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Percy POV
My skin was burning hot. Literally. I could not have hated Hades' stubbornness more. Ugh. This has been going on for two days. I was sweating like crazy and I only ate some stale bread. I was in solitary confinement 23 hours a day and I couldn't even sleep. Every time I dozed off the ropes burned and I was awake again.
"Kronos? Anyone?" I shouted. The ropes pulled tighter and I hissed in pain. My black hair was matted to my forehead and I was drenched in sweat.
"Please? Help!" I screamed. I panted heavily.
"My son has been very hard to negotiate with, but here is your mother." Kronos' voice boomed.
"No! She can't-"
"Percy! Oh my god! Are you okay?" Her spirit floated over and I could see the tears in her eyes.
"Did you- Are you in Elysium?" I asked through gritted teeth.
"Percy! You're hurt everywhere, oh my poor baby!"
"Mom, I-" The roped glowed a brighter red. I threw my head back and screamed.
"Kronos! My mom is here just for now untie these goddamn ropes!" I screamed.
"I didn't hear a please."
"Please untie these ropes." I shouted as the ropes squeezed even tighter. I heard an exasperated sigh. The ropes loosened and unraveled around me.
"Mom.." I said, collapsing on the floor.
"Percy, your back!"
"It's fine, really."
"Who did this to you?" She demanded. "Kronos? Because I'm about to kill him with my undead hands-"
"No, actually. It- it wasn't Kronos."
"Who was it?"
"That's not important. Mom, I only get to see you for a bit, and I need to tell you something."
"It's the most important thing in the world- Oh, fine." She relented.
"I'm so sorry." I whispered.
"What?"
"I'm so sorry. It's all my fault that you died. I-I'm so sorry." I whispered.
"Oh, honey-"
"Mom, you died the second that truck hit you. I didn't even get to say I love you or that I'm sorry. Mom, I missed you so, so much." I said, tears forming at my eyes.
"Mom, I just needed to see your face- I- I needed some strength. Annabeth is waiting for me in Olympus and I don't even know what to do anymore. I want to get back to her and have someone to hold me, but I don't know if I can." My voice cracked. I finally looked her in the eyes. She gasped.
"Your eyes!"
"I know.." I said miserably.
"No, you- this isn't the Percy I know, and I wanna know why and I wanna know how." She demanded.
"Mom, I can't-"
"Who did this to you?"
"Go ahead, Percy, tell Sally." Gabe's voice boomed. I flinched and my mom's eyes widened.
"Gabe did this to you?" She shouted, outraged.
"Hi, sweetcheeks." He stepped out from the shadows. "Too bad you can't kill me again."
"Gabriel Ugliano! How could you?" My mom screamed hysterically.
"Easily. Your son has been very obedient."
"I have not!"
"He's right, Sally. He hasn't been obedient, he's been weak! For the two centuries he'd been in Tartarus.."
"Two centuries? He was being tortured for two centuries?"
"Kronos! You! I hate you!" I screamed. This was what I wanted to avoid. I wanted my mom to see her happy, healthy son. Not a weak, hurt son.
"Aw, it's a shame I can't touch that ass of yours, Sally." Gabe cooed. I growled and jumped to my feet, dizzily. Gabe waved his hand and chains sprung from the walls and wrapped around my wrists. I fought but I knew I was fighting a losing battle.
"Gabe, please. He's a child! He can't take this!" My mom begged. I looked away. This was the last thing I wanted to see. The last thing I wanted to see was her begging Gabe.
"Sally, are you saying you'd take this pain from him?" Gabe asked.
"Yes." My mom said, not missing a beat.
"No!" I screamed. I yanked against the chains that were restraining me. "Stop! No! Get away from her!"
"Sorry, Sally. The boy is in desperate need of some discipline." Gabe said, mischievously.
"I'm sorry, mom. And I love you so much. Bye, mom! I love you!" I shouted as Kronos grabbed her arm. I wish I could hold her. Stupid Titans. I thought.
"Now, you were very disrespectful to me, earlier." Kronos said, entering the room. But seeing my mother gave me a surge of strength.
"You disrespected me for two centuries!" I reminded.
"Ah, he's got a smart mouth. Gotta fix that.." Kronos waved his hand and the hem of my shorts ripped off and tied itself around my mouth tightly.
"UH HAY OU!" I tried to scream.
"Desperate discipline." Gabe said, shaking his head.
"Maybe, you need to see a friend get tortured? Yes, how about, for everything you do wrong, we torture a friend!" Kronos grinned.
I shook my head vigorously.
"Oh, what's that I hear? Yes? Oh, dear, well, here she is!" Kronos waved his hand again and the doors slammed open and there she was, being dragged in wrapped in chains.
"Percy!" She shouted. I froze when I saw her tears. Annabeth.
I shook my head, looking at Kronos with pleading eyes. But the titan lord is not merciful.
"She will be punished right in front of you. For your actions today."
"Percy, you're hurt!" Annabeth shouted. Kronos strapped her down to a table and cut off the chains. Her arms were cuffed above her head and he legs were stretched out.
I'm sorry, Annabeth. I thought, desperately wanting to hug her.
"Oh, what's this?" Kronos said, fingering a huge hole in her tank top. He yanked at the hole and ripped the whole side open. He unsheathed his dagger and stuck it up the other side of her shirt. He pressed the tank top against the dagger and it ripped open, leaving a trail of blood down her side. She winced and bit her lip.
"Percy! I-" Annabeth was cut off by Gabe smashing his lips onto hers. My eyes burned with hate. Annabeth squirmed desperately but her grabbed her hair and yanked it. I saw tears leaking from her eyes and he bit her lip and pressed her head into the metal table. I screamed in protest but Kronos smirked. He twirled the knife and cut her shorts. Oh my gods, he's undressing her. Kronos slit her bra and underwear, then stepped back. He walked over to me and changed the dagger to Backbiter. He held the deadly weapon against my throat. He ripped off my gag.
"One more sound, and I kill her and you, after, Gabe has his pleasure time."
"If I don't speak, what will happen?" I asked quietly.
"Gabe has his pleasure time while you watch. But neither of you die." Fuck.
"Please-" I felt the powerful aura of the cold blade come closer to my neck.
Annabeth screamed and moved her arm violently. Her elbow hit Gabe across the cheek. Gabe stood up straight, examining her ripped clothing. Kronos sighed and waved his hands again. More cuffs appeared, firmly holding her in place. 3 cuffs held her arms down to the table, while 3 cuffs held her legs in place.
"Oh, damn." He said, loudly. "It's a very nice body you have." I glared at Gabe and began to open my mouth. Kronos' blade finally touched my skin. I felt a sharp pain in the middle of my neck and trickles of warm blood escaped from the tiny cut.
"I'm warning you now, Jackson." He growled. Gabe trailed his fat fingers down her torso and when he reached the ends of the tank top, ran his hands back up to her chest and pressed down while cutting off the straps of her tank top. She squirmed and I heard her muffled cries of pain.
"Stop.." I whispered. Kronos removed his weapon from my neck and laughed. He stood with his back leaning against the wall. Please, I'll do anything. I mouthed. He shook his head, chuckling with dark laughter. Gabe trailed his fingers around the edges of her underwear. He hooked the sides onto his pointer fingers and pulled the painfully up. I winced, just imagining the pain. Gabe had pulled them almost up to her bra when he suddenly let go and I heard the snap of them hit her skin. Her muffled screams made me pull against my restraints even harder. He laughed at our pain and carelessly cut off her underwear. She screamed, not bothering to hide her pain as he cut the sides of her legs. He balled up the underwear and threw it under the table. He cut the straps of her sports bra slipped his hands into her bra. He closed his eyes and began massaging her roughly.
"Get your hands off of her!" I screamed desperately.
"Get your filthy- slimy- rotten- dirty- hands off of her!" I screamed as my voice broke into a sob. I tugged against the chains desperately, almost dislocating my shoulder. Gabe only laughed as he cut her bra completely off. She screamed again as he gave her a deep cut in her stomach, right below her.. chest.. area.. When she opened her mouth, Gabe immediately reached into his pocket and pulled out an open clamp. He hooked his fingers into her mouth and stuck the clamp in. He reached under the table, and took out her underwear. He shoved it into her mouth and took out the clamp. Gabe left the clamp on the side of the table and called someone in. Luke. Ugh. I hate my life.
"Annabeth, damn, fine body, babe." Luke said, whistling. Annabeth's face turned red and she squirmed.
"Luke, I swear! Touch her and I'll kill you!" I shouted desperately. He laughed loudly and walked over to me. He tugged at my restraints.
"I doubt it." He sneered. I growled, tugging desperately at my chains.
"Kronos, I got it! Okay! I won't act out as long as you stop this right now, please." I said, whipping around to face the titan lord.
"I'm not merciful, Jackson." He said, shrugging.
"I should be being punished, not her!" I pleaded.
"Aw, he's begging." Luke said, grabbing my chin and making me face him.
"Let go of me!" I shouted, trying to rip out of his grasp.
"Listen, Jackson." Luke growled, slamming me painfully into the wall.
"I will get the same respect you give Gabe and Kronos." He muttered darkly. "Clear?"
I gave a slight nod.
"What are you going to do with Annabeth?" I whispered, swallowing.
His expression softened a tiny bit.
"I'm not gonna hurt her." I sighed quietly in relief.
"Then what..?" I trailed off. He handed his phone to Kronos.
"You'll have to wait and see."
"Annabeth, do you wish to be free?" Luke smirked. Her muffled reply probably said 'duh you idiot'. He freed her and handed her a dagger.
"One on one combat practice my dear? For old times' sake?"
She spat out the underwear gag.
"This is the biggest mistake of your life." Annabeth growled. She snatched the dagger and readied her stance. She was fully naked and holding a dagger, and damn, she looked scary. I would've pissed my pants and run off screaming for my mom- er Chiron or my dad. A pro-wrestler would've been crying for his mama. All in all, she was pretty damn scary. And pretty. Like a barbarian princess.. Weird thoughts, okay, moving on. Here's the thing: Annabeth's an amazing fighter. Like, she beats everyone at camp. But, Luke is better than her by a landslide. He could probably easily beat Ares in a combat battle. Here's another thing, he was on the ground, dodging stabs. And while his face looked fearful, his eyes were full of dark humor. He met my eyes and then Kronos' eyes. I realized what was happening a second before it happened.
"No!" I shouted. It all clicked into place. Luke was on the ground, the perfect place to sweep his legs under hers and knock her to her feet. Annabeth was focused on hurting Luke. Kronos had Luke's phone. Luke was stronger than Annabeth, and that would be the perfect time to-
Then, it happened. Kronos lazily began taking pictures, pressing the camera button down. Luke swept her off her feet and she hit the ground, dazed. Annabeth's dagger flew out of her hands and Luke caught it. He swiftly pulled her up, holding the dagger to her neck. Gabe waved his hand and a messy bed replaced the table. Luke threw the dagger while he was jumping onto the bed, making it graze my ear before it slammed into the wall with a low vibration. He showed Annabeth another dagger, and whispered in her ear. She glared at the floor and Luke cut off his shirt. He threw his shirt on the floor and flung his leg over Annabeth's waist, pulling her down onto the bed. He grabbed her hair, forcefully yanking, and smashed his lips onto hers. Her wounds faded. I could hear a quiet whimper from Annabeth, and I looked at Kronos. From anyone else's point of view, Luke and Annabeth had sex. Oh gods. Luke pulled away, looking very pleased. He snapped and a thin lacy nightgown appeared on her body. Then, he snapped again and regular clothes appeared on her body. Kronos stopped taking pictures and tossed the phone to Luke. Smirking, Luke went through the photos. He picked out a few and showed them to me. Annabeth wearing the lace, looking at Luke, but from this angle, it looked like she was talking to him in whispers. Another one showed the made up sex scene, and another one showed Annabeth, who was jumping on Luke, fully naked. Then, another one. Annabeth's fearful eyes as Luke held the dagger to her chin. Luke bound Annabeth's wrists and ankles, then stuffed her mouth with a gag. He showed her the photos, and her stormy grey eyes were a mix between rage, pain, and fear. She shook her head vigorously.
"I'm not sending these, but if they do leak, it's because Percy did something wrong. Killing two birds with one stone, huh?" Luke sneered. He pulled Annabeth to her feet, and pushed her over. She tripped, then caught herself in plank position.
"What? Annabeth can't walk anymore? That sore?" He asked. He, Kronos, and Gabe guffawed with laughter. A strand of hair fell out of her ponytail as she pushed herself into a kneeling position, then standing up. She stood still, looking at Luke expectantly. He sighed and rolled his eyes, but carried her over to me. She raised her wrists and checked the firmness of the dagger. It wouldn't budge. She brought her bound wrists down on the dagger, and sliced it free. She spat the gag out and untied her ankles.
"Percy!" She sobbed, and flung her arms over my shoulders. I melted into her embrace, a longing feeling I haven't felt in a long time. Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes and I wrapped my arms around her, still bound in chains. She tugged at my chains, then the dagger, desperately.
"I know." I whispered. She broke into a sob, a heartbroken sob, and cried into my shoulder.
"I missed you so much." She whispered.
"I missed you, too. More than you could imagine. How did you get here, my love?" I asked. She gave a quiet smile.
"I fought Ares, and I won. They let me try and save you, but I miserably failed."
"Trust me, you saved me. You're the only reason I'm still sane and alive."
"I miss you so much." She cried, leaning her head into my chest. I glanced at Kronos and Luke with sad eyes.
"I wish I could change that. I missed you so much, too, Wise Girl." I said, looking back at her watery eyes. "I love you so much."
"But you have to go." I said, quietly.
"What?" She stepped back.
"Annabeth, if you stay, they'll hurt you and use you to make me obey them. Go back to Olympus, where it's safely guarded. Remember me and I'll remember you. But, please don't make me see you in pain."
"But, Percy, by me being away from you, it's killing me. I want nothing more than to stay by your side everywhere. Nothing more. Don't make me leave." She said, looking into my eyes.
"I wish I could stay with you, too. But I need you to be able to live. Tell my father and my friends that I'm okay. I know it's only been two years in the mortal world. They're still alive. Tell them I'm okay. Tell them to keep hoping. As long as I have you guys, I won't die. I won't. But if Kronos has you here, he knows he'll have me to bend to his will."
"Percy-"
"Please." I said, desperately.
"Percy-"
"Annabeth, I love you so much. I'll see you in the mortal world again. I promise. I-I love you." My voice cracked with emotion. I gave her a kiss on the lips, and hugging her tightly.
"Will she be staying?" Luke asked, in a challenging tone.
"No. Don't hurt her- just let her go. I learned my lesson." My voice sounded raspy, as if it were hard to say those words. And it was hard. It killed me to say those words.
"Have a safe journey, Annabeth." Luke said.
"Wait!" She shouted. She slammed me into the wall, and kissed me hard, and cried a few more tears into my shirt.
"I love you, too. I have something to tell you. I-"
"No. Don't tell me. Wait until I'm out of here. Let me have something to look forward to." I whispered, kissing her neck. She nodded, and tiptoed to kiss my lips lightly. I grasped her hand, and watched as she dissolved. I slumped back into the wall, sitting on the floor, my knees curled into my chest. My arms were hanging over my head, and I lowered my head. Then, I cried. I cried all the tears I tried, and failed, to keep at bay while she was here. A hand roughly pulled me up, and sliced the chains off. I weakly followed Luke and Kronos, my lips trembling as tears spilled from my eyes. They threw me in a room and slammed the jail door shut. The barred room was in the middle of many cells, all with prisoners. Their eyes watched my every move, so I curled up on the floor, shivering.
"Jackson!" I lazily looked up, and saw Luke twirling handcuffs in his hand. I groaned and rolled my eyes.
"And here I thought I might be able to have free hands." I muttered to him. His eyes narrowed.
"Either stick your hands out, or I'll come in and beat you." He growled. I pushed myself to my feet, my whole body aching. I stuck my hands out between the bars and he snapped the handcuffs unto my wrist. I pulled my hands back in, uncomfortably flexing my joints.
"Can I sleep now?" I asked.
"Yeah. We're waking you up bright and early."
"I expected nothing less." I groaned. He studied me carefully, looking at my slumped posture, my weary expression, my scar covered body, and he smiled wickedly.
"Night, Jackson. Don't let the dream bugs bite." I was already half asleep. He laughed, kicking the door, jolting me awake.
"Yeah, yeah." I yawned. I lay on the cold floor, somehow drifting off to sleep. Yeah, I had dreams. But I wish those dreams were real. Annabeth appeared in my dreams. It was our wedding. I cried when I saw her. She looked pretty, gorgeous, and beautiful. That was the only thought that kept me alive through the next day. She's my only hope.
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