Demons And Angels

(} 9 {)

As the night went on, Annabeth was tossing and turning in her bed.

Hazel's warning was still ringing in her ears, inside her skull. Nothing but her words on repeat as she stared at her bedroom door. Nothing but the swish of her red-velvet-clad hips as the Warlock left the Shadowhunter with words that could damn or save her.

Blonde curls flew forward, pouncing in front of her grey eyes as if it was a wild mountain cat, as she sat up. Hearing muffled banging, as if something where pounding on the walls in the next room. Or lifting something heavy up and dropping it to the floor.

She bolted up, the nightgown she had worn to bed from the heat, moving over her thighs and hips. A moment later she was hauling her door open, looking around.

Some others were poking their heads out of their doors, frowning with pity and sorrow. Then slid back into their rooms, silent as the wind on a calm morning. This enraged her, what was going on?

She padded across the hall, leaning against the door to Percy's room, listening.

Nothing.

Nothing.

A muffled yelling.

It wasn't a scream, as if whoever was in pain was fighting it back, so others wouldn't hear.

Annabeth pulled the door open a bit, looking inside. She could make out the bed, a hand clenching the sheets. A blanket tossed to the floor, thrown away by the writhing body on top of the mattress. She slipped inside, moving forward on silent feet.

Percy was laying on his bed, skin pale and drenched in sweat. His hair stuck to his forehead, fists clenched to his sheets, body taunt as his teeth were ground shut.

"Percy." Annabeth whispered.

Nothing.

"Percy." She said a bit louder. Still nothing, just another scream through his teeth, his face twisted in agony. Some battle being waged behind his eyelids, in his head. She crawled onto the bed, reached out to him, meeting clammy skin and muscles as taunt as bowstrings.

Annabeth gripped his shoulders, shaking him lightly. "Percy, it's me, it's Annabeth."

His right hand flew to grip her wrist, the pressure almost bone-snapping. "Come back, Percy, it's a nightmare." Annabeth said, voice soft and pleading. She knew a nightmare when she saw one, knew just how easy it was for one to suffocate you. "Come back."

His grip lessened, but his teeth still gritted together. That horrible sound escaped him again, somewhere between a whimper and scream for mercy.

Annabeth cupped his face between her shaking hands, letting her thumbs move back and forth. Trying to sooth him, lure him back awake. "Wake up, Percy, come on." She leaned over him, her hair falling into his face. "Come on, it's Annabeth."

His eyes snapped open, a snarl loosing from his lips as he flipped them and gripped her throat. Not enough to hurt, only keep her pinned there. The nightmare still had hold of him, half awake and half dreaming.

Annabeth moved slowly, letting him see as she placed her hand to his chest and smiled. "It's me. Come back to us." She cupped his face with her left hand, letting the finger nail of her pointer finger scrape a bit against his temple. "Come back." She whispered again, voice low and soft.

His green eyes cleared, blinking. Before yanking back and throwing himself back against the far bed post. His breathing was heavy, erratic, panicked.

He ran a trembling hand through his damp hair, slicking back a bit. His shoulders loosened, but everything else was still taunt, ready to flee in a moment's notice. "Percy." Annabeth said, moving forward on her knees, she held out a hand and held his cheek again. "It's me."

"Annabeth." He rasped. Nothing but a scrapping, rough outline of his usual deep rumble.

"Yes." She let one hand cup the back of his neck, the other sliding into his hair as she stared into his green eyes. Glazed with the aftermath of the nightmare.

He sighed, and bowed his head, right into Annabeth's shoulder. She snaked her arms around him, one hand still in his hair. "You . . . Why?" His breath tickled her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. But she clamped that down so hard she choked on it.

"Because I know nightmares suck ass." He chuckled at that, the shaking of his shoulders going through Annabeth like lightning. He let one hand wrapped around her waist, holding her closer to him. "And no one should have to face shit like that alone."

"Wise Girl," Percy smiled softly in to her shoulder. "you are one in a fucking million."

"I know." She teased.

He laughed again, finally pulling back far enough to look her over. "Thank you." He leaned back against the bed post, letting her arms fall to her lap. She smiled softly and made to leave. But Percy stop her with a hand on her wrist. "Could you-" He stopped himself, shaking his head. "Never mind." He tried to laugh it off.

However, Annabeth smiled at him and nodded. She grabbed the blanket from the floor and pulled it back onto the bed, fixing the pillows as well. She pulled Percy down beside her and let her eyes drift close.

That night she laid curled up beside him.

It was the first night either of them had slept well in ages. His arms wrapped around her and her head tucked into his chest, both of their breathing patterns deep and even. Neither had another nightmare the entire night, letting the sounds of the other's breathing to lull themselves to sleep.