Sally gasps awake.
It's the fourth night in a row it's happened, but the dream is still just as vivid as the first.
She's confused, she grieving. One day they're saying her son is dead, and the next they have no idea who he is. Things only seem to get more confusing the more she tries to make sense of it all.
The dream starts with her running, holding a bundle of blankets and children's toys in her arms. She cannot look back, but she knows that whatever is pursuing her is nothing but pure malice. The faster she tries to run, the more toys and blankets she drops. Eventually, she is left with nothing more than a blue baby's rattle.
The same rattle Percy had as a baby.
What does it mean? Is she helplessly losing her one and only child to a greater evil? The thought itself makes her sit up on the bed and head to her office to clear her worrying thoughts(being careful to not wake Paul up).
Something is not right, but she can't seem to find out what. It's almost as if he disappeared from the face of the planet.
And knowing him, she wouldn't be all that surprised if he did.
She heaves a tired breath, sitting herself in her office chair. Papers and drafts for the next novel she's planning are staggered about the room. The smell of chocolate and licorice also wafts through the space. Despite no longer working at Sweet on America for years now, she can't seem to shake the smell for some reason.
It wasn't that she minded though, Percy loved it. It reminded them both when life was so much more simple.
She sits in silence, wondering what life would have been if Percy was just a normal kid.
She doesn't regret having Percy. Not in the least bit. She loves him with all of her being and wants the absolute best for him.
Though part of her wishes she could give him a normal life. No monsters, no gods, no constant warning of death...
The back of her eyes burn with tears as guilt slowly consumes her. Is this her fault? Could things have ended differently if she didn't make the decisions she did in her youth?
Each time she watches Percy crack underneath the pressure, all she wants is to help, but being a complete mortal can only do so much. If only she could have done more...
Something metallic suddenly glints in the corner of her desk, jolting her out of her wandering thoughts. She frowns, curiosity taking her over as she lifts the piles to see what caught her eye.
Underneath the sheets of paper lies a worn, golden letter she's never seen before.
•••
"Percy! I swear to gods—"
Percy laughs as Annabeth grumbles and tries to fix her ruffled hair in his peripheral. The Greek festival at Columbia University just ended, and they were driving back to Mom and Paul's apartment.
It's been a while since him and Annabeth went out on their own due to all of the new changes happening at camp, so it was a nice change of scenery to relax together.
"Sally and Paul are going to love these though." Annabeth says, lifting a takeout box filled with traditional baklava, gyros, and souvlakia. Percy nods in agreement; the food there was definitely demigod-approved.
"Yeah," Percy stops at a red light and leans back slightly. It's nighttime now, and the lights of this section of the city shine in every direction possible. A small grin adorns his face. "As a matter of fact, I think I should try some more to make sure it's alrig—". Before his hand even makes its way to the box, Annabeth slapped his wrist away with a small glare.
"Nice try Seaweed Brain. Knowing you, you'd probably eat all of it before we even get there!"
He laughs harder, trying to pout and convince her to give him a little bit more of the baklava. Annabeth remains unwavered, earning a defeated sigh from the son of the sea.
The light finally turns green, and he looks both ways before driving through the intersection.
"Holy—PERCY!"
Headlights flash in his peripheral.
Everything goes blank.
~
Percy opens his eyes, head pounding and body numb. Bits and pieces of what happened flash through his mind.
Were they...hit?
It takes a moment for his vision to somewhat clear, only to realize the seats are soaked in crimson. His heart stops.
He turns his head towards the passenger seat to see something that will forever be seared in his mind.
Blond hair streaked with dark red. pale face. Closed eyes.
Percy's muddled mind slowly processes the sight, seeing Annabeth unconscious and bleeding out next to him. Terror overtakes his senses all at once as he hoarsely cries out for her.
He tries to move towards her, but the sharp pain in his chest is unbearable. He can't breathe, his entire body refuses to move; he can feel a warm liquid run down the side of his face.
"Oh God...you okay....? ...hear me? Sir!" He can hear people yelling from outside the car, desperately trying to get the duo to safety.
"Annabeth..."
Percy gasps awake, heaving large breaths and clutches his chest, as if to check if his heart was still beating.
He lets out a strangled groan, trying to force the images out of his head. It's all too soon. All too painful.
Of all ways to die, he lost her in the most preventable way, and that was the most painful thing about it all.
If he'd just delayed another second, the drunk driver would have just clipped the front of their car, and Annabeth would still be with him.
He remembers the courtroom, nursing his broken ribs, hip, and concussion as he testified her death in hopes of extending the man's punishment.
In the end however, the man was sentenced only three years.
It took Paul, his mom, Jason, and Piper charmspeaking him to keep him from leaping over the wall to strangle the man to death. He wanted to inflict his own justice on what the system couldn't do properly.
Annabeth lost her life, but this man is able to walk free three years after that.
Why can't he ever be happy? Why can't he just live without losing someone every time he lets his guard down?
It's pitch black where he lays, but he knows he's still in the tent he was assigned. Tears fall from his eyes and roll onto the pillowcase underneath him.
He's tired. He doesn't want to be the hero anymore. Is this too much to ask?
Why are the Fates so cruel?
He closes his eyes and tries to control his breathing. His tears slowly dry against his skin, making his cheeks feel stiff.
Then, the sound of a zipper makes him shoot into sitting position.
His heart accelerates as he stares into the pitch darkness. A flash of light blinds him in an instant, making him recoil at the sensory overload.
He blinks, forming the image of Elara with a flashlight, looking at him expectingly.
"Percy, it's your shift to—" Her face drops at the sight of him. Her expression goes to one of concern to almost empathetic, but she doesn't speak.
They both just sit across from each other, silently communicating. He honestly doesn't know how it happens. He hasn't known her for a long time, but for some reason they understand each other beyond words.
He feels vulnerable under her piercing gaze. It's almost as if she were reading his thoughts every time they lock eyes.
She offers a hand to him, and he takes it with slight hesitation.
She leads him out of the stifling tent and they both find themselves by the watch area of the campsite. It's an odd sight from afar; she is shorter than him, but he hovers around her like a lost puppy.
"You know," She whispers, "life is best lived without regrets."
Like he doesn't know that. He grumbles in his head. Though she catches onto his attitude quickly.
"But it's regrets that can make one a better person. They are how we learn about ourselves and our environment." She continues, still staring into the eternally burning fire. "I'm not sure what yours is, but I believe you should think about that."
Percy remains silent, not quite sure how to respond. Elara doesn't seem to mind though. Her wings flutter and adjust themselves into a more comfortable position as they remain sitting side by side. The small gust of wind they form make him shiver slightly.
Even though she is younger than him, he can't help but admire the commander. She is one of the most level headed individuals he's met in a while. She is a clear example that wisdom does not come with age.
"Shouldn't you head to bed now?" Percy asks. "It's the end of your watch."
Elara shrugs. "I'm not tired. Plus, I don't want to wake Nia; she's a light sleeper."
It takes him a moment to realize she was talking about her sister. Questions swim through his head about the situation, but he just doesn't have the energy to ask at the moment.
The silence is comfortable as they continue to watch the flames lick at the air. His heartbeat has finally calmed down, and his tears are long gone.
But it didn't erase the lingering emptiness in his chest.
•••••
Well, now we know what happened...What do you think?
Also, what's going on with Sally? Who's the letter from? What does it say???
I actually had this scene written before I even created this story(aka more than a year ago), so you might see a slight "regression" in my writing style because I legit just copied and pasted haha
(In other words, this chapter is lacking a lot, but I will be going back to smooth some things out!)
Btw, you can check my little sister's account at HoneyyBubblez . She does originals, fanfics, and much more! Love you sis!
-JK