Montauk with Friends

                                                                Montauk with Friends

          "The fight is done,
          The war is won,
          Lift your hands toward the sun."

          The last line about the sun played just as thunder boomed outside the cabin, they all laughed.

          "We would if we could!" Grover laughed.

          "My gods timing is everything." Annabeth sneered.

          "It certainly is." Percy chuckled.

          It had been a week since they had returned to camp after the defeat of the giants. Percy, Annabeth and Grover had been talking and realized something, it hadn't been just the three of them since the quest to retrieve Zeus' bolt, and that was hardly anything compared to what they had seen together and individually now. They were different people, but they were still best friends.

          So they took advantage of what was sure to be only a temporary peace, and Percy brought them to his old Montauk cabin via a relatively short magic canoe ride down the coast.

          "Ya know what," Annabeth remarked, "I was skeptical but this was exactly what we needed."

          "You may thank me now." Percy said expectantly.

          "In your dreams seaweed brain!" She vowed declared.

          "Can you really blame a guy for trying?" Percy asked innocently.

          "Yes," Annabeth replied, "But I won't, for now."

          Percy breathed a sigh of relief in his mind.

          "Hate to interrupt," Grover put in, "But I think we have a visitor."

          "Hello my friends," said the little girl, "It has been some time."

          They got to their feet and bowed as they chorused, "Lady Hestia."

          "Please, sit." She replied warmly as she waved her hand. Suddenly there was a small campfire on the floor (thankfully not burning through it) and a blue cake with the words "Hail the Conquering Heroes" written in icing on top.

          "Thank you my lady." Percy said as they all sat around the fire, "But if I may ask, why are you here?"

          "To thank you, of course," Her voice radiated the warmth of a fire that had just burned down to its embers but still makes you feel safe and at home, "You have done Olympus yet another great service, two actually, you have united the demigods and you have defeated the giants, hopefully for the last time."

          "Do you think we will finally have some peace?" Annabeth asked, hope and longing dripping from her words.

          "I cannot say for sure," Hestia replied, the fire in her eyes dimming slightly, "But I hope so. In any event, you have your victory for now, whether or not it lasts, you should enjoy it. Live well young ones, and may you also live long." With that, Hestia was simply gone, leaving them with a fire, and some cake.

          A few minute later, they sat, eating and mulling over what Hestia had said. Then Grover couldn't take the silence any more.

          Looking at Annabeth he asked, "So should I room with Percy or would you like to?"

          Annabeth shoved her slice of cake into his face and they were all laughing again.

          There was a storm outside, a radio playing the top twenty, cake, a campfire and they were all among the best company they could ask for. How long it would be this way, none of them knew, but for now, everything was just perfect.