Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1 : The Lightning Thief - MISSING SCENES

You're Having Strange Dreams (Between Chapters 14 & 15)

They had thankfully managed to get back on the train safely without being spotted.

It was honestly kind of a miracle that no one caught on as they entered the train, what with all the news reports and flyers going around with Percy's face plastered all over it. Maybe it was Mist, maybe it was a gift from one of the Gods... Or maybe everyone else was just too tired at that point to care. It hadn't exactly been an easy night for anyone.

Percy was the most exhausted of the bunch. After all, he was the one who had gotten into an altercation with a fucking Chimera and then plummeted 600+ feet down to a dirty, polluted swamp. And this was all only days after the bus incident and meeting Medusa so... Yeah, he was very understandably exhausted.

Annabeth was also pretty tired. The girl could hardly sleep properly on a normal day, let alone under these harsh conditions. The both of them fell asleep pretty soon after they got settled on the train, pretty much just leaving Grover alone to keep watch. He wasn't particularly exhausted, so he didn't mind. If anything, he just found it a bit annoying that he couldn't use this free time to practice his music.

At some point in the night, Percy started having a nightmare. His recent nightmares had usually consisted of weird, cryptic visions where nature was a wreck and fighting against itself and big, evil voices called out to him. However, this particular nightmare was a different type. No, he wasn't getting visions of Hades trying to pull him down into the Underworld.

He was reliving the events that happened mere hours ago, only things were slightly worse. Echidna was shouting his worst fears at him as they fought. About how he wouldn't succeed in what he really wanted to achieve with this quest. Someone was gonna betray him. Maybe it'd be Annabeth. Or Grover. Or Luke. Or Chiron. He didn't know, and that scared him.

He plummeted through the air again, except this time when he landed in the water, his wounds didn't heal. He didn't die on impact, but the poison still worked its way through his body. He couldn't just drown either. No, he was gonna die in this garbage-filled lake, never seeing his friends again.

"Percy" a voice echoed, he assumed it was just the vision of his mom again, but he didn't see anyone and the voice sounded slightly off. Was it Hades again? This kid couldn't get a break, huh? Then the world started shaking and the voice grew louder, calling for him to wake up!

He woke up in a cold sweat, hyperventilating. There was a hand on his shoulder, which he soon realized was that of Grover's. Of course he thought, feeling a bit guilty over having bothered the satyr. He can read your feelings, of course!

"Hey, it's okay" Grover reassured as he felt the guilt and fear radiating off the young demigod. "I'm not bothered or burdened or whatever is going through your little head" he lightly poked at Percy's forehead, causing him to chuckle slightly. "Breathe with me, okay?" he coaxed gently before guiding Percy through some breaths. His plan must've worked because pretty soon there was little hint that Percy had ever been distressed aside from some shakiness.

"You wanna talk about it?" Grover asked calmly. Percy couldn't help but smile. Grover made him feel safe, which was a rare feeling for him at this point. "Just a nightmare or..." he trailed off, searching his mind for the proper words. "It wasn't about Hades or anything. It was everything that happened... Yesterday? But it was worse in the dream"

"Ouch" Grover said in sympathy as he cautiously put an arm over the young boy's back. "Well, we're out of there now" he tried to reassure. "And sure, tomorrow will probably have another incident, but for now we're safe here"

"Yeah..." Percy replied with a big exhale, finally allowing himself to relax again. "Right. Thanks, Grover"