In which Annabeth is on the rampage, with Rachel to back her up, and there's a lot of emotions all around. Also, Will is just like 'For fuck sake this is an infirmary!'
Replies:
Undeath9087: I like puns lol. And yeah, they've started to realise even if they don't fully understand- because they literally can't. And Annabeth is pissed, like, she wants to beat the crap into Luke for not telling them. As for your other question- they're all off doing whatever they want I guess lol.
Weirdhead: In which Annabeth attempts to murder her ex's big brother. Like, genuinely.
AkitoshTheBold: Whoop, more pain in this chapter- but things get slightly less painful after this- briefly anyways.
thickneck: I mean, you're not wrong to feel sorry for him.
The Official Clarisse: Heheheh.
JjlovesPJO: I mean, their pain and upset is understandable, to an extent, and they're trying to be better.
Drizzle: I assume you mean the one where they upset Percy, which was chapter 20.
Guest: Why thank you, and they're not so angry with Percy right now- they're still hurting and upset but the anger's faded somewhat, but they are pretty upset with Luke.
Percy had been napping when Luke arrived at the infirmary with Thalia- Frank had left earlier, muttering about how he needed to do something. Nico and Will were there too of course- Hazel had gone- Percy wasn't sure where but she was probably getting some rest.
She woke up to hushed whispers.
"-Listen Percy probably needs the rest you don't want to wake her up-"
"And I don't want her in here-" that was Nico and Will- Percy shifted her head slightly so that she could peer at them without them realising she was awake- and there were Luke and Thalia, Thalia looking annoyed, Luke looking worried.
"Oh back off Solace I made a couple of bad comments-"
"Which you haven't even tried to apologise for."
"I might have if she didn't then rip up my baby sisters heart and stomp all over it." Thalia snarked. "I'm only here because Luke's worried about her and I love Luke-"
"Thalia you can go if you want-"
"Don't worry." Percy's voice was muffled by the pillow, then she lifted her head, "I don't give a shit what she thinks about me." she pushed herself up so that she was sitting, "I'm just fine-"
"Percy-" Luke stepped forward, "Are you okay? Leo said you ran the whole way back here from some aquarium and he said you looked kinda rough."
"As you can see I'm just peachy." Percy swung her legs off of the bed and stood up, "I just needed a nap-"
"Percy-" Luke's voice caught, "Listen- yesterday-"
"I don't want to talk about yesterday Luke. If I could I'd drink enough wine to forget about yesterday entirely."
"Wine- Percy you're sixteen-"
"A sixteen year old who went to Elysium and went to parties thrown by Greeks who used to drink wine from like, birth. I've drunk wine before- heck I've even gotten drunk before- we can do whatever the fuck we want in Elysium."
"You miss it." It wasn't a question and Percy groaned, "Luke the last thing I need or want right now is to talk about Elysium- I only brought it up because of the wine thing."
"I-" Luke let out a breath, "You-" at which point he was cut off by the infirmary doors swinging open- and Percy's eyes widened in shock when Rachel and Annabeth stormed in- and as much as she'd broken up with them both, seeing Annabeth angry was never a sight that failed to leave her breathless- she looked like an avenging goddess- and Percy scrambled backwards, falling into the bed- but Annabeth's target wasn't her- and that was- confusing. But Annabeth was surging towards Luke, a furious look on her face- and Luke barely had time to hold up his hands before Annabeth was pushing him.
"You asshole!"
"What?" Percy's eyes widened, "Anna-"
"I wouldn't." Rachel's voice was cool- but- it wasn't directed towards Percy, "I think this is a conversation that needs to be had."
"It doesn't look much like a conversation to me-"
"Annabeth!" Thalia was grabbing her and hauling her backwards as Luke stumbled and straightened himself up, "What the fuck's gotten into you?"
"What's gotten into me?" Annabeth's voice was almost a snarl, "You should have told us-"
"Told you what?" Luke demanded, "Annabeth what exactly are you so pissed off at me for-"
"We had a right to know-"
"Annabeth-" Will's voice was loud, "You are not starting a fight in the infirmary no way in Hades-"
"Oh I'm starting a fight wherever I damn well want." Annabeth's voice was a snarl. "How the fuck could you not tell us-"
"Still not getting what I was supposed to tell you." Luke held up his hands- because Annabeth tried to lunge for him again, if she wasn't being held back by Thalia he'd probably be in a lot of pain by now.
"Annabeth you need to calm down." Nico spoke up, "Or I'll use the shadows to pin you down-"
"You let us think it was a sick fucking game!" Annabeth screamed the words, "We had a right to know Luke-"
"A right to know what?" Percy spoke up, "Annabeth why are you mad at Luke it's me who-"
"Percy I am sorry-"
"Uh- what-"
"I am sorry for what I said I am so sorry." Annabeth's expression was heartbreaking, "It- gods it probably hurt so much if I'd have known- you- you know I'd
never think that-"
"Uh- think what-"
"That you're totally fucked in the head." Rachel piped up.
"What?" Thalia's eyes widened, "What- you called Percy fucked up in the head when-"
"Annabeth!" Will's voice was horrified, "You know PTSD-"
"It wasn't about the PTSD!" Annabeth snapped, her gaze shifting away from Percy- as if she couldn't meet her eyes. "I said- I-" she couldn't even say it- and Percy felt a rush of warmth even if she was not happy that clearly Annabeth and Rachel had somehow found out she'd actually married Kronos/Alabaster. The fact that she cared so much still- maybe they didn't totally hate her.
"She said only someone fucked in the head would consider marrying Alabaster."
There was a long moment of silence- Annabeth and Rachel both flinched at the words, Luke went pale, and Nico, Will and Thalia's expressions turned horrified.
"What?" Nico's voice was barely a whisper, "What did- what did you just-"
"Percy-" Thalia's voice was hesitant, "What-"
"He didn't tell us." Rachel's voice was tight. "Ethan probably knows too I guess since he was there and they didn't tell us."
"I-" Luke's expression was guilty, "I couldn't-"
"What-" Thalia swallowed hard, "What exactly are you saying?"
"I'm saying that I married them." Percy's voice was soft and she let out a sigh, tilting her head back so that she could look at the ceiling, "Don't- don't fucking give me those pitying looks I don't want any pity. That was the choice okay? I chose to marry him so that I could get close enough to kill him and- and I'd do it again if I had to." she forced herself to look towards Annabeth, "Who told you?"
"I-"
"It had to have been Ethan, Frank, Hazel, Piper or Jason-"
"Piper and Jason know?" Rachel's voice was surprised, "How did they-"
"Gaea likes to bring it up every chance she gets- calls me her daughter in law frequently, talks about how I was her sons Queen, how I betrayed him. Says he loved me. When she sent the- whatever they were called to possess Jason- she said the usual stuff. I told them not to say a word about it."
"They knew and we didn't?" Nico stepped forward, "Percy- gods if we'd have known-"
"You'd have what?" Percy snapped the words- which was harsh she knew but- she hated the false platitudes. "There is literally nothing you can do to make what happened better. To make it less traumatic. To make it never have happened. What happened happened. There's no way to undo it I have to live with it forever no matter what. It's not fixable. I am married to them- there's no til death do us part there is no undoing it so just- just don't okay." she closed her eyes, forcing herself to take a deep breath, and it helped hide the fact that she was about to cry. She needed to get herself under control.
"I didn't know." Thalia's voice was quiet, uncertain, "Percy I-"
"If you're about to say you're sorry I will find something to throw at you I don't want your pity-"
"I'm not pitying you." and Percy opened her eyes to focus on Thalia. "I am sorry for what I said before- fuck I- when I saw Jason's eyes when he was possessed I kinda got why you freaked and now- you're badass you know that Jackson?"
"I- that's your reaction?" Percy let out a laugh despite herself- and suddenly she didn't want to cry so much.
"Uh, I think so. Not sure I could do that if I had your history with the creep. Sorry for being a bitch to you before. I- hard to stay mad knowing that you-" she shook her head.
"I- Thanks I think."
"I'm sorry." Annabeth focused on Percy again, "For what I said. I didn't mean it like that-"
"I know you didn't." Percy sighed softly. "I never thought you did-"
"If we'd have known-" Rachel started to speak but Percy held up her hands.
"Don't. What's done is done you two- I-" she swallowed hard, "I'm just- I'm just glad that you're not angry at me any more." She paused, "I mean, you seem like you're not. You might be."
That made Rachel laugh softly, shaking her head, "We're not mad anymore."
"She's right." Annabeth shot Percy a weak smile, "It still hurts like Hades but- I- I know you didn't just say those things to hurt us I-"
"Annabeth-"
"It's okay Seaweed brain. I think all three of us need time." and then Rachel was moving towards her, pressing her lips to Percy's cheek.
"We still love you by the way- you can't change that."
Percy felt like something was stuck in her throat, "Annabeth- Rache-"
"We know. We won't- we'll keep our distance." Annabeth's voice was firm, "Like you said maybe eventually we can be friends again. Just friends if that's what you want."
"I'd like that." Percy's smile was weak, "I'd really, really like that."
"And you-" Annabeth shot Luke a scathing look, "We had a right to know-"
"Annabeth don't-" Percy shook her head, "Don't-"
"No, we had a right to-"
"Why? Would it have helped with the pain?" Percy tilted her head, "Would knowing have made it easier on you guys?"
"No." Nico spoke up, "It actually kinda makes it worse." his expression was tight and Percy sighed and held open her arms- and Nico was suddenly in her arms, pressing his face into her shoulder as if he was ten years old again.
She folded her arms around him, pressing her lips to the top of his head, "Hey- it's okay Neeks I'm fine-"
"You were so scared of him and you- you had to-"
"Oh Nico-" Percy let out a slow breath, "Everyone else out. Please. I'm tired. As usual." she shook her head, "It- talking about this stuff isn't easy for me. You can all quiz me later if you want to but right now I want to go to sleep."
"You heard her." Will spoke up, "Everyone out- this is an infirmary, everyone barging in like this is bad enough. If Percy wants peace she gets peace."
"We'll see you later." Annabeth shot Percy a shaky smile, and Percy nodded as the blond grabbed Rachel's hand, her gray eyes shining- and Percy felt her breath catch.
"Archie."
"What?" Luke was halfway out the door but he paused, "Who's Archie?"
"I-" Percy blinked slowly, "I- he was- he was at Camp Jupiter-" she hadn't realised it at the time because of the amnesia but- she remembered that sense of familiarity- the gray eyes, and that red hair- it had been the same shade as Rachel's- and she remembered how she'd felt, alone in the baths, frozen, all of her instincts screaming at her to run before he could reach her, but she hadn't been able to move no matter how scared she was.
And she remembered Frank's question when they'd talked- that look on his face- and suddenly she felt dirty all over again. "Oh gods- oh gods it- he-" she'd been naked, exposed and vulnerable- she felt dirty, wrong all of a sudden. Archie just being some creep was one thing, but realising- understanding just who he really was. Knowing that he'd used fragments of the girls who she was in love with's appearances to manipulate her- knowing just who had seen her like that- who had nearly-
"Percy-" Nico pulled back slightly, "Percy are you okay?" his voice was worried, and the others were all stood in the door looking at her worried.
"I-" Percy shook her head, "Get out." her voice was quiet, "Please-"
"What-"
"Everyone- Everyone get out-"
"Percy-" Luke took a step forward, "What is-"
"Get out-"
"Okay- okay we get the message-" Will held up his hands before he moved to Nico and grabbed his arm.
"But-"
"GET OUT!" Percy screamed the words, and all bar one, the others fled- all bar Luke, who shut the door and shook his head.
"No. I am not leaving you Percy-"
"Get out-"
"No. You're upset about something you need-"
"He- I-" Percy could feel how tight her chest was as she realised how close she'd been to him having her, "I- I need to be alone-"
"No, you want to be, you need someone-"
"He was- if Frank hadn't- he- he would have- I didn't- I didn't know I- I didn't know it was him he-"
"Him-" Luke swallowed hard, "Alabaster-"
"I didn't even remember- he- if Frank hadn't arrived- it- the baths- I was in the baths and-" and suddenly Luke was on the bed next to her and his arms were around her, pressing her face into his shoulder as she let out a scream, grabbing onto him and clinging as she shattered, and when the tears started they wouldn't stop, and the scream wouldn't either- but Luke just held her, soothing his fingers through her hair and rocking her in his arms slowly, until her voice was hoarse her sobs turned into whimpers into shaky breath and finally evened out into the depths of sleep.