Disclaimer: I don't own the pjo characters

RECAP:

- Percy wants to escape his lamp

- Thalia tells Annabeth that Rachel had been driven mad because she fell in love with her genie

- There's a portal in genie world that Percy can take to escape his homeland and be free from his lamp but he needs to find the key to opening that portal in Annabeth's world first

- Annabeth has to move into Athena's place next week

Chapter Sixteen

Annabeth used to want to be a dancer.

She used to go to weekly ballet lessons with her adorable tutu and pointe shoes. Athena would be there to pick her up after every lesson. Then in the car, Annabeth scuttled up to the stereo, and with her pudgy fingers, put on the music she learned a dance to that day. Music and dance, Annabeth realised, was her drug. She saw people getting high on cocaine and watched drunkards run for another bottle. For her, music lifted her higher up than the clouds could ever go.

Then, came the divorce. It was a surprisingly smooth process. Athena wanted a career; she took off as soon as possible. Annabeth was left with her dad who could no longer take her to ballet classes. Too expensive. Took too much time. It didn't matter how long Annabeth cried. If, that day, Annabeth had her own genie, she would've made a wish. A wish to get to dance in that small studio again.

Frederick met Helen on a small roadside hut while lugging Annabeth on one of his business trips. She was barely seven when they got married and she was dressed head to toe in pink to stand by as the flower girl. Annabeth cried that day, too. Because her mother, Athena, hadn't attended the wedding. Annabeth put a candle on a cupcake and miserably blew out a wish: one where Athena would be a real mother to her just like she was when Annabeth was younger.

When Matthew and Bobby were born, Annabeth was at her lowest. Leo wasn't, reputation wise, the best company to be around. Their friendship at that point was a shaky road. A small, insecure part of her wondered why she wasn't better friends with Piper. Or Katie. Or even Thalia who almost everyone at this school loved. Maybe it was how she looked. Annabeth sat in front of the mirror one day, drawing out all the changes she'd make on herself with a marker. It was then that she made a promise for her next few wishes: her hair, her eyes. And most of all: her confidence.

Annabeth had her genie now. She had Percy in a lamp with seven more wishes to make. But strangely, despite all wishes she wanted to make before meeting Percy, Annabeth had no urge to make any official wishes now.

It was all a game to keep them contained, she realised. The wishes genies granted weren't wishes at all. They were illusions of safety and hope in a world where neither belonged.

aoaoaoaoaoaoao

Annabeth got a ride from Helen that took her back home from Thalia's. She went straight to her room, glancing at Percy's lamp on her bedside table, before diving into the shower. The water was warm but there were cold shivers going up and down her legs. It was as if she had taken a bath in a tub full of ice. Her skin was stinging and her bloodshot eyes watering. She watched water trickling into the drain, imagining how it would be to escape like the water was.

She stepped into her bedroom and slowly pulled on a pair of sweatpants and loose shirt. Yellow light reflected off of Percy's lamp, making it look almost silver rather than blue. Annabeth curled up on the bed, finger tracing the edge of the lamp. In her head, Thalia's voice was on replay, pulling Annabeth's mood down into the ground.

"Annabeth?"

"Hey, Percy."

"You're back." Smoke blew out of Percy's spout and he appeared by her bedside with a sombrero on his head. Annabeth raised her eyebrows at his hat but didn't comment. Percy collapsed into bed next to her. "You look like absolute death."

"I feel like absolute death." She paused, watching the way he tilted his head upwards on the pillow. "While I was out, I learned some things."

"Oh?"

Annabeth trailed off, watching Percy's fingers spark. He was doing something she couldn't understand. Everywhere his fingers went, he left a trail of sparkles in his wake. Percy was drawing in the air. He noticed her eyes trained on his air-drawings and spun his fingers around faster. Annabeth followed the path of sparkles like a child watching the fireworks for the first time.

"You're a genie," Annabeth said. She sat up, her thigh pressing Percy's side. There was a dubious tingling in her chest of innocent excitement. With everything happening: Thalia's strange request, moving in with Athena, and the constant fear of being followed, no one could blame Annabeth for wanting a bit of fun.

"Yeah, I'm a genie. We established that the day we met."

"Give me a magic show."

Percy was stunned. "What?"

"A magic show."

A small smile flickered at the ends of his mouth. "Damn, sweetheart. I didn't know you were such a child. A show with bunnies and top hats?"

"Put on a suit," Annabeth suggested. "But leave out the bunnies and top hats. I want a full blown magic show with sparkles and flying unicorns around my head."

Percy snapped his fingers and instantly he was wearing a suit, all decked out in a black coat and dress shoes. He grinned at her as fireworks went off around his head in the air. Percy offered her his hand and Annabeth took it without hesitation.

Wind whistled in Annabeth's ears and she opened her eyes to see the gorgeous living room inside Percy's lamp. She craned her head, looking for Percy around her but all she saw was his dog drooling on the carpet. His living room was a little different from when Annabeth was last there. This time, there was more gold than red and the lights were a dull yellow. Blackjack suddenly yipped from the ground. Annabeth bent to pick him up and the dog settled into her lap without complaint.

"Percy?" Annabeth frowned. "Where are you?"

Instantly, the entire scene around Annabeth melted. She gasped and her stomach lurched as if she was on a rollercoaster. She clung onto the couch and accidentally squeezed Blackjack's leg reaching for something to hold. Blackjack simply huffed and dove deeper into the folds of her legs.

Then, the couch disappeared and Annabeth was free falling with Blackjack perched in her arms. She screamed as she fell, wildly searching for Percy. The scene around her turned into the night sky with stars sparkling all around her and clouds below her. Air blew her curls all over her face; the ends of her hair stung her numb face.

"Geez," Percy's voice came from nearby.

Annabeth whipped around in midair to see him floating in the air next to her.

"Keep your screaming to a minimum," Percy told her. He leaned forward to brush Blackjack's fur. The dog whined. "It's just an illusion."

Percy disappeared, and in his place appeared an owl. Annabeth's mouth dropped open. She glided forward easily and the owl passed over her head. She saw a dragon underneath her with its wings spanning over three times her size. Then there was the moon that felt so close that she actually reached out to see if she could feel it. Instead, Annabeth fell faster. She passed the dragon that blew a smoke ring at her. When the smoke cleared, she was had fallen past the clouds. Below her, the city lay in its twinkling magnificence. It was coming closer and closer as she fell faster.

"Isn't this cool?"

Annabeth spun in midair. The wind made it hard for her to hear Percy but she could see him just fine. "How are you doing this?"

"A little trick Jason taught me when you were at school."

Percy reached forward and grabbed her by the waist. Annabeth leaned back to give Blackjack, who was bouncing around between them, space. Blackjack disappeared in midair and Annabeth yelped in surprise.

"Ow," Percy muttered. His voice trailed off in the thundering wind around them. "You're poking me in the ribs."

"What happened to Blackjack?"

"He's fine. Relax. You asked for a magic show. Let yourself enjoy this."

Percy flipped her around, and suddenly Annabeth was soaring over the city line. She could feel Percy's chest muscles against her back, and her arms tight around her waist. Annabeth's arms dangled in the air. She wondered if the all the people and city night life underneath them was a reflection of real life, or something Percy made up. They zoomed past the buildings.

Near the edge of Annabeth's vision, she saw buildings turn into the ocean. She closed her eyes and within seconds, she felt droplets on her face. Annabeth opened her mouth momentarily and immediately spit out salty water lapping her face. Percy did a little flip in the air and then dived headfirst under the ocean surface. Once again, Annabeth's entire world went flat seeing whatever illusions he was bringing up in front of her eyes.

Somewhere along the way, they left the ocean. Annabeth was aware of trees around them, crickets chirping, and leaves crunching, but she was far from paying attention to the illusion anymore. She was opening staring at Percy above her who was cluelessly humming. Annabeth closed her eyes to relax with the breeze, pushing herself closer to his chest and following his own arms around her waist.

Percy glanced down at her. He smiled. Annabeth returned it.

Suddenly Percy lost control. He disappeared momentarily before flashing back in front of Annabeth. Annabeth, without Percy there, fell to the ground. She couldn't figure out how the world around her was physical if it was an illusion. Her vision went pitch black for a second, panic rising in her clogged voice. Then Percy was in front of her, standing with his eyes wide and mouth open.

Annabeth stood. She stumbled forward and grabbed Percy's arm to snap him back into reality. "Percy?"

Her eyes adjusted. Annabeth and Percy were standing in the middle of a cavern-like area with its ceiling stretching so far above them Annabeth couldn't see where it ended. There were little structures like homes of half-slanted roofs littering one side of the path and a fence on the other side. There were even light posts on the path and decaying bushes. Annabeth bent to touch the ground. It wasn't rock. It was some strange black, ash-like material that rubbed off black on her fingers.

The entire cavern looked like a terrifying, black-grey universe of the world Annabeth was used to.

"Where are we?" Annabeth asked Percy.

He was still in awe.

"Percy. Snap out of it. Where is this place? Are we even in your lamp anymore?"

Percy's hand shot out and grabbed hers and in the dull light of a nearby lamp post, he looked scared. "I think that magic show illusion I was doing for you triggered buried memories. Although, I can't see any people here… or the guards?"

"What?"

"Annabeth," he breathed out. "This… this is my home."

aoaoaoaoaoaoao

Percy pulled her out of the illusion immediately. He collapsed on the couch which Annabeth was somehow already sitting on.

Annabeth's heart was running. The illusion was so realistic, she still hadn't recovered at seeing Percy's living room. She breathed out forcefully, reaching forward to gently brush his shoulder. "Percy? Did you say that was your genie homeland?"

"Yeah," Percy shuddered. "It didn't feel the same, though. It's different imagining it without any people there."

"It's like a ghost town version of my world," Annabeth said. Despite the fear stitched through Percy's eyes, she couldn't help the excitement clambering up her chest. "Percy, woah, that's… that's…."

"Not the whole picture."

Annabeth tilted her head in confusion.

"That wasn't the whole picture. It was one snapshot of where I come from." His features scrunched together in frustration. "I can't seem to remember anything else. I don't know how that image popped up. God, I feel like a fucking idiot. All I do it sit in this damned lamp while you're out there risking your life for me. It's ridiculous."

On the ground, Blackjack whined. He curled up on the ground and two paws came out of the fluff ball of his body to cover his ears.

"You know, Percy, there was something I wanted to tell you before I asked for that magic show. We may not have to risk our lives ever again. We're coming to an end." Annabeth relayed her conversation with Thalia. She left out Rachel and the strange request Thalia had the end; Annabeth wasn't sure how she'd go on to explain those things to Percy without making him feel like villain.

Percy's breathing went ragged by the end. They were both sitting on his couch, but he seemed closer than before when Annabeth finally finished. He was gaping, almost imperceptibly.

"And something good came out. Can you believe it? We just have to find what your key to opening the portal is. Thalia said you'd know what is just by touching it. It may take some time experimenting. Years, maybe. But at the end, I'll make sure you get out of this wretched lamp."

Percy openly stared at her. His green eyes were wide. "Could it be a person?"

"What?"

"The thing that forces the portal to open to me. Could it be a person?"

"I don't know." Annabeth trailed off seeing his expression. Chills seeped through her body. It felt like Percy could see right through her and find all the little details she neglected telling him. "Percy? Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry. I'm a mess. I haven't been able to help you in any way."

Annabeth leaned forward, dropping her chin on his shoulder despite her brain telling her not to. He stiffened under her touch. "You know, I'm a mess too. My grades at school are dropping. I've made more enemies in the past few months than I can count, and I'm scared out of my wits every second of the day. But somehow, it's the most alive I've ever felt."

This time, Percy completely his body to face her. He hesitated before his arms wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Annabeth gasped, trying to get on her knees on the couch only to fall further into his arms. She froze, her lips only a few centimetres away from his. A part of her went into panic mode.

"I'm going to try something. If you want me to stop, tell me now."

Annabeth couldn't form the words to make him stop. He was watching her expectantly, waiting for a signal. Technically, Rachel's genie infiltrated her mind because Rachel was in love with her genie. Annabeth wasn't in love with Percy. So, she supposed, it didn't matter if she kissed him just once. Just to know how it felt.

Annabeth put her arms around Percy's neck. She firmly planted her lips on his, smiling when she felt him responding enthusiastically. Her hands went down his muscled chest as he hooked her one leg and flung it over his lap. She pasted her chest against his before lightly retracting.

Percy's eyes were half-closed. "Hell, darling. Did that just happen? Don't tell me it was out of pity."

"I would've thought you were far more arrogant. After all, don't you think that genies are irresistible? I should've seen through all that crap spouting from your mouth the first time we met."

"Only you'd insulting someone after kissing them like that." Percy smirked into her neck. "You know, in the privacy of my lamp, we can do a lot more than kissing."

Annabeth met his eyes. Something foreign bubbled in her stomach, followed by a wave of regret and guilt. She would be a fool to say her feelings around Percy had been changing. Of course, Percy was attractive and strangely alluring. His smart aleck responses were addicting. Percy genuinely cared, or at least acted like he did, about Annabeth. Who else stood by Annabeth when Athena slapped her? Percy was a lot more caring than he led her on initially. Both Thalia and Leo picked up on Annabeth's growing feelings for him, and she couldn't ignore it any longer. Her throat closed up. She shouldn't have kissed Percy; she had to hold those feelings to bay for as long as she could.

"Hey, darling?"

"Hm?"

Percy pressed his lips to her temple. "I don't know what we are. I don't know if we're forbidden lovers now or what. But I do know that you're the absolute best thing to ever happen to me. I can't ever repay you for what you've done for me."

Annabeth faltered. How was she supposed to answer that? She shifted uncomfortably in his lap, but thankfully Percy wasn't waiting for answer. In the distance, she heard Helen's voice and Annabeth knew she had to leave. Percy gave her one last genuine smile before his fingers sparked and sent her outside the lamp.

I really shouldn't make any promises anymore :( I'm sorry :(

although, on another note, happy new year!

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