Annabeth's Perspective of the Percy Jackson Books (Annabeth's POV)

Siren's Song

I fought against the ropes Percy had used to restrain me. I shouted every insult I could think of at him. I hated him. I despised him for just standing there and letting my family die, they wouldn't make it to the shore, and he wouldn't let me save them.

"How could you be so cruel?" I screamed, trying to understand why he would have betrayed me. After everything we had been through it was all his fault, "I thought you were my friend."

I was sobbing. I didn't want to believe he'd betrayed me, but there was no alternative. It was either Percy or Luke that was to blame and if Percy was standing there letting my family drown it must have been him. He had to be the real servant of Kronos. Percy had tricked me and now he was trying to keep me from finding out the truth.

I fought against the ropes with every ounce of my strength. I needed to go save my family, it couldn't be too late. There had to still be a way to save them. I struggled and finally managed to get my hand on my dagger. I pulled it out of its scabbard and grappled with the ropes. It was slow work since I couldn't move much but I had to get out. I had to get away.

Finally, the ropes cut, and I dropped my knife. I ran to the edge of the boat and dove into the water. I looked around frantically for any sign of my family. I couldn't believe it was too late, I had to be able to find them, it had to be possible to save them. Then I heard Luke yelling in the distance and I started to swim towards the sound. From the corner of my vision, I saw Percy dive into the water after me. Maybe it wasn't his fault after all. Maybe it had all been a horrible misunderstanding.

The possibility gave me energy and clearance as I swam. As I got closer to the shore, I was relieved to see my family dragging themselves to shore. They had survived and my worrying had been for nothing we could all be together, safe and happy.

My father was smiling at me and holding Athena's hand. He didn't resent her and hate her; he loved her. "You did this Annabeth," he assured me as I swam towards them. "You reminded me how amazing Athena is. If it hadn't been for you, I would have forgotten."

Thalia was walking through the trees enjoying the sun that shown softly through the branches. She smiled at me warmly. "You brought me back; I'll always be here for you. Come on!" She disappeared into the forest, but I knew she was waiting for me to join her, ready for an adventure.

"My dear child," Athena said fondly. "I always knew you would be the best of my children. You have made my heart whole and brought us together. We can be a family now."

I just had to get to the shore, and I would be able to have a family where I was loved and safe. The city and beach were perfect. I had fixed everything, and I wouldn't have to fight the monsters anymore. Then I looked to the left a bit and Luke was sitting with my parents smiling.

"You saved me, Annabeth," Luke said smiling. "I would never, ever hurt you. I promised, remember. I promised we'd be a family."

I had done it; I had proven myself to them and they loved me for it. I had shown them how valuable I was, and they would never doubt me again. The intense worry I had carried my whole life, the terror that one day everyone would wake up and realize I wasn't worth it started to melt as I swam towards the shore. I was worth loving. I had proved myself and not just to them but to the whole world. The whole world owed me a debt and I would never have to worry about being alone again.

If I could just reach the shore, I would finally be safe. Just as I was feeling hopeful and content for the first time in my entire life, there was a tug from behind me. One tiny problem I hadn't yet fixed. Percy.

He had caught up to me and was trying to pull me backwards. He didn't want me to reach the shore. I struggled and shrieked at him. I thought he had dived after me to help but now he was fighting against me. He didn't want me to reach the beach. The knot of fear and anger that had been melting turned back to stone.

"No, let go of me!" I screamed and kicked, the salt water trying to choke me. "How could you do this? Why don't you want me to be happy?"

I wasn't sure if the water that was filling my lungs was the sea or my tears. After a moment of struggling, I realized that Percy's eyes weren't the normal sea green that I loved. His eyes were gold. That was the trick. This wasn't Percy, Percy would never betray me. This was someone else. I glanced at the shore; Percy was standing in the surf, and he looked scared. He could see I was struggling with Kronos, and he wanted to help.

If I could beat Kronos, everything would be perfect. I would have everything I had ever wanted, everything I had worked for. I kicked and fought, I tried to drive him onto the rocks and bash his head in with my feet, but he didn't let go. He yanked harder and we sank below the waves.

For a moment everything shifted, the water was choppy and murky, my lungs burned from a lack of oxygen and I couldn't make sense of what I was seeing. Percy wasn't on the beach; he was there next to me but as I got to the surface and gasped for breath it was Kronos again. Kronos was trying to trick me, but I couldn't figure out what he was up to. I had to be smarter and figure out his scheme. Then he pulled me under the waves again and we sank towards the bottom of the cove.

As we sank, I stopped struggling but I still couldn't figure out where I was or what was happening. I was exhausted and my lungs burned as the water closed in around me. Percy was holding me close and the bubbles from the water were gathering around us. After a moment there was enough air for me to breathe. I coughed and choked up all the water I had swallowed in my struggle.

We were in Siren Bay. My family wasn't waiting for me on the shore, it was only the two of us. As I remembered where we were and what had happened it felt as though every bone in my body was shattering, every fiber of my being was torn apart.

I sobbed and Percy just held me in a bubble he'd created under the sea. I couldn't fix it. I couldn't make them love me; I couldn't fix all their problems. Athena would never be with my dad; my father hadn't wanted me; Luke had proven that he was fully on board with Kronos' scheme and Thalia had been turned into a tree that was going to die if we didn't succeed in doing something impossible.

The horrible pain I had always felt returned with such force I almost couldn't bear it. One moment of relief and now I was forced to remember every little wound, every hurt, every fear. The world crashed down around me and if Percy wouldn't let the water drown me, my pain might manage to do so in its stead.

I didn't feel wiser, I just felt broken. I was still a scared little girl hoping someone would save me. The worst part was that it didn't matter if someone did save me. I was never going to feel like I deserved to be saved.

Percy had saved me just now and I still felt as though he shouldn't have. It was my stupid idea to listen to the siren's song and he had jeopardized our whole quest to save me. I didn't know how long I had been under their trance, but we didn't have time to waste.

Percy had saved me, and I knew he shouldn't have. That was what the sirens had shown me, I was always going to be worried any affection or friendship would be taken away unless I was positive, I had earned it. I hadn't earned Percy's friendship, he was only returning the favor, I saved him, he saved me. That alone broke my heart more than realizing the vision I had seen was not reality.

After a while Percy turned to me and softly said, "I'll get us back to the ship. It's okay, just hang on." I was still crying but nodded and the bubble started moving out of the bay.

"I'm sorry," I told him, even though I knew he couldn't hear me. "I'm sorry for everything." Even if he couldn't hear me, I didn't have the strength to voice how much I didn't measure up or how he should have just left me there. He should have let the sirens eat me or the water drown me. As he moved us back towards the ship, I couldn't believe he was here.

**If you want to read more about this part of Annabeth's story please check out my other work called Backbite4r by Annabeth Chase.**