Percy felt aware of falling asleep. He honestly couldn't help it. His head was nestled comfortably in his arms and the weird "educational" cowboy movie Mr. Morrison had put on was a decently nice backdrop of sound. The dimly lit classroom was a nice change from his other classes that day. The American narrator was going on about the up and fall of the midwest economy as the screen displayed a pair of horses pulling a wagon down an old street. Percy is briefly reminded of Blackjack and the sounds of the clopping are the last he hears before drifting into sleep.

Mr. Morrison, sitting at the desk at the front of the class, bent his neck awkwardly to observe the film. He'd seen it dozens of times, but that was his fate after neglecting to write out a lesson plan. Glancing at the class, he was surprised to see most the students were open eyed and watching the film. Sighing, he noticed Jackson's head on his desk, open mouthed and certain to start drooling any minute. Mr Morrison began to contemplate waking his most drowsy student. Removing his glasses and glancing back at the film, he took out his handkerchief and started the process of wiping the lenses. On the projector screen, three men, fully decked in cowboy gear, swaggered into a saloon. The one with a long greasy mustached gestured his holstered gun and drawled, "Ready, boys?"

The kid could wait. This was possibly the only entertaining scene.

Percy felt aware of waking up. The blurry sounds of the western film still hung in the air somewhere far away. Then came the scream. A woman screaming for her life. Before his eyes even opened, he saw what was happening. Annabeth was lying on the dark ground ahead of him. Too far. Then he saw the jagged wings in the corner of his eye, and smelled the sour breath of what he knew were the arai. With the sharp throbbing of a dagger in his side, the heavy pain in his chest like someone was digging a knife into his chest, the arai closed in.

Mr. Morrison gazed at the screen as the cowboys barged into the saloon. He considers that perhaps the film didn't have as much historical accuracy as he would've liked. Women with tight waists and overflowing tops scattered, their jugs of alcohol spilling. The townspeople ducked under tables as the cowboys held their pistols in front of them. A flash of light, a puff of smoke and a bang as the gun went off. Men scrambled clumsily under the tables, comically clutching their drinks and a woman screamed loudly. As soon as her shriek rang through the air of the classroom, Mr Morrison saw Jackson's head whip up, eyes wide with a fear he'd never seen before.

Annabeth was screaming his name, not seeing him, blind from her curses. Percy wanted to run to her, let her know that he was fighting but he felt himself fall to his knees.

While the memories of burning singed his arms and the heaviness in his head from Phineas's poison sunk deep inside him, and then the arai closed in.

His chair clattered to the ground as he looked around wildly. Percy was on the floor and scrambling backwards like something horrific was in front of him. Eyes flitting in every direction, his breaths coming panicked and short. The students in the desks around him were shell shocked and stared open-mouthed at the boy on the ground. They could only hear Percy's rapid breathing and the Western film still playing.

Percy took a deep rattling breath and his expression changed into something of anger. He glared at the empty space between the desks and muttered, "Don't hurt her."

"Percy?" A brunette, mousy girl stepped away from her desk and closer to Percy.

"No!" he cried out and flinched, protecting his head with his arm. Percy was shaking and his breaths were wild. Mr. Morrison stood awkwardly frozen at his desk. One hand was in the air and the other, hovering over the phone. Percy couldn't seem to catch his breath. He was panting wildly and looking terrified.

"He's hyperventilating."

"That's a panic attack," a boy in a football jersey said, sounding uncertain.

"That's no panic attack I've ever seen."

The footballer knelt down beside Percy, afraid to put a hand on his shoulder.

"C'mon dude, just breathe."

Percy was still gasping for air, unable to catch his breath. The class quiet and staring, they could hear the vibration of a phone coming from Percy's desk. The brown haired girl lifted it from the desk and read the name.

"Someone named Annabeth is calling."

At the sound of her name, Percy's head flew up towards her.

"Here," the brunette offered. Shaking, Percy, grasped the phone and held it to his ear. Those closest to Percy could hear a faint girl's voice coming from the phone.

"Hey Perc, I was hoping you wouldn't be in class. I figured out our ride for tonight."

Percy's breathing seemed to settle, but his breaths were still caught in his throat.

"You there?" Came the voice from the phone. "Percy?" He seemed unable to talk, just pressed his eyes shut and held the phone closer to his ear. He cleared his throat.

"Yeah. I'm here."

"You sound funny? Did something happen?"

"No - no I'm good." He even let his mouth slip into a quick crooked smile.

"Okay. Good. I'll pick you up from Sally's at five. Be careful okay? I don't want to kill any monsters tonight, Seaweed Brain."

"Sounds good."

"Love you."

"Love you." Percy's voice broke and he shut his eyes. The class stood still, agape at this calm conversation. 'Monsters?" the brunette mouthed, confused. Percy held the phone to his ear, staying still until she hung up. Then he rose to his feet, slung his backpack over his shoulder and left the classroom without looking at anyone, knowing he would never come back.

A/N I KNOW I KNOW DEMIGODS CAN'T HAVE PHONES! But I got this idea with the phone so I'm just going to go with the fact that either Percy doesn't give a f*ck about danger or Leo invented some weird anti-monster beacon thing.