Midnight Talks

"And where are you going?" Sally asked her recently turned 17 year old son.

Without looking back so his mother wouldn't see the tears threatening to fall, "Away, it's too dangerous for me to be here with Jamie. She's only a baby, she needs her parents and my demigod scent is too strong, I'm too dangerous, too broken… All me being around here would bring is trouble and harm for my little sister and I love her too much for that. So I'm leaving, I thought you would be asleep and by the time you woke up you wouldn't even remember me."

"What do you mean Percy, I wouldn't remember you?" Sally asked her son confused.

"The Mist is a powerful thing." Percy replied.

Sally gasped, he wouldn't dare ask the gods for that. "You were going to make the gods take away my memory of you." She whispered. He nodded still refusing to look at her.

"I'm going to make them take away everyone's memory of me. They owe me, and this way you wouldn't have to remember all the pain I've caused you or Gabe, or anything, and that way my disappearance wouldn't hurt you at all. Mom this is what's best for you, Jamie, and Paul. Don't you see? This is your chance at a normal life and it is too selfish of me to stand in the way of that."

"What about Annabeth?" Sally said. She was close to tears but she wouldn't let them fall. She would not lose her son, never again.

"She's better off without me. She's stronger than me and without my darkness holding her back she'll heal in no time. Annabeth isn't as broken, and this way she can fall in love with someone good, someone who can give her the life I never could."

"Isn't that up for me to decide Percy?" A third voice came from Percy's room, startling Sally. She still sometimes forgot that Annabeth and Percy needed to sleep together so their nightmares weren't as bad.

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice you were gone, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth moved closer to Percy. She was almost right behind him, her arms were wrapping around his waist when suddenly he pulled away.

He choked out, "Don't Annabeth this is hard enough and if you hold me I won't have the strength to do it."

She reached again. "Good," She answered reaching out to brush his cheek with her thumb, "I don't want you to do this anyway. It's stupid and makes me lose you."

"But you wouldn't remember, it would be like you never lost me because you wouldn't remember being with me." He argued turning around so his mother and girlfriend could see his face for the first time that night. His eyes were bloodshot, with bags under them, and both Sally and Annabeth could see the pain in his eyes. "Annabeth you wouldn't remember me you could be in a relationship with someone better. You can be free of me. And mom you can forget all the pain I have ever caused you, you could forget Gabe. You both could have better lives. The only thing standing in the way of that is me. I can't be that selfish."

Sally was about to answer him when Annabeth walked over to him and whispered in his ear, "Percy, you are not being selfish, I wouldn't trade a second of our memories together for anything. The only way you would be selfish was if you went through with this plan and made me forget every moment between the two of us. Percy think of all the good memories we have together. I love you Percy now come back to bed." She pulled at his hand but he refused to budge.

His face was a wall, no emotions were let through it as he said, "Annabeth I failed you. You fell into the Pit because of me. You were hurt for 6 months because I wasn't there, and don't say it was no big deal because Piper told me everything. You can forget all that pain. You could sleep without nightmares. Without needing me right beside you. Annabeth, I can make you happy by doing this… I can do what's best for you."

"Percy I'm happy with you—"

Percy cut her off, "And Mom, you could forget about everything Gabe did to you. Mom they could bend the mist so that you wouldn't remember having me, you could remember Dad though and then have met Paul and everything would be better. Don't try to deny it Mom. I know what Gabe did to you. I know how he hurt you, and I know the only reason you married him was to protect me."

"It was worth it Percy. I went through all that not because I felt I had to but because I wanted to. Percy I love you so much and I always knew that your path would be more difficult than most. I just wanted you to have a normal childhood before the demigod world pulled you in. And sweetie I would let Gabe hit me a thousand more times if it meant you could be safe for another day." Sally told her son.

Before anyone else could say anything Annabeth asked what had been on her mind for a while now. "Where were you planning on staying Percy?" Percy looked away and Annabeth's eyes widened in horror. "No… no… you wouldn't dare. Percy that would be the most selfish evil thing you could do to me. That is not for the best. I wouldn't forget you Percy and that would break me."

"Annabeth I'm too dangerous to be kept alive. I can control poison, what happens if I lose control. If I hurt you I would never forgive myself. This way I can make sure no one gets hurt on my behalf. Annabeth what happens if I get angry, I could destroy a city block. I am too dangerous now, to out of control. I spent my life protecting my loved ones, and I can die so they can be safe."

Annabeth was openly crying now. "Don't you dare do this Perseus Jackson. Don't you dare." She started sobbing, heaving with each breath raking her body. Percy held her. She eventually calmed but she pulled him to the bed and they fell asleep still embracing.

When Annabeth woke up the bed was cold. She was alone. Her mind started racing, where was Percy, was he still here, was he still alive, where was he? She got out of bed and ran to the kitchen, she saw Sally making pancakes with Jamie in a stool and she franticly spoke, "Where is Percy, Sally where is he I can't find him," Sally looked at her confused.

"Annabeth dear, what are you talking about-"

"Mom, Annabeth is everything ok." Annabeth ran towards the living room. There was only one person with that voice. She saw him and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him with every fiber of her being.

"I was so scared you went through with your plan. I woke up and you weren't here. After the talk at midnight I just thought… I was so scared and you can't do that to me Percy. Please just don't do that, don't leave me." Percy looked at her in confusion.

"Annabeth what are you talking about. I was in bed with you at midnight." Annabeth's mind finally realized what happened.

"It was just a dream." She said more relieved than anything, "So you aren't going to make the gods erase you from my memories."

"Hadn't thought about it." Percy stated.

"Good," Annabeth breathed out. "It was all a dream." She sighed, forehead on Percy's chest, holding him so tight he thought she might never let go.