Percy knew something was wrong the moment he walked into their apartment. Annabeth was sitting on the couch, her phone was in her hands but she showing no real interest in it. But her indifference towards her phone was not what gave her away, it was her hoodie. She was wearing his old high school swim team hoodie, the one that she only wore when she had a bad day and needed something to give her comfort. It had been a while since he had seen her wear it.

"Hi." He dropped his work bag on the kitchen island and slowly made his way towards her.

She looked smaller, somehow, which was not something you would normally relate to Annabeth Chase (now Jackson). She always had that aura that made her look taller than she was. Even when they were younger and he had grown taller than her, there were times when he tended to forget he was a few inches taller than she was, especially when they were fighting side by side. But right now, seeing her hug herself on the couch with a lost look on her face, she looked younger, fragile.

"Hey," she said back and he could hear it, the slight tremble in her voice.

"Are you okay?" It was a stupid question, he knew she wasn't okay but he still asked.

"Not really."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know."

"Okay, is there something I can do to help you?"

"Hold me?"

Percy nodded and sat down next to her wrapping his arms around her, she leaned against him and Percy could feel her tremble. While he couldn't be certain he had an idea of what could be affecting her. Sometimes Annabeth would feel unwanted, lonely, and to be fair who could blame her? She had spent most of her childhood feeling unwanted by her family, being left behind by friends, by the people she loved, after going through so much trauma at a young age there was no surprise she had abandonment issues. He had woken up a few times to find Annabeth looking at him with wonder in her eyes, tracing his wedding ring as if to make sure he was real, that he was there with her, that he loved her.

"I love you, I'm here," he told her and those words seemed to break something in her, she started crying.

"I'm sorry, it's stupid," Annabeth said between sobs. "Because I know you're here and I know you love me but some days I just can't believe it and I get hit with this fear, with this terrible fear that one day you'll realize that I am not worth it and leave me and it's something that just takes over me."

When her sobs started to be too much to the point that she couldn't speak, Percy pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her, letting her rest her head against his chest and shoulder. She bent her legs so most of her body was being held by him. Seeing her like this broke his heart so much, he felt useless, knowing no matter what he did it wouldn't change the feeling that was taking over her brain. He knew by experience what she was going through, while his demons were different than hers and he had been diagnosed with chronic depression, he still knew what those emotions could do too well. How they would take over your heart and chest and make knots that wouldn't go away, the voices in your head feeding you lies that felt like truths in the moment. How no matter how much other people try to comfort you, you won't believe their words.

Percy wasn't sure how long they spent in that position, with Annabeth's heartbreaking sobs and with him only to be able to give some comfort with small words of love while caressing her back and arms. After a while her sobs started to be less frequent until they were almost gone and she was left sniffing with her head resting against his shoulder.

"Better?" He asked after minutes of silence.

"A little yeah." her voice was raspy but the hopelessness was no longer there. "But I feel exhausted and a little embarrassed and silly."

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about."

"But there is." She raised her head so she could face him. "Because I know it's irrational, I know, I truly know you love me, we're married for fucks sake, and yet sometimes it's like my brain refuses to accept that."

"Annabeth, do you remember what you tell me when I have a bad episode with my depression?"

She looked a little embarrassed when she spoke. "That no matter what your brain is telling you your emotions are always valid."

"And that also applies to you. It doesn't matter if you think they're irrational, what matters is that you're feeling them in this moment." He gently tucked some strands of hair behind her ear. "Just because you feel embarrassed or silly for feeling better after crying doesn't mean you weren't allowed to feel like that in the first place, especially because crying really helps."

Annabeth chuckled sadly. "One of your mom's favorite pieces of advice is to cry it out."

"And you and I both know my mom gives the best advice."

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for."

"Still."

"I know."

Annabeth stretched her legs out and cuddled closer to him. "I love you."

Percy kissed the top of her head. "And I love you too, so much. And I want to remind you that there are days I can't believe how lucky I am to have you. That you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I mean it. That your laugh can brighten my day like nothing else and I still feel butterflies when I remember that you are my wife. That being by your side while you slowly make your dreams come true is absolutely an honor. And that I want to spend the rest of my life by your side and support you in any way that I can."

His hands gently cupped her cheeks. "And when your brain is being mean to you I will always remind you all of this over and over as many times as you need."

Her eyes were shining with emotions he knew she wanted to say to him, but was unable to at the moment because of how overwhelmed she felt. But he knew her, he knew her like no one really else and could see the emotions she was trying to express: gratitude, love, fondness, relief, embarrassment, guilt.

"Can you kiss me?" Annabeth asked shyly and Percy's heart broke all over again when he heard the vulnerability in her voice.

He closed the space between them and gently kissed her, her lips moved slowly against his and he could feel her body starting to relax against his. He kept the pace slow, gentle, trying to make Annabeth know he would always be here for her, no matter what. After a while he broke the kiss and started to gently kiss her cheeks, eyes, nose. He pecked her lips a few times before dropping one last kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you," Annabeth said when they finally pulled apart.

"Anytime."

Percy studied her, she looked exhausted, her eyes were red and puffy but her eyes didn't look lost anymore and the aura around her felt less heavy. He knew she would feel like this again at some point, after all this was not the first time she had felt like that and he knew it wasn't going to be last time. His therapist liked to remind him that mental illness was like a roller coaster, sometimes up and sometimes down but the emptiness he felt was not going to be there forever.

"Do you want to go and lay down while I uber eat some Taco Bell?"

Annabeth nodded and started to unwrap her body from his. She made a face and Percy's realized his worry showed because she gave him a small smile. "It's okay, my leg fell asleep."

"Ouch."

Annabeth shrugged and took his hand to squeeze three times before making her way back to their room.

"Hey," Percy said before Annabeth disappeared into their room. "Tomorrow will be better."

While dealing with the aftermath of Tartarus, Annabeth had turned to books to help her focus on something instead of reliving their trauma over and over, and it had been one quote by Morgan Matson that had grabbed her attention 'At some point, tomorrow will be better' it was the quote Annabeth told Percy when nightmares plagued him and his depression acted up, the same quote he started telling her after her panic attacks and nightmares, they ended up shorter to four words, four words that helped them move on.

There was a small smile on Annabeth's lips when she said the same words back to him. "Tomorrow will be better."

"Tomorrow will be better."

"But what if it's not?" I asked.

"Then you say it again tomorrow. Because it might be. You never know, right? At some point, tomorrow will be better."

― Morgan Matson, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour