Revenge

Chapter 23

Beck woke up. It was still dark outside the window in front of her.

She had no clue what woke her up, so she slowly got out of bed and walked to the window to look out.

Nothing. Not even a cleaning harpy in sight. She frowned.

A grunt behind her broke the silence. It sounded angry, but muffled.

Beck turned around. Percy was asleep on the other side of the room. No one else was there, and at first she didn't realize where the noise had come from.

Percy rolled over violently. He was shaking in his sleep and his grunts and whines became more frequent as he squirmed.

"Percy?" Beck whispered quietly. Her half brother didn't answer. "Percy!"

No response. He was writhing now, a snarl set on his face as he battled some unseen creatures in his dreams. No, nightmares. These were definitely his nightmares.

"Percy!" Beck shouted, trying to reach forward and grab her half-brother's arm. "Percy, wake up!"

His hand hit hers, smacking it away. Beck hissed in slight pain as her wrist jolted, but she continued to try and wake Percy. He was going to hurt himself if she didn't wake him up.

"Percy!" She snapped, grabbing one of his arms and pinning it down. "Wake up!"

Still no response, other than his fighting harder.

"JACKSON!" Beck yelled, slapping her half-brother across the face.

In an instant there was a blade at her neck. Percy had shot into a sitting position, pulling his pen sword from under his pillow in a flash of pure fear and adrenaline.

Beck stood still until she saw the expression of mixed surprise and guilt on his face that meant he was fully awake.

"Sorry. Did I wake you up?"

"Yes. But it's okay. You were going to hurt yourself." Beck shrugged.

"I wouldn't have."

"Yes you would."

"No." Percy shook his head. "Someone would have stopped me first."

"Who?" Beck asked sarcastically. "The fountain?"

Someone banged on their door just then. Percy gave her a look that said 'I told you so,' and called to the door. "Come on in!"

"Are you okay?" Annabeth peeked in. When she saw Beck and Percy sitting on the two beds next to each other, she slipped inside and closed the door.

"I think I scared Beck." Percy said somewhat sheepishly.

Annabeth looked at him, then at Beck. "Somehow I doubt that. She's a tough cookie."

Beck shrugged. "I was surprised, is all. I'm going to go back to bed."

"Goodnight, Beck." Percy said. He didn't try to point out to her that this was the longest conversation that had occurred between them since the rain incident, and Beck was grateful to him for it.

"Goodnight Percy. Goodnight Annabeth."

"Goodnight Beck." Annabeth replied.

Beck laid in bed awake for a while, wondering how long Annabeth was going to stay.

Not long, it turned out. Ten minutes after she laid down, she heard Annabeth's bare feet cross the floor. The door opened and the blonde girl was gone.

Beck chanced a look at her half-brother and saw him sitting on his bed with his back to her, staring out the window over by his bed.

"Percy?" She asked.

"You're still awake?"

"Yes. I wanted to ask you....what do you think of our dad?"

Percy turned to face her. He smiled, but it looked a little forced. "I think he's better than most of the gods, but he's still one of them. They're arrogant, power-hungry, well, with the exception of Hestia, and they want to stay on their thrones and boss others around.

"Dad's okay. He shows up sometimes, he's basically the only god who visits his kids after they've been born. If you think really hard, you'll find a memory from when your were very young. It's not much, just a feeling of safety and warmth, like someone's cradling you and smiling down at you."

Beck pushed through her memories, trying to find the feeling he described. It was there, barely.

"I hardly feel it."

Percy frowned. "Well I can't give you an answer about that...sorry Beck."

"It's alright.... Do you ever get angry at him?"

"For leaving me?" Percy shrugged. "Sometimes, but it's more on my mom's behalf than my own. She married the worst pig of a man for the first 11 or so years of my life to keep my scent covered and he wasn't exactly a good father figure." He rubbed his shoulder as he said it and Beck wondered briefly if this so called "pig" of a man had abused his stepson.

"She's with a better guy now though, my stepdad Paul." He continued. "They're going to have a baby soon. I'll be a big brother...I guess I kind of already am." He looked at her.

Beck crossed her arms. "You're only a few years older than me. I'm 16."

"And I'm 19." Percy responded. "Therefore I'm your older brother."

Beck rolled her eyes. "Whatever." Without giving him time to answer, she bundled herself under her covers.

Percy chuckled. "Goodnight Beck."

He got no answer, which made him chuckle again.