Source: Johnny Got His Gun
Nick reappeared back into the apartment, breathing heavily with tears dripping down his cheeks. Piper was the only one waiting, so she saw him and grew concerned, "Nick? Are you ok?"
Nick wiped his tears away and cleared his throat. "Uh yeah. I'm… I'm okay. I should probably call everyone back in." He used a microphone."Will everyone return to the viewing room?"
Soon everyone returned and sat down in their usual spot. Annabeth took note of Nick's state and asked, "Nick? What's wrong?"
He took a deep breath and began typing into his tablet when he replied, "I will be. But… I must warn you guys. This one isn't a very happy one, compared to the other ones."
"What do you mean?" Jason asked.
"I… I'll let it speak for itself." Nick responded before deciding to be quiet. This gave everyone a small sense of dread. What could've caused something like that to happen to Nick?
The film began with a black screen and sounds of gunfire and explosions. Men shouting orders and even whistling could be heard before a loud explosion encompassed every sound.
"Oh, a war one?" Percy asked.
"I hope nothing too serious happens." Leo said.
"I don't know about that." Hazel said with uncertainty.
It faded into nothing for several minutes until Percy's voice could be heard.
"Where am I? Why is it so dark? Could someone turn on the light?"
The screen then opened to reveal a boy in a hospital bed, a cover placed over his head and a blanket over his body. He was short, but in an unnatural kind of way. As if he was missing parts of his body.
"It's cold… and I can… I can barely move. I can feel the blood pumping through my veins but I can't hear it. Why can't I hear it? Oh God I'm deaf!" Percy's head moved slightly which caused a bowl to fall and shatter.
Annabeth placed a hand over her mouth at the sight of Percy.
Percy himself stared wide eyed at himself. As was everyone.
"Oh my gods, what happened to him!?" Piper exclaimed.
"What war does to everyone." Frank said solemnly.
"Is this a dream? It has to be."
A door opened to reveal several men in military suits and nurses walking in.
"Wait, footsteps. I can hear their vibrations!"
A general with slicked back hair walked to look at Percy in the bed. "How did you get him here so fast?"
"Ares." Percy glared at him on screen.
"There was a medical team nearby. They managed to save… a majority of him." A familiar blonde haired doctor replied. It was Apollo.
"What're they doing? Are they talking? Or just standing there looking at me? Is there something wrong with me?"
"Are we… hearing his thoughts?" Jason asked.
"I think so. But why haven't they talked to him?" Hazel asked.
"He can't speak…" Annabeth said with a shuddering breath.
This made everyone freeze but keep watching. Not liking this viewing already.
"Let's get him transferred." Ares said before the scene faded to black.
The screen then showed Percy in bed in a supply closet. Ares ordered, "No one without a key is to enter this room. We must keep the public unaware about this."
Apollo looked at him shocked. "Sir, he is a patient, we should be treating him properly like all the other ones."
The General ordered with a fire in his eyes, "And what are people going to think when they see him? About his injuries? It's better this way. No one outside of this hospital should know."
"What!? What reason is there to keep locked away like some sort of dirty secret!?" Annabeth asked, outraged at the treatment of her boyfriend.
Percy felt his anger grow at Ares, especially after everything he's done to him. Cursing his sword to fail him and frame him as the Lightning Thief. Now this? It pissed him off.
"This is fucking bullshit." Thalia seethed.
The General left with Apollo looking back at Percy and sighed before closing the door and locking it.
"What's happening now? Everyone is gone. Am I left by myself?"
It was another day when Apollo and two nurses were unwrapping the bandages on Percy's arm.
"Well the bandages are coming off now. Though my arm itches. I wish they would scratch it. Ouch! They're pinching me! No… It's a stab of heat. I remember now… I fell on the curb near my apartment and cut my eyebrow. I was stitched up and once it healed, Mom pulled the stitches out. Except… I can feel the stitches but I can't feel… my hand… or my arm! Oh God, they cut my arm off! Why would they do such a thing!? Why!? I need my arm! I need to work with it!"
"Gods, hearing his thoughts… It's unnerving." Leo said with a shudder.
"Especially since he doesn't even realize the extent of the damage." Thalia said.
Percy's head began moving in a panic. Causing Apollo to order, "Get me a sedative!" The nurses scrambled to find a sedative and handed it to him. He put the needle into one of the tubes and pushed down, sending the sleeping liquid inside of Percy.
"Why!? Why did you do something like that!? This has to be a dream! Why!? Why… Why… Why…" Percy's thoughts soon faded as he fell into unconsciousness.
Apollo sighed before saying. "Onto the other arm."
It then cut to Percy Jackson, healthy and whole as he was playing Poker with Leo, Frank, Jason and a mysterious figure with long brown hair and a beard.
"Who is that?" Frank asked. "Anybody recognize him?"
"I do." Leo answered. "That's Jesus Christ."
Everyone looked at Jesus Christ before Annabeth asked, "Is this a dream or does Jesus Christ exist in this world?"
Nick shrugged "I suppose so. I mean, what's to say that God doesn't exist in your world? No one ever truly knows."
"I'll say, this pot's mine, fellas." Leo chuckled as he tossed some chips in.
"Call." Percy tossed his chips in.
"Say J, how do you tell if you're dreaming?" Frank asked.
"Well, there's several ways. When you're in control of what happens, that's a dream. When you can't do anything when everything happens around you, it's reality." Jesus said as he checked.
"Nice advice… I think?" Percy said with a bit of uncertainty.
"Hear that Percy, Now you know how to tell. Bet." Jason said before tossing some other coins.
"Yeah, but… What am I supposed to do with that?" Percy asked. "If I can't even tell if this is real or not."
"Well of course it's not real." Leo said. "We're all at home with our loved ones. Where are you? In a hospital with nothing to do."
"Um…" Leo tried to say something but couldn't.
Percy's mouth opened wide before the scene dissolved into a ripple, then back to Percy in bed.
"I can't tell if I'm alive and dreaming or dead and remembering. How can you tell if you're dreaming if you can't even tell if you're alive?" Percy thought to himself.
Annabeth's heart broke at that kind of thought.
"That's a fucking terrifying thought." Thalia whispered.
"It's like we're seeing a person's own personal hell." Jason said as he squeezed Piper's hand.
A nurse unlocked the door, opened it before closing it. She had blonde hair and startling grey eyes.
"Annabeth?" Percy asked with a breath as he held her hand tightly.
She looked at herself, hoping she could help him. Somehow. She squeezed Percy's hand tightly as well.
Annabeth looked at Percy and a pang of sympathy and sadness pierced her heart. She placed her hand on his forehead, something that seemed to startle him.
"What's this? It's a hand. It's soft and I could feel… are they fingernails? It's… It's a woman. It must be a nurse. I couldn't hear her footsteps, was she tiptoeing? Or is she light? Whatever the case, I can already feel that she cares more about me than the other nurses."
She removed her hand and pulled a table forward then grabbed a tube connected to a glass of thick liquid. She pushed the tube into the entrance connected to his mouth before holding the glass up to allow the liquid to sail inside of him.
"Oh yes." Thought Percy. "Feeding time. I wonder when I'll be able to feed myself. When am I going to get well?"
Percy looked down at himself, thinking about how stupid his thoughts were. Annabeth looked at him before leaning her head against his shoulder. "Don't think about it, Percy."
He looked at her before nodding.
Annabeth placed the glass down before pulling the tube out.
"Ah, dinner is over, but it won't always be like this, will it?" Percy asked, before he stopped himself as he thought. "Now wait… Think for a minute. There's something funny here. Something cool. Something wet. My face was just wrapped up. When they unwrapped it, I could… No…" Percy's head began to shake and move as if he realized something terrible.
"No please, I… No, get a hold of yourself, Percy. Don't lose your head. My jaws… My jaws, they don't work! Try your tongue, Percy. Try to rub it against the roof. Oh God! I have no tongue either!! No teeth, no tongue, no jaw, no nose! All that's left is a hole!"
Leo suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore, as he felt sick at the image that popped in his head. He placed his bowl on the ground and away from him.
Percy shuddered at the image as well.
Annabeth watched him shake his head and she placed a hand on his head and chest to try and calm him down. "Shh… It's ok, Percy. It's ok. I only wish to help you."
"She… She's trying to calm me. Nurse… If only you could hear… If only I could scream! Oh Jesus Christ I can't even feel my eyes! I have no eyes! My whole face is scooped out! How am I still alive!? I-I can't live like this, Nurse! I don't want to be this… Thing! This armless, legless freak! Father! Father, please help me!"
Annabeth felt like crying, hearing the thoughts of her boyfriend.
Piper placed a hand over her mouth and was on the verge of tears, as was Hazel. Frank felt uncomfortable at the thoughts and squeezed Hazel's hand.
Annabeth felt tears drip down before she had no choice but to grab a syringe and infuse it with a sedative. She then plunged the needle inside of him and pushed down to sedate him. "I'm sorry." She whispered.
Percy's head began to slowly still as his thoughts faded away into unconsciousness.
"What am I? A piece of meat that keeps on living."
"No! No you're not!" Annabeth cried out.
We cut to Percy around 7 years old, at a river with his father, Poseidon. The two were fishing in a boat as Percy tossed his bait out and Poseidon smiled. "Good one, son."
"Another dream?" Thalia asked.
"No… I think it's a memory." Percy responded.
Percy smiled before looking out into the river. He then asked, "Father, what is Democracy?"
Poseidon paused before looking up a bit as if thinking. "Well, I was never very clear on it myself. Like every other kind of government, it's got something to do with young men killing each other, I believe."
This hit hard. Anyway they looked at it, all of them were child soldiers. All they've known was either feeling out of place in public, or being hunted down like prey by monsters. Even in those safe havens in Camp Half Blood or Camp Jupiter, all they ever did was train. Train to fight and go on quests for parents that never cared for them. This was their existence. Child soldiers for gods.
Percy asked, "Then what about the old men? Why don't they kill each other?"
His father replied, "Well the old men have to keep the house fires burning."
"Couldn't the old men do that as well?"
"The young men never have a home so that's why they're sent out to kill each other."
Percy was silent for a minute before asking, "When it comes my turn… Will you want me to go?"
Poseidon frowned as he replied, "For Democracy, any man would give his only begotten son."
This made Percy think back to when he was claimed by his father. It was when Zeus suspected Percy of being the Lightning Thief. He resented his father for only being around when he needed him to clear his name, but he forgave him and grew to look at him like a true father.
Jason and Thalia also remember what their births meant. Nothing. Jason was given to Hera as a peace offering just to sate her anger. Hearing this, it made him realize how much his father meant to them. Nothing.
Percy looked down as he muttered, "I wouldn't."
Percy and Annabeth looked at each other, knowing they both wanted kids. They made a silent promise to each other, never let them see war.
Poseidon looked down before turning around to face his son, "Son, look at me." Percy turned around to look at his father who put his hands on his shoulders. "I won't be here to stop it, Percy."
He wrapped his arms around Percy before begging "Put your arms around me, son. I need your warmth… to keep the chill of death away."
Percy's eyes began to water and he whispered, "I can't."
Poseidon whispered "Please…"
Percy got out of his father's embrace and said, "No, I won't!!"
Poseidon looked at his son as he turned his back on him. He looked down before turning back towards the lake as he said. "Well… I guess it always comes down to it. Every man faces death by himself."
Everyone looked down as they realized it was true. Even if they were surrounded by friends and family, only the dead would face him.
Back in reality, Nurse Annabeth opened the blinds to allow the sunlight to seep through. She pulls Percy's bed forward so the sun may touch his skin. "What's this? It feels… Warm. Could it be? Could it be the sun? Oh thank you Nurse! You beautiful young nurse! I pray God keeps you fair and beautiful!"
Annabeth blushed and Piper cooed. "Aww that's so cute.
Percy looked a little embarrassed at the thoughts he had about her.
Annabeth could see how excited Percy was to feel the warmth of the sun so she grabbed a glass before filling it with water. She pulled a rose out of a pocket before placing it in the glass. She leaned down and kissed his forehead and whispered, "Good morning, Percy."
Percy leaned his head up, responding to her. "Oh Nurse… If only I could see you. I'm already imagining you…. Beautiful golden locks, stringing grey eyes. You must be the most beautiful woman on this Earth. If only I could kiss you back. You're the only one who isn't frightened of me."
"Wow… How did he know?" Thalia asked, impressed.
"This is… the happiest we've seen him." Hazel said.
Annabeth smiled and kissed Percy's cheek at his thoughts being projected.
Annabeth then thought of something, he doesn't know her name, and she can't risk trying Morse Code, not unless he knew how. She began unbuttoning his shirt.
"What's this? What is she doing?" Percy thought before feeling a wet trail on his naked chest. "Wait, it feels like… letters? Is she tracing a letter on my chest? A. N. N. A. B. E. T. H. Annabeth! I-I finally have a name to call her! Oh Annabeth! Thank you! Thank you! I'm Percy! Oh if only I could respond back! I need a way!"
Everyone was hoping that there was a way for them to talk to each other.
"Come on, me. Think. She's right there!" Percy urged himself on screen.
That was when his father's words rang in his head. "Don't you remember when you were little? How you and Grover used to string a wire between the two houses so you could telegraph to each other?"
"Yes…"
"You remember Morse Code?"
"Yes! Yes of course! But… How can I do it if I don't have any arms or legs?"
Poseidon chuckled in his head, "Use your head, silly."
"Of course… Thank you, Father."
"Morse Code. Maybe we should invest in that. See if it will attract the monsters or not." Leo suggested and Annabeth said. "It's worth a try."
Back in reality, Percy began to bang his head against the pillow in a sequence. Annabeth watched with confusion until some of the sequence started to sound familiar. "What're you trying to do?" She whispered before realizing it.
"I. Am. Percy." She said aloud before tears began to leak from her eyes as she placed a hand over her mouth. She began tapping in sequenced order.
"Yes! Yes! It worked! She knows Morse Code! Oh God, thank you for delivering her to me! Now what's she saying?" Percy cheered in his head.
Everyone whooped and cheered, happy they found a way to communicate.
"Yes!"
"Hello Percy. I. Am. Annabeth. Oh Annabeth. Thank you… I have a request for you."
He tapped his head against the pillow.
"I. Want. To. Talk. To. The. Military." Annabeth said before responding with:
"I. Will. Be. Back." Percy cheered from within his head. "Yes! Thank you! Thank you Annabeth. I'll be able to talk to other people! Maybe they can help me. Maybe now I can go outside. I can finally feel the cool air and perhaps people will see me!"
Annabeth returned with Apollo, General Ares, a military priest and another General, with a long grayish beard and electric blue eyes.
"Father?" Jason and Thalia asked with a slight fear.
"What's this about, Nurse Chase?" Apollo asked to which she responded, "He's speaking in Morse Code."
Ares asked "What's he saying?"
Annabeth released a shuddering breath. "S.O.S Help."
Zeus said, "Well I'll be damned. He's actually speaking to us. Ask him what he wants."
Annabeth began to tap on his chest.
"What. Do. I. Want?" Percy thought in his head. He began tapping back.
Annabeth responded. "He wants to be free. He wants to feel the cool air."
Ares frowned. "We can't do that. Imagine what people would say if they saw him. Tell him we will do what we can. We can't be permitted to move him as of this moment."
"Are you kidding me!? At least open a window for him, you fucking bastard!!" Annabeth seethed.
Annabeth looked down before tapping the response.
"They won't do it… Why? I simply want to feel the air. If they won't allow people to see me then…" Percy began tapping the pillow with his head.
Everyone began to get a bad feeling about what he was tapping.
Annabeth made a small gasp as tears streamed down her cheeks. She knew what he was asking, so was the military priest. He kissed a cross which made the others question. "What did he say?" Ares asked.
The Priest responded "Kill me. Over and over again, kill me."
This shocked everyone as Annabeth struggled not to cry out loud.
Annabeth's eyes widened as she placed her hands against her mouth in shock. Hearing her boyfriend beg to die… It was something she never wanted to hear come out of his mouth.
Percy himself was shocked. There was only ever one other time he gave up… Tartarus. The River of Misery made him give up, but he was pulled back by his love. He vowed never to resort himself down to that level ever again. Seeing that brought back that awful memory.
Jason saw Percy as his brother, seeing what he went through and what his thoughts were, he wouldn't wish that on his worst enemy. Could he do it? Could he grant Percy that mercy if he begged him to do it?
Thalia was equally shocked and scared. She's known Percy since he was 13, and he's always been stubborn, and stupid, but he was also the bravest and strongest demigod she knew. Hearing him beg for death scared her. She didn't think she would've had the strength to grant him that mercy.
Everyone else was equally shocked. He was possibly the strongest demigod of their generation and seeing him degraded to that level was horrifying.
Zeus looked at the Priest before looking at Annabeth, "Nurse, tell him we will do everything we can to make him comfortable. For now, he needs rest. Tell him we will give him a sedative."
Annabeth sniffled before tapping on his chest.
Zeus then ordered, "Nothing is to be said about this out of this room. Understand? I will hold you all collectively responsible for any breach. You will be notified of any new orders." He looked at Annabeth and asked. "Anything?"
She shook her head and released a shaky breath. "He won't give any answer. Just kill me. Kill me. Kill me."
Annabeth began to cry against Percy's shoulder, not bothering to even watch it anymore.
Percy himself kept a tight hold on Annabeth in an attempt to comfort her.
Apollo looked at the Priest and asked, "Don't you have some message for him, Padre?"
Padre sighed and shook his head. Apollo then said, "You could at least tell him to put his faith in God!"
Padre glared at him, "I'll pray for him for the rest of my days. But I will not risk testing his faith because of all your stupidity."
Zeus glared at Padre and said with a sneer, "You're one hell of a priest, aren't you?"
Padre glared back, "He's the product of your profession. Not mine." Before walking out of the supply closet.
This made Jason and Thalia look at each other. That hit differently for them. They were the product of Zeus' profession. Being a cheating man-whore who never cared. Hearing him be called out like that felt good.
Ares sighed before ordering "Clear the room. Give him a light sedative, Nurse."
Annabeth nodded and watched as everyone walked out of the room, leaving her alone with Percy.
"No… No, they left! No, why won't they kill me!? But… She's still here… Oh Annabeth, I wouldn't ask this of you… But please… Kill me. I beg of you Annabeth. Kill me!"
Annabeth cried harder, trying to block his words out. She couldn't do it… She wouldn't have been strong enough to grant that of him. Percy kept a tight hold on her, smoothing her back as tears flowed down his cheeks as well.
Annabeth felt conflicted, she was a nurse. She became one to help and save people. All she wanted was to help Percy. But on the other hand, there was nothing that would fix him. No amount of healing or rest would allow him back into the world. He was nothing but a consciousness inside a dead body. It wasn't living. Annabeth knew what to do, but she didn't know if she had the strength to do it.
She grabbed her cross necklace and began to pray. "Oh my God, I'm heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins. Not because of thy judgement, oh Lord, but because thou art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of thy grace to sin no more. To avoid all occasions of sin. Amen."
She grabbed a pair of surgical pliers before enclosing it around Percy's breathing tube. She began to cry as she said to Percy. "Percy… I know you can't hear this… But I wish you all my love in Heaven as well. Wait for me there… For when I arrive, we may be together. I love you, Percy." She began to tap onto his chest one final time as Percy struggled to breathe.
Annabeth heard herself and wanted to shout at her to stop, but knew in her heart, it was the right thing to do.
Piper cried as well on Jason's shoulder, seeing how painful it was. Jason let a tear flow down as he looked away.
Hazel couldn't stop herself from crying as well. Frank had tears flowing down as he held Hazel in his arms.
Thalia knew it was the right thing to do, but she wouldn't have been strong enough to do it. For all her boasts and confidence, this was something she never wanted to experience.
Leo allowed tears stream down his cheeks as he watched. This was the scariest thing ever. Not even facing down Gaia and nearly dying could compare to this. Watching a friend beg for death. He couldn't do it.
"Thank you Annabeth. Thank you for freeing me from this tormented life. I shall wait for you at the gates… I will wait forever. I love you too Annabeth."
Just before he could finally be free, Ares walked in to see Annabeth killing Percy. He walked towards her and pushed her away and undid the pliers from his breathing tube. "No!" Annabeth cried out before Ares pushed her back down. "You fool!" Ares shouted at her.
"No no no no no!" Annabeth saw Ares pull herself away and cried out.
"Get away from her, you son of a bitch!" Percy shouted.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but let him die!" Leo pleaded.
"Someone do something!" Hazel cried out.
"No… No, I still breathe! Someone stopped Annabeth! No no no no! Please kill me! Kill me!" Percy pleaded.
Then, suddenly, a light appeared from the window to reveal Nick. Ares and Annabeth looked shocked before Nick snapped his fingers, leaving Ares unconscious and on the floor.
Everyone's eyes widened, seeing the person that brought them into this little viewing world, in there, stopping Ares.
"N-Nick? H-how?" Annabeth couldn't finish the sentence as he answered.
"I broke a cardinal rule. Never get involved, but I did. I did it because it was the right thing to do."
"Will you get in trouble?" Piper asked to which Nick nodded. "Yeah, but it'll be worth it."
Annabeth looked up at him in fear before asking "Are you an angel?"
Nick smiled and walked towards her before holding his hand out. She grabbed it and was pulled up from the floor.
"Finish what you started, Annabeth. Give him the peace he deserves." Nick said gently.
Annabeth nodded and grabbed the pliers and enclosed his breathing tube once more.
"Wait, it's happening… It's happening again. Annabeth must've done it somehow. Oh thank you Annabeth… I will see you again. Goodbye…" Percy said before the final breath was taken and Percy was freed.
Annabeth looked away and placed a hand over her mouth and cried gently. Nick held her and rubbed her back gently. Annabeth asked "Will he make it?"
Nick nodded. "He will be in God's hands. As will you, Miss Chase. You will see him again."
She nodded, smiling against the tears as she looked back at Percy and kissed his forehead one last time. "Goodbye Percy."
The film ended with a view of the night sky and a twinkling star.
Nick tapped into his tablet and took a deep breath before watching everyone hug Percy and each other. Annabeth glanced at Nick and whispered, "Thank you."
He smiled and nodded at her.
Olympus
The gods watched and before they realized it, it was over and everyone was left nearly in tears.
Poseidon himself was about to cry at the sight of his son and what he went through. It made him realize how much of a terrible father he was to him in the past.
Amphitrite, Poseidon's wife, watched alongside him with guilt at how she treated him. He was just a boy. He didn't deserve that kind of fate.
Ares himself looked at Percy and knew this wasn't what he would've wanted. He knew Percy was a soldier, and this was not a fate he wished for any soldier.
Artemis cried silently, seeing how much he suffered. If she was there, she would've given him the mercy he so deserved. Her respect for him grew more, realizing just how much he meant to them.
Hera began to realize how much she destroyed Percy's life. Not just his, but Jason's. Perhaps once this was all over, she should apologize. She may not be forgiven, but it possibly would've helped her gain a clear conscience.
Apollo saw how much of a failure he was. He should've been the one to do it. Not Annabeth. But it would've broken the doctor's oath.
Hermes owed Percy a great favor for helping his son be remembered as a hero. He could've done something. Anything to help him.
Dionysus was not one for demigods. He loved his two sons, but everyone else were just brats. Especially Perry Johnson. The boy caused him so many headaches, but he respected the hell out of the kid. He just didn't let it be known. Perhaps he should start showing a bit more compassion.
Aphrodite cried openly. Seeing how truly heartbreaking this sort of love story was and the heartache it caused Annabeth. It made her regret the sort of love story she wanted for Percy.
Hades watched and felt really bad about the boy. If this happened to him in the prime world, he would've taken his soul straight to the Isle of the Blessed.
What of Zeus? He felt conflicted. The boy was dangerous, yet he was a scared boy trapped in a destroyed body with nothing but his thoughts. He would've granted the boy his request.
Hestia was a peaceful goddess who always was overlooked. That was until Percy recognized her. He was like a grandson to her, she would've spoiled him rotten and smothered him in love. This just made her want to hold him and never let go, not even when threatened. Could she have granted him his request? No. She didn't suppose she could've.
All in all, the gods were finally starting to see what being a mortal was like. Truly experiencing loss, insanity, love, and happiness. It could happen at any second and it was limited.
The life of Percy Jackson was something every demigod would go through, his life just happened to show the gods their errors, and they were finally starting to see it.