Alone - a Percabeth Story

I Talk to Three People; and Only One of Them Gets Mad at Me!

Disclaimer: I don't own the PJO universe

On his way back from Camp Halfblood that evening, all he could think about was Annabeth. She could be still alive? What would that mean for them? He would have to go looking for her, definitely. Maybe they could get married, buy a house, have kids, grow old together. But what if she was mad at him? In hindsight, he felt bad for not thinking of Jaime once.

Percy drove into Manhattan and to a familiar apartment building. He got out of his car, and before he went into the building, he pulled out his phone and texted Bobby.

Percy: Hi. We have to talk.

He then went inside, and went up to the sixth floor. He knocked on the door, and it was opened by a familiar face. His mom, Sally Blofis. He immediately gave her a hug, and she returned it, a bit confused. When they let go, Sally looked concerned.

"Percy?" she asked. "What are you doing here? You're crying!"

Percy hadn't noticed it before, but he felt a tear go down his cheek. He wiped them away, and walked into the apartment building.

"How's Estelle?" Percy asked, and the giggling three year old came running into the living room, her long hair in two ponytails. 

"She's doing great, as you can see," Sally laughed. "Paul's at a meeting right now, I know he wishes he could see you."

Percy laughed, then became serious again. "I went to camp today."

"Oh."

"And I talked to Nico," Percy said, starting to rush his words, as if afraid someone would stop him. "And he went to the Underworld, and he was looking through Elysium, and the Fields of Asphodel, and the Fields of Punishment. And he couldn't find Annabeth. Anywhere."

Sally had a look of pity on her face. "Honey, he couldn't find her before, either. Too many demigods died in the war."

"I know," Percy said. "But Hades... he couldn't find her either. Nico thinks that she might still be alive."

Percy felt another tear, and Sally gave him another hug.

"What are you going to do about it?" Sally asked.

"I have to look for her," Percy said. "If there's even the slightest chance she could still be alive, I need to find her."

Percy knew that Sally had come to accept all the dangerous things he had to do. "Alright. But if you die, I swear..."

Percy managed a laugh. "Thanks, Mom."

Percy was sitting in his apartment, eating blue popcorn, watching Finding Nemo. Jaime was at work, so he was completely alone. Then, he got a text from Bobby.

Bobby: Um... alright. What's going on?

Percy: I can't explain over text. Can you come over to my apartment in five minutes?

Percy listed the address.

Bobby: Is this important? Frida and I are going on a date.

Percy: You'll want to hear this.

Bobby: Ok. I'll be over in five.

Percy tried to relax back on the couch, and he wouldn't have been able to, had Marlin not been talking so comfortingly. It only felt like a few seconds until Bobby came.

"Hi," Percy said as he opened the door for Bobby.

"This has better be really important," Bobby said. "I swear, if this is just some stupid thing-"

"It's Annabeth," Percy blurted out. Bobby widened his eyes, and sat down on the couch.

"What about Annabeth?" Bobby asked.

"She..." Percy started. "Our friend Nico, from camp, is able to find dead people in the Underworld. And he couldn't find her." Percy didn't really feel like explaining the Greek Underworld to Bobby.

"So Annabeth's alive?"

"We don't know," Percy said. "But there's a chance."

"Well, we have to look for her!" Bobby said. 

"No," Percy said. "I have to look for her. Me, and other demigods. You're a mortal. It would be way too dangerous for you to come."

"You let Rachel go with you into the Labyrinth," Bobby reminded him.

"That was different!" Percy said. "How do you know about that?"

"Annabeth told me when she came back for the school year," Bobby said. Percy remembered when they were fourteen, Annabeth had been so mad that they brought Rachel into the Labyrinth, because she was a mortal. He couldn't imagine she would be happy about bringing Bobby on a dangerous quest.

"Annabeth wouldn't have wanted you to come!" Percy said. "Annabeth would have wanted you to be safe."

"Hi..." Percy cursed under his breath as he turned to the door and saw Jaime standing there.

"How long have you been there?" Percy asked.

"Long enough," Jaime said.

"I'm gonna go," Bobby said, and went out the door. Jaime walked closer to Percy.

"Why do you keep talking about Annabeth?" Jaime asked. "You've woken me up so many times screaming her name, and you're always talking about her with Bobby. And I don't want some fake excuse."

Percy took a deep breath. "She was my girlfriend."

"Why do you keep talking about her?" Jaime said. "I know there's something going on. I don't want to seem rude if she did, but did she actually die?"

"Yes," Percy said. "Well, no. Maybe."

"What do you mean?" Jaime demanded.

"I can't talk about this right now," Percy said. 

"Well, if you can't share it with me, then I'm leaving," Jaime said. With that, she walked out the door, and Percy realized that was the first break up he had ever had (after all, she was only his second girlfriend, and he had never actually broken up with Annabeth). The thing was, he didn't even feel that sad, and he realized he felt really bad about that. He had been dating Jaime for about two months, but he had never really felt anything for her. The only reason he had said yes when she asked him out was because she seemed nice, and because she looked a bit like Annabeth. 

Percy sighed, and turned on Finding Nemo. He couldn't think about this right now.