A/N: So this story is getting much longer than it used to be. This is the re-written and edited end of the old chapter 2 and all of 3.
Rewritten on January 16, 2015
Disclaimer: Yep, not Rick. Move along, move along.
Now that the Golden Fleece had been used to accelerate Kronos healing, I could take it to Camp and restore Thalia's pine tree. That would restore the barrier around the camp perimeter and also restore Thalia back to human form. Thus completing my quest from camp and further setting Luke's plan into motion.
When I had returned to camp, I met with Chiron. Even though I joined Luke I had maintained residency at camp, not letting my allegiances known. He gave me a warm, fatherly hug and a congratulatory pat on the shoulder, "Well done child. Some day you will have to tell me the tale of how you beat Polyphemus by yourself, but for now, we must place this fleece onto the boughs of the the tree."
Poseidon told me that the Fates said Chiron should have been exiled from camp before this quest. He was supposed to be in Florida to assist Percy, Clarisse, Grover, and myself. The Gods did not trust him because Kronos is his father. Things were very different now.
He galloped up the hill, placed the fleece, and trotted back down to me, "Now we can only wait to see if the tree can be fully healed."
"There is no story to tell, by the way. I only did exactly as Odysseus did. I was Nobody. I suppose I still am," I told him and not waiting for a reply I went back to my cabin. I found my bunk.
According to Luke, Thalia would be restored to life within a day. I was feeling tired, stretched a little too thin, so I went to bed. Hypnos had been sending me dreams from the Fates for the past several months. Tonight was no different.
The montage of 'memories' started with Percy, a red-headed girl, and myself jumping out of a burning workshop in the mountains. We spread our arms as we fell, but we stopped falling shortly because we had some kind of winged backpacks on. We soared through the air until the wings started to come apart, just like Icarus.
The next scene was on what looked like the Williamsburg bridge in New York. It was badly damaged and I was fighting an army of monsters back to back with Percy. I saw another demigod in armor swing a knife down at Percy and I instinctually jumped between the blade and Percy. I immediately felt the affects of the poison on the blade. Percy defeated the demigod and held me close.
Then I was on a bed in a hotel room. I felt very weak and my arm was bandaged. Must have been shortly after that fight. Percy was with me and he was guiding my fingers to a spot on the small of his back. He looked to be around sixteen and his eyes filled with worry. He had goosebumps when my fingers landed on the spot he guided me to. His smile was infectious.
We were on Olympus next. Percy, Thalia, Grover, some emo looking boy, and all the Gods including Hades. Percy kept stealing glances back at me. Something happened that made all the Gods recoil in shock and surprise, of course it was something Percy said. He looked back at me again. My heart was pounding. Was that part of the dream?
The last part of the montage of 'memories' was me standing at the bow of some sky ship. We were descending on a Roman looking town. I was scanning the crowd gathering to see us. I saw him, Percy was walking out of what I think is the Senate building. He was wearing a toga with a purple sash. Was he a Praetor? His arms were around a cute young girl and a stocky boy laughing and smiling. My heart was doing acrobatics and I awoke in a cold sweat.
Poseidon and Athena have sent me on pretty much a suicide mission. Luke sent me on a mission to betray all of my friends. I had my own game. Puppet of the Gods be the occupation of Annabeth Chase. Was I even doing the right thing? Who was I betraying? Luke? The Gods? Myself? All of the above?
At dinner the next day, there was commotion from the border patrol near Thalia's tree. I got up from the Athena table and ran up the hill. Surprisingly I ran faster than Chiron at full gallop. Don't ask me how I did that, Hermes had not blessed me as far as I knew. I broke down when I crested the hill and saw Thalia laying in the roots of the pine tree. The good kind of break down mind you. I pull her out of the roots and wrap her in my arms.
I do the most un-Annabeth thing ever when she opens her eyes, I squealed, "Thalia!"
"Uhhh," real dignified Thalia.
"C'mon Pinecone Face, wakey wakey," she starts to look around and her eyes settle on me quickly. A flash of almost recognition crosses her eyes until it melts into confusion.
"Annabeth?"
"Yes Thalia," I smile.
"What's going on?" her confusion is almost palpable, "you're older."
I laughed, "Thalia, we need to take you down to camp and get you checked out. There's so much you need to be told."
Chiron and I led Thalia down to the Big House. From her wondrous expression at seeing the camp I remembered that she had never actually made it into camp 7 years ago. In Chiron's office we explained to Thalia what happened to her and explained what she missed since she became a tree. She took it all in stride. I was proud of my old friend.
My next mission was to convince Thalia to join with Luke and raze Olympus on her sixteenth birthday, which would be in a year and a half right around the time Kronos would be rising. Thalia may not have loved Zeus, but she by no means hated him either. He had sent her help in the form of the goat to guide her to Luke and later myself. He had led her to her shield, Aegis. Finally he had prevented her death by turning her into a pine tree to protect everyone at Camp Half-Blood forever. He may not have openly came out and said he loved her, but it was evident.
Thalia had been my best friend and sister when I was seven. Thinking about that made my task easier. I only had to believe that she would understand what my true mission is and go along with it. I could not risk openly telling her my plan. No, there are too many spies around. Spies for both the Gods and Kronos. I needed her to fulfill her part of the Great Prophecy. What better way to reach sixteen against all odds than dying, being turned into a pine tree, and being returned to human form.
I know Zeus would be listening in inside his cabin, so I persuaded Thalia to come to Poseidon's cabin. He had assured me that no matter what I choose to do, he would respect my decision and that I could use his cabin freely without him eavesdropping. I sat on what was once Percy's bed and she joined me.
"Thalia," I began, "about Luke. I am with him."
"With him? As in with him?," I gave a weak nod, "Annabeth, what Chiron said about him," her voice became small, "about what he did, how could you? You're 14, he's 21!"
"I know, I have to," I couldn't look her in the eye. Both because I knew she had a thing for him back then and because he is evil now, "it's the only way."
"The only way for what?" I felt her eyes examining me.
"Thals, I need you to trust me like you did when I was 7," I finally met her eyes. She nodded hesitantly, "I need you to join us. I have a plan. I can't tell you what it is until you agree and swear on the river Styx."
"Annabeth," Her eyes pierced into my soul, "you are my sister. If you need my help, all you need to do is ask."
"You won't like it."
After she swore on the River Styx to not tell anyone my plan, I divulged my greatest secret. One that I could not even think about when I was not completely alone for fear of being discovered.
That had been almost a year ago. Thalia left camp and had laid low on the Princess Andromeda except for some secret missions I snuck her out on. She was treated like a Goddess because of her role to play in the Great Prophecy. She would have no part in the next fight even if she had not been sent on a quest to recover the Bane of Olympus. She was here for me, not for Kronos.
Keeping myself in good spirits had been tough these past few months. We had captured Artemis and forced her to take the weight of the sky from my shoulders, I silently curse Luke for using me as the bait. We had learned to navigate the Labyrinth, found Daedalus' workshop, and the secret entrance to Camp Half-Blood hidden in Zeus' Fist in the woods. Our invasion was almost ready and within a day we would destroy the camp.
Luke picked me up and kissed me, "you did fantastic love."
I smiled, "Anything for you."
"No, seriously, without you we would be nowhere near this organized or battle ready. I'm sure Lord Kronos will offer you immortality once we win the war," he smiles at me. I smile back
"So, when is our Lord going to possess you?"
"Tomorrow, after we release Typhon from his prison," his smile disappears, "I'll miss being with you while he is in control."
I take his hand, "as long as we're together nothing else matters," I lean my head up and push up on my tip toes. He closes the gap and kisses me, "have you given any thought to my idea?"
"I'm not sure if he will go for it honestly. I understand the logic and wisdom in it. I see how it would help us immensely, but I'm just not sure he would trust you as much as I do."
"I understand. I will speak to him soon about it."
If I fail, we are all doomed. I could never let even a glimpse of my plan leak through my shell. Part of my gift from Athena was the ability to hide my true emotions. Not even a Satyr with an empathy link with me would ever be able to know what I was really thinking or feeling. That was good thing too because I was about to do the most horrible thing I could ever think of doing.
I went to the bed I shared with Luke. I was exhausted from planning the death of my friends. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.
The dreams always came when I was stressed. Maybe they were a reminder of the importance of what Poseidon and my mother wanted me to do. Maybe they were additional torture for joining Luke/Kronos. All I know is that they are simultaneously beautiful and heartbreaking.
Tonight it seems I would only have two scenes play out for me. First, Percy and I are dancing slowly in some gymnasium. He looks incredibly nervous and steps on my feet a few times. I have something important I need to tell him. What is it? I can feel it bubbling under the surface of my dream self. Hunting? Something about hunting? I was thinking about joining the Hunters of Artemis! He stops me from talking when he notices something isn't right.
The scene shifts to… Olympus? A party in one of the courtyards. I look around for Percy. I find him being talked to by my mother. That can't be good. He turns his attention to me and she leaves. He asks me to dance with him since our last dance was interrupted. I smile and take his hand putting my other hand on his waist. We slow dance for some time enjoying each others presence.
These dreams are definitely punishment. When I wake up, I felt like sobbing, but I feel Luke's arms around my waist and his body pressed against mine. I had to restrain myself. No weakness.
Honestly, I am sorry about all the Lukabeth. Especially because unlike all the high school fics I have Luke as his actual age. Gross.
Next chapter you will want to kill me, so I'm apologizing in advance.