Disclaimer: I don't own the PJO characters

Chapter Four

There were a lot of things that scared Annabeth whether she was ready to admit it or not. Spiders was one fear that used to haunt her as a child and didn't falter even well into her teenage years. She was terrified of confined spaces too. Annabeth would sometimes wake up gasping from a nightmare where all the walls were closing in on her until her entire body crumbled. Then the fear of being alone. She couldn't be seen at school without someone with her or she'd be ducking in the bathroom and pretending she was looking for someone while praying no one realised she was alone.

And right now with Percy's grip tight around her arm, she wondered what he was afraid of. Did Luke rattle him so much? Percy had his eyes squeezed shut and her grip on her never faltered. His chest heaved up and down irregularly and one hand rested over his heart. He was not okay.

A door slammed from somewhere in the living room and Percy's eyes snapped open.

"Get back in your lamp," Annabeth told him in a low whisper. "We'll talk in my room."

Percy disappeared in a swirl and she picked his lamp. Tucking it under her arm, Annabeth ran a hand through her wild curls. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the kitchen so she could face Luke and bid him goodbye.

Instead of the gorgeous Luke Castellan, Annabeth came face to face with Helen. Annabeth went white, craning her neck to see the living room empty of anyone else. Luke's bag was gone from where he dropped it on the floor to read her report and the front door was latched shut.

"Who was that nice boy outside? He seemed to be in a hurry."

To go to Thalia's. Of course. Annabeth pursed her lips. "Someone from school wanted a copy of my Civil War report. If you don't mind, I'll be in my room."

Helen smiled. "He was nice. Helped me carry the groceries to the front door before leaving. I'll have dinner ready in an hour so come down by then."

"Okay. Thanks."

Annabeth hurried up the stairs and burst into her room. She locked it, pressing her back to the frame and waiting for anyone to come following her but luckily no one did. She distantly heard her twin brothers entering the home. She rubbed the side of Percy's lamp.

Percy's figure materialised in front of Annabeth. The smoke trail connecting him to his lamp seemed darker than before. She saw the trail before she saw Percy himself because it stood out so prominently in her white and yellow room. He sat on her bed. Percy looked better than a few minutes ago in the kitchen but he was biting his lip in trepidation.

"You okay?"

He nodded. Annabeth didn't miss his flickering gaze. She dropped down on the bed next to him, pulling at her fingers. How was she supposed to comfort him? She barely understood why he was upset in the first place. Instead, Annabeth nudged him and gave him an almost child-like, reassuring grin.

A smile tugged on one end of Percy's mouth. "Sorry, I freaked out on you back there. I was surprised, that's all."

"But why would Luke surprise you? And what did you mean when you said he was a genie?"

"It's a long story."

"I have all evening. Tomorrow is a Friday and I've got nothing due in school. Besides, you owe me an explanation. You ruined whatever chance I might've had with Luke"

Percy wrinkled his nose. "I'm surprised you're into Luke. He's nothing like the kind of person you'd be attracted to."

"As if you know the kind of person I'm attracted to. You don't even know who Luke is."

"I know Luke better than you do. He's not that great when you know what he is and what he's done," Percy cleared his throat. He glanced at his hands first and then lifted his gaze to meet her eyes. "I just realised something."

"What?"

He jutted his chin out towards her bedside table. The rule book Aphrodite gave her all those days ago sat by her lamp, one of its pages crumpled and sticking out from underneath the cover like dog ears. Annabeth faced Percy again, bewildered as to what he was trying to tell her.

"Rule number one," Percy recited having memorised the lines. "You must never ask your genie any questions. Genies are known to be quite sensitive and if they feel you are prying in their lives, they could have a violent outburst. To keep yourself safe from your unpredictable genie, phrase any question you have as an imperative statement with a command word."

Annabeth gasped. Percy didn't look like he was going to have a violent outburst but rather he was smiling in amusement. He laughed when she started on a string of apologies and for a moment the image of Percy whimpering on the kitchen floor seemed like it had never happened. There were no traces of his outburst barely twenty minutes ago.

"Don't worry about it," Percy said. "I like your questions. That's a stupid rule to keep genies in line." He reached out a hand for Annabeth to take. "Let me show you something. It'll explain everything."

Annabeth stared at his hand.

"I don't bite. Don't you trust me?"

"Honestly? No."

"Huh. Touché."

Annabeth took his hand.

aoaoaoaoaoaoao

The world around Annabeth spun. She felt like someone was tugging at her heart, wounding her up like a toy, as her stomach took rounds from her throat to her feet and back again. Annabeth was aware of Percy's hand in hers and she was clinging to him like there was glue between them. Everything came to a stop as quickly as it started but Annabeth refused to open her eyes or mouth for fear that the snack she ate a few hours ago would come out the wrong way.

"You can open your eyes now, angel," Percy told her.

Annabeth felt around. She was sprawled on the ground on some sort of carpeting. She opened her eyes and pushed herself to her knees before taking in the scene around her.

The oval room she was in was jaw-dropping. She had never seen somewhere so elegant and antique anywhere else. It was a living room with beige couches and bright red carpeting. There was a coffee table sitting in front of her with gold swirls up its legs and two open doorways leading elsewhere. Lamps dimly lit the room from where they were hung on the wall. Annabeth spotted a shirt tossed on of the two couches and a few books on the dining table. A painting of Percy's name sprawled in blue hung on the wall.

A yip came from nearby and a black ball came rolling out of one of two openings. No. It wasn't a ball rolling. Those were legs sticking out from underneath the ball. Percy's dog. The dog's eyes gleamed as it leaped over Annabeth's head.

"I was just here, buddy," Percy said. He pressed his dog's side to his cheek and stroked the fur on its face to reveal the dog's eyes.

"You weren't kidding when you said your dog was literally a fluffy ball."

Percy grinned. "Angel, this is Blackjack. He has a thing for sugar cubes and hates getting a trim no matter how much I insist." He leaned down to Annabeth on the ground and thrust Blackjack forward.

Annabeth placed her hand on Blackjack's head. "He's adorable. Where are we?"

"Inside my lamp. Look up."

Above Annabeth was a high ceiling of golden arches. But that wasn't what Percy was pointing at. On the corner was a large hole the size of a gold ball through which Annabeth could see her bookcase from her room. It was the spout where Percy usually came out of.

"We've shrunk," Annabeth said.

Percy tilted his head. "I'm not sure if shrunk is the right word. But I suppose yes, appearance is different in the lamp than outside." Blackjack purred in his hands. Annabeth almost asked Percy whether he was sure Blackjack was a dog because it was acting more like a cat than a dog.

"I love your place. I never thought the lamp would be so pretty from the inside. It's like a palace, gods."

Percy's dimples accentuated. "Thanks. Welcome to my humble abode, I guess."

He offered his hand and Annabeth took his help to stand. She fell onto the soft couch behind her and Percy followed her move, scratching Blackjack behind the ear (was that even an ear hidden underneath all that fur?) as the dog's little leg shook wildly.

"So."

"So?"

Annabeth asked, "Am I even allowed to be in your lamp?"

"According to the rule book, no. Rule number four states that you aren't allowed to enter our homes."

"Percy, I need to leave then. Why can't we talk outside?"

Percy didn't look at her. Blackjack continued yipping in his lap as he ran his hands down the dog's back. "We've already broken the question rule. No one is going to know you were here."

"But what if Helen walks into my room or something? I locked my door and she'll be knocking on it soon for dinner." She craned her neck to look out the spout. It seemed so far. So high.

"Annabeth."

Percy gave her a reassuring smile when she met his eyes. He leaned down to put Blackjack on the ground and the dog went running — rolling — out of the living room and into the same doorway it came through. The kitchen, Annabeth suspected.

"Why have you brought me here?"

"Don't freak out."

Annabeth nodded curtly. Percy was scaring her but she'd never say it out loud. She watched him closely as he raised his hands in the air and held them at a ninety degree angle. He closed his eyes.

The sound of metal clanging against metal came out of nowhere and the smoke trail connecting to Percy materialised. Annabeth yelped, backing away from Percy in surprise. Her heart skipped a beat.

The smoke trail was now chains. Chains with cuffs that circled Percy's wrist and went all the way to the ground. These weren't usual chains. They had a glowing outline even though the color was a dull grey. Every link of the chain weighed down to the floor like they could measure up to a hundred tons.

Annabeth followed the trail of the chains. They embedded themselves in the ground, disappearing underneath the couch and continuing behind it. She sat up, twisting to see it on the other side. The links were prodding out of the floor like a nail bent in the wall. They led up to a heavy, metal door that she hadn't noticed before. The chains wrapped themselves around the door, destroying the gorgeous wallpaper around it. Every place the chain went through the wall had been filled so there were no holes in the wall and no way to see what was beyond the door.

She couldn't speak for a moment. "Chains," Annabeth muttered. "You're chained to the lamp. That's what the smoke trail was."

He nodded. "Yeah. I've learned to make the chains somewhat disappear but it's such a powerful material that it leaves an obvious trail."

"I don't understand."

Percy twisted his fingers through some of the links on his right hand. "You've been taught that genies are creatures of isolation, right? Our lamp is our home. Our source of power. That's not a lie but it's misleading when you're told so little. When you see the big picture, it's a completely different truth. Maybe humans and genies were at peace at some point. Who knows? All I know for sure is that we're stuffed into a lamp, chained, and given to seventeen year olds to grant their wishes."

Annabeth stared at him with wide eyes. Chills seeped through her body and her grip on the couch cushions didn't falter.

"This material is called Silverbane. Depending on the amount I'm exposed to, it can limit my power. That's why I can't grant any wishes outside the rule book. I can't use my magic to my full ability. I can't escape either. It's the strongest material in existence."

"I'm so sorry, Percy," Annabeth whispered. It was genuine unlike the sarcastic apologies she gave his smart aleck taunts since she met him for the first time. "I'm so sorry you're tied up and chained. If only I could do something about it."

Percy shrugged. A small, lifeless smile spread across his face. "Hey, angel, you listening to me is already more than I was expecting from you."

"And what's beyond that metal door?"

Percy peered at it. "I don't know. It's been there for as long as I remember."

"Oh."

"I don't try to figure it out and I've given up trying to open it. The door is impossible to get through."

"And Luke… he's a genie? How do you know?"

"Right," Percy straightened. "Luke. He's definitely the same guy who came over. I don't remember much of him but I do recall his voice giving me tips on how better to wield my magic as a weapon. I don't know. As a child, I had always been a lot better than the normal genie. Luke warned me to never show anyone else what he taught me because otherwise the humans would put me somewhere other than a lamp. Then the next thing I know, he's whisked off to be chained to his own lamp."

Annabeth digested the information. "Luke's living among humans, though."

"That's the thing!" Percy said. His entire expression lit up and he leapt towards the couch Annabeth was perched on. "He escaped his lamp somehow! If you can just let me talk to him once, Annabeth, I swear I'll be in debt to you for the rest of my life."

"You want to escape?"

Percy rattled the chains. "Wouldn't you? I could be free. I've always been around Silverbane. I want to know what I can do with my magic when there's nothing restricting me." His voice was dreamy and hopeful as if he was sitting on a cloud thousand of miles away.

Annabeth swallowed. If his full ability could raise skyscrapers with his mind, it was safer to have him chained. She beat herself mentally for such a crude thought. No one deserved to be restrained.

"I need to get to Luke. Somehow. I hope he remembers me. I hope he helps me."

"Percy," Annabeth cut in. "You sound crazy."

He glared at her, lifting the chains. "Am I?"

Annabeth felt a pang in her heart. She ran a hand up and down her forearm. Her entire face was on fire. Was it the embarrassment of knowing the truth of his captivity while she roamed free? Pity? Or was it on a personal level, pity for Percy and regret for the way she treated him? Then again, he was the one who who called her a cauliflower and foiled his first impression. She wasn't at fault for her snarky one liners. Percy started that whole war.

"Okay," Annabeth licked her dry bottom lip. Despite Percy's upbeat talk, she was still skeptical hearing Luke was a genie. "I'll talk to Luke first. Nothing is happening until I know for sure what we're getting ourselves into. I can't promise anything."

Percy flung his arms around Annabeth and she squeaked in surprise. He smelled like the ocean and the ends of his soft hair tickled her cheek from how Annabeth still kneeled on his couch while he stood behind it. He was taller than her but the way they were positioned put them at the same level. His arms around her felt strangely comforting.

Instead of returning the hug, Annabeth pushed Percy away. "I'm still mad at you for messing my chance with Luke. Genie or not, he's hot. And then you ate my entire bowl of Hershey kisses. Don't get too excited."

His smirk was back. "Oh, I'm counting on it, darling."

aoaoaoaoaoaoao

Friday morning came round. Annabeth was up all night, playing with the handle of Percy's lamp as she lay cuddled in our own bed. He called out at one point, projecting his voice through the spout, telling her to quit tapping it because he was trying to get some sleep. She put the lamp away but it didn't matter because sleep still didn't come until much later.

It was near seven in the morning when Annabeth woke up to her father, Frederick, yelling at her from downstairs. She threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. In the past three years of school, Annabeth had never once been late. She wasn't going to make today the first time. It was a hassle pulling on her jeans and a shirt before tossing Percy's lamp in her backpack along with her school books for the day.

"Hey!" Percy's voice came from the lamp.

"Shut up. I'm a hurry."

"At least put my lamp the right way up. More than half my kitchen is in my living room now and my dog and I are leaning on the ceiling. "

Annabeth adjusted the lamp and went to zip her bag.

"Hey!"

"What do you want now?"

"Don't zip the bag. I like fresh air from outside."

Annabeth grabbed the lamp and set it on her desk this time. "You're gonna be annoying all day and I'm leaving you here."

"I've been told my crap talk is very endearing."

"Yeah, okay. I'm leaving without you."

Percy's voice sent her a joyous 'bye' as Annabeth ran out her room with her backpack slung over one arm. Helen was waiting for her downstairs with the car engine on and her two younger twin brothers sitting in the backseat. They both hooted her name as she sat down the passenger seat. Outside, Frederick slung his own jacket over his shoulder and set off on walking down the street with a briefcase in hand.

Helen brushed her hand over Annabeth's forehead to check for a fever. "Are you feeling okay? You slept in late today."

"Fine," Annabeth said. "Jolly. Absolutely fine and jolly."

Helen raised her eyebrow but didn't question Annabeth's strange response. Instead, the car pulled out of the driveway and both Mathew and Bobby in the backseat rushed to the window to get a glimpse of Frederick as they passed him on the street.

The school day passed as a bore. Piper slept through biology and then Annabeth spent all of English trying to figure out Frank Zhang's secret to acing every test. She ended up doodling through math and when the teacher came around, they saw a giant bird sitting on top of the bucket illustration for which Annabeth was supposed to find some angle. Leo wasn't at school that day so Annabeth wandered around during lunch until Piper and some girl named Katie invited her to sit with them. Her last two subjects of the day passed in a blur. Annabeth wasn't paying attention which was probably a bad idea because their teacher announced an upcoming test for a topic that completely went over Annabeth's head.

Her last lesson of the day, Annabeth slung her bag and blonde over her shoulder. She fell into the crowd moving towards the door. It was a Friday afternoon and she was ready to relax this weekend. It had been a crazy week getting Percy as her genie and then actually talking to Luke for the first time to making her first wish.

The teacher tagged her before she got out of the classroom. "Annabeth."

"Miss?"

"I've been told to alert you that the student you showed around a few days ago has decided to join Goode. Many of the new student's classes match yours save for a few electives here and there. Since you bonded so well with the new student, we were wondering if you could take her under your wing."

"Rachel?"

The teacher nodded. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare. As you probably noticed, she is challenged mentally and it would do her mother a favor knowing that someone is looking out for Rachel."

"I don't mind doing that but honestly I don't know if Rachel is okay with it. I'm not sure if she likes me."

"Nonsense. Her mother said Rachel was pleased to have been shown around by such an 'princess with pretty white hair', as she put it."

Annabeth laughed nervously. Rachel's face flashed in her mind. Her smile turning into the sinister but terrified scream when she saw the genie lamp in Annabeth's hands. Her frazzled red hair she sniffed and said was black. Her mother chasing after her, begging Rachel to calm down.

Someone's familiar voice passed by the open door of the classroom and Annabeth glanced down the hallway to see which way they went. She thanked the teacher and hurried out. Her teacher yelled out their goodbye but Annabeth was long gone already. She tripped over her own feet trying to catch up the voice and before she could stop herself, she grabbed Luke Castellan's arm in front of her.

Luke spun around. "Hey, Annabeth."

"Hi. Hi," Annabeth gulped. She should've thought through what she was going to say before barrelling towards him. Worst part, she couldn't even look Luke in the eyes for the fear she'd faint. It was one of those situations where someone was so hot they couldn't be looked at directly. "Hi. Again."

"Hi," Luke said, raising his eyebrow. His friend next to him gave Annabeth a small wave.

"I was just wondering," Annabeth said, dodging some high schoolers moving the opposite way. "How did your Civil War project go?"

"Oh. It was great, thank you. Your report helped me loads."

"You made quite an impression on Helen helping her with the groceries," Annabeth chuckled lightly. Her laugh faded seeing Luke didn't react. "She said it was sweet you to help her."

Luke smiled and Annabeth was sure someone did really faint behind her. "I'm glad I could help."

"You know I have a friend coming to town. He… said he knows you. His name is Percy Jackson. Maybe you know him too?"

"I don't know anyone named Percy Jackson, sorry."

Annabeth frowned. There wasn't a single hint of hesitance of uncertainty in Luke's voice. Either he was incredibly good at acting or Percy was mixing up his Luke with Annabeth's Luke (one day, Annabeth swears, that was going to become real at the alter) like she suspected he was. "Percy with the black hair and green eyes and magician dude doesn't ring a bell?"

"No. Maybe your friend was thinking of a different Luke."

"I'm sorry to have bothered you then."

"It's fine," Luke said."I like talking to you."

Annabeth's heart burst. "Oh?"

"Yeah. You're different to all my other friends. A good different. Pretty, intelligent, unique."

Annabeth blushed. "That's awfully kind of you."

"I only speak the truth," Luke winked. "I've got to get to football practice now. I'll see you around, okay?"

"Yeah. Have fun."

Luke saluted her before he separated and went down a separate route that she knew went to the changing rooms. Annabeth stood still for a moment. She couldn't believe what she just heard, feeling like a fairy princess. It only took one line from someone like Luke to make her feel so beautiful and loved. Damn, he was a magician.

Magician. Genie.

Annabeth smile dropped from her face. Luke hadn't given her any hints telling her he was a genie. Percy was going to be upset hearing it but she knew he wasn't going to leave the chase. It was almost unnerving remembering the determination written all over Percy's face. Annabeth dug out out her phone from her pocket. Percy was a problem for later tonight when she got home. Right now, her best friend needed an update. Moreover, Annabeth needed to know how much Leo knew about the captivity of his own genie, Hazel. It was impossible to think that Percy was the first one ever to have shown their human the chains that keep genies in their lamps.

Somehow, the more she thought about it, those chains around Percy's wrists felt so much more significant than her measly crush on Luke.

I need a favour! There's gonna be a part of this story where bromance happens and I need to know whether you guys prefer Percy and Jason bromance or Percy and Grover bromance. Let me know either in a review or I've put up a poll on my profile. Do vote because it would affect the way the story goes!

As always, thanks so much for all the amazing reviews :) I was so happy with them, I was jumping on my bed. Keep them coming! I hope this chapter kept up with your expectations! And I promise, this story is a PERCABETH story. I know it seems weird with all the Lukabeth but it'll be over soon!

Love you all :) See you next Friday!

~Ami