"Hold him." My eyes shot open as the ripping burning pain intensified. I struggled to free myself from the hands that held me down. I cried out struggling desperately to escape the raw gnawing feeling over my chest. I grabbed the arms pressing against my shoulders and dug my fingers into them, trying to pull them off of me.
"Let go! Get off me!" I grunted, fighting to sit up. I was forced harshly into the ground. I cried out in pain. I thrashed my head to the side, feeling blood trickle out of the corner of my mouth.
"Percy, it's alright. Stop fighting it's okay." I was able to focus my eyes on Annabeth her wild blond hair surrounded her face like a halo of light. I began to recognize the people around me. At least half of the Apollo cabin was holding me down. I lifted my head off the ground, tried to look at the damage but fell back with a grimace. "Shh... Just lay still, you're going to be alright," she was looking at the blood pooling in the ground.
"Annabeth-" my voice was strained. My mouth tasted coppery.
"I'm here," she regained my attention. There was more tugging at my chest I winced and tried to turn away. I sucked in air through my teeth. And lifted my hand, the armor wasn't as warm and I gently ran my fingers over my chest. The metal was ripped open and blood spilled over my hand. The people around me were acting quickly,
"We have to stop the bleeding," one said. "Someone put pressure on the wound." A cloth was placed over my chest and pressed down harshly.
"Ah-" a sharp sound escaped my throat as my whole body seemed to flinch. I instinctively pushed the hands away. My head was throbbing, the scene began to tip and turn. There were too many crowding me, restraining me. I bent my knee, bracing against the agony. I cried out through clenched teeth.
"Percy they're just trying to help you," Annabeth said softly. I turned my head to the side and spit out blood. Will moved to stop the bleeding himself. Annabeth took my hand. I grasped it tightly, but she didn't pull away.
"I can't see what we're dealing with," Will said frustrated. He prodded at the torn flesh. I tried to twist away from him. "Percy you gotta hold still man," Will leaned over me his face was contorted with a mix of sympathy and disgust. He clenched his jaw and looked up talking to one of the people holding down my arms. "We have to get this armor off," He sat back on his heels and looked down at me. "This is going to hurt." I started to shake my head, my eyes pleading. He undid the leather straps up by my shoulders and slowly lifted the half melted metal plate off of my torn flesh. I screamed and thrashed wildly, I couldn't breath, my throat was raw. I grit my teeth but couldn't contain the sounds of agony. "Keep him still!" Will's voice commanded. The weight on my shoulders intensified, I stopped thrashing. Tears brimmed my eyes, I was gasping, my chest heaved. I closed my eyes tight, when the pressure was finally released. "Got it," Will said above me. I could feel myself slipping away again. Annabeth brushed hair off my sweaty forehead. I relaxed into her touch. My eyes were glassy, the people around me all took a step back. Will pressed the heels of his hands against my chest. I could barely feel anything anymore, just a dull throbbing. Will cursed under his breath as blood seeped through his fingers. I moved my arm slowly stretching my hand out towards the river. I coughed and felt blood run over my chin. My head felt fuzzy.
"Water-" I said quietly. Annabeth followed my eyes,
"Will we have to move him to the water," she said. Will hesitated, still pressing firmly on the wound.
"Ok," he decided, looking at the puddle of blood around me.
"Let's get him into the water," Will said to the people standing nearby. He stood and soon I was being carefully lifted and carried towards the water. Even though I was only half conscious the sound of the lightly trickling stream sent shivers up my spine. I was put down into the shallow water. At first it burned, and I gasped struggling to keep my head above the water. But the hands pinned me, and soon I realized the coolness was amazing. It gently flowed over my wounds. My body relaxed, I could feel the strength flood into me. I was pulled onto the bank water from my hair ran down my face I opened my eyes I was shivering, Annabeth was smiling at me,
"Seaweed Brain," she said. My heavy eyelids flickered and finally closed.
I woke up to the quiet murmur of voices. My head was fuzzy and warm. My eyes drifted open, I was in the big house. I shifted my weight wincing at the discomfort. "Finally awake?" I looked over at Annabeth she was sitting in a chair with her feet crossed and propped up on the bed beside me, with a book in her hands. "How are you feeling?"
"Surprisingly good for someone that's just been struck by lightning." She smiled at me from over her book, skimming the page she was on. I tried to sit up but fell back coughing. I fought my breath and rubbed the heel of my hand over my chest. Annabeth just gazed at me her wise, grey eyes following my movements. "Where- *cough* Is Thalia?" Annabeth's expression didn't change. "Is she okay?" I asked again. She sighed and set her book down. Pulling her feet from the bed she leaned forward.
"She's fine," she said shortly. She moved and picked up a glass of nectar from the bedside table she held it for me to take a drink. I took a few sips and then pushed it away. She set the glass back on the table and sat on the bed next to me. I sank into the pillows and ran my eyes over her stormy expression.
"What's eating you?" I asked.
"Percy," she paused. "what were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed."
"I didn't mean for it to go that far," Her eyebrows knit together, her eyes became dewy. "What's the matter?" I asked gently, her body language was stiff.
"It's just-" she stopped
"What?" She took a deep breath
"When you were fighting, Thalia she became someone else, I've never seen her like that." I thought back to how frightening Thalia had looked.
"And when she hit you, she looked... Pleased..." I stared at her. She took a shaky breath, directing her eyes away. She wrapped her arms around herself like she was cold.
"Wise girl," I said, she looked at me. "Thalia..." I trailed off not knowing exactly what to say. "That person that you saw, that's not her. She wasn't herself. She was just angry."
"She could have killed you!"
"She wasn't trying to. It was an accident."
"She should have just walked away. She-"
I cut her off, "Annabeth." My look said it all. "You can't put this all on her, you saw what I did. I could have walked away. Don't blame her for this," I gestured to the bandages wrapped around my chest.
"You're right," She said pushing her hair away from her face. "I just never thought she could do that to another person, a friend."
"Well to be fair I was kinda asking for it," I smiled. She relaxed back into her chair and propped her feet back on the bed. I sighed and leaned back into the pillows. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to Annabeth nudging me with her foot.
"Hmm," I said pulling my eyes open. She moved again twitching in her sleep. He had her head propped on her hand, slouched in the chair she was breathing softly. "Annabeth," I said gently. She opened her eyes and looked over at me.
"What?" She yawned.
"What time is it?" I asked.
"I don't know," she rubbed her eyes. "Maybe 3 am? I'm not sure." I traced a pattern on Annabeth's shin. She looked at me tiredly, book abandoned had slipped to the floor.
"You look terrible," I said, she gave me a look.
"Thanks," She said sarcastically.
"Why don't you get some sleep?" She sat up and stretched. She glanced out the dark window and yawned.
"I don't want to get up," She said running hand through her hair. I slid over on the bed.
"There's Plenty of room," I said mischievously. She gave me a strange look. "Come on it's more comfortable than the chair." She sighed. I patted the side of the bed with my hand.
"Ok," She said. "But only because I don't want to wake up my entire cabin in the middle of the night." She climbed into the bed next to me. It was a little awkward at first, her face was just inches from mine. She traced the bandaged lightly, "does it hurt?" She asked.
"Not so much anymore," I said. She closed her eyes and was asleep in 10 minutes. I smiled as her head fell on my shoulder. I woke up to sunlight streaming through the window. Annabeth, still asleep was strewn across me. Her leg was on mine and her arm was wrapped around me and her head was in the crook of my neck. Her hair was messy and it tickled my neck. Knowing she wouldn't want people to see her like this I nudged her."Annabeth, time to wake up." She groaned softly and nuzzled her face against my neck. "Come on," my arm was around her shoulders and I squeezed her, shaking her lightly. She took a deep breath through her nose and opened her eyes. "Good morning," I said. She groaned and sat up on the bed, she looked out the window. "You drool when you sleep," I said with a grin. She hit me playfully and mumbled,
"Shut up." she laid back done on her back and turned her face towards me. She didn't say anything, we just layed there in comfortable silence. Someone cleared their throat from the doorway. Annabeth jumped out off the bed,
"I just came to see how you were doing Percy," Chiron said eyeing Annabeth's wrinkled clothes and bed head.
"I'm ok, a lot better actually," I said.
"Glad to hear that. When you can I'd like to see you in my office. No rush," He turned to exit the room, but stopped and added, "and I hate to be the bad guy here but I might also add that the rules forbid campers-"
"Uh, we were just talking," I stammered.
"Right. Well then like I said my office," Chiron exited. I turned so my feet were hanging over the side of the bed.
"Annabeth I never pegged you for such a rule breaker."
"Oh my gods! I can't believe that just happened," she was blushing. I snickered at her. I slid so my feet touched the ground. "Whoah what are you doing?" Annabeth questioned me.
"Uh, taking a shower."
"Should you be getting up so soon? You lost a lot of blood. Not to mention a concussion, electrocution, possible infection or nerve damage-"
"Wise girl, I'm fine," I pushed myself to my feet. My vision blacked out and my stomach dropped. I felt my knees start to buckle and I fell forward.
"Percy!" Annabeth prevented me from face planting.
"I'm ok," I said as she pushed me back on the bed. I put my head in my hands. "I just got a little dizzy for a minute there."
"I'm getting Will," Annabeth said, taking a step toward the door.
"No wait," I caught her hand," Just help me up." She hesitated but then offered out her hand. I took it and she pulled me to my feet. I swayed and grabbed onto her to steady myself. She walked with me to the bathroom door where I braced myself against the door frame. She eased my arm off her shoulders.
"I'll um, have Grover get you some clothes and bring them over," She said.
"Thanks." I entered the bathroom closing the door behind me. I took off my shirt and looked in the mirror, I was extremely pale even with the nectar. I carefully unwrapped the bandages and looked at the pink and red marks branching from my breastbone out across why whole chest. The marks were fading but slowly. I turned on the shower as hot as I could stand it and just let the water run over me.
When I got out I wrapped a towel around my hips and exited the steamy bathroom. There was a pile of clothes on the bed and I pulled on the shorts and shook the water from my hair. I picked up the camp t-shirt when there was a knock at the door.
"Yah? Come in," I said pulling the shirt over my head. Thalia appeared in the doorway. I locked eyes with her, she had her mouth open as if she was about to say something but stopped when she saw the marks. I pulled the shirt the rest of the way down and turned to her.
"Jackson," she started "I just wanted- I mean," she faltered. She pursued her lips and looked around the room. "Chiron wants to see us," She said.
"Alright I'll be there in a minute."
"And um... I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean for it to get away from me like that. I just- when I say you get hit I panicked."
"Look I get it. It's ok. I forgive you," I said picking up riptide of the bedside table and slipping it in my pocket.
"I shouldn't have run," she said emotion thick on her voice. "I just didn't know what to do," she created her throat angrily. And exhaled sharply. "I thought I had killed you." she finished.
"And you were afraid that you would never get a chance to redeem yourself after that colossal failure of a fight," I said lightly.
"Wha-" she said taken aback. "But I ended it."
"Oh Thalia, unfortunately I had you pinned. And then you decided to go all psycho lighting girl."
"But I got the last hit!"
"Ooh someone's feeling defensive." I put my hands up "that's okay I get it, can't let the whole camp know that Thalia Grace daughter of the all powerful Zeus can't hold her own in a fight." The lights flickered. I smiled "careful Thalia, I could flood this camp if I wanted to. How good is your swimming?" She sighed a smile playing on the corners of her mouth.
"Percy Jackson you are hopeless."
"So I've been told." She punched me lightly in the arm. "Ow," I said rubbing it. She laughed, turned and walked out.
