Disclaimer: PoJ is not mine. I wish but no.
AN: Thalia mades a cameo.
10 - The Huntress
I traveled to the Newark airport. I paid a ticket to Anchorage in cash hoping that the transaction would be unnoticed and untraceable. I cried all the way from the waiting area, the plane and even harder after we had to make an unannounced scale Vancouver due to mechanical problems.
I was really going to stay and wait for the airplane to get fix but I was really restless and I walked out of the airport. I felt that I had to leave for some unknown reason.
I was walking on the streets of Vancouver doing some eye sighting when I felt something staring at me, probably some monster. I traveled outside the side hoping to avoid hurting innocents.
I was already on the country side when five hellhounds attacked at me. I drew my sword and attacked but they were too much for me. I had already vanished two when one threw me to the ground. I found really hard to stand up again. Maybe this was what I deserved for leaving Percy. I sighed in defeat and waited for the hellhound to finish me.
Suddenly, I heard the beast screaming in pain. I looked up and saw arrows piercing the three remaining hellhounds. I looked behind me to see the Huntresses chasing and vanquishing the hellhounds.
I stood up and dusted myself when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Thalia, my best friend growing up.
"What's up, grey eyes?" said Thalia and we hugged tightly.
"Been better" I said smiling at her. She saw my puffy eyes and stared at me with concern. A girl approached to us.
"Chief, mission accomplished" said the girl.
"Perfect, Phoebe. Set the tents. We are taking a little rest here. I need to talk to my friend" said Thalia, and the girl nodded and yelled instructions to the rest of the hunters.
Soon that I would expected, Thalia and I were inside a very impressive punk tent drinking hot chocolate.
"What are you doing so far from Camp?" said Thalia suddenly and not very subtle.
"I am going north" I said and I felt something crushing my heart.
"A quest?" said Thalia.
"Something like that" I said.
"Did Percy let you go alone like that?" said Thalia and I felt fresh tears in my cheeks.
"He doesn't know. I left him. He is not a part of it" I said weakly.
"Was it the only way?" said Thalia
"I think so. It was very straightforward: Go the land beyond gods and don't come back" I said. Thalia sighed at me thinking her answer. I wasn't expecting her to help me. I could get there alone. It was better. I could just disappear without trace.
"Well, I will help you to get there. It's the least I can do" said Thalia and I nodded to her gratefully.
"Thank you" I said.
"Don't thank me yet. It will be a long and dangerous journey. Canada is wild and Alaska just wilder" said Thalia.
"I suppose but I have to go there" I said
"Fine, let's go, Annie" said Thalia and finished her tea.
"Don't call me Annie" I said hotly and upset. I hated that nickname. Tears started to leave my eyes.
"What do you prefer: heartbreaker or home wrecker? Percy may not be my favorite person in the world but you are going to hurt him badly. He doesn't deserve this. That boy went to Tartarus for you" said Thalia hotly and her eyes sparkled with electricity. I saw Jason's passion in her, or was the other way around?
"I know, but there is no other way" I said meekly and crying harder. I was sobbing loudly and Thalia hugged me.
"Don't cry" said Thalia and I cried even harder. It took me minutes to regain my composure.
"Sorry, these damn hormones" I said as I wiped my tears.
"What are you talking about?" said Thalia looking at me with shock and wonder. I just took a big breath and smiled weakly at her.
"Thalia, I'm pregnant" I said and she gasped in surprise. She stood up and paced around the tent mad, angry and concerned. She was biting her nails trying in vain to calm down.
"Are you leaving Percy and you are expecting his child?" said Thalia loudly looking at me almost yelling.
"Yes, I am" I said barely nodding and holding together. I wanted to fall apart and cried for over a week.
"No way. I'm taking you back" said Thalia shaking her head at me. I saw her gathering her things and my things. We were really going back.
"No Thalia. I had to leave him. The prophecy…" I said pleading.
"You cannot leave him like that. You will destroy him" said Thalia loudly scolding me.
"I don't care if it destroys him as long as he is alive" I yelled.
"You can't possible mean that. You can't be that woman, the one who leaves. I thought you were better than that" said Thalia angrily at me.
"I can and I am. I cannot let his loyalty and love for me be his death. I just can't live if I know he died for me, for us. I wouldn't live with myself if that happened. I would die and leave my baby, orphan" I said and fell in my knees crying. I had really left him, the love of my life. Thalia took me to her bed and I cried until I fell asleep.
I woke up in the middle of the afternoon to find Thalia sitting next to me and holding my hand.
"Hey" said Thalia with red puffy eyes. She had been crying for me, for Percy, for our baby.
"Hey" I said back to her and wiped new tears from her eyes.
"You are a fool, you know?" said Thalia.
"I know, but I had to protect him" I said looking away.
"He will look for you" said Thalia and I nodded. I know he will look but he won't find me. I could hope he won't look for long and resign that I was never coming back. I could only hope he will find happiness without me.
"You will say nothing to him. Promise me" I said staring at her eyes. She lowered her gaze and bit her bottom lip nervously
"Annabeth, I can't…" said Thalia. I knew it was too much to ask. Thalia was as loyal to Percy as she was to me.
"Please" I pleaded with more tears. Thalia sighed and gave me a weak smile.
"Ok, I swear over the Styx River" said Thalia looking down and defeated.
Thalia ordered the hunters to come with us until Whitehorse, a small town in the Yukon. We travelled alone from there until we reached a small secluded town in Alaska. Thalia stayed with me for a couple of days while I settled down in my new rented cabin in the outskirts of the town. Then she left me promising me to check on me once a month.
I found a job as a teacher assistant in the public school and started over alone in a freezing environment.
Next Chapter is Percy's point of view