End of the Line

#40 - Now They Know

Chapter 40 - Now They Know
published: Wednesday, 30 October 2019

A soft crying broke through Annabeth's haunted sleep.

She jolted up with a gasp, her heart hammering wildly against her ribcage. Groaning softly, Annabeth pressed a hand to her forehead and willed the tears welling up in her eyes to recede.

They'd set sail after Frank and Hazel's wedding, and the nightmares had never ceased to bombard her. Nightmares about if they lost.

The havoc the primordials would wreak on Camp Half-Blood. The Olympians chained up and sentenced to Tartarus for life. Demigods utterly wiped out — another massacre similar to the one at Camp Jupiter.

Three sharp raps on her door forced the disturbing thoughts out of her mind and her to her feet as she slumped over and shuffled towards the door. She took a deep, shuddering breath before she pulled it open.

"Percy?" Annabeth voiced in surprise.

"Hi," Percy sighed exhaustedly. "Sorry, Jasper's right next to my room and he keeps crying. Can I...?" He trailed off.

Annabeth felt her stomach turn as she comprehended his question. "Yeah, sure," she agreed, despite her mind's uncertainty.

An uncontrollable laugh bubbled up in the back of her throat as Percy instantly curled up on the ground in a foetal position.

"What are you doing?" Annabeth demanded between chuckles. "You're such a Seaweed Brain. Of course, I'm not gonna make you sleep on the floor."

Percy tilted his head up to look at her blearily from the floor.

"Come on," Annabeth insisted, yanking him to his feet. "It's not the first time we've slept in the same bed. I hope you don't kick."

She climbed under the covers as Percy cautiously followed her.

"I'll try not to drool on you," Percy said jokingly, trying to alleviate the tension. It worked, because Annabeth laughed as she turned over to face him.

They were so close, but Annabeth wasn't worried about anything happening. They were both far too exhausted and she was preoccupied with dreading the nightmares.

"By the way, I, uh," she started hesitantly. "I might have some nightmares. If I start, I don't know, fussing, don't worry about it."

Percy's face turned into a frown. "Nightmares about?"

"Losing, mostly," Annabeth managed. "The world completely destroyed because we failed."

Percy went quiet. "We won't lose," he said softly. "We can't."

"I know," she sighed. "But what if?" Annabeth looked up at him. "Do you remember when my mother told you about your fatal flaw?"

Their gazes met as memories flooded their minds.

"That I'd choose my friends over the world?" Percy snorted. "Hard to forget."

"What if that happens?" Annabeth whispered. "If you have to choose the world over us?"

Percy swallowed. "You're asking if I can do it."

Annabeth nodded. "You weren't tested for this in the other two wars, but what if this is the time?"

"You want me to choose to save the world even if it means you dying," Percy inferred.

She nodded again. "You know you'd want me to do the same. It's what we do. We sacrifice when we have to."