Seaweed and Wise - Never letting go

2. Council

Percy's POV

Chiron called for an urgent meeting of the head counsellors which was all 4 of us from the Argo crew, we had to go to the Big house...
The camp was buzzing with energy, powered by the ADHD high, while all I wanted to do was lay in bed and bury my head in the crook of my girlfriend's neck.
Connor and Travis were running around with a bag full of water filled balloons and I wondered who snuck what energy drink brand in again.  For some reason that I didn't understand, though I hoped to that situation, they threw one at me... I sent it back... The balloon popped as it collided with Travis's face and the water formed a perfect shower that slowly soaked into his clothes. Drained to the bone, he glared at me with the classic Hermes-style gleam in his eyes. Both of the brothers took another set of balloons. I made them all explode before they even realized how stupid it was. Now both of them looked like wet chickens. I broke into a silent fit of laughter.
"What have you done this time?" Annabeth glared at me.
I pointed to the brothers, still laughing, and she smiled. Have I mentioned how she almost killed them once? Those were the times...
Travis stuck his tongue out at us like a three year old and punched his brother who was yelling at him.
"Is he not the son of Poseidon? I'm all soaked, you idiot!" Travis shouted.
"So?" Connor yelled back. "You stink like you haven't bathed in like a week anyway!"
They bickering continued as they entered the Big house, leaving wet footprints on the floors and big watermarks on the walls as they pushed in the halls.
"Come on," I took Annabeth's hand as we walked into the hallway. Being inside these walls was strangely crushing. I pressed Annabeth's hand a little and she returned the gesture with a quick kiss on my cheek. One breathed better with a reason to do that for.
Jason and Piper walked right behind us and I heard Clarisse and Katie talking about something like 'the lack of brain cells' and 'Stolls'.
I haven't seen Clarisse for almost a year, well until the moment we reached Camp Half Blood to fight off Gaea and Octavian's army of monsters. She changed. She changed when Silena became her friend, maybe started acting at least a little like a human being, and she changed once again when Silena died, as a hero, making things right. Not mentioning how Clarisse treated Chris even though he betrayed us. Clarisse was, if I dare to say, so much nicer.
She didn't try to kill me in so long...
The daughter of Ares was standing tall by Chris's side, his hand was around her waist, which would have made me throw up a year earlier but now seemed kind of - cute. I understood that need to cling close.
We all sat on the chairs and everything that could be sat on around the ping-pong table.
Annabeth was next to me, the she - devil right on the opposite side.
"Long time no see." I said with a goofy smile that just couldn't get off my face. We talked during the battle, but that was of, well, battle stuff... "You know we haven't tried to kill each other for over a year? We should find a therapist. I'm feeling kinda hurt."
"Awe, you missed me Jackson? Don't worry I'll beat that smile off of your face in the next capture the flag."
"That's the Clarisse I know!"
I sensed she was saying those words just for the sake of old times, but I laughed at her as ever before.
I could kill for a harmless chariot competition right about now, to shoot arrows, to play the flag... But the problem was that I probably couldn't muster up the strength for it unless free time with Annabeth was the prize.
Annabeth and Chris changed looks of desperation, helplessness and amusement in just few seconds.
I kissed her and she blushed in an adorable way.
The campers grinned and some even blushed like she did, crazy shippers, as I heard from Piper. They even had a name for us.

To be honest I couldn't count them all, the cabin leaders. Kids of gods and goddesses that were 'forgotten' were here too and I was proud of that, at least. Everyone was moving, talking and constantly switching places until Chiron walked into the room, everyone but Katie and Travis, who seemed to be arguing about something, went silent. What was the deal with those guys, I thought they were dating. Katie realized they were the only one's talking and her face turned pink. She elbowed Travis and he gasped for air. At that moment her expression changed from anger to worry. I've been gone for some time but those two being a perfect picture, yet a bit rough demigod couple?
"You all probably wonder why we're meeting right now. The war is, I believe, over for now and we have to get back to normal activities. From tomorrow on all campers must attend classes and practices that they scheduled at the beginning of this summer."
Everyone started. Not all seemed too enthusiastic about what we just heard. But eh, I had no classes scheduled anyway... A fact that was probably to change very soon.
"Silence!" Chiron shouted.
"I understand that you all lost someone. There's not a person who didn't loose a friend or a sibling due to the war we've just been through.
We honored the dead, but we have to move on and start training again. It is for the best to keep ourselves occupied. If anything, I can give a pass for some things, no one is sending you to the arena if you left your heart and soul in the fight."
You could feel the hurt slicing through us all right now.
I spotted Nico standing next to Will. They were complete opposites, yet they found a way to each other.
"What about Leo?" Asked Nyssa from Hephaestus's cabin.
"Nico and Hazel both said they felt him die," Annabeth said, much to my astonishment. She fixated on the wall and completely shut off.
Jason hugged Piper. Anyone could say that she was trying really hard not to cry, they knew each other the longest.
"Yes, but he also said that it was different. Hazel said that too. What if Leo managed to get the physician's cure somehow?" Will spoke up. Everyone started arguing about it.
"We should send search groups," I heard and then someone said: "Let's send satyrs."
"He's dead anyway, it's wasting time," someone muttered.
"Who said it? Admit!" A child of Nemesis raised his hand, confused thanks to Piper's charmspeak. Those kids were such ray's of sunshine sometimes... But that didn't make him bad. He was just naturally stupid.
Piper would have torn that kid to a hundred pieces if Jason hadn't seated her back down.
Chiron glared at her.
Quilt started crawling it's way into her eyes, she understood.
"No charmspeak is allowed on a council meeting Piper and you know that."
"Fine," she said calmly. "But I'm gonna deal with you later, you rat. You have no idea what we've been through, he doesn't deserve that."
I noticed the honest threat in her voice.
"We'll find him," determination was fighting with desperation in her voice and probably in her emotions too. "Chiron can you please let us 4 go on a guest?" Piper asked.
I looked at Annabeth, knowing that all she wanted was to stay here. Yet, I knew she'd go on a guest to find Leo in a heartbeat. Even after all we've been through and 2 pathetic days of rest.
Piper's eyes seemed fierce, the color was changing from purple to fiery brown.
"Piper I'm sorry but we can't go anywhere," I said.
"If Leo survived he's gonna find his way back and as far as I know he planned to find Calypso. We can never get there, assuming that's the first place his sorry muttonhead would go. Lets just give him a couple days and then we can start looking for him."
"O-okay," her voice shuddered as she spoke.
She understood what I meant though. We all needed some time to recover and two days were far from enough, I could be taken down by the Easter Bunny if it tried real hard, the pink fluffy kind.
Piper leaned closer to Jason who embraced her and gave me the 'sorry it had to be you' look.
"I agree with Percy, you need some rest. Not another guest. I'll contact Grover and the nature spirits to look for him and let us know if they find anything but that's all we can do for now," Chiron said. Then he looked straight at me and I prayed to all the gods not to be right this time.
"Please don't," I whispered, knowing he'd hear me.
"Annabeth Chase, I'm sorry but you have to move back to your cabin. We cannot tolerate it anymore."
Annabeth grabbed my hand and looked at me. She was practically begging me not to let it happen with that look.
"Chiron, please don't," Annabeth whined. I never heard her like that.
"Don't do that." I pleaded.
But he just looked at us sternly, maybe with a bit of pity in his eyes.
"Annabeth you have to go back to your cabin, the rule is clear. Nobody leaves their cabin after 11:30 at night. You can leave now."
If I was caught like this in front of the whole council before Tartarus, I'd die of shame, but now I didn't care.
No one said a single word about us because everyone had an idea about Tartarus. But that was it, an idea... And ideas couldn't give you terrible nightmares and PTSD.
If only they knew the whole story. Not even Clarisse said a word and I'd swear that I saw compassion in her face too when Chiron stood for what he had said.
How could Nico make it all alone? But if I were alone there and had Annabeth waiting for me up above... I'd take that over Annabeth falling in anytime. I just couldn't tell if I'd make it through.
Annabeth took my hand and rushed towards the exit. The day had gone by as we all tried to do normal things again.
We practiced a little and swam in the sea. The time stretched and sped towards the evening until we just sat by Hestia's fire, burning some marshmallows. The light wasn't glowing with bright colors. The flame only reflected our gods awful mood with it's blackened smoke rising over us. We went to our respective cabins and I stayed with Annabeth outside Athena's until the first harpies started flying around to warn the campers to go to their cabins or be eaten alive.
"You're safe there Wise girl, I promise, you've got your siblings. Just cuddle up to Lacey, I imagine she kicks and turns in sleep just like me. And I'm not gonna go anywhere until you wake me up anyway," I walked her up the steps.
"I swear, I'm tying a chain to my leg and strapping that to the bed. I'm not going anywhere."
I smiled almost forcibly. Maybe I should do just that.
She laughed, then it faded to a weak smile.
"I love you Percy." She hugged me tightly, so tightly that I almost couldn't breathe. "Honest to god, I'm afraid. I'm terrified of falling asleep here, what if-"
"Me too Annabeth," I caressed her cheek. And I sure was without her, I envied the siblings she had, good from Athena to have her army big enough.
"But, it's still just a dream." I pulled away from her, knowing I'd never let her go if not right now.
"You'll be fine, I'll see you in the morning," I said. "I'll try to be as brave as this goddess Annabeth Chase," I smirked. "And remember what I told you today," I saluted, my eyes prickly out of a sudden.
"Fine," she chuckled. "Good night Percy," Annabeth smiled flatly.
I kissed her cheek and closed the door behind her, shouting "I love you Annabeth Chase!" as she walked in, it made her siblings laugh.
I saw Jason looking in the direction of Aphrodite's cabin from his porch as I ran to my cabin. Piper was in the door, but she closed it too.
I was alone once again. Just like Jason and Nico... But right now that little runt was in the infirmary, thanks to 'Will's orders'.
I waved to Jason and ran into my cabin, thinking that maybe we cousins could have pledged to be roommates at least.
I haven't actually slept in days since either me or Annabeth had nightmares and woke each other up constantly. I fell asleep in short time.

I dreamt of fucking hell. We fought down there again but Tartarus killed Annabeth this time.
Right in front of me.
She kept smiling at me weakly, saying she loved me as she took heavy breaths, until her eyes turned blank and everything in me just broke completely.
I gave up the fight, let the world burn.

As I opened my eyes I felt like a deer about to be hit by a car. The room was so bright I had to shield my eyes. I opened them again slowly to see my one mother in law standing by my bed. I'd say it was another nightmare but the heat as she burned me with her look seemed too real.
"Get up you little urchin!" Athena ordered.
"What's going on?" I asked, still half asleep yet sitting up already. Then it clicked in my brain and I knew.
"What's wrong with Annabeth?"
I didn't even wait for her answer and ran to the door.
"She's not waking up and she's screaming your name from some nightmare. My children called for me but even I cannot do anything to help her. She's stuck in panic."
By the time she finished the sentence I was almost in Annabeth's cabin, her following easily.
I had my pyjama shirt and shorts but I didn't bother to find some shoes.
I didn't care.
My soles stung as the rough wood on the porch dug into my skin. There'd be splinters to pick later.
I heard Annabeth scream and believe me, I've never run faster in my whole life.
I barrelled through the door and almost slipped on the stupid fluffy carpet before I got to Annabeth's bunk.
Oh gods...
"Someone get the little ones out." I ordered.