Annabeth

As Jason slowly flew them down further into the pit, Percy buried his face further and further into her shoulder. Every time she felt his heart beat, she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. If only they could get through this night. Once they got through this night he could heal. But for now, they had to reopen all of his wounds.

Jason slowly touched down on the shattered glass floor and Annabeth felt the tips of her shoes gently flatten. Jason had let go of the pair of them and was now looking around, wild eyed but trying to hide it. Annabeth looked at him from over her shoulder. They made eye contact and Annabeth read the horror in his eyes. How did Percy survive down here for so long?

"I can stay. If you need me to." Jason said uncomfortably, shuffling his feet.

"How would you know when to come get us?" Annabeth tried to reason, but her voice was shaky. Already, images and memories from her own experience in Tartarus flooded her brain. Bob saving them from the empusai, herself blind and believing to be abandoned, Percy with scary eyes choking the poison goddess, the physical form of Tartarus standing over them, and Percy shoving her away to close the gates. She tried to push away those consuming thoughts for Percy's benefit. This was nothing compared to what he was going through.

"Okay. I'll be back soon. I promise." Jason hesitated. He looked at Annabeth and put a hand on her shoulder. She nodded her head in a 'just go' gesture. Jason looked between her and Percy, who still hadn't emerged from her arms, then flew back up. Annabeth watched him disappear into the cloud of smoke above.

"Okay." Annabeth said in a very shaky voice. She was trying to console Percy and herself. She was really back in Tartarus. She looked around and saw the black ground, shards of glass glinting in the red haze of light. She saw the dead trees lining cliffs and the briefest glint of the fire river flowing below it. Immediately, Annabeth's mind was turning with the possibility of having to go drink from it.

Percy's head lifted from her shoulder and Annabeth knew he was looking around. She took in a deep breath and pulled back slightly to see his face. His pupils were wide and darting around at every detail. His breathing came in uneven intervals and he swallowed heavily.

"I'm here." Annabeth grabbed his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. His eyes finally locked on her and he nodded.

"You were always here." He said hoarsely.

"But now I'm actually here. You don't have to pretend." Annabeth said carefully. She had heard him talk about how he imagined her in Tartarus and wasn't sure how to approach the conversation.

Then, something Annabeth would have never predicted to happen happened. Percy gave a small, barely visible but still present, smile. The corner of one side of his lips turned up as he stared at her.

"I know." He said. Staring into his eyes, she could almost forget where they were. She could almost put herself back at Camp Half-Blood, sitting on the dock during the summer. She could almost put herself back several years to when things were simple.

His small smile disappeared when a sound came from several yards away. Both he and Annabeth whipped their heads towards the noise. Footsteps grew nearer and nearer. Annabeth's breath caught. Were they too optimistic to believe that they would get out of this without anyone knowing? Were they fools to believe that they would be fine?

Despite everything, despite the trauma and the PTSD, Percy drew his sword and stepped in front of Annabeth. He put an arm around her from behind him to protect her, shielding her from whatever was in front of them. A lump rose in Annabeth's throat. After everything he was still protecting her. She grabbed his hand from behind.

"Percy Jackson." A voice crooned. Annabeth could tell something was wrong. Percy's hand, which had been holding her's back, went limp and his sword dipped. Whatever color was in his face drained and was replaced by a ghostly sickening color.

"You honestly didn't think that you could come back here and not come visit me?" A monster appeared through the fog and a guttural gasp came from Percy. His broken sword was almost perpendicular to the floor now and Percy took a step back.

"You must be the girl's name he screamed out in his sleep every night." The monster's eyes flicked to Annabeth. Annabeth looked at the back of Percy's head, wanting desperately to be able to read his thoughts.

"Oh don't be shy. I thought we were close. Come here, Percy." The monster smiled and opened his arms. Annabeth tightened a grip on Percy's hand, but he remained unresponsive. In the dim light of Tartarus, Annabeth saw the tears swimming in his eyes.

"I said come here." The monster's false niceties dropped as a more serious tone took place. He was staring at Percy with piercing eyes.

"I SAID COME HERE." The monster suddenly started walking forward towards them with quick steps. Percy almost tripped over his feet trying to back away, but the monster grabbed hold of the collar of his shirt. They were face to face and the monster started growling.

"How many times have I told you Perseus, when I tell you to do something, you do it." He said in a dangerously calm voice.

"Leave." Annabeth shoved him back and drew her drakon bone sword. She let go of Percy's hand and felt him shrink next to her. She didn't know Percy's history with this certain individual, but she knew that any confrontation would lead to a fight.

The monster started smiling. "Ah, Annabeth Chase. When I heard one of you closed the doors, I have to be honest, I hoped it was you. I had some... other things in mind for you."

Annabeth's face went pale, but she remained steady.

"I am very thrilled to have finally met you. Percy has told me so much about you." He gave a wicked grin.

"Don't say his name again." Annabeth emotion leaked through the words. This monster, whoever he was, was responsible for Percy's sleepless nights, jumpiness, and everything else that caused him to fall apart.

"Annabeth." Percy said in a guttural hoarse voice from behind her. Annabeth was tempted to turn around and see his face, but she faced the monster.

Suddenly, the monster's eyes locked on something behind her. A bigger smile crept up on his lips as whatever he saw light up his features. Fearing the worst, she turned slightly to see whatever was making the monster so happy and found... nothing. She turned back around to find a knife at her throat.

"Annabeth!" Percy gasped.

"First rule, never take your eyes off your opponent. Haven't you've been training for your entire life? Or has the past year of being a drunk made you forget how to fight?" He snarled at her. He forced Annabeth's sword out of her hand.

"You get away from her." Percy's voice, different than it had been before, appeared next to her. Annabeth closed her eyes briefly, trying to sort through all of her racing thoughts. Percy's voice, which had been trembling and terrified, had solidified into something strong. No, it wasn't strong, it was anger. White hot rage seeped out of his eyes. For himself, he was scared, for Annabeth, he would tear this entire world apart.

"Haven't seen this one in a couple of months." The monster flipped his gaze to Percy. "What was the last thing you got angry over? Oh yes, I remember. It was when I threatened to drag your mother down here-"

"Stop talking and let her go." Percy's broken shard of a sword was at his throat, his sword at Annabeth's.

"And if I don't, Jackson?" He stopped smiling.

"Then I'll kill you." Percy's voice shook again.

"All these months and you kill me now?" The monster studied his face. They all remained silent, wondering who would be the first to break.

"They always say to know who a man really is, listen to his final words." The monster blinked. "I listened to every word that you thought was your last, so I think I have figured you out, Perseus. I could drag you back into that room, hurt you again, eventually kill you, but that's not what would really destroy you. No. Her on the other hand... Hurting her would destroy you." His crazed smile came creeping back.

"No." Percy voice was broken. That single word was a sob and gasp together. That single word came out as a plea, a desperate attempt at begging his torturer, a last ditch effort to do anything in exchange for what he was wanting to do.

"Oh yes. This will be fun." He said and all the sudden, they all disappeared. When Percy's vision returned, he was in an all too familiar room. Those four walls which had encapsulated his existence and pain for months. The room that had prevented him from sleeping. He had returned to that room.

Instead of pacing around the room and trying to find an exit, Percy felt his ears ring as he fell to his knees. He was back in the room. No no no no no no no no. He was back in the room.

An earsplitting scream sounded from upstairs. Annabeth.

A guttural scream ripped through Percy's throat, but not saying 'stop', as it had typically been, but instead screaming a different word.

"ANNABETH!"

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