Its the moment we've all been waiting for guys.
Disclaimer: Despite that I have been gone for more than a month, I have not gained the rights to PJO.
The sweetness of reunion is the joy of heaven.
-Richard Paul Evans, Lost December
"Annabeth? Are you there…?"
Victoria lifted up her head to see who was there. She saw a (admittedly) handsome guy around her age crouching across from her. He had a timid smile on his face, one full of hope and happiness.
The girl was confused. She didn't know who this guy was. Was he a new doctor to fill in for Nurse Jones? If so, then why'd he asked for her? Surely he would've asked if she felt...urges. Victoria narrowed her eyes. Yup,definitely suspicious.
She suddenly felt pain in the back of her head and voice saying "let me out". It was a side effect when one of the other personalities wanted to come out and play. The nurse told her to ignore this and to contact her immediately if this ever shall happen. Speaking of her, where was she?
A look of realization crossed upon the man's face. "Oh. I'm sorry. You must not be the, er,personality that I'm looking for. Um, do you mind if I ask you to let Annabeth take control?" He looked really awkward while saying it.
Victoria blinked. What did he just say?
He scratched the back of his head. "My name's Percy Jackson and I would like to have my girlfriend back."
HIs girlfriend? Oh, he means that one. Another stab of pain went through her body.
Percy? Percy! About time you got here.
The girl frowned. There was no way that she was letting her get control of her body. Victoria went through hell to get to this point, the point where she was getting better. She was so close to finally getting out of this place- and she would do anything to get one step closer to that.
She forced a smile. "I'm sorry, Percy was it? But your girlfriend won't be coming out anytime soon."
This time it was Percy who frowned. "Why not? You may not believe me but she's stuck in your body and my friends and I need her for something really important."
Victoria, let me out. For once in his life, he's right about something being 'really important.'
Victoria firmly crossed her arms and tried to ignore the voice. "Yes, I do realize that your girlfriend is in my body. But, I'm so close to being better. I'm not going to throw that away just because you're in love. I have a life waiting out there for me."
"Aren't you acting a little selfish here?" Percy asked. He tried to keep his tone calm and composed. "Annabeth's the smartest girl that I know of, I'll be completely lost without her."
He's right on that point.
Percy took a deep breath. "I'll be right back." He left the room to go and closed the door behind him.
"How'd it go with Victoria/Annabeth or whatever personality she's in right now?" Nurse Jones asked. She was sitting cross legged on the floor and was drawing pictures on the dusty floor looking supremely unconcerned.
He sighed. "Not very well. She admits that Annabeth is inside of her, but she won't relinquish control on her body."
"Hm...that's going to be a problem," Nurse Jones said without looking up. "Did you try everything?"
"Anything that does not include violence, yes. Do you think you can talk her out of it? She's quite the stubborn mortal."
"Maybe, maybe not. We just have to see." Nurse Jones stood up and dusted herself off. "I think it would be better for you to stay out here. Victoria will probably feel more comfortable if I enter in alone."
Percy shrugged. "Whatever works. As long as you ca-" His sentence was interrupted by the sound of thunder.
"What was that?" Nurse Jones questioned. "It couldn't be thunder could it? The weather said it wouldn't rain today."
"I don't think it's the weather Ms. Jones." Percy thought about it and finally shook his head. "Nah…it couldn't be…It's impossible. It was probably something else. Maybe someone dropped something."
The woman frowned. "If you say so."
She opened the door and went inside Victoria's room. To be honest, she still had her doubts on whether Percy and his friends were actually insane. The whole thing seemed too crazy to be true. Then again, all of the patients exhibited superhuman qualities so it might as well be. Damn it Cecilia*! Your job is to try and cure them, not to believe in their lies. That's right, she only doing this to get Percy to go back she convinced herself.
"Victoria? Dear?" The Nurse said. She found the girl on her bed writing something down. Her eyebrows were knit up with concentration and her hand moved furiously across the paper. Nurse Jones sat on her bed and peek curiously on what she was doing and raised an eyebrow at what she saw.
It was a letter written to the Collins', Victoria's parents. Now why would she write that? She wasn't allowed contact with the outside world and that includes her family. Though the nurse wanted to find out what Victoria wrote, she decided against it. Instead, Nurse Jones turned her back and waited until she was finished writing.
After a few moments Nurse Jones heard a soft "thud" and assumed that Victoria was done. She turned back around and found the girl stuffing the letter in her pockets. "Victoria?" she asked.
The girl jumped at the sound of her voice. "Ah!" She turned around to face the woman and she calmed down a little bit. "Oh. It's just you."
"Yes, It's just me. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Victoria mumbled. She muttered something unintelligible under her breath.
"I'm sorry, but what did you say?"
Victoria handed the nurse the letters. "Here. Deliver this one to my parents at home alright? Tell them that if all of this works out, then I'll come back home again. For the other one, give it to Annabeth when she wakes up."
"Hold on," the nurse said. This was starting to get confusing. "What do you mean when 'all of this works out'? When what works out?"
"You'll see in a moment," Victoria grinned. "Look at the bright side, if it does work out, then you will have one less patient to care for." Her body suddenly seized up and she fell to the ground convulsing.
Nurse Jones fell down to her side. She wanted to know more about what Victoria was talking about. She had to know. "What do you mean? Answer me!"
Victoria gave her a mocking smile. "You know if you opened up your eyes, you might see what's actually going on. " Her body suddenly stiffened and relaxed.
The nurse looked at Victoria's body dumbfounded. What the hell just happened? She took deep breaths to calm herself. In and out. In and out. A similar situation happened with Jacob Williams… Her eyes widened, realizing what was about to happen.
Sure enough, the girl opened her eyes. The once brown color was replaced with a startling grey. She rose to her feet and yawned. "Ugh, where am I? I felt like I've been run over by a thousand centaurs… Oh? Who are you?"
"Um…"
"Nevermind, I don't need it anyways," she quickly answered. "If you're curious, my name is Annabeth Chase. Would you mind telling me where I am at least?"
"You're at the Jefferson Institution," the nurse automatically responded. "Home to the mentally insane and unstable."
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "How'd I end up in here? The last thing that I remember… is nothing. I wonder where are my friends? Knowing Percy, he's bound to get in trouble sooner or later - that Seaweed Brain. If you would excuse me, I have to find him." She walked towards the door.
It didn't take her very long to find Percy Jackson.
The door slammed open and revealed her boyfriend in all his glory. Apparently, he couldn't wait any longer for Nurse Jones to finish up. "Annabeth?"
"Percy?"
"I never thought I would ever see you again."
Annabeth snorted. "Well the thought never occurred to me until now considering that I just woke up in a place that I don't recognize."
"Yeah, you've missed out a lot of stuff while you were sleeping. I'll get you right up to speed after this."
"After what?"
Percy leaned in and put his lips against hers. Time slowed down for the both of them. It felt like an eternity since they kissed. Even after all this time, Annabeth noted, he still smelled like the sea. Their bodies were pressed onto one another, both basking in each other's warmth.
All the while Nurse Jones looked on with disbelief.
Hestia looked disapprovingly at the scene around her and shook her head. Her companions were arguing again, about what they should do to escape. Hestia thought if it weren't for the bars that were separating from each other and a lack of light, more than one of them would be killed by now.
"I've told you a thousand times Athena!" Ares yelled. "We should break out of our cells and go out there and kill some Giant scum!"
"Ares, we need a plan," Athena reasoned. "Not just brute force. How about we all calm down and formulate a plan that would get us out of here. Preferably one that would get us out alive."
"I agree with Athena," Artemis said. "It's always the women who would get the job done. The men only care about violence and war. Pigs the lot of them are."
"Hey!" Apollo interjected. "I take offense to that! I am certainly not a pig. Just because I'm beautiful and you're not doesn't mean that I'm a pig."
"Looks like I'm to have to add 'vain' on my list on why women are greater than men," Artemis retorted.
Artemis's comment only made Apollo even madder and the two twins began bickering about trivial matters. In short, it was another normal day in prison- or any other day before they got captured.
Hestia was starting to get a terrible headache. She was used to these due to the fact that the Olympians fought everyday on everything. It was just her luck that she got stuck with some of the most belligerent of them. Hestia figured it was a plan set up by the Giants so that they can kill each other so it will save time when it comes to the day of sacrificing them. The only reason that didn't happen yet because of their chains which prevented any god from using their powers.
She didn't know where the other gods were. She has so far only heard Ares, Athena, and Apollo. Despite the fact that Athena was the smartest of them all, after 13 years of failed escape attempts Hestia was starting to doubt the "goddess of wisdom." At some point in those 13 years, she started to formulate her own plan. Hestia may be one of the least appreciated, but she was still a goddess!
Indeed, sometimes people forgot about that including the Giants. Hestia summoned a ball of flames in her hands. Inside, she saw a group of teenagers and brown haired woman. Hestia noticed that there was a new addition to the group and she smiled to herself. Sooner or later, they'll be here and Gaia will be stopped once and for all.
Hestia needs more love.
It's been quite a while since I've written about Annabeth so I apologize in advance if she's OOC. I had to cut the kissing scene short since I didn't know what else to put into it. If anybody can give me tips on how to write one, that would be great! :)
*Cecilia is Nurse Jones's first name. It means "blind" in Latin. I thought it was a fitting name for her.