A Lofty Choice

Chapter 6

"Hey Percy," Annabeth said, dangerously. Percy looked at her face the dagger she was casually tossing.

"Hey," Percy said, nervously.

"I tried to contact you, but all I got was an image of you in a hospital room.  I freaked out, but your mom said she was already sending Will. Do I need to ask?"

"Monster attack."

Annabeth nodded. "I figured."

Annabeth looked at Percy's scenery. "That isn't your mom's bathroom."

Percy looked at Annabeth, trying to decide how he should tell her. "You know how Sally is my mom?"

"Yeah," Annabeth said. Annabeth was looking at Percy like he was losing his mind. Percy just smiled. She was going to lose it.

"Well she is not my mom," Percy said.

"Did you have a fight with her," Annabeth asked. She looked a little skeptical. Percy did not like to argue with his mother. He would always try to minimize his mother's stress, and shield her from the things that hurt him.

Percy didn't speak up at first giving Annabeth the wrong impression. It's not that he did not want to speak, it's just he kept thinking that he was hurting her by coming to the avenger's tower.

"Percy I am sure things will be alright," Annabeth said. "Just stop acting like a seaweed brain and tell me what happened."

"I didn't have a fight with her," Percy said.

Annabeth was thinking, but no matter how much thinking she did she did not get an answer. This was a shot in the dark, and no one could guess where the bullet would land.

"It's not what you think," Percy said. He then went on to explain the events in detail.

Annabeth was silent for a moment, before she nodded solemnly. "I will go visit Sally. Get to your biological mother. It isn't her fault."

"I know that," Percy said.

Annabeth raised her eyebrow playfully. Although the light never reached her eyes. "I have to make sure you don't fall behind. Your so slow."

Percy laughed a little. That was the end of the call.

Percy exited the bathroom and flopped on the bed.   "What am I going to do?"

He closed his eyes, and let himself drift off. 

                        *                 *                  *

Sally stood there alone in her house.   Paul was away on a field trip with one of his classes.   He wasn't there, and she did not want to tell him over the phone.  This wasn't something you could talk over the phone with someone.

There was a knock on the door. Sally wiped the tears on the corner of her eyes. She quickly put a smile up and opened the door. Annabeth stood there. 

"Annabeth!"  Sally looked surprised, but kept up her facade by smiling.   "Percy isn't here."

"Percy told me.  I came to keep you company.  I know that Paul is on a field trip."

Sally started tearing up before she finally collapsed and started crying.   Annabeth wrapped her arms around her.  

                        *                *               *

Percy stood there with a wet substance sticking on his skin. He looked down. Blood. He looked back up, and the sky had darkened, and there were dead bodies everywhere.

Annabeth was half gasping. She tilted her head towards Percy. She was laid in a position on the ground. Her hand slowly outreached to Percy, like she was running out of energy. "Seaweed brain."

She gasped one more time, and then her hand fell. There she was lifeless.

Percy wanted to say something, but he couldn't. There was a laugh. A chuckle that rumbled through him, and through the dark scene. Suddenly he felt himself falling.

He was falling. Falling into Tartarus. Percy was crying. "Not again! Not again! You can't take me again!"

* * *

"Percy!"

Someone was shaking him awake. He realized he was crying. He opened his eyes to see Natasha. She was holding a dagger. She looked dazed. Her eye were darting, but there was no one there.

Natasha looked at the tears in Percy's eyes. Percy ducked his head. Trying to hide his emotions. But he felt something deep within him. Something broken coming from the depths.

Scenes of him falling again. He choked out a sob. Natasha hugged him. Percy cried for a good minute, before he was able to remember where he was.

Percy pulled back. Natasha was studying him closely. Percy was looking away. He was evading.

Natasha looked at her son. She didn't know how to help her son.

Another minute passed. It was enough time for Percy to get his bearings. "I am fine. It was just a nightmare," Percy said.

Natasha looked at Percy skeptically. Percy saw this and let out a breath of frustration. "Remember how I said I was kidnapped?"

Natasha nodded. She did not like where this was going.

"One of the kidnappers tortured me." Percy dropped that bomb. It was technically true. Tartarus did torture him.

Natasha nodded, but inside she was fuming. She put her hands gently down Percy's hair. This is what moms do, right? Inside her mind as she comforted Percy she was thinking of hunting down Percy's kidnappers.

She then paused her stroking of Percy's hair. "Why were the kidnappers after you?"

Percy knew she had asked this question before, and he had answered that it was his father.   Should he throw his dad under the bus again.

"Percy?"

Percy looked up at Natasha.  She was giving him a no nonsense look.  "You are going to get mad."

"I am a big girl.  I can handle it."  Her face was blank, but the lack of expression could be a sign of hidden anger. 

Percy looked away.  Sorry dad.  "They were after me because of who my dad is.  That's why there are people always trying to kill me."   The people always trying to kill were monsters.   That excuse would explain why he would come back bloody.

Natasha nodded acting calm.  What she wanted to do is grab Percy's dad and shake him.   Ask him who the heck he is, and why did he leave his son defenseless if he had this many enemies.

"Who is your father?"

Percy shook his head.   "I can't tell you.  Even if I were you wouldn't be able to do anything.  He isn't a bad guy, but he can't be in my life."

Natasha sighed looking at her son.  He was either incredibly naive or an idiot.  Only time will tell.

Percy thought the look of sympathy Natasha was giving him was worry about him and his nightmare.  If only he knew that Natasha was thinking whether or not he was an idiot. 

"Well I am going to sleep," Percy said. 

"Do you want me to stay with you," Natasha asked.

Percy smiled, but shook his head.  "Thanks, but no."

Natasha nodded.   "You need to sleep."

With that Natasha left the room.  She was shaking her head when she was leaving.   She needed to find information, and talk to Fury.