Note: Thank you, Shinigami89, for editing and beta reading my chapters and all of that. I really appreciate it!

Warning: Homosexuality, language, child abuse, death, bullying, break-ups, sexual themes (I'll add more along the way.)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. I am definitely not Rick Riordan. Also, I got the "Hades abuses Nico" idea from some fanfic…though which fanfic I got it from I don't remember. Ciao!

The Violin That Started it Again

Author: Loving Healer

Part 3: Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase

Chapter Nine

Annabeth Chase

It was the day after the event between Percy and Nico. Nico had stayed over at Silena's house for the night despite the many times he tried to escape. He told her multiple times that he wanted to be alone, but all Silena had argued was, "What's the difference of you being alone and me being with you without making a sound?"

"The fact that there's someone with me or not makes a difference," Nico had whispered to me, and I couldn't help but crack a smile. At least Nico's sarcasm didn't disappear after everything that happened to him.

It was Tuesday now. It was the second day of my senior year in high school. It was weird thinking that I had met Nico last year. It seemed like it was just yesterday when Nico got beat up by Luke Castellan. But now I'mthe one dating Luke. What a turn of events.

I hadn't seen Percy at all yesterday. I wanted to get a chance to talk with him and see his side of the story. I wasn't one for taking sides without even hearing the other side. I knew that Percy wouldn't lie to me about what had happened, so I was hoping to hear what happened from his perspective.

I tried to think. Where would Percy even be? I dated him before so I should know Percy very well, shouldn't I? I would ask Nico since it seemed to me like he was much closer to Percy than I was, but I was afraid of bringing up a topic that should not be brought up. Percy was considered the new He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named between Silena, Nico, and me.

My feet took me around the school in search of Percy. I didn't have a clue as to where to start, which was something that I didn't want to admit, but my feet seemed to have a feeling.

My feet stopped when I was faced by none other than Jason Grace. He had a somber expression, and his electric blue eyes looks very worried and concerned.

"Annabeth?" he asked me, and even though he was supposed to wear glasses, I was sure he knew it was me. Jason received glasses from an optometrist when he realized he couldn't see the signs very well on the side of the road whenever he was driving.

"Did you lose your glasses or something?" I teased him. "You haven't worn them for awhile."

Jason shrugged. "Yeah, it's already been a few weeks or so. I think Thalia took it just to make me feel frustrated or something. I asked her about it but she said she didn't know where they were, even though it seemed like she was lying."

I chuckled. "You should just search her room. School is starting now, and you wouldn't be able to read the board without them. Try asking her again."

"Maybe I should," he said, considering the idea in his head.

"And what's with the sad look on your face?" I interrogated.

Jason raised an eyebrow, but he soon realized what I was talking about. "Oh, well, I just found Percy. He told me what happened yesterday morning. Did he tell you?"

I shook my curly blonde hair. "Silena told me yesterday when I found her and Nico at a park."

He nodded in understanding. "I see. I found Percy just now. He was crying in the field."

I raised both of my eyebrows in surprise. "Crying?"

Jason frowned. "He must be taking this hard. I mean, I know I would be if I was in Percy's place."

"Where was he?" I questioned him.

Jason replied, "He was in the field. You going to go talk to him?"

I nodded. "You coming with me?"

He shook his head in response. "It seem like he wants to be left alone, but I think you'll manage. Just...be careful with him."

I offered him a smile. "Who do you think I am?"

He chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Annabeth Chase, the girl who knows how to do pretty much any and everything."

It was now my turn to roll my eyes. "Oh please." I chuckled and walked past Jason. "See you later, Golden Boy."

"Oh please," Jason said, imitating me. "See you later. I would call you 'Wise Girl' but that isn't my thing. It's Percy's."

I smiled to myself at Jason's comment before making my destination the field.

The field was absolutely empty except for me and another person. He was sitting with his back against the tree that Nico always sat at, facing the opposite direction from me. He didn't know that I approached until I spoke up.

"Hey, Percy," I finally said, and Percy slightly jumped.

He softly laughed. "Is that you Annabeth? Don't scare me like that, you know."

My eyes narrowed at the back of his head. "You can stop with the act, Percy."

There was a pause before he asked, "How'd you know?"

I walked up to his side. "May I sit down?"

He slightly nodded, so I took a seat next to him.

"I found Silena and Nico at the park yesterday," I began to explain. I glanced up at the sky. I knew Percy hated crying in front of people, so I didn't bother glancing at him and making him feel uncomfortable.

I sighed quietly and continued, "Silena told me what happened yesterday. Was she there when it happened?"

He nodded again, swiping his eyes with his wrist. "She was there."

I nodded in comprehension. "Hey, I wanted to know your side of the story. Would you mind telling me?"

He chuckled, but it didn't sound very humorous in any way. "I thought you would side with Nico since he was your friend and all."

I raised an eyebrow and lightly punched his shoulder. "I thought you knew me better than that, Seaweed Brain. I don't take a side unless I know both stories."

He stared up at the sky. His green eyes no longer looked as if they reflected the sea. It looked as if it reflected the saddened rain instead. Dried tear tracks were visible down his cheeks, and it was weird not seeing a smile upon his lips. I almost felt the same as Percy just by looking at him.

Percy ran a hand through his hair. "I never meant to cheat on him. I just... I don't know what I was doing. I'm such an idiot. A seaweed brain, really."

"Then why did you do it?" I pressed further, wanting to hear the whole story.

"Do you remember that one day on my birthday when I went outside to answer my phone?" He finally glanced at me, and his expression looked so depressed. It looked as if he was lost and was trying to find his way again, but he was failing.

I nodded, recalling the memory. "We all wondered why you had to step outside and answer it. We just thought you reallydidn't want us to hear whatever conversation you were going to have."

"The person was actually Caly," he put bluntly. He took a deep breath before continuing again. "I went outside and there she was. What she said to me that day... I guess it...touched my heart."

"Touched your heart," I repeated. "Didn't think you thought like that."

He rolled his eyes and playfully pushed me, and I softly laughed. I was also happy when I saw a smile appear on Percy's mouth.

His smile dropped. "I...ended up kissing her that day." His eyes seemed clouded, as if he didn't want to think of the memory. Actually, I was pretty sure he didn't want to.

"What happened on the first day of school then?" I interrogated.

"She texted me, asking me to meet her where she usually was," he replied. "So I did. I told Nico that I'll be back later, and I went to meet her."

"When I saw her, I immediately thought of that kiss on my birthday." His eyes fixed onto the shortly-trimmed grass that we sat on. "I wanted to tell her to not get the wrong idea about it. She looked so sad, and I regretted telling her that. She wanted another kiss, but I didn't want to give her false hope. Then, she just talked normally to me, as if we were just friends. It was weird, because for some reason, it didn't feel rightto me. At one point, she wants to kiss me, and the next she's talking to me as if we were childhood friends. I..." his voice cracked.

"Nico and Silena appeared then," I surmised, and he nodded. He covered his face with the palm of his right hand, but I could see some tears fall from the corner of his eyes.

"Have you tried talking to Nico about it?" I questioned, directing my gaze back onto the sky.

He shook his head. "I know he wouldn't want to talk to me." Percy's voice was muffled from his hand. "He hates me; I know he does. I kissed Caly twicewithout telling him once. I promised him I would stay with him forever. But guess fucking what?I just gavehim empty promises!"

My heart ached knowing how horrible he felt. It was so unnatural hearing how depressed Percy was since he was always so full of joy. No one like Percy deserves this kind of pain.

He swiped his hand down his face. "What does...What does Nico think of me now?"

"After his backstory and everything, I know he probably...holds a grudge on you." I exhaled. "He's depressed right now like you are. And he's back to his old self."

Right as I finished my last sentence, I saw Percy's hands clench to fists from the corner of my eyes.

"Why?" Percy asked to no one in particular. His voice was shaking, and so were his fists.

"I suggest you talk to him," I stated, picking myself up from the ground. "You don't seem like the one to give up, right?"

He gulped, wiping his face again with his hand. "No, I don't, huh?"

I smiled, ruffling his soft, black hair. "No, you don't. Go on and get your man back Percy. He needs you, and you need him too. Go show him what you're made of."

He chuckled, and it wasn't fake this time. "Yeah, I need to get my man back."