Apocalyptic Love (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Fears Of

Word Count: 1200+

ANNABETH CHASE

Annabeth left the room, allowing the group time to talk. She didn't know what reactions each person would have. Would Thalia start to ignore her? Would Leo no longer smile at her? Would Jason try to kick her out? Mostly, she wondered how Percy would react.

Would he defend her if needed? Or would he send her away?

Annabeth shook her head. Percy would defend her. Just from knowing him a short while, she knew he was loyal and it seemed that he might think of her as a friend. But then again...friends don't hold hands under a table.

Percy had touched and held her hand...

Annabeth looked down at her hand and turned it over slowly. She could feel it tingling...just like it had when he had touched her.

Annabeth looked back to the door. She was currently leaning against the wall, trying to listen to the conversations inside. She sighed when everything was inaudible.

Annabeth put her foot up on the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. She closed her eyes and listened to the noises around her. A door creaked near her left. Someone ran down the hall, past her. There was knocking coming from the room beside her. She got frustrated that she could hear all of this but not what the heck the others were saying.

"You know, you're scary when you scowl."

Annabeth opens her eyes and looks over to Percy. He's leaning in the doorway of the lunchroom.

"Actually you're scary when you're not scowling sometimes." He says smirking. Annabeth rolls her eyes.
"You haven't even seen me when I'm actually scary." She puts her foot down off the wall and walks towards him.

"So..what's the verdict? Execution?" She asks, half-joking.
"Well it depends what you think execution implies. Because you could easily be going to your death but..perspective."

Percy puts a hand on the small of her back to guide her down the hall.

"Come on. You've got to pack."
"Am I getting kicked out?"
Percy stops and puts his hands on her shoulders.
"No! No way would I let them kick you out. You were defending yourself. And I'm sure she..."
Percy trails off, dropping his hands.
"You liked her didn't you?"

Percy looks into her eyes.

"I thought I did. I mean, we dated for a while but there was really nothing there. But it still hurt..when she..when she disappeared. She was.." Percy stopped when he saw her expression.

"You don't have to lie to me Percy. I can see you liked her. And that there was something there." Annabeth stepped away from him.

Percy grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving.

"You're right! You're right! I did like her, I probably would have love her if she hadn't..." He sighed but didn't let go of her arm, he only loosened his grip so she could get away if she wanted to.

"And what is it you want me to do? I can tell whatever it is I'm supposed to be packing for has something to do with her." Annabeth says.
"I..I want to see her. I want to make sure it really was her. I don't know why..the others all think I'm sick but I just need closure."

Annabeth nods.

"I'm not sure if that's something you should see...it would never..never leave your mind. The image would be branded into your brain forever. But I get it. I understand your want for closure. And if that's what you want...I'll take you to where I last saw her."

Percy stares at her. His jaw goes slack and his expression loosens. Tears shine in his eyes, making his sea-green eyes brighten. He grabs her and pulls her to him. His arms wrap around her back as he hugs her. Annabeth gasps in shock but she doesn't hesitate to hug him back.
Her arms wrap around his waist and she puts her head against his chest. 

A calm washes over her.

A sort of peace she hasn't felt in so long.

"Thank you Annabeth. For understanding." His breath is warm against her neck. Heat rises to her cheeks.
"You're welcome." She murmurs to his chest.
They both pull back but not away.
Percy smiles at her and tucks a curl behind her ear. Annabeth tries to smile in response but she can't. She can't even force one out of herself.

"Come on. We're leaving in an hour." 

Annabeth nods, angry at herself for not even being able to smile at him.
Percy walks beside Annabeth, giving her the details of the full mission.

"It's going to probably be an overnight mission. On the way back to the compound we have to get some supplies for Grover and Leo. We've got a safe house about 6km from here but something tells me we may not make it there so we'll improvise something for the night.
You've survived many nights out there anyway, so I'm guessing you've got plenty of possible safe places." Annabeth nods in answer.

"If all else fails we can just climb a tree." She says a hint of humour in her words. Percy studies her, noticing the humour.
"You've slept in a tree?" He asks.
"Yeah. It wasn't that bad. The main risk was being trapped up there by walkers."
"How'd you not fall out?"
"Rope."

Percy nods slowly, imagining the scene. 
They walk a little further until Percy stops.

"I'll meet you outside of your door in twenty minutes." Annabeth says okay in response as Percy ducks into his room.

Annabeth walks another 20 metres to her own room. She enters and closes the door behind her.

A sigh escapes her lips as she grabs her bag and the small amount of belongings she has.

She sits on her floor thinking over all the possible things that could go wrong.

Most of her ideas come back to one topic: Percy.

She fears that Percy might get injured. Or bitten. Or killed. If he was to die, she would have nothing. She definitely wouldn't be allowed back here without him.

But then again she also feared what Percy might do or say when he sees the corpse of Rachel. What if he goes mad?

That would endanger not only him, but herself too. If he were to go crazy, she would have to risk taking care of him. Because she knows she would never abandon him. Even if she had only known him for a little while.

But most of all, she feared that Percy would hate her.

She wouldn't know what to do if that ever happened. Annabeth jumped when someone knocked on her door. Percy opened it slowly.

He froze when he saw her.

Annabeth realised she was holding her knife like she was about to throw it. Thank goodness she wasn't so scared that she had thrown it.

She lowers the knife and murmurs an apology.
Percy pretends like he didn't almost get a knife between his eyes.
"You ready?"
Annabeth stands and slings her bag over her shoulders.
"Always."
Percy grins and gets out a gun.

"Then let's go raiding."