Once Strong, Now Broken

Chapter 38: The Starting of The End

Annabeth POV

Percy woke up screaming.

Ended as suddenly as it started, almost as a gasp for air. Shuffling, panicked yelps, and a tired goddess repeatedly trying to calm him rose from inside their cabin.

Routine, almost.

I rested on my porch with Amara, Percy's daughter, while cleaning recently spilt tea from my shirt. an angry blob formed as she gives me a slight chuckle. She crinkled her lips in a I'm not laughing smile before sipping her can of Diet Coke: the one that she nabbed it from Dionysus' stash (without dying). I look at her while dabbing my shirt with a napkin, "Is this a regular occurrence?"

She cocked her eyebrows at me, "Pops waking badly? Or you being a clumsy fuck?-" She smirks as I growl at her, "-Either wayyy~ the answers is yes, but he's never been this bad." I remember her telling me stories of the woods, how she only remembered bits here and there before she made her way to us. They lived alone... but they were happy.

"When did he get worse?"

"After he came back here." Her eyes focused on the newest cabin ahead of us. The cabin spawned in after Amara first arrived at camp.

Her cabin:
The one she never slept in. Felt lonely without her parents, but now with Percy's condition worsening: it's not safe with them either.

Her features grow older as Percy worsens, making her age threeyears in a week. When we first found her, she looked maybe ten? Maybe even twelve with how fast she grew, but now when I see her she looks 16. With her deep eye bags and her clenched jaw, she fits right in with the older demigods.

I honestly wrote that off as a godly thing. Something that is natural to all the stories of young gods: they grow fast. Unnaturally fast. Yet I can't help to notice that her growth rate increased dramatically after Percy showed up. And in terrible condition mentally.

As if she heard my thoughts, a sudden crunch of a can distracted me. I glance over to Amara looking sadly at the can. She tossed the remnants of the tin into her right hand and shot it into the trash can behind her,

"Kobe!" A perfect shot.

I laugh as the word filtered through my ears, "Who taught you that??"

"Will. He used to do it in the infirmary."

I could only shake my head and smile. Of course he does. To make the injured smile.

Amara stood up and stretched, half folded arms as her shoulders tense backwards. Just like Percy used to.

She reached her hand out to me, "So! Let's go do something!" I let her pull me up. I dusted myself off as I gave her a questioning glance,

"Like what?"

She laughs, "I don't know, but I definitely know I want another Diet Coke." She walks down the stairs with a little bounce in each step.

It was my turn to laugh in pure disbelief, "There is NO way you can get away with that again."

She twirls back towards me while walking backwards, "My dear, Annie~ It's all in the wrists~" and she flips back around on her heels. If I didn't know who her parents were, I would have guessed she would be a Hermes Kid. She's got spunk for a "16" year old. And in "spunk" I mean a death-wish.

I straightened my sweater and followed her down the porch with a laugh, "You're going to die."

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//late evening//

Sunset on the beach didn't melt the same since Percy left. It served as a constant reminder of how I failed the most important person in my life. Someone who trusted me, and too godsdamn loyal to ever leave this terrible camp for good.