Hey Guys! I'm back with another chapter! Sorry it took so long, I had a bit of writers block. Okay, I'll stop talking. Here's the chapter. Chapter 10: Return One day later, Annabeth and I were sitting on the couch. Her head was resting on my chest, and my arm was wrapped around her. We, more a moment, were normal. No monsters to run from, no prophecies to fulfill. Someone knocked on the door. "I'll get it," Annabeth offered. She got up and walked over. "Who's at the door?" I asked. Annabeth didn't respond. I swore under my breath. Not again. I rushed over to the door, my hand in my pocket, gripping Riptide tightly. There wasn't a monster. "Logan?" I said through gritted teeth, trying to stay calm for Annabeth's sake. My fists were clenched so tightly that they were about to start bleeding. Logan looked away guiltily. "I'm sorry to show up like this, but I heard Annabeth was in the hospital. When I got there, she was gone. I figured someone signed her out. You." Annabeth blinked. "How did you find us? I hacked the hotel records, but I've seen your computer. It would never work." Logan rocked back and forth, and motioned inside. Annabeth stepped aside. "Wait, what?" I looked back and forth between them. I stepped towards Annabeth. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked quietly. Annabeth turned to face me. "Percy, I know you don't like this," she whispered. "Neither do I. But, Logan still cares. He thinks that the time we had together is real, not a figment of imagination." Annabeth glanced over at Logan, who was now sitting on the couch. I sighed heavily. "Fine. But he can't stay for too long. Our flight is in an hour-and-a-half. We still have to pick up our tickets and get through security. We don't have all day." Annabeth nodded. We warily walked towards the couch and sat down in the chairs across from Logan. I grabbed Annabeth's hand, and I caught Logan wince, even though he tried to hide it. "What are you doing here?" I demanded. Logan turned to face Annabeth. He swallowed hard and lightly cleared his throat, as though he was preparing to make a big speech. "I wanted to apologize," Logan said softly. "The way I reacted wasn't okay. I never wanted to hurt you, but I got scared that I would lose you. Three years is a long time." I stiffened. I knew Annabeth noticed, because she squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Look, Logan," Annabeth began, "I don't want to hurt you, but this, us… it's all a lie." She glanced towards me, worry creeping into her eyes. I nodded, giving her a small smile. She continued. "I know you probably don't understand. I wish I could tell you that this is all a dream and you'll wake up any minute, but I know from lots of prior experience that it doesn't work like that. Especially for people like Percy and I –" Logan scoffed. "So why don't you just tell me? You've told me so much already, just finish the story," he snapped back sarcastically. I clenched my fists and tried to rocket up from my seat, but Annabeth pulled me back. I shot her a look of shock and anger. "What?" I half-shouted. "This guy has been nothing but horrible to us since everything started. He can't just act like the victim." "Oh, but you can?" Logan asked angrily. "Yeah!" I threw my hands in the air in frustration. "I can. When you're life has sucked since day one, you're allowed to act like the victim." Logan laughed, nodding sarcastically. "Since day one? Sure. What, did you go through hell?" "Yes, actually. I did. We did. Together. But, gods forbid you get a teacher who you don't like, or meet someone who annoys the crap out of you. Oh, but I'm sure they wouldn't try to kill you. Like they did me. And, just pray to the gods that you never get attacked by your worst fear night after night, or get sent on a deadly quest. Like Annabeth. And – " I felt Annabeth's hand grabbed my wrist. "Percy, stop! Both of you." Her voice sounded ashamed and hurt. I felt the white-hot anger burning in my chest cool down to a small spark. "I understand that you're angry. I am, too. But there is no time for us to start fighting again." Logan and I looked down, cheeks burning bright red. From the corner of my eye, I saw Annabeth step next to me. "Logan?" "Yes." "You should go." Logan looked up at Annabeth. She nodded. Logan swallowed hard a muttered a goodbye. I slowly walked towards the door, and I had to fight the urge to push him out of the hotel room. Logan glanced back sadly and opened his mouth to say something. He didn't. Annabeth and I watched silently as he stepped through the door and closed it. Annabeth collapsed back into her chair, her face in her hands. I knelt down in front of her and took her hands in my own. "What's wrong?" She shook her head, whimpering softly. "It's okay," I whispered. "I'm right here." Annabeth opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. "It's nothing. I'm fine," she whispered. "Just… I'm fine." Annabeth got up and went into the bedroom. I knew she was lying. She wasn't fine. I knew better than to ask, to bother her when she was upset like this. But still, it worried me. Forty-five minutes later, we were sitting in the airport gate waiting for the plane to arrive. Every minute that passed, my breathes became shallower and my heart rate quickened. "Are you okay?" Annabeth asked. She adjusted herself in the seat to my right so she could face me. I nodded. "Nervous?" "Yeah," I responded, strained. My fists clenched the arm rests. I felt Annabeth's hand on my own. I glanced over, and she gave me a reassuring look. "I just barely made it through the plane ride here. I don't think Zeus will be as generous this time." FLIGHT 242 IS NOW BOARDING I took a deep breath, and stood up. In a nervous daze, I handed me ticket to the attendant who quickly scanned it. I shoved it back into my pocket and kept my eyes down all the way to my seat. I slammed the window shut and closed my eyes. I heard Annabeth sit down next to me. "Your right, you know," she said. "Zeus definitely doesn't like you flying this much this often. But don't forget, his granddaughter is on this flight. My mom would be really angry if he blasted this plane out of the sky with me in it." I swallowed hard. "I hope your right about that." I felt my seat full back slightly. I looked up to see Jason standing above Annabeth and me. "I'm on this flight, too, you know," Jason said, smirking. I rolled my eyes, and locked them on the seat in front of me. Annabeth squeezed my hand reassuringly. I glanced over at her. Even crammed into a tiny seat in a stuffy airplane she looked beautiful. Annabeth looked over at me. "Why are you staring at me?" Her eyes widened. "There's not a monster behind me, is there?" I laughed, and shook my head. I turned back to the chair in front of me, and Annabeth did the same. We half-heartedly listened to the safety precautions, and soon enough the plane was taking off. I clenched my hands around the arm rests so tightly my knuckles turned white. "Percy?" Annabeth asked, once we were in air. "Why were you staring at me before?" I opened my eyes reluctantly, and tried to ignore the nausea in the pit of my stomach. I smiled. "I just missed you. I don't like us being separated." Annabeth raised an eyebrow and adjusted herself to face me. She looked at me expectantly. I feigned confusion. "What?" Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I know there's more to it, Seaweed Brain. I know you." She was right. Annabeth knew me better than anyone. I give her a small smile as I studied the features in her face. With her deep tan and curly blonde hair, she was exactly what a stereotypical California girl would look like, except her eyes ruined the image. They were a startling gray, like storm clouds; pretty, but intimidating. But mostly pretty. "I was thinking about how beautiful you look right now," I admitted. Annabeth blinked, her lips forming a small "o". Suddenly she looked away. Her face looked hurt and broken. I took her hand and asked, "What's wrong?" Annabeth swallowed. "I don't feel beautiful." Now it was my turn to be surprised. I knew Annabeth was insecure sometimes (I still couldn't figure out why), but I never realized how greatly it affected her. "Well," I began. "Start feeling beautiful. Because you are –" Annabeth pulled me out of our seats and down the aisle to the bathroom. "Where are you taking me?" I tried to ask. She slammed the door and pulled me into a long, slow kiss. Her soft, vanilla lips brushed against my own. I ran my fingers through her tangled hair as her hand held my neck affectionately. Everything around us faded away. The thoughts of monsters, the sound from the plane's engine, the crying baby down the aisle, it all went away. It was just Annabeth and I. Finally together again. Someone knocked on the door. "Excuse me, other people need to use the bathroom!" Annabeth pulled away, cheeks bright red. She rested her head on my chest for a moment, and opened the door. A woman with a little girl were standing outside. The woman raised an eyebrow at us and we walked back down the aisle. "Mommy, what were those people doing in there?" "Nothing, sweetie." Annabeth glanced back at me, a new glow in her eyes, as we tried to stifle our laughter. When we got back to our seats, Annabeth put her hand on mine. "I love you, Percy," she whispered. "I love you." Arm in arm, we walked towards the barrier. We'd barely reached it when Annabeth pulled back. I turned towards her, confused, and half-heartedly waved my friends along. "I can't do it, Percy," she whispered. I grabbed her hands and pulled her towards me. "What can't you do?" I asked. "Because as far as I'm concerned, you can do anything." She smiled, but the fear didn't leave her eyes. I guided her off the path and we sat down on the grass. "I can't go back to camp." She clenched her fists in frustration. "I can't do it. I love it there, but I'm tired of fighting for my life. Every time we go to camp, a prophecy is given that we have to be a part of, and I don't want to be a part of it anymore." "I know. Neither do I," I agreed quietly. "But we don't get a choice. The day you ran away, and the day I killed that Kindly One at the museum, was the day we signed up for this life." Annabeth turned to face me. "It's not fair. We didn't ask for this? If I could go back…" I smiled thinly. "That's exactly what I said to the Olympians. That I didn't ask to be a demigod. I lost it. It was really bad." She laughed, and rested her head on my shoulder. "But go back? And change everything? No, no way." "Seriously? We've lost so much. You wouldn't want it all back?" I shook my head. I stood up, and Annabeth followed. "I'll admit, I do miss what we've lost. Friends, family, I think about them all the time, but I don't regret any decision I've made." I stepped closer and cupped her face in my hands. "Because everything I've ever done, ever said, has led me closer to you." Annabeth smiled and kissed me. I grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards Thalia's Tree. "And hey, if there is another prophecy, we can always send two 12 year-olds and a satyr on the quest."
Alrighty then! Second-last-chapter complete! Yeah, one more chapter and the story is over :(. I really want to continue writing for you guys! I was thinking about doing either a sequel from Annabeth's POV, or a companion (same story), also from Annabeth's POV. Let me know down in the comments!
Love,
daughterofpercabeth417