Tower of Secrets

Annabeth Chase

There really is nothing like having a thunder god knock on your door in the unheard of hours in the morning.

"Boys, Annabeth, time for bed!" my stepmother hollered. Groaning, I stood and cleaned up the cards I had been using to play Solitare. I pressed the pack into my pocket, having already decided that a few more games before I fell asleep wouldn't hurt.

As I walked through the living room, I casually grabbed my sketchbook and tucked it inside my purse. Running over some designs after the Solitare would certainly be acceptable. Grabbing my purse, I continued onto the other side of the room, snatching up my pencils and my current book. A few chapters before bed never did anyone harm.

"Annabeth," I heard my father sigh. He was all too familiar with what I was doing. I did it every night.

"Dad," I sighed back.

"Annie, honey, you need to sleep," my father lectured.

"Not really," I replied sheepishly. I turned and gave him a small smile.

"When's the last time you slept?"

"Oh, I don't really know. Maybe..." I trailed off in realization that I couldn't remember how long it had been since I'd slept.

"Annabeth, this is serious," my father scolded. "You can't keep playing this off as nothing."

"But, it's much easier this way," I whined.

"Look, we can get you a therapist. If that's what it comes to, I mean."

"No."

"Anna-"

"Dad, I'll immediately be considered loony because of all this Greek mythology stuff I'm wrapped up in."

"We can contact Chiron and find someone who knows the truth then," my father decided.

"Dad! I've saved the world several times, I don't need a stupid therapist," I moaned. "The nightmares will probably subside eventually."

"And what about your eating issue?"

"I told you! I survived on fire for a while. Of course my stomach is screwed up now!" I explained.

My dad shook his head in exasperation. "Look, if you can make it through tonight without any nightmares, we won't look into getting help. If you don't sleep at all, you'll be admitting you need help."

"But, Dad-"

"That's final, Annabeth. You can't continue on like this."

Despite his decision, I still found myself fighting sleep. I played a total of ten rounds of Solitaire and finished working out the blueprints for a shrine to a minor god that lived in Olympus. I had only read a chapter of my book when the doorbell rang.

My parents, not knowing who in the world the blond goldilocks was, immediately called me.

"Annabeth, there's a giant man in the doorway!" my father called, sleepily.

I stuffed my bookmark in my book and grabbed a robe. I sprinted to the door and almost laughed at the sight of Thor in full battle armor and my freaked out old man. "Hi, Thor. What's up?"

"I'll just leave you to it, then," Dad yawned, setting the shotgun he had grabbed in his haste to the side of the door.

"Lady Annabeth-"

"Just Annabeth, Thor. I'm no noble," I laughed.

"Annabeth, the team has decided to tell Percy their true identities as the Avengers!" Thor grinned.

"And you came to see me at one in the morning about it, why?" I asked. "I mean no disrespect of course, but you can surely understand my confusion."

"What better treat than to bring his love with me?" Thor beamed, proud of his idea.

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, when do we leave?"

"Today?"

"Like later or-"

"Right now," Thor said sheepishly.

I facepalmed. "I wish I had more notice. Can I pack really quick?"

"Of course!"

So, being the responsible child my parents knew me to be, I left a note on the fridge before packing away enough clothes to last me a month into two backpacks and a seperate duffle bag for my toiletries, drachmas, and books.

"And here I had the impression you travelled lightly on quests," Thor grinned when I met him back at the front door, closing it behind me.

"I'm a little too experienced to pack lightly. I have no intention of living in Sea World merch for a week," I chuckled.

Thor looked at ne seriously for a moment. "I'll teleport us to the tower and then show you to your temporary room. Whatever you do, do not leave your room without me. Percy doesn't know we're coming and everyone has their hearts set on pranking him."

I nodded, utterly serious faced with the situation that would soon be at hand. "Percy won't even know we're there."

He placed a hand on my shoulder and I closed my eyes, knowing what was coming. When I opened my eyes, I was standing in what seemed to be a medical lab, a room full of eyes looking at me.

"Thor, glad you could join us," a man wearing a suit and sunglasses smirked. He had short dark hair and a goatee. "Mind introducing us to your friend?"

"Annabeth Chase," I announced. "And you are?"

"Tony Stark," Tony said smugly. He started to point out the various people in the room. "Dr Bruce Banner. Clint Barton. Natasha Romanoff. Steve Rogers. Peter Parker. Wanda Maximoff."

"You're Percy's girlfriend, right?" the man named Dr. Bruce asked.

"That's correct. We've saved each other's lives more times than I care to count," I commented.

The doctor nodded. "I take it you've been through the same traumatic stuff he's been through?"

"Yeah," I answered, my voice stiff. "It sucked."

"Why is he afraid of the elevator?" Wanda Maximoff blurted. I almost laughed at the question, but I knew the serious memory behind the fear.

"We both are," I shuddered. "Gods, elevators bring back horrible memories." I proceeded to yawn.

"Sorry we had Thor get you so late," Steve Rogers apologized.

"I'm not tired," I snapped. He threw up his hands in defense.

"What's so bad about being tired?" Natasha Romanoff asked, narrowing her eyes. Suddenly, my shoes were very interesting.

"You get nightmares, too. Don't you?" she asked, her voice softening ever so slightly.

"Yeah," I croaked. "My dad won't let it go. He says I need professional help. I'd just rather not talk about it."

"Well, Peter will show you to your room. If you run across Percy, he'll be able to keep you out of sight on the ceiling. We can explain the plan in the morning," Clint Barton explained. I just nodded and followed Peter out the door with a muffled yawn.