Never Again

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own these characters, only the plot. Rick Riordan owns all these beautiful characters, so I send the credit to him.

Annabeth POV

I couldn't breathe as I saw him step through the doors. Barely a moment had passed until we were in each other's arms. 

"Hey, Wise Girl", Percy whispered softly to me. 

I squished my face into his chest and muttered, "Seaweed Brain" as I inhaled his salty scent. 

Man, I had missed him. I looked up into his gorgeous sea-green eyes, the ones I had always been able to get lost in. 

That's when I realized something was wrong. The eyes which had always looked at me with love and humor now only held pain and something that scared me more than I would like to admit. Anger. 

For Percy's sake, I tried to hide my fear and grabbed his hand, "Come on Seaweed Brain let's get back to the Argo II, everyone misses you like crazy". 

I smiled at him hoping something in his eyes had changed at the mention of friends. Percy managed a smile and followed me. His eyes were still filled with pain, but a small amount of anger had subsided. I sighed in relief, hoping that if some of his anger could subside this quickly then maybe her old Percy would be back soon, maybe his eyes wouldn't hold so much misery. 

I hadn't known it then, but I couldn't have been more wrong.

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Percy Pov

I awoke in my bed on the Argo II to the sound of quick footsteps and muffled sobs above me. I immediately grabbed riptide from my dresser, uncapped it, and dashed above deck breathing fast. Down in Tartarus I had gotten used to rude awakenings, but here I had allowed myself to be lured into a sense of safety. Idiot. I would never be safe. I shook the thought out of my head and focused on the scene in front of me. 

Jason was knocked out on the deck with Piper standing over him, tears in her eyes trying to defend him from a huge hellhound. 

Annabeth and Leo were fighting a group of Lastry- um you know Canadians. They seemed to be handling themselves well, Annabeth slashing like a demon with her dagger with Leo was setting them on fire as a distraction. 

 I could see however that things weren't looking good for my friends. Piper was about to be overpowered and I saw more monsters climbing onto the deck, more than even Leo or Annabeth could handle. Hazel and Frank suddenly appeared in the doorway looking ready to kill but stopped in fear as soon as they saw the monsters. 

I sighed. I had really hoped that I wouldn't have to do this, as I knew they would be terrified of me. I honestly didn't know if I could handle another fearful look, especially not from my friends. Especially not from my Wise Girl. But I had no other choice. 

I let out a guttural cry and felt the much too familiar feeling of glass shattering inside me. The monsters all simultaneously fell onto the deck and began to writhe in pain. A sickening sound was heard and Annabeth screamed. The monsters had exploded. Every last one, looking as though the demonic blood that had recently run through their veins had pushed through their skin, which as I knew well enough it had. Still in control of the blood, I lifted their disgusting remains overboard. Piper, Annabeth, Leo, Hazel, and Frank turned to look at me in horror at what I'd just done. I was actually grateful that Jason was still passed out, then at least he didn't have to see what I had just done. Everyone was silent for a bit longer just staring at me in horror and where the monsters had just stood a few seconds ago. 

Finally Frank spoke up, "what... Percy how..?" 

I just looked down at the deck, trying to hold in my tears, and muttered, "new trick". No one tried to stop me as I ran below deck, breath coming quicker now, and slammed the door to my room behind me. Dam! Oh, gods, they hated me, they were fucking scared of me now. I somehow managed to hold back my tears. Monsters don't cry, and you Percy Jackson are a monster, I muttered to myself. Then I began to panic. What if they kill me? They have all been trained to kill monsters, What if they kill me just like those monsters before? If there was one thing that Tartarus had taught me was that the saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from enemies. If any of them betray me, I could finally break. I mentally slapped myself. 

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" I scream. At that moment I felt arms wrap around me. I realized Annabeth was hugging me. The rest of the seven arrived at my door just to see me break down in Annabeth's arms, shaking, tears streaming down my cheeks. It had been a long time since I had cried like that. 

"hey aqua man, are you alright?" Leo asked quietly at the doorway. Annabeth just glared ferociously at him, with those fierce but beautiful grey eyes I had missed so much. They reminded me of Bob. 

It was then that I realized I had not yet fulfilled my promise. Tell the Stars that Bob says Hello he had asked me. What a simple request, one that I had forgotten. A dying wish from my savior, my FRIEND and I had forgotten. I slowly wiped the tears from my eyes, not wanting my friends to see me like this. So weak. So broken. So vulnerable. I look Leo dead in the eyes and put up my perfected facade of Calmness. Strength. 

"Never felt better", I growled at him. Leo just nodded, looking slightly afraid of me. All of them looked afraid. I sighed as I shoved through them, only Annabeth following me. She was probably the only reason I wasn't insane, my only incentive to live at this point. I was tired. So tired. 

As I reached the edge of the ship Annabeth wrapped her arms around me. I knew that she couldn't know what was going on, but I loved her for trying. I held her hand and gazed up at the stars, sparkling brighter than ever before. 

"Bob says hello" I whispered up to them. As soon as I said this I glanced around at the beautiful constellations, recognizing Zoe's immediately. I remembered the moment she died as clear as if it was yesterday. She had looked up into the stars, her eyes a myriad of emotions, saying that she could see the stars. Even after eons of life she still mentioned the stars with her last breath. It was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. So many people had died, so many innocent beautiful souls cut loose far too soon from this world. 

For what? I asked myself, Nothing seemed to have changed. Wars keep coming, the gods continue asking for help, not caring as sons and daughters die before their very eyes, not caring what we do for them. Not caring about who died for their causes. Well, I cared. I cared for Silena, Bob, Micheal, Luke, Beckendorf, Bianca, Lee, Castor, Leneus, Ethan, Scipio, Damasen, and countless other deaths of innocents. I knew it was only a matter of time before more deaths came, deaths of all my friends until gradually I would be the only one left in this terrible world.

I looked back at Annabeth, seeing the confusion in her eyes. I leaned down and kissed her. This kiss is the kind that makes my stomach churn like the ocean on a stormy night, the kind that breaks open the sky at dawn. It steals my breath and gives it back. It was at this moment that I knew I could never live without her. I refused to let her die, let the gods use her and then throw her away like trash. After a while, I tore away from the kiss and gazed into her eyes. Her beautiful eyes. I remembered the first time I saw her I had noticed how startling her eyes were, like storm clouds; pretty but also intimidating, as if she were analyzing how best to take me down in a fight. We had been twelve then, so naive, so unknowing of what was yet to come. I remembered when I had lost all my memories and yet I could still remember her face. 

I told her gently, " I'm never losing you. Never again." I knew this would not be another unfulfilled promise.

 "I swear it on the River Styx."

Well, guys that was the first chapter! I know it was kinda all over the place, but I hope you liked it! Comment down below, I love hearing feedback(well I think, again this is my first time publishing any sort of writing online;D) And please only nice things! Also if you guys have any questions for me like age or my process in writing this or whatever, please ask! I will try my best to answer all of you. Don't forget to vote if you liked my story! Love you guys and hope you Enjoyed! Cya next week!<3