Remembering

Chp. 14: New Friends, Old Memories, Part 2

"Percy!" Annabeth cried as he sprinted out of her room. She quickly waved her hand through the IM and followed him. He ran across the ship, past the boiler room and the kitchen, where she lost him. Where could he have gone? Water, she realized immediately. He probably wanted to be near water! She ran to the stables, where the glass floors allowed a full view of the lake below. Panting, she ran to the aft, where, sure enough, Percy sat curled up in a ball.

Should I go in?

No, he probably needs some time.

Annabeth hid behind the door frame, trying to catch her breath, keeping as quiet as possible. After a few minutes, however, she couldn't bear his silent sobs. They broke her heart. She knocked on the door frame, not needing words.

Percy looked behind and nodded. Annabeth entered tentatively; it pained her to see him like this. She sat to his side, gradually inching herself closer to him until their thighs and arms touched. Percy dropped his head onto her shoulder, and Annabeth ran her hands through his hair.

They sat in silence except for Percy's occasional sniffling. After a few minutes, he whispered, "I-I just got overwhelmed with it all. I feel so bad. Like I'm letting them down by not remembering them."

Loyalty. His fatal flaw. Annabeth pressed a kiss into his hair. It was a spur of the moment, but Percy turned, eyeing her curiously. He studied her face: pale skin tainted with the dark circles of sleepless nights, but gray eyes shining as ever. Her hair: cascading waves of princess curls reaching her shoulders. He tucked a blonde lock behind Annabeth's ear and... he kissed her. Annabeth wrapped her arms around his neck, and Percy dropped his hands to her back. She knew this was wrong-that they shouldn't do this-that Percy wasn't thinking straight...but she missed this so much. Percy pulled her impossibly closer, and Annabeth traced his face. His cheeks were wet, and he tasted salty.

Percy traced his hands up and down her sides, lost in her strawberry scent. The strawberry brought back memories he didn't know he had-fields blooming with flowers and sprouting fruits, satyrs playing flutes to help the garden grow faster, him and Annabeth walking hand in hand across the grounds, sun shining on her blonde hair...He pulled Annabeth closer to him, trying to hold onto the memories of her, trying to remember...

Annabeth pulled on his hair, and suddenly, he felt her everywhere. Hands in his hair, chest pressed to his, legs half-wrapped around his hips. It wasn't right. He was trying to hold onto her past memories, not her. That wasn't fair to Annabeth.

Percy pulled away. She looked at him, puzzled. "I'm sorry, Annabeth. I-I don't know what came over me."

Annabeth nodded. She'd expected this, but his retrieval stung all the same. An embarrassed flush threatened to creep up her cheeks.

They stared at each other, discomfort palpable. Percy broke the ice. "Um...how about we just hold each other?"

Annabeth smiled faintly, dropping her head on his shoulder. "Okay," she whispered.

"Okay," he whispered back.

(Following is an excerpt from pg. 167 of MOA)

They sat together cuddling, enjoying each other's warmth. Before Percy knew it, the drone of the ship's engine, the dim light, and the comfortable feeling of being with Annabeth made his eyes heavy, and he drifted to sleep.

When he woke, daylight was coming through the glass floor, and a boy's voice said, "Oh... you are in so much trouble."