Annabeth

Annabeth felt herself shaking and shuddering as she stared at the ground through her folded arms. If just a few days ago someone would have shot down a bunch of men in front of her, she would have screamed or even felt disgusted. But now... all she could do was be afraid. She was scared out of her minds as to what could have to happen. It was all because she was too proud to accept Percy's help and decided that her school was a safe heaven in all ages. Her pride would have robbed her purity if... if... if...

Warm long fingers brushed her shoulders. Annabeth panicked and flung her fist to throw a punch.

"Stay away!" She screamed as pearly drops of tears washed down her face.

"Hey, It's okay. They are de- gone."

Annabeth looked up and stared around. Her eyes took in all the four dead bodies then relief came to her bones. Then she realized what she was feeling and waited for her guilt to take over. She waited and waited but it never came. She was glad that those nobles were dead and nothing was going to change that. Finally her eyes landed on a pair of blue-green ones, crouched in front of her, which were uncharacteristically soft. Too soft to look away from... like melting jade in an ocean. She should be afraid of him or any other man but the softness in those eyes screamed that they were safe and maybe even the safest.

Annabeth wished for a friend or her siblings or her mom to magically appear in front of her but she knew that they were too far away... too far away in time.

So the next thing she did was because she was scared to death and the person in front of her gave off positive vibes. Maybe those weren't all the reasons but they were the clearest ones so she took them and wrapped her arms around Percy's neck as tightly as she could and buried her face against his strong-broad chest and cried. She was actually wailing like a baby but she didn't care. At that moment she just wanted to scream and let all her frustration on being trapped hundred years behind her time, on being almost molested and on her new found loneliness. After all she was all alone there with no friends or family, no one who could protect her or love her was there.

So she clung to him, her hold around his neck tightening with every passing second. She could barely sense how still and rigid Percy had gotten or how he had stopped breathing. She wanted to calm down. She wished her heart would slow down but it was annoying her by only speeding up. Annabeth sniffed back a tear and caught a whiff of a... cologne? But she could also smell something else in it, she could smell the salty breeze of an ocean or the ocean itself.

Why was he smelling like the ocean? Why was she able to smell him?

Annabeth's eyes opened up wide. She realized that she was clutching Percy who was as still and uncomfortable as a stone pillar. She gulped and started to pull away when he leaned in and put one of his hand just below her shoulder and with the other one he stroked her hair awkwardly. He was kind of messing them up but Annabeth didn't want to point that out. She was holding her breath and waiting for Percy to speak, which she somehow knew he would. And when he spoke, his cool breath hit the sensitive skin of her ear, making her whole body tingle. When had he moved so close? Why had he moved so close?

And just like that, Annabeth started being more aware of herself. A burning blush creeped up to her cheeks when she realized that she was only wearing her camisole and undergarments. She must not smell all that great unlike him though. Oh boy! This was getting on her very nerves. Why was she getting so excited and nervous at the same time? She had hugged Luke before but she had always been sure of herself at moments like those. Why was her skin getting so unnaturally hot on a winter day?

And when he spoke, even if it was just a whisper (a husky one!), she could feel the hair on her neck stand in response.

"They are dead" he said slowly, "they won't hurt you or anybody else now."

She swallowed. Images of what could have happened pushed around the corners of her mind. She had somehow managed to put them past her when Percy had moved for a moment. If he could make her forget things like that... she decided that he was a good company then.

"Are you still afraid?"

His voice was almost... kind? Could a murderer be kind? That's what he did at the end of the day after all. He killed nobles indiscriminately. But thoughts like those weren't making any sense to her. Maybe they would come to her later but at that moment... all that she could do was nod.

"Hold on then."

His arms left her back and hair and she felt something slipping from below her arms, something slippery and warm. And yet again, she was huddled up in one of Percy's coat, though shorter than the last one, it still reached her thighs.

Then with one arm around her back and the other around beneath her knee her picked her up.

"I can walk." Annabeth managed weekly but Percy ignored her.

She looked up to see that he was making a point to stair ahead and not at her almost naked body. She could trace faint signs of red in his cheeks as he walked her out the door. His green eyes scanned the crowd around for enemies (probably) as he set out.

"Where are we going?" Annabeth asked after a moment as she sensed all the unwanted stares on his back.

"Infirmary." He said shortly.

So he was carrying her to take people's attention away from her dress. That was so... sweet of him.

"But I'm fine." She protested.

A sarcastic smirk appeared on his lips as he said, "You have got a black eye. Makes you look uglier somehow blondie."

Annabeth rolled her eyes as her cheeks burned again. One moment he was taking care of her and another he was teasing her. At least he didn't seem to hate her now. She still remembered that look of utter disgust in his eyes when he had first seen her... and pointed a gun at her.

But he seemed... nice.

Maybe be she would hold on to him for a little bit longer.

Annabeth realized that she had been asleep when she woke up. She had dreamed about Luke and that girl she had seen him with. She saw them enjoying their lives and growing happy day by day while she watched from the fringes like a shadow. But then a gun shot had caught her attention and just after the ear shattering noise Luke and his girl had disappeared and there was only one person there, who was holding the gun straight at her. And that's how she had woken up, sweating and clutching the sheets she had been sleeping in. She looked around and saw white empty walls with closed and curtained windows. The room was cool and it smelled of antiseptic and a bit like alcohol and iodine. Everything looked so neat, clean and appropriate. The room was not very big but not too small either. There were several four-posters lined properly along the wall and there were few tables with chest drawers. They must have contained medicines.

A cold breeze blew and made Annabeth's hair fall over her face. She sat up on her bed and turned to face an open window. She realized that she was in a corner of the room and if memory served right this was the detention room. She had never been there for causing trouble but had been there once to fetch another student. At that time the room had been like any other class room with glaring kids and a very very bored teacher. But now it was empty. Annabeth was surprised. She had expected more injured people from all the revolting that she had read about from those periods but the infirmary was empty except for her who was not really all that injured. Or was she?

She placed a hand on her eye and felt a slippery kind of ointment covering it. She brought her fingers to her nose and smelled it. It smelled of tallow candles. That was a very old remedy.

Annabeth sighed. She was really way far back in time now wasn't she. It was frustrating. She didn't even want to think about what her family might have been doing.

She turned her attention back to the open window and inhaled as much air as she could. Her nostrils filled with cold air which kind of made her feel... fresh. She couldn't see what was outside as it was dark. It was a shame as that was the only open window Annabeth had seen since coming to this building which she knew but couldn't place.

"Percy asked for that window to be opened, although it's a taboo."

Annabeth jumped. She had not heard anyone coming in. Were the nobles trying to assault her again? She turned her neck around and was relieved to not see people with blonde hair and blue eyes. Somehow the long braided black hair and annoyed black eyes of the girl was kind of refreshing. She was wearing a loose white shirt and military pants. Her pale skin was kind of glowing in the dark night. And she looked really annoyed at Annabeth. What could she have done to a person she had never met before?

"Did you threaten him or perhaps bribe him?" She said in a shrill voice. Her nose was a bit red but maybe that was due to her not wearing any warm cloth in a chilly winter night.

"Who are you talking about? Who are you?" Annabeth found it very easy to talk. She must have had a good sleep. She must have been really tired to fall asleep on such a thin mattress.

No it wasn't the mattress. It had been Percy's arms that she had fallen asleep in. She had felt warm and safe and... sleepy? Colour flushed to her cheeks and to the tips of her ear and she knew who that girl was talking about.

"Mr. Jackson of course! The leader of the second squadron." Annabeth noticed that somehow calling Percy the leader of some squadron made the girl shine with pride. She raised her eyebrow. Who was this freak? Or maybe branding her as a freak was taking it too far. But for some reason she was getting annoyed.

"Why would I bribe him? I don't even know him." Annabeth looked down and noticed that she was wearing a loose white frock. She wondered who had changed her dress and quickly put the thought away. She already knew that it must have been a nurse.

"I don't know! But you certainly did! He got in so much trouble with Mr. D and Chiron for not looking after you.!"

That made Annabeth look back at the girl again. She noticed how red her face had become. Even her tight nuckles were red by her side.

"What kind of trouble?" Annabeth asked in a careful tone.

"Either to be your guardian or to drop out from the post of a leader. Basically he was asked to choose between a rock and a big hard stone!"

Annabeth blinked. Clearly surprised. Hadn't he told them that it was her fault for waltzing out, that she was the one who was too proud to accept his help? Maybe if she had swallowed her pride back then, she would not have been almost abused and Percy would have not gotten into any kind of trouble. But Percy was so rude to her back then! What could she have done?

"I see." She murmured under her breath.

"I see! I am not here to tell you anything. I am here to tell you to stay away!"

What the hell?

"What?" Annabeth's annoyance was clear in her voice this time and she didn't even try to hide it.

"Because I love-"

This time Annabeth heard the door at the other end of the room open. Someone's hurried footsteps echoed down the hall as he came into view. He was wearing a twentieth century shirt whit a blazer and loose pants and was none other than the black haired girl's loved one, Percy. He glanced once at the other girl and his fierce look softened a little and then he turned to Annabeth, analyzing her injuries and sort of forgetting the other girl's existence.

"I thought you were an intruder Reyna." He sighed when he was done checking on Annabeth.

"I- I am- why do- why are you here?"

Annabeth suppressed a giggle. She could almost see this Reyna girl reddening up uncharacteristically. Annabeth got a vibe that Reyna was as merciless as Percy, maybe not so skilled but skilled enough. Poor girl. To have a crush on the devil himself. Annabeth didn't know Percy that well and seriously owed her life and much more to him but still... she couldn't shake the fact that he was the most arrogant person she had ever met.

Percy jerked his head towards Annabeth, "Guarding her. That's what a guardian is supposed to do."

"You chose to be her guardian!" Reyna sounded horrified by that idea. Annabeth raised her eyebrow a bit but didn't comment.

But this time Percy had fully turned towards her, his eyes narrowed and kind of glinting threateningly. Well at least they were not flashing murderous green like they had earlier. But from the way Percy was almost glaring at her, Annabeth inferred that not only he had no clue about Reyna's feelings for him but he also didn't count her as one of his friends. Annabeth wondered what his friends were like. Well Thalia seemed pretty upbeat and cool but she was his cousin.

"Yes. Can you stand... Chase?"

Annabeth looked at him and barely stopped herself from frowning. So now they were doing the last name thing. Well, fine by her!

"Of course I can." She mumbled and pushed the sheets off herself.

Her frock was just about five inches along her thighs and the rest of her legs were bare. At least Annabeth could feel the elastic of shorts on her waist which made her a little less red. But then, hadn't she been in just a camisole and underpants when Percy had found her and carried her here? Annabeth looked down as her eyes widened. Her cheeks were brightening up a bit too fast. Why had she been clinging to him back then? Was her mind not functioning properly that time?

"Well?" Grunted Percy.

Annabeth squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them hurriedly as she quickly stood up. Well... she should have been careful considering that she had a black eye and was a horse for at least four adults a short while ago but well... she twisted one of her ankle on impact and went soaring down right on her face. She heard someone smirk and instinctively knew it was Percy. She cursed under her breath as she struggled to pick herself up.

"Shouldn't you help her up?" Annabeth heard Reyna asking.

"No. She needs to help herself this time."

"Fine!" That was Annabeth.

She planted both her palms on the cold stone ground and stood up on them, this time more slowly and carefully. Finally she was up on her feets, a bit unstable, but standing none the less. She looked up at Reyna, who was looking back at her with a blank look and then she looked at Percy. His eyes were bright again but this time they didn't look like a hunter's. They looked amused, mocking. A sprained foot must mean nothing to him but it wasn't every day Annabeth was pushed hard on the ground with a foot twist. Of course she couldn't say that to him.

"You sure you aren't a noble princess? You could pass as one."

The look on his face was beyond mocking. And it was annoying.

"I would take that as a compliment."

Annabeth wasn't going to be the one to eat an insult in any circumstance.

"Well if you are done taking baby steps" With that he turned on his heels and started walking, "Come along."

"I'll accompany her! You must be busy with the hunt!" Reyna said, fumbling on her feet as she tried to catch up with him.

"No need."

After a second, when Percy realized that Annabeth was not following him. He turned around and sighed. He stomped back to her and grabbed her upper arm and swung that arm of hers around his shoulder and pulled her with him by putting his hand on her other arm. She concluded that he was highly electrically charged as where their bare skins met, she could feel the burns of an electric shock. Annbeth protested but was ignored by Percy who was way too stiff. After a few very awkward strides Annabeth finally leaned on him and let him support her weight. Strangely, she found him very comfortable. He radiated warmth in the cold winter night and made her feel slightly thrilled. Thrilled to be so near him that she could tell that his hair smelled like the sea. They exited the infirmary quiet unceremoniously unlike the last time. Annabeth wished she could see Reyna's expression. She wondered if she would have been angry or jealous. A sly smile crept over Annabeth's lips as she imagined a fuming Reyna with a cherry red face. Well, that would have been a cute face.

They exited the building through what used to be the back entrance of the gym and stepped outside the constraints of those walls and closed windows. The corridors that they had walked through were empty and dark. Annabeth had wondered where everybody had gone.

"Everyone is out on the hunt."

Annabeth looked up at Percy. Was she thinking aloud or could he read minds? When he noticed that she was staring at him he shrugged and said,

"The halls were empty. Most of the squads are on hunt. Today also happens to be the training day and those who are left are on guard duty and the families who live here are all inside their shelters. It's after curfew."

He was looking ahead and trying really hard, Annabeth noticed, to not turn her way again.

"You don't have a curfew?" She asked him, not that she already didn't know the answer. Her brain was kind of strong that way. She could think and analyse faster than the others around her.

"Squadron Leader privileges." He sighed as he said that, his shoulders relaxing for the first time since they had started crossing the clearing, "At any rate we are supposed to be the strongest and the most responsible. We hardly get any sleep."

He was right. Even as they passed under the dim moonlight through the clearing which might have been the herbal garden, Annabeth could see the deep dark circles below his eyes. She had to admit that they only added to his good looks. She wondered if he was all that tiered, then why was he fetching her himself? He could have easily sent for someone.

They soon crossed the clearing and entered the maple forest. Annabeth didn't want to become food for wild beasts but Percy seemed confident enough to walk through there so she did not complain. She did not speak up until they reached a wall. A fortress actually. The walls were not as tall as the trees but were huge. They were painted like the leaved so you won't be able to tell what they were unless and until you ran into them. There was a wooden door which looked like a tree's trunk but Annabeth knew that it was a bridge as there was a small brook running right in front of the fortress.

"Tyson!" Percy called.

For a moment nothing happened. The night was very quiet and Annabeth could hear the cicadas chirping. She looked at Percy who was gripping his fore head with the thumb and fore finger of his free hand. She opened her mouth to ask him if he was alright but right then she heard leavers turning. The door came down, first slowly and then with a thud. But Annabeth couldn't see what was inside. The entrance was totally covered by a giant man with a pirate eye. He looked buff and hairy and totally dangerous and he was Tyson.

"Welcome back Brother!."

And he was Percy's brother? Annabeth looked from Tyson to Percy. The giant, one eyed dude looked nothing like the tall and lean boy she was still holding on to. His hair was mousy and brown and his eyes were blue.

"Hey Tyson. This is Annabeth. The one I am assigned to guard."

Tyson looked at Annabeth and for a very long heart beat no one uttered a word. Then finally a smile took over Tyson's grim expression and he stepped aside.

"Welcome to the second squadron Annabeth."

What Annabeth saw inside... took her breath away.

Hey guys this is the last chapter until April. I have this big board examination coming over. I hope you guys liked this chapter and please tell me how it was. Love you all. You guys are the best!