The Rise of Gaea

Annabeth 10

     Annabeth sent a quick prayer to her mother (which she knew was useless) are spun a Wii remote. It had been four days since Leo had disappeared, and Annabeth had been volunteered as the new ship captain. This would normally be something to be proud of, except that Annabeth had no idea how to steer the ship. Of course, she could steer a normal ship, but Leo had made it so complicated with remotes and keyboards that Annabeth couldn't figure it out. It was very frustrating.

     Frank, Hazel and Nico were in Nico's cabin playing Mythomagic, and Jason and Piper were resting. Annabeth felt bad for them, and could definitely empathize. It unnerved her a little how the Argo II crew seemed to be dropping like flies. First Percy, then Leo, who next? 

     Annabeth bit her lip, hard. She hadn't meant to think about Percy. She had tried to push him to the back of her head, to lock him away in the depths of her heart. The crew needed her strong.

     All of Piper and Hazel's words about 'letting it all out' and 'not having to stay strong' went out the window the moment Leo disappeared. Everyone was depending on her now. It had been days since she'd slept; as nobody else could even come close to figuring out Leo's system.

      It was only because of her Athena brain that Annabeth was able to make any headway at all. She felt like a thin glass bottle being filled with a river. There was only so much she could hold before she burst.

     Annabeth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The Atlantic Ocean wasn't too far away; that would be the home stretch. They were almost there. Knowing that she wouldn't have to stay strong for much longer was a relief and a burden in one. It helped to know that there would be an end, but it made Annabeth feel even more strongly that she had no excuses as to why she should falter now.

     "Hi Annabeth." Piper joined her, leaning against the rail and breathing in the warm afternoon air.

     "Hi." Annabeth noticed a slight redness in Piper's eyes, but knew enough not to draw attention to it. Festus creaked at Piper, and she smiled and tapped his nose. They stood in silence for a while, Piper admiring the landscape and Annabeth steering.

     The sunlight made the amber and gold highlights in Piper's chocolate hair almost glow, and Annabeth spent several minutes staring transfixed at them. She shook her head, cursing her ADHD, and continued to steer.

     "Have you ever wondered what it would be like to just be normal?" Piper asked after a while.

     Annabeth smiled. "It sounds like you have."

     "I just can't help but feel jealous of all the mortals who don't have to worry about getting constantly attacked by monsters, or summoned on quests." Piper blushed and shook her head. "I know it's not their fault, and that I get special powers to go with it, but I just wish Jason and I could be normal. You know, go to college, sneak out at night to see each other, buy a house together, and raise a family."

     Annabeth nodded along. She had thought along the same lines more than once, although with a difference in the end. "I've been thinking about that." She said hesitantly. "I've always wanted children, but now I'm not so sure."

     Piper turned to her in surprise. "Why?"

     Annabeth sighed. "I just feel like bringing innocent children into the world to be hunted by monsters is cruel. I don't want that kind of life for any child, let alone my own."

     Piper's eyes widened. "I never thought of it that way."

     "I'm not trying to dissuade you from having children." Annabeth amended hurriedly. "I was just saying what I felt."

     Piper nodded, and returned to examining the horizon, eyes troubled. Annabeth felt awful. She hadn't been trying to be negative, it was just a fear she had harbored. A fear that would have been better discussed with Percy.

     Annabeth bit her lip again. Why did she keep doing this to herself? All she had to do was not think about Percy; how hard could that be? But it was inhumanly difficult, Annabeth realized, because Percy was a part of her. It would be just as hard not to ever think about her hand, or her eye, because Percy was that important.

     "What are you two up to?" Jason joined them at the rail.

     "Just admiring the view." Piper smiled at him, and he put his arm around her, pulling her head into the crook of his collarbone. Annabeth used to love the safe, warm feeling when Percy did that to her... and she was doing it again.

     It was almost funny how when Annabeth didn't want to think of something, it was all that filled her mind, bouncing around in her head, draining her thoughts of anything else. It was like her grandmother, Mebe, the Titan of deep thoughts was whispering 'Percy...' in her ear constantly, making her relive every (now painful) memory, and drawing everything back to him.

     "How's the ship been?" Jason asked.

     Annabeth didn't look at him as she responded, not wanting to see the serene calm on their faces as they enjoyed just being together. "Good. We've almost reached the Atlantic. A couple more days, and we'll be at Camp Halfblood."

     "That's good." Jason sounded melancholy. "I just wish Percy and Leo could be with us to see it."

     Annabeth felt the irrational urge to slap him. "Yes. But, as soon as we restore the gods, we can enlist them to help us get Percy and Leo back."

     Jason seemed like he was about to respond, when an outraged yell sounded from below deck.

     "ZHANG! HOW DARE YOU!!" Nico.