Savior (A Percy Jackson FanFiction) ✔️

My Turn

Annabeth's POV:

I owed him an apology.

I really owed him an apology, for ignoring him for basically no reason when he'd been super nice to me. And, even if I hadn't wanted to approach him, my feelings for him were now so strong that they would've forced me to anyway.

I came to terms with all this a while ago, actually. But, how was I supposed to confess to Percy when I didn't know where the hell he was?

As soon as Luke said it was okay for me to come back to school, I'd immediately went to find him. I saw Rachel, Drew, Katie, and everybody else... but, no Percy. I waited for him outside his classes, and even in front of his locker, sure he would show up, but nope. In fact, all his cousins were missing too, a fact that I found strange. The exchange program definitely hadn't ended, so where had they gone?

Luke had met me on my day back with a great smirk on his face, which confused me as well. Usually he was just scowling, or glaring at me. I didn't dare ask what had happened, though. A part of me didn't even want to find out.

But it set off alarms immediately. Luke almost never smiled, unless something great happened. And great as in, terrible and monstrous from a normal person's perspective, but to Luke it was all great fun. I was sick of it, but then again, what could I really do? I was in no position to try to stop him, and most of the other people in this school were too wrapped up in their lives to really care.

I was also trying to fend off a strange thought that had occurred to me a few hours ago and kept persisting- that somehow Luke was connected to Percy's disappearance. It was a ridiculous thought, that proved I was being paranoid and desperate. But then, why did it keep popping up, when I'd already pushed it far down?

After a while of stressing, I finally decided to sit down and take a moment to think, when I got a call. I glanced at my phone, wondering who on Earth would want to call me. And when I saw the name, I nearly choked on my tea.

Rachel.

Why would Rachel be calling me?

Rachel and I had a long history. We were once best friends, but when I got together with Luke something between us had cut off just a bit. Still, we always hung out. Then, Luke revealed his true colors and I was forced to cut everyone off entirely. I felt horrible, and sometimes wondered- if I'd told her what was going on, could things have been different? Then I would shake that thought off immediately. I had to deal with my own problems, and I didn't want anyone else to face Luke's wrath.

I stared at my phone for a long minute, then hesitantly picked up the call.

"Annabeth?"

"Rachel... hi." I paused, not sure what to say. That I was sorry? That she should stay away from me for her own personal safety? She interrupted my flow of thoughts, saying, "Annabeth... we need to talk."

**********

I stared at the location she sent me. It was rumored to be where Percy had last went. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who'd noticed, and people had been starting to get worried. Rachel said that was the day before Percy stopped coming to school, when he'd wanted that location desperately and Rachel had found it for him. I stared at it. It did look quite familiar. I racked my brains, trying to think. Annabeth, where did you see it? You have to think! Percy is in danger, you can't afford to be lazy now!

And suddenly, it clicked.

The night Luke had taken me to the lair of the Bombers, he had all the car windows blacked out, so I couldn't see anything and couldn't report it. But, being the careless idiot he was, he had typed the location onto his phone map without considering that I was right next to him, taking in everything. Which means- oh god-

Luke had captured Percy.

It all made perfect, horrible sense- Percy had defended me from Luke, and wounded Luke's pride. Luke would never rest until he got revenge. Luke had somehow lured Percy... according to Rachel, the day Percy disappeared was not long after Luke told me to stop coming to school. And when I came back, Percy was gone. Luke had lured Percy- using me. Or an imitation of me, anyway. I didn't want to know how he pulled that off.

One thing was clear- it was in my hands now. I could turn back, stay safe, and add Percy to my list of regrets- or I could go, and bring karma to Luke, and save the man I loved.

I thought back to Percy attacking Luke for me, of my face inches from his. I thought of Percy's laugh, and his eyes. Sea green eyes.

And I decided. It was my turn to save him. If I had learned anything in the past year or two, it was that a relationship had to work both ways for the trust and love required. And I was prepared, now. I knew, from an inner feeling, that Percy was the right one. He had to be. I couldn't afford to be wrong now.

It's my turn to save him.

I called Rachel. "Rach?" I said, using my old nickname for her. "I need your help. Not that I deserve it, and this is super dangerous, by the way. So if you say no, I will totally understand."

She paused, then spoke. "I'm with you, Annie. And- I'm sorry, for judging you without knowing what you were going through."

I'd told her all about Luke, and she'd wanted to bash his brains out, but I had stopped her, telling her I would get back to her. Now, it was time. I grinned. "No problem. Now, it's time to bash some brains."

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QOTD- If you could spend a day hanging out with any PJO character, who would you choose?