After the Giant war Annabeth and I... we weren't the same. On the way home on the Argo II we were allowed to sleep in the same bed after the first night when we woke everyone up with our cries. Dreams of our time in Tartarus haunted us and we were each other's only sanctuary.
When we arrived back at camp we let the others describe the events. When we were asked about Tartarus we gave them one look that told them to just imagine your worst nightmares. All at once.
We acted fine. We tried to joke around. We laughed when appropriate. We teased each other. All was good. Or so we hoped it looked like it was.
On our first night back Annabeth automatically walked with me towards my Cabin when Chiron told us no, we weren't allowed. Camp rules. Her cabin agreed; they hadn't warmed to me much. Only very few.
One look and we knew it was a pointless to try and disagree, so off we went.
That night plagues of memories swarmed my head. I saw Annabeth drenched in blood with her dagger in her hand. I saw the countless monster's, their sheer numbers quadruple the size of the whole of the Titan war. I saw no escape. I saw Annabeth in pain. I screamed her name, over and over.
"PERCY! PERCY!" I was shaken awake by Malcolm, Annabeth's brother. I took a shaky breath.
"Is Annabeth OK?" I demanded. The look on his face told me everything. I swung off the bed immediately and stormed out the door. Everything was quiet and then I heard a scream.
"PERCY!" And I knew it was Annabeth. The screams had woken the camp.
"We've tried waking her up but..." Malcolm said as we walked. The campers were staring at me. I knew I looked like Hell or more like Tartarus.
"We came straight to you when we heard your yells too." He continued. I ignored him. Find Annabeth was my main focus. I saw her writhing on her bed with a pained expression.
I went to her and held her close even though she kicked out. It hurt but I didn't care.
"It's OK. I will never let anything happen. Shhh." I murmured to her.
"So much blood... Everywhere... Blood." She said tensing.
"I know. It's gone now. I'm never going to let you go." And she relaxed. She opened her grey eyes.
"Percy." She sighed. I picked her up and walked out of her cabin. Her eyes fluttered and closed again.
"I don't care if anyone objects. Annabeth is staying in my cabin." I said loudly. The Athena campers didn't even try to object. The other campers looked so shocked that such a strong person could be so fragile.
Suddenly Athena herself was before me.
"Thank you for what you've done for my daughter." She said. "I am truly sorry for everything that has happened to her."
"You should be." She blanched at this.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked outraged.
"You're almost single handedly responsible." She gasped.
"How so?! It was not my fault at all!" She fumed.
"You told her to go find the bloody statue! You threatened to disown her! And she being the most amazing person ever did as you asked. She found the statue."
"Yes but-"
"I'm not finished. She wouldn't have fallen if it wasn't for Arachne. A monster I believe you're responsible for yes?" I glared at her.
"The boy's right you know." A voice said. I turned and saw Mr. D standing there.
"Perseus Jackson I can feel the insanity radiating off of you two a thousand miles away. You are true heroes. Allow me to cure you." I stared at him dumbfounded. He got my name right, he called me a hero and he was offering to help me.
"Don't look surprised boy. I healed that Chris boy and he isn't nearly half the-"
"Help Annabeth first." I pleaded. Athena looked shocked as did everyone else.
"I can heal you both."
"No. I need to be there to make sure she's OK." I insisted.
"There are others who can-"
"I can't trust anyone with this." He must have seen the stubbornness in the statement and let it be.
A few days later I hadn't moved from Annabeth's bedside as I waited for her to awaken. I watched he face waiting for any movement when her eyes fluttered open.
Annabeth's P.O.V
I opened my eyes as I woke up and felt as if the sky had been lifted off my shoulder (And trust me, I know what that feels like.) I saw Percy sitting above me with his deep tortured eyes.
"Percy."
"Annabeth."
"OK boy. Your turn." I heard said then I saw Mr. D put his hand on Percy's forehead and Percy blacking out.
"Ahhh!" I screamed as I tried to sit up.
"No child." Chiron said soothingly. "Mr. D is healing Percy from his insanity. He did the same for you. Percy wanted to wait to make sure you were OK before the same happened to him." Oh Percy I thought. I felt a swell of love. "Come child, come outside-"
"No." I said. "I want to stay here... with him." Chiron looked at me then obliged.
A few days later I sat watching Percy lying unconscious. No one had bothered either of us. Only Chiron the day I woke up and Mr. D the day he knocked- healed- Percy out. I watched him so intently waiting for him to come back to me.
His eyes fluttered then opened to reveal beautiful deep eyes.
He opened his mouth and said the one thing that I knew meant he was back to normal.
"Fish Ponies."