Chapter 15:

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Annachase922: Thanks so much for your reviews and honestly? Me too!

Now lets get on with the chapter. ALSO THIS CHAPTER IS UBER PERCABETH ENJOY!

Last time on: Heroes of the Thirteen Colonies

Whoever it was, they did not try to talk to me. I put my corset and shirt on. I stood up off the wood floor and took some deep breaths. I laid on my bed, over my covers and felt my eye lids droop. I did not realize how tired I was. I had not been having very good sleep lately and I was finally feeling how exhausted I was. I felt my eyes close and prayed the nightmares were spare me one nap. I had no such luck.

~Percy~

I woke up too early and immediately wanted to go back to sleep. I had been up later than intended because I was packing for our long trip to Virginia (since everyone else insisted they would do it and then didn't, except Jason. Which kinda sounds like something I would do.) I was also thinking about Annabeth.

She had locked herself in her room and nobody had seen or heard from her the rest of the day. I had wanted to go check on her many times, but Silena said I should give her time alone. However, that was really frustrating because I just wanted to make sure she was okay.

I decided I was not going to be able to go back to sleep and got out of my bed. I buttoned my shirt up and ran my fingers through my hair, looking at myself in my tiny mirror on the wall. My hair didn't even budge. I sighed and bent down to put on my boots. After I got them on I made my way to the door. I stepped out into the hall and it was too dark to really see much, but I knew my way. I walked down the hallway and took a left and opened the door leading to our balcony. I decided to get some air and try to relax before our rigorous journey ahead.

When I stepped out on to the balcony I noticed I wouldn't be alone. Annabeth was perched on a couch, her feet tucked under herself and her chin rested in the palm of her hand. Her elbow was laying on the railing of the balcony and she was staring into the woods. Her blonde curls fluttered in the wind and her grey eyes were glazed over but none the less beautiful. Her form glowed in the moon and early morning light and I felt slightly uncomfortable watching her.

She didn't notice when I stepped onto the balcony, so I shut the door quietly. When I turned back around Annabeth was looking at me. Her eyes were red and puffy. They also had a tinge of purple, like she hadn't gotten any sleep. Had she been crying? I haven't seen her cry since she got shot, and that didn't really count.

"Morning." She greeted. Her voice was raspy and she turned her head back to the forest. My eyebrows knit together.

"Uh, morning?" I reply but it sounded more like a question than a response. I sat down next to her on the little two person seat, but was sure there was enough distance between us. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable. After a few moments of awkward silence Ananbeth started rambling.

"There is...uh. There is something I have not been telling you, or well anybody really. But you can not tell anybody. I do not want them to worry or anything or think less of me. Promise?" She finished looking at me with her blood shot eyes. I nodded my head, unsure as to what she was about to tell me. She let out a deep breath.

"When I was thirteen I was enlisted in the British army. I did not really have a choice about it either. I was told I would see my father again, who left me when I was five at an orphanage. My father had promised he would see me by the time I turned six. I was a smart kid and knew he was lying, and when I turned six and he did not show up I knew I would never see him again. Anyways, I was forced to join the army and they taught me arithmetic and how to fight and use a gun and read. When I was about fifteen I got a new trainer. He wasn't very nice to say the least." Annabeth kept looking at her hands, fidgeting. We had yet to really talk about her past and the fact that she was this antsy about it

"You don't have to finish if you don't want to." I said. I didn't want Annabeth to tell me something that would make her upset. She shook her head.

"No I need to talk about it." She said and took a few deep breaths while I sat patiently, just looking at her. The sun was starting to rise at this point and it made her blonde curls look like they were on fire. She opened her intense grey eyes and continued talking.

"I have been uh having nightmares about uh..." Annabeth stopped talking and created her eyebrows, like she was thinking.

"About what?" I asked gently. She did say that she wanted to get it out and I figured a little coaxing wouldn't be so bad. She looked me in the face. Eyes on eyes.

"I am not ready to tell you that much, but just understand that even though I am 'gifted' I was not treated any better because of it. The people I knew were cruel and and just not good. They were not like you and and your group. They did not welcome me with open arms, they they did not care for me and treat me right like you have." She explained and I felt many different emotions.

Happy because she was able to share this private information with me, angry because who would treat somebody so bad to the point of nightmares, frustrated because she hasn't felt kindness since gods know how long. I wanted to reach out to her. I wanted to reach out and tell her that I'm not going to hurt her and I'm not going to let the loyalists get her again. They'd hurt people that I care about too. But I couldn't. I couldn't make promises that I couldn't keep.

"They can't hurt you here. You're away from those people now. You're safe. While I can't promise they wouldn't find you and hurt you again, I can promise my group won't hurt you. I hope that can help you ease out of your frightened state of mind." I offered, hoping it would be enough for her. I wanted her to enjoy being with us. I wanted her to feel welcome the way everyone else was.

When I looked at her face, she had tears growing. I hated it. I hated that she cried over those people. But she surprised me, and smiled taking my hand. I couldn't breath. "Thank you Percy." She breathed out. Then she surprised me again.

I hated surprises, and Annabeth Chase was just one big surprise after another. She was a surprise attack when she killed Luke. She had surprising strength and kindness. She had surprising secrets and personality I had yet to decode. But she was a beautiful surprise. She was a good surprise.

She pressed her lips to my cheek. I felt my eyes widen, and face heat up. I felt like I was on fire. She stood up, biting her lip to keep a smile down, eyes shining. I just sat there eyes wide and brain mushy. "I should probably go pack." She said quietly, slowly walking to the doors of the balcony.

"Uh oh okay." The words stumbled out of my mouth in a heap. Annabeth smiled, for real, and opened the doors leaving me alone on the balcony. I turned my head to face the rising sun. The sun was shining just like Annabeth's eyes. I felt a smile grow on my face. I put my face in my hands trying to cool the rising heat.

It was in that moment that I decided I would never let anybody hurt Annabeth. I would make sure of that.

A/N: All the FLUFFFFFF! I feel like you all deserve it. I would have continued on with the chapter but I didn't want to make it too long and I figured y'all might want to sit down and think for a while after the fluffiness. I hope everyone have enjoyed the chapter and have a great rest of your day!

-lunch1380