||alex||
The first thing I heard was a voice, it sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. Was I dead? Did I hear my father? I opened my eyes as the bright sunlight faded in. I saw bright blue eyes and felt my heart jump. Percy, where was Percy? I tried to sit up but felt pain rip through my side. I opened my eyes and saw that the eyes belonged to Luke. I quickly slipped on my glasses.
"Where's Percy?" I demanded.
"Nice to see you too." He teased, grinning from ear to ear. I didn't appreciate his joking, in fact, his happiness made me even more nervous.
"where is he?" I growled. Luke put his hands up.
"He's fine. Killed the Minotaur and dragged you inside the gates before he collapsed."
"And his mom?" Luke shook his head.
"She didn't make it." I felt my heart fall into my stomach.
"I should have saved her, I should have stopped it-" I felt my eyes sting with tears and rubbed them away furiously with the palm of my hand. Luke grabbed my hand.
"You did everything you could. You were hurt and you were willing to give your own life so Percy's mom could have a chance to escape." He kissed my knuckles and I pulled my hand away. He let out a frustrated sigh. "Still holding out for water boy?" He said.
"Where is he?" I said, staggering to my feel, ignoring my body's immense protest. I felt cold before I looked down and realized that all I was wearing was my bra, jeans, and bandages that were wrapped around my ribs. I grabbed the blanket that I been covered in and wrapped it around me; my face bright red as I grabbed a shirt that had been laid out for me and threw it on. But the moment I lifted up my arm my body had enough and I collapsed to my knees in pain, Luke caught me in his arms and I saw the concern on his face.
"Take it easy."
"What happened to me?"
"You had shards of glass stuck in your side that were hammered in even more when you were running, eventually puncturing your lung, and the rock gave you three broken ribs and a concussion. The medics saved you, but your ribs are still healing, hence the pain."
"I have to see Percy."
"Of course you do." Luke muttered under his breath. Luke helped my two my feet, putting the arm on my good side over his shoulder. He wanted to carry me but I'd said no way. As we staggered through the camp I saw Percy. I went to call out, but then I saw the look on his face. He was staring at someone, totally entranced. I felt my heart shatter as I saw Annabeth practicing, no, not practicing, showing off.
As usual.
As I was about to call out to Percy Chiron, Mr. Brunner, who was now in full centaur form hollered for everyone to fall in. He looked at all of us, then at Percy. "Percy, will you please step forward." Percy stepped up and looked into the crowd. I waved weakly and he smiled. "This." Chiron started in his booming voice. "Is Percy Jackson." I heard people around my snicker and promptly kicked one guy in the shin. "And he is going to need a team." Chiron finished. Luke smiled and looked over at me.
"Let's see how good your little boyfriend is." He muttered before turning to Chiron "We'll take him." He called out. He slowly let go of me, leaning me on someone else, and walked towards Percy. "I'm Luke." He said, introducing himself. "Son of Hermes and camp leader. Not necessarily in that order." He joked. "Where's your helmet?"
"No one gave me one." Percy told him. Luke sighed.
"Chiron, you still got your wheelchair? The kids going to need it." I felt my blood boil. When I got my hands on him… I took one step and my side screamed at me, so I had to stop and let Luke keep roasting Percy. "You're a goner man." I saw Percy face fall, then Luke grinned. "I'm messing with you, smile a little bit, it's good for you kid. Anybody got an extra helmet? Please pass it up."I looked at Percy and tried to figure out who he was staring at as a helmet was passed forward towards Luke. Luke handed Percy a helmet but I didn't hear him as I finally saw who Percy was staring at, it was Annabeth.
I don't want to say I hate Annabeth, but if I could throw one person into the depths of Hades to suffer an eternity of misery for the rest of time itself, it'd be her.
"ALRIGHT!" Chiron hollered. "Everyone in position for capture the flag. Dismissed." As everyone filed out I stumbled up to Chiron.
"I'm assuming I don't get to play." I joked.
"You shouldn't even be standing right now. You need to rest and heal yourself."
"Chiron, I'm fine."
"No, you're not. We almost lost you to Hades himself."
"Can I at least watch?" I pleaded. Chiron sighed.
"Fine, but tomorrow you're not going anywhere until we get your ribs fully healed." I smiled as Grover walked over and helped me through the woods with Chiron. I slowed them down, so by the time we got there Percy and Annabeth were fighting for the red banner.
Well, Annabeth was fighting, Percy was getting his ass handed to him on a silver platter, this, of course, might have had a little to do with the fact he'd just woken up from a three day coma and had no idea how to fight. Meanwhile Annabeth was showing off for the others as both teams gathered to watch them fight.
Have I mention that I dislike Annabeth quite strongly?
As she was slicing him up like a Christmas ham all I wanted to do was go down there and kick her ass, but of course, when I started for her Chiron reached out and stopped me. "She's killing him! I couldn't protect him once, don't make me do it again."
"You'll stay right here." He looked at Grover who was trying to sneak down to help. "both of you." I stared back down, feeling helpless.
"Stand up and fight." She snarled. "Hero."
"Chiron this isn't fair-"
"Life's not fair Alex. Percy needs to fight his own battles."
"But-"
"No buts." As Percy fell to his knees Annabeth kicked him in the back, knocking him face first into the rocks.
"I am going to kill her." I muttered. As Percy laid there on the ground I felt sick that I couldn't help him. "C'mon Percy, c'mon Percy please." I begged. "Kick her a-" Chiron glared at me. "Butt." As Annabeth was showing off to her team, Percy started to crawl towards the water. As he stuck in his hand I watched as the water healed him and he leapt to his feet with strength I had never seen before. He walked towards Annabeth and the entire red team, taking out guys left and right. "Yes!" I cheered quietly. When Percy finally got to Annabeth he countered every move and started beating on her. And then she lunged and Percy grabbed her sword, pointing the blade straight at her throat. I saw Luke with a huge grin on his face standing with the rest of the blue team.
As Percy strode towards the flag the other red team fighters parted until he picked up the flag in victory.
After the red team let him leave I stood there, smiling with Grover and Chiron. Percy had a huge grin on his face.
"Did you guys see that?" He asked. I smiled as Luke bounded over, slinging his arm around Percy.
"Alex, we could have used those eyes of yours." Luke teased. I smiled.
"I thought about it when Annabeth was beating up on you, Percy." Luke smiled at me for a long time, there was something in his eyes, but I couldn't figure out what it was before it was gone.
"I'll see you at the banquet tonight Percy." Luke said finally. He nodded at me. "Alex, take care of those ribs, alright?"
"I will." Grover smiled.
"Hey Chiron, can I talk to you about something?" He said, leading him away so it was just Percy and I. Percy smiled and grabbed me in a massive hug.
"I thought you were dead." He said. "Grover said you almost didn't make it."
"I'm sorry Percy, I couldn't save her-" Percy pulled back and looked at me with his beautiful eyes.
"I have to show you something, c'mon." I started to walk but Percy just swung me up into his arms. He walked me down to the house his dad had made for him on the lake. He carried me to the dock and set me down so my feet were dangling in the water. "Now, where are you still hurt?" He asked.
"My ribs, but I'll be fine Percy-"
"Fine isn't good enough." He said. He stuck his hand in the water and grabbed my wrist with his other hand. I watched with awe as the water snaked up him and went down my neck to my ribs and going in my skin. I felt as all the pain faded away until I could move my arm with no pain whatsoever. I looked at Percy and smiled, wrapping him in a huge hug.
"We better get ready for the dinner." I started to stand, but Percy held my wrist even tighter and I sat back down.
"First things first, Grover wouldn't tell me a thing about you, so it's questions and answers time." I smiled.
"What do you want to know?"
"Are you a Demi-God too?" I nodded. "Who's your parent?" I reached into my shirt and pulled out my necklace. Percy took it into his hands and smiled. "Apollo, that's why, the sun makes you think of home…" He looked back up at me and started to reach for my glasses. I grabbed his hand.
"I would not suggest that." I warned.
"Why do your eyes turn gold? What did Luke mean when he said we could have used them?" I let out a short sigh.
"My father, Apollo, was known for being very persuasive, with both men and women. While being obscenely beautiful helped, it was his eyes. These eyes make anyone who look into them, even the slightest bit, become so attracted to me they would do anything for me. Even die.
"So, do your half siblings have them too?" He asked. I shook my head.
"Just me."
"I wonder why that is." Percy thought allowed.
"Who knows?" I'm not the oldest or anything like that."
"Are you the youngest?" Percy asked. I chuckled.
"With my dad? I highly doubt it. He's a bit of a slut. I have so many siblings I lost track after I met the fiftieth one."
"Do you think it might be because of your mom?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Well she was blind. So maybe your body just picked the only good eye genes." I bit my lip.
"I never thought about that. Maybe that's why." I felt sadness wash over me as I thought about my mom. She always went on about how she knew, she just knew what my dad looked like, even though she never saw him. She had been walking home from the store one day with eleven year old me in tow, when a bank robber, trying to outrun the cops, came racing down the street. My mom heard the car coming and shoved me out of the way. She was dead before she ever hit the pavement. My glasses had flown off when my mom shoved me and the driver saw them, he was so focused on me that he crashed into a building, killing three more people. I always blamed my dad for my mom's death, and the three people in that building. Maybe if he had stuck around he could have stopped the car or blinded the driver or something, but he didn't care about any of us.
I snapped back to reality when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Grover. "Yo Percy, you're missing your own party! And Alex, Luke's been asking where you are for an hour! Get him off my back, please." Percy looked at me.
"Is that the crazy guy from your grandma's house?" Percy teased. "He's a handsome guy, I don't know what you're complaining about." Percy said.
"Yes Percy, he's beautiful. Let's go find him so you can tell him how you feel." Grover teased. We all stood up and headed towards the party.
When we got there everyone was bombarding Percy. A bunch of girls ran up to us and were asking Percy and Grover to come hang out with them when I heard my least favorite voice on the planet.
"Beat it nymphs." Annabeth barked. The girls scattered and Annabeth walked right up to me. "I said beat it."
"Who died and made you Zeus? You beat it." I said, glaring right back at her.
"You can't even protect him, you worthless excuse for a Demi-God."
"You BITCH!" I lunged at her and I felt someone grab me and pin my arm behind my back.
"Keep your dog on a leash Luke." She snarled.
"If he weren't here to protect you, I'd rip you to pieces." I growled.
"Right." She snarled. I began to reach for my glasses, but Luke grabbed my other arm and pinned it behind my back next to the other one.
"Oh, using your lesbian powers against me? That's noble."
"So is kicking someone when they're down." I snapped.
"Alex, let it go." Luke warned.
"Let go of me, I'm going to take her big mouth and shove it right up her ass." I growled. Annabeth smirked, grabbing Percy and leading him away from me. I pulled away from Luke and spun around. "Why didn't you let me kill her?" I demanded. Luke bit his lip.
"Because, I'm in charge around here and I say no fighting except on the battlefield. And you would actually kill her."
"I wouldn't kill her. I'd just chop that dumb smirk off her face." I snarled. "God I hate her. Just let me beat her up, just once."
"No." Luke said. "Why do you have it out for her so bad?" He asked.
"Just look at her! She thinks because she's the daughter of Athena that makes her the greatest person ever and better then all of us."
"Well, Percy was better than her."
"Why do you think she wants him? If you can't beat them, join them, she wouldn't have given him the time of day before he was the conquering hero."
"And you would, if you didn't know him?"
"I would be such a stuck up bitch, that's for sure." I assured him. Before Luke could say another word the fire exploded and a demon came out of the flames. I couldn't hear what he said, but I felt my blood turn cold when I saw what it had in its hand.
Percy's mom.