To everyone who has Reviewed this work so far - Thank you, I appreciate it a lot.
So this takes place three days after the end of the Giant War, and before Leo leaves to look for Calypso. Remember, this is AU from after HoH (just saying).
Disclaimer - All rights go to Rick Riordan, I don't own anything except the plot.
For FizzyColaBottle31, who gave me the prompt in the first place. Thank you for trusting me to turn it into something amazing.
As a piercing scream filled the air, the raven-haired boy sat up in his bed, hurriedly swinging his legs over the side. Quickly shrugging on a short-sleeved orange shirt and a pair of black track pants, he ran to the door, pushing it open and running out of Cabin Three. It didn't take his eyes long to adjust to the darkness, and, quickly spotting the young blonde-haired man standing by the door of the cabin just a couple of doors down, he ran over. "Malcolm!"
The blonde-haired boy glanced up, breaking into a relieved grin when he noticed the raven-haired boy. "Percy. Thank the gods".
"What the hell happened, Malcolm?"
"She's having a nightmare. One minute everyone was asleep and everything was quiet, and then the next… well, you can hear the screaming for yourself".
"Damn right I can".
Percy burst through the door, quickly running over to the screaming blonde and sitting down beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing a soft kiss to her damp curly blonde hair. "Annabeth. Annabeth, listen to me. You're safe. You're safe, okay? We got out of there safely. We defeated Gaea and saved the world. Everything's alright, Wise Girl, I promise you. Just open your eyes for me?"
Grey eyes flickered open, fixing themselves on her boyfriend's face, and the blonde-haired girl managed to smile weakly at Percy before sinking further into his embrace. Her slender shoulders shook as she cried, and Percy's response was to wrap his arms even more tightly around her, pulling her even closer to him. "It's okay, Annabeth. I'm here, and I swear I'm not going to leave your side".
The girl's trembling slowed, her breathing evening out, and as she relaxed into her boyfriend's arms, Percy glanced up, meeting the concerned grey eyes of his girlfriend's half-brother. "Could you do me a favour, Malcolm?"
The blonde boy nodded. "What do you need?"
"Run to the Big House and get Chiron for me, please? I'd like to ask him something important, but I'd rather not leave Annabeth here just in case she has another nightmare. And I can't carry her all the way to the Big House".
"Of course".
As the blonde-haired boy raced from the cabin, Percy settled back again the wall behind Annabeth's bed, cradling his sleeping girlfriend in his arms. "Everything's going to be alright, Annabeth, I promise".
It might have been his imagination, or wishful thinking, but as he spoke, whispering into her hair, she seemed to snuggle closer to him. And really, it just made him fall a little more in love with her.
~About ten minutes later~
"Percy"
The raven-haired boy glanced up, smiling at the centaur as the latter stepped into the cabin, Malcolm following a few steps behind him. "Hi Chiron".
"What seems to be the problem? Malcolm said you needed to speak with me about something important"
Percy looked down at the sleeping blonde-haired girl, whose body was still trembling minutely, then back up at Chiron. "It's about… Tartarus. The place, not the Primordial. Although I suppose in a way they're the same thing…"
"What about it?"
"Annabeth's nightmares are getting worse, and the only thing that seems to calm her down is when she knows that I'm there with her. My own nightmares are the same way, and only she can help me out of them. We might not always be able to do that if the two of us are in separate cabins" the son of Poseidon responded calmly.
The centaur nodded. "I see. So, are you suggesting that we bend camp rules to let you and Annabeth sleep in the same cabin?"
"That's right. Unless you want to take the risk that one of our nightmares might eventually wake up the entire camp".
The centaur stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I'll have to speak with Mr. D about it in the morning, but I think we can come to an agreement of some kind. For now… Malcolm".
The son of Athena blinked in surprise, before nodding. "Yes, Chiron?"
"Help Percy take Annabeth to Cabin 3. Since only his presence seems to do anything to help her out of her nightmares, and her presence is the only thing that keeps him from slipping into his own ones, it's best that she stays in his cabin with him for the time being".
"But, Chiron, that's…"
The activity director nodded. "Against the rules. I know. But under the circumstances, I think we can make an exception".
Chiron turned to leave, before pausing in the doorway to glance briefly at Percy. "Oh. And Percy?"
The son of Poseidon nodded. "Yes?"
"I'll have to inform your father and Lady Athena as well. But I think, under the circumstances, they'll understand".
Percy sighed quietly, glancing down at the blonde-haired girl currently asleep in his arms, her slender chest rising and falling softly with every breath she took. "I hope so, Chiron. I really do".
I might do a follow up or two to this little mini storyline later on in this one-shot series, but for the time being I'm really happy with it where it is. Enjoy.
As usual, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
