Tower of Secrets

Percy Jackson

I freaking hate nightmares.

I don't know what I expected when I moved into the tower. I knew that one day I would wake up screaming. I also knew that that day would be sooner rather than later. I knew what to expect when my head hit the pillow that evening in Stark Tower.

Why the Hades was I still so surprised when my brain transported me to Tartarus to relive another twisted memory.

As if pulled from the discussion of the day, I relived my first experience drinking fire. I watched in horror as Annabeth took her first drink only to collapse and gasp in pain, writhing like her insides were on fire before finally standing, stronger than before. Then, it was my turn to drink. I remember dimly being reminded of the time the Telkhines caught me on fire and I found myself inside an exploding volcano.

The pain was much, much worse.

I'm sure I screamed. I know I did.

"Percy!" I could hear them saying my name, but I had no control over waking up. I was thrust into another memory.

My first encounter with a group of arai. Annabeth, suddenly blinded by a curse from my first love: Calypso. She was blind and alone and cursed to never find me no matter how hard I yelled and screamed for her. I wasn't entirely sure if I was just screaming her name in the dream, or of the others were hearing it as well.

"Percy, wake up!"

The memory continued. Determined, I hacked and slashed and took one hords of arai in an attempt to distract them from the disabled blond just a few feet away.

"Percy? Percy? Where are you? Why did you leave me? Percy!"

"Annabeth!"

Pain rattled my body. I took a much needed deep breath before slashing another curse to bits. The pain was so intense until... it wasn't. Numb, my entire body had gone numb. I had pushed myself to the limit and now I was dimly aware of my own vitals. I was bleeding, cut, and bruised. I should have been in agony.

I felt nothing.

"Wake up!"

I realized what was happening only a moment before it happened. I collapsed from my injuries, but not without taking down another arai, not without taking on another wretched curse. A shallow gasp barely escaped my lips. Black spots danced in my vision. Convinced I was about to die, I decided firmly that I'd take down as many arai as I could before I left Annabeth unprotected. Riptide was gone. Where was it? I barely noticed it sticking out of the shoulder of a wounded, but not dead, monster. Weaponless and afraid, I brought I new definition to the word 'gnashing'. My legs had completely failed me and I was forced to fight from the ground, my arms covered in cuts, caked with blood and whatever passed for dirt in that horrid place.

"Wake up!"

"Percy! Why'd you leave me? Where are you?"

"Annabeth!"

The memory shifted.

Elevator doors closed around us. I caught a glimpse of Bob, Damasen, and Small Bob. They were all fighting. They knew what they were doing, but I couldn't help feel like I had somehow led them all to their deaths; like it was my fault. Gods, I knew it was my fault.

If I had cut Arachne's web in time, maybe we wouldn't have been there. If we had been more stealthy, maybe the titan, giant, and cat could've come with us.

My back pressed against the elevator door, my palms pressed firmly against it and pushing in. Annabeth did the same, knowing that hords of monsters were on the other side. If it cracked just the tiniest bit in the twelve minutes it would take to reach the House of Hades, Annabeth and I were both gonners.

"Perseus Jackson, wake up!"

I was aware that my whole body shook. The next thing I was aware of was holding Tony at sword point. Trembling, I recapped Riptide and freed the freaked out Tony Stark.

"I know you said you got really bad nightmares, but that..." Natasha trailed off. I shook my head in an attempt to clear it.

I realized that the entire crew was in my room. "How long did it take to wake me up?" I found myself asking.

"You've been screaming and kicking for the better part of three hours," Wanda answered.

"It only felt like a few minutes," I breathed. I slumped back onto my bed, my hands finding my head. "Gods, Percy! It's been over a year! Get past the Pit already!"

"The Pit?" Dr. Bruce asked, kneeling in front of my.

I avoided all eye contact. "It's one of the names of that place I mentioned."

"Percy, I've been thinking. I think I might be able to work with you to try and readjust your stomach to eat normally," Dr. Bruce sighed. "But, you've got to be willing."

I met his eyes. "Nah, I have full intention of not being able to eat like the average human for the rest of my life." Everyone looked shocked. "I'm kidding. It would be super awesome if you figured out how to fix my eating predicament."

Dr. Bruce cracked a small smile at my humor and I gladly returned it. "We'll get started in the morning, then. It'll mostly be trial and error, but I think I know where to start."

"So, you're good, now?" Peter asked.

"Now that I'm awake," I agreed. "Gods, I hate sleep."

"Dinner was great," Clint said, attempting to change the subject.

"Thanks."

"Aside from the fact that halfway through it you started screaming your head off," Tony snickered.

I sighed. "You're right. I'm freaking seventeen. I shouldn't be waking everyone up wailing like some baby."

"Kid, I didn't mean it like that."

"Whatever. I'm gonna check on Estelle and then I think I'll head to the gym."

"You need more sleep than just three hours!" Mr. Rogers hollered.

"I've survived on less," I retorted as I walked off.