Chapter 7

Annabeth

As Percy walked away, I stood there seething with anger. I am still trying to figure out why it happened but the only thing I do know is that Drew started this. Drew, the bitch that has tormented everyone who is different at camp and is the stereotypical Aphrodite girl. I am more upset knowing that Drew is the last person Silena would ever want to run her cabin and now she is running it into the ground. I wanted to hit her on more the one occasion but especially when she was awful to Piper, but I knew Piper wouldn't want me to because it was her battle. But now Drew has crossed the line. Not only did she try to seduce my boyfriend but also she spread awful rumors about him and has made him share one of his darkest secrets to everyone. I storm over to her and I get right up into her face. I am a little taller then she, which works to my advantage. I glare down at her and she looks at me with fearful eyes.

"IF YOU EVER HURT SOMEONE THAT I LOVE AGAIN I WILL HIT YO SO HARD THAT YOU WILL NEVER REAPPLY MASCARA CORRECTLY AGAIN!"I scream.

I turn away from her and take one step forward before she gains enough courage to speak up and says.

" You don't scare me bitch! " she teases and I lose it.

I spin around and punch her hard in the face. She immediately falls to the ground, holding her cheek and eye while blood ran down her nose.

"Scared of me now?" I smirk as I stand over her. I turn away from her and walk towards the beach where I assume Percy is. After a little walk, I found Percy sitting on the beach, looking out at that the water. I come up behind him and wrap my arms around his shoulders.

"I'm sorry for what happened back there. I know that must have been hard for you to do. But if it makes you feel better, I just punched Drew for you."

He smiles and laughs, " Shit, Wise Girl. "

" I know you would have done the same for me. But really Percy, I am sorry you had to reveal what happened to all of them like that. I know you were waiting for the right time and that wasn't what you had in mind."

He moves his shoulders up like he was shrugging and says, " It's been a couple of years and they were going to find out sooner or later. " He then put his hands on my arms around his neck and continues, " Thanks for being there for me. I don't think I would have been so calm if you weren't there. "

I get off his shoulders and move to face him. I sit down in front of him and put my hand on his cheek.

"Percy, I am always going to be here for you. "

He kisses the palm of my hand, " Thank you."

I sit between his legs and face the roaring waves as he wraps his strong arms around me and put his head against my shoulder.

" So how was Olympus?" he asks.

" You know same old same old. Gods complaining about their representation and stuff. And then I saw my mother and had some heated words with her so just your typical visit."

"Did those words involve our relationship?"

I laugh humorlessly, " As they always do."

He goes quiet for a moment, as if he's thinking about something. He then speaks up, "Annabeth, Serpens isn't the force that is still causing my dreams. I talked to Chiron and my dad last night, and they told me it's an old ocean spirit. I tried asking them the spirit's name and how do I find him but they wouldn't tell me. Chiron said that you don't search for him, he comes and finds you."

I take in this information," So what do we do now?"

" I don't know. " He deadpans and sounds defeated, "But he's out there and one of these days we are going to face him. I guess the best we can do is be prepared."

I nod, " Well let's forget about all of that right now. Let's forget about stupid Drew and that spirit, school, camp, everything." I turn to look up at him and continue, " Let's just live in this moment because I don't want it to end."

He kisses my hair and then responds, " Alright. I want to remember this moment where I sat at my favorite beach with my beautiful girlfriend and watched one of the most perfect sunsets I have seen in a long time."

I looked at the sky as it turns a beautiful shade of pink and orange. I snuggle closer to Percy as we both sit and watch to sky to forget about the chaos surrounding us.

Annabeth

After three weeks of being gone, my day started off pretty normally. I went to my classes and was enjoying my first day back. I decided to skip lunch and go to my dorm for a quick nap in between classes. As I opened my dorm, I noticed that the window was open and I called out for Piper.

"Piper? Did you leave the window open on purpose?" Instead of hearing her bubbly laugh, I hear an low dark chuckle and I quickly turn around. But something hits my head hard and my vision went black before I can register what is happening.

Percy

I was walking to my last class when my phone started to ring. I take it out and see that it was Annabeth calling me. I smile and pick it up and said, " Hey, Wise Girl."

" Ah the great Percy Jackson. So we finally get to meet each other after all of these years. " I freeze. Instead of Annabeth's bright expression, a dark, ancient voice answers the other end.

" Where is she!" I scream into the phone.

" Well, I will give you a little clue. She is in your favorite spot on campus. Oh and if I were you, I would hurry. "

"What do you mean?" I demand through my clenched jaw and teeth.

" Well, she has been down there for a few minutes. At this rate she will either suffer permanent brain damage or die so I would say her time is all most up."

I hung up the phone and began sprinting across the quad towards the pond. It's my favorite place because it's not very known so I can be alone. I run faster then I ever have because I know time was precious, another minute or so and Annabeth might be-I didn't want to think about it.

No, she is not leaving me.

As I got closer to the pond, I didn't even stop and I run up to the edge of the creek and dive into the dark, murky water. When I entered the water, at first it was hard to see but my eyes adjusted and I was able to see through the water. I scan around the bottom of the pond trying to spot Annabeth. I finally spot her and I use the current to push me over to her. Her eyes are closed and there were bubbles around her face from being underwater so long. I carefully grab her arms and tug but her body resisted. Confused, I swam down to the source of the resistance and see that there was a chain with a heavy weight tied to her ankle, which was holding her down. I swim down to the weight and stand on the floor of the pond. I take out Riptide and began to cut at the chains. The chains were slowly weakening, but I needed it to be faster. I begin cutting harder and harder until I heard a snap. Annabeth's body is free and I quickly lift her body in my arms and kicked up hard to the surface. I broke through the water with Annabeth in my arms and swim to the side of the pond. She was still unconscious and I lay her carefully on the beach and I hold my hand to her chest and concentrate to will the water out of her lungs. After a few seconds, Annabeth's eyes burst open and she sits up gasping for air.

Annabeth

My eyes burst open and I sit up gasping to breathe.

" Ssh it's ok. You're safe now." I look up and then I see Percy kneeling next to me. His sea green eyes are watery, like he was about to break down. I look around, trying to figure out what happened and then it all came rushing back. The darkness, the water filling up in my throat. But the most frightening thing was not knowing if I ever would see Percy again. I looked back at him and I let out a sob.

" I-I thought I was never going to see you again. I was so scared." I managed to say between crying. And he holds me tightly. My body was shaking and my eyes were filling up with tears. He pulls me into a hug as I start to sob onto his shoulder.

He holds me for a while until I calm down. I then was able to tell him what happened and as I told him the story, his face darkened. Afterwards Percy finally says," I am so sorry Annabeth, this is all my fault."

"How could it be your fault, Percy? You had no control over what happened. Don't blame yourself for this."

"How can I not! He is coming after you because of me!" He shouts.

" Stop it. Stop saying that. It is nobody's fault ok? How were you supposed to prevent this from happening? The demon got the best of us. But for now on we just need to be a little more careful that's all. "

He stays quiet for a little bit and then says, " I thought I was going to lose you." His hands start to shake a little bit and I grab it.

" Percy, I am not going anywhere. I promise."

" But how are you going to promise that when you almost got killed because he snuck up on you and almost drowned you. You don't know that Annabeth."

I let out a sigh and said," You're right I don't know that. No one knows the future except the Fates, but I am not going to live my life in fear any more. And neither should you."

He doesn't respond and helps me up," We should get you to your dorm, you're probably exhausted and you need to rest. "

Percy then picks me off the ground and carried me back to my dorm bridal style. He's quiet the whole way there and I know he was thinking about how it was his fault. When we got to my dorm, Piper answers the door and asks, " Holy Hera! What happened!"

I guess I didn't really notice but I had blood down the side of my face from the nice cut on my head, a bruise on my cheek and to top it all off, my hair was a mess.

Percy answers emotionless," Long story. "

He walks in and lays me on the couch. Piper gets a dry blanket for me because I was shaking from the cold. Percy gives me some ambrosia and tells Piper what happened and after a couple of hours, I said to Percy, " You look exhausted. You should go get some sleep."

He protests, "What about y-"

Piper cuts him off, " Percy, I am right here if she needs anything. Seriously go get some sleep."

He sighs and he gets up to leave, "Fine, but if you need anything-"

" She will be fine, Percy."

He comes and gives me a kiss on the forehead and then leaves.

Percy

I couldn't help to think that this was all my fault. My enemies know Annabeth is my weakness and that won't change, she always will be. But I can't continue to be selfish and keep putting Annabeth in harms way. I know she can handle herself but this time she was totally blindsided. What if next time it's worse? What if next time I lose her?

The next two weeks are hell. I can't sleep and everywhere I go I feel like I should know where my girlfriend is at all times. Annabeth get annoyed with me when I constantly check on her and I stop after a few days but I can't shake the feeling that whoever is after us is always watching. My paranoia is at an all time high and it's driving me insane. I also hate the dreams, which are always Annabeth is caught a million different ways and always dies. I haven't told Annabeth about the dreams but they are getting bad. The one tonight was the worst.

An eerie darkness and everyone that I have killed surrounded me or who has died with me was around me in a circle. Then another group of people carry in a limp, pale body and drop it right in front of me. The head rolls and the figure changes into a bloodily and battered Annabeth. Her face is almost unrecognizable and her clothes are torn with her arm at a weird angle. I fall to my knees and sob uncontrollably into her cold shoulder while the voices around me chant.

She will be the first of you loved ones to fall Perseus Jackson. She will die at your hands. YOU WILL KILL HER, YOU'RE BELOVED ANNABETH!

My body is shaken awake by my trashing and screaming. I am covered in tears and sweat and I can't handle this emotional torture anymore. Quickly, I throw on my clothes and walk to Annabeth.

I made my way over to Annabeth's dorm and I knew what I needed to do. Sure it was 2am and I will wake her up but I need to make sure that she is safe. This is the only thing to protect her. I knock on the door and a couple of minutes later, Annabeth opens the door with her eyes sleepy and her hair a mess.

"Percy? What the hell are you doing here?"

I reply, " I came here to talk to you."

She say, "Can't it wait till I get my five hours of sleep?"

I take a deep breath and say, " I'm sorry but it can't. I have been thinking and I just can't shake the feeling that what happened was because of me. You are my weakness and if you stay with me during this then somehow you are going to die."

"Oh gods Percy you know those dreams never come true-."

"Annabeth listen to me. They do and you know they do. I have seen you die multiple times in horrible ways and each dream ends with his voice telling me that I caused it. I can't let him hurt you again. You have to be as far away from me as possible, I am a danger to you."

She crosses her arms and glares at me sternly, " So what are you saying?"

I look at her and her eyes were like a storm, her grey irises swirling with anger and disbelief.

" I-I can't be with you."

She sigh angrily and argues, " Ok so after everything we have been through after surviving Tarturus and back, you decide now when I barely got hurt that you can't be with me because I might die. Percy, if that was the case we should have never dated. I am not leaving your side. Don't you get that we are in this together?"

" I-I am breaking up with you Annabeth."

She says little bit louder and angrier, "Gods you are such a coward, Percy! I can't believe you right now! Do you not think I can take care of myself? Yesterday was nothing compared to what has happened to me before!"

" I know but you almost died." I say quietly and she doesn't care as she talks over me, ignoring my concerns.

" Percy, we have both almost died like a thousand times."

Finally, I realize that I have to make her see my fear and understand that I don't want to do this but I am protecting her the only way I know how, and that is to keep her away from me as long as possible.

"No Annabeth, you don't understand how bad that could have been! If I didn't get to you fast enough, you could have suffered so much brain damage that you would have been brain dead and hooked to a machine. And I know you gods sake you can handle yourself but you had no way of defending yourself. He came out of nowhere and attacked you! And we have no IDEA what he looks like so how can you fight if you don't know who the enemy is?"

"You don't know what he looks like either." She deadpans and I shout.

"DAMN IT just let me finish! You have not seen my dreams and if you did you would to same thing. For the past two weeks, every night I have seen you die. And every time there is nothing I could do. The only way I can make sure you are safe is if you just…just stay away from me. I just can't do this to you Annabeth. I love you too much to let you die because of me. I can't lose you."

I walk away from her and I know that I just made the dumbest mistake of my life. But I needed to. I couldn't lose her. I kept telling myself it was for her protection over and over so I wouldn't turn around and undo everything that I just said. I walk down the stairs and out the door. It was raining now and the rain covers my tears as I sob back to my dorm because I just lost the love of my life. She is never forgive me for the hurt I caused her but sometimes these things have to come to extreme measures.