trails off, pressing her lips together as if she’s remembered something. “I’m sorry.”

May doesn’t have to explain and Sally doesn’t try to bridge the gap— the reminder that while May could say with certainty what happened to Peter, Sally couldn’t do the same, swallowing down the lump in her throat. 

“I want to believe that he’s— that he’s okay,” she says, voice cracking as she looks down at her hands. “And if he’s gone then he’s— he’s gone.”

Sally takes a shaky breath, May reaching out a hand to her back as Sally slowly exhales. 

“I hate this, the not knowing. I don’t…”

She shakes her head, May’s hand gently rubbing up and down her back before she presses her palm down— Sally looking up at her. 

“He could still be out there,” she says with a hope that Sally doesn’t feel. 

She nods anyway, May bringing her hand down and neither of them acknowledging what that would mean for the two of them if that were true. 

Sally is lost to her grief, unmoored and untethered— except to May.

She’d give anything to know that Percy was safe and was alive, would give of up own self to make sure of it. 

She knows May would do the same for Peter, if given the chance. 

The thought haunts her all the same. 

On the day that Peter would’ve turned seventeen, Sally leaves May to her own devices. 

She doesn’t ask if she wants to go FEAST nor does she try to get her out of her bed, quietly making breakfast for herself then heading out into the city— bracing herself to succumb to the very same feeling eight days from now. 

Sally goes through the motions of the day, thinking of Peter and missing him too— thinking back to that very first time she met him at FEAST, smiling up at Ben and joking with each other about a museum.

A pang runs through her at the reminder of how much May has lost in such a short amount of time, the only person who understood her in a bond that neither would’ve liked to have. It gets her through the morning before she decides that she needs to get back home for lunch, going against what she had originally planned to ensure that May isn’t left on her own for too long.

Neither of them were alone anymore, not when they had each other— making her way back to the apartment when she feels her phone buzz. 

Reception was still spotty, most days— not nearly as stable as the internet for reasons that escaped her. There’s precious few people who would be calling her now, even fewer that would do so in the middle of the day— immediately reaching for her pocket and heart skipping a beat when she sees May’s name flash across the screen. 

“Hey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” She asks, walking faster towards the apartment and kicking herself for having left her behind in the first place. 

“Sally,” May says, something odd in her voice that makes her stomach drop. “Where are you?”

“I’m on my way home. What’s wrong? Are you—“

May cuts her off, her next words hitting her square in the chest it’s as if she can’t breathe. 

“Percy’s back.”

Chapter Text

Sally runs.

There’s a stitch in her side, feet pounding hard against the pavement but she doesn’t care— mind focused on one thing and one thing only.

She races down the street, turns to her building— flying up the flights of stairs and hearing his complaints of how many there were in her head with every step she takes. 

He’s back. He’s back. He’s back , two words that are on a loop in her brain as she finally makes it to their floor— lungs screaming for oxygen as she moves forward. 

The closer she gets now to her apartment, the more terrified she feels— knowing deep in her core that May would never joke about something like this but Sally confident she would never believe until she sees—

She comes to the door, going to unlock it when the door swings open— Sally feeling as if the wind’s been taken out of her when her eyes lock onto his. 

“ Percy .”

“Mom,” Percy says— her beautiful, beautiful boy there and alive as she throws her arms around him and pulls him close. 

She sobs as she holds him, feeling his grip tighten around her as her body convulses— sweat, snot, and tears all streaming down her face. 

Almost seventeen years ago, she had cried bringing him into this world— an indescribable pain that she had promised then she’d never endure again.

Sally holds her child and thanks the gods and everyone else who would listen that he’s alive and safe— knowing now that she would endure this and any other pain if she could ensure that this is what he would always be. 

Sally sobs into the arms of son, Percy holding her tighter as he whispers, “I’m sorry.”

She holds him close, the rest of the world fading away in an instant. 

All that mattered to her now is that he’s home.

It’s only when Sally comes back up for air, when she feels as if she can finally breathe a little better as Percy is the first to break the hug, that she realizes he’s not alone.

“Mrs. Jackson, I’m so sorry–” Annabeth begins to say only for Sally to move to hug her, not quite letting go of Percy but still pulling her in. 

Annabeth still stiffens but relaxes more quickly into the hug, Sally whispering thank you into her ear and feeling Annabeth’s grip tighten. 

“I wanted to call. We both wanted–” she begins, Percy squeezing Sally’s hand as she looks over to him. 

“I’m so sorry, mom.”

“What happened? Where–”

“I want to explain everything, I do, I will ,” Percy says, only to look over Sally’s shoulder– a shameful moment passing over her at the realization that she’d forgotten May was here. 

It’s as if she can see the moment play out before it does, wanting to stop Percy from asking the question she knows he’s going to but unable to in time as he asks May, “where’s Peter? He would be out there on his birthday.”

May holds it together well, far better than Sally would’ve but doesn’t say a word– a beat passing when Percy’s face falls. 

“He’s…” he begins then trails off, looking to Sally for confirmation. 

Sally squeezes his hand, the look on his face telling her that wherever he’d been the last few months– he knows what’s happened to the rest of the world. 

The tears in his eyes are all the reason she needs to pull him into a hug again, Percy’s arms tight around her. 

She wishes more than anything that she could take this pain away from him but all Sally can feel is relief, even in the grief that Percy holds now as he holds her close. 

Relief that her son was finally home. 

After showers and sandwiches, Sally has Percy and Annabeth sit down and tell them everything. Annabeth seems wary at first, with May present but Percy has none of those qualms– telling a story that is equal parts terrifying and frustrating as she struggles to keep up. 

“Why would Hera kidnap you?” She asks, Annabeth pressing her lips together as Percy sighs.

“She didn’t kidnap me she just…” he waves his hands around, “she took my memories away. For a reason, I guess. It’s– it’s really complicated.”

“And you fixed it? With the um, the earth god?” May asks, trying to decipher what they’d told them just as much as Sally is as he nods. 

“Goddess,” Annabeth corrects, “but yeah. Yeah, basically.”

“So what happens now?” May asks, looking between the two of them and then Sally. “I mean, I don’t know anything about this god stuff and maybe I shouldn’t but if– if the world was going to end because of her then…”

May’s unasked question hangs in the air, none of them needing her to finish the statement for the rest of them to know.

If they had defeated the goddess trying to destroy the world, why had half the world disappeared? 

Why hadn’t they come back? 

“I don’t think it’s related,” Percy says sadly, though to Sally’s eyes he looks just as confused. “I don’t know. Honestly, we didn’t really realize anything had changed until…” He shares a look with Annabeth, the latter of whom gives a small smile when Percy looks back to her. “We’d gone to Greece and it was–”

“You went– I’m sorry,” Sally interjects, seeing the way Percy presses his lips together. “You– when did you get your memories back?”

For the first time, Percy looks uncomfortable, shifting in his seat as he replies, “a few months ago.”

“A few–” Sally bites her tongue, relief being transformed into anger as she takes a steadying breath. For once in his life, Percy doesn’t try to explain it away– Sally unsure if she was grateful or more upset because of it as she carefully asks, “and you didn’t call because…”

“That’s my fault, Mrs. Jackson,” Annabeth says with a grimace. “I was looking for Percy and I know I’d promised I’d call but then when we found him, I had lost my phone and I didn’t know your number but–”

Percy knows my number, she thinks but doesn’t say– not having to from the way that Percy looks at her guiltily. 

“I’m so sorry,” he says, holding her gaze. “I just– we had to stop her. We–” a look passes across his face, one that Sally could only describe as haunted that makes her stomach flip as he grinds his teeth. “There was a lot going on.”

Anger, confusion, and concern swirl all around inside of her as she purses her lips, a million questions right at the tip of her tongue when he runs a hand through his hair.

“There’s still so much,” he says, looking over to Annabeth as he brings his hand down. “We need to get to Camp to–”

“No.”

Percy’s head snaps up, Annabeth looking over to her as Sally shakes her head in disbelief. 

“Mom?”

“ No , Percy,” Sally says firmly, incredulous that he would even think of leaving now– after months and months of being gone without a word. She’d thought he was dead and the half the world had disappeared, furious now that he would even consider leaving her again for a Camp that she now regrets every minute of letting him attend year after year. “You’re not going anywhere.”

“Mom,” Percy says, sounding almost impatient– as if she was a child that didn’t understand which only infuriates her more. “We have to. Chiron needs–”

“Do not tell me what Chiron needs, Perseus,” Sally replies, feeling her anger swell as Percy looks on at her in disbelief. She’s rarely called him by his full name, intentional and doubly so because of how little she wanted to remind him of his godly heritage. 

Whatever debt he’s owed to the gods and to that world has to have been paid over and over again, Sally refusing to even consider Percy going anywhere where she couldn’t be within arm’s reach of him again as she shakes her head. “ No .”

Percy looks as if he’s going to argue, only to stop when Annabeth puts her hand to his arm– her touch having an immediate effect on him in a way that Sally– and May– seem to notice. 

“Maybe Camp can wait, for a while,” she says, Percy searching her face when Annabeth looks over to her. “Mrs. Jackson, if you don’t mind, can I use your phone? I should probably call my dad.”

“Use mine,” May says with a smile, going to stand as she hands the phone to Annabeth. 

Annabeth for her part seems to get the less than subtle hint, walking over to the kitchen with May who chooses that moment to clear off the plates. 

Sally and Percy sit in a tense silence, her anger clouding out all her senses as she works to calm herself down.

She’s furious that Percy would consider leaving– now, again – but more than fury, she’s so hurt that she can barely breathe. Hurt that for whatever Percy had been doing, for all the ways that she knows he was actively trying to keep the world safe, he’d never let her know that he as alive. 

If she were to say that, she knows that he would only argue that there were more important things for him to do than to pick up the phone but he isn’t a parent, he doesn’t know. 

Sally didn’t give a damn about the rest of the world when for months, it had felt like her world was gone. 

Sally had long ago made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t let her anger get the best of her, not with Percy for as much as she could help it– taking a deep, stabling breath before finally asking, “are you okay?”

Whatever Percy had seemed to think that she was going to ask, that hadn’t been it– looking up at her in surprise.

He must see something in her face, Sally staring at him and marveling at how so much different he looked. 

He was taller now, she’d noticed that immediately but his face is that much more angular– more filled out across his chest and losing all the baby softness of his cheeks. He looks so much more grown up but more, he looks older in the way he carries himself– something in his eyes that breaks Sally’s heart into a thousand little pieces at imagining what could’ve made him so. 

What horrors had he seen and experienced in the depths of Tartarus, Sally’s shock that they’d made it there much less made it back alive giving way to brokenness that he was here in front of her visibly marked and changed? What else had he seen, what else had he done, to be her not-so-little boy staring at her and looking so painfully familiar and different all at the same time? 

Percy stares into her eyes and it’s as if he’s seeing something different in her now too, though what Sally couldn’t begin to try and guess. She had spent so much of his life trying to hide how terrified she was each time he’d run off for yet another quest, so much time and effort to make him feel nothing less than safe and loved, biting her tongue in the casualness he would use to describe the monsters he fought and their fate. 

Maybe now, in her raw and unfiltered grief, Percy sees how much of a toll it’s taken on her– Sally refusing to let guilt rule between the two of them but hoping beyond all hope that maybe for once in his life– he would choose her. 

At the very least, choose himself – Percy’s features softening as Sally’s vision blurs, not even realizing she’d been crying as she brings her hands up to cup his cheeks.

“My sweet boy,” she sobs quietly, Percy’s eyes taking on a shine to them. “You’re all grown up.”

Percy lets out a wet laugh, sniffing as Sally’s thumb gently caresses his cheek. 

“Not really,” he says, sounding so much younger as Sally’s chin trembles– Percy being the one to initiate the hug this time as he gets off the couch, kneels down beside her.

It’s the perfect height for her to hug him tight, holding on and feeling as if she would never let go– the only nod that they weren’t alone being the gentle rush of water under the sink as May loads the dishes. 

She knows she should check in on May, see how she’s doing– her own unfathomable relief at Percy being in her arms not fully absolving the shared grief that she and May both had.

For the moment though, she holds Percy and prays desperately that he won’t be so quick to leave her. 

Sally’s not sure if she would survive it if he does. 

The next few days feel similar to how it had been when she first brought Percy home from the hospital. It’s not nearly as chaotic or as cramped but the fear is there, waking up in the middle of the night from a restless sleep and rushing over to his room– looking over at him to make sure that he’s breathing and resisting the urge to wake him up just to prove that he’s still alive. 

It doesn’t help that their bigger apartment suddenly feels crowded, Annabeth’s sleeping arrangements being a point of unspoken contention— and mostly embarrassment on Percy’s part. Sally wasn’t naive enough to think that things were explicitly chaste between them from the stories that they’ve told of their near-death experiences— much less thinking back to how she’d been when she was a teenager— but it still was discomforting to peek in to Percy’s room and see Annabeth curled up beside him, if only because it was another reminder that he was growing up.

Annabeth’s presence aside, there was another reason their apartment felt too small. 

The weight of May’s grief is heavy, Percy’s return on Peter’s birthday no less making it that much more obvious of who was still missing. 

The one point of relief it seems, is their work at FEAST— Percy and Annabeth joining them, with the latter looking overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to be done. 

“All these mor— people,” she says, correcting herself. “They’re all working together?”

“Trying to,” Sally says, a thoughtful expression passing over Annabeth’s face. 

Sally notices the way Percy squeezes Annabeth’s hand, Annabeth looking up to him and something passing between them as Annabeth nods.

“I want to help,” she says, standing up straighter. “If I can.”

“Of course you can,” Sally says, looking over to Percy who meets her gaze. 

“Wherever you need us,” he says, Sally fighting back the urge to cry. 

It’s in that moment that she realizes what’s shifted for him, some part of her wishing that she would be enough. Maybe it was always meant to be this way, with parents and their kids— growing up and moving on being more accelerated because of who he is. 

What Sally can say for certain, as she smiles and nods, is that Percy wasn’t going anywhere. Not for her maybe, but for Annabeth.

Where Annabeth went, Percy would follow. 

As she catches Sally’s eye, an understanding in them— Sally thinks that she has never been more grateful for Annabeth Chase. 

Percy’s birthday is a quiet affair, held at FEAST as has become tradition for any of the volunteers. 

Less than a week of putting in their own hours yet Sally was pleased at how quickly Annabeth and Percy took to it— Annabeth quickly making friends with Ivy and Percy becoming something of a jack of all trades as he helped out wherever needed.   

When Paul comes by the table where Dina had made a cake, Percy is bewildered— letting out a laugh before he says, “Mr. Blowfish?”

“Blofis,” Paul corrects good-naturedly, the grin on Percy’s face signaling to Sally that this must be a thing between them. “But you already knew that.”

“It’s good to see you, sir,” he says with a handshake, Paul shaking his hand and nodding. 

“Likewise,” he says, shooting a look to Sally with a clear question in his eyes. She hadn’t even thought of what a good lie could be, not when there were few people who knew the truth to begin with. 

“I went to visit my dad,” Percy says, quick on his feet and seemingly able to understand before Sally could explain. “Teenage rebellion, you know how it is.”

“Ah,” Paul says, as if he doesn’t believe a word of it but seemingly accepting it as he steps back.

It’s not till later, when Percy’s playing with one of the kids with the “present” that they’d given him— a community soccer ball that Percy had decided would be given right back— that Paul sidles up to her again, the question still there. 

“You don’t have to explain,” he says, beating her to the punch as she looks over to him.

He gives her a look as if he understands, though he couldn’t possibly— only to say, “end of the world kinda puts things into perspective.”

“How so?” She asks, Paul huffing out a laugh.

“I’ve stopped asking questions about things that bring joy,” he says simply, Sally smiling despite herself as he nods. 

“Thank you,” she says, Paul shaking his head as he looks back over to Percy— Sally’s eyes following him.

“He’s a good kid.”

Sally smiles, holding herself as she crosses her arms over chest. 

“Yeah,” she says softly, “he is.”

A cool spring and cooler summer means a much swifter descent into the chill of fall— chatter among the people of FEAST and even of some of the talking heads on tv that were still around wondering just how much of it had to do with the extreme loss of life. 

Annabeth seems to take that change and its effects on the sleeping arrangements of the people at FEAST personally, Sally holding back her amusement in the way she volunteers herself to reorganize the way the overnights are run. It’s a reminder to herself of how much their time at Camp has shaped them— particularly Annabeth— unused to the constraints and social norms of the mortal world.

In light of the Blip, it makes Annabeth's presence and way of doing things less of an anomaly— the head volunteer Tula listening to her ideas and even beginning to implement them.

Percy makes himself useful in the ways that he can, mostly keeping to taking care of the kids with Paul. She had expected him to be eager to get back to camp like he had that first day or maybe bristle under the expectation that they’d be here like he had when he was young but Percy seems to come alive when he’s with the kids— even keeping his complaining to a minimum when Paul floats the idea of running an equivalent of a school at FEAST.

“At least till the Feds can get an official one running,” he says, explaining it to Tula. 

Tula just snorts, rolling her eyes. 

“I’ll believe that when I see it.”

It’s short lessons with a rotation of teachers, some certified from before and others not— retired professors coming to teach just as much as some nurses and mechanics. It felt, in a lot of ways, like a city within a city— FEAST still running in the way it had always been as a hub for the lost and the forgotten, expanding itself to include what felt like a city that had been left behind. 

Not for the first time, Sally wonders how FEAST locations around the city were doing— particularly FEAST Queens which seems to be on May’s mind during their pseudo-Thanksgiving feast. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” She asks, May leaning against the wall as some Broadway actors that Sally vaguely recognized performed a rendition of a play that she doesn’t, May’s eyes having a faraway expression in them.

“Ben didn’t like musicals,” she says, Sally growing still as May watches the singers move around the makeshift stage. “Neither did Peter.”

Sally bites the inside of her cheek, a laugh that sounds bitter coming out of May’s mouth.

“Now here I am.”

Sally lets a beat pass, having enough respect for May to not try and give her a platitude. They’ve both lost too much, endured too much, for Sally to even want to be trite with her. 

Particularly as Sally now had her son back and May did not. 

“You know what— what makes this all worse?” May asks, a broken sort of whisper that twists up Sally’s insides— watching as May’s eyes shine under the string lights put up in the auditorium. She looks over to Sally, tears falling unabashedly.

“I resented him, when he first came to live with us,” she whispers, Sally’s heart feeling like lead in the middle of her chest as May continues. “I never wanted kids. Ben knew it. I knew it, I— we never wanted that responsibility.”

She swallows down a sob, wiping underneath her eyes as she huffs out a breath— looking away as she says, “God, what I wouldn’t give to…”

“May—“ Sally begins, May sniffing and straightening up.

“I’m going to move back home,” she says, Sally’s eyes widening. “In the New Year, when the snow starts to melt.”

“You don’t have to—“ Sally goes to argue but May shakes her head, grief that’s overwhelming written all over her face. 

“I need to— I— I’m sorry, Sally. I want— I—“ she tries to say but Sally understands, as much as it devastates her, she understands. 

Their shared grief had kept them afloat in those first few months, a grief that was different now in light of Percy’s return. 

Sally hasn’t forgotten the way she had felt all those years before, when Peter was small and Ben was alive— how much she had tried to stave that down and how guilty she had felt for feeling anything less than love for a new friend that had become like family to her in such a short time. 

She can see it so clearly on May’s face, something that Sally had been avoiding for months— the agony of having to live within the same square footage of a mother reunited with her child, to see that same child get older while hers stayed the same. 

They didn’t even have a body to bury, just the burden of memories and of an immeasurable loss of life that Sally knows no words could absolve. 

“Edward’s all by himself,” May says, as if reading from a script that she’d gone over. “And FEAST Queens— I need to see—“

“I understand,” Sally says, because she does no matter how much it pains her. “I just…”

She trails off, unsure of how selfish she can be to ask what she wants— unsure if it’s even right for her to want this of May, when it could only bring her pain. 

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” May says, as if to reading her mind— smiling as another batch of tears roll down her cheeks. “We’ll still call. And text.”

Sally reaches out her hand, May easily taking it as Sally squeezes. 

It feels like a lie, one that Sally doesn’t have the heart to call her out on. 

If this is what May needed to do, to heal, to grieve— even if it meant losing the closest friend she had ever had in her life— Sally wouldn’t take this from her. 

“Of course,” Sally says, voice thick as May squeezes her hand. 

As if she knows what Sally is giving to her. 

As if May knows that Sally is giving her permission to let go. 

Chapter Text

TWO YEARS LATER

“Mom, do you have the—“ Percy asks as he rushes past her, Sally holding the platter of mashed potatoes in her hands. 

“It’s in the back, grab the one with the red stripe on it,” she replies, nodding back towards the kitchen.

“A red stripe?” Percy calls out, hearing him behind her as she asks forward. “I don’t see a— never mind! Got it!”

Ivy snorts at hearing him yell, Sally giving her a look as she sets the platter down.

“I think he’d forget his head if it wasn’t attached to him,” Ivy muses, Annabeth snickering as she puts the silverware down. 

“You’d be surprised,” she deadpans, Percy choosing that moment to come back in— decorations in hand.

“So I got— what’d I miss?” He asks, Ivy and Annabeth laughing as Sally directs him towards the other side of the room. 

“Go put that down and come help us,” she says, Percy grinning and doing what he’s told. 

Sally smiles as Percy comes back up to Annabeth’s side, poking at her side as Annabeth laughs. She’s gone natural for the past few years, since the decision to stay in New York became permanent. It suits her, Sally thinks— just as the smile on her face does. 

Seeing the smile on Percy’s face, she thinks it suits him too. 

Sally has the urge, most days, to take more pictures than she ever has before. When Percy was growing up, she could barely afford to keep food on the table much less splurge for a digital camera. When she finally got a smartphone, she made it a point of taking as many pictures as possible– only for that to become more and more sporadic as Percy got older and spent more of his summers away from her. 

In the last two years, Sally’s wondered if she should get into photography more seriously– if only so that she can hold these moments in her hands forever. 

FEAST has changed, not just in its people but in the way that’s constructed– Annabeth’s influence and little touches being more far reaching than even Sally could’ve imagined. She always knew that she was someone special and kind, interesting and hilariously funny but until the last two years, Sally never really knew Annabeth as much as she does now. 

In getting to know Annabeth, Sally muses to herself as she backs away from the table to go get more food from the kitchen, she’s learned even more about Percy. 

Nineteen and looking every bit of it, Sally thinks she could pinch herself– the way he carries himself and laughs along with Annabeth and Ivy making the three of them look like they were just normal college students home for the holidays– not nearly full-time volunteers for a relief organization. 

That a few of the schools have opened up again, Percy and Annabeth actually freshman in college feels something like a dream– only for that dream to burst when she thinks of who else isn’t here to be with them. 

Sally’s glad that there’s still things for her to do with her hands so that she can resist the urge to get her cell phone out and text her– particularly when all Sally would really want to know is when she would be coming by to visit. 

She’s giving her space, has been for months now but the texts have slowly dwindled– only checking in on the holidays and on the boys’ birthdays. 

Sally knew that when May went to Queens that she was saying goodbye. 

She hadn’t realized how much it would hurt. 

It’s not the first Thanksgiving that she’s spent without May but it somehow feels worse, than before– the normalcy of it and how much of that was paired with her absence making it hurt even more. 

Sally isn’t under any illusion that May is spending time with herself or is alone, Edward being a surprising addition to her semi-frequent texters.

It’s as if he knew, without Sally even having to say it, that they all needed to look out for each other now that so much of their family was gone. 

It’s Edward who she’s thinking of texting as the buffet dinner begins and people mill in and out of the kitchen, Sally standing quietly to the side as Paul comes up to her– a plate of what looks like sweet potato pie in his hand.

“You get some of this yet?”

“Oh no,” Sally says with a laugh, putting her hand up. “That’d go straight to my thighs.”

“And it’s worth every inch,” Paul says with a smile, taking a dramatic bite of it as she laughs. 

“You can get away with it,” she teases, Paul smiling as he chews his food. “Your metabolism is very different than mine.”

“Not by much,” he says, poking playfully as his gut, “all this food is catching up with me.”

“That’s not gonna stop you though, is it?” She asks, Paul smirking as he nudges her with his elbow. 

“Not at all. Joy, remember?”

“Ah yes,” Sally says sagely, Paul settling beside her as they both lean their backs against the sink. They fall into a comfortable silence as people move in and out of the kitchen, some coming for seconds and others debating on what kinds of side dishes they’d want to make the next year. 

It makes Sally wonder about the permanency of the situation, of how much of her life now has revolved around FEAST in a way she had never anticipated. Before the Blip, before Percy had disappeared, Sally had envisioned a very different life for herself– working maybe at a magazine or a freelancer, spending hours and hours typing away at her desk as she finished her novel. 

Her novel still sits unfinished in a file on her computer, dreams of working for some kind of newspaper or magazine far below her radar. She never felt as drawn to community work as May did, never really thrived as much in it either but this– getting the chance to cook for people and being surrounded by them, has fulfilled her in a way that she hadn’t ever thought possible. 

It was ironic, in a way, that it took the end of the world and the disappearance of half the planet for Sally to finally figure out what she wants to be when she grows up– completely unrelated to the English degree she’d spent so long striving for. 

Paul pulls her out of her thoughts when he nudges her with his elbow again, Sally looking at him and seeing the way his eyebrows raise expectantly. 

“You doing okay?” He asks gently, Sally nodding as she takes a deep breath and sighs. 

“Yeah. Just… thinking about before.”

Paul hums, setting the pie down next to him as he folds his arms over his chest. 

“Anything in particular?”

Sally shrugs, tilting her head to the side for a beat before saying, “how different it was. Faster, maybe.” 

“I don’t miss it,” Paul says, Sally looking to him in surprise as he huffs out a laugh. “Don’t get me wrong, I– I’m not saying it’s better now–”

“I know,” Sally says, because she does– the peace that they’ve all found here being something that was not only hard fought, but had come at a great cost as he unfurls his arms– brushing against her as he braces himself. 

“I like what we’ve got here,” he says simply, looking out over the kitchen then back to her. “We did something good, you know?”

Sally smiles, Paul’s eyes softening as she does.

“Yeah,” she says, seeing his smile get brighter. “We did.”

A few days before Christmas, Sally’s phone rings.

There’s still few people that call her and even fewer that she would expect– not when the entirety of her world could be found usually within a few city blocks, give or take when Percy and Annabeth were in class. The opening of ESU had been met with a lot of fanfare to the kids who had been left behind, the makeshift graduation that they’d given them last spring being exciting, albeit without most of the usual trappings. 

That either Percy or Annabeth got to attend college at all, much less one in the city just a few blocks away from her apartment and from FEAST felt like nothing short of a miracle– Sally thrilled that they were taking that chance.

When Percy had approached the topic of moving closer to the school– a not-so-subtle way, she thinks, of wanting the two of them to have a place of their own– Sally hadn’t put up a fight, throwing herself into helping them find a place that was available and affordable– considering the state of things. 

She hadn’t had too much money for Percy but Annabeth’s dad– the only one of his family who hadn’t blipped– was more than happy to fund their excursion and their education, especially when it meant that Annabeth was also safe and in one location for any stretch of time. 

It’s Annabeth that Sally thinks is calling as she makes her way home for the day from FEAST, rooting out her cell phone from her pocket only to frown when an unfamiliar number flashes across the screen. 

Before, Sally hadn’t made it a habit of answering calls from people she didn’t know and now, she wasn’t sure what could be gained from doing so. Something tells her to answer anyway, swiping across the screen and answering, “hello?”

“Sally Jackson?” A familiar voice asks on the other end, Sally nearly tripping over herself at hearing it. “It’s Tony Stark.”

“I know who you are,” she says, because there’s not a person in the world who wouldn’t immediately recognize Tony Stark’s voice when spoken– even the recluse that he’s becoming lately. She hasn’t thought much of Tony Stark in over two years, the world having mostly moved on from him beyond the criticism and complaints of one of the loudest Avengers in years past suddenly disappearing from public view now that they’ve lost. 

Tony huffs out a laugh on the other end, as if Sally’s just told him some kind of joke despite the confusion she feels when he says, “yeah, I guess you do.”

“Is there– why are you calling?” Sally asks, the pointed me at the end of that question being dropped off simply because it didn’t need explaining.

Tony, a smart man through and through, cuts straight to the point. 

“Have you heard from May lately?”

Sally presses her lips together, not needing to be a genius to now understand the point of Tony calling her . 

“If she’s not answering, she doesn’t want to talk.”

“Is that what she’s said?” 

“I didn’t say that,” Sally interjects, not wanting to speak for May to anyone much less to the man that Sally knows May places a rightful amount of blame for where she is currently. “I said–”

“I hear you,” Tony says with a sigh, sounding tired as Sally getting closer to her apartment now. “I– if you talk to her, you mind telling her I was checking in?”

“I didn’t think Tony Stark needed a messenger,” Sally says carefully, not quite wanting to agree to his request and more to the point, nosy enough to want to screen out why he’s calling.

The obvious answer is also an impossible one– no amount of apologies would be able to cover the gap that billions of people had left behind, even if Sally could likely understand that May was rational enough to not place all of that blame on Tony Stark.

Particularly when all the blame she would ever need to give was for one person and one person alone, the chances of Peter being Blipped with or without having been in Tony Stark’s orbit irrelevant to the simple fact that he’s gone. 

“I usually don’t, but…” he says, trailing off, Sally’s apartment now in view as he sighs once more. “Just– if you hear from her–”

He cuts himself off, Sally hearing some chatter in the background– something that almost sounds like a toy that just confuses her further as he says, “just tell her I’m thinking of her. We all are.”

“All?” Sally asks, Tony huffing out a laugh.

“Thanks, Sally.”

He hangs up without a goodbye, Sally’s mind working in overdrive now as she frowns. There was someone else there with him, though it didn’t sound like Pepper– Sally immediately wanting to call May and see what she knows.

She stops herself, just when she gets up to where her apartment is and enters in the lobby– slipping her phone back in her pocket as she makes her way to the elevator. 

If May wanted to talk to Tony Stark, then she’d do it all on her own. 

Sally wasn’t going to put herself in the middle of that. 

Sally: happy new year 🥳

May: happy new year to you!! how’s everything??

Sally: good! had a party at FEAST, ivy’s got a new girlfriend!

May: i knew it! That cute blonde right? 

Sally: you called it. 

Sally: and you? how are things on the other side?

May: good, we had our own party but some kids got ahold of some fireworks

Sally: oh no

May: it wasn’t so bad. not as bad as it could’ve been anyway. 

May: people are still a little jumpy

Sally: yeah i’m sure

May: we should meet up sometime, in the new year. when the snow melts

May: i know the A’s supposed to be clear but idk if i trust it

Sally: i wouldn’t. we’ll make it a date, around march? 

May: sounds good!

Sally: hey you still on for today?

May: yes i am! charlie’s got a car and we’re gonna try and make it into manhattan. I think the bridge just got cleared.

Sally: be safe!

May: i’m so sorry, we’ve been trying to find a way back through but it’s still too clogged 

Sally: are you in trouble? I can get percy to get over there if you need to get out

May: no nothing like that, just too much wreckage. I thought the streets over here would’ve been cleared enough.

May: i’ll try again tomorrow 

May: if that’s okay?

Sally: of course it is! Be safe

Sally: see you then!

May: i can’t believe this

Sally: i can. 

May: i’m so sorry. I knew i should’ve left earlier

Sally: and then be stuck in this weather??? I’m glad you didn’t. 

Sally: i’d much rather you safe than anything else

May: maybe next week?

May: i’ll call you tonight, so we can catch up in the meantime

Sally: absolutely. 

May: guess who found more fireworks 🎉

Sally: you have the worst luck

May: charlie got onto them again. Edward thought it was funny. 

Sally: how’s he doing?

May: good! Better. You know how it is.

Sally: yeah i do

On Percy’s twentieth birthday, Sally is surprised with a knock at the door. 

She rushes over to it, Percy more enthralled with some gift that Annabeth had created for him as she goes to check in– thinking that it’s a neighbor popping by to say hello when she looks through the peephole and nearly screams.

“You’re here,” she says breathlessly as she opens up the door, May smiling at her as she immediately rushes forward for a hug.

“I couldn’t miss it,” she says as she hugs her tight, neither of them admitting that May’s missed more than a few birthdays and other things in the last few years. She leans back, a light sheen in her eyes as she continues, “no longer a teenager.”

“But not old enough to drink,” Percy chimes in, having moved from the couch and come straight to the door as he walks up to May with a smile on his face. Sally watches as May’s face takes on a different kind of expression– awe, grief, and a wide smile– as she wraps her arms around him tight.

“You’ve gotten so tall ,” she says into his shoulder as Percy laughs, hugging her tight before leaning back. 

“Sky’s the limit or something like that,” he says with a smile, Sally not missing the tears that form in May’s eyes before she collects herself– reaching for something in her purse as Sally ushers her in. 

Sally closes the door behind her, May reaching into her purse and fishing something out that Sally doesn’t quite recognize.

Percy does, almost immediately as his features soften– shoulders sagging as May brings it up and Sally gets a better look of it.

It’s a Lego figurine of some kind, May laughing to herself as she says, “I was cleaning out the living room, which I don’t want any comments on how dirty it must’ve been if I–”

May’s cut off with Percy giving her another hug, May taken aback for a beat before wrapping her arms around him. 

Sally feels as if she’s encroaching upon a moment, Annabeth coming up to greet them as Percy finally leans back– his arms on May’s as he gives her a watery-eyed smile.

“Thank you,” he says, gently taking the piece in his hand before he turns to Annabeth. 

“Look, it’s Han Solo,” he says with a childish glint that she hasn’t heard in years, the pieces all snapping into place in Sally’s mind.

A toy, leftover from the Lego Millennium Falcon that she and May had bought for them years ago– a pang running through her when May turns to her. 

“I’m sorry it took so long,” she says with a smile, Sally laughing as Percy turns over to her.

“You want some cake?”

“Only if it’s blue,” May says knowingly, looking at Sally as she winks. 

Sally smiles, feeling full now in a way that has nothing to do with food as she goes to cut her a slice of cake. 

Contrary to what some like to believe, Sally knows that time doesn’t heal all wounds. 

Grief was a beast of a thing, a presence that never truly left and only transformed— learning more how to live with and around it. 

May’s grief, she finds, changed with each new day.

There are some months where she hears from her often, little anecdotes and notes that make her laugh— as if it had been just a few years before. There are others where she doesn’t hear from her at all, the odd text here and there often going days without a reply.

Sally knew that when May moved back that it was in a way moving on , a painful acknowledgement that their lives would never be the same and in Sally’s view, how things had been reversed. 

When she first met May, she’d been alone— raising a kid with the weight of the world on his shoulders and struggling to make ends meet. Now, her kid was here— alive— thriving and happy as he talked to her over Sunday dinners about his classes, holding hands with the girl that Sally can see is the love of his life.

May would never be alone, not if Sally could help it, but it’s different now— having lost her husband and now her kid in such quick succession. Sally couldn’t blame her for being as detached as she is. 

There is a comfort that comes with old friends, to know that when the time comes— if the time comes— they’ll always be there for you. 

It’s why when another holiday season has passed, a new year just days away, Sally isn’t surprised when May calls as she and Paul work on some muffins to bring to FEAST. 

“It’s for you,” Paul says with a smile, Sally laughing as she wipes the flour off her hands and goes to answer. 

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me. How are you?” May asks, something different in her voice— a tone that immediately gives Sally pause. 

“I’m good, I’m— I’ll be right back,” she says, more to Paul as he nods, mixing some of the batter together as Sally moves to the other room.

“Right back where?”

“No, not—I’m here. What’s going on?”

“Who’s there with you?” May asks, Sally huffing out a laugh.

“It’s just Paul, we needed an extra kitchen for the breakfast tomorrow so he—“

“He’s at your place?”

“Yes?” Sally asks, making a face despite May not being able to see her. “May, are you okay?”

May makes a sound on the other end of the line before saying, “okay, we’re going back to that but I, fuck. Has Tony called you?”

Sally stills, unsure of how to answer that question without it sounding like a betrayal when May presses on anyway.

“The man’s been calling me constantly for the better part of a year. Did I tell you that Happy showed up to— wait, do you know Happy? Of course you know Happy. Anyway, he’s calling and calling and obviously I haven’t answered but—“

“What’s going on? Is everything okay?” Sally asks, interrupting May for her sake as much as her own as she sighs.

“He wants me to visit. He’s upstate now, living in a lake house ,” she says derisively, Sally keeping quiet as May gives another sigh. 

This time, it sounds sad— something heavy in her voice as she asks, “did you— did you know he has a daughter now?”

Sally stills, feeling the weight of all that May doesn’t say as she grips her phone tighter against her ear. 

“No, I didn’t,” Sally answers honestly, though now she wonders about the call they’d had around this time last year— wonders about what kind of life Tony had made for himself away from the rest of the world.

She doesn’t wonder out of curiosity or to be nosy, more to how it clearly affects May— hearing her clear her throat before she asks, “would you come?”

“Huh?”

“He wants me to visit, in the new year,” May asks, voice wavering as Sally wishes she could be there to hold her hand. “Would you come? With me, up there?” 

Sally’s shoulders sag, wrapping her arms around her chest and pulling her phone closer to her ear. 

“Yeah, yeah, of course,” she says, because there was no other choice. She had said to herself before that she wasn’t going to get in the middle of the things between them but now, that she’s asked, Sally couldn’t see another way. 

There’s few things in this world Sally wouldn’t do for May Parker. 

Chapter Text

Sally sits with May in silence as they drive up the wooded path, May’s fingers tap against the steering wheel.

“It should just be up here,” she says, mostly to herself— Sally knowing this as her eyes never move from May’s nervous frame. 

When May had asked if she wanted to go with her to visit Tony Stark, she hadn’t given a timeline— Sally wondering to herself a month later without another mention if that was just something else that May was going to choose to ignore or let go.

When the snow was cleared and the anniversary of the Blip had passed, Sally having made a visit up to Queens this time around, May told her that it was set for the week after next— almost looking as if she would cancel if Sally couldn’t make it. 

“I’ll be there,” she’d said, seeing the stormy look in May’s eyes— holding her gaze for a beat before letting out a long-suffering.

“Fuck me,” she’d muttered to herself, Sally understanding the feeling. 

Sally still doesn’t have much of an opinion on Tony Stark— having known the man on some personal level for a few years and knowing his reputation even more. In the fours years since the Blip, Tony Stark and his company were only ever criticized if they were mentioned at all— late night commentary and daytime talking heads arguing that the man responsible for this mess should’ve been the first one to help clean it up.

Sally still doesn’t know the details of what happened up there, not from May at least— the official story filtered through the halting voice of one Steve Rogers being succinct and to the point. 

Sally only knew what mattered and what mattered is that Peter went up there with Tony Stark and didn’t come back— the two of them now driving to the secluded lake cabin he’d created for himself. 

Himself, and his family, it seems— Sally chewing the inside of her cheek as May drives forward. 

It felt ironic or maybe just cruel, for Tony Stark to have some shred of happiness in the wake of the apocalypse— even crueler to invite May Parker to come and bear witness to it, though Sally thinks she knows the man well enough to guess that wasn’t wholly the case. 

Whatever Tony Stark’s aim in inviting her up here, it wasn’t to be malicious— his disappearance from the public eye telling Sally more of the person he’d become over the last years than anything else ever could. 

That this disappearance had also seemed to coincide with May’s had Sally thinking that maybe, in their own way, she and Tony were far more alike than they’d ever want to believe.

That thought was something that Sally kept to herself. 

She’d offered to drive on the way up here, but May had insisted– Sally understanding why that would be from the way her fingers began to grip the steering wheel the closer and closer they get up the winding path of trees and dirt all around. They’re well and truly in the middle of nowhere, a road off of a road off a beaten path that despite the look of it, Sally would guess was outfitted with some kind of forcefield or other kind of protection.

None of that seemed to register with May, the usual nervous banter that Peter had seemingly adopted all faded away as she grows quiet– the lake house coming into view as she drives up the dirt path. 

It’s unassuming, far more modest than what Sally had been imagining on the way up here. It looks– more or less– like an upstate cabin in New York, a more upgraded version of the house that she and Percy had rented out in Montauk once upon a time. 

She hasn’t been out there in ages, wondering now if the roads were even cleared out or if someone was living up there when May turns the car off– taking the keys out and sitting quietly as she leans back. 

Sally watches as May takes a deep breath, eyes fixed on the doorway when the screen door opens up– Sally’s attention shifting to none other than Tony Stark coming out in a pullover sweater and what looked like sweatpants, hands in his pockets as he walks out to the edge of his patio. 

May doesn’t move a muscle and neither does Tony, the car and space between them serving as some kind of barrier when Sally decides to break the ice– reaching over to gently rest her hand on May’s arm. 

May immediately moves to grip her hand, eyes still fixed on Tony.

She doesn’t have to say a word as May’s hand squeezes hers, Sally understanding as she squeezes in return.

Stay with me , May seems to say.

Always , Sally replies before May finally looks over to her. 

“Ready?”

“If you are.”

May lets go of her hand and opens up the car door. 

“So,” Tony says as he holds a coffee mug in his hand, leaning against the railing of his patio. 

“So,” Sally replies, awkwardly holding a mug in her own– the two of them watching as Morgan Stark, Tony’s three-year old daughter, babbles to May about something with Pepper. 

Sally’s heart had dropped right down to her knees at the way that May had looked when she saw her– an awed expression that made her wonder just how many children were active and present at FEAST Queens or if May had made it a point of avoiding them. She doubts it, Sally knows that May is far too eager to help whenever and wherever necessary which makes her think that it had less to do with the presence of a child and more to do with whose child she is. 

Morgan Stark is the spitting image of her father, a man that Sally had known for years from his tabloid heyday and then personally as the man who came to fix her best friend’s oven and enable her child to swing off in spandex on a school night. 

Seeing the reason for his seclusion from the rest of the world, the quiet almost idyllic atmosphere that he’s created for himself, Sally finds that she has far more questions than she’s ever had before as she taps her fingers against her mug. 

“How’s that son of yours doing? Percy, was it?” Tony asks in feigned nonchalance, immediately making Sally laugh at the absurdity of it.

“Are we really gonna still do that? Here? Now?” Sally asks, giving Tony a look as he huffs out a laugh, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Touche,” he says as he brings the cup down from his lips, the question in his eyes still expectant, waiting.

“He’s good. Really good,” she says, a smile on her face as she looks away. “He and his girlfriend are attending ESU, in the city.”

“Good school,” Tony says politely, Sally pursing her lips as he shrugs. 

“Glad it worked out for him.”

Sally thinks back to that conversation they’d had, all those years ago– just a week or so before he’d gone missing, a few months before what had felt like the end of the world.

It’s hard now, to still argue that it was– not when Morgan’s laughter echoed throughout the yard and there were dozens of people that Sally had found a home and a family with, glancing back down to her coffee mug as she works up the courage to ask the question she really wants to.

“And you?” She asks, seeing Tony look over to her out of the corner of her eye. “Things work out for you? Up here?” 

When he doesn’t immediately answer, she looks over to him– seeing a haunted, unfiltered wave of grief so clear that Sally immediately feels foolish.

She’s not sure if she could’ve put into words, what she thought of Tony Stark and his influence in Peter’s life but Sally knows now– unequivocally– that there’s nothing that she nor May could ever say that impress upon him the weight of what’s been lost just from the look on his face. 

Sally doesn’t have to know what happened specifically to know with absolute certainty that Tony Stark had been there when Peter Parker had died– the expression on his face looking eerily familiar for how many times she had seen it on the faces of the people she met at FEAST, for the look that she’d seen in the mirror.

He knew what it was like to watch someone turn to dust in front of your eyes, Tony clearing his throat as he sniffs. 

“Well enough, you know how it goes,” he says, clearing his throat as he readjusts his weight so that he’s no longer leaning. “Got the missus and little miss over there. Can’t complain.”

Sally smiles, tries to at least– going to ask something else to change the topic of conversation when Tony surprises her. 

“And you? Things looking up for you?”

Sally raises an eyebrow, Tony motioning to her as he takes another swig of his coffee.

“You know, partnership. Companionship. All that,” he gulps down the coffee, Sally looking on in disbelief. 

“Are you asking me about my dating life?”

“I’m making conversation,” he says, waving a hand. “Normal, regular–”

“Post-apocalyptic,” Sally deadpans as Tony winces.

“Conversation. Over coffee,” he says, leaning back against the railing again as he faces her head on. “As people do.”

Sally takes a long drink of her own coffee, smooth and rich in more than one sense of the word that makes her wonder just how he was able to source his coffee now when she finally brings it down from her lips.

“No,” she finally says, looking back over to May who was now coloring with Morgan– Pepper joining in still. “No dating. No time, really.”

Tony hums at that, Sally making a face as he swirls around what’s remaining in his coffee mug. 

“You know, I’ve found that when people say they don’t have time for something, it usually means that they’re avoiding it.”

“Is that so?” Sally asks skeptically, more amused than anything that she was getting dating advice from a former Avenger. 

“What do I know?” He says with a shrug, “call it a gut feeling. Intuition.”

“Uh huh,” Sally says, looking back over to May– Tony growing quiet as she does.

“Is she alright?” He asks, voice dropping an octave though the chances of May having been able to overhear them all this time being slim to none.

“As much as she’ll ever be,” Sally answers honestly, giving this to a man who was so clearly searching for something– redemption, forgiveness, peace maybe in this place. Before she’d arrived, she wouldn’t have felt it within her power to even give that to him, much less want to.

Now, seeing his daughter and his wife, seeing him and the concern he has for the woman he knows he’s failed the most– Sally can’t find it in herself to be spiteful in this. 

“You shouldn’t push,” she continues, Tony listening quietly beside her. “It’s going to take time.”

“It’s been four years,” Tony says, Sally giving him a look. 

“Has it?” 

Tony looks older than, the gray flecked across his temple being nothing compared to the worn look in his eyes as he sighs. 

“I wish I knew…” he begins then trails off, whatever he has to say fading out into the wind.

Sally doesn’t press him on it, just as Tony doesn’t try.

There were no words to describe the depth of this kind of loss. 

Four years was no time at all.

Summer passes quickly, a rhythm and routine in Sally’s life that feels comfortable rather than monotonous. 

Percy celebrates turning twenty-one at his own apartment, with Annabeth and some of his new college friends– names that Sally had only heard about in passing. 

For years, all Sally had wanted was to be involved in Percy’s life– to know that he was safe and with her, only to feel a new kind of stretch that he might not be at home but he was here . 

He listens to him recap how the party went– filtered, Sally knows in his own way and as he always has though this time, Sally thinks has more to do with being a twenty-one year old than a demigod– paying less attention to the names of some of his classmates and more to the light in his eyes, the flush of his cheeks, the easy way that he carries himself as he gulps down another cookie. 

“So then Gwen and Annabeth were getting the cards together, right? When Mark said–”

“How is Annabeth?” Sally asks, remembering an odd conversation she’d had with her a week or so before. She’d been sick in the bathrooms at FEAST, cause enough for concern that Sally had asked if she needed anything only for Annabeth to tell her that she was fine and rush off. She hadn’t heard anything else about it and assumed that it was just some kind of bug, only for the color to drain from Percy’s face in a way that causes alarm bells to go off in her mind.

“Is she okay?” Sally asks, Percy opening his mouth up then closing it as he stares.

“She told you?” He asks, voice going faint as he clears his throat. “I’m sorry, mom. I– we were gonna tell you, obviously if it was– I mean–”

“Tell me what?” Sally asks, her heart beginning to pound in her chest. She wasn’t born yesterday, the thought occurring to her then and quickly dismissing it for being ridiculous– only for Percy’s panicked look on his face to make her wonder if she had been the ridiculous one for not taking it more seriously. “Percy…”

“She’s–” Percy clears his throat, swallowing down a piece of cookie as he beats at his chest. “So, okay–”

“Percy, if you’re about to say what I think you’re going to say–” Sally begins, bracing herself and the gray hair that she thinks is about to take over her entire head in an instant when his eyes widen.

“She’s not pregnant,” he says in a rush, Sally searching his face to look for the lie and finding none. “She um, we thought– she might’ve been but–”

He stops, taking a breath. “She was just um, late.” 

Percy’s cheeks flush then, looking sheepish it seems at discussing the cycle of his girlfriend with his mother as Sally lets out a breath of relief. 

“Do we really need to have a conversation about safe sex?” Sally deadpans, Percy letting out a sharp laugh. 

“I mean, mom,” he says, motioning toward himself. “Didn’t you have me at what? Nineteen?”

“Twenty,” she corrects, pointing a finger to him, “and don’t you start with–”

“So technically ,” Percy says over her, a grin on his face that looks frighteningly like Poseidon. “If we did have a kid–”

“Percy,” Sally says, as she pinches the bridge of her nose– mind flashing through nights of endless diaper changes and piercing screams– Percy only laughing as he sits back in his chair.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Not yet, anyway,” he says, Sally bringing her hand down to look at him as his eyes soften. “Annabeth wants to finish school first, at least.” 

“Is that… something you’ve talked about?” She asks, Percy nodding as he gets a funny look on his face– as if he wants to tell her something but isn’t sure how she’ll respond. 

Sally notices the moment that he seems to decide upon it, leaning forward again in his chair as his smile widens.

“Yeah, we um. We’ve actually talked about you know, the future and everything. Us, and– and what we wanna do.”

Sally waits expectantly, bracing herself for the news that they were going to move across the country or back to help the rest of the demigods– only for Percy to surprise her in an entirely new way as he sits up closer.

“I um, I wanna ask her to marry me,” he says, Sally doing her best to control her own reaction. “Is that um, is it crazy? To ask her that?” 

“Have you talked to her about it?” 

Percy nods, Sally barely able to hold back the smile on her face– her beautiful baby boy all grown up with a love in his eyes that’s almost blinding. 

“Yeah, yeah, we– she knows, that’s what I want. It’s what she wants, um. I just haven’t found the right time, you know?”

“But soon?” Sally asks, already guessing the answer from the way Percy looks at her– something shifting as if he’s seeking permission.

It’s flattering in a way, that for all the things Percy has done with or without her knowledge, that he would look to her for this . 

“Yeah, I um. I think so. I was thinking maybe this semester, give Annabeth the time to plan if– what do you think?”

Sally thinks she could cry, feeling the pinpricks behind her eye as she reaches across the table and takes his hand into hers– squeezing them gently as she breathes out a laugh. 

“I think that you, my sweet boy, have been in love with that girl since you were twelve years old,” she says, Percy letting out a laugh. “I think she’s loved you since then too.”

“Yeah,” he says softly, Sally gently running her thumb across his. 

“I’m so happy for you,” she says, letting go of his hand only to stand and pull him into a hug– Percy immediately returning it as his arms wrap around her. 

Sometimes, Sally thinks that she can still remember that new baby smell or feel the tickle under her nose from his wisps of hair when he was just a few hours old. Other times, she feels her age and she feels his – her little boy all grown up and getting married to a girl that had carved out a space in Sally’s heart long before they’d ever made their home here in the city.

“I love you,” Sally whispers, Percy’s grip on her tightening slightly.

“Love you too, mom,” he whispers back, Sally feeling as if her heart could burst.

Maybe not today or even tomorrow, but it’s as if Sally could See it– Percy holding a child of his own that was the perfect combination of him and Annabeth, the love that she feels in her heart for him magnified in a way that feels overwhelming. 

Sally holds him tighter, letting out a laugh at how much joy she feels. 

Maybe Paul was onto something, she thinks as Percy holds her tight.

Joy was something to be celebrated. 

Chapter Text

Sally never thought about marriage growing up.

Weddings, boyfriends, the white picket fence— all of that had seemed like a pipe dream long before she had ever fallen into bed and sort of love with a god. 

She didn’t think much about her parents now, years and years of living with that particular loss always present but never pertinent— not when Sally had effectively raised herself until her uncle finally died and left her alone. 

She thinks of her mom often now, not the memories she barely has but more the idea of her— what she would think about Sally celebrating the engagement of her twenty-one year old son, what she would do or say about helping them plan a life together when their life had barely begun.

In Sally’s mind, it felt right— post-apocalyptic world that they lived in now aside, Percy and Annabeth had lived through far more dangerous and world-ending events before they could drive than some did in their entire lives. Sally might not be able to say that she was truly in love with Poseidon now, not the kind of love that builds a life and a family but she can say it with almost certainty for the two of them— the ease of their connection and the comfort that they seemed to find in each other something that Sally could’ve only ever dreamed of for her son.

Sally doesn’t have a mother to ask these questions but she does have a family, her own hesitancy to want to ask May what she thinks about everything coming up to meet her when she goes over to Queens in early spring— spring break having very little meaning to any of them now with the state of things but still feeling right. 

It was tradition, after all.

May eagerly welcomes her in and talks her ear off, already having heard the good news the day it happened from Percy himself. She and Sally haven’t been able to talk much about it since, hesitancy on Sally’s part because of how unsure she felt about what was essentially rubbing in her face all the things that Peter wouldn’t ever get to do.

Sally knows her well enough now, to know and understand that May wouldn’t see it that way. She’s still unable to stop the feeling as May pours out some coffee and brings out little tea cakes. 

“Charlie made them,” she says brightly, Sally taking one of them as she gives her a look.

“Charlie, huh? How’s that going?”

“Oh don’t you start,” May says, waving a hand. “You and Edward, both. Trying to set me up.”

Sally shrugs as she takes a bite of the tea cake. “He’s nice. Kind.”

“Gay,” May deadpans, Sally nearly choking on the tea cake. 

“Oh.”

May laughs, Sally swallowing down her food as she leans forward. “He’s a sweetheart and he’s good company but there’s nothing between us.”

“And Edward?” Sally asks, already guessing the answer but getting confirmation as May shakes her head sadly. 

“I don’t think that man could ever see anyone again in that way, after Maria.” She puts a hand up. “Not that I— there’s nothing there—“

“No, I know,” Sally interjects, May nodding in reply.

“I miss her,” May says, a shadow passing over her face. It didn’t take much to know who else was missed— Maria, Ned.

Peter .

“How’s Percy? And Annabeth? Did they pick a date?”

“May 20th,” Sally beams, May smiling in return. “They’re going to have it outside FEAST, in the new courtyard.”

“Or course,” May says with a laugh. “Annabeth worked too hard on that.”

Sally smiles, shifting in her seat. She isn’t sure how to ask the question, May seemingly sensing her hesitancy as she tilts her head. 

“I’ll be there, of course,” she says gently, relief flooding through her that must show on her face. “Do you really think I’d—“

“I just,” Sally interjects, hoping she doesn’t offend her as she thinks carefully on what she wants to say. “I don’t ever want you to feel or think that…”

May reaches a hand across the table, Sally easily taking it as May gently squeezes. 

“I’ll always be there. I know I wasn’t, before,” she says, Sally squeezing her hand back. “But I— I don’t want to miss anything else.”

Not anymore goes unsaid, Sally giving her a grateful smile before May gently lets go of her hand. 

“Though I’m sure Annabeth has it all planned, if you or Percy need anything—“

“I’ll call you,” Sally says with a smile, May returning it as they both take a sip of their coffees. 

There’s a natural lull in the conversation, quiet and comfortable as Sally looks around the familiar question— unchanged in many ways despite the two people missing from it. 

She’s about to ask if May had ever heard from any of Ben’s firefighter friends in the last few years, wondering if they had any involvement in the clean up across the bridge when May beats her to it. 

“So you and Paul have been spending a lot of time together.”

Sally makes a face, May taking another long, drawn out sip of her coffee as she stares over at her. 

“Yes, we work together,” she says, a warmth crawling down the back of her neck as May gives her a look.

“Are you really going to make me ask you this?”

“Yes, cause I have no idea what you’re asking,” Sally replies, though the minute she says it, it feels like a lie as May just stares. 

“Sally,” she says, as if speaking to a child. “He clearly has feelings for you.”

Sally goes to argue then stops, closing her mouth and pressing her lips together as May raises an eyebrow. 

It would be a lie for Sally to say that she hasn’t noticed, particularly in the last several months. She and Paul do spend a lot of time together, Paul being just as if not more of a constant in her life now than May is. They’ve always been close, from the nature of their work and she’s enjoyed a friendship with him that’s felt comforting and familiar. 

In the last few months, Sally knows that that friendship has begun to shift. Making muffins and other baked goods at her apartment or his, spending long nights tearing down decorations from the events turning into late night coffee and walking home, casual texting about their whereabouts as they prepared for the new school year and meal plans becoming more friendly. More flirty .

It hasn’t missed Sally’s attention nor has it been particularly unwanted, only for her to tell herself that she didn’t have the time to act on it. 

She’s reminded then, of her conversation with Tony almost a year ago now.

When people say they don’t have time for something, it usually means that they’re avoiding it.

“Do you have feelings for him?” May asks, bringing her back into the present. 

“I… I don’t know,” Sally answers honestly, May giving her a patient smile. “I mean, he’s— he’s kind. Honest. Funny.”

“Attractive.”

Sally gives her a look, May tilting her head to the side.

“But?”

Sally shakes her head, unable to form the words together coherently— feeling more like she’s fifteen again and not forty-one. 

“It’s okay,” May says, understanding her instantly as she always does. “To be happy? It’s okay, Sally.”

Sally lets out a sharp huff of laughter, pressing her lips together as she shakes her head again. 

“Does he make you happy?” May asks and just as easily as she could see it for Percy, she can See it for herself— what could happen if she let herself love Paul. 

If she let him love her, the way she knows that he would want to. 

Sally feels tears in the back of her eyes, blinking them away as she sniffs and says, “I think so.”

“Be happy,” May says, Sally smiling as she looks at her oldest, dearest friend. 

“For me,” she says, as if to understand what Sally won’t say— guilt pooling in the pit of her stomach as May nods. “Let me live vicariously through you.”

“It can happen for you again,” Sally says, but she can see the look in May’s eyes. May doesn’t see a future for herself, not in the way. 

Not yet, anyway. Sally understands. 

She doesn’t try to argue against it further, accepting the grace and the love of May Parker once more as inspiration to try again. 

Annabeth’s talents are a sight to behold.

Sally had wondered if they would have second thoughts about having their wedding at FEAST, their separation from Camp in the last few years something that was never far from her mind. 

She finally gets the chance to ask Annabeth, a week from the wedding— mostly to ensure that her future daughter-in-law was choosing something that she wanted, and not just what made the most sense. 

“If we had it over there, you wouldn’t be able to come,” Annabeth says simply, shrugging as Lily worked to braid her hair. Lily was smart and quiet, kept to herself but it still was a point to speak in code— Sally hating that it’s taken her this long to be able to find a time to speak with her alone, relatively speaking. 

She didn’t want Percy to take her questions as anything but what they are— a curiosity of why they wouldn’t want their oldest friends to be with them on their special day.

“We could’ve gone out there, or close enough,” Sally says as Lily works, Annabeth tilting her head to the side as she does. 

“It’d be hard to explain,” she says, giving Sally a meaningful look— Sally understanding that she means the people of FEAST and their own interest in attending. 

“And you didn’t want them all here?” She asks, Annabeth looking thoughtful as she holds Sally’s gaze. 

“We haven’t had a lot of… problems,” she says, Sally understanding the code for what it is. Monsters , of which Sally has been immensely grateful for— not asking or really caring about their presence or lack thereof in the last few years. “With everything that’s happened, everyone else is scattered. Helping.”

Annabeth purses her lips, pieces snapping into place for Sally as Annabeth continues. 

“If they all suddenly showed up here… ” she trails off, Sally nodding as she sighs.

Sally wouldn’t pretend to understand what all had happened in their world, before much less after the Blip. In this, she trusts that Annabeth knows what she’s talking about— particularly as she has a good point. 

If a wave of demigods were to descend upon the city, a second time— there’s no telling what dangers could awaken once more. 

“Besides,” Annabeth says as Lily’s hands work quickly— “we’ll see them after. During our honeymoon.”

“Girl, you’re better than me,” Lily says, finally interrupting in on the conversation that both Sally and Annabeth had known she was eavesdropping on. “I wouldn’t see anyone during my honeymoon except my husband.” 

“ Lily, ” Annabeth says, looking embarrassed from the expression on her face as Sally laughs. 

“She’s right,” Sally says, Annabeth looking sheepish as she sits back. “You two deserve a break.”

“A good one,” Lily says suggestively, Sally laughing again as Annabeth whacks her hip with the paper in her hand. 

Despite Sally’s concern and worry that things were being done for her benefit, on the day of— all Sally can think is that Annabeth had made the right choice— the new courtyard looking like something out of a fairytale.

New flowers in bloom, the faint scent of freshly baked cookies and cake in the air, and the kids of FEAST laughing as they all dance together— Sally having a hand to her face as she watches the two kids she cares most about. 

“Congratulations,” Paul says as he comes up beside her, Sally beaming as she looks to him then back to her son and his beautiful bride. 

Sally had cried as she walked Percy down the aisle and cried even more at the way he cried at seeing Annabeth. She might not have a mom or a dad to ask questions or to commiserate but she has this, the knowledge and certainty that she’s done everything that she can for Percy and that he— incredibly— made it to a place she never thought he’d be. 

Happy, alive , now married to a woman that Sally couldn’t be more thankful for as they dance together as man and wife. 

“Thank you,” Sally says to Paul, Percy turning just then and looking over to her. 

He grins, a smile so dazzling that it takes her breath away— Sally overwhelmed with the love and pure joy that she’s on his face. 

It’s that joy that gives her courage and makes her brave, looking over to Paul and asking, “would you like to dance?”

Paul takes her in, piercing blue eyes that makes something in Sally’s stomach twist in a way she hasn’t felt in a long time— seeing him and the naked want in his eyes as he searches her face. 

As if he knows what she’s really asking, Paul smiles— butterflies in her stomach settling into something different, something warm like freshly baked pie and quiet laughter in the back of a kitchen as he extends out his hand. 

“I thought you’d never ask,” he says, Sally smiling as she slips her hand into his.

May: did my eyes deceive me or were you dancing with Paul last night 

May: ok it’s been hours. it’s almost noon. are you still sleeping?

May: are you NOT sleeping??? 🍆😉😏

Sally: omg

May: she lives!!

May: how was it?

May: have a good time? 😏😜

Sally: he’s still here 

Sally: I’ll call you later 

May: you better!!!!!! 

May: 😏😜😉

The summer months crawl by and slowly turn to fall, something that in hindsight Sally would recognize for the brief moment of peace that it is.

Paul is good, kind, and a perfect gentleman— slotting into her life in this new way as if he was made to. It helps, she thinks, that he’s been such a part of her orbit all these years— almost too well that when they finally start to tell people that they’re dating, it’s mostly underwhelming. 

“I thought you already were,” Ivy says with a shrug, eliciting a laugh out of Percy as they set the table. 

“See mom, you worry too much,” he says with a wink, Sally playfully rolling her eyes as Paul came up and hugged her from behind. 

“You really do,” he murmured under his breath, a shiver down her spine as she leaned into him— Percy rolling his eyes all on his own. 

“Hey, I’m the newlywed here. Which, where’s my wife? Wife!”

“Call me like that again, I dare you,” Annabeth calls out from the other side, Percy just grinning.

“Or you’ll do what?” He calls out, a pen flinging in his direction that just makes him laugh as Annabeth pours over new schematics with Tula.

Married life suited the two of them and now— graduated from college and working full-time at FEAST, Annabeth with infrastructure and Percy with the kids— Sally feels an indescribable joy every day she wakes up.

That this joy can be shared now, waking up with someone next to her in her bed made it all that much sweeter— Paul leaning in to kiss her on the cheek and then on the lips before they moved to get the food service running. 

It was peaceful and full, the same rhythm and routine that their life had created for years now.

A rhythm that Sally should’ve known would never last for long. 

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ.

Car horns are going off outside, chatter and traffic that drones on in the background. 

“It’s yours,” Paul muffles into his pillow, Sally slowly blinking her eyes open. She hadn’t expected anyone to call or text, both she and Paul taking a rare day off together to sleep in and relax. 

Time moved slowly for her and now with Percy graduated, married— Sally felt less urgency to rush forward with the life that she’s created. 

All of that urgency comes to her in a rush when she wakes up with a start, sounds in the background that she hasn’t heard in years as she sits up in bed. 

“Paul.”

He hums, Sally looking over to her phone as she grabs it— seeing May’s name flash across the screen. 

“Paul, get up,” Sally says with more firmness, feeling the thrum and pulse of a city come alive— so familiar that for a moment, Sally forgot that this wasn’t the world she lived in.

She forgot how loud the silence could be. 

She hears noise now, a cacophony of sounds that send her back into time— reeling out of bed as she answers the phone, bringing it to her ear as she rushes out of the bedroom.

“What happened?” She asks, heading out to her balcony to see it for herself— May sounding breathless on the other end as she takes it all in.

“ They’re back. ”

Chapter Text

“We have to get to FEAST.”

“Sally—“

“Paul,” she says, hands shaking as she points towards the door. “We have to go. They need—“

“ Sally ,” Paul says gently, bracing his hands on her arms. “We can go but we should get dressed first, yeah?”

Sally realizes then that she’s still in her pajamas, an embarrassed flush across her cheeks as she follows him back to the bedroom.

In less than ten minutes, they’re out on the street— the chaos that’s around them so familiar that it’s overwhelming as Paul has her hand in his.

“Maggie?”

“Mom? Mom, where are you?”

“Have you seen my son? Have you seen—“

“What’s going on?”

It’s the voices of billions, all back from the dead— Sally and Paul rushing back to the place they’d made their home. 

FEAST had always been the calm in the center of the storm, organized chaos in its own way. It’s like being in a hurricane now, swarms of people all about asking for help and calling out for loved ones— Sally wondering just what the hell had happened to bring it all about. 

“Tony left me a— a message, I—I have to go,” is all May had said before they hung up, Sally wanting to know more of where and what could’ve possibly been done but needing to know first that Percy is—

“Mom!”

“ Percy ,” Sally calls out in a rush, her own calls to Percy and Annabeth having gone to voicemail with the flood of people using the cell towers. She knew they would be here, but seeing them— Percy running up to her with a smile on his face as she clings to him tight makes her want to cry in relief. 

Sally knew all too well of the damage and the destruction that had happened in the wake of the Blip. Her mind had raced at what could’ve happened at the return. 

“Is it real? Is this—“ Percy asks, Sally leaning back as she shakes her head, Percy’s features shifting into something hopeful .

“Do you think Peter…?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know,” she says, not wanting to risk getting his hopes up. 

Not when now, with Percy in her arms, all Sally can do now is think of May.

Sally: what happened? 

Sally: Are you okay?

Missed call from Sally Jackson

Missed call from Sally Jackson 

Missed call from Sally Jackson 

Sally: May. Please tell me you’re okay.

Missed call from Sally Jackson 

Missed call from Sally Jackson 

May: I’m okay 

May: calling now 

“ He’s back ,” Sally whispered into her hands, hearing May sob on the other end.

“They’re getting him checked out now,” May says in a rush. “It’s— it’s chaos up here.”

“Where are you?” Sally asks, the chaos of FEAST all roaring in the background as she sequesters herself in a back office. 

“At the um, the Avengers Compound, I— Rhodes? James? Tony’s friend,” she babbles, Sally rooting around in her mind for it to click that she means War Machine as May continues, “he called me as— as soon as he could. Peter’s—“

May sobs, voice cutting off in a way that makes Sally’s heart stop, wondering now if their hope had all been for nothing. She can’t even fathom what she would possibly be able to tell Percy now, just when he thinks his friend has come back to him when May’s voice breaks through. 

“He’s the same , Sally,” she says, voice wavering in what she can now hear is relief— overwhelmed as she tries to collect herself. “He’s— it’s like it was yesterday, just— he’s the same.”

Sally considers herself a smart enough person but it takes her a beat too long to absorb what that means, synapses firing in her brain when it finally clicks what May meant. 

Five years had passed for the rest of the world but for the Vanished, maybe it was the same— no time passing from when they were gone to now, impossibly, having come back.

The realization that Peter was not only alive but still sixteen is too much for her to fully grapple with now, her mind fixating instead on the reason for why this could’ve happened in the first place. 

“Tony— what—what’d he say? What happened?” Sally asks, a pregnant pause on the other end.

It’s as if she knows before May can say it, a rock sitting in the pit of her stomach as May breathes out a sob.

“He’s gone.”

Sally spends the rest of the day with FEAST, with her family and with those she had created as her family— seeing tearful reunions and screams of joy, of agony. The return seemingly hadn’t lead to as many accidents as the Blip but the chaos of it, the coming back and trying to fit back in billions who had disappeared was overwhelming to say the least. 

Sally goes through the motions the best she can before Paul finally pulls her away, Percy doing the same for Annabeth as they each shared a look of solidarity. 

“We’ll be back tomorrow, we need to go,” Paul said in no uncertain terms, Sally going to argue that they were needed exactly where they were when she saw the expression on Percy’s face. 

“Come on, mom,” he said and that was enough, the fight leaving her just as he turned his attention to Annabeth— convincing her that the building would still be standing overnight. 

Whether or not he wins that argument, Sally doesn’t know— the sky being pitch black when she and Paul finally make their way back to the apartment. 

The lights are still all around the city, cars and noise surrounding her in a way that rattles her insides. She had forgotten how disorienting it could be, unable to tune it out like she had for most of her life. 

Her attention is mostly fixed to her phone, waiting for a call or a text from May to let her know that they’re home or at the very least, safe. 

It’s well past midnight when she finally replies, Sally and Paul still wide awake and staring at the ceiling— her phone buzzing feeling magnified somehow when she checks it. 

May: he’s okay 

May: is this real?

Sally smiles, exhaustion finally creeping over her as she taps out a reply.

Sally: it’s real. 

She wants to ask more, of what else happened with Peter and what she knows but stops herself— the noise from the city echoing all around her just as a thought does in the back of her mind. 

Of Tony and his cabin upstate, of a little girl going to sleep in a world very different from one she woke up in. 

She clicks off her phone then turns over, Paul’s open arms waiting for her— and cries, in exhaustion, in relief, in mourning for a person she’ll never get to thank. 

“Are you sure you want me to—“

“Of course,” Sally says, the two of them packing up the car he has to make it to Queens. “You’re family.”

He smiles, though it looks sad— eyes flicking over her shoulder. “They’re here.”

Sally turns to see Percy and Annabeth walking towards them, Percy holding a Tupperware container in his own hands as Annabeth smiles. 

“I know May said we didn’t have to bring anything but—“

“She’ll understand, of course,” Sally says, Paul taking the dish from Percy as they load up the car. 

It’s been a little over a month since the Vanished have returned, the city feeling more vibrant and alive than it had in years. The city’s reconstruction efforts had doubled— with the manpower and lack of vehicles that people had returned to making the transition frighteningly quick. It gives her whiplash, looking out the window as Paul drives the four of them out to FEAST Queens, to see the city now in a way that she hasn’t in so long. 

Sally’s lived here for most of her life now but five years had felt like a lifetime, a tense silence in the car that had less to do with any kind of argument or animosity and everything to do with how overwhelming the world around them felt like now. 

It had been Sally’s idea for the four of them to come over to FEAST Queens for Thanksgiving, May having been solely focused on Peter and his transition back into his life once more which Sally understood. She trusted that Tula, Ivy and the rest of them could handle their FEAST family for a day.

Sally knew she had to be there for her own.

She hasn’t seen Peter yet, since he’s returned— May having spent time up at the Avengers Compound and then attending Tony Stark’s funeral. 

Her eyes flick across the graffiti memorials and the makeshift candlelit vigils all around— the irony of it all shooting a pang through her as they make their way across the bridge. 

In life for the last five years, all the world could ever do was criticize and complain— rightly or wrongly— for Tony Stark and his failure. 

Now that she knew— that they all knew, from a press conference from Colonel James Rhodes— that Tony had died to end Thanos and bring the Vanished back, the world’s opinion of him had changed in an instant. 

Heroes, she thinks, were made and broken in an instant. 

For all of her complicated feelings about Tony Stark in life, all she can think of now in his death was what he left behind.

Sally hasn’t asked about his daughter, not when May was understandably focused on the child Tony died to bring back. She thinks of Morgan and of sacrifice as they make their way out of the parking lot and into FEAST Queens, a wave of nostalgia washing over her as Percy whistles. 

“It looks the same,” he says, shooting Sally a look and a hopeful smile— struck again with how much older and different he is. 

Sally can only bring herself to smile in response as they carry their containers forward and entire the building, dread building in the pit of her stomach. 

As far as she knows, Percy hasn’t seen or heard from Peter either— a public reunion being on the very bottom of her wants for either of them, despite the situation. 

Maybe public was better in a way, all things considered, Sally’s heart soaring when she sees the two of them— May’s hand gently on a shoulder that looked painfully familiar from behind. 

“Peter!” Percy calls out, taking a step forward— Annabeth letting go of his hand as both he and May turn around. 

“Oh my God,” Sally whispers, her heart skipping a beat in her chest when she sees him.

It’s as if he’d never left, believing May when she told her that— having seen it from the return of volunteers and neighbors— but to see Peter, a boy she’s known since he was twelve years old to have had five years pass and still look the same as he did when he left was overwhelming. 

Percy doesn’t seem phased at all as he walks forward, Sally watching as both she, Annabeth and Paul hang back— Peter blinking a few times before his face shifts in recognition.

“Percy?” He asks, voice still childish and painfully young— Sally feeling tears and a sob in the back of her throat from the way she can hear Percy huff out a laugh, watching as he moves towards him.

Sally’s vision blurs as Peter comes up to meet him, an ache in the middle of her chest at seeing the height difference between the two of them as they embrace. 

She finally walks forward, Paul and Annabeth in tow along with May when she hears Percy laugh— Peter muttering something as he finally leans back.

“Missed you, man,” Percy says, voice thick as Peter’s eyes taken on a shine— red-rimmed and nodding. 

“Yeah, yeah, I— fuck, you’re tall.”

That earns another laugh out of them, Sally unable to stop herself as she moves forward— Peter smiling as he sees her. 

“Hi.”

Sally embraces him, arms wrapped around him and feeling every bit of the grief she has refused to let herself have— the loss of a kid that had felt like her own now back and alive in her arms. She couldn’t let herself feel it, not when May and Percy’s grief had been so loud.

She feels it now, letting out a laugh that sounds more like a sob as she opens her eyes to see May— pure, unadulterated joy written all over her face. 

She can hear it so clearly, May’s voice in her mind without having to say a word.

He’s home. 

Sally: happy Hanukkah!

May: thank you ☺️ 

Sally: how is everything? 

May: better. Getting there. 

May: sometimes I still wake up and think he’s gone

Sally: I know. It takes time. 

May: God 

Sally: I know 

May: I caught him sneaking out last night 

Sally: what happened??

May: he was going to patrol, at 2am. 

May: said he heard a car alarm go off 

Sally: do you believe him?

May: idk. 

May: he hasn’t talked to me still. about what happened up there. 

May: idk if he ever will 

May: did Percy ever tell you? 

May: when he was missing?

Sally: no. not really. 

Sally: tbh I didn’t care. I was so glad he was home. 

Sally: it’s different. I think.

May: maybe not 

May: I’m so fucking glad he’s home but he’s hurting. Idk how to help him

Sally: just be there. 

Sally: that’s what I did for Percy 

May: you did great with him 

May: think the two of them are gonna be okay?

Sally: I think so

Sally: I hope so

May: me too

May: merry christmas 🎄

Sally: thank you!! 

May: busy day?

Sally: you know it. 

Sally: Tula kicked me out 

May: what??

Sally: said I need a break. They have more volunteers again. You know. 

May: good. you deserve a break 

May: which speaking of, whatever happened with Ivy and her girlfriend? Nina? 

Sally: not good. 

May: oh no

Sally: Nina’s girlfriend is back 

May: oh nooo

May: I’m happy she is. you know what I mean 

Sally: no I know 

Sally: ivy’s taking it hard. 

Sally: how do you even deal with something like that?

May: ivy’s what? 23? 

Sally: just about. So is Nina. 

May: I feel bad for the poor girl 

May: they’re not breaking up? Right??

Sally: I don’t think so but I can’t imagine how that conversation went 

May: how old was she?

May: the girlfriend? 

Sally: eighteen. same as before. 

May: so it really is the same 

Sally: yeah 

May: I’ll text her later, check in

Sally:  i think she’d like that 

Sally: hey! where are you?

May: you know where 🌃

Sally: omw

Sally holds two glasses of champagne in her hand, May smiling at her from her balcony as she makes her way out.

“Just needed a minute,” May says by way of explanation, Sally shaking her head as she passes the flute over to her.

“I get it. It’s loud in there,” she says, looking over her shoulder and smiling. Percy and Annabeth were deep in conversation with Peter and with Tyson, Peter still looking a little overwhelmed in a way that made Sally wonder how much of it had to do with their stories or with everything. 

As if May could read her thoughts, she says, “I think Peter’s feeling it too.”

“How is he?” She asks, voice dropping an octave despite knowing now that if he wanted to— Peter could hear them clearly. She’s betting on his attention being on whatever story Percy is sharing from the years he’s missed or on the food Paul is fixing than on them as May sighs. 

“He’s talking, he’s eating. He goes to school, I—“ she shakes her head, a wave of mixed emotions passing over her face. “I feel like I’m staring all over again. Like how it was when he first came to live with us.”

Sally laughs, May making a face as Sally explains. 

“No, no, I— I get it. Really,” she says, “I felt the same, when Percy came back.”

“I was so awful to you,” May says sadly, Sally frowning as she shakes her head. 

“May—“

“I was,” she interjects before Sally can argue. “Maybe not to your face but I—I was so angry, that Percy was back and then felt awful for being angry, I—“

May’s eyes are filled with tears, shaking her head as if she was trying to rid herself of them. 

“I don’t know what to do. He’s here and I…”

May trails off, Sally just watching her until May finally locks eyes with her again.

“It’s okay,” Sally says, because for once it finally is— both of their boys are safe and at home for the first time in years. 

May nods as if she doesn’t believe it, pressing her lips together as she stifles back a sob. She takes a sip of her drink, Sally doing the same as they look out over the balcony together. 

It was irrevocably different, Sally knew that to be true. But at the time, she felt hopeful— optimistic that despite the challenges of readjusting back into a new shade of normal, that the start of a brand new year could signify a fresh new start for each of them. 

In hindsight, Sally would regret that she hadn’t listened more to May’s concerns. 

Sally couldn’t have known that what she had hoped would be a fresh start was really the beginning of the end. 

Chapter Text

Much like life after the Blip, life after the return finds a new rhythm. 

Sally thinks it’s ironic how slow her life had felt in the weeks before the return, how different it was now and how much work there was still to be done. 

Reunification and structure became a hot button issue, particularly for the city officials who had returned— Annabeth in particular bristling at the interventions that Blipped politicians and policy makers liked to implement. 

“They weren’t even here,” she’d say hotly, taking out her aggression on washing dishes in the back with Sally who was happy to listen, especially as she agreed with her daughter-in-law in more ways than one. 

The Blipped city officials had a field day with FEAST and it operated, trying— and failing— to put in sanctions about food safety, housing quality, and their approach to education.

On some level, Sally could understand the need for order and the old logistics— the patterns with which life was organized being something that was familiar to those were Blipped. 

Every other part of her, particularly the one that had to listen to Paul angrily rant about the board of education and her own frustration with the food inspectors, wishes that the Blipped would realize that the world they left wasn’t the world they came back to.   

The hardest part of it all, wasn’t necessarily the inspectors and the policies, not the meddling of nosy returned volunteers or even news.

It’s the kids. 

Kids, who had returned back to life in droves, only for one or both of their parents to have disappeared— some as a result of the countless accidents that happened during the Blip, others having moved on from the city or maybe even the country after the loss of their families. 

Others, out of the sorrow and unimaginable loss that they faced, could not think of surviving in a world where their families did not. 

It was tortuous to hear the stories and even worse to deal with the fall out, the city’s social services being overwhelmed and FEAST stepping in as it always has to serve and to help.

Sally wonders sometimes if FEAST, and more specifically the people of FEAST, could step up to the challenge. 

When it came to Percy, she never doubted. 

She had seen it, in the early days when he returned and first started helping out with Paul and the kids, the knack he had for it— thinking that had it been a different world and a different life, how well-suited he would’ve been to be a teacher or a counselor. There were no certifications to get during the Blip, not any that could be licensed at the state level. It didn’t detract Percy’s from deciding to study education and more specifically the management of it, the way that universities had changed their degree programs during the Blip to address the needs of students— and that of the only available professors— ironically giving Percy a leg up that he never would’ve had before. 

She’d been thrilled when he and Annabeth decided to continue their work at FEAST and was even more so in sticking around after the return, their roles as leaders shifting now that they had the age and experience to give them credibility they wouldn’t have before. 

Percy might’ve served more as an administrator now, floating from makeshift classroom to makeshift classroom to check in on progress but at the end of a long day before she heads home, a few weeks into the new year, Sally could guess where she’s going to find him. 

She wanders through the familiar halls, still bustling with activity that she’s still getting used to. FEAST had been a home for her, a shelter in the literal sense of the word as well as metaphoric, but these new changes and new— returned— people had her questioning where she fit now, in more ways than one. 

Her child was grown, graduated from college, married and creating a life for himself with his wife and friends. Peter’s return has no doubt shifted things for him, this being part of the reason that she’s seeking him out here rather than anywhere else— knowing he’d be less likely to weasel out of the conversation. 

Percy is twenty-two, six years now separating him from one of his oldest friends rather than ten days— a radical shift in their dynamic that she’s only observed from the sidelines. 

She and May had joked once, if their kids were too old to set up playdates. 

Sally smiles fondly at the memory and of how simple life had been for them then. 

Even if she tried, she’s not sure if a play date would be sufficient— not with May being involved in FEAST Queens and Sally at her own location, much less in dating Paul and Percy having Annabeth.

She wants to know, in part for May, but mostly for herself— quietly peeking in to the room that she knew he would be in and smiling to see him playing in the corner, a round of sleepy kids all in various stages of napping.

Aside from the one, the aide in the room nodding to her with a smile as she returns it— her focus back to Percy.

She walks towards him and to the one who had been the object of his current focus, a two-year old girl named Estelle. 

There wasn’t much that they knew about Estelle, beyond her birth records. Her mother had died in childbirth and her father was presumed dead, their sources unclear if it was an accident because of the Blip or right before. 

Estelle was one of the many that FEAST had temporary space for, until social services was able to find a permanent home— a pang running through her at the idea of when, or if , that would ever happen. 

Estelle blinks up at her with a smile, shy as she giggles and hands her a yellow block. 

“Why thank you,” Sally whispers, coming to sit beside her and across from Percy who’s enraptured— Estelle’s tiny, tightly coiled curls bouncing as she turns her head.

“Block.”

“Yeah, that’s a block,” he says with a smile that speaks to how smitten he is, a pull in the pit of her stomach at what this would mean for how invested he is. “You want the green one or the blue one?”

He holds them both up, Estelle blinking before pointing to the green— Percy making a face that makes her giggle.

“You’re killing me here,” he says with an affected sigh, passing over the green block as Estelle takes it in her hand. She considers it for a beat before placing it on the makeshift tower she has created, extending out her hand towards Sally.

Sally passes on the block to her, the three of them falling into a comfortable rhythm as Estelle directs them where they need to go.

A part of Sally wonders if Percy’s fascination with Estelle had to do with her appearance, curls that resemble Annabeth’s and her skin a warm brown that— in Sally’s eyes— could easily give a picture into what their future child would like. 

Another part of her wonders if there’s something deeper to it, a kid that had been left behind and could easily fall through the cracks— something that Percy could understand even if it pained her to think on it. 

She’s going to ask him about it, in so many words, when Percy beats her to the punch— Estelle rearranging her blocks together when he says, “I’ve been thinking.”

“Dangerous,” she teases, Percy smiling faintly as she watches him. He has a five o’clock shadow, hair longer than usual and his eyes look tired— older in a way he shouldn’t be for being so long. 

Her little boy, all grown up, asking a question that throws her for a loop entirely as he asks, “what do you think would happen if I adopted her?”

Sally blinks, thankful for a lifetime in being given shocking news helping her with this as she gathers her thoughts— only for Percy to continue. 

“I mean, not just me. Obviously. I’d have to talk to Annabeth and I have but—“ he makes a face. “I don’t think we have the room. Yet. Plus, she’s been so stressed with all the permits and the extra supervision—“

“Percy—“ Sally begins, Percy handing Estelle a block as he sighs.

“Okay, yeah. I know, it’s— it’s a lot. Too much, maybe but I—“ he presses his lips together, eyes flicking from Estelle’s face over to her as he says, “I can’t imagine her waiting like this, you know? Stuck in this— this limbo, I—“

He stops himself off, taking another breath before exhaling slowly out of his mouth when he throws her another curveball.

“Could you adopt her?”

“Percy.”

“It’d be perfect, though. Right?” He says, as if it was the most seamless thing he’s ever thought of. “Like, you and Paul. You’re solid. Together—“

“We just started dating—“ Sally says, Percy waving his hand as if she hasn’t spoken.

“Officially, what? Like eight months? But you guys have been together for like, years ,” he says, a smile on his face. “You could start a family, you know? Never too late.”

“ You are my family,” Sally says in exasperation, “you and Annabeth and May and Peter—“

She stops herself, seeing the way that Percy’s face shifts.

“Is that what this is all about?”

“Huh?”

Sally smiles as Estelle claps her hands over what she’s created, Sally and Percy following her lead when Sally continues, “Peter. With everything happening with him…”

“You think I want to take a kid in because of Peter?” Percy asks incredulously, Sally making a face. 

“I think you want to find a way to fix something that you can’t solve,” Sally corrects, seeing that she’s nailed it on the head from the look on Percy’s face. 

He doesn’t answer at first, a testament to how much he’s grown— gathering his thoughts as Estelle plays. 

“He’s— he’s so young ,” Percy says, as if he’s just realizing it. “He’s sixteen and he’s— he wants to patrol again. All the time.”

Sally says nothing, Percy just shaking his head in disbelief.

“I don’t know why he thinks he can do it all,” Percy mutters, sounding frustrated only for Sally to laugh.

The sound causes Estelle to look over to her, Sally playing it off with a clap as Percy frowns— staring at Sally when she bites back another laugh. 

“What?” 

“Sweetheart, when has that ever stopped you ?” She asks, seeing the way Percy’s defenses go up.

“That’s different—“

“How?” She asks, holding his gaze. “Five years ago, you fought an earth god to save the world. Six months before, you fought Kronos. ”

She whispers the last part, despite the little ears surrounding them being unlikely to understand a word of what they’re saying. Percy’s frown deepens, shaking his head.  

“That’s different , I had help—“

“ With your other, painfully young friends? Someone like Ned?” She asks, Percy pressing his lips together. 

“He doesn’t even tell anyone where he’s going,” Percy argues, Sally putting all her self control into not laughing in his face. “You know Annabeth was tracking him on a spidey watch? He just—“

“Did what superpowered teenagers tend to do,” Sally says, her voice dropping another octave. “Sounds like someone else I used to know.”

She can see the moment that it finally clicks, Percy’s eyes widening at what she can imagine is the realization that for all his anger and frustration of Peter’s current mode of action— this has been Sally’s life for over a decade. 

“Mom…”

“I didn’t say that to make you feel bad,” she explains, because she made a promise a long time ago to never be her uncle, “but Peter hasn’t changed, Percy.”

You have goes unspoken, a thoughtful look on his face when he asks, “how am I supposed to be okay with this?”

“You’re not,” Sally deadpans as Estelle begins to yawn, the naptime she clearly needs coming up against her desire to play. Percy seems just as attuned to her, another pang in her chest at his request as he reaches his hands out for her. 

She takes them, letting herself he picked up as Percy goes to put her down for a nap on one of the pallets— whispering something to her that Sally doesn’t catch as she puts the blocks away. 

Estelle is bundled up in her blanket, Sally and Percy nodding to the aide as they leave— Sally noticing that Percy kept looking behind him, at Estelle. 

“It never gets easier,” she says, trying to smile as he looks back at her. “You just learn how to live with it.”

“ How ?” He asks, sounding exasperated. “Sometimes I think it’s like he— he doesn’t want to talk, anymore.”

Sally’s smile is more genuine now, placing a hand to his cheek.

“You’re all grown up now, kid,” she says, caressing her thumb across his cheek. “He’s the same . It’s a lot to adjust to.”

He nods, Sally bringing her hand down as he leans in for a hug. 

Sally readily accepts it, holding him tight as he says, “sorry for giving you gray hair.”

Sally laughs, leaning back to pinch at his side as he grins— side stepping her with ease. 

“Love you,” she says, Percy throwing his arm around her shoulder— taller than her and still her baby boy as she leans into him.

“Love you too, mom,” Percy replies softly, the two of them walking down the hallway together— Sally not missing the way that he looks back over his shoulder as he does. 

During their annual meet up for spring break, Sally and May sit at a coffee shop that had miraculously survived the Blip— albeit now with new ownership— holding their cups and looking out over the street. 

So much has changed for them over the years, loss and recovery, love and pain— everything so painfully different than the first time they’d sat together in this spot. 

There’s still something familiar and comforting in that this place was still around, May seemingly on the same wavelength as she laughs. 

“I can’t believe it’s still standing,” she says, looking over to the building the coffee shop was housed in.

“I know. I’m surprised the clean up’s gone through so quickly,” Sally says, the streets around them more or less looking the same as May smirks. 

“Five years isn’t all that quick,” she jokes, Sally smiling at her softly— asking a question with a raised eyebrow that just makes May sigh.

“It’s good. Getting there,” she says, pursing her lips. A beat. “Happy’s been coming around.”

“The driver?” She asks, May laughing loudly.

“I’d pay you good money to say that to his face,” she says with a grin, Sally getting the impression that she meant it as May waves a hand. “Anyway, it’s been nice.”

There’s a beat, Sally’s mind slowly clicking as to what May was implying— a slow smile forming across her face as May rolls her eyes. 

“Oh it’s nice is it?”

“Don’t start.”

“Is he doing you a good service ?” Sally asks, waggling her eyebrows as May continues to laugh. 

“He drives, he’s not a mechanic,” May says, only for there to be a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Though he is good with his hands…”

Sally laughs just as easily as May does, the two of them going back and forth as she fills in more details of her escapades in the last few weeks. It’s funny, light, good to see May smiling and enjoying herself— the fear that Sally had before that May wouldn’t ever find this happiness again all slipping away.

“I’m just having some fun,” she says with another wave of her hand, Sally instantly believing her with the memory of her own post-Gabe dating life. 

“That’s good.”

May’s smile softens, looking back down to her coffee cup.

“Midtown’s planning a trip, to Europe of all places,” she says, Sally making a face. 

“Europe? Why?” She asks, May rolling her eyes as she shrugs.   

“Cultural enrichment and international collaboration, they sent an email. I don’t know how they’re pulling it off but—“ she presses her lips together, eyes glancing up to Sally. “Peter wants to go.”

Oh , Sally thinks but doesn’t say— keeping her own thoughts to herself for a moment as she asks, “and how do you feel about that?”

May looks lost, conflicted as she makes a noise in the back of her throat. 

“Am I crazy for thinking it’s a good idea?” She asks, eyes searching Sally’s face. “It’s too soon, it’ll be way too soon for me to even think of letting him out of my sight again but—“

May stops, Sally watching as a sharp wave of grief passes over her face before she continues. 

“When he told me about it, it was the first time he was excited about something in… I don’t know how long,” May says, eyes boring into hers. “I don’t want him to leave but—“

“You don’t want to hold on too tight that you lose him,” Sally supplies, May nodding in relief. 

“I knew you’d get it.”

She did, painfully so— every instinct in her saying that May was right to be hesitant, that she’d had to live with the consequences of letting her kid go off on quests and adventures without her. 

Every instinct is stamped down, namely for how hypocritical it would be— especially when she understood intimately what it was like to want to help your kid and not have any way to do so.

Sally doesn’t miss the way that Camp Half-Blood had all but consumed Percy’s life but she knows that he does, sometimes— catching him staring out the window at times and wondering to herself what his life would’ve been like had he gone back right after the Blip.

She doesn’t live in that world and doesn’t have to, wanting to tell May to put her foot down and refuse. 

Wisdom, experience, and maybe just love for the children they have rather than the children they’d want overrides any of that as she says, “you’re not crazy.”

“Yeah,” May says, sounding sad— rubbing at her temples. “I just— I want him to have fun again, you know. Be a kid again.”

Sally says nothing, her own thoughts back to when Percy had come to her for permission to fight Kronos— sixteen and with the weight of the world on his shoulders, not unlike Peter.

She trusts May to make the decision that would be best for him.

Sally knows that May would do anything to make sure that Peter was safe. 

Chapter Text

“I have a question for you.”

Sally looks up from her book, Paul stirring the sauce in the pan. His eyes are still fixed on the stove, a tell for her that whatever he had to say he was considering how to ask.

“I might have an answer,” she says, putting her bookmark into the book and setting it aside— Paul glancing over to her as he stirs the sauce once more. 

“How do you feel about kids?”

Sally laughs sharply, composing herself when Paul grins as he turns the stove off. 

“Pretty good, you know,” she says as he moves to plate the pasta, pouring sauce over out over their plates with a ladle. “I do have one of my own.”

She smiles, thinking of the way Percy and Annabeth had been the other night when they came over for dinner. 

“Two, if you think about it,” she says fondly, Paul staying suspiciously quiet as she looks back up. “Why do you ask?”

Paul presses his lips together, Sally watching as he avoids her eyes for a beat before he looks up.

The minute he does, Sally knows exactly what’s coming— sighing as she says, “he got to you.”

“He did,” Paul says, putting a hand up as he sets the pot back on the stove— rinsing his hands as he says, “but he’s got a point.”

“Paul,” Sally says with a laugh as he wipes his hands on the towel next to the sink, grabs their plates and moves to the table. “We can’t adopt a two-year old.”

“Why not?” He asks, all earnestness and sincerity— Sally lifting herself up to wash her hands as he finishes setting the table. “We have the space. We have the time—“

“ Where do we have the time?” Sally asks incredulously, a look on Paul’s face as he sighs. 

“You know I’ve been getting frustrated with FEAST and the Board. Now that everything’s going back to normal—“

“It’ll never go back to normal ,” Sally mutters, Paul ushering over to the table as they go to sit. 

“Be that as it may, they’re putting pressure on us to get recertified and I— I just can’t do it, again. Not anymore,” Paul says, his voice thick as he clears his throat. Sally feels her heart clench, the reminder that Paul had been in class during the Blip and that he’d seen children he taught disappear in front of his eyes never far from her mind.  

“It’s not the same, like before. Before, they needed us. Needed me but now…”

He trails off, Sally picking up her fork and swirling around pasta as she considers it. 

“You want a kid.”

She had wondered, if this would ever be something that came up. He’d told her up and down when they started dating that the two of them were enough, that he loved Percy as his own and had spent a lifetime teaching kids and was perfectly fine without his own. 

Paul’s features soften, a smile on his face as he shakes his head. 

“I want you , always,” he reiterates, shaking his head. “If you really don’t want to do this—“

“I didn’t say that,” Sally says, cutting him off as she looks back down to the plate. “I just…”

In the face of all the joy and the triumph of the Return, there was still a sadness— a reminder of all that it is that they lost and of all the people who would never make it home. 

Estelle was one of the millions whose lives would forever be changed because of the Blip, Sally knew that neither of them would ever be able to attempt to fix that. 

But she couldn’t shake the way she had seen Percy and then Annabeth with her, having seen Paul visit in between classes.

Sally’s heart aches at the idea of what would happen to Estelle in this world and more, what Percy would do without her. 

It isn’t enough of a reason to adopt a little girl with nowhere to go, but it’s enough for her to pause— to think about it and plan.

Sally had never been particularly organized or put together, not a moment that passed while she was raising Percy did she think she was doing it right. 

What she did know is that she always had a lot of love, more than she knew what to deal with. 

Love couldn’t solve Estelle’s history or trauma, nor could it ever be enough.

Maybe though, it can be a start— looking back up to Paul who has a hopeful expression on his face. 

“Let’s figure it out.”

Figuring it involves a lot of talking, with each other, with social services, with Percy and Annabeth. 

With May.

“I’m honestly surprised it took you this long,” May says once over the phone, Sally laughing as walks down the aisle of a grocery store. 

“To add more to my to-do list?” She has teased, only for May’s words to feel like a punch in the gut in the best way. 

“To want to share more of your love.”

Percy was thrilled that Sally and Paul were even considering it, Sally wondering to herself how much of this was borne out of his own desire for kids. 

Whatever the case, the more Sally turned it over and over in her mind and the more time passed— Sally began to wonder just what would happen if social services ever found another family for Estelle. She wanted that for her, all the love and the time and the care she deserves after facing so much loss so young. 

In the end, Sally knew she couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t try— to be able to give that love to a little girl who reminded her so much of herself. 

She promised that her uncle’s influence would never shape how she parents and with the chance to bring in Estelle, Sally knew there was never another choice. 

Figuring it out, applying for guardianship and that would lead to adoption— all of it is a process that takes up surprisingly less time than she could’ve ever thought. With the Blip, the return, the chaos of social services, Sally anticipated that their decision to apply just after the anniversary of the Blip would lead to a months if not years long process before they’d be accepted. 

Which is why by the end of July, just three months later when Sally gets a call telling her the good news— she’s floored. 

“She’s coming home with us,” Sally says with a laugh over the phone, May cheering on the other end. 

“Oh I’m so happy for you, congratulations mama!”

“ Hah , thanks for that,” Sally says, Paul still whooping and hollering in the other room. “Are you home yet?”

“Just dropped him off at the airport,” May says, sounding nervous as Sally puts the phone in the crook of her ear— tidying up their couches. The social worker was on their way, the knowledge that they had passed the home visit and that Estelle was coming to stay still not feeling real as she continues, “I keep wondering if I made a mistake.”

“In letting him go?” She asks, May sighing as she straightens up the pillows. 

“That and I— might’ve done something stupid.”

“I thought Happy went to Berkeley.”

“Cute, you’re funny,” May deadpans, Sally snickering to herself. “That’s not what I meant.”

There’s a beat of silence, Sally glancing around the room to see what else she might’ve missed when May says, “I packed Peter’s suit for him.” 

Sally blinks, wondering if she’d misheard her as she asks, “you what ?” 

“I know , I know— I— God, all I’ve ever wanted was for him to hang up that stupid suit and never use it ever again but—“ she sighs, Sally unable to focus on the room as May rambles on. “It’s been hard for him, after Tony and— everything. Percy’s helped, which, please thank him for me. For the other night.”

“Of course,” Sally says, making a mental note to ask Percy more on how he and Peter’s hang out had been when he came over later. 

“He’s doing his best, he’s trying so hard but I just— I know that used to help him, made him feel… feel like he was doing good in the world,” May says, sounding unsure of herself— or maybe of what to do. 

Sally can empathize. 

“I get it. Every time Percy left for camp, I’d wonder…”

“I know. I— I don’t know. I want him to feel like he can talk to me about these things. God, I don’t want him to do it but he’s— he does so much good. He feels good when he’s able to do that, I know it.”

May sighs again, Sally crossing her arms over her chest as May continues. 

“I just want him to be okay.”

“I know, me too,” Sally says, the knock at the door immediately taking her attention. 

“That’s the social worker, I—“

“Go, go, I’ll be fine,” May says, Sally not quite believing it as Paul rushes back into the room.

“Call you later?” 

“Sounds good,” May says before hanging up, Sally taking a deep breath as she looks as Paul.

“Ready?” He asks, his whole face lit up as Sally beams. 

“Ready,” she replies, taking his hand and walking up to the door— ready to welcome their newest family member home. 

A few hours later, after Percy and Annabeth came for dinner with balloons and bags full of toys they almost certainly couldn’t afford, Sally grins as she sits back in the kitchen— Percy bringing in dishes with a smile on his face. 

“Did you see what she was doing with Annabeth?” Percy asks, sounding excited and like a little boy as he rinses the dishes off before loading them into the dishwasher. “I’m telling you, mom. She’s a genius.”

“Maybe so,” Sally says fondly, Percy wiping his hands on the towel before he leans against the sink.

“Thank you,” he says sincerely, Sally’s heart soaring as she comes in for a hug. 

“Thank you ,” she says, squeezing him gently before he lets go— Sally mirroring his posture as they both lean against the counters. “I can’t imagine what I would’ve done if…”

She trails off, Percy smiling as Sally settles more— the thought coming back to her as she perks up.  

“I meant to ask, how’d things go with Peter?”

Percy smirks, shrugging as he folds his arms over his chest— the slightest shade of stubble on his chin that just makes something in her gut twist. The two of them had never resembled each other much physically but now it was more pronounced— Percy’s jawline more angular and shoulders broader. He would always be her baby, even with their newest addition, but having seen the two of them side by side— she wonders how that was for them to actually hang out like they used to.

“Good. A little weird,” Percy admits sheepishly, “Annabeth was out with Gwen and the rest of them but it— I mean he was at our place , you know?”

Sally waits, nodding expectantly as Percy sighs.

“I don’t know. He’s— I mean, school’s good. I think.” Percy smiles, tilting his head towards her. “He’s got a crush.”

“Really?” Sally asks, already having known this information from May but pleased nonetheless that Peter had been willing to share. 

Maybe things weren’t too awkward or different after all.

“Yeah, he— he told me his whole plan, that he has. Ned had told him was dumb and—“ Percy snorts as he looks off to the side, “it is . But it’s— it’s sweet, you know?”

There’s a sadness there that no one else in the world, except for maybe Annabeth, would be able to pick up on.

Sally does in an instant, catching his gaze as she asks, “you doing okay? With that?”

“What do you mean?”

Sally mirrors his stance, folding her arms over his chest. 

“Five years is a long time,” she says simply, Percy pursing his lips as he huffs out a laugh. 

“He’s gonna be seventeen next week,” Percy says, as if he can’t believe it himself. “ Seventeen .”

“I know.”

“You know we always used to joke, about him being older,” Percy says, a faraway expression in his eyes. “Now I’m— six years , mom. I— he’s still in high school and I’m— I graduated. College. ”

“I know.”

Percy sighs, unfurling his arms and pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“He’s still Peter and I’m…”

Percy trails off, Sally moving from her position to come stand beside him— Percy bringing his hand down as he wraps his arms around himself as if he was holding himself together. 

“My sweet boy, all grown up,” Sally says, Percy’s smile wan before quirking his lips to the side. 

“He’s back, and I’m so, so glad that he is but I—“ he cuts himself off, pressing his lips together than letting out another sigh. 

“I miss how it used to be, with us. How I used to be,” Percy admits, looking over to her carefully as Sally waits. 

“You miss camp,” she says, Percy making a face as he shakes his head. 

“No, I— I did, before,” he says, Sally waiting for him to continue. “I didn’t get it, when you— when you said I couldn’t go back.”

“I didn’t mean never,” Sally says gently, though it feels like a lie even as she says, Percy knowing her a little too well as he smirks.

“But you’re not mad that I haven’t done a quest in years.”

Sally doesn’t argue, Percy letting out another huff of laughter.

“Yeah, I figured.”

They fall into a comfortable silence, Sally waiting for Percy to gather his thoughts when he looks down to his shoes.

“Me and Peter, we— we used to both… do stuff, like that. You know? I’d be on a quest and he was Spider-Man and it just— it just, clicked , you know?”

Before Sally can say anything, he pushes forward, “don’t get me wrong. I’m glad that it’s been good, lately.” He grimaces. “You know what I mean. It’s nice, that Annabeth and I get to just be, you know. Normal. ”

“But?” She asks gently, Percy making a noise out of the back of his throat as he searches for the words to say. 

“That’s just it. We’re— I mean, we got married , mom. Peter’s— he’s worrying about asking a girl out on a date and at first it felt like all he ever did was patrol, and now it’s as if he’s not sure if he even wants to be Spider-Man—“

Sally makes a mental note of that for May as Percy continues on. 

“And Annabeth and I have— have jobs and an apartment. We don’t go on any quests or fight monsters and we—“

He stops himself, Sally easily filling in the blanks. 

“Act normal.”

“Yeah,” he says, blowing air out of his mouth. “It sounds stupid.”

“It doesn’t sound stupid, it sounds… complicated,” Sally concedes, Percy snorting in response. 

“Way to undersell it.”

“It’s not going to be fixed in a day, or a week,” Sally says, nudging him gently. 

“I know, I know, I can’t fix everything,” he says, waving her off as he leans up and away from the counter, Sally following him.

“Just be there for him,” Sally says, the same advice she gave to May as she smiles at him. “You’ll both figure it out again, in time.”

“Like you and May?” Percy asks knowingly, May smiling as she hip checks him.

“Exactly, now come on,” she says, smiling as Percy mirrors her expression. “Let’s go check in on your little sister.”

Percy laughs but follows her lead, Sally’s heart feeling full and content as they walk back into the living room.

May: well. so much for a relaxing trip 

Sally: what happened??

May: a water thing showed up in venice today 

Sally: a water… what?

May: [AP NEWS: HYDRO MAN ATTACKS VENICE CANAL; MYSTERIOUS SUPER INTERVENES]

Sally: what the fuck 

May: I know 

May: naturally, Peter got involved 

Sally: oh boy 

Sally: is he okay?

May: he’s fine  

May: I think so at least. 

May: tbh I think he was more preoccupied with Happy being here when he called 

Sally: happy was with you?? 

Sally: on a weekday?? 

May: don’t 

Sally: Maybelle Parker look at you 😏🍆🤩

May: he was at FEAST 

Sally: so a quickie?? 

May: I regret telling you anything 

Sally: paybacks a bitch 

Sally: i just saw the news 

Sally: is everything okay??

May: I’m omw to the airport now 

May: he’s fine. happy called. 

May: Peter’s flying back with his class 

Sally: I’m surprised you let him 

May: I nearly didn’t but happy talked me down 

May: said it would be too obvious if Peter disappeared the same time Spider-Man did 

Sally: smart 

Sally: he did go to Berkeley 

May: enough  

Sally: let me know you made it home safe 

May: 👍

Two days after Peter turns seventeen, back home safe and sound and— according to May, having come back with a crush turned girlfriend and excited for a date— Annabeth stops by the apartment.  

Timing, Sally knows, is a funny thing— something that she understands can never be fully predicted.

In hindsight, she’ll wonder if she should’ve expected something like this. 

Sally is delighted to see Annabeth only for it to instantly turn to concern, grabbing her purse and letting Paul know she and Annabeth would be heading out— Paul waving and Estelle mimicking the action as they close the door behind them.

Sally didn’t miss the expression on Annabeth’s face, the Sight not being nearly as strong as it had been when she was younger but still there for her to understand that something was wrong. 

Not wrong, but maybe unexpected— the nervous energy that exudes from Annabeth as she wrings her hands together making Sally think that her sudden appearance could only mean one of two things. 

If something was wrong with Percy, she would’ve called— instantly and without question, Sally knowing in her gut that she would’ve only come face to face after she’d exhausted all her other options. 

Which leads to something else, something that Sally tries to contain her own feelings in about— particularly to give room for Annabeth to feel and process what she clearly needs to. 

Frederick did his best and as is the case with most demigods, Sally could only imagine what her relationship was like with her mother. Sally has thought of Annabeth like a daughter for years, long before she’d become her mother-in-law— waiting for Annabeth to share what’s on her mind like she knows she will.

It only takes them a half a block, on their way to a coffee shop that she knows she likes when Annabeth makes a face. 

“I haven’t told Percy,” she says out of the blue, Sally walking in step with her as Sally nods. 

“Okay.”

Annabeth takes a deep breath, exhaling out slowly as she turns to meet Sally’s eyes. 

“I’m late.” 

Chapter Text

Sally waits, Annabeth staring at her head on.

“I didn’t realize till today— I was talking to Gwen, she asked about some— some party or something, I don’t remember. I didn’t know if I could wear that one dress I really like but then it just clicked—“ Annabeth cuts herself off, shaking her head in disbelief. Her hair is in box braids now, the long strands gently moving back and forth as she looks at Sally. 

“I’m late,” she repeats, as if to convince herself of it. 

“Okay,” Sally says gently, Annabeth walking faster as she faces forward. 

“I’m never late. Ever . After the last time, I triple checked my birth control. I take it every day, same time,” Annabeth says, her daughter-in-law’s meticulous planning tendencies one of the first things she learned about her. 

“I can’t be pregnant, I— it’s impossible, right?”

Sally doesn’t get the chance to respond, Annabeth shaking her head furiously to answer her own question.

“It’s— fuck, I did change the prescription, cause my other doctor was getting swamped with new patients after the Reutrn but that’s— that shouldn’t matter. I never missed anything, I— fuck , this can’t be happening it’s too soon. It’s way too soon,” Annabeth rambles before finally looking at Sally. “Right?”

“I had Percy at twenty,” she says, Annabeth grimacing. “I’m not the best example.”

Annabeth groans, looking stressed in a way that instantly causes Sally to move less towards joking and more to comfort. 

Sally has noticed that when it came to parenting, Annabeth needed a more gentle touch— even if she didn’t seem to believe it. She was a fierce personality, a force to be reckoned with in just the ways that she’s seen– much less the hints and peek that she’s gotten about Annabeth’s abilities in her quests with Percy.

If there was one thing that Sally was thankful for now, having lived among her and with her for the last five years, that she could give her the gentleness that could still be a strength, Annabeth modeling it in more ways than one as Sally smiles. 

“If you’re not ready, you’re not ready,” she says succinctly, Annabeth going to argue something when Sally continues, “and if you take a test and don’t wanna do it, I raised Percy better than that to do anything other than be right there with you to hold your hand.”

Annabeth closes her mouth, relief flooding through Sally that she had raised Percy well enough that this feels believable to his wife and partner, continuing on as she says, “and if you take the test and feel differently, he’ll still be there. Just like I will.”

Annabeth looks as if she’s hanging on to her every word, a pang running through her at the thought of how little support she has in this respect. 

If there’s anything Sally knows, it’s having to navigate life on your own without a mom to be there for you.

Sally is committed to ensuring Annabeth never again feels like she had.

“Do you want to go get a test?” She asks, Sally watching in real-time as Annabeth seems to come back to herself— slowing her pace just as she slowly shakes her head. 

“No, I’m okay. I think I’ll be okay,” she says, exhaling slowly. “I’m gonna go get a test but—“ she stops then, as if to realize who she’s talking to. “I should probably do that part with Percy, right?”

“It’s up to you,” Sally says, Annabeth nodding once as if she’s already decided. 

“Yeah, I’m gonna do that. Thank you, though, for this.”

“Of course,” she says, going to loop her arm with Annabeth’s. “I’m still up for that coffee though, if you’d like it.”

Annabeth smiles, Sally mirroring her as she nods. 

“Yeah,” she says, Sally feeling a warmth in her chest. “I’d like that.”

May: well???

May: you can’t just drop that and then say nothing 

May: Sally Jackson!!

May: are you gonna be a grandma????? 

Sally: calling now 

May: Peter asked if this makes him an uncle 

Sally: 😂😂

Sally: I think Percy would agree 

May: I overheard him talking to Peter 

May: he sounds over the moon 

Sally: like you would not believe 

Sally: he asked Paul a thousand questions about baby development

Sally: Paul had to remind him he taught high school for reason 

May: he asked Paul and not you? 😂 

Sally: oh no that was AFTER an hour conversation about his birth 

May: 😂😂

May: grandma sally 

Sally: I feel like I should have more gray hair to be called grandma 

May: Mimi 

Sally: no

May: Nana 

Sally: 😐

May: is yia yia too on the nose????

Sally: you know

Sally: i kinda like that 

Sally gets a few days of new grandparent bliss— in the most basic sense of the word— before the world yet again, goes to shit. 

On some level, she should’ve guessed that things would go wrong. 

She’s at FEAST, clean up already underway and getting ready for the next food service when her phone starts buzzing— wiping her hands on her apron and checking to see who it is. 

“Hey, how’s everything?” She asks— or tries to at least, when Paul interrupts her. 

“Have you seen the news?” He asks, sounding odd— Sally’s heart immediately stopping as she moves on instinct. 

There’s always a tv on in some of the common rooms, making her way over to see what’s happening that Paul would call her like this in the middle of the day as her mind races. 

“What is it?” She asks, trying not to let panic rule her. Percy is here, or should be but Annabeth is out— on a site visit with FEAST Brooklyn to help their field coordinator as they develop a revamp of their own courtyard. Her life has been so peaceful, with then— too peaceful that of course the moment everything has finally begun to fall into place—

“It’s Peter,” Paul says, voice in disbelief. “He’s— Spider-Man?”

Sally’s heart leaps up into her throat, stepping into the common room and seeing people crowded around the television— her eyes flicking up to see none other than Peter’s picture plastered on the screen. 

“Oh my God,” she says, Paul’s voice cutting through the panic. 

“Is it true? Sally. Are you there?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” she says but feeling as if she’s very much not— in utter disbelief as the broadcast seems to repeat itself. 

Peter Parker is Spider-Man, outed it seems from the man he’d fought on a bridge in London a week before— Sally watching the footage shift to a live feed of—

“ Oh my God ,” she says again, helicopters surrounding an apartment complex that looks painfully familiar— Paul still sputtering in the background. 

“Are you— what the fuck? Peter’s— Peter’s what ?”

“I have to call you back. Love you,” she says then hands up, going to deal with the fall out of that revelation after she deals with this. 

It had been a conversation, on more than one occasion— of whether or not to tell Paul of who Peter is, or at the time who he had been. May had never mentioned it and Sally had just followed her lead, a secret that felt that it should’ve stayed with the dead. 

In the months since, after the return— Sally hadn’t meant to keep this from him but never found the right time, especially when her priority had been more to assure May and Percy that Peter was very much alive and okay. 

She’s regretting keeping this in now, if only because it would make it that much easier to not have to explain when she immediately goes to dial May— phone ringing against her ear when someone turns.

“Hey,” Earl says, Margaret sitting next to him as they look over to her. “Hey Sally, this true?”

“Course it’s true,” Margaret says with a sniff, Sally getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as people begin to turn. “I always knew it.”

“You did not, you old quack,” Earl argues, the two of them devolving into their same kind of argument and banter but it’s too late now— people beginning to look at them oddly.

Ivy, among them. 

“Sally?”

May’s phone rings and rings, Sally taking a step back at the amount of eyes that are now on her— seeing someone move out of the corner of her eye. 

“Is it true?”

“Wait, you know them?”

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Ms. Jackson!”

“The cook knows Spider-Man ?”

“We need to go,” Percy says, Sally startling at realizing he’s right by her side— a hand firmly on her arm as he gently pushes her back towards the door. 

“I—“

“ Now , mom,” he says, a fire in his eyes that she’s never seen before— the thought occurring to her that this wasn’t the Percy she raised. 

This is Percy, the son of Poseidon.

Sally lets her son usher her out of the room, ignoring the looks and the chatter around her as May’s phone goes to voicemail— only to try and call again as they make their ways out the doors and towards the direction of Sally’s apartment. 

“Is Annabeth—“ Sally begins to ask, seeing Percy’s eyes scan their surroundings as they walk quickly.

“She’s on her way,” he says, eyes never leaving the people that they’re passing. “I called her as soon as I saw.”

“You did?” She asks, Percy’s hesitance to use phones never leaving him despite how much Annabeth had let that go. After Kronos, after Gaia, after the Blip , the dangers of their world had faded away— at least to Sally’s mind. 

It strikes her, as they move swiftly to her apartment that for Percy, things had never slowed. 

She doesn’t think to ask about it, not now when May’s phone goes to voicemail a second time— the city feeling like it’s coming alive in a different way as she sees people talking amongst each other.

Part of the appeal of living in this city was how completely unbothered and unmoved it’s residents were with anything, all focused on their own lives and problems without thinking of anyone else. 

For the first time that she can think of since the Blip, the whole city felt as if it was united and thinking about one thing. 

Her stomach flips—in dread, in worry— that this one thing was Peter and what that would mean for May.

May: we’re okay. 

May: happy had to take MJ home 

May: but we’re safe 

Sally: call me when you can 

Sally: did you need anything today?

Sally: I’m coming over 

Missed call from Sally Jackson 

Missed call from Sally Jackson 

Sally: are you okay? where are you??

Missed call from Sally Jackson 

Missed call from Sally Jackson 

Missed call from Sally Jackson

May: just got phone back 

May: calling now

“You got arrested ?” Sally exclaims in disbelief, pacing back and forth in her bedroom.

She can hear Paul talking on the phone, no doubt getting Percy’s side of things that he’d gotten from Peter. 

“Not arrested,” May says with a tired sigh, “more like questioned. For hours . They picked up Ned and MJ too. Maria was pissed.”

“I’ll bet,” Sally says, May sighing again. 

“Now they’re looking into Happy because of his connection with Tony and I just—“ she stops, Sally hearing from the frustration in her voice. “Someone threw a brick through our window.”

“Oh my God.”

“No one got hurt, thankfully. But it’s just— my friend Matt, you remember him? The lawyer?”

“Vaguely,” Sally replies, thinking back to years ago when they were first getting to know each other— her and Ben’s stories about their community organizing when they were young being a distant memory now. 

“He came over, he helped get us out of that station,” she says, sounding tired . “Anyway, he got the charges dropped—“

“ Good,” Sally says, relief flooding through her only for the feeling to be premature as May continues. 

“But it’s far from over. Matt says, with everything that’s happening and the security risk, we’ll need to move.”

“Of course, anything you need,” Sally says, mind immediately leaping to the space that they could make for all of them when May softly laughs.

“I appreciate it, really, but you just got Estelle—“

“You know we can—“

“I know,” May says firmly, interjecting before Sally can make her case. “I do, but Happy, he— he’s got security outfitted to his ears. You know how Tony was.”

I do , Sally thinks but doesn’t say, her own complicated feelings about him coming back up to the surface with this new shift in Peter’s— and May’s— life. She was grateful, beyond grateful that Peter and the rest of the world was back. She wouldn’t pretend to have a close relationship with him or even that they were friends, but she thinks often of the conversation they had at his lake house, particularly when Paul is singing something off key and Estelle is giggling and babbling along. 

Her own feelings about Tony Stark come second to May’s, focusing her attention back to the conversation at hand. 

“It’ll keep us off people’s radars or at least keep him safe ,” May says cautiously, “though it’ll be a little awkward now, considering I was trying to break up with him.”

“You what?”

May laughs, a soft and tired thing that makes Sally’s heart ache. 

“It was just fun, supposed to be at least and I think he— I think he felt more,” she says, her voice dropping lower which made Sally think he had to be close by. “Anyway, that doesn’t matter now. He can help protect Peter. Of course we’ll go stay with him.”

Happy is nothing like Gabe Ugliano, not in temperament nor appearance but May’s words still send a chill down her spine. Sally knows intimately what it’s like to put herself in a situation in the service of protecting her child— a twist in the pit of her stomach that May would ever feel a tenth of how trapped she had been for years. 

Sally knows that the situation is different, that Happy is different, yet every part of her now wants to beg May to reconsider and come move in with her and Paul— the logistics of it matter less to her than the certainty of how much she wants May to have freedom.

What Sally does instead, knowing that May would always prioritize Peter’s safety instead of her own, is ask, “how can I help?”

“Tell Percy we’re sorry we can’t make it to his birthday party?”

Sally huffs out a laugh, the ache in her chest growing as she grips her phone. 

“Of course, May.”

In the immediate aftermath of Peter’s identity reveal, Sally expects for the two of them to go into hiding. 

In hindsight, Sally should’ve known better than that. 

May still makes it to her shifts at FEAST if the news bulletins she has sent to her phone are any indication, just as Peter continues to go out as Spider-Man. There’s only a handful of weeks before school begins again, Sally wondering to herself if May was going to pull him out and enroll him elsewhere— or if any of Tony’s seemingly endless resources included some benefit for Peter.

The former turns out to be a resounding no, from an off-hand comment from May the week before school begins— Sally bringing up the latter only for May to sigh. 

“Matt said it would be better if we… limit any kind of interaction with Tony and SI,” she says, Sally’s mind jumping ahead to where May’s already is. “I know, we’re staying at Happy’s place but—“

“You know you can—“

“I do,” May says, hearing the smile in her voice. “I know.”

There’s a beat of silence before May says, “I don’t want things to be any more difficult for you than what they are.”

Sally’s going to argue that it isn’t— that none of it mattered because of everything else only to stop herself, still heated from what had happened the day before. 

Sally had expected for there to be some chatter and maybe even paparazzi— the attention that was focused on May and Peter spanning across to include anyone that was remotely connected to them.

What she didn’t expect was for that to manifest itself in a betrayal in the worst way— Ivy sliding up to her during the dinner service to ask questions about Peter and May.

Sally— foolishly— had believed that she was just curious, only to see her same words reprinted in the Bugle not even a day later. Sally hadn’t mentioned anything of consequence beyond concern— a concern that was obviously twisted and made manipulative coming out of the mouth of J. Jonah Jameson— but that hadn’t been the point. 

Sally had trusted Ivy, had known Ivy for years— only for it to quickly turn for a quick buck.

In another life, maybe Sally would’ve been more forgiving. 

In this one, she can’t bear to look at her. 

“I’ll be fine,” Sally finally says, wanting May to be certain of this. “I’m with you, okay? You’re not getting rid of me anytime soon.”

May laughs, a bright and clear sound that makes Sally smile. 

“You might regret that,” May says fondly, Sally smirking as she shakes her head. 

“Never,” Sally says with all the certainty in the world. 

She’d said it to herself before and knew now even more of how true it is.

There were few things in this world that she wouldn’t do for May Parker. 

The next Sunday, Sally is busy making lunch— Paul in the living room entertaining Estelle when there’s a knock at the door. 

“They’re here early,” she hears Paul say in that sing song voice that he almost exclusively uses to talk to Estelle— chopping up the lettuce on the counter when she hears the door open and Annabeth’s voice. 

“She’s right in the—“ she hears Paul say, Annabeth appearing in the kitchen with a look on her face. 

Sally’s stomach drops, bracing herself as Annabeth seems to recognize in real time where Sally’s mind had gone. 

“Percy’s fine, he’s—“ she stops, taking a breath. “He’s ok. He’ll be here in a minute.”

Sally’s heart is still racing, Annabeth shaking her head. “The baby’s fine too.”

There’s something wrong— Sally can sense it, in every fiber of her being from the way that Annabeth’s eyes shift and her body is tense, familiar in a way that takes her far too long before it clicks .

“What happened?” She asks, dreading the answer— an old fear coming back to her and creeping down her spine, wondering if the world that she had thought— she had desperately hoped— that the two of them could leave behind was making itself known once more. 

The look in Annabeth’s eye tells her all that she needs to know, a determination set in her jaw as Sally watches something shift. 

“We need to talk,” she says carefully, voice getting lower. “I told Percy we wouldn’t ever have to, that I never wanted to but—“

She stops, taking a breath then slowly exhaling again as she meets her eyes. 

“What do you remember about Tartarus?”

Chapter Text

Lunch is quiet.

Percy arrived, not too long after Annabeth but long enough that Annabeth has time to tell her what happened— catching Percy’s eyes and seeing the same fire in them from the day Peter’s identity was revealed. 

Sally loves her son, has done everything she could to protect him but in that moment— she wonders of how little she really knows of him. 

He sat and ate his lunch, made conversation with Paul and joked with Estelle— all the while seeing the protective way he’s angled to Annabeth.

Annabeth for her part seems just as agitated, not even bothering with the pretense of making small talk with Sally which Sally is grateful for. 

It gives her more time to think, to absorb what Annabeth has told her.

To wonder how she could’ve ever been so horrifically wrong to believe their world would leave them alone. 

When Percy had come back after all those months missing, Sally had been out of her mind in relief— caring less about the details of what he’d done or been through in so much that she could be there for him and help. Percy had seemed just as eager to move on with his life and Sally was all to eager to move right along with it. 

She regrets it now, from the way he holds his fork and from the darkness in his eyes.

She regrets that she didn’t ask more questions. 

Annabeth didn’t tell her everything of what happened in Tartarus, Sally knows this just from the look on her face but she’s said enough now— of an ancient goddess who had kept them back and of Percy’s willingness to go too far, the shadow of fear on Annabeth’s face making Sally pause in the intensity of it. 

In hushed tones, Estelle and Paul in the other room, Annabeth told Sally of Percy’s near death and of his insistence on keeping her safe— of a fight at the gates of hell and how willing he was to stay behind.  

It aches at Sally to learn about how self-sacrificing he is, but it isn’t a surprise— what is is how close Percy came to ending another life that had all but begged for mercy.

Sally isn’t naive enough to think that Percy hasn’t killed, knowing on some tangible and real level what it means for him to go on quests and come face to face with monsters. 

It’s different, she thinks, to hear it again in so many words— for Annabeth to come to her with concern of how far Percy is willing to go. 

Sally wonders how she could ever let herself forget that Percy is Poseidon’s son.

Secrets on secrets, all meant to protect— only for Sally now to feel foolish for Annabeth to admit that the monsters she had believed were gone had not disappeared as much as they had claimed— still few and far between because of the Blip but never gone , Percy’s claims for normalcy feeling more like a lie even as Annabeth refuted that. 

“It hasn’t been bad, really. Maybe once or twice a year, if that,” she had said, as if any sign of a monster was acceptable. “With everything that’s happened, with Peter—“

Annabeth had cut herself off, making a face.

“It’s different now.”

Different involves a fight that she begin to tell her about before Percy had arrived, the look in Annabeth’s eyes telling her that there was more to the story. 

Sally knows that the Mist covers and protects but she can’t help herself from grabbing her phone after they’ve gone as she puts Estelle down for a nap and searching for— something , only for her heart to skip a beat when she finds a blurb of something that anyone else would’ve skipped over. 

Anyone else who didn’t have the Sight, who wasn’t the mother of the son of Poseidon, wouldn’t have looked twice. 

A main city water line burst, seemingly out of nowhere in the middle of the street— pouring out in a geyser that had reached nearly twenty feet until it rushed all back— the water still impossibly flowing the way it needed to despite the hole formed. 

The blurb talked about the city repairs and of speculation of an increase in water pressure because of the Return to be the cause but Sally could see it for what it is— the truth staring at her in the face. 

Percy had been the reason for it, no doubt in an attempt to protect Annabeth and himself, from some unseen monster to the mortals around. 

Some part of her was proud of him, that even in protecting Annabeth that he was able to ensure the least amount of damage to the people that lived there. 

However there was another part, growing still because of the way that Annabeth looked at her throughout dinner— from the few things she shared about their time in Tartarus— that made Sally wonder just how much more Percy could do. 

Sally: hey sorry I missed your call. Estelle’s finally down and Paul is currently snoring on the couch 

Sally: i don’t wanna wake him when he’s been up with her all night 

May: poor thing 

May: is she feeling any better?

Sally: I think so. Doctor gave her some antibiotics. Just a viral thing. 

Sally: I forgot how sick kids get all the time 

May: welcome to parenthood in your 40s

Sally: hah 

Sally: how are you?

Sally: any better?

May: a little 

May: his PE teacher made him climb a wall

May: again 

Sally: 🙄

May: he hates it I can tell

May: but he keeps telling me if that’s the worst thing then it’s not so bad

Sally: don’t you hate it when they’re right

May: I do

May: I still wish I could do something 

Sally: maybe for spring break? 

Sally: we can break tradition for this 

May: that’s a great idea 

Sally: it’s not the most exciting but Percy and I used to like going to Montauk 

Sally: had a place up there and everything 

May: you had a place in Montauk???

Sally: his father helped 

May: ah ok 

Sally: doesn’t have to be there. just something to get out of the city. 

May: that might actually be perfect 

May: quiet and small, less likely for people to get in his face 

May: I’d say let’s all go but if my math’s right 

May: annabeth will be… seven months? 

Sally: just about 

Sally: knowing her she’ll want to go anyway

Sally: and it’s not far 

May: I like this 

May: all of us together. no press or questions

Sally: drinking coffee at the beach 

May: let’s do it. 

May: I’ll check when Peter’s off in March 

Sally: sounds perfect 

May: thank you Sally 

May: for everything 

Sally: of course ❤️

Life, as it always does, begins to move forward. 

The attention to Peter doesn’t necessarily die down but becomes a bit more normalized, May telling her that he has thrown himself into applying for college in the hopes of maintaining that normality.

Work at FEAST, for the most part, resumes but Sally can feel the tension in the air— the camaraderie and the community that she had worked so hard to help build now tainted by the knowledge of what Ivy had done. 

She’s heard through the grapevine of her reasons— misplaced anger and frustration— and in a different world, maybe Sally could forgive her. 

In this one, it makes working at FEAST unbearable and forgiveness that much harder— to try and work together to serve the people of FEAST knowing that at any moment, her words and actions could end up on The Daily Bugle’s website.

There was some semblance of peace in that, that news about Peter— and the rest of them— was now relegated mostly to the tabloids. Now that Peter’s murder charge had been dropped and the world shifted its focus to Tony’s satellites, it should’ve made things easier. 

That it doesn’t makes Sally wonder how much longer until she joins Paul in finding another way to fill her time. 

The tension of FEAST matters little though compared to what is growing between Percy and Annabeth— weekly dinners becoming that much more fraught from the way they speak to each other or more, don’t speak to each other. 

“She’s being unreasonable,” Percy says to her as they put the dishes away, a frown so deeply etched across his face that it feels permanent. “I’m trying to keep her safe.”

“What does that mean?” Sally asks, unsure if she wants to know the answer yet desperately needing it all the same as he looks up to her. 

Percy is twenty-three now and in many ways, he’s no longer her little boy.

Yet the way he holds her gaze, something shifting in them that sends a chill down her spine, gives her pause for the man that he’s become. 

“Whatever it takes,” Percy says definitively, searching her face.

She can see something shift, as if he’s realized who he’s talking to when a dish clatters in the other room— the two of them turning to see Estelle giggling as Paul now has a face full of mashed potatoes. 

Percy’s expression softens, Sally’s heart clenching as she sees him.

“I’d do anything for you guys,” he says, his tone gentle even if his words are not— the flash of anger, or maybe just protectiveness— making her want to reach out to Poseidon and never speak to him ever again.

Actions always had consequences, Sally knew this. She was beginning to wonder if Percy abstaining from quests, from the life of being a demigod for the sake of something normal, was manifesting itself into a recklessness that’s dangerous. 

Sally’s words escape her, the moment passing as Percy turns back to the dishes. 

She hates the certainty in his words, the utter belief that there was no line he wasn’t willing to cross— no person he wasn’t willing to become for their safety. 

It terrifies her, to think of what that could mean. 

May: first rejection 

Sally: no!

May: it was his last choice 

May: it’ll be fine 

Sally: he’s way too smart for Harvard anyway

Sally: fuck them 

May: CalState is a no

Sally: good

Sally: California??

May: I know 

May: I think that was Percy’s suggestion 

May: overheard him and Peter talking about surfing last night 

Sally: since when has Peter ever surfed??

May: my point exactly 

Sally: happy Halloween 🎃

May: where are the pumpkin pics!!!!

Sally: omg hold on 

Sally: [Estelle in a pumpkin outfit, Paul and Sally holding her in front of their door]

May: oh my God

Sally: Percy took seven thousand pictures 

May: send them all

May: you pumpkin that baby!!!

May: hey did you get the directions? 

Sally: yep we’re ten minutes out 

May: 👍

When Maria had invited Sally to Ned’s birthday party, she had thought it was a wrong number. 

Despite her joy that Edward was reunited with his family, hearing most of it second hand from May, there was an awkwardness on Sally’s end of how little she had talked with Maria even before the Blip— their boys being a trio of friends and yet the three of them as mothers never really hanging out together. 

Part of it was scheduling, Sally knew this— Dr. Maria Leeds hours at the hospital making it far more likely that they saw Edward on any given day.

Most of it, on Sally’s end, was the knowledge that Percy was different— the chances of his secret coming out all that much quicker the more they all hung out together. After Peter and Spider-Man, Percy’s connection to Ned really being only because of Peter, Sally had stopped trying and Maria had never asked. 

Now, a year after the Return and approaching Ned’s 17th birthday— Sally felt as if she was an interloper to his birthday. 

She did, at least— until they arrived. 

The Leeds family was large and immediately welcoming, bits of English and Tagalog all intermixed as Sally, Paul and Estelle were ushered into one of Ned’s uncle’s backyards in Queens.

She should’ve guessed that May Parker had chosen good people around her, having known Ned for almost as long as Peter— none of his family seemingly caring at all that Peter was still a trending topic and the center of news stories and think pieces that changed on any given day.

She’s thinking of one particular story as she feeds Estelle some lumpia, Paul going to town on his own plate— watching as Percy and Annabeth get introduced to MJ by Peter, the latter of whom is pulled away by another one of Ned’s uncles for a big hug. 

This newest one— to her at least— had been about the burden of being a young superhero, questioning the ethics of Tony Stark and of public opinion’s shift immediately towards the negative to blame a teenager for those who should’ve known better. 

She’d only had the chance to scan through it but she wonders now how much of it Peter sees or if he even cares to— the lightness surrounding him when he’s able to slip back next to MJ making her smile. 

“They’re cute together,” Paul says, Sally looking over to him as she nods.

“I wish…” Sally begins then trails off, wishing she knew of what words to say— of what she even could say that would make sense. 

Peter and MJ, Percy and Annabeth— the sweetness of the two of them together and to see, in some way, the chance that the former could make it through something as stressful as this being shown in the parallels of Percy and Annabeth— were soured with the knowledge that these were kids , forced to grow up too soon and face things they never should.

“He’s gonna be okay,” Paul says quietly, Sally looking over to him.

Estelle asks for more, Sally’s attention being brought back to the little girl in her lap— a living, breathing reminder of second chances and of hope in the face of tragedy. 

Sally wishes that she could believe in what Paul is saying, she hopes that it’s true.

In hindsight—

Sally regrets she couldn’t have had warned any of them of what was to come. 

Sally’s phone is buzzing incessantly, watching something mindless on television as she frowns.

Estelle is on the floor playing with her toys before bed, Paul currently washing the dishes from dinner when she grabs around for it on the couch— finding it and seeing Annabeth’s name flash across the screen.

“Hello?” She immediately answers, expecting to hear her daughter-in-law only to hear Percy on the other end. 

“Mom? Has May called?”

Sally sits up, heart skipping a beat. “No? Why—“

“Turn on the news.”

Sally does what she’s told, a thousand questions running through her mind as she grabs the remote and changes the channel— seeing a reporter talking in front of the turnpike as she frowns.

“What?”

“It was Peter, he—“ he groans, hearing Annabeth talk in the background. 

“— say there was an octopus man fighting Spider-Man on the bridge, moments before an explosion that—“ the reporter on the television says, her voice fading out in favor of Percy’s who sounds grim.

“I think he’s in trouble.”

Chapter Text

“Where is he?” Sally asks, hearing background noise on the other end— traffic it sounds like and Annabeth’s authoritative tone. 

“I— I don’t know. Annabeth have you seen—“

Her voice is indecipherable on the other end, Sally putting Percy on speaker as she goes to text May. 

Sally: have you seen the news? 

Sally: there was a fight on the bridge 

She sends the text then waits as Percy and Annabeth go back and forth, text bubbles popping up then stopping. 

May: shit 

“I don’t know where he is,” Percy says, something shifting in his tone. “But I’m gonna find him.”

“Percy—“ 

“We’ll be safe, mom. Promise,” he says, a beat passing between them— all the things she wants to say but can’t all at the tip of her tongue. 

Please take care of yourself. Don’t lose yourself. Come home. 

“I love you,” is what Sally says instead, the only thing she can say as Percy tells her he loves her too. 

He hangs up the phone, Paul coming into the living room as the news segment shifts. 

“Is everything okay?” He asks, Sally turning to look at him.

“I don’t know,” she answers honestly, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. 

In hindsight,

Sally can recognize even then she knew something was going to happen.

She knew something was wrong. 

She gets a hold of May, giving her the rundown of what little she knew for Percy— fingers tapping against the couch as she hears her sigh.

“I hate this.”

“I know.”

“I feel so—“ May lets out a strangled noise in the back of her throat. “I trust him. I do.”

“I know you do,” Sally says, aiming for soothing and unsure if she’s getting there. 

“I just…” May begins then trails off, Sally having learned enough of being in this position— and in being May’s friend— that she’s not necessarily looking for a response. 

“He does so much good, helping people. Spider-Man is good .”

Sally waits, heart breaking when May lets out a sigh. 

“I wish I could help him.” A beat. “Did Percy—“

“He hasn’t said,” Sally answers, her own anxiety thrumming in her chest at the thought of Percy and Annabeth out there doing who knows what. It’s to help Peter, Sally knows this and would never say anything different but in her heart, in her gut— she worries for her son, for her daughter-in-law, for the ever growing bump she has.

Sally knows that it’s been a source of contention between the two of them, Annabeth’s pregnancy and the more frequent attacks of monsters— an off-hand mention during a Sunday brunch on Annabeth going to Camp that had caused a chill to fill the air between them, Annabeth shutting that down instantly. 

There’s nothing she can do, just as powerless as May as they both wait in their respective homes more or less— waiting by the phone for their sons to do what they do best, hoping and praying to gods they don’t believe in that they’ll come home. 

“Call you if I hear anything?” May asks, Sally nodding despite May being unable to see it. 

“Of course.”

In hindsight, 

she wishes she could’ve stopped it. 

She wishes—

She regrets.

Sleep eludes her.

Sally’s never slept very well when Percy was gone on any kind of quest— her tossing and turning now impacting more than just her as she moves to go to the couch. 

“Stay,” Paul says softly, reaching his hand out as Sally’s shoulders sag. She obliges, letting herself be enveloped in his arms as he holds her close— fingers gently trailing down her back in a way that makes her shiver. 

“What can I do?” He whispers, Sally wrapping her own arms around him as she presses her cheek into his chest. 

“This,” she says, holding him close— feeling Paul’s grip on her tighten infinitesimally. 

It’s not enough, it could never be enough— but she has to trust. She has to wait.

In hindsight,

Sally wishes she’d spent that night with May. 

Sally must fall asleep because it’s Paul who gently wakes her, blearily opening her eyes as he hands her the phone. 

“It’s May,” he mouths, Sally immediately sitting up and bringing the phone to her ear. 

“Hello?” She says, voice cracking from sleep as she clears her throat and looks around— the room still dark as Paul leaves for the bathroom. 

“Hey,” May replies, sounding exhausted. “I’m— I was gonna go in today, to FEAST.”

“I’ll be right there,” she says, because there’s not a question in her mind of where she’ll be— the words May isn’t saying ringing loud and clear. 

I don’t want to be alone. 

She throws the covers off, blearily glancing at the time as Paul moves in and out of her way, finally leaving the room as Sally gets ready in a rush.

When he steps back in, Sally’s mind is running through all the things she was originally going to do today saying, “Can you…”

“Called FEAST to let them know you’ll be out,” he says, a sleepy smile on his face. “Estelle and I are gonna hang out here.”

“Okay.”

“Made you some coffee and a bagel’s in the toaster,” he says, a warmth washing over her. 

“Thank you,” she says, feeling so much more than that as he grins. 

“Love you too. Be safe.”

“I will.”

In hindsight, 

She wonders what else she could’ve done.  

Sally makes it to FEAST Queens in record time. 

The gods must be on her side, maybe have mercy or maybe it’s just a fluke— arriving to FEAST Queens just before daybreak with little to no fanfare or questions because of the early hour. 

May immediately welcomes her into the back, nervous energy radiating off of her. 

“It was a spell. Peter went to Doctor Strange,” May tells her in a quiet rush, Sally’s eyebrows raising as she finally gets the details of what had happened. 

The fight on the bridge was a result of a man from another dimension— a fluke of a spell gone wrong that Peter had apparently asked for after a final college rejection from MIT. 

“A rejection? That’s— why didn’t he—“ Sally begins but May just shakes her head. 

“I know , trust me I— I asked him the same thing.”

An amused smile flashes across her face as she says, “apparently, Percy tore into him.”

Sally bites back a laugh, not having to stretch to think of the way Percy would’ve been livid at hearing of Peter’s solution following a college rejection being to go to a wizard. 

“He’s out there now, helping Peter wrangle the rest of them—“

“The rest of them?” Sally asks in alarm, May nodding as she collects the donuts from the back— a fresh delivery that needs to be distributed out in the front. 

“They’re all here, these– villains– because they know who Spider-Man is, I think,” she says, sounding unsure. “But not Peter . I don’t know, he explained it in kind of a rush.”

Sally’s grateful that he had explained it at all, May knowing her far too well as she says, “I’m sure Percy will call as soon as he can. Annabeth’s doing some kind of research with Ned and MJ, I told Maria and Arthur that they were okay.”

“Arthur is…?”

“MJ’s dad,” Sally says with a smile, “you’ll like him. Nice. A curator, actually.”

“Oh,” Sally says, absorbing that piece of information. 

May shakes her head, a sheepish smile on her face from her rambling. 

“Sorry. I’m worried.”

“I know,” Sally says, running a hand across her back. “It’s gonna be okay.”

May smiles. 

In hindsight, 

Sally wishes she hadn’t made a promise she couldn’t keep. 

Sally and May keep busy, in the back— just barely under an hour when someone comes stumbling into the back.

“Hi,” he says, a meekness in him as he looks around. “Can I…?”

“Is there something we can help you with, sir?” Sally asks, watching as his eyes track from her to May then back to her. 

“Please. I’m— I’m lost.”

“That’s alright,” May says warmly, as she comes up beside her. 

“I’m looking for May Parker,” he says, Sally tensing slightly and seeing the way May does as well.

“I’m Norman Osborn,” he says, as if to explain. “I’m— I’m not supposed to be here.”

“Oh,” May says, connecting things together much sooner than Sally does. “ Oh . Oh yes, okay. Come, come sit— Sally?”

Sally jumps in, ushering him over to where the donuts were still laid out. 

“I’m gonna—“ May says, juggling her phone in her hand as Sally nods, leading Norman over to the table. 

“Thank you,” he says graciously, Sally smiling at him in return. 

“It’s no problem,” she says as she sits with him, hearing May’s hushed tones to what she has to assume is Peter. “We’re here to help.”

Norman smiles, Sally gently patting him on the shoulder. 

In hindsight—

Sally regrets. 

Sally: let me know when you’re safe

Sally: i’ll be here

Sally: whatever you need

May: just dropped them off 

May: omw back 

May: percy’s really worried about annabeth huh

Sally: what’d he say

Sally: wait don’t text and drive

May: ok i’m at a light

May: i’m heading right back

Sally: what happened???

Missed call from Sally Jackson

May: gimme a sec

May: i can’t call and drive this thing

Sally: please do not text me while you’re driving??????

May: at another light. peter’s going to bring them to happy’s apartment

Sally: wait what? Why?

May: he wants to help them. doctor strange wants to send them back.

May: i’ll explain it all soon

May: meet us at Happy’s?

Sally: omw

Sally waits with May, the latter of whom is awkwardly getting a glass of water for a man that called himself Doctor Octavius and looked just inches away from snapping each time someone looked at him. 

She’s in no place to judge when it comes to the oddities that surround Peter and this knowledge now of the multiverse, not when she’s spent so much time learning about how many myths were real in being Percy’s mother. 

She’s thinking of him now, taking a step away to call him and check in on how he’s doing. 

“Hello?” Percy asks, the phone ringing once before he picks up. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” Sally says soothingly, looking over to May who is grabbing water from Happy’s filter– the other two villains still out and about pacing across his living room. She knows Norman is with Peter, tinkering on whatever piece of machinery that will help Doctor Octavius and feels, in more ways than one, completely out of her depth. 

She says none of that though, choosing instead to calm her son as she affirms, “everyone’s okay. We’re safe. Peter’s working on a cure now.”

She can hear Percy sigh on the other end as she asks, “how are things with you?”

“Fine,” Percy says tersely before he seems to collect himself. “Sorry, I’m– I told Annabeth she should go home–”

Sally hums, hearing Percy laugh on the other end– a bitter sounding one as he continues.

“Yeah, that didn’t go over very well. She’s sending an Iris message now, to Camp. Trying to see if…” he trails off, Sally bringing the phone closer to her ear.

“Can any of them help?”

“I don’t think so,” Percy says morosely, sounding tired in a way that makes her heart ache. “It– I mean, they don’t care about mortal things. She’s asking Chiron but I don’t think he knows anything about the multiverse or…”

He trails off again, Sally letting him as she changes tactics. 

“How are MJ and Ned? They doing alright?”

Percy huffs out a quiet laugh. “Yeah, actually. They seem to be doing okay. Ned’s got this whole set up here at his lola’s house, we’re um, looking to see if there’s any more visitors we should be worried about.”

“Do you expect any?” She asks, Percy making a noise in the back of his throat. 

“Strange said that it was– villains or something, people who not only know Peter but have something against him. Like, penance or something I– I don’t know.”

He mumbles after that, Sally only picking up “useless” and “wizard” but she doesn’t press– caring very little about the machinations of the spell or of Doctor Strange and more of her son, his wife, and of the kids trying so desperately to help. 

“Let me know you’re okay,” Sally says, Percy immediate with his response.

“I will. I promise, okay? I will. Be safe.”

“I will.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” Sally says before they hang up, sighing as she thinks of how far they’ve come.

There was some part of her that was grateful, however awful it made her feel, that all it took for Percy to finally keep her in the loop– to want to– was the realization of what it was like to be on the other side. 

In hindsight,

Sally wonders if Percy had been less careful, less suspicious, if he could’ve been there with Peter. 

She wonders, however much she hates to think, if he could’ve saved her.

As the day fades and turns to night, Sally making a call to check on Paul and Estelle, Sally begins to have a little hope. 

After Doctor Octavius’ implant is successful, May immediately goes to hold her hand– Sally looking on in awe. 

“He did it,” May says quietly as the two of them get some clothes together upstairs, Peter telling her that the sand guy might need something causing her to go up to Happy’s room.

“He did,” Sally affirms, May looking on with a smile. 

“Thank you,” she says meaningfully, Sally looking on. “For being here.”

“Of course,” Sally replies because there was never any other option, no way that she wouldn’t be here for May in any way that she can. 

“I think this should work? Maybe?” She asks, holding up some pants. “Here, you take this. I’m going to grab the sage.”

“Sage?” Sally asks, biting back a laugh as May levels her with a look.

“It never hurts to help set the atmosphere, calm things down,” she waves a hand around the air as she grabs what she needs. “There’s too much tension down there.”

Sally laughs as she grabs the clothes as she’s told, exiting out of the bedroom with May in tow. 

“Whatever you say,” she says, coming down the stairs– walking down the last flight when they hear Peter call out May’s name. 

Peter walks into the room, his back to the two of them as Sally waits– a pulling in the pit of her stomach that she can’t explain. 

“What is it, Peter?” She asks, but Peter’s eyes aren’t on them– in a defensive stance that puts her on edge. 

She watches as his head slowly tracks across all of the men in the apartment, May gently nudging Sally down the stairs and towards the backroom. 

Sally walks forward, May right behind her when they both stand in the doorway– Peter sending out a web towards Norman’s hand.

A chill runs down her spine when Norman speaks, his tone entirely different than it had been before. 

“That’s some neat trick, that sense of yours,” he says menacingly, staring right at Peter.

“Norman?”

“Norman’s on sabbatical, honey,” Norman says, the others reacting when Peter whispers something that causes May to straighten up.

“Goblin.”

In hindsight, 

Sally wishes–

Sally wishes–

Sally regrets .

Sally moves backwards as Norman begins to talk, in tune with May who has begun grabbing the cures from the mechanical holds that they were in. 

She grabs another bag, a tool of some kind in her hand that she puts into a canvas bag– Sally holding her gaze as the two of them nod. 

Sally grabs a wrench, feeling as if she did yet again during the Battle of New York– the roles reversed this time as she’s now here to support May. 

“...her holy moral mission,” Sally hears Norman say as they quietly step back into the other room, Sally watching as May turns to him. 

“We don’t need you to save us. We don’t need to be fixed,” Norman says, Sally watching in horror as the other villains begin to look at themselves and each other.

“These are not curses. They’re gifts.”

“Norman, no–” Doctor Octavius says only for Norman to shut him down.

“Quiet lapdog.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Peter says carefully as Norman– Goblin — continues.

“I’ve watched you from deep behind Norman’s cowardly eyes. Struggling to have everything you want while the world tries to make you choose. Gods don’t have to choose.”

Sally stiffens, regretting more than ever she hadn’t asked Percy to be with them. 

“We take .”

“May,” Peter says, Sally bracing herself. 

“ Run .” 

May does, grabbing a hand backwards to Sally who immediately runs after her and out of the door– hearing the sounds of a fight in the background.

May immediately runs to the elevator, pressing hard on the button as Sally shakes her head. 

“No, no, we should go–” the lights flicker, the two of them staring up and then to each other. 

“Stairs, take the– over here,” Sally says, pulling May towards the emergency exit– her heart racing as she reaches for her phone. 

She stops to help May kick through the emergency exit, the two of them pushing past the double doors and running down the stairs.

As they do, Sally grabs her phone in her pocket– trying to move as fast as she can while making sure she doesn’t fall down the stairs. 

The two of them are moving fast, as fast as either of them can as she tries to call Percy— only to wait when till she gets to the end. 

She doesn’t get the chance to, about to press call when they burst through the doors of the ground floor– only for the ceiling in front of them to cave, Goblin and Peter with them. 

May acts on instinct, reaching for something in her bag and then runs – Sally going to grab after her and missing .

She watches in horror as May runs forward, stabs something into the Goblin’s neck and then backs away– Sally frozen as she waits with bated breath for it to work. 

He stumbles back, only to throw it aside and say what she feared. 

He’s speaking to May but Sally with shaking hands calls for Percy, immediately slinking over to the side as she tries to move towards the front– eyes fixed on May.

“Hey, is everything–” Annabeth answers.

“ Percy ,” she whispers, as quietly as she can. “We need help.” 

She watches in horror as May grabs something from the top of the ceiling, ready to fight.

“What happened? Where?” The last question comes from Percy’s voice, hearing the alarm in it as Sally breathes. 

“Please come,” she says, only for the words to die in her throat when the unthinkable happens– some kind of glider bursting through the front doors. 

“May!” She and Peter both call out, as Sally watches May get tossed to the side.

“Peter, Peter, Peter,” the Goblin calls out, Sally feeling ice in her veins from the way he turns to look at her – Peter head shifting from him back to Sally.

“No good deed goes unpunished. You can thank me later.”

Sally blinks, a half-second to respond when he throws something in their direction until an explosion rocks the room– sending Sally flying back into the wall and straight into darkness.

“Sally? Sally ?”

Sally groans as she lifts her head up, head feeling like static and her ears ringing as she goes to sit up– 

“I’m here–” She says, then coughs, looking up to see Peter holding up May– May trying to take a step forward to her as Sally puts a hand up. 

“I’m okay. I’m– give me a sec–”

“Peter, go help–”

“I’m okay, I’m– I’ll be right–” Sally coughs again, her head pounding. Her entire body aches, blinking a few times as she tries to make sense of where she is and what’s happened. 

She hears Peter say something, but the words don’t really register– just as May’s soothing words to Peter don’t.

Their words all muddle together, a firmness in May’s voice that she can’t decipher what’s being said, Sally trying to focus as she gets on her hands and knees to get up.

She’s about to fall flat on her face again when Peter’s hands are on her arm, helping her up– May steadying herself as Peter asks, “you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m–” she nods, smiling at May who is still standing with her. 

“Let’s get out of here, yeah?” May asks, Sally huffing out a laugh as she leans on Peter– taking a careful step forward.

“ Ah , shit,” she says, feeling something painful twist across her ankle as Peter tries to help her– only for both of them to look up as May sways. 

“Let me just catch my…” May says, stumbling slightly– Peter all but dragging Sally forward as the two of them rush to her. 

Sally watches– in horror and dread as May looks at her own hands and then begins to fall, Peter immediately rushing to catch her as Sally stumbles forward. 

She hits the ground hard, her knees against the pavement but she doesn’t feel it– not when May is now breathing heavy, telling Peter that she’s okay.

“Yeah, you’re okay. What happened?” He asks, cradling her head as Sally moves forward– fear clouding her vision as she checks May.

“I’m just– just gonna catch my breath,” May says, eyes flicking between Peter and then Sally. 

“Yeah, I’m right here. We’re gonna take our time,” Peter says, voice shaking. “You’re gonna catch your breath and then we’ll take you to a doctor, okay? Both of you.”

He looks to Sally, the naked fear in his eyes as Sally nods. 

“Yeah, yeah, hey. Hey look at me,” Sally says, May’s eyes flicking over to her as she goes to grab her hand. “We’re almost there.”

May looks dazed as Peter glances down– Sally seeing his hand move to her side then up.

Her heart stops from seeing the amount of blood in his hand, ice in her veins and a weight on her chest as she holds May’s hand tighter– May’s attention now shifting back to Peter’s clear distress.

“Are you okay?” She whispers, Sally swallowing down the bile in the back of her throat as Peter calls for help. 

“What happened?” May whispers.

“Nothing happened,” Peter whispers back brokenly, “you’re okay. You’re okay.”

“Let me just– let me catch my breath,” May says, Sally slightly shaking her hand.

“We’re here. We’re right here, May, okay?” Sally says, May’s eyes lazily drifting over to hers.

Her eyes are unfocused and cloudy, an old and aching pain that Sally had thought she’d never have to feel again– that she’d hoped would never touch her once more– coming right up to the surface as May begins to still.

Peter brings his hands to her face, Sally letting out a broken sob as he says, “we’re okay. It’s just me and you.”

It happens in an instant, from one breath to the next– Sally’s world moving in slow motion as May’s eyes stare off, unfixed in the distance. 

“May?” Peter asks, a pleading in his voice as Sally grows numb– a horrifying chill washing over her as her mind struggles to catch up to what she knows to be true. 

Peter is pleading, desperately asking for May to respond as Sally stares at her best and oldest friend, stares at the woman who had been everything to her in the years and years since they met— trying and failing to accept what’s happening. 

She’s the adult in the situation, a guardian— a mother but Sally doesn’t feel her age or her experience. She feels thirty-five and accepted, twenty-five and afraid, twenty and terrified, sixteen and overwhelmed. 

She is every age she has ever been and feels every loss she has ever had in staring at May’s lifeless face.

A fear realized, that she hadn’t even thought to have. 

She distantly sees flashing lights in the background, a car rushing forward Sally feeling untethered as it does.

“Peter! Run!” She hears a voice say, muddled and as if they were underwater Peter goes to apologize to her– pressing a kiss to May’s forehead. 

The voices of others, the crunch of glass finally snaps Sally out of her stupor, hearing and seeing cops begin to come closer to them before they open fire. 

Sally ducks, body covering over May’s as Peter is hit– stepping backwards and clutching at his shoulder.

“ Peter ,” Sally yells, Peter looking back at her– unfathomable grief sketched all across his face.

His lips are bloody, eyes red and the blood around him intermingling with his suit– Sally body protectively covering May’s as she pleads with him.

“ Run ,” she commands because she refuses to let this happen, refuses to watch Peter get killed in front of her just moments after watching May—

Peter looks pained but he does as he’s told, stumbling to the side and then swinging away as the cops move forward– Sally bringing her attention back to May’s lifeless form. 

Sally is inches away from her, a hand now cradling her face as tears blur her vision– footsteps all around her all fading into the background as she holds onto May. 

In hindsight, 

Sally wonders why no one talks about those that are left behind. 

In legends and myths, in stories of heroes, there are no monuments to be built on the people who wait. 

Holding May’s face, a cavernous pit of grief threatening to consume her as the cops close in— she knows that this is the reason why.

There is no honor, no glory, nothing to be gained— to be the statistic, the footnote, the beginning page and the foreword, a dedication and an afterthought but never the main story. 

Sally holds on to May and wonders why this had to be the end of hers.

Grief— horrifying and unimaginable, all consuming as the cops yell at her to back away– screaming threats and anything else that to her just sounds garbled in the background— intangible and unmoving because all Sally feels is May, pressing her own forehead to hers. 

May’s story wasn’t her own. 

May’s story shouldn’t have ended like this.

May is dead.

Sally holds on and wishes she never had to let go. 

Chapter Text

Sally feels numb. 

The yells of police all around her and guns pointed in her face mean very little to her, all that she can focus on being May Parker’s unseeing eyes staring back at her. 

Her hands move to gently close them, thumb brushing against her temple as she wonders where Peter’s gone off to— how much she hates herself for making him leave May.

I’ll take care of him she promises May without saying a word, hands still gently cradling her face as a sob builds in the back of her throat. 

She only begins to come to life, feels right and solid back in her own body when some of the cops try to pull her back– Sally immediately going back to grab for May.

She’s pulled back roughly, her vocal chords straining against themselves as she yells out something incomprehensible even to her own ears– sees a cop lean down so that they can put a hand to May’s neck.

“Don’t touch her!” Sally snaps but the cops holding her back are holding on too tight for her to fight, her side screaming in pain as she jerks herself forward to try and get out of their grip and finding it unsuccessful. 

They’re rough, eager– pulling her away as she struggles against them, feeling her phone buzzing in her pocket. 

It’s no doubt Percy trying to get ahold of her, regret flooding through her at bringing him in to see this – the amount of death that he’s seen in his life being something that Sally has no desire to add to. 

Some nascent part of me thinks that she should be more concerned of the present, being dragged kicking and pulling herself away from May to the hood of a car– slammed down and letting out a hiss of pain from it as they move to handcuff her. 

She knows that she’s resisting arrest, no doubt some trigger happy cop eager and willing to try and paint her as someone who was aiding and abetting Spider-Man.

Sally’s numbness turns into cold hearted rage, furious now that she couldn’t even be given the moment to mourn her friend— her family as she lets out a sob. 

May is dead .

Peter’s in the wind. 

Sally has never wished more for the chance to turn back the clock.

Sally winces as Paul rushes forward, Annabeth waiting with him along with Matt who looks pissed.

“You’ll be hearing from me,” he says cooly to the cop that’s at intake, Sally letting her weight be carried by Paul and Annabeth on either side as she turns to the former.

“Estelle is–”

“With Maria and Edward. The kids were at Ned’s lola’s house and–”

“Where are they now? Where’s Percy?” Sally gasps out, looking to Annabeth only for Matt to chime in. Where’s Peter?

“You should get checked out,” he says gently, Sally feeling a tug to her side as she leans more on Paul.

“Percy–”

“Is with Peter,” Annabeth supplies, Sally’s heart breaking again and again at the reminder– knowing with everything within her that the only reason he isn’t with her right now is because he knows he needs to be with Peter. 

Because he knows what Peter’s lost. 

“What’s happening now?” she asks, only for Matt to clear his throat– turning over to him as he nods towards the back.

“Perhaps we should leave the premises,” he says, signaling that last bit to the cop still staring at them– Sally’s muddled mind realizing how unfiltered she was being. 

Matt didn’t know anything about what was going on, but he had to have been a good enough lawyer to remind her that whatever it is that she wants to ask or say– it was better said away from the cops who were just looking for another reason to detain her. 

She lets Paul and Annabeth help her, limping as she does. She’s definitely twisted her ankle, maybe pulled a muscle in her side– an ache in the back of her neck from where she’d hit the pavement causing her thoughts to swim together. 

Sally limps forward, leaning on the two of them for support as they make it out into the parking lot– Matt stopping in front of them for a beat as he nods to them. 

“I’ll be in touch. How you were treated tonight is beyond acceptable. If they give you anymore trouble–”

“We’ll call. Thank you Matt,” Paul says, Matt nodding once more before he turns away. 

Sally’s eyes are still on him for a beat when she hears her name called, looking to Paul and sensing from the look on his face that it wasn’t the first time he said it. Now that the adrenaline has begun to fade and the immediate danger has passed— Percy safe and with Peter— Sally is finding it hard to ignore the pain she feels in her ankle, her side, the pounding headache she has as she blinks at him. 

“We really need to get her to the hospital,” she hears Annabeth murmur, Sally shaking her head only to wince as she does.

“Where are they?” Sally asks, knowing that just because her world feels like it ended in an apartment lobby just under an hour ago, the machinations of whatever was happening with the multiverse villains didn’t– looking over to Annabeth. “Peter. Percy, where–”

“Midtown,” she says with a nod, eyes flicking from her to Paul and then back to Sally again. “They’re going to try and figure out another cure.”

“They?” Sally asks, thoughts swimming together as she begins to see double. She catches Annabeth grimacing as she continues. 

“I… it’s hard to explain,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m going to help take you to the hospital.”

“No–” Sally begins to argue, Paul’s gentle grip on her tightening infinitesimally so. 

“Sally, you need to–” Paul begins but Sally is firm, shaking her head again despite the pain as she leans more to Paul.

“ No , Annabeth you–” she hates herself for this, hates herself for asking her daughter-in-law to put herself in danger but it’s the only way— the experience that she and Percy have being undeniable in dealing with threats that they never should’ve had to.

May had asked her once, how Sally dealt with that knowledge and she had dismissed it. Now she hopes she’s not ruining her memory by asking Annabeth this, despite the acknowledgement in her mind that Sally could not live with herself if anyone else died tonight. “You should go. To Percy,” she says, seeing the look of slight surprise in Annabeth’s eyes.

She hates it, she hates doing this but Sally knows it’s the only way.

“But you–” Annabeth goes to argue, concern flooding her features as she looks at Sally up and down. 

“Will go, get checked out. Paul will make sure I’m okay,” she says, Paul’s grip on her tightening slightly as if in response. Sally musters all the courage she can, a calm that she doesn’t feel pouring out of her in her words and tone as she continues, “You should go. Make sure they’re safe.”

Annabeth must see the fear in her eyes or maybe just the grief , something softening in her own as she nods– letting Sally’s hand go.

“I will,” Annabeth says decisively, something passing over her face before her jaw is set– searching Sally’s face. “I promise.” 

Sally wants to tell her not to make promises that she can’t keep but doesn’t– in part because of how much she’s putting her attention into not passing out as Annabeth looks up to Paul.

“I’ll let you know what’s happening, okay? Soon as I can,” she says as she backs up, looking to the two of them as Paul readjusts his grip— all but holding Sally up now. . 

“Be safe!” He calls out as Annabeth nods once more then turns towards the subway, running fast enough that Sally has a spare thought to wonder if she was being foolish— sending her into danger rather than keeping her safe. 

She has just a second to wonder if Percy would ever forgive her if anything ever happened when it’s as if any strength Sally had is taken away with Annabeth, slumping against Paul as he starts to whisper.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, let’s– my car’s over here, alright? I’ll get us to the hospital.”

Sally doesn’t reply, wincing instead as leans her head into Paul’s chest, another sob escaping her. He sounds terrified, a part of Sally wondering how awful she must look— if it’s a fraction of how she feels, she knows it must be bad. 

“I know, I know, I know,” Paul says soothingly, holding her upright as Sally’s shoulders begin to shake– the full weight of everything that happened beginning to wash over her as Paul’s grip on her tightens.

May is dead.

Peter is gone. 

Percy— and Annabeth— are out there with them. 

May is dead . 

Sally holds on to Paul as a lifeline as he pulls her close. 

Two bruised ribs. 

A sprained ankle. 

A break in her wrist. A torn hamstring. 

A severe concussion.

Sally doesn’t feel much of the bandages or the wrapping put on her to ensure she’s put back together, heavily medicated now as a cooling sensation flows through her. Her mind is swimming, less from pain and more from a weightlessness that over takes her as she tries to make sense of her surroundings. 

She distantly hears Paul ask how long recovery time will be but Sally doesn’t care about the answer. 

What does it matter how long it will take to recover physically when she doubts she ever will from it in any other way? What’s a few bruised ribs to signify the hurt and the pain that Sally knows she will carry with her for the rest of her life?

There is a selfish part of her, ugly and vile that wishes the impact had been that much more severe— that she’d hit the wall and hadn’t woken up, if only to avoid the agony she feels in her chest that has nothing to do with the bruising or swelling. 

It’s a thought she doesn’t voice, not with Paul asking for more medication and to know Annabeth was on her way to Percy— that Peter would need them, need her now more than ever as she cries in a hospital bed. 

Paul is beside her, gently whispering and holding her hand but Sally can barely feel it— crying not just from pain that slowly begins to numb but from an ache so old and so deep that it’s as if she can’t breathe. 

May is dead. May is dead. 

Sally doesn’t know how she’s going to survive this until she doesn’t have the chance to wonder anything at all.  

Sleep is elusive and then— all at once. 

Whether it was from her own hysteric crying, from Paul’s encouragement, or from an upped dose of medication, Sally drifts to sleep, just barely catching the remnants of a newsreel showing Peter talking to the camera as she does. 

The words swim in and out of focus, stock footage of the Statue of Liberty showing on screen and then it's gone— Sally’s eyes fluttering before she slips back into darkness. 

She’s not sure how much time passes when she finally wakes again, blearily opening her eyes to find that she’s in the room alone. 

The television is off, sunlight beginning to stream back into the room. She feels more awake now than she has before, frowning as she looks around for her phone. 

She needs to find out what’s happening with Peter— needs to know that he’s—

Sally breathes in, blinks once, twice then breathes out— wondering where Percy is. 

A nurse walks in then, a smile on their face. 

“Good morning Mrs. Jackson, I’m here to check in on you,” he says soothingly, Sally slowly nodding as she frowns.

Percy was… somewhere. Somewhere he shouldn’t be. Her head hurts now, to think of it— the nurse checking her IV amongst other things. 

“Your husband just stepped out for some coffee,” the nurse says, catching Sally’s attention as she looks back at them. They’re not married, not yet anyway. March, next year. The nurse doesn’t need to know that. 

“You need anything?” He asks, Sally slowly shaking her head. She regrets doing it as soon as she does. 

“You should get some rest,” the nurse says gently, Sally smiling softly at them as she does. “I’ll be back in about an hour to check in on you.”

They leave, Sally turning her head over to the watch the sunrise, an ache in her chest that goes right down to her bones. 

Percy is with Spider-Man, she thinks— a frown on her face as she struggles to remember why. 

She’ll ask later, she tells herself— words and thoughts all jumbling together that she can’t make sense of. 

Sally breathes, blinks, then slowly exhales as she closes her eyes—

And forgets.

Chapter Text

Sally is in the hospital for three weeks.

Recovery is a slow, painful thing— the doctors and nurses that rotate in and out constantly telling her to rest while they repeatedly come in and disrupt the very thing.

“You may find that things are difficult at first,” one such doctor says in a final check up, so young looking that Sally’s not unconvinced she isn’t their first patient. “There’ll be some confusion, dizziness, memory loss, vertigo—“

“Are there any meds she can take?” Paul interrupts, a steady hand in hers as the doctor nods. Sally wishes she could remember their name but they all blur together– memories, feelings, names, faces. 

Sally blinks a few times to refocus, the dull ache of a headache still throbbing at the nape of her neck as they continue. 

“We’ll be giving her a prescription for the pain, something to help her sleep. What she’ll really need is rest,” they say, a kind smile on their face that makes Sally feel even worse. “No more chasing after any caped crusaders, alright?”

A coldness washes over her at the attempt of a joke, glaring at them with Paul equally silent— the doctor seemingly realizing that they have crossed a line. 

The cops had come by the hospital to ask what she was doing there– her connection with Spider-Man, with May Parker, what she knew of his whereabouts– but Sally had refused to say a word, Matt Murdock finding his way into her room and dismissing them out of hand for “antagonizing his client” or something equally short. 

Sally had been grateful, for the interference but also for the relief of not having to answer their questions– the memory of seeing the light behind May’s eyes still too much for her just as the thought of asking their questions was. 

May had always had a soft spot for the superhero, in her work with FEAST and in caring for him– something that Sally had wholeheartedly agreed with in the years since. Her mind feels cloudy though, memories and words distant and slurring together as she tries to piece together answers to questions she has. Why were they there, to help Spider-Man with their villains? Why would May put herself in front of–

Of course May would, that’s who May is– or was– brought back solidly to the present moment and with the patience she doesn’t have in hearing her doctor stumble over an apology as she asks, “anything else?”

They open then close their mouth, looking rightfully shamed before saying, “no, that should be about it.”

Good, Sally thinks but doesn’t say. The sooner she’s out of this place, the better. 

She has a memorial service to get to.

Sally missed the funeral.

It devastated her to find out, Paul holding onto her in the hospital as she sobbed into his shoulder—  rocking back and forth as she mourned her best friend and more, mourned that last chance to say goodbye. 

Her memory of that night is fuzzy and unclear, a symptom of the concussion so she was told but there’s one thing she can recall with perfect clarity was seeing the light behind May’s eyes fade as Spider-Man had cried— Sally holding onto May and closing her eyes as tears had filled her own vision.

What she hadn’t known at the time was that Happy Hogan had also been there, yelling for Spider-Man and for May— Happy being the one to have called Matt Murdock in the first place to help arrange their release.

It’s Happy who had paid for the funeral and the headstone, quick work that had surprised Sally until she remembered who he had worked for. 

It’s Happy that she’s drawn to at FEAST the first day she’s able to make it there— Paul hovering close with Estelle in his other arm. 

“Are you sure—“

“I’m fine,” Sally says as she makes a bee line to Happy, watching as his eyes light up in recognition— an immediate sadness as he presses his lips together. 

“Sally.”

“Hi,” she says as he leans into a hug, Happy hugging her gently before leaning back. 

“How you holding up?” He asks, the kind of question that would seem silly coming from anyone else but feels right from him– now that she knows that he too was involved during that awful night. Sally thinks back to May’s laughter when she first mentioned that she was spending time with him, just as easily as she can remember the mention of wanting to break it off– a hazy like quality to the rest of her memories that if she thinks too much on it, causes her vision to blur. 

She misses May so much that it hurts, like she’s missing a limb and overwhelmed with grief as she moves about her day. 

The ache she feels physically serves almost as a comfort to the ache in her chest, nodding to him as Happy seems to understand.

“Me too,” he says softly, clearing his throat. “I uh, I wish you’d had the chance to come–”

“It’s okay,” she says, because this is something that she would unfailing appreciate about him– the love that he feels for May Parker so clear in his eyes that she can’t begrudge him of doing everything he could to make sure that she was laid to rest with dignity.

“I’m here now,” she says, bandaged and broken in more ways than one but here – in the place that the two of them had called home for years as Happy softly smiles, Paul next to her holding Estelle as he nods to him.

“Yes you are,” Happy says, looking between them. “Come on, I’ll take you to the front.”

She lets Happy guide the two of them towards the entrance of the courtyard for May’s memorial service, sees Annabeth directing something in the distance– someone shifting out of the corner of her eye as she turns.

Percy walks directly to her, an unreadable expression on her face that threatens to make her cry– immediately coming up to her and holding her tight. 

“Hi mom,” he says into her neck and it takes all that she can not to cry yet again, to know that he’s safe and he’s okay despite having seen him many times in the weeks since that night.

Percy had been diligent in coming to the hospital, for Sally but for Annabeth too– desperate to know that Annabeth was okay with all the effort they had put into keeping Spider-Man, Ned and MJ safe. 

As far as she knew, the latter two were just as torn up on hearing about May’s death– their desire to help seemingly motivating them to assist in whatever fix that Spider-Man had attempted to ensure that the problem of his villains was fixed. 

A spell from Doctor Strange that sent them home and then a wave ride back had seemingly been the end of it, though something felt off – something that Sally couldn’t put into words and yet could see very easily was something that Percy shared, him saying as much when visiting her in the hospital that last time.

“Something’s missing,” he’d said, thoughtful and quiet. Sally hadn’t known what to say then, just as she doesn’t know what to say now– Percy leaning back and looking as if something was just on the tip of his tongue. 

Sally brings a hand to his face, watching as Percy relaxes into her touch– neither of them needing to share words for what the magnitude of what they lost to be between them. 

May Parker had been a part of Percy’s life since he was twelve years old, a second mother and Sally’s trusted friend– bonding over what it was like to live and work in the city despite numerous losses, helping her through the unimaginable grief of thinking Percy was missing or dead twice over and sticking together during the Blip when May had believed that Spider-Man was also gone. 

May’s care for the superhero, even now to the point of dying to save him, all fit perfectly with the woman that she knew– that spent all her time at FEAST in the wake of her husband’s murder and had committed her life to helping the people who came into FEAST looking for something different. She knew this, she understood it yet Sally couldn’t escape the feeling in the pit of her stomach– a sinking feeling that she couldn’t escape of how she could try and live on with this loss despite everything that had happened before.

It didn’t make sense, none of it made sense and yet she couldn’t say that to Percy– not when he was looking at her as if he was trying to search for the same answers to questions they didn’t even know, Sally having learned via Annabeth of his own frustration that in the weeks after May’s death– Spider-Man had all but disappeared.

“He hasn’t checked in on MJ and Ned,” Annabeth had whispered, a few days after Sally had come in and Percy was playing with Estelle– Sally’s own question of where the superhero had been in the time since all answered now. 

It didn’t take much for Sally to guess and assume how Spider-Man could’ve felt– everything that she knew about the hero in the years that he’d been active in New York speaking to the kind of person who saved civilians at personal cost to himself. 

Despite Percy’s unspoken frustrations to her and Sally’s own questions, she could only imagine how it would feel to be in his shoes– knowing someone like May Parker and knowing that she’d died to save him . 

It was a grief that Sally knows she will carry for the rest of her life. She can only assume that Spider-Man felt the same. 

“Come on,” Sally says to Percy, running her thumb across her cheek before bringing her hand down, taking her hand into his as he gently squeezes. 

Sally might not have been able to attend May’s funeral but it didn’t mean that she couldn’t still have the chance to say goodbye– surrounded by people who loved her in the place that she loved. She glances around to see how many people are there, how many loved May Parker in this place that they had made into a home before staring forward at the picture in the front– an ache in her chest at seeing May’s smiling face beaming back at her. 

She holds on to Percy, Paul and Estelle beside her and tries as hard as she can to be grounded in the belief that this is what May would want for her.

This is what May would want them to do– despite how much Sally feels like there’s so much that she is missing. 

Snow crunches under her feet as she walks forward, Percy’s arm intertwined with hers. Paul had taken Estelle home, Annabeth saying that she would go with them with a gentle smile on her face. 

“I’ll be okay,” she’d told Percy who looked reluctant to leave her, Sally almost wanting to tell him that she could do this on her own when Percy had nodded.

“Love you,” he said, kissing her gently before moving so that he was by Sally’s side. “You ready?”

The determination on his face, solid and steady and so much like the little boy she raised had made any argument to the contrary disappear as she had nodded and they made their way out of FEAST.

It had been at Percy’s insistence that they took a cab to the cemetery rather than the subway, holding her up as he sat tensely beside her. 

Are you okay? Felt trite when she knew that he was anything but, just as she was– now no longer being stared at or even attempting to hide her tears when they were finally alone. May Parker was gone , her oldest and best friend– buried in a grave plot across town that she hadn’t yet seen. The image of a headstone could hardly replace the image of May Parker’s face that night but she wondered if it could help– provide some sense of closure to this ever expanding gap in her chest that she isn’t sure will ever close. 

May was dead and Sally had no idea how to deal with that– no idea of how she could even begin to comprehend what a life would be like without her as the two of them get closer and closer to her gravesite. 

Percy is quiet, unnaturally so– lost to his thoughts, his memories, his grief that some part of Sally thinks that she should try and help him wade through. 

She will, she thinks, she’ll try when she can first wrap her head around the reality of this – that May Parker was dead and that none of them had been able to stop it. 

They walk together towards the gravesite in silence, only for Percy’s head to snap up the same time that Sally’s focuses– seeing the same time Percy does that there’s someone already there. 

Happy had mentioned that people came by, something that warmed Sally’s heart to know of how loved that May Parker still is– visitors and mourners all coming by to pay their respects in the time that worked best for them.

May Parker had poured her life into the city of New York– had in a way given her life for it. Sally would give almost anything to have her friend back but at least this –this – was something she was grateful for.

May’s legacy wouldn’t end in a destroyed complex lobby. May would still live on, in all the lives she’s touched. 

The person at her gravesite today is young, startling slightly when he looks up and sees the two of them.

They both walk forward, Sally watching as the young man in at her grave nods to the two of them quickly, stops to look at May’s headstone once more and whisper something before he leaves– walking in the opposite direction with his hands shoved into his pocket and a hood pulled over his head. 

Sally’s eyes linger on him for a moment and then they’re back to the grave– thankful for Percy’s strong arms to hold on to as she stares at the final resting place of her oldest friend.

When you help someone, you help everyone. 

Sally feels the sob in the back of her throat, words and feelings and thoughts all swirling together in a jumbled mess. She misses her so much that it hurts, every day waking up as if she was missing a limb or just missing something. 

The two of them stand quietly together, Sally overwhelmed with the reality that her closest friend was buried six feet under when she finally looks to Percy– seeing that his eyes aren’t to May’s headstone but over to the left, still staring off into the distance as the young man who had just been there walks away.

“What is it?” Sally asks, Percy slowly shaking his head. 

“I don’t know,” he says, in the same tone had before– a whisper of an almost dream in the back of her mind. 

Sally looks back to May’s headstone and wonders if she should call out for him, knowing that May would want her to ensure that everyone felt safe and connected– even in the moments when they were most alone.

She can feel a headache forming, as if it often does now as she winces and rubs at her temple, Percy looking over to her.

“You okay?”

Sally nods, instantly regretting the action as she breathes through it– refusing to let her body fail her now in the time that she has to properly say goodbye to May– bringing her hand down and looking back to the headstone.

When you help someone, you help everyone she reads again and again, reads and thinks of May Parker’s life– thinks of May Parker’s last day as memories all swirl together in the back of her mind. 

She can feel the way Percy looks back over to where the young man– a boy really– had walked towards, wonders without asking if was also thinking of May and what she would want. 

Sally stares forward, the ever present cavernous pit of grief threatening to swallow her.

A gap that could never be filled, a piece of her whole life missing now as she stares and she waits– thinks of May Parker and everything she was to her, everything she is.

There were few things in this world that she wouldn’t do for May Parker, even now, even still – having to watch as she had put herself in front of a supervillain to save Spider-Man, to save a superhero, to save…

There’s a throbbing in the back of her eyes, Sally wincing as she breathes and closes her eyes– slowly opening them as her vision clears. 

When you help someone, you help everyone sits with her now less as a reminder and more of a calling– the push to help someone so intense that it’s as if she could taste it, blinking a few times as she begins to See more clearly. 

In her mind’s eye she Sees May, her smile and her laugh, Sees all the different ways they’ve been together all these years– 

She sees Thanksgiving and Christmases, holidays and birthday parties– Sees moments at FEAST during the Blip and beyond. 

Sally Sees May so much in her memories and something… else. Someone, just there, on the tip of her tongue.

When you help someone, you help everyone Sally reads and she can feel it, a vague pull in the pit of her stomach growing stronger and stronger.

“Mom, do you think…” Percy begins and then trails off, Sally staring at the words at the headstone as if she could hear May Parker speaking them back to her.

When you help someone, you help everyone .

Sally stares at the epitaph, Percy still holding onto her with the pull inside of her threatening to overwhelm her.

One breath to the next, Sally’s vision clears– Percy turning back to her. 

“Mom?” He asks but Sally can’t hear it, staring at the headstone and seeing May Parker’s face– looking over to Spider-Man in her last moments, to Spider-Man, to Spider-Man – 

“Mom,” Percy says again but Sally’s eyes are elsewhere, looking to her left and the boy walking away– a flood of memories washing over her and the strongest conviction she’s ever had that this is what May Parker would want from her as she turns and sees him– heart overwhelmed as she grips Percy’s hand tighter at the realization of what each of them had been missing. 

When you help someone, you help everyone.

Sally breathes, then sobs– looking over to the boy walking away from them. 

When you help someone, you help everyone.

Sally smiles, tears beginning to stream down her face as the missing puzzle piece finally snaps into place.

When you help someone, you help everyone. 

A promise in life, and now in death— Sally takes a step towards him and commits to do just that. 

Peter. 

Sally stands in the water, waves lapping at her feet as she stares off into the horizon.

She can hear laughter behind her, turning to see Estelle happily playing in the sand with Paul beside her— watching as the two of the make a sand castle. 

Annabeth is there, balancing her book on her stomach as she lays under the umbrella— hair wrapped up and away from her face. She glances up when she notices Sally staring, smiling at her over her sunglasses as Sally returns it— nodding before her eyes track over to her left once more. 

She sees the two of them, sitting on the beach— Peter’s arms wrapped around his knees as Percy leans back— palms out behind him and feet laying forward, the two of them looking out into the ocean.

She can see their lips moving but with the wind, the water, their words are lost except between the two of them— something Sally couldn’t begrudge either of them for.

She catches Percy’s eye who holds her gaze for a beat and smiles, Sally turning her head so that she can look out over the horizon— watching as the sun begins to set. 

She’d wondered if they would still take the trip up to Montauk when they were so close to Annabeth’s due date, but Annabeth had insisted— just as Percy had. 

This was a plan they had made all those months ago— even if the person Sally had made those plans with wasn’t here to see them.

Sally looks out over to the ocean, bringing her cardigan tighter over her chest as she stares off to where the sun meets the sea. 

There is an ache that she can feel in every part of that Sally knows— from life and experience— will never go away. She misses May so much that it’s as if she can’t breathe, going to send her texts only to stop when she remembers— her contact still being number one, her speed dial and the first person she thinks of for any news, good and bad.

It aches in a way that time would never heal, only lessen— the living, breathing reminder of May Parker being that of Peter just a few feet away from her, closing her eyes as she feels a soft breeze pass across her face. 

Peter was adrift, lost in a wave of his own grief that had it not been for that moment— had it not been for May— Sally knows that he would’ve turned away from them and never looked back. 

She knows it and accepts it, knows that Peter in his own grief and in his own heart was so much like May that he would do anything to keep the rest of them safe— even if it came at great personal cost to himself. 

Sally knows Peter, just as she knew May Parker. 

Sally Jackson refused to accept that. 

She is the mother of a demigod, gifted with the Sight— fading every year and yet in this, burned bright, some lingering part of her wondering if this— in the final hour— was some small blessing from the gods.

Or maybe, she wonders, just one. 

Waves crash against her feet, a faint smile on her face as she opens her eyes again— staring out into the ocean and thinking of the cosmos, of the life that she’s lived and she’s loved and of all the pain that she’s been forced to endure time and time again.

She’d endure every bit of it for the chance to meet May Parker again— thinking of that fateful day she was late to FEAST, hustling for a GED and for a degree she never used, gaining so much more as tears spring behind her eyes.

There’s a cosmic irony, she thinks— to have met May Parker while getting her GED and to now help Peter get his, an erased identity involving more than just records as she welcomed him in. 

It was never a question to her or to Paul, where Peter would stay after that day— Peter being a part of her family in every sense of the world. 

Tears stream down her cheeks, of the weight of the world that she could see every day on his shoulders— the hope and the connection of remeeting his friends paling still to the irrevocable loss she knows he’s faced. 

Peter didn’t ask for the hand that he was dealt.

Sally, of all people, could understand. 

She stares off into the distance, tears freely flowing and makes yet another promise to May Parker— to love him, to protect him, to keep him safe no matter what. 

Sally misses May so much she can barely breathe, can barely think but she has to continue on— to ensure that she didn’t die in vain.

There’s few things in this world Sally wouldn’t do for May Parker. 

In life and in death—

Sally makes a promise that she’ll never let go.