Annabeth and Me (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Remembering

Percy

At that house in Montauk I now lived, I remembered everything.

For a while I remembered Annabeth and all the things we had been through, then I remembered what I had been through before I was a demigod.

One time, I had come home from school when I was six, and Gabe told me to give him poker money.

"No, it's all the allowance I have!" I replied defiantly. 

"Just give it!" he said, wrestling me to the ground and sitting on me, grabbing my two dollars from my pocket. He got up like nothing had happened, but I ran at him, trying to get my dollars. Why did he need them? He was just going to waste them.

He saw me coming and tripped me. Then he started to kick me, over and over. I curled into a ball, covering my head with my hands. He kept beating until I was limp and whimpering.

"Go to your room."

Then he went back to his poker, and I was forced to crawl away, take a bath, then try to cover my bruises with my mom's makeup.

I lay in bed with tears running down my face for almost two hours. After that, I'm afraid my mom'll get home so I wipe my eyes and try to make my face less red. It was almost five o'clock and my mom wouldn't get home until six, so I snuck downstairs to get a snack. I almost made it to the kitchen, but he spotted me.

"Get me a beer brat!" he yelled.

I got some peanut butter crackers and tried again to sneak upstairs. Gabe saw me trying to slip into the hall to go to my room. 

"Where's my beer, delinquent?" he asked, talking loud, not saying much.

I mumbled that I wouldn't get his dumb beer.

"What? Speak up!"

"I won't get you a beer! I'm not your servant! I hope you loose." I yelled.

He held up his hand and I flinched, anticipating the blow. It never came.

"Go get my beer. Now!" he practically yelled the last part.

I stayed put. Gabe knocked me down and tried to kick me, but my shock at him actually hurting me had faded. I rolled out of the way and tried to get to my room. It had a lock so Gabe would be unable to enter.

He tripped me, moving faster than I thought was possible for a man of his size. He picked me up by the collar and punched my chest, knocking the air out of me. He dropped me, and while I tried to catch my breath, he sent me skidding across the floor with a kick. I lay there, defeated, and Gabe walked into the kitchen, got his beer and walked back to his poker game.

I again crawled up the stairs, put on the concealer and lay down in bed. I ate my crackers and drifted off to sleep.

***

"Honey?" 

I sat up, blinking the sleep out of my eyes.

"Mom!" I jumped up and hugged her. "Mom, I-" I stopped. Should I tell her?

"Percy what's wrong?" 

The look in her eyes, like she would do anything for me, made up my mind.

"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you I made a new friend at school. His name was Leo. He said he had to leave after today. I told him not to go but he said he had to go home. He was funny."

"Oh well, you'll find a new friend tomorrow. Maybe Leo will come back." she said, sounding relieved. "Do you want some dinner bud, or did you already have something?"

"I had some peanut butter crackers, I'm all full."

"Okay honey, but don't do that tomorrow, I'm bringing home a pizza." I squirmed happily. "Now it's time for bed."

"But Mommm. Please can I stay up?"

"Sorry Percy. I'll tuck you in and you need to go to sleep." she said in a gentle yet firm voice.

"Okay. Night night Mom." I hugged her and planted a wet sloppy kiss on her cheek. "I love you. You're the best Mom ever."

"I love you too Perce. Night night."

Then she walked out and shut the door quietly. I stayed up, images going through my mind. Gabe was made of stone, I was running next to a goat boy, a giant man was patting me on the back. An older version of me was hanging from the lip of a pit. Then, I shut my eyes. Sleep always chased those things away. I called them the demons.

Then I slept and dreamt that Mom and I were at Montauk on the beach, where she told me about my dad like she always did. Then I slipped into darkness. Quiet, peaceful, carefree darkness.

I should've just given him the money and beer. But now I know I could've stopped him.

A/N: Okay, so this chapter is dedicated to @Dark_Demigod_Witch cause she was the first person to vote and ask me to keep going. Thank you!