Silence is Golden (Percy Jackson AU)

Chapter 17- Annabeth

Annabeth was cold. Ice cold. With fear. They'd dragged her out of the police car thrown her in a room with the boy who'd saved her earlier. The other guy who'd  been in the car with her, the boy in the black T shirt, had been dragged off somewhere else. He'd tried to fight, but two punches, one to his stomach another to his skull, and he was done.

The room was made of concrete, without even a window to look out of. The only light was off a single lightbulb, dangling too far over her head to even reach. The cold air seemed to radiate off the ground. She shivered.

The only sound was the other boys shallow breathing. He was laying on his stomach, his sweatshirt was discolored from blood, especially where he'd been hit by the bullet. The bruise on his cheek looked worse than before, his bandaged wrist was sticking at an of angle, that couldn't be comfortable.

She wanted to say some type of sorry, some form of action that could beg forgiveness. She didn't want this to happen to anyone. He'd been hurt because he tried to help her.

Just like that guy, Bob, who'd tried to help her. They'd gotten as far as the door out in the darkness. Who ever had turned out the lights had saved their lives. Bob had pushed her out locking the door behind her to block the Monsters inside, if only buying her time.

Now it was her and this boy in a freezing room with Monsters outside the doors. And they were going to kill them. It was the worse nightmare she'd ever had.

And she wasn't waking up.

"It....wasn't...your...fault...."

Annabeth crawled over to the boy. He gasped for air or maybe it was in pain. Annabeth wasn't sure but it made her want to cry.

"I...was...a...little...beat...up...before...hand..." The boy gasped again, and he found the nerve to laugh. Somehow. It sounded like a choking fit but he was attempting a smile. The noise rebounded, emphasizing that sound loudly, until it faded from the boys lips.

"Whats...your...name...?" He asked after a while.

Annabeth looked down. She motioned to her throat and something she hoped resembled talking, and shook her head.

"You...Can't...talk...?" He asked, "can...I...call...you... Annabeth...then?"

Annabeth looked up surprised. Her hands flung into motion before she could stop herself. [That is my name.] She motioned.

He looked at the motions and he made another choking fit laugh. "I...have...no...clue...what....you...are...saying." He seemed to think that was really funny, "I'm...Percy....Jackson."

Annabeth frowned at him. [I'm sorry for all this] She was completely aware he couldn't understand it. But it felt better when she signaled it. As if there was anyway to feel better.

"You...know....I used...to have....a...couple...friends..." Percy said, "named...Selina...And....Beckford...we use...to play....pirates....at the....playground...."

Annabeth had no idea why he was telling her this. Was he dying? Oh gods, he couldn't been dying could he? It was just a feverish mumbling right? Thinking of better times?

"...I...think...they...ran...off...together." Percy mumbled, "Selina...use to....talk...about...couples...always...said... I'd...find...a perfect....girl..."

Annabeth wanted to tell him he would. Promise him that he would get out of here alive. But she was so sacred she wasn't sure she could even stand enough to protect him.

"...I'm...laying...here...it's...really...cold." Percy said. "Can...you...help...me...up..?"

His voice was choked like someone was pressing down his throat. Annabeth crept closer. Her fingers were shaking with the ice cold air. She put her arms under his chest gently as she could lifted him to the side.

He winced like Annabeth had punched him and she almost dropped his weight back into the ground.

"Sorry...bruise..." Percy coughed again. Annabeth winced and shifted him to a sitting position. Almost immediately he fell over. Annabeth grabbed his shoulder before he could face plant into the concrete.

Percy whimpered, he was trying hard not to cry. But Annabeth could see his eyes watering, and his coughing turned to a gagging choke.

Annabeth leaned him against her shoulder, his head slumped against her like he didn't have any control. She cheek was stiff with dried blood, and a tear rolled over it.

She couldn't help thinking how many other people had been sitting there, in her same place, knowing beyond that reinforced metal door were two titan gang leaders plotting their deaths. Had they screamed? Had they attempted a break out? Had they shriveled up and cried until the moment their life was ended? Had they been alone? Had anyone cared?

Would anyone care?

"Don't...cry..." Percy mumbled at her, "we're...going...to...be...alright." he swallowed and it seemed to echo terribly off the walls.

Annabeth pulled her knees to her chest, wanting to wail out her sorrows. Here she was, with this boy who'd been shot up, bruised till he was literally black and blue, and he was the one cheering her up.

"We're...matchies..." Percy mumbled, head shifting enough so he wasn't sounding too in pain.

Annabeth looked at him confused. Nothing about them was the same. He had dark black restless hair, and dazzling sea green eyes that were probably once shining with laughter and happiness, and now stood cold and broken waiting for something, or Someone, to heal him. Annabeth brushed her blond hair curls that were in desperate need of a wash out of her sight, and the concrete ground she thought were a solid reflection of her irises.

"Our...cheeks..." Percy mumbled, "mine...is... bruised...yours ...is...scarred..." he gulped and swallowed.

He lifted his eyes up to meet hers. And for a moment Annabeth thought she felt warmer next to him.

"You...are...beautiful..." Percy whispered.

Annabeth felt her chest start to close up. Her throat was raw with so many emotions she couldn't even begin to explain them.

She picked up his hands. They were like ice, frozen popsicles. The skin was rubbed raw and chapped over his knuckles. She laced her fingers around his, finding strength in that little action.

She brought her forehead close to his. A tear dropped onto his cheek. A river of salty tears curved to the corners of her mouth. She placed her lips against his, something sweet and pure. She found bravery in him, warmth. This broken boy, on deaths doorstep, diminished her fears. And when she pulled back she kept her head right next to him.

"We...are...going...to be...alright..." Percy murmured, again.

Annabeth thought as far as last words could go, those were that bad of one's to believe in.

Then the door burst open with the sounds of gunshots.