The Disappearance
Chapter 1: Percy
I looked at the clock wondering how five minutes could take so long. 'Oh come on could you be any slower?' I thought miserably as our history teacher rambled on about Perseus and how he slayed medusa. It was all I could do not to correct him some days, but then he would ask me how I could possibly know more then him, after all he was a well educated professor. Well I couldn't very well tell him that the Greek gods were still alive and floating just over Manhattan. That I was the daughter of Athena and had witnessed Perseus (a different one) slay medusa when I was twelve, or that I was going to Olympus right after school to work on rebuilding it since the destruction caused in the titan war. No, instead I watched the clock waiting until we were released so that I could get back to Olympus and see my boyfriend again.
Just then the bell rang. I was the first one out of my seat and almost out the door when my teacher called my name. What was it now? I turned around and headed back towards him.
"Yes , you wanted to see me?" I asked trying to hide the edge in my voice. The gods hate to be kept waiting.
"Yes , I feel like you haven't been paying attention in this class the way you should. Could you explain why please." He asked pointedly.
"Well you see sir, I already know everything you are teaching so I sometimes space out because of my-"
"ADHD and dyslexia. Yes I am well aware but I must ask you to pay attention in class." I nodded and apologized but he just waved me away as if to say go away now, so I backed out of the room. Once I was out the door I sprinted down the hall to my dorm room. My roommate Lizzy was on her bed waiting for me but I didn't have time now to give her the lowdown.
"I'm running late can't talk now see you Monday!" I cried as I grabbed my backpack that had all my half-blood necessities. My knife, my Yankees cap, some ambrosia squares and all of my sketches for Olympus.
"Whatever!" Lizzy called after me. I just rolled my eyes as I sprinted down the hall. As I ran out the front gate I saw a person I recognized.
"Percy! What are you doing here I thought we were gonna meet at Olympus?" I cried trying to sound stern but I think the smile that wouldn't go away might have given me away. He laughed and kissed me as I came in to hug him.
"We were, but school closed early. Apparently freak accident involving saltwater and a very angry bull caused the electricity to go out." He said jokingly. I smiled and slipped my hand into his as we started walking down the street. It was great to see him again, that stupid grin would not go away but I could see him smiling to so I knew that he was just as happy as I was to see him again.
"Did you bring any drachmas?" I asked Percy.
"I brought something better," he said. As we rounded the corner I saw Blackjack standing there. "I thought we could take a Pegasus." He said smiling.
"This is just an excuse for me to hug you," I warned.
"I know." He smiled like he had planned this entire conversation out, which he probably had.
Chapter 2: Central Park
After I was done with everything on Olympus me and Percy headed out to central park. It had gotten colder and we huddled together for warmth. We watched couples skating together under Prometheus and I could swear I heard Percy mutter something very close to slime ball under his breath. I squeezed his hand.
"Hey, it's over. We won." I said trying not to let all the pain seep through into my voice. He gave me a little half smile but just looked sad.
" So many people we will never get back. Silena, Beckendorf, Luke." I tensed at the name.
" We will see them again." I promised. He smiled and I knew he understood. We were demigods; of cores we would see them again. We started walking towards the plaza. We stood outside just looking at it for a while. It was so beautiful, yet it had been the place were I had nearly died of poison, the place we let Silena go and get herself killed. It would never be the same now.
We left central park and headed down to his moms apartment. I would be staying there over the weekend so that I could work on Olympus. Percy and I had found it a little awkward at first but then we realized that this was nothing compared to all the things we had been through in the past. (I had seen Percy as a guinea pig once; it doesn't get more awkward then that.) I think his mom was thinking somewhere along the lines of 'They have been unsupervised and alone before and so this is nothing compared to all the other things.' I guess being a demigod has its perks. Besides, it's nice to get a goodnight kiss from your boyfriend.
As we entered his mom's apartment the smell of blue food wafted out to us. "Mom! Me and Annabeth are home!" Percy called as we hung up our coats. Sally Jackson walked out of the kitchen and hugged both of us.
"Dinner is almost ready, why don't you to set up the table." She said as she headed back into the kitchen. We got out the silverware and began placing it around the table. We started talking about camp half-blood and how we couldn't wait to go back over Christmas vacation. We only had a month and a half to wait.
Chapter 3: The Gods go Silent
Me and Percy walked towards the Empire State building hand in hand. The air was especially chilly that day, but other than that there was nothing extraordinary about today. As we entered the building a different man sat at the front desk. We looked at each other wondering what was going on but Percy just shrugged.
"I guess even the normal guy gets sick." Percy said as he shrugged. He stepped forward and began addressing the new guy. "We needed to get to the 600th floor."
"Kid, there ain't no 600th floor." The guard answered. He was looking at us as if we were crazy.
"Uh-huh, and Olympus isn't floating over our head. Look this is Annabeth and she needs to get to the 600th floor, otherwise the gods will not be happy with her."
"Look kid, either you get lost or I will call security on you both."
"Come on Percy, something weird is going on here." I said. Percy nodded and we left.
Have you ever tied to create an Iris message during the winter? It is nearly impossible. When we finally got a rainbow going the goddess didn't except our attempt to contact Olympus.
"Maybe Chiron knows what's going on." I said my mind working double time trying to understand what was going on. Percy nodded and turned back towards the Iris message. Thankfully we got through to Chiron.
"Chiron, what's going on? Why won't Olympus let us in?" I cried in frustration.
"I am not sure but Mr.D was recalled to Olympus recently on Zeus's orders. I suggest you two come to camp over your winter holiday so we can discus the matter at hand."
"Yah, no problem Chiron me and Annabeth were planning on heading down anyway." Percy answered. Just then there was an explosion on Chiron's end. He turned around and started yelling at the Stoll brothers, something about dynamite on the rock wall was not permitted. We decided to let Chiron handle the dynamite.
As we walked back towards his apartment we talked about what it could be that made Zeus close Olympus. I just could not fathom it. Everything had been fine last weekend; Zeus had even praised me for my architectural skills. Percy must have sensed that there was something on my mind because he leaned over and kissed me.
"Hey, you know what this means? We have the whole weekend together, just the two of us. What do you want to do?" Percy asked as he slipped his hand into mine.
I smiled. "Want to go skating?" I asked.
Chapter 4: Goodnight
Lizzy sat on suitcase as I attempted to zip it closed. She was telling be all about her winter plans and how my trip sounded way cooler than hers. I just grunted in reply.
"So who is he?" Lizzy asked all of a sudden.
"Who is who?" I asked as I finally zipped the suitcase closed.
"The boy who is standing under our window." I turned around to look out and saw Percy and blackjack waiting for me
"My boyfriend." I said in a nonchalant manner.
"He rides a motorcycle? Sweet!" Lizzy cried. "Can I get a ride?" she asked mischievously.
"Oh no you don't, he's mine!" I said as she laughed, probably at the excretion on my face. I leaned out the window and waved down to Percy gesturing that I would be out in five. I grabbed my bags, hugged Lizzy good-bye, and headed out the door.
"Gods Annabeth, when did you stop packing light?" I stuck out my tongue and began to explain, " This is just a show for Lizzy, she thinks that I am going to California to visit my dad but really all the stuff that's in here I can ditch." He smiled as he took my bag.
"Where do you wanna ditch it?" Percy said as he looked around.
"Here," I grabbed the bag and through it into the bushes, "All taken care of." He smiled at me.
"Ready to go?" he asked. I nodded.
At camp it was a mad house, so many kids just doing things during the winter session, it just wasn't normal. Chiron cantered over towards us welcoming us back. Then he told us that we would be having a cabin meeting for all the head consolers that were present. After he was done addressing us me and Percy began to discus what we thought was the cause. In the end we decided that whatever it was, was something serious.
Well, we didn't come up with anything better at the counselor meeting. As we left for dinner you could practically feel the tension and worry. Dinner was uneventful. I don't really know what my brothers and sisters were talking about I was to busy staring off into space. I probably would have missed the campfire and just stayed like that if Percy hadn't jolted me out of my daydream.
At campfire we sat next to each other holding hands and singing Christmas carols like: we wish you a monster free Christmas and deck the big house with boughs of holly. I was blissfully happy.
Percy leaned over and kissed me as the campers began to head to there cabins. As I stood in the Athena cabin doorway I watched him walk into his cabin.
