The Stories of Our Heroes

Sleepless Nights (Part 2)

Jason's POV

I stood by Festus on the deck, hardly paying attention to what I was supposed to be doing (which was taking Piper's guard shift, it's a little important). I was thinking about this crazy quest that we have to complete. And the other crazy quests I'd completed, but especially the one with Piper and Leo. Every time I looked at Festus, I saw him being obliterated as we fell into King Minos' yard. But mostly I was thinking about Annabeth and Percy. I was worried about them, we all are, but they won't hardly let us help. Not that I would know how to, anyway, I guess.

"Hey," Piper's voice flowed through the summer air.

"Hey," I responded, turning around and pulling her into my arms. "Is she okay?"

Piper shrugged and said, "I'm more concerned about Percy."

"Why?" I figured Annabeth would be in worse shape, not because she couldn't handle it, but because right before they... fell, she had to go on that crazy quest. One time there was a spider in  the Mess Hall. Leo had to bust out a little flame. Plus, I don't think Annabeth let go of Percy's arm for about fifteen minutes.

"He keeps trying to act like he's fine, but we all know he's not. Annabeth is a little bit more open."

"I was talking to Thalia the other day, over an Iris Message. I told her about that, and she thought it was really weird. She said Annabeth usually shuts people out but Percy can be read as easy as a book."

Thalia and I talked whenever either of us weren't busy, which wasn't very often. But she was really upset about the fall, and tried to talk to Annabeth. I don't know what they said, neither of them shared.

"I want you to try and go to talk to Percy before you go back to bed," Piper mumbled after a long silence.

"Me? He's closer to Frank and Hazel, they'd probably be better at it."

"No," she disagreed, shaking her head. "I think you should do it. You're a good talker.  I think he'd listen to you."

"Well, alright, I'll talk to him." I promised her. "But why right now? Isn't he asleep?" It's not that I didn't want to help him, I just didn't know what to say. Plus, I didn't want to disturb him when he actually got to sleep.

"He's not," she assured me. "He just ran out of his cabin, looking for Annabeth. I'm sure he hasn't fallen back asleep."

"Okay," I whispered, giving her a kiss and walking down the steps.

"Percy?" I said, knocking on his door softly. Light streamed from the crack under the frame.

"Uh, Jason? Come in," his muffled voice called back.

I walked in the room, only to be almost blinded. He had on every light he could. The main light, three lamps, the main bathroom light, and the shower bulb. Even Riptide was opened on his dresser, giving off a bronze glow. Percy sat on the very edge of the bed, perched like he was ready to stand and run any minute, his eyes unfocused and glazed over.

"Um, hey," I said uncertainly.

He finally raised his eyes to mine. "Hey." His voice was thick and scratchy. "What are you doing?"

I sighed and sat on the other side of the bed. "I just came to talk."

"About girl stuff?" He asked. "If so, I can't help. I'm terrible at that."

I laughed and he smiled a little. "No, that's not it. I just figured if..." My voice faded out. I didn't know how to tell him I was here to help him without sounded like I thought he was crazy. But fortunately, he got what I was trying to say.

"Oh." He looked down. "I don't know what to do," he responded, barely audible.

"Well," I started, trying to find something to say, "you can tell me about it. Or any of us."

"I know. It's just... I don't know. For some reason, I can't. I just can't make myself talk." He flopped backwards and put his hands over his face. I took that as my cue to leave, so I stood up.

"Well, whenever you feel like it..." Then I started to walk away. Good job, Jason. You totally blew it.

I was almost to the door when Percy's voice stopped me.

"She was scared of me."

I turned back around. "Who was?"

"Annabeth. I scared her, Jason. I went too far, I should have stopped. But the power felt good, and it terrifies me that it did. It was evil... I'm no better than any of the monsters, or gods, or Titans, or Giants, or any of them."

I had no idea what he was talking about, but I could tell he was disgusted with himself. "What do you mean you're no better?"

"I'm not a hero. I've killed so many over the years... just because they weren't on my side."

I was quiet. He had a point. What made us better than the other side? But I knew the answer.

"But you have the right reasons. They want destruction and chaos, you want peace and order."

"But they think they have the right reasons, too. To them, destruction and chaos is what the world should be."

I have no idea where all this was coming from, but the words just flowed out of my mouth. "But you saved millions of people. They were hurting innocents. You only messed with killing machines."

"But no one is innocent. The world is horrible. I fought fire with fire to save an awful world from another one." Percy's voice cracked at the end.

"But this world can be made better. The one they wanted wasn't made to be like that, ever. You saved all the good things, not just all the bad. A hero doesn't make a perfect choice. Just the best one."

He looked me right in the eye. "I suppose," he said after a long time. Then he sat up. "Let's take a break from being philosophers for a little while, okay?"

"Sounds good to me," I said nonchalantly, but I wanted to jump for joy and hug him. A little bit of his old self seemed to be back. I could tell I hadn't completely convinced him, but he did listen to me. That was more than I had been hoping for.

"Alright, I'm starving. I'm going to go get something to eat, wanna come?" he asked me.

"Sure."

Once we were in the Mess Hall, and Percy had a huge cheeseburger (how can he even eat so much?), I decided to lighten the mood.

"So how do you know you're bad with girl stuff?"

"Well, I totally clueless that Annabeth had a crush on me for four years. Then I didn't notice that Rachel also had a crush on me and Annabeth was mad at her for it."

"Seriously?"

"Yup. Annabeth calls me a seaweed brain for a reason."

We talked for a little while longer about Percy's girl problems from the past few years, I talked a little about mine too, and then we decided we'd better get back to bed.

"Night, bro. Thanks a lot," Percy told me. Then he was gone before I could respond.

I was on my way back to my cabin when I passed Piper. She must have been on her way to wake Frank up for watch duty.

"How did it go?" she whispered.

"Pretty good, I think. I'll tell you about it in the morning."

She smiled at me, and I think my heart melted. "Great. Thanks, Sparky." She gave me a good night kiss, then went to her cabin.

I laid down in the dark, but I couldn't fall asleep. Was everything I told Percy true? Were we really the heroes? I got up and turned the lights on. Percy had the right idea: the dark was so much worse.