Forever and Always (Percabeth AU)

14-A Rock Leads The Way-Annabeth, Percy

Annabeth POV

After I was let out of the infirmary, and immediately ran as fast as I could to Percy's chambers, and slammed the doors. Now that he was gone, Jason was second in command. That image of Percy, bloody, tortured, weak, lying on the ground haunted me, making me worry more.

I climbed weakly unto Percy's bed, and stared blankly at the ceiling. It felt so cold, empty, without him. I missed him so much. I was so in love with him.

So I decided to do something.

I remembered that magical healing substance, ambrosia, that brownie like thing and nectar, the golden liquid, and decided to pack a bottle of nectar and a bag of ambrosia. I sneaked into the infirmary storage and found lots, so I guess they wouldn't mind if I used a bit.

Next, I went to the kitchen, and got a few apples, some bread, and a water canteen for my nectar and another separate one for water. I went back to Percy's chambers, and packed them all up in a messenger bag. Next, I got some cloth and alcohol for a small first-aid kit, and shoved it all into my pack.

I write a note and stuck it on Jason's room door.

To Jason,

I will be away for a few days or perhaps weeks. I'll come back. Don't worry.

-Annabeth

Finally, I slipped the bag on, and started towards the palace's front doors. I looked around, and saw the entrance to the now broken ballroom, and saw it was still intact. I pushed them open gently, and saw the wreckage. There was dried blood everywhere, and the room, or what's left of it, had so many leftover weapons and cloths littering the ground.

I found my silver dagger on the same place I dropped it, and picked it up. I used a dirty cloth from the ground to polish it, and strapped it back unto my thigh. Then, I left the castle directly from the big hole in the wall.

Prince Perseus, I'm coming for you.

This time, I had learned my lesson, and loosened the cuffs on my wrist a bit. Now they were easier to take off. I sped away from the castle, and entered the forest. Oh where could he be??

How was I to find out? Suddenly, I saw something on the ground. It was a red, burning jewel attached to a golden chain...

The Firejewel Amulet...oh my god, it's supposed to be on Percy! Oh god...where the heck was he?! How did he loose the Amulet? I picked it up delicately, and clasped the chain around my neck.

I tugged on the golden strands to make sure it was tight, and then continued on the way. How the actual hell was I gonna find Percy?! I decided to see if he'd left anything else. But then I remembered that the vortex had sucked him in directly to the hideout, so he probably wouldn't have been able to mark a trail.

But the Amulet was glowing now, red and fiery, and if was incredibly hot on my collarbone. The warmth spread, and I thought I could feel the same warmth of Percy holding me like before.

I decided to go in the direction I was facing, but suddenly, the Amulet gave a rough yank. Right on my neck, with no one manipulating it, it suddenly just lunged forward at my left side. Crap. That was the darkest part of the forest. WHY ME?!

But it must be leading to wear Percy was. I decided to suck it up, and I took a deep breath and went in.

Percy POV

"Wake up!"

I was awoken, sore and in pain, by a bucket if absolute freezing cold water. It even had ice cubes. But it actually soothed the pain a bit, but then in a second, it came back, even more painful.

I was in a pool of my blood still, and as I looked into the water puddle forming from the ice, I saw my reflection, and I looked horrible. I had dried blood and fresh blood everywhere. I was beaten and bruised, and my wings were scraped and wounded.

I tried to sit up, but the immense pain in my side hindered me. I would bleed out if help did not come soon. I would die...and I could never see her again...

"Here's your breakfast." A piece of moldy bread and polluted water was thrown down at me, stained now with my blood.

I painstakingly picked up the bread, barely being able to move, and pain shot up my body. I stumbled and collapsed. The guard just laughed, and kicked me. Then he walked away.

I finally gripped the bread, and tried to bite off a chunk, but found out that it was stale. I did anyway, and a disgusting, sour taste filled my mouth as I chewed. I grimaced and cringed, and took a swig of the water.

God, do they pollute this shit on purpose or what?!

It tasted like shit and mud. It was dust filled and looked like sewage water. Suddenly, my body convulsed, and my head hit the ground. All I saw was red for a moment, until I blacked out.

When I came to, I was being whipped again. This time, I was so pained I didn't even feel anything. I couldn't hear or see clearly, it was like my senses had left me. I tried to regenerate enough power to destroy them, but I wasn't even able to sit up on my own.

This time, though, I was covered in blood from head to toe when I glanced at the puddle after they left. I was slowly losing my senses now, and I could feel my breathing being extremely thick and laboured. It hurt to breath. The whips had struck my everywhere, including my chest.

I lay there, unmoving, until night fell again. Then my vision clouded, and I started to dream.

Annabeth. She looks so beautiful standing there. But what's she doing in the forest? She's supposed to be at the castle!

She had a bag, the dagger, and...the Firejewel Amulet strapped to her neck? How did she...oh, she must've found it...but how did it...

It was glowing red hot. It was the only source of light she had. She was crying. It was nighttime, and the woods were as dark as ink. The occasional crack of a tree branch and hoot of an owl was heard.

"Percy?" I heard her call. She was looking for me?! "Percy, please, where are you?" She was on a quest to...find me? I didn't even know where I was, but it seemed as though the Amulet was guiding her.

It tugged in the direction of...something, and she followed it.

Suddenly, out from the bushes jumped a lynx. It's green eyes burned into hers, and it stood at a fighting stance as if ready to gobble Annabeth up.

Annabeth jumped, and stepped back. I wanted to cry out to her, to call to her, but I had no voice.

"Uh...good lynx?" She muttered, tripping over a branch. Suddenly, it pounced. Just as it's sharp claws were about to sink into Annabeth's arm, she revealed her dagger and stabbed it in the chest.

It fell down, dead, and Annabeth cleaned her dagger with a leaf. I admired her bravery and cleverness, and wondered if she would ever find me.

The next morning, I awoke to shouting.