Thinking of You- A Percy Jackson Story

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was February 23rd. Time was flying by for Annabeth. She was diligently working on the Argo II whenever she had some spare time. The way she saw it was simple: the more work I do, the faster I can get to San Francisco.

It had been just over two months since Percy went missing. She still missed him horribly, but since she was talking to her friends, Annabeth decided that she was going to change her attitude. Now, she was going forget the what-if thoughts, and start being optimistic.

Of course, that was easier said than done.

At first, Annabeth thought that it was going to be impossible to forget thinking about the possibility of her boyfriend being killed and falling for some other Roman girl. But one day in late January, Annabeth IM-ed Thalia. Thalia reassured her that it was all going to be okay. She reassured Annabeth that since everyone’s out looking for Percy, hopefully he’d be found before something too horrible happened.

When Thalia told her this, Annabeth really started to believe it.

Annabeth was working in the cave again when Leo walked in.

“Hey,” he called.

“Hi,” Annabeth said quietly.

“Uh, Chiron said that you have a phone call in the Big House. I think he said it was your dad.”

Annabeth was confused. She knew that he knew not to call camp unless it was an emergency. “Okay, thanks. I’ll be back here when I’m done,” she said before she left the cave.

“Dad,” she asked once she was on the phone.

“Annie, I need you to come back home right now,” her father said, his voice stern.

“What? Why?” This wasn’t right. When she told him that she was going to be staying at camp until she found Percy again, he said that he was okay with that. So what was the issue?

“Well to be honest, you told me that you were going to find Percy as soon as possible.”

“We are, Dad. We have to build the ship first.”

“That may be okay with some of the parents to your other friends, but not me. You need to go to come home. I bought you plane tickets so you can do just that. Your plan leaves at eight o’clock tomorrow morning. I expect you on that plane.”

“Wait, this isn’t right. You let me stay at camp and not have to go to school before.”

“When have I done that,” her father asked, angry at his daughter’s protests.

“Ever since I was seven years old!”

“If I recall that, you ran away. You went to camp without your step-mother or my permission!”

“Why would I ask you? You didn’t want me! You only wanted Matthew and Bobby because they were your normal kids.”

“Why did you bring that up again? You know that’s not true.”

“Yes it is, and you know it!”

“Alright, that is the end of this. Annabeth Rose Chase, I expect you on the plane in the morning. I will be calling the airline to check up on you. If you aren’t on that plane, I hope you don’t expect to be welcomed with our family anymore.”

Annabeth was shocked. After all these years and all of the work they were doing to mend their relationship, it was all going to ruin. She thought that her father loved her. She thought that he wanted what she wanted. She thought that he was okay with her staying at camp.

Was he even okay with her being a demi-god?

Annabeth had no words to say to her father. Instead, she just hung up the phone. She suddenly felt as if she was seven years old again. She wanted to run away, but where to? She was already at camp.

Annabeth walked silently to her cabin. She went under her covers and finally let herself cry. No more was the strong girl that she was trying to be. She just wanted to be alone.

She was standing in a field that had recently been hit by a battle. The smoke was still rising from the burnt buildings. So many bodies were lying still, dead. Suddenly, she heard a stick crack. Startled, she quickly turned to see who it was.

His face was bloodied and his clothes were tattered, but his green eyes remained the same. They were still priceless. Percy then moved in to hug her. When she wrapped her arms around her love, she realized he was fading away.

“Percy,” she asked, bewildered.

“Annabeth? What have you done,” he asked, angrily. He then faded completely.

Annabeth looked around her, frantic. What just happened? Nothing seemed different, except-

There was a marking in the place where Percy had been standing, just moments earlier. Annabeth peered closer.

It was an owl.

The owl was considered the mark of Athena.

“You knew you couldn’t do it anyway. But tell me, why did you even try,” called a strange voice. “You knew that he was going to leave you. You knew that you were too special and too important for these, imbeciles.

“What happened to changing the world so no one was suffering? What happened to become powerful? What happened to learning how to bring back your friend who died last summer on Olympus? I know he misses you,” the voice teased.

Annabeth realized that whatever happened on this battlefield was her fault, just like Percy said. But how would this voice know that? The voice could only be that powerful if it was-

Gaea.

Piper had told her how convincing Gaea was. But Gaea was right, Annabeth wanted to change the world. Gaea had even figured out that she was trying to bring Luke back. No one, not even Percy or Thalia knew about that!

“You know you can’t do it alone, daughter of Athena. Come, let me help you. All you have to do is help raise me. Then everything will be better. Luke Castellan will be alive again. The families in the world will stop fighting. Your father will accept you into his arms again. Families will be better when that toad Hera isn’t in charge anymore.”

Annabeth cracked a smile. At least someone else understands how horrible she is, she thought.

“All you have to do is say ‘yes.’ Once you agree, the world will be alright again.”

Annabeth seemed to gain her composure again. She realized that she needed to get out of here. “No, I won’t.”

“I see you have the same thoughts as the others. But nonetheless, I will see you again, and it won’t be a pleasant visit. Perhaps you’ll change your mind then.”

Annabeth sat up in her bed.

Gaea.

The goddess had interrupted her dreams. Annabeth tried to calm herself, but she couldn’t forget that voice that rang through her dream just a few moments ago.

She looked out the window on the cabin. It was dark. She then scanned her cabin. There wasn’t anyone in there; she had been alone.

Annabeth suddenly couldn’t stand being in her cabin. She grabbed her sweatshirt and walked out to camp, trying to leave behind that horrid dream.