Cabin 13

64| The Girl, Annabeth

Apparently, assuming he'd be transported back onto the boat with all their stored supplies and food was too much to ask for. Landing from their jump, Percy's back hit solid ground. Hard. 

He groaned, "Fuuuck."

The girl, still wrapped in his arms, shuddered. He concluded she was either laughing or crying and wasn't too eager to see which. 

Glancing at their surroundings, it was clear they were in the middle of nowhere. They'd landed on a grassy hill surrounded by an assortment of trees. He could feel a freshwater spring not too far below them. But no water pipes or wells. No sign of human life. It still appeared to be in the afternoon—golden hour—the sun would be setting soon. 

"Okay, princess," Percy mumbled as he attempted to roll the girl off his chest. 

Her fists tightened around his shirt and what sounded like curses escaped her mouth. 

"Come on now, I'm not really in the mood to bleed out." He pushed harder, starting to sit up. 

Finally, she raised her head, face streaked with tears and absolute fury burning in her eyes. She came so close their noses touched, whispering, "Perseus Jackson, you are not mortally wounded. Lay back down or I swear to the gods, I will see to it myself that you soon are."

Meeting her cool grey eyes felt like being doused in cold water. He blinked, his brow pinching, before slowly lowering himself back onto the soft grass. She huffed, resting her cheek on his shoulder. Her hot breath tickled Percy's neck. He frowned. This girl looked as though she was on the brink of death. Why on earth was he letting her boss him around? 

He stiffened and tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword. Now what? He laid here till she gave him permission to get up? Percy rolled his eyes. It was obvious the girl needed patching up and something to eat. So, releasing his sword, he secured his hold on her and pushed himself to his feet. Before she could protest, he started down the hill toward the running water he sensed earlier. 

"Seaweed Brain."  She said it like a warning. Like his mother pulling out his middle name. 

Percy raised his brow. "If you're really looking to cuddle, I'd prefer we do it in the water. You're not looking too hot right now."

In the next moment, he was wheezing for air: the girl had driven her fist into his stomach (with surprising strength) and dropped from his hold. Yanking at his collar, she pulled him down and her lips crashed onto his own. Percy's eyes widened, and for a moment, he truly thought she may be trying to suffocate him. As soon as he could form a coherent thought again, he pulled away, fumbling back and gasping for breath. 

"This reunion is quickly becoming our worst." Her words were harsh, but the confusion and hurt in her eyes were beginning to make him feel guilty.

He straightened, reaching out his hand and drawing a stream of water to wind up his arm. The instant relief let loose a small sigh. "You aren't a very appreciative damsel."

"Damsel? Damsel!" Marching forward, she grabbed his wrist, and the water began flowing over her fingers. Her eyes softened and her voice shrank into something of a plea. "Percy?"

And again, he was hit with a cold chill. He didn't know her. She looked at him so expectantly, but he didn't know her! What did she expect?! Just like all the others, she wanted something from him. She wanted someone. Someone that he wasn't anymore. Whoever he was. 

"Percy, please. What's wrong?"

He didn't know her. But he did?  He almost swore he did; Her curled blonde hair and those piercing grey eyes? What were these new feelings? He swallowed. Her golden hair, like a princess, and intelligent eyes that looked straight into him. That knew him. That loved him. And he loved her too. Utterly. The water splashed to the ground and he pulled her into his arms. This time was different. 

"Annabeth."  Percy took a breath, truly just to breathe her in—share her air. "Gods, you're alright. And you're here. How are you here?" 

She laughed. "You saved me, dummy." Lightly pulling away, just enough to meet his eyes, she seethed, "But call me a damsel again, and you're dead."

He frowned but disregarded her last comment. "Saved you?" Now, Percy realized the ache in his head and the floating dark spots in his vision. His current memory might have been lacking. He thought... he thought she was gone. He thought she was dead. 

Annabeth looked more concerned than ever. "Yes. You—you fought," she motioned to the rips in his clothing and the drying blood against his skin. "Erebus."

"I don't—" He shook his head. "I don't remember." Slowly taking in their surroundings, he asked, "Uh, where are we?"

Annabeth brought a soft hand to his cheek, tracing it lightly with her thumb. Her eyes narrowed, assessing him intensely. He gave her a reassuring smile, hating to see her worry. "I must've hit my head pretty hard, huh?"

"Seaweed Brain, what's the last thing you remember?"

He concentrated. Annabeth dying. No, fighting Jason. Wait, in the car wash? In the gladiator pit. Jason kissed him. He went to see his mother. He was with Aphrodite. No, Eros. The boat. Piper spoke to him on the lake dock. She told him it was all alright. She told him to let go. 

He yelped, blinding pain shooting through his head. Everything was too bright. 

Annabeth smiled at him. She rode the elevator to the top of the Empire State Building. She fought alongside him in full battle armor. She laid with him in the Argo II's stables. Running beside him through the Labyrinth. Falling together into the pits of Tartarus. Kissing her underwater. She held the world on her shoulders. Matching streaks of white in their hair.

"You know you drool in your sleep."

They were fading, these memories, no matter how hard he attempted to hold on. Like he was waking from a dream. 

"Percy, when you open your eyes, your guilt will be gone; washed clean. You'll have all the closure you'll ever need, so you can forget the pain."

His eyes snapped open.

"Percy? Percy?" the girl stared at him, looking like he'd sprout a second head. She looked so pale, he considered that she may have become an actual ghost during her time down in the Netherlands. 

He stepped back from her, running his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, I'm thinking we should probably set up some personal space boundaries."

She blinked. "What?" Shaking her head, she demanded, "What is going on?"

Percy grimaced at the sight of frustrated tears. This could not be any more uncomfortable. Staying behind to fight monsters was starting to sound more appealing. Did she want him to comfort her?  He rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, I'm told that I'm... well, I'm having some... uh, memory issues."

Her eyes narrowed. "And you don't remember me?"

Percy shook his head. 

"But just a minute ago, you did. Do you remember that?"

"I— ah," he flinched, clutching his head. "Yeah, kinda. But it's giving me a headache to think about."

"What happened?"

He shrugged. "I don't really know. Apparently some cool magic-y stuff."

Her fists were balled and tightened till her knuckles paled. "Do you at least know who I am?"

"...no." Why did he feel guilty?  

She sighed, her shoulders dropping. "Right. I'm Annabeth."

Annabeth. The name felt like spiders crawling up his spine.