Annabeth:
I sprinted as quickly as I could back to Ernie's. I shut the door behind me and locked it, turning the sign to closed. I leaned against the door and sighed miserably. I looked down at my hands and saw small scars across my palms and fingers. I hesitantly ran my fingertips over some of the scars and closed my eyes in relief when I felt how cold my hands were.
"Annabeth?" I slowly opened my eyes to see Ernie coming out of the kitchen. He took in my slightly battered clothes and tired expression and sighed.
"You found more of them didn't ya?" I nodded slowly and walked over to him, while slowly rubbing my right forearm with my left hand.
"Yeah…Found some in the alley across the street…You okay?" Ernie nodded and after promising I was alright, no marks, bruises or scratches he nodded and I followed him into the kitchen. He led me over to the old pizza oven and pointed at it.
"Darn thing won't get hot enough…Can you help?" I nodded slowly, though I really didn't want to be around heat. But this was Ernie, the man who's given me everything the last two years. I closed my eyes tightly to avoid seeing what was about to happen. I opened my right hand and I could feel my fire burning. I opened my eyes slowly and frowned as I gently moved the flame into the oven and the coals sparked to life. I quickly pulled my hand out and cradled it against my chest. My left hand was on top of my right as if shielding it. I sent an uncomfortable smile to Ernie.
"There…I closed early…If you need me I'll be upstairs." I could hear my old friend sigh but he didn't say anything. I rushed upstairs and flung open my door. I shut it behind me and I leaned against it. I could feel a burning in my throat and I felt like slapping myself. Stop it Annabeth. Hold it in! Emotions make it stronger, you know this! I could feel my breath start to quicken and I moved over to my bed. I slowly sat down and tried to calm down my fast, uneven, heavy breathing. It didn't work so I placed my head in between my knees and closed my eyes.
My hands moved over my ears in hopes that everything would disappear. Of course it didn't and I was still having a panic attack. I shut my eyes tighter and mentally coached myself. Be emotionless…cold! Control it Annabeth! You have to control it! I thought about school and Nico and Ernie and everything normal and eventually I started to calm down. My breathing returned to normal and I removed my head from my knees. I slowly looked around my little apartment.
Or well whatever you would want to call it. Since I haven't had a real home since I was fourteen I wouldn't know what to call my living conditions. I live above the pizza place. Ernie doesn't have much room at his house and he wasn't using this place for anything so he let me move in. I have a bed, bathroom, desk and even enough space to call a living room. I only have one window, which I placed bars in front of…It's New York. I don't want to be robbed. My favorite thing about it is that it isn't made of flammable wood, the walls are bricks. So I could place my hand on the wall and cause fire to spray from my palm but it doesn't burn. It's not a castle but I'm comfortable here and that's all that matters.
I screamed as my door burst open. A large red animal flung itself at me and I was forced back onto the bed. I growled in frustration and pushed the large beast off.
"Blaze! Down!" The red Labrador obeyed and placed her butt on the floor. She looked up at me expectedly, her tail wagging lightly. I leaned over to my desk drawer and pulled out a dog biscuit.
"Here girl. I haven't seen you for a couple days. Did you go adventuring?" Of course the dog didn't answer me, firstly because she couldn't and secondly because she was too busy inhaling her biscuit to pay any attention to me. Blaze was a red lab Ernie and I found digging through the garbage out back about a year ago. She looked to be about two at the time, making her around three years old now. Ernie told me I could keep her but I was too afraid of hurting her, so I fed her and left the door open for her to leave. She didn't and ended up staying for three days, even after I had fire explode from my fingertips. She comes and goes as she pleases but normally she spends her days curled up on the floor by my bed. Due to her weird fondness of fire I named her Blaze.
I rubbed my eyes tiredly and checked the time. 7:30? It was early to be tired but then again I just fought off some shadows and robots and revealed my secret to four high school kids I don't want anything to do with….That tires a girl out.
I changed into my pajamas and slowly laid down on my bed. I suddenly felt like I was going to hurl so I didn't move and shut my eyes. When I opened them a wave of dizziness hit me, causing my sight to be fuzzy. When everything calm down and those terrible feelings went away I shut my eyes and fell asleep. Blaze by my feet, my clock flashing 8:00.
Percy Jackson:
I stood unmoving as I watched Nico disappear into the shadows. I glanced around at the three robots laying in the alley. Piper had Jason's head in her lap and was gently stroking his hair, whispering to him. Thalia was staring at the pizza place across the street and I turned and saw the sign change from open to closed. I didn't say anything and walked over to Thalia.
"You okay?" She glanced around and nodded.
"Well I'm okay as I could be….considering that we just got attacked for no apparent reason." I cracked a grin and patted her shoulder as I walked by her and over to Jason and Piper.
"Hey you two okay?" Piper nodded and looked down at Jason. He sat up and winced, grabbing his ribs.
"Yeah but my chest got pretty banged up when I was thrown against the wall." I nodded and, along with Piper helped him to his feet. She gave me a look and mumbled.
"Told you dark alleys were bad…"Thalia was still looking at the pizza place and she asked the question we were all wondering.
"What the hell was that?" I looked up and watched the windows above the pizzeria turn on. I checked the time. 7:00.
"Guys c'mon let's go. We need to go home." Thalia turned around suddenly to face me. She looked like I just slapped her.
"After everything that just happened you just want to forget it and go home?!" I rolled my eyes and Piper and I started to help Jason to his car. He handed me the keys and I placed him in the backseat. Piper climbed in next to him. When the door was shut I turned to a fuming Thalia.
"You brother is hurt. I didn't want to stay in that alley any longer, what if more of those things show up? What more do you want to do?" She glared as I climbed in the driver's seat. She went to the other side and jumped into the passenger seat.
"I don't know maybe go in that pizzeria and demand to know what those were and why they were so keen on killing us?" I rolled my eyes at her tone and started the car.
"Do you really think that's a good idea? What makes you think Annabeth and Nico know anything about it?" Thalia's fist collided with the glove box and Jason sat up from the back seat.
"Hey watch it Thals." She ignored him and growled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Percy I'm pretty sure they know what those were! Annabeth said she saw more earlier, not to mention she knew how to make them go down! And Nico said they weren't his and they've been doing 'research' about it! They both disappeared before we could question them. Doesn't that sound a little weird? What more evidence do you need? They know what those things are." I made a right turn and drove until I was in Thalia and Jason's apartment parking complex.
"Maybe they do but what makes you think they would have told you if you barged in there demanding information from them? I agree they need to tell us what the fuck all that was but im not going to break into her work place and demand she tell me." Thalia uncrossed her arms and a sad and concerned look covered her face, all anger gone.
"I know…Okay your right but Percy look at my brother. Look at Jason! He's hurt and I want to know why those things did that to him! Don't I deserve that? Doesn't he?" I sighed and rubbed my face. I checked the time. 7:25. Man I was kinda tired.
"Yeah Thals I know. And we'll know eventually. I promise." She nodded and we all helped Jason out of the car and into his bed. Piper called her Dad and told him she was going to stay the night. Considering how tired I was I decided to crash on the couch. As soon as I laid down I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. I ran to the bathroom and leaned over the toilet waiting for the puke..
It never came.
When I stood up I felt really dizzy. I closed my eyes and sat down on the bathroom floor. My vision was blurry and when the dizziness stopped I found myself too tired to move. I laid down on the bathroom floor and fell asleep. I could hear the 8 O'clock news on somewhere in the apartment.
Annabeth Chase:
"Her flame burns forever bright."
I glanced around and frowned. Where am I?
"How could you do this to your family!? To me? To your daughter?"
What? I looked down at my hands and gasped. They were so small.
"That…That THING up there is not MY daughter!"
I could hear a gasp and the sound of someone being slapped. Probably the male since I hear his voice next.
"Stupid bitch. I'm glad I found someone better."
I could hear a string of profanities all aimed towards the man. I had a horrible feeling of dread in my heart. And I wasn't sure why…Soon I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and my small little feet carried me to the bedroom door. I wasn't able to control anything that was happening…It was like I was watching a movie, a horror movie and something bad was going to happen.
"Annabeth get out here!" My little body jumped at the loudness of his voice and I tried helplessly to make myself stay in the room but my legs moved without my permission. I started to panic as I shut the door behind me. It was late at night and the hall was dark. The only light shined on the man and I gasped.
No…please…no…don't show me this…..please….
I started shaking with fear and when I took a step forward the man roared.
"NO! Stay in the dark, stay where no one can see what you are." I felt tears run down my face but I did as he said. I didn't move. I could hear my Mother sobbing loudly as she stomped up the stairs. I remember this…I remember being surprised that one woman could look most broken and pissed as hell at the same time.
"You do NOT call our daughter that! Fredrick look at her! She's scared…Alone! You're her father! Her protector! You should be the one person she won't have to fear!" The man cackled, a brutal evil sound.
"She doesn't need protecting! She can do that herself. I can't help her and neither can you! The only person she should fear is herself! Look at what she did to the shed! She can't be controlled! She's a menace!" I glanced out the window and saw the burning ashes of the shed. I started to shake my head.
Please stop! Please let me wake up! Please…!
"Fuck this Athena it's pointless. I'll send for my things. Enjoy raising YOUR daughter." I watched from the shadows as my Mom sunk to the floor and sobbed. The man stormed down the steps and I acted. His words burning my ears. Freak, menace, stay in the shadows where no one can see what you are. Small tears rolled down my face as my hands burned. I didn't know how to control it. I hardly knew what IT was but I threw my fire and it smacked against the door before he could leave. He turned around and glared at me. I stood on the very top of the staircase, my hands and eye ablaze. I'm not sure which one was more deadly.
"Don't…Don't call me those things." My voice cracked and I cursed myself for sounding weak. I promised myself I would never sound that way again, especially in front of people like him… He moved away from the slightly burned door and grinned evilly.
"You are though…Freak, menace, misfit….Monster, there are so many words to describe you…Look at what you are Annabeth and you'll see I'm right." The fire in my palms burned brighter and I felt…angry, hurt, I felt emotions that were so strong I didn't realize what I was doing.
"You're a freak of nature Annabeth….I don't what I did to make the Gods punish me with you." I could hear my Mothers frightened gasp and I was begging my smaller self to stop. Of course she couldn't hear me and didn't.
"Shut up!" Angry tears streamed down my face and I flung my burning flame down the stairs and at the man. I heard his pain filled scream and yelled myself. My Mother was yelling out for the man, trying to see if he was okay…
I knew he wasn't.
The flames from his body spread to the curtains and my eyes widened. I extended my hands and yelled out at the flames…as if that would make them stop.
"No! Stop!" Of course they didn't listen and my emotions; panic, fear, anger, sadness, all blended and made the fire hotter, making it burn brighter and faster. I could feel my Mother stand up behind me and she rushed to her room. She was yelling into the phone about a fire and to hurry. She ran back out, carrying books…old photo albums. I was frozen on the top of the stairs, watching as my home, and childhood memories burned before my eyes. It's my fault.
I screamed. This is more painful to watch the second time. PLEASE WAKE UP!
"Annabeth we need to go! Please!" My Mother started to cough as the smoke filled the upstairs. The bottom floor was consumed in flames which were spreading to the stairs. I mindlessly let my Mother drag me to the window of my room. I could sirens and I saw red and blue lights. I glanced outside my bedroom door and saw the flames were now in the hallway.
They were looking for me, trying to find the one who stupidly created them.
My Mother was sobbing loudly and yelling down at the people on the road to help us. I saw men below the window with a large safety net. My Mother opened the window and placed me on the ledge. She glanced at the fire growing behind us and at my hands, which still had small flames in them. She closed my hands, burning her own in the process. She kissed my head and shoved the books and a framed photo in my hand.
"I love you."
She shoved me off. I screamed as I fell and I heard firefighters yell and shuffle. I hit the net and gasped as the air from my small lungs was pushed out of me. I looked back up at my bedroom window, horrified when I saw it give a small fiery explosion.
I passed out.
I slowly woke up in a white room. Everything was dizzy and I could feel something wrapped around my hands. I looked down and saw they had been bandaged. A smiling doctor walked into my room.
"Annabeth! We're so glad you're okay! You my little friend are very lucky!"
I lifted my hands, asking a silent question.
"Yes, those need to stay on there. You came out okay but you burned your hands pretty badly, whatever you held must have been pretty hot."
I nodded and tears built up at the memory of what I had did. The man…My Mom. I frantically looked around for the framed picture and book Mother had stuffed into my hand before pushing me. They were next to my hospital bed. The doctor mentioned something about getting a nurse, I didn't pay him any attention. I grabbed the book and carefully flipped through the pictures. It was an old photo album, the last picture was of my sixth birthday a couple months before. I started crying when I saw Mother's beautiful smile and the man, he made me do this.
I didn't know then that emotions fuel the flames. I screamed as the book started to burn in my hands, the bandages long gone. I watched helplessly as the pictures turned to dust. One had fallen on the floor, only slightly burned but I didn't notice. I screamed and cried, begging the fire to stop, begging my fire to let me keep the book.
It didn't listen, it burned brighter.
I woke up with a small scream. Panting and sweaty I sat up in my bed. I was in shorts and a tank top but I've never felt hotter. Blaze was whining on the floor. I slowly got my breath back and looked in the corner of the room. Sitting in a chair, watching me was a figure and I rolled my eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Nico shrugged and stood up. He came and sat down next to me on the bed, handing me some water.
"I got really dizzy and sick around 8 and passed out in an alley. Had a weird dream about you, telling me to come and find you. I shadow travel here and your screaming and crying in your sleep. Since when do you cry?" I ran a hand down my face wide eyed, there were indeed tears. I shook my head. No emotion, don't feel.
"I had the same feeling before I passed out on the bed…Why did that happen?" Nico shrugged.
"I don't know…Annabeth what did you dream about that made you scream so loudly?" I didn't say anything. I glanced over at the frame drawing from so long ago. I slowly sat up and walked over to it.
"Oh…" Nico didn't say anything more and I'm glad he didn't, he knows what happened that night. He knows what I did. I placed my hand on the flame and it moved off the wall to reveal a small hole. I reached in and pulled out a slightly burned picture. I frowned as I stared down at her beautiful face. A small six year old Annabeth was smiling happily at the camera and you could only see half of the man's face…The other half burned off on that fateful day. I closed my eyes to try and hold it in and I gently placed the picture back in the small hole. I covered it with the framed painting and ignored the words. I moved back to the bed and placed my head on Nico's shoulders.
"You going to be okay Annabeth?" I nodded slowly and he gently wrapped his arm around me.
"Yeah. It was eleven years ago Nico…I've moved on." I could feel Nico shake his head.
"No you haven't . You just like to pretend you have." I frowned and held in an insult. I'm too tired to feel anything let alone deal with a burned Nico.
We sat in silence, him just holding me. This is what I love most about Nico. He's my brother, he doesn't need to say anything to comfort me. And he does a good job of being a smartass.
I rubbed my eyes tiredly. Nico got up and grabbed the spare blanket and pillow from the closet.
"I'm going to crash on the couch." I nodded and watched him fall onto the brown, plush couch Ernie had put up here for me a couple months back. Blaze hopped up next to him and I had a ghost of a smile on my face as I watched him spoon my dog. I closed my eyes but I just couldn't drift off to sleep. I pulled out a small carousal from under my bed and wound it up. I watched as the little horses slowly spun and the small, gentle tune helped me slip into a dark slumber.
Percy Jackson:
"The famous six adnormals coming to see me? Why I'm honored!" I glared at the man and lifted my hand. The water around it soon turned to ice. Piper, Jason, Thalia and Nico were battling around me but I didn't pay attention to them. The man grinned evilly.
"Now Percy…I REALLY don't think you should do that." I watched horrified as he whistled and a blonde guy dragged Annabeth out. I gasped as I took in her appearance. She was bruised and her clothes were burned, ripped and dirty. Her beautiful grey eyes look tired as they stared into mine. I could feel the water fall to the ground, making a splash. The man smirked but I couldn't do anything but stare at Annabeth. MY Annabeth was hurt…and I could have stopped it.
The scene changes I'm in a field.
"Wow…I'm impressed." Annabeth rolls her eyes and fixes her gloves.
"I'm glad one of us is." I smile at her.
That scene soon fades and I find myself in the lunch room with Thalia and Nico.
"She hasn't been herself lately…" Nico nods and glances at Annabeth who's staring at her hands in the far corner of the lunchroom.
"I know what you mean. She hasn't been the same Annabeth lately. She's even acting different towards me! And SMILING! Annabeth almost never smiles…" Annabeth looks up at us when Nico says her name. I frown. It looks like Annabeth but something seems off about her…
My vision becomes blurry as the scene once again changes. Thalia is driving, Piper and Jason are in the back and I'm yelling into my phone.
"What? Nico what are you talking about?"
"Annabeth! S-she kicked me out of the car, said she was sorry, but had to do this alone and took off down the road! Percy I don't know where she's going or what she's going to do!"
I groaned and told Thalia to pull off onto the side of the road.
"Okay Nico tell me where you are."
The scene changes once more.
I'm back in that field but it's raining. Annabeth is crying in front of me but she's screaming.
"How can something that does nothing but DESTROY be beautiful?! Look at what I've done Percy!"
A voice keeps whispering in my ear.
Her flame burns forever bright
Her flame burns forever bright
Her flame burns forever bright!
Silver eyes start growing in my vision. They have a red trim around the pupil but the red trim expands… and soon the grey eyes have fire in them.
Her flame burns forever bright….
I wake up to Thalia slapping me. What the hell was that?
"Percy! Wake up!" I shoved her hands away.
"I'm awake. Your slap did plenty." Thalia grinned and helped me off the ground. Once I was standing I looked at Piper and my cousins.
"Did…Did you guys have weird dreams too?" They all nodded and I nervously glanced outside. It was pouring down rain and very windy.
I wonder if Annabeth is warm.
The song for this Chapter is
Let the flames begin
By Paramore.
It fits.
This is kind of a weird chapter but I wanted to show you Annabeth's past. Next chapter will explain everything.
Thank you to AnnabethKatniss, Posdidons Trident44 and Fluobophone for reviewing!