Hey! Sorry for not updating sooner, but the day I wanted to update was my b-day party (no one would let me write, and someone even took my kindle away from me so I would stop reading *cough ShortieP cough*), so I didn't update then, and then I was experimenting with my new kindle, trying to figure out how it worked. I just ended up procrastinating.
December 19
Annabeth stood on the beach near Camp Half-Blood's lake. She had returned to camp that morning after checking up on each search party. The news from each was the same; no sign of him.
Percy. Everything in camp reminded Annabeth of him. There, the bathrooms where he had doused Clarisse with water, there, the woods in which he was claimed; Annabeth could see him everywhere.
She knew what he would say if he saw her like this. Broken, empty. He would tell her that he didn't want her worrying about him, to piece herself together for the camp. But she didn't want to. It was easier this way, with no responsibilities. Everyone gave her a wide berth, and she was allowed to sulk by herself, in peace.
She returned to the beach often. It was full of happy memories, days spent filled with sun, laughter and water. Even still, these memories were painful. Sometimes, they were more painful than the bad memories, reminding her of what she would have if Percy was still there. If Percy hadn't left.
But the beach was the one place she felt comfortable. It wasn't exactly the camp hotspot, so she was almost never interrupted by younger campers, and older ones knew to avoid her. It was peaceful there, and often, she could lose herself in the motion of the waves and forget the troubles of the day. Unfortunately, that never lasted. At some point, she was forced to get up, and reality would come crashing back down on her even harder than before.
That night, Annabeth even fell asleep by the shore. The sky was clear and the ocean unnaturally calm. Annabeth could almost feel Percy's arms circling her shoulders, his voice whispering in her ear. 'It's okay Annabeth. I'm here now, it's okay.' Annabeth was, for the first time in almost a week, content.
She was wakened suddenly. Annabeth jumped up, ready to cut the person who disturbed her peace into ribbons, but she stopped abruptly. There, on the beach, was Poseidon.
Annabeth had seen Percy's father only a few times before, but it was obviously him. They had the same black hair and startling sea green eyes. He approached her cautiously, and she realized she still had her dagger out. She quickly sheathed it, and then walked out to the beach to meet him.
"Lord Poseidon," she said stiffly, "you should not be contacting me. Zeus is restricting all contact."
"Yes," he replied, "which is why I have to make this short. Annabeth, I love Percy. He's my son, and I hate that he was taken away from Camp Half-Blood, but it is for the best. He is the bridge, the gateway which we will not survive without."
Annabeth's eyes stung. "It's for the best that he's probably dead? Or do you know where he is? Tell me!" Annabeth demanded, and then quitter, "I have to know. Please, this is killing me." She said, anguished.
Poseidon looked on sadly. "I am very sorry, but it is not my place to tell you such things. We are in a precarious situation as it is, but trust me when I say he has not forgotten you." His tone was solemn, but his eyes were animated with a slight twinkle. "All will make sense soon. But in the meantime…" He dug around in his coat pockets and procured a small package. "This is all I give you. And now I must go. My time is up." Poseidon snapped his fingers and evaporated into a pillar of salt water which merged with the lake.
Annabeth stared on in shock. Percy remembered her… which must mean he was still alive. She stood up straighter, a new hope lighting up her eyes, giving her purpose. She quickly unwrapped the package. It was a necklace; a small trident hanging on a fine chain. The whole thing was made of a burnished bronze and seemed to glow with an aura of power. She picked up the trident and gasped.
As soon as her fingers touched the metal of the pendant, memories washed over her. A day at the beach, the water fight she lost horribly, going out to pizza with Grover and Juniper. And then there were more private moments. The feel of his hair sliding across her fingers, the touch of his lips against hers, the warmth of his body. And the rush of happiness that occurred every time he told her he loved her.
Annabeth dropped the necklace in shock. It had seemed so real… She touched her face and felt the wetness of tears sliding down her cheeks. She reached down to grab the pendant. "Thank you Lord Poseidon," she said, unsure if the prayer would reach him, but grateful none the less. She clasped the pendant around her neck, and promised herself that she wouldn't take it off until Percy was back with her at camp, where he belonged.
December 20
Sally Jackson opened the door to her small apartment.
"Mrs. Jackson?" Annabeth said tentatively, standing just outside the threshold.
"Annabeth!" Sally said excitedly. "Come in, come in." Sally's face was tight with worry, showing that her gracious host act was… well, and act. "Is there any news…?" she asked, almost afraid to breach the subject.
"No, unfortunately not," Annabeth told her sadly. Sally's shoulders slumped.
"That's what I thought, but you can always hope. Hope is all you have in times like this." Sally said dejectedly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to impose…" Annabeth said politely, realizing that what Sally was going through was as bad as or worse than what she was. After all, Percy was her son.
"Not at all," Sally replied, "I was just making cookies. Paul is coming over soon, and…" She blushed. "Anyway, I am assuming you came here to get away from camp."
"Yes," Annabeth replied gratefully, "that would be wonderful. Everyone there tries to give my their pity. They don't understand what I'm going through, and I was hoping you would." Sally regarded Annabeth for a moment.
"Yes, I suppose so. Make yourself at home, you can stay as long as you need to. You're always welcome here," she said kindly.
"Are you sure…?" Annabeth asked. "I do attract a lot of monsters…"
Sally laughed. "Annabeth, Percy lived with me for 12 years. Gabe or no, I saw some pretty awful stuff. It's fine." Annabeth felt stupid. Of course she would have to deal with monsters on a daily basis.
"Chiron sort of… kicked me out of camp. Apparently my mood was not helping the situation…" Sally noticed that Annabeth was fingering a small trident pendant. A gift from Percy?
Suddenly, Annabeth started crying. "I… just…" she sobbed. "I m-miss him so… much." Sally reached out to her.
"We all do, Annabeth. We all do."
December 21
Annabeth stood facing Olympus. Even under construction and partially destroyed, it was magnificent, but Annabeth could not appreciate it's beauty.
Chiron had wanted her to go out and do things, and he thought that working on Olympus might be a nice distraction. Unfortunately, being a daughter of Athena, she saw through his plan. She knew exactly what it was; a diversion and that did not help her predicament.
She sighed. There was no way she would be of any help in this state. Anyway, today might be the last day of the world, if the questers didn't save Hera in time. And, if it was the last day in the world, Annabeth wanted to spend it at Camp Half-Blood. Jason might have news on Percy, and she wanted to be there to greet him.
Annabeth headed back down to the elevator, not even bothering to visit her mom. Boy, was this going to piss off Chiron.
Uggg… I looked and reread the second part of this and almost threw up the writing is so terrible… I just wanted to get something else out before summer… So yeah, this will be the last update in a few more days… Sorry… Anyway, I apologize for the horrendous second part of this.
