The Light and the Dark

♧︎Three ♧︎

When Piper came in, Percy was sitting by the fountain still. Percy was singing a song in Hawaiian, a lullaby that her mother used to sing to her. Piper sighed at the state of the heroine, "Hey, Percy you ready for bed?"

"Sleepy- bed..." Percy mumbled. Percy's eyes were fluttering and Piper almost smiled. Sometimes when Percy was still and zoned off, Piper could see the old Percy, the one before the death of Annabeth.

Piper wondered that if she lost Jason, if should would end up like this. The daughter of Aphrodite sighed and went to the broken girl. Piper sat down beside the black headed girl, "I miss her too, ya know. She was one of my closest friends. Probably not as close as you, but she was a true friend. Gone too soon."

Percy looked at Piper, "Annabeth?"

Piper stared at Percy with wide eyes. Not believing that she just said something related to the subject. "W-what?"

"Annabeth? Where's Annabeth?" Percy asked more forcefully.

"She's not here Per-"

"Where! Annie!" Percy screamed getting up and running to the door, "No! Annie!"

Piper jumped up and grabbed Percy holding her in a tight grip. Percy started trashing and trying to get, screaming at the top of her lungs. Percy sounded like a claustrophobic person in a mold to fit them, slowly seeping in their pores. Cramping them into smaller and smaller space.

Piper held her in a tight grip, trying to contain but not hurt her. "Jason!"

Percy thrashed and cried in Piper's grip, "Percy, you have to calm down."

Jason came running in to help Piper calm down Percy. He grabbed both arms and pinned them down since Piper, in a rush, just grabbed Percy's waist. Piper left go after she was sure Jason had the hysterical girl, the went to face Percy. The brunette gently grabbed her tan face, "It's okay, Percy, it's gonna be okay."

Percy sunk to the floor, "Annie!"

Piper wrapped her arms around Percy, starting to tear up, "Shhh, it's okay."

~~~

"Do you think she's ever going to get better?" Leo asked. It was early the next morning and Piper had just told him about Percy's meltdown the night before.

"I dunno. I hope so. It's just so unfair how the heroes always pay for everything." Piper leaned her head on the table.

"Is it," Leo paused, " Is it bad that sometimes I wish Percy died with Annabeth?"

Jason, who had been quiet during this conversation, and Piper looked up at him. Piper have never thought about Percy dying with Annabeth. Just how unfair it is that Annabeth left. How unfair it was to see Percy like this. Piper immediately looked down. What was worse, wishing your friend had died or wishing they were kept in this state of madness. But Jason thought about it from time to time, it often kept him up at night. The quality of life was something that needed to be kept in consideration. Of course, he didn't have the strength to do it, but Jason wished Percy died with Annabeth. It was an easy enough question.

Jason would hate to see Percy die. But the young women who was locked in her cabin was not Percy. It was an empty shell of a hero. Jason loved Percy as much as he could, so it hurt him to see her like this. But yes, Jason sometimes wished Percy died instead of being kept here to suffer. If she had walked away from this with her mind mostly in one piece, it would be different. Jason looked up to Leo, "No, I don't think so."

"What if Mr. D never fixes her?" Leo asks softly. He hated asking these questions but it wasn't fair to let her stay like this.

Piper looked at the bruises that were forming on her arms. "She's becoming a danger to herself and others. I think we need to start thinking..." Piper paused, "about our options. I mean, is she even living anymore?"

No one answered Piper. But the whole table was thinking, thinking the same thing they had been for a while. What would be the best thing for the health of Percy and the people around her. Sometimes it even felt like her mental health was going backwards. It fluctuates daily that every day is a surprise.

"She's better some days. I agree that we do need to start thinking. But maybe give it a month. See, how Mr. D helps." Jason said. He didn't feel like eating more.

"Couldn't he just snap his fingers and fix her? I feel like he doesn't want to fix her." Leo said.

Piper and Jason both snapped their heads to look at him. Piper shook her head. "Don't say that. You know what he said. Breaking someone mind is a lost easier than fixing it. Fixing it takes longer. Reconnecting threads takes a lot longer than cutting them with scissors."

"He's a god. Should he have mastered this by now?" Leo asked.

"Keep your voice down. The fact that he's going it at all is a favor." Jason snapped.

"Why should it be a favor. Percy has done so much and for them to be fixing her as a 'favor?'" Leo said. He stood up as his hands caught fire. Quickly shaking the flames out. "Such bullshit." And walked away.

"He does have a point." Piper said quietly after a moment. "If this is a favor and Percy has to repay it when she's healed, wouldn't it be better..."

Jason was staring at his feet. "I don't know. Sometimes I think we are being selfish by keeping her here but sometimes I see a glimpse of what she used to be. But even after she's heal, she deserves a break. Forever. Right?"

"Yes." Piper nodded. "She does. But when she's healed I think that is a decision she needs to make for herself."

Jason didn't bring up the way that sentence probably should have been worded. If she's healed.

~~~