Cold.
It was the only thing she could feel. There was just darkness and a cold that sunk through every inch of her, cut right down to the bone. Her limbs were useless, heavy and frozen. Her muscles refused to move, though she wasn't even sure she was directing them too.
Burning. That was the next thing she felt, though it was concentrated in her lungs. How long had she been without air? Thirty seconds? A minute? Annabeth wasn't sure, but she knew for a fact that it was verging on too long.
The burning was enough to cut through the cold, to send a spike of panic to her mind that told her to fight, to try and kick her way to the surface. But the water was holding her down, the current pulling her deeper and deeper the more and more she struggled. She was trapped, suffocating, barely able to think from the shock and lack of air and frigid water.
Annabeth was going to drown. She was going to drown in the same water that she'd so blithely cavorted in the night before, only this time she didn't have a son of Poseidon with her to keep her from suffocating. She'd heard how hard he hit the mast- it would be no surprise if he was knocked out, or at least too groggy to realize what had happened.
Annabeth held out as long as she could, but eventually her body took over, so desperate to breathe that she inhaled a mouthful of salt water. That was worse than just a lack of air, so much worse, because now the burning in her lungs had doubled and spread to her throat and her head.
The darkness was getting stronger, threatening to swallow her completely. She could barely even feel the cold anymore. She could barely feel anything, except for the current tugging at her hand.
The current. Her hand. And then her waist too, and suddenly she was broken free of the pull of the water, hurtling upwards until she hit the surface.
Her vision was still ringed with black, and she still couldn't quite breathe. She could feel Perseus's arm around her waist, could feel the ocean surging beneath them, and then-somehow-the hard wood of the deck beneath her knees. She could hear shouting and swords clanging and inexplicably the screech of an eagle, but the exact details were a mystery to her.
His hand moved from her waist to her back, and he was saying something to her that she couldn't quite make out. Without warning- or maybe that was what the garbled words from him were, a warning- the water was drawn out of her lungs in a nauseating rush. She had no doubt that it was his doing, that he was using his powers to manipulate the water out of her body; though that didn't stop her from practically choking on it as it came out, coughing all the while. But every new cough cleared her airways a little more, until she was finally able to breathe.
With each new gasp of air, Annabeth felt a little more grounded, a little further away from completely blacking out. She was vaguely aware of something going on in her periphery, but even now it was slowing down. He had taken his hand off her, but she was too disoriented to even begin to consider how she felt about that.
"What-" she started, but trying to speak only restarted her coughing fit.
"Wind spirits," Perseus said, knowing exactly what she was asking with only the first word of her question, "Jason and Fai have it under control."
Annabeth looked around, just in time to see Jason drive his sword through a swirling cloud of white mist, which exploded into sparks upon touching his sword. Annabeth hadn't been hallucinating the eagle- or maybe she was still hallucinating, because as it landed on the deck it started to grow and contort, its wings lengthening into arms, its beak shrinking into a regular nose, until all at once it wasn't an eagle at all, but a very human, very shocked looking Fai.
Jason laughed, saying something as he clapped Fai on the shoulder. Fai looked embarrassed, but also a bit excited.
"He got it," Annabeth managed to say, before breaking into more coughs. Her voice did not accurately convey how excited she was- if she hadn't still felt like she was dying she probably would have run over to them, but as it was she had to settle for them walking over to her like they were doing now.
"He did," Perseus said, grinning. For one easy moment they shared a smile- right up until Annabeth remembered what had led to her being thrown overboard in the first place. The smile faded off his face just as fast as it disappeared off her own.
"Annabeth-" he started, guilt painted across every feature, but Jason and Fai were already close enough to hear. She shook her head just a bit. He swallowed down whatever he was going to say just in time for the other two to reach their sides.
"Are you alright?" Jason asked, eyes trained on Annabeth.
"Fine," Annabeth said, but it came out particularly unconvincing considering it was followed by yet another fit of coughing.
"You don't sound fine," he said. Annabeth could tell he was trying not to frown, but even that little tension between his brows betrayed his concern.
"You'll be alright," Perseus promised, "I've seen people come back from closer calls."
"Comforting," Fai muttered. Annabeth had to stifle a laugh, given that fairly sure it would only make her cough again.
"You figured it out," Annabeth said to him, eager to turn the conversation away from herself. She even managed to say the words without her voice breaking down.
Fai blushed, but Annabeth could tell he was pleased.
"I can't take much credit for it- it was your advice that did it, really."
His fingers twitched nervously at his side, and Annabeth realized his leather pouch was gone. She still didn't know what was in it, but she would bet all the money in the world it was now in Hazel's possession.
"I'm glad it worked."
She could feel Jason and Perseus looked at them curiously, probably wondering what exactly she'd said to Fai to jump-start his gift.
"Why did you pick an eagle?" she asked, if only to prevent the other two from asking what her advice had been. Fai blushed again, a little deeper red this time.
"It was the first thing I could think of that could fly," he admitted.
"The claws were sharp enough to dissolve the Venti, so I would call it a success," Jason added.
"I can't believe we missed them," Annabeth said, mostly out of guilt, since she knew full well exactly how they had missed them, but Jason was already shaking his head.
"It's nobody's fault. You can't kill Venti until they take a corporeal form, and they were still just wind when we got up here," he said, "There was nothing you could have done. I'm just glad your scream woke us up."
Annabeth decided not to think about what would have happened if it hadn't. She would probably be at the bottom of the ocean right now. That current had been strong and dangerous, and without Perseus's powers she doubted anything could have pulled her out of it.
"The real question is why they showed up at all," Perseus said darkly, looking over his shoulder in the direction the storm spirits had come from, "They tried to kill us, so I don't think the voice was responsible."
Annabeth didn't miss how he said us instead of me, but thankfully Jason and Fai seemed to.
"They weren't the same ones from the storm," Jason said, his eyes leaving Annabeth for a brief second to glance over in the same direction Perseus was looking, "I got rid of those, and I didn't recognize any of these."
"Could just be rogue," Fai suggested, "Or maybe someone else sent them."
"Probably rogue," Jason said, "I've met their type before- they're the definition of free spirits. I'm surprised the voice managed to control any of them even once."
A pit was starting to form in the bottom of Annabeth's stomach, and Fai and Jason's words weren't helping matters. They did, however, jolt free the realization that she and Perseus had made earlier.
"Jason, are there any gods who control those types of spirits? Besides your father, I mean."
She could feel Perseus's eyes on her, but she ignored them. It took less effort than she was expecting, but that might just have been because she was so focused on Jason, waiting for his answer.
Jason just frowned.
"A few, I suppose. Why?"
Annabeth opened her mouth to answer, but Perseus beat her to it.
"I think one of my father's immortal children caused the storm. The sea part, anyways."
"And you think the voice is recruiting other immortals for similar purposes?" Jason asked, frown deepening. Annabeth couldn't tell if he thought their theory too far-fetched, or if he just didn't want to believe it at all.
"It would make sense," Annabeth insisted, "We know that the voice was trying to recruit Hecate already. You said that Venti are unpredictable, hard to get together, much less control. But if the voice had a wind god on their side…"
She trailed off, but she didn't need to finish her sentence. They all knew how seriously bad that would be. A heavy silence fell over the deck.
"You're shivering," Jason said, finally. Annabeth almost didn't realize he was talking about her, until she looked down and realized she was, indeed, shivering. She'd been so focused on coughing up seawater she'd nearly forgotten how cold it had been. Even sitting out in the warm air wasn't enough to completely draw out the chill.
"There are blankets below deck," Perseus supplied. It sounded helpful enough, and it genuinely was in some ways, but Annabeth knew he had another motive for suggesting it. He wanted to speak to her alone.
Annabeth wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that.
"You can go. We've got things under control up here," Jason said, nodding to Fai.
"It's still our turn to watch. You two should be sleeping," Annabeth protested. Jason sighed.
"Annabeth, you just almost drowned. At least take a break for a few hours."
Annabeth still hesitated, letting her gaze flicker briefly over to Perseus. She saw Jason's eyes narrow slightly, suddenly registering the tension between the two of them.
"Or I can go with you instead," he said. It wasn't the most subtle thing in the world, but Jason, as much as she loved him, had never really been one for subtlety. She appreciated it all the same, even if she knew she was going to refuse.
"It's fine," she said, standing, wrapping her arms around herself to keep from shaking too visibly. The last thing she wanted to do was let the argument between her and Perseus fester, especially when they were so close to their destination. They might not have another good chance to clear the air.
"Are you sure?" Jason asked, looking over her and Perseus apprehensively.
"Positive," she said, trying to give him a reassuring smile. It was apparently convincing enough for him to let her go, however begrudgingly.
It was a silent walk below deck. She had expected Perseus to lead her to his door, but she was a little surprised at his hesitation in opening it. He got over it though, and they went inside together.
The little room was familiar at this point. It was bizarre how many of her most life-altering events had taken place inside its walls. She felt herself relax slightly as she walked inside, despite the conversation that awaited her within.
Annabeth should have known better than to think he would start talking right away, rather than going straight for one of the trunks against the wall and procuring a thick blanket. He handed it to her, and she wrapped it around her shoulders gratefully. Her clothes were still soaked, but she had no desire to remedy that, at least not now.
They looked at each other for a long moment, the silence between them so thick Annabeth could swear she could cut it with her knife.
"I'm sorry," he said, finally, "I was out of line earlier. I just- I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."
Annabeth bit the inside of her cheek, not sure exactly what to say. She'd been upset at him- still was a little upset with him, if she was honest- but now even slightly removed from the argument, she understood where he had been coming from, even if she didn't entirely like it.
And he'd recognized his mistake. If she had been feeling cynical that day, Annabeth might have attributed that to her near death experience, but if she was honest with herself, she knew that he would have come to the same conclusion eventually, regardless of whether or not she'd just almost drowned.
But he'd still meant everything he said, even if he was apologizing for saying it. Annabeth didn't know how she felt about that.
"Annabeth," he sighed, "Just say something, please. Yell at me if you want, but don't just look at me like that."
She moistened her lips, wrapping her blanket just a bit tighter around herself.
"I- I'm not angry at you," Annabeth said. She was fairly sure it was true, but he didn't seem so convinced.
"Aren't you?" he asked. She saw the barest ghost of a smile play across his lips, or maybe she was imagining it. She wanted desperately for it to be real, and not just a figment of her imagination.
"Fine, maybe a little," Annabeth admitted, "I- I know you were angry. About what he did. And maybe he does deserve it, but I just- it was my life. I don't hold it against him, even if I know I should. I just can't."
He nodded. She could see in his eyes that he didn't like it, even if he understood.
"I understand that," he said, "But even if you've forgiven him for leaving, we won't be on the same side if we see him again. You can't trust him anymore."
"I know," she said quietly.
He was right. The logical side of her, the side that won out so often, knew he was right. But there was a smaller part of her, more dictated by heart than head, that said there had to at least be a little part of him still worth saving.
Annabeth wouldn't trust Luke, no. But she wasn't quite ready to give up on him either.
Perseus must know that there was more she was leaving unsaid, but he didn't ask about it. Maybe he knew it would leave them at an impossible impasse. They were anyway, but without voicing it, Annabeth could at least pretend that the distance between them didn't exist.
She shivered again, inadvertently. The look on her face must have been particularly pathetic, because he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. She huddled into his chest, pressing her fingers against his warm skin. His powers had kept him dry, protected from the cold.
"Your clothes are soaked, no wonder you're still freezing," he said, frowning as he looked down at her.
Annabeth let herself smile, just a bit. She looked up, positioned her head so she could see his face.
"Are you trying to get me naked?"
"Very funny," he said firmly, and without humor- though she could see him fighting to keep a grin off his face.
"Maybe I'm not joking," Annabeth said, "Maybe we're just destined to have sex everytime I have a near death experience."
She tried to keep her voice innocent, but it was ruined by another shiver ripping through her. He gave her a bemused look, unable to keep a smile off his face any longer.
"And that first time was already pushing it. We're not having sex when you're halfway to hypothermia."
He sounded very sure about that, which was a pity.
"I think it would warm me up," Annabeth said, only half joking, since she really was freezing.
"Changing into dry clothes would warm you up."
"I don't have any dry clothes," Annabeth tried to keep the triumphant smile off her face, and failed miserably. He finally laughed, letting his head roll back.
"Gods, you're going to kill me," he said, entirely too affectionately.
She did end up taking off her clothes to let them dry, wrapping herself in just the blanket. He insisted on looking away while she changed, which seemed ridiculous to her, considering how he'd been happy to stare at her the very same morning. Then again, maybe it was more about resisting temptation than anything else.
"I should go," he said, once she was securely wrapped in a blanket. Annabeth pouted, even though she knew he was right, "You should get some sleep."
"I just slept for twelve hours," Annabeth complained, "I don't think I could sleep more if I tried."
That was a lie, and they both knew it. Even as she said it, she could feel her bones aching. The cold, struggling against the sea, and subsequently almost drowning had been more draining than she cared to admit. She was sitting on the bed, trying to collect her warmth.
"Just try," he said, his fingers brushing over her cheek, pulling her head just a touch closer to him so he could kiss the top of it.
She sighed, leaning into his touch. What she really wanted was for him to stay with her, let her steal his warmth, but she knew it would be a bad idea. Jason and Fai were probably already wondering why it was taking so long for him to go back up to the deck. Given how suspicious Jason had been before they'd left, Annabeth wouldn't be surprised if he came looking for them if one of them didn't reappear soon.
"Fine. But it won't work," Annabeth warned, as he finally pulled away.
"Whatever you say," he said, a familiar teasing smile playing across his lips.
And just like that, he was gone.
Annabeth laid back in his bed, covering herself with another layer of blankets. Between the warmth soaking back into her bones and the gentle rocking of the ship, she found herself drifting off to sleep.