Author's Note: Hey…sorry, it's been a few days. But you know…had a major writer's block and…uh…got all caught up in the excitement of 2011. So…HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hope y'all have an awesome year!
Oh yay, we're back to Annabeth's perspective! Love her to death. Anyway, this is a really slow chapter. Saving the action for the next chapter! Keep reading, and thank you for reviewing and subscribing!
xxanonymouswriterxx: Yes, Athena is OOC, because I never really liked her.
Percy knew that the room he was in was completely, and impossibly dark, but he couldn't help seeing Annabeth's face in front of his eyes. He knew that the room was utterly quiet, filled with an unbelievably deafening silence, but he could hear Annabeth's harsh words echoing in his ears. He knew that nothing was touching him, save for the chains and the damp, hard floor, but he could still feel the traces of their last kiss on his lips.
He shut his eyes tightly, and it made no difference. The room was just as dark as it had been if his eyes were open. Athena had shut the window in the door before she left with a cruel smirk. She had left him to dwell on lonely thoughts that centered on Annabeth.
He had grown so used to her before she left. It was almost as if she hadn't been his girlfriend, but almost like his…habit. And she had been an addictive habit. She was his Annabeth, she always had time for him, she had always been next to him, and she had always been there to comfort him or tell him to "Man up, Seaweed Brain."
"This is all my fault." Percy whispered, shaking his head. But it was no use now – no one could see him, hear him, talk to him –
"Percy?"
Grover's glorious voice broke through Percy's hopeless thoughts.
"Grover!" Percy screamed his name out loud, his voice carried away into the darkness, unheard.
"Gods, Percy, where are you?"
"Here, I'll show you."
Percy desperately concentrated, and showed Grover the dark gloom before him.
"Percy…I can't see anything."
"Exactly! Athena has me in a cell thing. And…and Hades is here!"
"What? What are you talking about Percy?" The puzzlement in Grover's voice was understandable, but it frustrated Percy.
"I'm on Mt. Olympus…" He explained whatever he could, to the best of his ability. When he mentioned Athena's true intentions, he nearly broke down again, but kept his cool, with a lot of effort.
"Oh, gods, Percy! Thalia and I will be right there."
"And what are you going to do, exactly?"
"Rescue your butt, what else?"
"Yes…but HOW?"
"Um…um…we'll improvise. You know how Thalia's good at that."
"Oh, gods, fine Grover. And…" Percy hesitated.
"What?"
"Could you bring Annabeth…somehow? Please?" Percy's tone was feeble, and pleading.
"Dude…"
"I can fix this. I swear. Somehow."
"Okay, sure." Grover sighed in his mind. "We'll be right there."
"Well…" Thalia looked up at Grover, eyes curious and worried. "What'd he say?"
"We have to leave. Right now." Grover said firmly, and headed out of the kitchen.
Thalia grabbed his arm, and pulled him back, but Annabeth and Luke didn't acknowledge it. "Grover! What happened?" She stared at him, furrowing her eyebrows. She chewed her bottom lip until the skin peeled off, because she was so worried about Percy's condition. Grover's face was giving it all away – his eyes were determined, a kind of serious that he hardly ever was. This scared Thalia, and her worst case scenario grew more gruesome as seconds passed. "What happened, Grover, tell me…"
Grover explained quickly, not even looking at her shocked face once. His eyes were trained on Annabeth and Luke, sitting, oblivious, in the living room. Grover's gaze flicked back and forth between them and the door while his mouth worked at record speed. He was simultaneously concocting a reason to leave, and explaining to Thalia in great detail.
"So…I was right." Thalia said slowly, stunned.
"Is that what you care about right now?" Grover said, irritated.
Thalia raised her eyebrows. "No. I'm just saying. C'mon, let's leave."
"Wait." Grover said, eyes focused on the couple on the couch. "I have a feeling we're not going to leave without some work. Remember…Percy asked for Annabeth."
Thalia looked at the couple, Annabeth's head resting blissfully on Luke's shoulder. Thalia shook her head, disgusted. It made her sick to know Annabeth was in love with Luke against her will. Sometimes gods went too far with things. "I'll get her to come." Thalia said solidly, and walked into the living room, putting on a happy façade, hiding her twisting, worried stomach.
"Annabeth?" Thalia said quickly.
Annabeth looked up at her, her grey eyes innocent and peaceful. "What?"
"Could you come to the bedroom for a second?" Thalia blurted out.
Annabeth's eyebrows contracted. "Sure." She said hesitantly, and stood up from Luke's comfortable grasp. Grover gave Thalia a nod, saying "Are you sure you can do this?" Thalia responded with a confident nod, and followed Annabeth into the bedroom.
It was beautifully furnished, with neutral colors in accordance with Luke's personality. Annabeth had clearly already put some girlish touches into the room, like a flower vase full of red roses, and a soft, orangey scent floating in the air. Annabeth sat on the bed, while Thalia leaned against the wall, not sure exactly where to start. Perhaps it would be best in this case to tell the truth, no matter how unlikely it sounded. Annabeth looked up at her quizzically, waiting for her to begin.
Thalia cleared the throat, as the clock ticked. "Um, Annabeth…" Annabeth stared at her, urging her to continue. Thalia coughed again, then immediately grew annoyed with herself – the more time she wasted, the more trouble Percy was going to get into. "Percy loves you."
"Don't mention his name, Thalia." Annabeth gritted her teeth.
"No, no, you don't understand!" Thalia said, flustered. "You love him, too!"
"Uh…" Annabeth stared at her. "I don't think so."
"Listen to me." Thalia sat down beside her. She couldn't help but notice that Annabeth moved away from her slightly, like Thalia was crazy or something. "You're under a spell."
"What?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Like Harry Potter or something?" She snorted.
"No." Thalia growled. "You've been hit by an arrow of Eros."
Annabeth gaped at her for a second. Thalia smiled a little, knowing from the look on Annabeth's face that she had broken through to the real Annabeth. "What?" Annabeth stammered out.
"You know you heard me. You just don't want to believe it." Thalia said calmly.
"No, I can't be. You're crazy." Annabeth scoffed, standing.
"Annabeth, believe me." Thalia sighed. "It's because of you that right now, Percy is locked up on Mt. Olympus."
Annabeth entered the living room, peeking around the door. Her eyes were swimming with burning tears. Luke was sitting on the sofa, gazing calmly at the TV screen. Grover sat next to him, and had instantly turned around with an urgent expression on his face when Annabeth had swung the door open. Thalia was behind her, with a comforting hand on her shoulder.
She couldn't believe what had happened. It was so sudden, like an avalanche had collapsed onto, bearing all of the world's weight. A rush of emotions had washed over her – confusion, annoyance, helplessness, and most of all…guilt. It because of her, all because of her. It was because of her that Percy was stuck up on Mt. Olympus. If only, if only, she hadn't left the wonderful life she had had in Chicago. Why had she left again? She couldn't even remember anymore. Percy had been a dream, the most amazing boyfriend anyone could ask for. He was sweet, loving, a little awkward, but so remarkable. Annabeth's eyes burned as she thought of his scruffy black hair, and stunning sea green eyes. Those eyes...
And then there was Luke.
He had come like a breeze with electric blue eyes, and a familiar smile, floating into her life, sweeping her off her feet. It had been so sudden, and it only took a few hours for her to fall in love with him. At the time she thought nothing of the rapid progress their relationship was making, but now that she knew…Annabeth shook her head, biting her lip, her eyes trembling. Even as she saw him now, his gorgeous eyes glazed, his face serene, her heart leapt towards him, thumping violently. She knew now, that that was the arrow's magic working on her. But all she wanted to do was kiss him, over and over again, until her lips swelled, and her heart would be content. But she knew she couldn't do this anymore. It wasn't possible. She couldn't live with Luke happily, knowing that Percy was somewhere suffering, hating her, against his will.
She had to leave.
"Luke." Annabeth's voice was weak, and it was quavering. "Sweetheart." Her voice broke – the word 'sweetheart' came out of habit. The arrow was still pulling on the strings of her heart.
"Yeah, baby?" Luke looked up at her, and his eyes immediately grew concerned seeing the wetness in her eyes. "What's wrong, sweetie?" He stood, and grasped her hand.
Annabeth shivered at his touch, much like the time they had met in Central Park. She didn't want him to touch her, to make the love stronger. "Luke." Annabeth said his name over again. A tear slipped from her eyes. Luke swiped it off quickly, and Annabeth shut her eyes tightly.
She didn't know if she could do this. How could she leave him? He had come back from the dead, agreed to live in Tartarus for the rest of eternity after death for her, comforted her, and loved her like Percy had.
Either way, no matter her decision, the guilt would follow her until she died. He'd come back…and now she was leaving.
"I have to go." Annabeth whispered, her eyes closed. She couldn't bear to look him in the eye now, oh, definitely not now. She didn't want to see the pain, the confusion, and the hurt in his usually bright eyes.
"What?" She heard his pained voice, and that was no better than seeing his eyes. Annabeth's heart tugged at him, pleading for her to stay. Her brain knew the truth, however, and it fought a strong battle.
"I have to go." Annabeth repeated, her voice gaining the slightest bit of confidence. "Percy needs me." She opened her eyes, and stared into his eyes, keeping her own blank and expressionless.
"What?" Luke said again.
"I have to go." This was the third time she had said this, and this time it really seemed to sink into Luke's brain.
"I can't let you do that." Luke said, somewhat frantically.
Annabeth's eyes narrowed. There was something in his tone, in his face, that made her suspicious. "You know, right?" She asked, her eyes cold.
Luke stared around her, his eyes flicking everywhere but her. "What – what are you talking about?"
"Oh my gods, you know!" Annabeth stepped back from him, disgusted. "How dare you let something like this happen?"
"It was for you. All for you!" Luke protested, his eyes hurt.
There it was – the guilt trip. Annabeth's heart stumbled, and she felt the tears returning.
But suddenly, her brain screamed.
"No, I have to go." She said firmly, blinking back tears quickly.
"Annabeth!"
And unexpectedly, she found her lips pressed to Luke's. It was a torturing kiss. His lips crushed hers, and there was such urgency to it, it was almost like he was pleading that something, anything, would make her change her mind.
"No, Luke, stop." Annabeth pulled back, moaning into his lips, but he continued to press. Finally, irritated, sad, and confused, she screamed, "STOP!"
Luke stared at her, misery apparent in his expression.
"I have to go." Annabeth said one last time, before swallowing and turning away. She picked up her jacket, and pulled the door open slowly. Thalia and Grover walked out, with a small acknowledgement of Luke – a tight hug from Thalia, and a pat on the back from Grover. Annabeth was the last out. Before shutting it behind her, she looked back one last time. His shoulders were slumped, his sky blue eyes empty, a frown to his lips. The sadness with which he was standing broke her, letting the tears loose.
But she wasn't going to give up on Percy now. Breathing deeply, she said good bye, with a stuttering voice. "B – bye." She slammed the door shut behind her, closing the chapter of Luke.
