Percy Jackson, Chaos Commander

CHAPTER 15- Never

"-And that's the bathroom." Leo said, finishing up his tour of the Argo II. "Which Water Boy destroyed on our last trip." He added under his breath with a small smile. "Oh and if you wanna get to the stables, just as Annabeth." He winked at her with a grin.

Annabeth blushed. "I swear Leo. One more word and you die." I had to try really hard to maintain a straight face and not laugh at her flustered face.

"What?" Luke asked cluelessly. "What happened."

Leo only smiled mysteriously at Luke.

"So anyways, when are we leaving?" Annabeth asked, diverting the subject of the stables.

"Maybe in an hour or two?" Luke said.

"Are we all packed?" Silena asked for the hundredth time.

"Yes." Bianca said. "Don't worry, Silena."

"Wait." Luke said. "If we are travelling through space, which is obviously gonna happen...why are we flying in a warship?"

Leo gaped at him. "You tell me now that you'll be flying through space? After I build the ship?"

I laughed. "It's okay. We can breathe in outer space."

"And you aren't gonna float away?" Leo made sure.

"No, it's okay." I said, smiling at him.

"Hey uh...Oh-My-God? Is that your name?" Leo asked me.

"Omega." Luke corrected.

"Right. Omega." Leo said. "Can I...show you something?"

"Yeah sure." I said.

Leo grinned. "Follow the Supreme Sized McShizzle Valdez, Oh-My-God, captain of chaos army."

"Omega." I corrected, following him up the stairs.

"Omega. Whatever." He said. "Why couldn't you be like Awesome Tomatoes or Potatoes or Aqua Man?"

I laughed. I definitely missed his annoyance.

He led me down the corridor and stopped in front of my room. "You wanna see inside your cabin?"

"Uh...okay?"

He opened the door. It was what my room in the Argo II had looked like before it was destroyed. Complete with piles of shirts and dirty laundry on the floor. The blue blanket was messed up on the bed and the sheets were ruffled.

A framed photo of a laughing Annabeth and I lay on the bed.

"How..." I gaped.

"You can take off your hood, Perce." Leo said.

I rounded up on him, surprised. "How'd you-"

"Festus saw right through you, man." Leo answered with a smirk. "And then, that explained why Piper was way happier."

"Oh." I said.

"Yeah." Leo said. "You might wanna tell Annabeth though. She's kind of broken...and empty."

"Yeah." I muttered. "Look, Leo. I want to tell her but the thing is, I can't. Apparently, it's important to keep my identity a secret. So you have to promise not to tell anyone too okay?"

"Alright man but-" Leo started but he was interrupted by Annabeth walking in with a smile.

"We're ready to-" her eyes locked on the room behind her. "Leo, what-"

"I have to go." He muttered.

Leo backtracked away from the room quickly, raising a hand in farewell, his trade mark grin on his face. I smiled at him and returned the gesture.

* * *

(A/N. Suggested music if you want to: A thousand years by Christina Perri)

Annabeth was staring at the photo on my bed.

I turned to her.

"Look, Annabeth..."

She was wearing her cloak and her hair was out, messy but beautiful at the same time.

"What?" She asked.

"Er...well, you kind of need your powers now that you're in the army." I explained, trying not to stare.

"Powers? And how do you plan on giving me my powers?"

"Close your eyes." I instructed. She looked hesitant but she did it anyways.

"Think of your happiest memory and concentrate on that. Don't think about anything else. Got it?"

She nodded.

"And whatever happens, don't open your eyes."

I pulled my hood down, remembering Chaos's words from centuries ago.

When you try to give some one your powers, don't hide yourself. It's important you stay face to face.

I took her hands in each of mine gently. She was startled a bit at first and tensed but then relaxed. "You have to trust me, okay?"

"Okay." She whispered.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded.

I concentrated on all my energy and imagined it flowing from my fingers to hers. A bright light surrounded the both of us in a golden bubble that rose up into the air. I guess I must've given her more power than what was necessary. She gasped and her eyes flew open. They landed on my face. "Percy." She whispered so quietly that I almost didn't hear her.

Her hands slipped from mine. The golden bubble disappeared in shards of light.

Annabeth's knees buckled and she started to fall but I caught her.

Her eyes were searching my face for answers.

"Percy?" She asked, her voice so full of hope and sadness I wanted to break down and cry.

"It's me. Don't worry. I got you Wise Girl."

She let out a strangled sob and pulled me impossibly close, crying onto my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her and buried my head in her hair, breathing in the comforting scent of lemons.

"You idiot." She said half heartedly, pools of tears still gathering in her eyes. "Why? Why? You just disappeared without t-telling me anything and you hide yourself from me? Why didn't you- you- I hate you Percy! I hate you so much! You- I hate it how I love you and-"

I pulled her closer to me and ran my hand through her soft hair.

"I'm sorry Annabeth. There was nothing I could do-"

She laughed; a soft clear sound. Tears were still tattooed to her cheeks but she was smiling.

"Percy, I don't care how stupidly loyal you are but don't ever leave me again Seaweed Brain."

"I won't. Never."

Never.