⚠️The nightmare might be intense for some people, so skip the bold part if you don't want to read it⚠️
Tartarus is not a place that leaves someone unscathed. The monsters still haunt Percy and Annabeth. They never got a break from the horrors they had seen. For an unknown reason, Percy got the nightmares.
It started a week after the war ended. Percy had been too exhausted before to dream, but now that he could relax, the nightmares started appearing.
Annabeth had started sleeping in her own cabin. She felt a responsibility to be there with her half-siblings after everything that happened. Percy respected her choice, but that didn't stop him from missing her. The nightmares got worse after she left. Percy didn't want to be a hassle so he pretended everything was fine.
Four weeks of having nightmares and the worst one came on Friday. Percy had spent the afternoon with Annabeth walking around the lake and then they had parted ways to sleep.
Percy climbs into his bed in the lonely cabin and tries to focus on the soft sounds of the lake lapping against the shore. Despite knowing he'll have nightmares, he falls asleep.
It's dark. Cold. Lonely.
"Annabeth!" Percy twirls in a circle his eyes frantically searching for her.
"Annabeth!" He marches forward determined to find the girl. He stops suddenly. Standing in front of him is the Akhlys, the protogenos of Misery and Poison. She screeches, chokes, coughs, cries out, then falls to the floor and fades away.
Percy stumbles back. A clawed hand rests on his shoulder digging painfully into his skin. He turns and there is Ella, her eyes dull.
"E-" The claws tear at his flesh. Percy screams. Everything goes dark. Annabeth on the ground in front of him, blood, a lot of blood.
"Let me go, Percy!" Percy standing over her, staring at her with cold eyes.
"Percy, stop! You're hurting me!" Crazy laughter. Oh, that's me, Percy realizes. Annabeth gags and Percy jumps back as the girl staggers to her feet, blood dripping out of her mouth.
"You hurt me," she cries. She takes a shaky step then falls, disappearing into thousands of pieces.
"I didn't mean it!" Percy shouts. "Annabeth! Annabeth!" Nico in front of him.
"You hurt her," Nico chants. "She's dead because of you. All of them are dead because of you. I can feel them. They are hurt. They want to hurt you." Pain. A sword through his stomach. Luke talking.
"She deserves better." More blood. Percy falls to his knees. Thalia with her hands around his throat, shaking him.
"You killed him! He's dead!" Monsters tearing at him, everyone watching no one helping.
"Annabeth," Percy shouts. "ANNABETH! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The monsters gone and a sword at his throat, Annabeth holding the hilt.
"Oh, Annabeth," Percy sobs. The sword cutting the edge of his skin.
"You're a monster." The sword digging deeper. Percy cries as Annabeth fades. Thousands of dead campers surrounding him, chanting, "Monster!" Percy sobbing, curling in on himself.
Monster, monster, dead, all of them dead, die, help, blood, gone, Annabeth.
Percy opens his eyes. His breathing is erratic, his sheets are discarded on the floor, sweat drips off his skin. He lays, staring at the wall, shaking.
There's pounding on his door and when he doesn't answer it, it's kicked open and Annabeth appears with Nico and Will behind her.
"Percy?" she whispers into the dark cabin. Percy shuffles on his bed with his eyes angled at the newcomers.
"Oh my gods," Annabeth breaths and rushes over to Percy. She sits on the bed and starts running her fingers through Percy's sweaty hair. Percy curls around her, bunching up her shirt with his fists.
"Percy," Annabeth says and bends over, kissing the side of his temple. Nico and Will look to Annabeth and she nods. They leave, shutting the door gently behind them.
"Annabeth," Percy croaks. Tears leak from his eyes and onto Annabeth's PJ pants. The blonde presses her forehead to the side of Percy's head. When Percy starts sobbing harder, she makes him sit up. She leans against the headboard, Percy angled sideways with his legs over her lap and his face pressed to her shoulder.
"Breathe, Percy." Percy takes a shuddering breath. Images from his nightmare flash in his eyes and he starts crying harder. Annabeth runs a hand across his back, under his shirt.
"Percy, it's okay. You're safe. I'm here and I love you." Percy leans heavily against her, his hands still fisted in her shirt.
"M' gonna throw up," Percy mumbles then lurches forward. He cups a hand around his mouth. Annabeth quickly helps him up and to the bathroom where he throws up his dinner. Percy stops crying, too drained and exhausted to do anything but barely function.
Annabeth helps him wipe his mouth and change into fresh clothes. She guides him to the bed where he lays down on his side. Annabeth lays next to him running a hand along his back.
"Percy, you need sleep," she says softly.
"They're going to come back," Percy whispers. He grabs Annabeth's hand and fiddles with her fingers.
"Okay, just rest then. No sleeping."
"Thank you," Percy says.
"Don't thank me. I'll always be here."