Introduction
Percy, Jason and Nico were three of the many conscripted men that went to Vietnam to fight in the Vietnam war for two years. They came back traumatized to different levels and degrees of severeness.
Annabeth was a world class therapist as she was famous for dealing with all kinds of psychological, emotional and sentimental issues, though she did not prefer patients approaching her for relationship advices. As Piper's best friend — who was also the long term girlfriend of Jason — had been worried about the three boys ever since they flew back, she was asked to help the three boys and 'heal' them.
Refusing to take the three boys in as patients due to her own personal experiences in the past decade, Annabeth told Piper resolutions to help Jason and Nico recover. As Piper insisted her to take Percy under her wings for observations, since he got affected the most, Annabeth agreed reluctantly.
Using the method she had always used on every first-time patients, she observed Percy's every movement, realizing that he did not have a situation nor under any circumstances similar to any patients she had ever had. This vexed her. She knew it was going to be a challenge for her to help them because her own problems were slowly surfacing… They had a lot of similarities in histories in the pasts, they need each other to aid their healing, but getting along wasn't the easiest thing. So...
Verse 1
"I said I'd think about it." Annabeth repeated for the last time before standing up to deposit her plate into the sink.
"But-"
"I know, Piper, you are worried, but in all honesty, there is nothing I can do to help." Annabeth's patience was wearing thin with each explanation she gave.
"Then who am I to go? You're my best friend, and you are the world-class therapist, every psychotherapist craved for your attention and your advice." Piper, for the first time, pushed her luck with Annabeth.
"Best friend or not, world-class or not, I am still a human being Piper." Annabeth tried her best to suppress her anger. "I cannot fix every single person in the world that has a problem."
"But you have dealt with traumas before."
"Trauma, is a state of shock, Piper, different people are in different degree. I didn't heal them, because I cannot, I do not have the ability to get rid of the traumas like puff."
"But they healed didn't they?" Piper was getting more and more confused. As a fashion designer who worked with well-known models, she was never a person to face the dark side of human life.
"No, no traumas can be healed fully. Even if they appeared to be fully recovered, it was only their way to cope with it. A trauma as serious as your boyfriend's and his friends, are hard to cope with, the pain they went through will be easily reminded by simple small things around them." Annabeth felt like she was done educating her best friend, her explanation would only get her deeper and deeper. "War traumas are the worst type Piper, you haven't experienced it, so it is hard to show empathy."
"You have haven't you? You used to be a battlefield reporter."
"That was not enough, my experiment is merely enough to conjure an empathy link between myself and your guys'." Sensing Piper's anxiousness rising, Annabeth decided to tell her something hopeful and could potentially help if it was executed properly. "I promise I will take their cases under my roof once you ran out of solutions, but for now, Piper, from the descriptions I heard from you, I can give you simple instructions and advice, but I can do nothing more."
"That would be enough for now." Piper perked up, hope glint of hope shone in her kaleidoscope orbs.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, Percy used to be the foot soldier, the infantryman that searched the villages and kills innocent villagers. Nico used to be a signal corp soldier. Jason, your long-term boyfriend, was the pilot that spreads chemicals on the ground. Yes?" Piper confirmed with a nod. "Since Jason is your boyfriend, and you are still in a stable relationship, making him better is your job. He doesn't need therapy, he needs you."
"How?"
"You will learn that once you started to help him. It's not hard, because from what I heard, he has the lightest trauma compared to his other two pals." Piper nodded hesitantly. "Just believe in yourself and have faith in Jason, you love him and he loves you, everything you do will eventually help him."
"Then what about Nico and Percy?"
"Nico and Percy can use some therapy, but not me. You can schedule that for them individually. They must not attend any session under any circumstances together."
Piper nodded, yet again, not sure what to do. She still had no idea how to help the three boys.
"Vietnam war is nearing to an end. I can see that day coming. And I am sorry to know that your boys are conscripted. Keep me updated and I will do my best to help. I need to get going now." Annabeth said farewell to her best friend, who was now drowning in her own agony and forgetting the fact that this friend in front of her had suffered the same as the three boys.
It was a sunny afternoon, with the warm humid breeze blowing from the ocean, the usually noisy beach was not at all loud today. Dragging her surf board along the sand, leaving a trail behind her, Annabeth let her blond curls flew freely as the wind struck her face softly. As an amateur, she wasn't at all caring what the others would think of her if she didn't hold her board the way vast majority would; she was herself; she was Annabeth Chase, who were you to judge?
On the other side of the beach, in the middle an umbrella was set up with a pair of foldable deck chairs under it, beside the chairs was a mat neatly smoothed out on the sand, half in the shades formed by the huge umbrella. Sitting on one of the deck chairs was a woman in her bikini, sipping a cup of cool drink, a fashion magazine on her flat stomach. Beside her laid a young man with a head of golden blonde hair. Annabeth let her eyes wondered around the rather empty beach — compared to other times, it had been busier — she allowed her eyes to station on the four in the middle. Knowing that staring was impolite and rude, but she couldn't help but to keep her eyes fixed on the three men that had surrounded a woman under the umbrella subtly. Without really focusing on where she was heading, she walked towards the sea in a general direction while remaining to gawk at the small group. They look utterly familiar to her, especially the brunette girl that was under the spotlight.
Letting go of her surf board and pretending to busy herself with the surf when a man with the raven black hair looked up in her direction. Annabeth couldn't be sure whether if the guy had caught her staring gaze, nor did she want to be spotted. Busying herself with the board as she was ready to set off, just waiting for the wave and for the right timing. She didn't even notice two figures that were approaching her with amusement.
"Hey babe." One of the two guys that were walking towards her flirted. The spoken guy had a hair browner than the raven black hair one. She sucked in a breath noticing that they were the ones that looked in her direction. Behind the sunglasses, she wasn't sure the expression from both men. Looking up at them responding to the call that she could only assume was aimed at her. Raising an eyebrow, she made not sound.
"Wanna come for a drink?" The raven hair said. Annabeth was even more confused, not sure what to decide. She wanted to know who was the girl that was sitting under the umbrella that looked so familiar to her; yet, on the other hand, she didn't want to be lured into a trap of two strongly built men. But before she could open her mouth, the brown hair beat her to it in a surprised questioning yelp.
"Annabeth?" Altering her sight from the raven hair to the guy who had just pulled off his shades, her gaze slowly travelled to the pair of dark brown eyes that were emerging from behind the sunglasses. Her expression hardened, then turned dumbstruck. Her mouth left slightly ajar as she wasn't sure how and what to respond to the sudden recognition.
"Ni- Nico?" She mouthed. His eyes caught the movement of her lips and nodded gloomily, his lips tightened into a straight line as a pain struck expression flashed in his eyes like he was attacked by horrible memories of his past. "What- are you doing here?" She staggered, her speech was no longer easing; her tone sounded stiff.
"Is this the chick that you met during your time there?" Nico's friend, the raven hair beside him, asked, taking Annabeth's attention off the shock for awhile. Nico nodded, glancing at his friend then back at Annabeth.
Sensing that there wasn't much to talk about, Annabeth decided to make her move. "It's nice seeing you again Nic." She greeted farewell in a strained voice and picked up her board that was now attached to her ankle. Eyeing the guy next to Nico, who was narrowing his eyes at Annabeth and analyzing her behind those dark shades, the friend that Nico was about to introduce, Annabeth walked into the water, letting the water soothe her unsettling stomach.
"Annabeth! Annabeth!" Annabeth stopped and turned to the source of the call. She only stopped because it came out in a feminine pitch, so she could only assume it was the group under the umbrella earlier. She didn't know that they were still there; thinking that she was the last one to leave the beach before the call, Annabeth slowed her steps and waited for the caller to catch up on her.
When the caller got closer, she suppressed a surprised shout and said in her usual tone. "Hey Piper, not expecting you to stay till this time."
"Yeah, well I'm just surprised to see Percy and Nico approaching you this afternoon, so I think maybe I should know what happened?" She asked, her voice full of uncertainty.
"Nico's older sister, Bianca, used to work with me as battlefield journalists." Annabeth paused, pondering whether it was a good time to tell the story or not. Scanning what was around her as she progressed slowly up the hill with Piper to their respective vehicles. At last, she sighed and decided to tell her about it. "Nico doesn't really like me at this stage, it will be even harder for him to know that you are my friend and I am a therapist."
"Why?" Piper asked with a dumbfounded gaze in her eyes.
"Because… He" Annabeth looked down to the ground, feeling the rush of guilt flushing over her body once again, this was what happened every time she was brought to think or talk about the topic.
"You don't have to say it you know? The boys probably want me back now, too." Piper patted her arm sympathetically and stepped away after receiving the slightest nod from Annabeth, she looked up with a pained expression and waved her goodbye.
"Meet me in central park tomorrow after your shift." Annabeth called after her, Piper turned back to give her a thumbs up, telling her that it was a deal.
Shouldering her handbag, Annabeth locked the door of her clinic. Checking the time from her phone, there was still time before her scheduled meet with Piper in central park. She decided to take a stroll to the central park instead of taking a cab, although she knew that would make her running a little late, but in the end, she was the one who called up this meeting, so it was her that would be talking and not Piper.
Annabeth had always enjoyed the sound of nature, even if it was the loud honk from the cars soaring down the street, or from the screeching sound of tires scrunching on the floor from a sharp break. She would only put on music when she was in the shower sometimes or occasionally when she was working out or on her morning run.
Enjoying the views of the buildings that was left behind by her as she walked by, admiring the different architectural designs, recalling the history of some of the old architects with their projects. Checking the time again, she turned sharply into a quiet alleyway — a short cut to the meeting place.
A few meters deep inside the alley, she saw three people walking side-by-side, their silhouette strangely familiar. Something struck her, they were the three friends of Piper, Jason, Nico and Percy. Cussing inwardly, she ducked her head and sped walked past them as she neared them. Silently crossing her fingers praying that she wouldn't be spotted. Replaying in her mind with only one word 'ignore', telling herself to ignore everything they called and they wouldn't find out who she was.
Her fate was just bitter and rough. As she sped walked down the narrow lane with garbage visible in every corner, she almost bumped straight into a rubbish bin if not for her swift agile move to avoid uncovering her identity to the three boys behind her. She only turned her head back ever so slightly after she walked past the trash can just to check and make sure that none of her clothing had made contact with the tin. But that turn had given her away.
"Chase?" Nico's icy cold voice came from behind her, sending chills down her spine. It was hard for someone to ignore their name when it was been called. Annabeth stopped and turned around, but then remembered her mission, she turned back and proceed to her target in the central park that was just within her eyesight. As she hurried down the rest of the lane, she heard urgent footsteps, which meant the three boys were closing on her. Realizing that she might have no choice but to stop and face them, she turned back abruptly, nearly making the three boys crash into her.
"Yes Nico." She responded in the same coolness. "What do you want? My life?"
"No." He answered. "I want you to suffer." He said through gritted teeth. It had been a long time since Annabeth seen him in this state. Apparently the other two boys didn't know about the situation and relationship between her and Nico, who was now standing face-to-face with her, or perhaps, nose-to-nose. Breathing hotly down at her. "You know what this place brings me?
"Memories." Annabeth replied coldly. "I've been very clear to you already…" She continued with the same coolness before he could say anything.
"No, you don't understand." He hissed, cutting off whatever Annabeth was starting. "None of you would." His two friends circled in closer to have a better hearing at the conversation that sounded ever so secret.
"Then what do you want from me?" She still remained calmness in her voice as she spoke, fully aware of the other two men that formed a semi-circle around her with Nico.
"'s she troubling you?" The blonde, who Annabeth recognized as Jason, asked, checking her out on the other hand. Nico waved him off, telling him that this was nothing.
"Yo slut, what the fuck d'you want?" The raven hair, who Annabeth was now certain the name of, Percy, taunted from the side.
Knowing briefly about their background, Annabeth knew that this small abandoned alley brought back memories of the war they attended in Vietnam. Hearing her phone ring, she wanted to pick it up, but her body was restraining her from doing so. Her limbs were no longer listening to her brain. Her gaze fixed on the three boys that were towering over her. Suddenly, she was struck by her own nightmares. Those traumas that she tried to dealt on her own and put past her all came flooding back all at once. She wasn't able to control them like they normally could; she had no control over what kind of image was her brain showing to her, everything that she went through, every dark corners hidden deep inside her came out into view, displaying everything that she dreaded ever since coming back to America.
She understood the boys, the place was gray, which meant abandonment, which was where enemies were hidden. Chemical weapons were mostly likely used. Images of herself in Vietnam came back into her mind. Her phone kept ringing off, but she couldn't seem to register the meaning of the tune. Numbly, she walked towards the wall closet to her. Not thinking of hygienic considerations, she stared ahead vacantly. However, only her eyes were void, her mind was now filled with pictures. Her experience in Vietnam would haunt her and it would last for a life time. The only solution was to learn to cope with it and control it.
Now that she knew. Annabeth knew that was exactly what the boys needed; but she also knew that she wasn't the one to tell them. No one was to tell them what to think or how to bear the pain, they'd had to figure it out themselves with hints guiding them. Compared to what Percy and Jason had been through, her history had been nothing. Nico, living in agony, and part of it was because of her. She was finally ready to tell her story to Piper, that was why she asked her to meet her in central park, but she never knew that she couldn't make it.
"You're not the one to go insane Chase." Nico's stone-cold voice cut through her thought, lowering the temperature in her imagination, making her flashbacks more vivid and real. "You have not a single rights to do that."
Annabeth knew arguing wouldn't do any of them any good, but many years of experience in the army told her that not fighting back meant showing weaknesses and giving up; and a qualified troop would never surrender. "If I have no rights, then you certainly don't have the rights to accuse me of something that I can't control."
"You don't talk to him like that." Percy shoved Annabeth onto the wall that she was already leaning on after hearing the tone coming out of her that was aimed at Nico.
"Or what?"
"Or you will not be walking out of this place alive." Jason cornered her with a raised fist, ready to throw a punch at her face in anytime.
"You have no idea what he had been through." Percy spat in her face.
"Oh like you have." Annabeth snapped.
"You're the reason why I'm like this." Nico growled from the side. "If you haven't-"
"If I haven't what?" Pushing the two guys aside with immense strength that she had conjured out of her extreme anger and frustration, standing in front of Nico once again. "If I haven't paired up with her? If I didn't choose to protect Bianca and soak myself with the blood of other people?"
"Don't you dare say her name."
"I have every right to say whatever I wish to say."
"She could've still be alive if you've given her your gun."
"And watch me die?" She snorted angrily. "I highly doubt that she would be able to fend off the enemy with her shooting ability."
"You underestimated her, and don't you dare speak lowly of her." He demanded, dead seriously. Pulling out a gun from his back pocket under his shirt in slow motion, meanwhile not breaking the intense eye contact with Annabeth. "You killed her. You have her blood on your hands."
"I have more than just her blood on my hands. Those blood belonged to the people I killed trying to protect her." She argued, stepping closer at Nico who had already pointed a gun at her head.
"Say another word and you will regret it." He growled.
"Pull the trigger and you will regret it." She mocked in the same tone, however, her eyes were not focused on Nico nor his expression, it was more on the gun that was pointing at her.
Nico's finger moved, his knuckle turned white due to his strong grip on the handle. Annabeth didn't flinch a bit when she noticed the movement of his fingers. She just stared with her fearless poker face. Nico shut his eyes close and bit his bottom lip, he pulled the trigger.
At the same time the trigger was pulled, a rock flew towards the gun and hit right on Nico's tight grip on the gun handle. A yell of pain along with the sound of the gun hitting the floor was everything that echoed, the voice bounced off the empty walls on the sides of the alleyway. Nico turned to find the attacker in rage, he held his other hand that was bleeding.
"I don't want to witness another death, innocent or not." Percy stated calmly, another stone in his hand, suggestively for backup incase the first stone didn't hit the target. His explanation was so short, yet so powerful due to the way he had said it. Jason stood next to him, still in a trance, in the state of shock. Overcoming it gradually, he stepped up to check the wound on Nico's hand.
"The gun wasn't even loaded." Annabeth muttered, but sent an appreciated look at Percy nonetheless. To a soldier, anything in action would be more sincere than everything verbal, and Annabeth understood that deeply.
A/N: This is a short song fiction inspired by the song by the American rock band, The Pretty Reckless, Prisoner from their newest album. Each chapter will be short and there will only be three chapters in total. Since it is a very short story, each chapter is no longer called a chapter, they will be called verses, just like in poetry.
If you are a PJO fan, there is also an M-Rated story by me, called Love Can Be Frightening, it is long and it is a one-shot. Here's a very very small section from it just to hook you'all up:
"Ladies first." Annabeth said, gesturing for the guy to go out first. She meant it as a joke and it was something that she always play with her friends.
The guy laughed and walked out.
"What a gentleman." He greeted before turning to his private elevator leading to his penthouse. Annabeth laughed, relieved that he got her joke and kidded back.
The next update of this story will be up soon (that is, if I am satisfied with the reaction I got).
How I Greet My Boyfriend will have another chapter posted if I have reviews, favorites and follows for the story Love Can Be Frightening. Go to my profile for updates and for finding stories written by me.