The Half-Blood Princes {Book 2}

Real or Not Real

Alright, this chapter and the next won't contain emotional trauma. Although there might be a little in this one, although, this is the last one for a while. 

Also, message to anyone who recognises the title: I know it's from the Hunger Games that's the point. 

Enjoy!

----

Nico

"The other side, Nico! We'll see you there. Understand?"

"But-"

"Lead them there! Promise me!"

"I-I will."

I could hear myself screaming for help. The darkness surrounded me, until the only thing I could see was his hand, releasing the grip on the ledge.

----

I woke in a cold sweat, a scream at the back of my throat, begging to be let loose. I could feel my heart beating in my ears, pounding against my chest.

"Nico?" I heard the same voice from my dream whisper from across the room. "Nico, are you alright?"

"P-Percy-" I tried, but I could only hear the echoes of my screams as he fell into the pit. "P-Percy, what's happening?" I heard the rustle of sheets and soft footsteps on the stone floor. I felt my bed dip as he sat next to me.

"Tell me." He said, so I did. It seemed to have become a recent occurrence for the past few weeks. Every couple of days I would wake up from a nightmare, to find Percy awake as well. He never told me why he was awake, he just let me talk about what I had seen. Sometimes, I don't remember them. Sometimes, they're the same thing as before. This one, however, that I had tonight, was different. I hadn't seen it before, so I told him about it. I told him about the voices that I had heard. The screams. The darkness.

The strange thing about my dreams, was that they were never straight forward. They always were either too dark to see in, or they showed flashes of images. They confused me, so it was nice to have someone to talk to about it. Someone who could help me sort it out.

"It was just my voice and yours this time?" Percy whispered.

"Yes. And then it showed me your hand letting go of the rock ledge." I whispered back.

He was silent for a bit, and I was scared he was just going to leave. "I don't think you should worry about it," He told me, "It's just a dream. It's not real." Then the dip in my bed released and I could hear him walking back over to his bed. I lay back down onto the pillow, staring up at the dark canopy that I knew was covering my bed.

He tells me that a lot, but the dreams always feel real. 

-------

Percy

Her dress was beautiful. It was white and gold, greek style with a silky fabric as a train. Her grey eyes sparkled with excitement as she walked towards me slowly down the petalled isle, her hands clasped around blue orchids and white roses. Her long blonde hair curled and fell down her shoulders and half of it was arranged in a braid that wrapped around the top of her head. I could see my friends standing and grinning as she walked past them towards me.

We were only half a metre away, her hand outstretched, ready to take mine, when everything around me disintegrated and turned to ash. In an instant, it was all gone, replaced by the sound of laughter all around me. I spun, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

"You know that it can never happen, Perseus." The cold voice laughed. It's the same voice, every time. In every dream.

Scenes flashed in my minds eye, showing different events. Faster and faster until they're nothing more than a blur.

Harry screaming.

Annabeth covered in scars and blood, a knife impaled through her heart.

Jason's lifeless eyes as he falls from the sky.

Leo, engulfed in flames that are out of control, burning his flesh.

Piper surrounded by snakes that hiss and bite.

Will lying on a white sheet, his skin pale and ghostly.

Nico screaming as the castle rumbles and cracks, the pieces of stone falling down towards him.

A green light.

Then it's over. I look around, I'm in Tartarus. Surrounded by the lifeless bodies of my friends, demigods and wizards alike. I fall to my knees. The same laughter echoes around me.

"This is your fault, Percy. You did this." The voice is cold and harsh. The same voice that haunts the corners of my mind. "You've killed them all, Percy. What have you done?"

"Stop!" I scream, fighting back tears. "Stop! Please!" I can't bear to look at them. The words echo over and over again, growing louder and louder until--

I jolt awake, cheeks wet and heart pounding in my ears. My shirt is damp from sweat. I rub my face with my hand and try to make my hands stop shaking. It's the same thing, every night. Over and over again, I never sleep. It's always the same voice, telling me that I killed my friends. Telling me that it's all my fault.

It's torture.

I hate seeing my friends die, over and over again. It used to be only visions, now my nightmares have taken a different turn to become more personal.

My eyes slowly adjust to the darkness. It's probably past midnight. I look across the room at Nico's bed, where I can hear panting. He must be having another nightmare. His dreams are all memories, but they terrify the poor boy. He's scared of what he sees, because he relives the most painful parts of his life. A couple of nights ago it was when he found out Bianca was dead. It hurt to hear him recount the story because it sounded like he had no idea who she was. He's forgotten Will, Bianca, the Giant War, and life before Camp Half-Blood in the Lotus Casino. Now he's forced to relive each moment through darkness or pain.

I see him sit up quickly and breath heavily.

"Nico," I whisper to him, "Nico, are you alright?"

"P-Percy, P-Percy, what's happening?" I hear him whisper back. It sounds pained and confused. I swing my legs over the side of my bed and walk over to his, where I sit down on the edge of it.

"Tell me." I say. It takes him a while to get over the initial fear and shock of the dream, but he recounts it to me. It's when Annabeth and I were hanging from the ledge in the cavern. I remember it vividly. I told Nico to meet us on the other side before I let go. 

"It was just my voice and yours this time?" I asked.

"Yes. And then it showed me your hand letting go of the rock ledge." Nico replied.

I stayed silent, thinking about what I should tell him. I think, until all his memories come back, we shouldn't tell him that his memories are missing and that they are slowly haunting their way back into his mind. I think, for the sake of his sanity, we should give him the benefit of the doubt. If he knows they're what he had to live through, it could drive him into madness. I need to treat him like a child with a nightmare, comfort and tell him it's all in his head.  

"I don't think you should worry about it," I told him. "It's just a dream. It's not real." Then I stood up and walked back over to my bed. I should probably take my own advice, I really shouldn't let my nightmare affect my behaviour or attitude.

But I can't get their faces out of my head, and I dread each night when I'll see them again.

--

One more chapter! 

Then everything can be fluffy and adorable. 

The next one is nice. It won't be emotional. 

Til next time!

~pearjam