Taken

Chapter 20- Lost Dreams

-Annabeth POV-

I woke up to the sound of birds chirping in the distance. I could hear wind blowing through the trees, and I could smell the sweetness in the air that could only be one thing: my father's signature pancakes.

I smiled and opened my eyes, taking in the scenery around me. I was in my bed with way too many pillows to be sane, and all my books are perfectly in order in their bookcase, along with my desk that is neat and ready to go with designs.

My mother started letting me help her on architectural projects, and I had just finished designing a new building that the state is going to use for a computer library- the first of its kind.

Of course, she had to approve of everything before it was going to be sent in, but I was still sure of the finality of the designs none the less.

I got out of the bed and shivered when my bare feet touched the cool hardwood floors that my mother had insisted run through the house after Malcolm kept ruining the carpet with his "chemical inventions"… or in other words; a mess in a bottle.

"Annabeth, dear, are you awake?" My mother's voice called out from the hallway. A knock on the door soon followed and I knew my moment in peace had been ruined.

"I'm awake, mother! I'll get dressed and be down in a second!"

I heard a soft chuckle come from the other side of the door. "Why, you better hurry! Your father is going to burn the pancakes if you don't get moving!"

I laughed, remembering the last time my father had tried to make breakfast for everyone. Of course, it hadn't been his well-practiced pancakes, but the incident did involve the fire department who weren't too happy about the whole ordeal.

Smiling at the memory, I quickly got myself dressed and hurried down the stairs to scrounge up those pancakes that I have to wait every Saturday morning for.

"Hey sweatpea, how you doing?"

My father was wearing his favorite "Kiss the Chef" apron that my brother had gotten him last Christmas. Malcolm and everyone else thought it was hilarious whilst my father actually thought that it was more of a fact than a joke.

I walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek before grabbing banana from the table. "I'm great, dad. I have a feeling it's going to be a wonderful day!"

I heard my mother laugh from the nook where she had been reading the daily paper. "Someone's chipper this morning, don't you think, Frederick?"

My father chuckled and tossed a few pancakes on a plate before handing it to me. "Might this have something to do with that young man that you have been seeing lately?"

I choked on the piece of banana I had been chewing. "Oh, uhm, yeah, about that-"

"What a wonderful morning, everyone!"

I sighed in relief as my savoir walked down the stairs, striking blonde hair in a mess. "Malcolm, great timing as always."

He smiled and laughed at my father, obviously still not over the whole apron thing. "Hey dad, does that mean I gotta kiss you? Because I'm pretty sure that would be a bit awkward and all…"

Our father's face turned red and he looked between me and my mother with a bewildered look on his face. "Is it that bad, ladies?"

My mother laughed and got up from where she had been perched. "No, I don't see any problem with this apron, Frederick." She gave him a quick peck on the lips. "No problem at all."

Malcolm waved his arms and closed his eyes. "Okay, okay, enough with the PDA? Please? Annie and I don't really need to see this, right squirt?"

I took a tormented sigh and looked at him with an evil smile. "Oh, I don't think this is anything compared to what I saw you and Alexa doing last night, Malcolm."

Our parents both turned to look at Malcolm in a somewhat comical fashion. "Oh, Malcolm," Our mother seethed. "What might have you been doing last night?"

Malcolm's face turned bright red and he turned to me, giving me the angriest glare he could muster. But apparently he saw the comedy in this as well, and couldn't help but make it a tad playful. "I swear, I have no idea what Annie is talking about, Mom."

Our mother's hands went to her hips and her eyes narrowed at Malcolm as she went in for the kill. "Malcolm Chase, you better not have been sneaking around with Alexa the night before your wedding! You know that it's against the rules! No contact 24 hours before the ceremony!"

Malcolm scoffed. "Rules, schmules, mom! That is something only old people did!"

Our mother raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "Oh, well, your father and I followed that rule, and now what? Are you calling me old?"

I could hardly hide my laughter as Malcolm just shrugged, took a pancake, and ran up the stairs while my mother took off after him yelling the whole way.

"It seems like just any other morning, doesn't it sweatpea?"

I turned to smile at my dad but something else caught my eye first. "Fire!"

My father looked at me, confused. "What?"

I pointed at the stove where my father had left a tablecloth dangerously close to and apparently it caught flame. "Fire!"

He turned to look at where I was pointing at. "Ah!"

My father quickly grabbed the cup of orange juice someone had poured and dumped it on the rising flames. Then used the spatula to toss the burning tablecloth into the sink and watered it down, creating a puff of smoke that was too much for the fire alarms as they went off.

"Don't forget the stove!" I exclaimed, and my father quickly turned off the stove before relaxing as the imminent threat was now gone.

I relaxed in my position as well, completely ignoring the fact that the fire alarms were going off and obviously making enough noise to bother the nearest neighbors who were more than an acre away from here.

My mother and Malcolm came running down the stairs and Malcolm immediately came over to me and grabbed my arm ready to get out of here, but I shook my head. "Dad's got it under control this time."

Malcolm looked at my dad in shock and slowly started to laugh. The ridiculousness of the entire morning hit me as I started to laugh as well. My mother started to chuckle, leaving my father to start belly laughing.

But as funny as the moment was, my mother soon sobered up and her eyes began calculating everything around her. "Malcolm, go take your shower and get yourself ready- the other groomsmen will be over here in an hour." Malcolm's eyes widened a bit and he sprinted up the stairs and high-tailed it to the nearest shower.

"Annabeth, you go get yourself ready as well; the bridesmaids will be meeting at Alexa's home in one hour as well," My mother ordered. "And Frederick? Make sure everything is cleaned up and ready for the wedding, please."

I didn't stay long enough to hear anything else that my mother had to say, I was smart enough to know that I didn't particularly want to be in the middle of all of it.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I had quickly gotten ready to go meet up at Alexa's house to prepare for the wedding. My mother drove me the short distance and we quickly hopped out of the car and ran inside, knowing that even though we were on time, we still are probably pushing it for Alexa's stress levels.

"Oh, Annabeth, I'm so happy to see you!" Alexa exclaimed, and came running out to pull me in a hug. Her dark hair was in curlers and she had a glass of wine in her hand, making me smirk.

"It's nice to see you too, Alexa," I laughed. "Calming the nerves already?"

Alexa's smile widened. "It's never too early to calm the nerves, my dear."

She shared worthless words with my mother, whom was just elated that my older brother was finally going to get married to his long-time sweetheart. I wandered further into the home, and immediately saw the other bridesmaids, including Thalia Grace, my best friend.

"I never thought I'd see the day were you weren't fifteen minutes early to something," Thalia joked, and opened her arms wide to give me a hug.

"I'd like to say it's all my mom's fault, but then I'd be telling a complete lie," I laughed.

Thalia's hair had been curled to perfection, and her face was obviously half done with makeup. "Thalia, you should finish your makeup… I'd hate to see you run out of time and look like a clown."

She rolled her electric blue eyes and dragged me over to where the other bridesmaids were stationed. Alexa's older sister was her maid of honor, while her two best friends were the other bridesmaids besides Thalia and I.

I thought it was nice that Alexa allowed Thalia and Jason to be in the wedding, especially considering how much Malcolm cares about the two siblings. When their mother became a drunk and started to become abusive, Malcolm helped them out and now they live with him and Alexa in their home. When questioned about the decision, the couple explains that there was too much space for only two people. So why not make it four?

My relationship with Thalia had only blossomed from that point on, and that was how I met my boyfriend. Percy Jackson, Jason's best friend, started showing up in odd times in my life, and somehow the timing became right for the two of us after he broke up with his ex-girlfriend… and then we simply acted on our feelings.

Percy quickly became like a part of our family, and now the Seaweed Brain is one of Malcolm's groomsmen.

"Annabeth, hurry up and get your hair pretty, will ya?" My eyes widened at Thalia in front of me who had now a complete face of makeup. I was taken aback at how natural it looked, and I was surprised that Thalia had actually let Alexa's sister take charge of her makeup.

"You look hot, Thalia."

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Not nearly as hot as you will be! Now hurry up and sit down so I can do your hair."

I sat down quietly and looked in the little mirror in front of me with a smile. Everything felt perfect, and I knew that this was just the beginning of a beautiful future. I had everything I wanted and needed.

Within a half hour, Thalia had finished my hair that looked like a beautiful curled mess. She had curled my hair to make the coils even tighter than they are naturally, and she put it up in a half up-half down hairdo and like the other bridesmaids a string of twine was formed into a crown and placed flirtatiously into our hair.

I did my own makeup, and made sure that it looked natural enough before turning to the other bridesmaids who were fussing over Alexa, who was just doing the finishing touches on her makeup.

"Told ya that you would look hotter than me," Thalia joked, her eyes slightly wide. "Hell, I never thought I'd ever see you voluntarily wear makeup, Annabeth!"

Alexa's head turned at Thalia's exclamation, and her eyes widened when she saw me. "Jesus, Annabeth, I might have to second guess having you walk in front of me!"

The other bridesmaids nodded in response and were all smiling at me beautifully. "Thanks, Alexa, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. I mean, you look absolutely stunning and you're not even in your dress yet!"

She laughed and it sounded strangely like bells chiming in the wind. "Now I know why I keep you around," She joked.

My mother and Alexa's mother walked in the room wearing their outfits and started gushing over Alexa and how beautiful she looked. Well, it was more like Alexa's mother was doing the gushing and my mother was nodding in response. She wasn't really the type to overexpress her emotions.

"We are going to leave in thirty minutes for the Chase's house, so you ladies should put your clothes on and get going!" Alexa's mother exclaimed, her eyes already showing traces of tears.

Alexa's mother and older sister helped her put on her gown while everyone else slipped into their bridesmaid dresses. The dresses were beautiful, and Alexa decided that she wasn't going to pick a single one and make everyone wear it- so, she got different dresses for each person depending on their body type, but every color was the same faded blue that was a fine choice.

I put my dress on and smiled when I saw myself in the mirror. The dress was an A-Line style, which fits my body nicely. It was a tight, form fitting dress until the middle of my waist- just below my ribs when it softly flared out in a nice, A-Line fashion. It was a modest dress, starting just below my color bone and going down to the tops of my knees.

But after looking at myself in the mirror, I knew that modesty sometimes is better than showing everything.

"Girls, we should get going!" Alexa exclaimed, flushed with excitement. I barely held back a gasp at the sight of her, stunned to silence at the sheer beauty of her.

Her hair was curled to perfection, and I knew that the veil would fit perfectly. Her makeup was understated, but highlighted the natural beauty of her face, while her lips were a smooth pink color. Her dress was a beautiful A-line style, as she was long and lean like me. The dress was like her personality, simple but elegant, and I knew that Malcolm was going to pass out when he saw her.

Everyone started to leave the house and we decided that we were going to car pool back to my house, where the wedding was going to take place. The entire backyard was done to meet Alexa and Malcolm's needs, and it had a very rustic and natural feel.

Needless to say, I was in love with the results.

My mother drove me and a few other bridesmaids back to our home, where our yard and street was currently being used as a parking lot.

There were going to be 150 people at the wedding, so it wasn't exactly small, but it wasn't large either. My mother volunteered to use our home as a venue for the wedding, as it was secluded and large, and Alexa would have all the time in the world to plan her dream wedding.

I could only imagine what I would do for my wedding… and who would be waiting for me at the altar.

"Annabeth we need to get going!" Thalia exclaimed from behind me, making me realize that I was alone in the car.

I shook my head from my thoughts and quickly got out of the car and met everyone in the house. My parents were directing everyone where to go, and Alexa had been escorted to my mother's office, where chairs and beverages were waiting for the bridal party.

My brother should be in his room with the groomsmen, and by the calmness around me everything seems to be going off without a hitch… besides the smell of something being burnt, but my father did a good job cleaning up after his little problem this morning.

The pastor arrived fifteen minutes before the ceremony, and I was stuck on guard duty to make sure that no one would barge in my mother's office who weren't supposed to- namely, my brother.

"Annie, you look absolutely beautiful!"

I turned around to see my brother wearing his tux with his hair tamed to an extreme. He looked rather handsome. "Thank you, Malcolm. You're going to be amazed when you see Alexa, though."

A small, wistful smile played on Malcolm's face. "Lexa is very beautiful, very beautiful indeed."

"I'll see you on the other side," I joked, and gave him a large hug. "Enjoy it!"

He kissed me on the cheek then went off to go do his thing and probably get out to the altar. The ceremony was due to start in only a few minutes, now.

"The coast is clear!" A voice exclaimed from my mother's office. "It's time!"

The double doors leading to the office opened, and the bridesmaids came out with their bouquets and Alexa followed with her veil on as well. "I can't believe this is actually happening," Alexa spoke, her voice drifting off in wonder.

Thalia handed me a bouquet and the groomsmen came over to greet us. "Annabeth, you look… wow."

I turned my head to meet eyes with my boyfriend, and my mouth opened slightly at how handsome he looked when he cleaned up a bit. "You look 'wow' as well," I said shyly, and he swooped in to steal a kiss.

"With the looks you've already been getting, I have a feeling I'm not going to be leaving your side, Wise Girl," Percy joked. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I leaned into his touch with a smile.

"Aren't you two a sight for sore eyes?"

We whirled around to see Thalia and Jason, who were both standing with their arms crossed, which looked kind of creepy when they were giving the same knowing stare.

"You're just jealous I got the girl, Grace," Percy laughed, giving Jason a clap on the back and Thalia a hug. "Are you guys ready to strut your stuff?"

We laughed at him, causing a red tint to grow in his cheeks. "Whatever you say, seaweed brain!"

Within minutes we were walking down the aisle and going off in our separate directions at the altar. Malcolm looked like he was going to pass out when he saw Alexa, which is something I hope that was caught on video.

The ceremony went by relatively quick, and before we knew it we were at the reception hall down town.

"Are you okay, Annabeth? You seem a little off," my boyfriend commented as we were sitting at a table watching the happy couple take their first dance.

I smiled a bit then couldn't help myself when I frowned softly. "Does it ever seem like you are living life, and everything is just perfect? Like too perfect?"

Percy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "No, what do you mean?"

I sighed, and tried to find a good way to explain this. "I've just had this feeling lately, and it doesn't feel right. Like I'm not where I'm supposed to be."

"Not where you're supposed to be?" Percy asked, his voice tight with worry. "Annabeth, you're scaring me."

I was about to reply, but a sudden headache took me out of my senses.

"Come out, come out wherever you are, Annabeth Chase."

"Found you, Bethy."

"I wasn't finished with you last time. So now I have to start all over, and go back to the beginning. I was lucky enough to catch you with Perseus Jackson, the more the merrier, isn't that right, Bethy?"

I felt hands on my shoulders, and all I could see for a second was the worried eyes of my boyfriend. "Annabeth, what's going on? C'mon, talk to me."

I shook my head, trying to get rid of the migraine that had now settled into my head. "I, uhm, I have to go," I choked, freeing myself from his grasp. I didn't have to look at him to see the look of pain on his face.

"Annabeth, wait-"

I practically ran to the bathroom, just trying to get away from all of the noise and commotion. Everything started to blur together, and I collapsed on the floor of the women's bathroom. My breathing started to become shorter and shorter; and before I knew it I was hyperventilating.

The pain in my head just kept on worsening.

"HELP! SOMEONE, PLEASE!"

"Malcolm! You need to wake up, okay? Mommy wants us to come home!"

"Annie! Run!"

"He made me kill my stepmother."

"I trusted you, Chase. I trusted you, and you didn't trust me."

"I just don't know what to do, Chase. I just don't know what to do."

The flashes were cut off by someone knocking on the door that I was leaning on. "Annabeth, open up?"

I grumbled something incoherently and leaned my head against the door.

"Annabeth, please open the door!"

I reached up and weakly opened the door and barely caught myself when someone forced the door open. I heard someone gasp and immediately felt arms around my waist and shoulders. I could smell sea and I knew that Percy was there with me.

Suddenly, the pain subsided, but the flashes continued on.

"You're a great friend, Chase. You're one of a kind."

"Woah! What happened to Rachel?"

"Well she's pretty special, too."

"She broke up with you, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she did."

"But you still love her?"

"Yeah. Guess I do."

"So, I guess you have something worth fighting for, Jackson."

"Do you have something worth fighting for, Chase?"

A nod.

"So who might that be?"

"Unfortunately for me, he died ten years ago."

"Annabeth? Annabeth please answer me!"

"Oh my God, Annie! Jackson what happened to my sister?"

"I don't know, she just collapsed! Someone call an ambulance!"

I shook my head, I didn't want an ambulance. "No," I tried to say, waving my hand as if that were going to make the largest difference and call everything off.

"Annie, what happened?" Malcolm's worried voice echoed throughout my head.

"Annie we need to get out of here!"

"Annie, answer me!"

"This is Door 21!"

"Come on, Wise Girl! Stay with us, okay? Just keep your eyes open." I smiled at Percy, or Jackson, whatever I must be calling him in this dream.

"This isn't real, Jackson," I muttered, closing my eyes. I needed to get out of here… I needed to get back to reality so I could get out… so I could see my Percy again.

"What the hell, Annabeth? Of course this is real!"

I somehow found a new strength inside of me and opened my eyes, meeting the eyes of my loved ones around me. "No, it's not, Jackson. This is just a hallucination. A hallucination of my deepest desire… I should have known it was too perfect to be true."

Jackson shook his head, his sea green eyes that I had come to miss so much begging for me to see what he was so rightfully seeing. "Annabeth, this is real. You and I are real. We are real."

"What is Door 21, Malcolm?"

Malcolm's eyes widened and he looked around at the holes in the ceiling. "Door 21 is a bad place, Annie. That's why we need to get out of here!"

I nodded, and tried to look around for a way out. "Can't we just ask Luke if he would let us out? Why is it so important that we leave anyway? I like it in here. It's not as cold."

Malcolm put a hand on my shoulder. "Annie, this place makes you see things… it makes you see what you want most, and then it slowly-" his eyes widened when he looked at me, and he seemed to be looking for a better way to say something.

"Look, this place makes you sleep forever like Sleeping Beauty! It puts you to sleep, and you never wake up again."

I nodded, understanding it now. "We fall asleep until our Prince wakes us up!"

A small smile cracked on Malcolm's face as he nodded and continued to look for a way out.

"Door 21," I muttered.

"Door what?" Jackson asked, his voice disbelieving.

I shook my head at his dumbness and then held an arm out. "Help me up?"

He helped me up, too shocked to really do anything else. Malcolm and everyone else who had been around me were silent and looking at me in shock. I knew that they didn't know that I wasn't crazy, but it was my crazy hallucination that was looking at me right now.

I was starting to get that migraine again.

"Annabeth what are you doing?" Jackson asked as he and everyone else followed me to the wedding cake. But it wasn't the wedding cake that I was after- it was the knife.

"How are we supposed to wake up? Does a Prince wake us up?"

Malcolm shook his head. "I don't think Luke would let a Prince wake us up, Annie. The only way to get out of the hallucination, or sleep, is to give up on your dream."

I looked at my older brother, bewildered at his answer. "How do you give up on a dream?"

"That's the hardest part."

I was going to have to kill myself. I was going to have to give up on my dream.

I grabbed the knife and positioned it at my heart, and I felt a lone tear fall from my eye as I looked at everyone I loved. A small smile came to my face as I remembered that this would be the last time that I ever saw my brother.

He was shaking his head at me and his eyes were wide. "Annie, don't do this, please!" his arms were out as if he were about to pull me in for a hug that I knew I would never get again.

That's when I knew I couldn't hold the tears back any longer.

"Annabeth, don't do this, I love you," Jackson said, his voice calm, but his eyes betrayed him. They were calling out for me like sirens begging me to leave my life behind and be with him.

And God did I want to.

"I love you, too," I told him, my voice cracking. "I was always too bull headed to see it… but I love you so much, Jackson."

A smile came onto his face. "Then put down the knife, Annabeth. Just put it down, and we can be together… forever."

I shook my head once again, and my grip on the knife tightened. "I can't," I sobbed. "I can't! You need me too much for me to be selfish! I need to save myself to save you, you need to understand that, Jackson!"

Tears fell from his eyes and I felt like someone had already stabbed me in the heart. "Please, Annabeth. You're right, I need you! Just don't leave me!"

I shook my head. "I love you, Percy."

I griped the knife and took a deep breath.

"NO!"

And then I plunged it into my chest.

All I saw was darkness.