Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or the characters. I do, however, love mythology. Liberties clearly taken.

AN: Thank again for reading and all the really nice comments! I decided to try another POV again. Note to self: Piper is probably one of my least favourite characters but I figured that was as good a reason as any to give her a go and try to make her (in my own mind) more likeable. Hope you enjoy!

Tempting the Fates

Chapter Nine

Iron Will

Piper

Piper sat on the end of Annabeth's bed waiting for the other girl to come to and, with a little luck, she wouldn't be murderous when she did. That last part was very unlikely but she had to do what she could. Sighing to herself, Piper McLean leaned forward and rested her chin in her hand, elbow propped on her knee. It wasn't exactly comfortable given the other leg was bouncing up and down sporadically all with a mind of it's own.

The light in the bunk was dim but the sun bleached streaks in Annabeth's hair still shone brightly. Not that the daughter of Aphrodite wanted to be blonde but her brothers and sisters of fairer complexions often tsk'ed and ah'ed about her uneven dark locks. Chewing on the end of one of her braids, there was a gnawing in her stomach.

When Percy and Nico had fallen things had turned ugly very quickly. The floor had started to give and there was only minutes to ensure that Athena Parthenos was safely abroad Argo II. It barely housed the chryselephantine sculpture and with the hope of all the demi gods not plummeting to their deaths in Tartarus— even the trireme wouldn't be strong enough to contest the gravity of the pit. Festus was amazing, but he simply wouldn't be that strong.

While the ship took flight, two heroes less in tow and everyone in considerably lower spirits, the quiet was broken by the feral ravings of Annabeth. Piper had watched the threads that held the daughter of Athena together dissolve at the seems. As much as she had come to respect and admire the older girl, seeing the way she launched at Hazel, her mourning manifesting as rage, Piper had to flinch. She had been through some tough situations but the loss of her love for a second time so shortly after being reunited— the daughter of Aphrodite liked to imagine that she would be stronger in ways of the heart— but she couldn't be sure. That evening Annabeth had fought against all of them.

And for a small girl, she was strong. And fast.

Grey eyes had a rabid light to them.

Jason had fastened arms around her and scores soon lined his lower arms where Annabeth clawed. She even attempted to bite, slipping and sliding, trying to break free.

"Don't you dare… don't touch me! I have to go back for him… I said don't fucking touch me! Get off me! Get your fucking hands off of me!" She had shrieked and she had spat and when that didn't work she scrapped and sobbed.

Never had Piper McLean seen anyone in such a state.

Nothing quieted her and nothing calmed her down.

In the end, the female demigod had to do something she'd never done before: use her gift to knock one of her friends out. It felt dark and wrong as she did so— not so much persuasion as forcing something to come to life. Annabeth didn't want to be coaxed.

"Hush, Annabeth. We will find Percy and save him. Hush, it's time to relax. We are alright and we will make it through this. You will make it through this. It's time to be silent and rest."

The words hadn't worked. If anything it just incensed the other woman and she struggled harder. Eyes the colour of sky flashed a warning to her. Jason's look said something along the lines of 'Come on, babe. Some time today. Before I lose an arm.'

Her own chocolate ones softened towards his.

I'm doing everything I can!

She practically threw her arms out in frustration.

Her gifts had always worked, albeit the stronger gods or goddesses struggled against it, but she'd never had trouble on another demigod.

How is she fighting this?

In the end persuasion didn't work. Clearing her throat, she channeled everything she had into her charmspeak and as the words left her, something dark boiled at the bottom of her heart and persuasion turned to pressure turned to compulsion.

"Stop! Stop fighting against us and let us help you. Calm, Annabeth. Be quiet and be calm. Go to sleep."

Grey irises locked onto her dark ones and she could see the look of betrayal as the daughter of wisdom's mouth opened but then went slack. All at once it left her and she was dead weight in Jason's arms dead to the world.

Jason's eyes had widened in surprise. "I thought for sure I was going to be short a forearm. How long is she going to stay like this?" Despite holding all of the girl's weight, his muscles seemed to relax. She'd been anguishing against his hold and it was clear with the still weight of all of her body versus the struggling weight of some, he was fairing better. Catching her under her arms, he hoisted her up.

Frank soon swarmed in and took one arm looping it over his shoulder. Jason took the other and between both of them they supported her.

In the background, Hazel watched her dark skin paled. Wide eyes shimmered with tears. With her hands clapped over her mouth and the way her shoulders shook, Piper knew she was sobbing. It wasn't until she reached up and brushed at her eyes that she realised she, too, was crying.

Never before had she felt so wrong, like the things that left her mouth were poison.

Catching sight of the conflict etched into her features, Jason reached out with one hand to give a tug to her braid.

"You had to. She was going to hurt herself or someone else. You couldn't let that happen. We'll take her below and make her comfortable."

A silent nod on her part, and a shout from the front of the ship from Leo asking if everyone was alright, Piper couldn't bare to answer. She left that to Coach Hedge— who was uncharacteristically quiet— or Hazel. As much as she liked the daughter of Pluto, Hades' Roman counterpart, she just couldn't deal at the moment.

So she baled to below deck.

And that's where she was still sitting some time later. After putting the blonde to bed, Frank had immediately excused himself for Hazel's sake. Someone had to console her after she was nearly attacked (albeit out of grief), and after watching her brother fall into Tartarus along with a crucial member of their quest.

Poor Nico. We just got him back… and he looked so weak. So pale and thin. And Percy… we just got him back, too. Gods, why does this happen? Mother, please, let them be alright. If there's anything you can do— for the sake of a sister's love and a sweetheart's love— please help them find their way.

At the end of the bed, she watched the blonde looking fragile beneath the sheet that covered her.

"It's not your fault," Jason had whispered into her ear. As much as she had nodded, more for his benefit than her own, she'd smiled sadly.

"It's not my fault but you saw what I did, Jason. What I can do can corrupt. I just… I never want to have to do anything so repulsive again."

He'd assured her that she wouldn't have to but, as with most things in demigod life, there was no such thing as never. There was always the chance of 'maybe' or 'eventually' or 'inevitably'.

Piper had waved him away to be alone.

"She won't want to see you with me when she wakes up. I-I think… maybe it would be better if there weren't any kind of couples around her right now. That might just remind her of Percy," her voice had cracked on the name of their fallen companion.

Jason had nodded and left shortly after.

Sighing to herself once more, the daughter of love dug her palms into her eye sockets trying to focus her thoughts. There was that adrenaline buzz still in the background that tended to accompany her ADHD in times of a fight. Right now, though, there was nothing to fight. At least nothing that had a manifestation. What she was fighting were her own paradoxical emotions about her gift and about what she'd done.

It was necessary. You would never twist someone's will and resolve that way if you didn't have to.

Isn't that the way it always starts? First you need to, then you have to, then you want to, then why not? Came the other voice inside her head.

A shudder ran up the length of her spine leaving goosebumps crawling on her flesh and a cold air blanketing her.

There wasn't time to continue wallowing in her own contempt as the sheet she sat on was disturbed by a foot kicking out slightly.

"Annabeth?"

There was no answer but the foot kicked once more. Athena's daughter fought against the haze her mind had been put in and it was clear that her body was waking before the rest of her. The other foot twitched, finger's on her left hand closed (there was blood under the fingernails— Jason's blood— and that made Piper cringe), and the right fluttered as if attempting to lift itself off the bed but an invisible weight held it down. Her head turned and lips parted, but her eyes didn't open.

Oh my gods…

The air was stolen from her lungs. Annabeth wasn't just opening her lips— it was a silent scream. With her heart pounding against her ribcage, Piper shot up off the bed. Despite Annabeth's thrashing, she wasn't waking. Grey eyes were still hidden but she could see the way they flicked back and forth against her closed lids.

What was happening?

Oh my gods… oh my gods, she can't wake up. She can't wake up because I didn't tell her…

Bile rose in the back of her throat as she reached out and she could feel an extension of herself, an extension of her gift, physically holding Annabeth under. From across the room, back pressed to the wall, it was like watching a night terror in action. Annabeth couldn't scream, Piper couldn't breath, and the putrid feeling inside of her spread. This was what it was like to crush someone's will.

A shriek tore passed her lips and Piper flew forward, grabbing onto Annabeth and shaking her shoulders.

"Wake up, Annabeth. Please, wake up. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I had to, I'm sorry." She repeated over and over again. Even as she shook the other demigod, she could feel her previous commands like iron shackles wrapped tightly around the other.

It wasn't until she fell back onto the floor, tugging at her hair, and crying for the love of her mother that she bonds broke and Annabeth shot up in bed, eyes wide and frightened.

When she looked down at Piper, all she could see was terror.