Attack of need

Percy rolled over in his sleep, trying to grab onto the figure that should be next to him, only to find it empty. He opened his eyes slowly to allow them to adjust to the light before realizing he didn't have to. He turned his head to read the clock to his right.

3:30 a.m.

He groaned as he sat up slowly, looking around the room for any trace of Annabeth. He finally caught sight of her in the en suite. She was standing in front of the mirror in her tank top and shorts, sobbing. Percy slipped out of the bed to walk to his fiancé. He reached the door frame and leaned against it, knowing not to try to touch her when she was crying until she was aware of his presence, as he had found out he hard way.

"Annabeth" he spoke softly, "What's wrong." She turned to face him.

"They won't go away. Why won't they go away? I just want them to leave me alone. I don't like them." She began to cry hysterically. "Please just go away. Please." She sobbed at the mirror, sinking to her knees in a fit of hysteria. Percy's face fell as he stepped forward and down onto his knees as to wrap his arms around her shaking frame.

"Who won't go away? What do you need me to do?" He tried to coax and answer out of her, but just when he thought she was fine, she broke into a fit louder and more powerful than before.

"It's okay wise girl, it's okay. You're safe, you're okay." He comforted her, all while rubbing her back as he held her on the tile floor. Her body stopped shaking violently, bringing her to a simple crying state. She lifted her head and his heart broke at the expression her face held, her eyes red and puffy, her bottom lip still quivering.

"The demons." She whispered," They won't leave me alone." She finished before dropping her head again.

Percy felt sick. They thought these attacks would go away, the doctor had said that the medications would stop them. They thought they were working, seeing as she hadn't had one of these fits in a little over a month.

Before then these fits came almost daily, every day since the war finished. Percy himself had a few problems but for some reason Annabeth got the worst. Her brain had almost snapped from not only the stress but the physical demands of the war as well as their trip to Tartarus. They had taken her to a psychiatrist who was a daughter of Apollo. They had been trying new meds though none of them worked until her current one. But apparently that was failing as well.

"It's okay. You're okay. I'm here; the demons will go away now." He tried to soothe her. Finally she stopped shaking and looked at him quickly before glancing down at the tile.

"I'm sorry." She whispered under her breath.

"What is there to be sorry about?" He looked at her intently.

"I keep waking you up. You should be sleeping but here you are, having to deal with me. I'm just an inconvenience" His heart broke even more. Didn't she see how this wasn't her fault?

"Wise girl, you can't control this."

"I should be able to. I'm just not strong enough. I should just listen to that other doctors orders and lock myself up in a psychiatric hospital." She started to cry silently.

"No. You do not need that. That will only make it worse, you hear me." He lifted her head with his hand, and met her eyes. "Because then I would only get to see you once a day, during visiting hours. I wouldn't get to talk to you or help you because they wouldn't let me even talk to you. You need to be free. You will get better, I know it. But you can't do that." His voice broke. "You can't do that to me, to yourself, to us." At that point he was crying and now it was her turn to comfort him.

"I know. It's just that, well, what if I can't get better? Or it takes decades? I can't let you live like this, live knowing that you have to tolerate me and these.. these attacks."

"I need you though Annabeth. I really do. You aren't the only one who's mentally unstable. Those nights you were in the inpatient ward*, I couldn't stand it. And what you did to get in there, Annabeth, why would you think it's a good idea to kill yourself. I need you; I need you more than you'll ever know. I can't bear the thought of being without you, again."

"I know, it's just-"

"It's just nothing. We need to stick together. I need you just as much as you need me. I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if you were truly just holding me back. I promise wise girl, I promise that we will get through this together." He smiled down at her through teary eyes. "I love you so much wise girl. Always have, always will."

She looked up at him hard, as if she was calculating whether or not to listen to him. In the end, apparently, she decided to. She leaned forward and lowered his head, pressing her lips to his softly.

"I love you too, seaweed brain. Now let's go back to bed."

Percy stood up and reached his arm out to help Annabeth up. She smiled as she took his hand and rose off the cold tile. She looked at him and nodded as they headed off for the bed. Laying down, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. She grinned up at him before speaking softly,

"You really are the best Percy." He smiled down at her. And with that, she turned her head and set it on his chest, before falling into a soft, dreamless sleep.

They knew there would be hard times ahead. But for now the demons were gone. They would face them many more times to come. But at least for now, all was well.