Something to Fight For (Percy Jackson and the Avengers Crossover)

Chapter 13 - The Ground's Floating!

Considering the fact that hours before he was chilling at Stark's tower, Percy couldn't believe that they were at war now. He was still thinking of how he was going to break the news to Annabeth.

'So...I'm in another war!' he imagined himself saying. Percy shook his head. That was a terrible idea, one that wouldn't go down well.

"Maybe I should've just let him control me," he mumbled miserably in the backseat of the car. Coulson looked at him using the rear-view mirror.

"Don't say that," he chuckled lightly. Percy groaned and unbuckled the seatbelt, lying down to ease the pain in his side.

"I'm dying, Phil," he said dramatically as he made dying noises. Coulson wasn't sure if he was meant to take him seriously or not, but he ignored Percy for the time being.

"Agent Jackson, I'm going to take you back to the headquarters where you will be driven to a different location. For the sake of safety, we will contact the other members and bring them there at different times." Phil said seriously, checking the mirror every once in a while to confirm that Percy was alive and that they weren't being followed.

Percy gave a noise of agreement, closing his eyes to try and get some sleep. At least the others would be enjoying a good night sleep, he thought bitterly to himself. Of all the agents Fury had to choose to accompany him, why him?

"What am I fighting for?" he asked himself just as he was drifting off. Fury's question had stuck to him like a burr, annoying and ever-present.

Phil assumed that the question was not directed at anyone, but hearing the slightly desperate edge to Percy's voice, he decided to answer. "I believe it's something important, seeing that you're here and putting your life on the line," he said carefully.

There was a brief moment of silence, as Percy was far too stunned to reply. He hadn't meant to speak out his thoughts, and Phil possessed freakishly good hearing.

"Thanks," he managed to say, dispelling the awkward silence that had filled the air. Phil was right, he must be driven by something important.

Closing his eyes, Percy let himself escape reality, falling into a restless sleep.

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When Phil parked the car at HQ and turned to face Percy, he really didn't want to wake him up. The boy's sleeping face was peaceful and calm, quite unlike his usual cheeky expression. Unfortunately, in his line of job, there were some things that just had to be done.

"Percy, we're here," he whispered as he shook Percy's arm.

Jolting up in alarm, Percy grabbed his hand and twisted it, pulling Coulson inside the car and sitting on him. He was still blinking the sleep out of his eyes when he realised what had happened.

"Oh, sorry Phil," he mumbled.

Phil gaped in surprise, his arm behind his back and held in a vice-like grip. Even as Percy released him, the shock that had thoroughly doused him did not go away. He made a mental note not to get on Percy's wrong side.

"That's okay," Coulson smiled, rubbing his wrist when Percy looked away.

To be honest, he was a little frightened. In that split second, when he looked into Percy's eyes, he caught a glimpse of broken dreams and shattered hopes hidden behind those twinkling green depths. It was the opposite of the bright and cheerful expression the boy usually had.

Phil began to wonder how well he actually understood Percy.

They walked together up to the front door of the building before bidding each other farewell. Another agent was already waiting there for Percy to escort him to the next location.