Fragile Heart [Completed]

23

Trigger warning: mention of suicide/self harm and rape.

The day passed agonisingly slowly for Annabeth. Will came and checked on her now and then, and Nico was often with him. Despite them trying to cheer her up, she remained nervous for the upcoming evening. She wondered what would happen when she saw Rory. What would she say?

When evening did finally fall, Mr D snuck quietly into her room. "Are you ready?" he asked.

She nodded shakily. He handed her a pair of crutches and helped her climb out of the bed. Her heart hammered in her chest. This was it. She didn't know what would happen if they were caught. Would they punished with Rory? She pushed the thoughts aside as Mr D transported them to Olympus.

"Walk straight down there. She's right at the end. Good luck." Mr D handed her a key and began making his way towards where the Olympians were meeting.

The crutches dug into her forearms but she moved as fast as she could despite the pain. Her ribs ached as her breathing became laboured. When she saw Rory in the cell, her breath caught in her throat. A tray of uneaten food had been pushed to the side of the cell. A cup of water laid on its side, the water sprayed around it.

Rory herself had dark circles under eyes. Her gore covered clothes hung loose around her frame. Her body had been reduced to skin and bone. She was sat leaning against the wall opposite the good and water. What had they done to her?

Annabeth took a step forward. Stirred by the noise, Rory weakly lifted her head. Tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes. She took unsteady steps towards the bars. She reached out, her thin arms easily slipping through the gaps. Her hand was cold against Annabeth's cheek.

Annabeth took the key and slid it into the lock. Silently, the door swung open. Dropping the crutches, Annabeth took Rory into her arms. Together, they fell to the floor. Rory ran her hands all.over Annabeth, searching, making sure she was really there. Annabeth let the tears spilled freely from her eyes.

"I thought you were dead," Rory whispered. "You weren't breathing and you were dead." She buried her face in Annabeth's chest. "I didn't know what to do, you were dead."

"I know, I know. I'm here now, it's okay." She stroked her hair. "I'm here now, I'm alive."

"What happened to you? What happened to your leg?" Rory's voice was barely audible.

"That doesn't matter," replied Annabeth as she kissed the top of Rory's head. "None of that matters."

Annabeth's eyes finally landed on the scabs that covered most of Rory's body. They were fresh, some of them still bleeding slightly.

"These aren't from the fight. What..." she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"I didn't...they were gonna kill me and I didn't care. I didn't want...I wasn't gonna let them choose how...I didn't care anymore." Annabeth wanted to make it all go away. She wished that she could do something.

"It's okay now, I'm not going to let them hurt you. You're safe now." She kept saying it over and over again, just telling her that she was safe.

Rory whispered something, but it was so quiet Annabeth couldn't understand.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm sorry."

Annabeth brought Rory's face up so that their eyes locked.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" she asked incredulous.

Rory shrugged. "I got you wrapped up in this. I-"