The Child of the Dead Sea (a Percy Jackson fanfic)

11. Castellan

ANNABETH

I understood why Percy was so upset. It was barely 3:00 pm but I was drained. I could tell that Kate was too. But I still had to do something.

I had Leo call a meeting and soon everyone but Percy and Kate were in the mess hall. I sat at the head of the table and we sat in silence until Nico spoke up. "What happened?" He asked.

I looked up and I could feel the tears starting. I told them what happened at the cafe and answered questions the best I could when they came up. By the time I was done everyone had tears in their eyes. Some refused to let them fall, but they were there. Kate might not have been here for long, but she was a part of our little, broken, family. If this happened, we would not recover easily. When Leo disappeared it was hard on all of us, but not as much as this would be on Percy. Kate was his family, sure he had Sally, but Kate was his sister. He felt like he had to protect her.

After I told them, I stood and went to my room, exhausted. But I couldn't sleep. I sat on the bed and looked around. For the first time I felt dazed. The little things in the room suddenly stood out. Each had a story. On the dresser sat the drakon bone sword that I got in Tartarus. Next to in was a velvet case, that held a ring with a pearl between two dolphins. Percy had given it to me as a promise that he would never let harm come to me and that we would always be together. My old Yankees cap hung on a hook in the wall. It still didn't work, but I held onto it, hoping that one day it would. I turned to my nightstand and saw a small metal, trinket bowl that Leo had given me his first Christmas back. It had an owl and my name etched into the bottom. In it sat a ponytail holder that Piper had given me during a game of Capture the Flag when mine broke. Above it was a lamp that Frank had given me on one of his visits to camp. He said that when he saw it it reminded him of me. It was pastel blue and had grey owls on the shade. In the dresser was a purple SPQR shirt that Hazel had used to hid the lamp for Frank.

I smiled remembering all the events that were tied to these items. I had moved all of these items into the Argo II when we got the quest to remind me of my friends. Tears started to well up as my hand reached towards my other wrist where the bracelet shield sat. The only gift I had received from Kate. Probably the only one I ever would.

I leaned back on the bed and my camp necklace rested on my neck. I pulled it off and held the shell in my hand. After all this time, beads were added but that shell never came off the cord. I rubbed it between my fingers and suddenly i wanted to have Percy next to me.

I got up and walked across the hall to his room. I opened the door and the room smelled of salt water. I closed the door and the only sound in the room was the soft gurgling of the saltwater fountain in the corner of the room and the sound of Percy snoring lightly. Apollo had put him on the bed and pulled the covers back so he wasn't laying on them, but he wasn't covered. I crawled in next to him and pulled to covers over both of us. He was laying on his back so I got as close as I could and wrapped my arms around him. Then I left the tears fall. They soaked his shirt slightly and my quiet sobs shook my body.

I cried for everything. I never let it out, I guess it was time. I cried for us, for Kate. I cried for Bob, and Zoë. I cried for everyone we lost in the first war. And everyone in the second. I cried for the outcome of this prophecy. And most of all, I cried because nothing would ever be normal about my life. I would never be able to live alone and undisturbed with Percy. If we ever had kids, their lives would be in danger every day. I could never be naïve to the demigod world like the mortals. And it hurt. All of it did.

I recovered slowly. With my arms still wrapped around Percy, my sobs slowed and stopped. I got up and grabbed my pajamas and changed in the bathroom. Percy was still I his clothes, but there was nothing I wanted to do about that. At least, thats what i convinced myself. I turned off the lights and crawled back in next to Percy. I wrapped my arms around him and went to sleep. Thankfully, there were no dreams.