The lost hero returns

17. She knows

Percy's point of view:

I felt all the color draining from my face.

I look at her.

Her stormy grey eyes look silver in the moonlight.
Her blonde curly hair was in a messy ponytail.

"Percy?" She whispers.
But even from the distance between us I could hear her voice perfectly.

"Annabeth.." I say softly. Not knowing what else to say.

She takes a couple steps forwards.

"Is this really you?" She asks still looking at me with tears in her eyes.

She sounds uncertain. Like it is a dream and she could wake up any minute.

"It is." I say.

I try to stay calm.
But I still don't know how I feel with her.
It is not that I am angry.
But I am not sure if everything could be like it was. Too much has happened.

She breathes out. Like she was holding her breath waiting for the answer.

She smiles and runs right in my arms.
She crashes into me and holds me tight while she cried into my chest.

I close my eyes and wrap my arms around her.

"Percy. It is really you." She sobs. "I missed you so much. So much."

"I missed you too Annabeth." I whisper.

It is the truth. I missed her.

I missed her laugh, her grey eyes looking at me when she was thinking how dumb I am.
I missed her and everything we had.

"Why... Why didn't you.. Why didn't you tell me you were back?" She asks, still crying.

"Because I wasn't ready. Even now I am not sure if I'm ready. We have to focus. There is a big war a head of us. I needed to focus." I tell her.

She doesn't say anything for a couple seconds.
"That's not the only reason. Is it?" She says.

"No." I say. She lets me go.

"Percy I-" she says. But she falls quiet. Like she doesn't know what to say.

"Annabeth." I say. She looks me in my eyes.
"Let's talk later okay? I am very tired and need to rest. We all do."

She looks a little disappointed but nods.

"I will explain everything tomorrow." I say. "But please promise me you won't tell anyone I am back." I ask her.

She looks at me and nods again.
"I promise." She whispers.

She smiles and hugs me again.
When she lets me go I look at Nico.

"Can you shadowtravel us back to my cabin?" I ask. "I don't think it is a great idea for me to make a portal."

"Chaos's cabin right?" He asks. I nod. "Sure thing."

I turn towards Poseidon. "Dad. Please don't tell the other gods it's me.. I will tell them after the war." Poseidon nods.

"Of course son. Glad to see you again."

I walk over and Nico and we get consumed by darkness.

It is almost like stepping through a portal. Only the portal is like stepping through a door. And this is like jumping in a pool of water.

We arive in the living room near the hearth.
I feel dizzy and Nico supports me to the couch.

"Thank you." I tell him as I am sitting down. I feel tired.

"No problem." He says looking around.

"No I mean it Nico. Thank you." I say. I need him to know. I feel my eyelids slowly close.

"For what?" He asks me confused.

"You were the only one that cared if I left or not. You kept searching. You are a good brother." Is all I can say before drifting into a sleep.

>>>>>

I wake up in my bed with a killer headache.
All the memories from last night start to come back. I sigh.
She knows. Annabeth knows. Now I have to tell her everything.

I realize something else. I have a meeting!

I am supposed to be there!
I cant believe they didn't woke me up!
They know I'm sensitive like that.

I get out of bed.
My entire body hurts. I take deep breaths.

I get dressed with hood and mask.
There is nobody inside the cabin.
So I decide to go outside and head for the meeting.

As I walk around I get looks from the campers. Which I completely ignore.

I walk straight to the meeting.
But once I get there the room is empty?

I walk outside. Confused and look around for anyone who should be there.

Turns out they were having lunch.

The mess hall turns quiet as I walk inside.
I sigh.

"Can I please have your attention for a sec?" I say loudly so everyone could hear me.

It becomes silent and all eyes are on me.

"I wanted to tell you that I am sorry with how I behaved yesterday. I wasn't myself. I hope I didn't hurt anyone. I don't remember much." I say. Nobody says anything.

"It's cool." Clarise says. "I mean you almost died. So no hard feelings." She says. She of all people tells me it's cool.

I smile. Not that she can see that.
But that's okay.

"Omega." Luke says. I walk over to the table with my team. "You feeling better?"

"Yeah. Thank you. I am sorry with what I said. I truly am." I tell them.

"It's okay. We are the ones that are sorry. We shouldn't have been so distracted. It won't happen again." Zoë says. I nod.

"Please tell me you didn't figured out a plan when I was gone." I say.

They look at me cofused.

"No. Why?" Beckendorf asks.

I look at them. I know they can't see me. But they know me well enough to know that I am grinning.

Bianca smiles. "You came up with something. Didn't you!" She exclaims.

"I did." I say. "Let the others know. The meeting starts in 20 minutes." I say smiling.

I walk away.

"What are you going to do?" Selina asks.

"Calling for reinforcements." I tell them.