Sunrise

"…Percy, why are we looking into Bloody Mary myth again? …Who's apparently become very real, here in Toledo, Ohio where the myth originates?" Annabeth asked, surprisingly, only after she and Percy were already in Ohio to bust a ghost. Usually, she put up more of a fight than this, but Percy had been pretty adamant about this one for some reason, so here they were.

"Because it's the right thing to do? Come on, Annabeth! We're demi-gods, who have powers most people couldn't even dream of. While we're on a break from the gods playing with our lives for a change, why don't we do something else good? Of our own choice?"

Annabeth supposed that Percy was right: that they needed to explore anything supernatural going on here, since they were the demi-gods and some of the only ones who could stop it.

But a small, bitter part of her wondered why they now had had to become supernatural policeman, after a lifetime of getting quests from the gods. When could they finally rest?

"Come on, Wise Girl," Percy pleaded, as he wrapped an arm around Annabeth's shoulder and kissed her cheek, instantly melting her in so many different ways. It really wasn't fair. "We can see the sites and joke about how nothing ever happens in Ohio. It'll be great."

"That's mean," Annabeth protested, but not really meaning it, upon shoving Percy away while she smiled. "Imagine some passerby just happened to hear you say that nothing happens in their state!"

At this point, Percy had begun leading Annabeth to the mall she'd heard him gushing about going to before. And, okay. Maybe if they went shopping before they did something that might endanger their lives, Annabeth could allow this.

"Annabeth," Percy continued on, leading her into Macy's. "I think Ohioans joke about that kind of thing themselves. I've looked it up online. Apparently, the only thing they think they have going for them is their football team."

"Ooh! An escalator!" Annabeth chirped, the moment that she saw that this was one of the Macy's to have one. And instantly hating how much she sounded like one of Aphrodite's more ditzy, preppy daughters, and then despising herself for thinking that, too. "And oh, Percy. Do you smell that amazing chocolate coming from that pretzel store...

"Anyway, I still think it's something rude to say, Seaweed Brain, and I wouldn't do it. Also... as much as I'd rather be here than looking for ghosts, aren't we wasting time where we could be getting the ghoul? Unless you think someone here will know where to find her?"

…And that was exactly what happened. Later, when this cursed venture was behind them, Annabeth would wonder if Poseidon had supplied the girl—in still thinking his son could do better than her—but eventually, a young lady who was rocking aviators and a very hipster vibe approached the couple and just deadpanned, "You two look like some tourists looking for something spooky to keep you entertained. I'll give you the address to the Bloody Mary house."

And she did just that.

And about a half-an-hour later, Annabeth and Percy found themselves pulling up to the main event.

And if it, sadly, wasn't very real, Annabeth thought she might have thought it was funny, how cliché it all was: the steps leading up to the home being covered in leaves… And the house itself being a hideous brown color—that had way too many holes in the ceiling, a few wasp nests, and boards covering up parts of it.

"So… this is definitely a murder house," Percy stated the obvious. And Annabeth slapped him upside the head one for it. Why? Because it was his idea to be here.

"And yet we approach, like all those other hare-brained teenagers in horror movies, and throw our lives away. Percy, we know better!"

But Percy was not one to be deterred. And as much as Annabeth hated to admit it, it was something she loved about him. And really… in her heart of hearts, Annabeth was right there with Percy when it came to this.

Grasping Percy's hand as they both walked in through the door, and into what looked like—well—a haunted house, with the lights off everywhere, dust on every surface, and sheets covering up some spaces, the two of them found themselves being drawn to the mirror in the center of the room, that seemed to be the problem here.

And since it was, Annabeth had to ask the golden question, "Why do teenagers even have to come here and play Bloody Mary, where the tale apparently came from? Seems like a bad idea to me! Do we really have to save them?"

Percy at least had the good nature to laugh (though Annabeth thought he did it just to appease her), before he answered with, "Yes, Annabeth, because we've been stupid teens in a spook's lair enough times. Now, let's go."

"Fine…" Annabeth protested, suddenly feeling like she really didn't like the idea of ghosts. But she was a champ, and stared down the, shockingly, unoffensive mirror herself. It was rather thin—and rectangular—with ornate, golden work of angels on its sides, that Annabeth was truly moved by, even though she didn't ascribe to Christianity herself, of course.

"Alright, Wise Girl? You ready?" Percy tried to prepare Annabeth, squeezing her shoulder once, as he got out a water bottle, to use as water as necessary, in case there was nothing else for them to use here. Okay. "Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary," Percy said rather bravely… which shouldn't have surprised Annabeth, since that was clearly Percy's whole shtick. But later, Annabeth would realize that when nothing happened—and there had been numerous "reports" from other people saying something had occurred when they had done this—something was wrong.

"All that work and she doesn't even show up?" Percy complained later that night, loading all of their luggage into his car as Annabeth looked at their map, trying to find the quickest way back to New Rome and school. "I'm starting to think those guys in the New York pizzeria played a fast one on us… It's kind of dumb, Annabeth… but I'm sort of a horror movie nut here. I wanted to see her in all of her glory. Like, the girl from the Ring, maybe: with long, wet black hair, in a white dress… pale skin, and dark, dead eyes, as she tried to throttle you."

Annabeth was honestly only half-listening to what Percy was saying, instead trying to focus on the task at hand, but still trying to be a good fiancée by semi-caring. "And what did some of those guys at Koronet's say? That she only targeted you, if you had a secret that someone had died because of?" Annabeth hummed.

"Yeah… but honestly, how many people have a secret like that? We've been in more wars than I even want to think about, Annabeth. But I don't think even I have that… Clearly the whole thing was a hoax. Let's move on."

"Yeah," Annabeth agreed, lifting their cooler into the back seat and then getting into the passenger's side beside Percy, ready to be navigator.

And surely it must have been her trauma—and the fact that she never wanted to recall it—that made Annabeth block out the fact that she didhave such a secret.

It was later that night—moreso morning—around five, when Annabeth was driving and Percy was napping next to her, that the radio turned to static.

And at first, Annabeth didn't think much of this. How many times had the fact that they were half-bloods stopped technology from working correctly before?

But it was when Annabeth looked in the rearview mirror… and saw someone like Percy had described that afternoon, looking at her with sightless eyes, that Annabeth began to panic.

And at first, the wise girl tried to rationalize that she was dreaming. It was late, after all (though sort of concerning that she might have fallen asleep on the road! Though maybe they'd pulled over and she just didn't remember it). After all, she hadn't even summoned the creature, Percy had!

But then Annabeth heard the hoarsest whisper in her ears, somehow all around her, accusing her that Percy had died in Tartarus because of her. And that if she wasn't careful, he would again. "You should pay for such actions," the voice said. "Take the razor out of your suitcase and slit your wrists."

And, of course, Annabeth wanted to say "no", and to maybe try to wake up, or to even try to fight this thing, but she instead found her hands going for her luggage in a sort of trance. As tears stung her eyes, she screamed out a name, "Percy!"

And it was a testament to how much they'd been through together, and what they were to each other, that he woke up like the snap of a pair of fingers. Annabeth was able to break free enough to grab a knife and hurtle it at the demon, but it didn't do anything and went right through it.

Percy, seeing all of this, turned to Annabeth with a sort of fear she hadn't seen on his face in ages, And he looked so apologetic, too. "Annabeth, I'm so sorr-"

But the ghost was shrieking now, as she teleported atop Percy and began tearing at his skin. "She doesn't deserve your forgiveness! You fell into Tartarus! And you died while there, and she didn't tell you!"

Percy was in a lot of pain now. Annabeth could see it plainly. And it hurt her to witness it. But she concentrated and remembered how they had prepared for this, and searched for their guns loaded with bullets and salt, they'd brought in case their normal tricks didn't work, and began shooting the monster.

And just as Annabeth did that, Percy seemed to find his own strength. He seemed to be using some of his own water, his sweat, to collect, to push her off of him, and he shouted at her more and more thoroughly as she was away from him. "I chose to fall into Tartarus with Annabeth and I would do it again! If I did die… then it's a miracle I'm alive and we went through the Doors of Death together! I don't blame her for not wanting to relive that trauma. So, are we done here?!"

And all that—Percy defeating her own logic here, as well as the rock salt—made the demon disappear in a shock of light, screeching, as she almost seemed to be torn open before disappearing. Percy and Annabeth held onto each other tightly.

Somehow during all of this, Annabeth had pulled the car over to the shoulder of the road and, oh, was she glad for it. She couldn't have imagined going through all of that, while trying to drive the car.

After a few minutes, after they both had caught their breaths, Percy was apologizing again.

"Annabeth, I am so sorry. If I had any idea what would happen. Never in a million years, would I have-"

But Annabeth was already cutting him off with a kiss to his cheek, while she still shook slightly and Percy helped to still her. This was what they did, wasn't it? "Don't be, Percy. She was something that needed to be stopped. So, we did do some good here. It's why I've always been impressed by you, Seaweed Brain, and why I always will be. I love you." And she leaned her forehead against his.

Percy took a moment to digest that. And Annabeth wondered if he was taking a second to try and come up with some witty remark, but instead he just kissed her forehead and brought her in even closer. "Ditto, Wise Girl. Forever and always."

And the two of them watched the sun rise up on the darkness.

Author's Note: Since we both adore Percy Jackson, I always wanted to write you something for them, Liz. And I'm glad I was finally able to. But I've tried this piece for years (I think I even mentioned it to you), and it's finally done. Yay!

Anyway, a bit of an explanation for everyone here: while I love Percy Jackson, the reason I've never written fanfiction for it, is because I know I'd have to write them fighting myths all over the world… and I feel I don't know the world well enough to realistically do that. So, write what you know. I'm not from Toledo, Ohio (but somewhere in that neck of the woods, perhaps), so I can feel maybe authentic writing this, perhaps… but even then, everything might not be exactly right here.

And I totally ripped this version of the Bloody Mary story off of Supernatural. Not even gonna lie.

Hope you all enjoyed!