Chapter 2

"Hey Percy!" Annabeth said cheerfully, as she slid into the seat opposite her boyfriend, in the dining hall. Chiron sent her a pointed look, but didn't come over, and ask her to go back to sitting at the Athena table. When Percy didn't answer, or even lift his head, Annabeth furrowed her eyebrows, reaching across the table, and placing a hand on his wrist. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Percy took a shuddering breath, and lifted his head so that he faced Annabeth. The daughter of Athena gasped, when she saw the dark bags under Percy's usually bright green eyes.

"I'm fine," Percy answered dully, trying to smile, though it was weighed down with exhaustion. "How're you?"

"Percy, have you been sleeping?" Annabeth asked, ignoring her boyfriend's attempt at changing the subject. Percy shrugged, and grabbed his glass of water, taking a long sip, and ignoring Annabeth. Annabeth glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest, her stormy eyes boring into his sea green ones, until he shifted in discomfort.

"Annabeth, I don't really want to talk about it," Percy said quietly, dropping his gaze back to his plate. Annabeth sighed, her gaze softening.

"You haven't been sleeping, have you?"

Percy shook his head. "Nightmares," he answered simply. Annabeth frowned.

"But my nightmares about Tartarus ended weeks ago."

"So did mine," Percy said, trying to suppress a yawn. "But these nightmares started when I came to camp, and they're...I don't know. Different."

"Different how?" Annabeth pressured. Percy shrugged.

"I never feel like I'm alone when I wake up," he explained. "I always feel like someone's watching me."

"Is it Nico?" Annabeth asked, shooting a glance at the son of Hades, who was sitting at the Apollo table. Percy shook his head.

"No, I asked him if he'd been in my cabin at all, and he denied it."

"Do you think it's camp?" Annabeth asked, nerves fraying at her stomach. Percy shrugged.

"I dunno," he said quietly, shifting his food around the plate with his fork. "Maybe."

"Maybe you should go home for a few days," Annabeth suggested, rubbing circles in Percy's knuckles, after he'd placed his hand back on the table.

"Would Chiron let me?" Percy asked, slight hope in his voice.

"We should ask," Annabeth said, before standing, and dragging Percy over to Chiron's table. Percy groaned, but followed nonetheless, far too tired to even try and fight back.

"Annabeth, Percy," Chiron acknowledged. He looked over at Mr. D, who grunted.

"Annabelle. Peter," he said shortly. Percy and Annabeth shared a glance, but didn't say anything.

"Chiron, would it be alright if Percy, Grover and I took a trip to Percy's mom's house? Just for a week or two?"

Chiron frowned, taking in Percy's exhausted state. "What brought this on?"

"Percy hasn't been sleeping well," Annabeth explained, before Percy could even try to say anything. "I thought maybe if he spent a few nights back home with Sally that maybe it would help."

"How long have you been having trouble sleeping?" Chiron asked, turning to Percy. Percy shrugged.

"Since I came to camp," he answered quietly. Chiron nodded.

"I see," he mused. "And do you think going home might help?"

Percy shrugged. "It was Annabeth's idea."

Chiron sighed, running and hand over his face, and thinking it over for a few seconds, before turning to Annabeth.

"And Ms. Chase, you said Mr. Underwood would be joining you, correct?"

"Well, I haven't exactly asked him yet," Annabeth admitted, blushing. "But once he hears how Percy hasn't been sleeping well, I'm sure he'll agree."

"When are you planning to leave?" Chiron asked.

"When can we leave?" Annabeth fired back. Chiron's lips twitched up in a smile.

"If you think it would be wise to leave immediately, than go find Mr. Underwood, and meet me in the Big House."

Annabeth smiled, and grabbed Percy's hand, dragging him away, as she called over her shoulder, back to Chiron.

"Thanks Chiron!"

As soon as they were out of sight of the dinning pavilion, Annabeth made a beeline for Percy's cabin, dragging Percy with her.

"Where are we going?" Percy asked, trying to keep exhaustion out of his voice.

"I'm going to go find Grover," Annabeth explained, as she pushed Percy into his cabin, and onto his bed. "You're going to take a nap until we're ready to leave."

"Maybe I don't want to take a nap," Percy retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Annabeth turned from the door, placing both hands on her hips, and glaring down at him.

"Look at yourself in the mirror, and tell me you don't want a nap."

Percy looked away, dropping his hands into his lap. Annabeth sighed heavily, before stepping forwards, and taking his hands in hers. "Please Percy," she said quietly. "Just ten minutes. That's all I'm asking. Ten minutes, then Grover and I will come wake you up. Okay?"

Percy's dull, tired eyes met Annabeth's and the two stayed silent, until Percy nodded.

"Okay," he said quietly, lying down in bed, and rolling over so that his back was to Annabeth. Annabeth waited until his breathing evened out, and she was sure he was asleep, to quietly sneak out of the cabin, closing the door softly behind her.

Little did she know, she had left her boyfriend trapped in a world of nightmares.

He was falling. His first thought was that he was falling into Tartarus, but when he hit ground, everything around him was pitch dark. Percy shuddered, pulling himself to his feet.

'Dream,' he thought, as he rubbed his hands over his arms, trying to fend off the cold. 'Just a dream' he closed his eyes, and shuddered when a dark voice reverberated around him.

"Is it really just a dream, Perseus?" the voice taunted. "Or is it a nightmare?"

Suddenly, the dark was chased away with burning fire, and all around Percy, everyone he loved, everyone he'd ever sworn to protect, were burning, screaming his name, and blaming him for their pain.

It took Percy ten seconds, to realize he was screaming too. But not for his family. For the pain that radiated across his entire body, and across his mind.

Just as he was blacking out, he heard a smooth, melodious voice in the back of his head.

"I can save you, Perseus," the voice promised, as darkness began to fill the edges of Percy's vision. "All I need is for you to say the magic word."

Percy sat up, a scream trapped in his throat, eyes wide with fear. He sat in bed, chest heaving for air, as he wiped the sweat from his face, and stared around him in horror. After a few seconds, he managed to calm himself down long enough to untangle his legs from the sheets, and make his way to the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

With shaking hands, Percy turned on the tap and began to splash his face with ice cold water, letting himself get wet.

Shivering, Percy groped blindly along the sink, until his hand came in contact with the hand towel. He grabbed it, and pressed it to his face, simply holding it there, rather than wiping the water off right away. His heart had just gotten back to normal, when a sharp knock at the bathroom door made him jump backwards, sending him into the tub, the shower rod crashing down on him a second later.

"Percy, are you alright?!"

A second later, Annabeth and Grover rushed in, grabbing Percy's arms, and pulling him out of the tub.

"Dude," Grover said, taking in Percy's slightly trembling form. "You're pale and trembling."

Percy shook his head. "Nightmare," was all he was willing to share. Annabeth placed a hand on his shoulder, and he couldn't help but flinch away.

"Are they all the same?" she asked softly, trying not to be hurt that her boyfriend at been scared of her, if only for a second. Percy nodded, then shrugged.

"For the most part," he answered honestly, accepting the glass of water from Grover. "They all end the same."

"How?" Annabeth asked, as the three left the bathroom, and Percy sat down on his bed. He took a shaky breath, before explaining.

"There's a voice...in my head, in the dream. It says...it says, 'I can save you Perseus. All I need is for you to say the magic word'."

"What's the magic word?" Grover asked. Percy shrugged.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I always wake up after that."

The cabin was silent for a few minutes, before Annabeth placed a soft hand on Percy's knee.

"We're ready to leave whenever you are."

Percy nodded, quickly drinking his water, before placing the empty glass on the bedside table, and standing.

"I'm ready."

Annabeth nodded, giving him a light kiss. "Then let's go see your mom."