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Chapter Text

The doors of death opened with a hiss. Black smoke billowed out, and one limp body spilled face first onto the floor. Percy – limp as a corpse. Annabeth wanted to call out to him. She wanted to run and shower him in kisses and never let him go, but she couldn’t move. She was frozen, looking in horror at the broken figure lying on the ground. Behind her, she could hear Hazel sobbing.

That broke Annabeth out of her trance.

“Percy!” She screamed, running towards him. He was unconscious, laying sprawled on the ground. Gods. He looked awful. Every inch of his body was covered in dirt, bruises, cuts, and caked blood. His clothes were shorn to threads, wrapped and tied over wounds all across his body. He reeked of death. Annabeth knelt down, gingerly grabbing his hand. She didn’t know what, if anything, wasn’t injured. “P.. Percy?”, she called him.

He had never looked worse, but Annabeth couldn’t help her heart from swelling up. He had kept his promise. He made it back to her. Again. She was never going to let him get away, not this time. Percy slowly started to gain consciousness, his sea green eyes trying to open.

“Bob– bob –bob”, he mumbled under his breath, writing in pain. He was clearly out of it, not cognitive of where he was.

“Shhh”, Annabeth tried to calm him. She started running her fingers through his hair, but was horrified when her hand came back sticky and red.

“Annabeth,” Hazel said, staring wide eyed at Percy. “Do you think we can move him? We have to get out of here. The walls are going to close in.”
Annabeth did not like the idea of moving Percy, but she knew Hazel was right. They had to leave.

“Percy”, she started again. “Percy, can you hear me?”

“An…Anna”, he muttered, grasping for her name.

“Yes, Seaweed Brain. I’m right here. You’re safe.” She gripped his hand even harder, not daring to let go. The walls shook as rubble fell from the ceiling.

“Annabeth, we have to go”, Hazel called again.

“We’re going to move you, okay?”, Annabeth told a half-conscious Percy. He did not respond.

Hazel and Annabeth moved towards him, slowly lifting him off the ground. The girls moved around him, supporting him by his shoulders. He whimpered in pain at every movement. Every sound he made stabbed Annabeth in the heart. She had been around him plenty of times while he was injured, but this was different. This time when he cried out, he sounded so… defeated.

He whined harder as they walked, but they couldn’t stop. They would be crushed.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I know it hurts, we are almost there,” Annabeth steadily said to Percy, trying to reassure him, but he was in his own world. The only thing he could focus on was the all-consuming pain.

“Stop-” he cried, every syllable laced with pain.

Annabeth faltered, causing the rhythm she had going with Hazel to get thrown off, which sent Percy tumbling to the ground. He hit the floor with a sickening thud, never even trying to brace his fall. The walls continued to crumble around them.

“We have to go!” Hazel cried, trying to pick Percy up again.

“I’ve got him.” Annabeth said, determined. She knelt down and picked him up, bridal style. It shocked her how light he was. He weighed almost nothing. She couldn’t focus on that now. Right now, she had to get them both to safety.

After what felt like hours, they finally emerged from underground and into the daylight. Annabeth hadn’t thought it was possible, but under the sunlight, Percy looked even worse. She laid him down in the grass as softly as she could. He began stirring, again. He tried opening his eyes, but he hissed in pain. Right, he wouldn’t be used to bright light. Down there, everything was probably dark and cold and… she shivered even thinking about it. This was Percy’s first time under the sun in weeks. She leaned her face right in front of his, blocking the sun from his eyes.

“You’re safe, Percy. We’re safe.”

She brushed her fingers lightly over his cheek. After a moment, she leaned down and kissed his lips. She couldn’t help it. After weeks of constantly worrying about him, she could not believe he was really here. He slowly started kissing back, processing what was happening. When she pulled away, he was looking at her, finally seeming awake.

“Annabeth”, he croaked. His voice was raw and raspy, but gods, it felt amazing to hear it. “I…I…Iove…” Every word seemed to hurt.

“It’s okay”, she replied, cutting him off. “I love you, too. So much. I'm never letting you get away from me again, Seaweed brain. Never.”

Chapter Text

Percy fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Annabeth had wanted him to shower and eat first, but one look into his exhausted eyes showed how badly he needed rest. They got back to the Argo II hours ago, but Annabeth hadn’t left his bedside since. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him, racking over every inch of his body. She was studying his wounds, trying to piece together the story of how he got them all. Part of her was dying to hear his story and know what had happened down there, but part of her was terrified to learn of everything he had been through.

A while ago, Hazel had come by with a sponge and bowl of water. She and Annabeth gently started wiping Percy’s face, trying to get some of the grime off. As Annabeth washed layers of dirt off, it revealed a long, large scar over Percy’s left eye. Her heart sank to her stomach.

It looked just like Luke’s. She told herself she was being silly, that it meant nothing. But she still felt uneasy.

No matter how much they scrubbed, it seemed impossible to get his face truly clean. The pit’s dust clung to him, refusing to let go. Percy had slept soundly through it all, never so much as twitching.

And that’s now he rested, now. As she watched him sleep, she thought back to the first time she had ever seen him. It was back at Camp Half Blood, after Percy had fought the Minotaur. Gods, that felt like a lifetime ago. She had watched as he slept, disgusted by his drool. All these years later, here she was. Watching as he drooled in his sleep.

“Hey.” Annabeth jumped, looking to see Nico was standing in front of her. She had never heard him walk in the room. “How is he?”

“I don’t know.” Annabeth answered, truthfully. Physically, he was in bad shape, but nothing that couldn’t be healed with time. But, mentally – who knows? Those could be wounds he has for the rest of his life.

Nico was silent, looking at Percy. Nico’s gaze stopped at the scar over Percy’s eye. His eyes snapped towards Annabeth and then quickly looked away. She wasn’t the only one who recognized that scar.

Nico sat down next to her. “He will be okay.” If anyone else had said it, Annabeth probably would have thought they were just telling her that, but when Nico said it, she believed him.

He was going to be okay.

Chapter Text

Sometime in the middle of the night, Percy began tossing and turning.

At first it was small movements, but it quickly grew. Soon, he was thrashing around on the bed.
“Stop! Stop, don’t! Bob, please! No!” He cried, growing more and more desperate. There was an edge to his voice, sharper than a knife.

Annabeth shook his shoulders, trying to wake him up, but it did nothing.
“Shhh, it’s alright. It’s okay Percy, I’m here. You’re alright,” she continuously told him, but he remained trapped in his nightmare. She didn’t know what to do, she felt helpless.

Suddenly, Leo came running into the room. “I heard yelling, what’s going on?” He quickly surveyed the situation, trying to understand what he should do.

“I can’t wake him”, Annabeth explained, still holding Percy’s shoulders. He was getting more frantic, calling out to ‘Bob.’ Annabeth made a mental note to figure out who Bob was later.

Leo quickly walked over, leaning over Percy. He joined Annabeth in talking to Percy, calmly trying to get him to wake up, but it still didn’t work. Percy was as terrified as ever. It wasn’t fair. Percy was finally safe and able to sleep, but his own brain wouldn’t let him rest.

Suddenly, Percy’s eyes snapped open. He shot up in bed.

“Woah!” Leo narrowly avoided being hit by Percy. His eyes raced across the room, trying to make sense of where he was. His gaze landed on Annabeth.

“It’s okay, Percy. You had a nightmare, but it’s alright. You’re on the Argo II. You’re safe.” He let her words sink in as he caught his breath. He was visibly calming down, regaining control. “Here, let’s get you back to bed,” Annabeth coaxed, getting Percy to lay back down.

She started smoothing his hair again, gently running her fingers through it. Within a few moments, Percy’s breathing evened out and Annabeth knew he had fallen into a peaceful sleep. She hopes that this time, it lasts.

“Do you need anything?” Leo is still standing by the bed, clearly uncomfortable and unsure of what to do.

“Why are you up, Leo?” Annabeth asks. She has a feeling she knows the answer.

“Oh, you know, just fixing some things up” He said, trying to brush it off with a joke.

“Leo, you need to sleep more. I see you every night, roaming the ship repairing things. You need to take care of yourself, too.”

“Yeah, no offence, but I don’t know if I can take self-care advice from you.”
For the first time in weeks, Annabeth let out a real, genuine laugh. “You got me there.”

She was grateful for Leo. He could be a pain sometimes, but she truly admires his ability to lift her spirits. And gods, he was smart. Everytime she talked to Leo about the ship or anything mechanical, she learned something new – which didn’t happen often for children of Athena.

“Maybe…” Leo started, “Maybe we could help each other. You know, keep an eye out. Since we both aren’t the best at looking out for ourselves.”

“I would love that.”

He smiled and turned to leave, but he stopped himself short of the door. “He’s the strongest guy I’ve ever met. He will be okay, I know it.”

Just like Nico, she felt herself believing Leo. When almost every sentence out of his mouth is a joke, it makes his earnestness hit deeper.

“Thank you, Leo”, Annabeth said, genuinely grateful. With that, Leo left. A few moments later, she could hear his hammer softly ringing through the walls. She thought of the agreement they made. Progress would take time. For tonight, they would have to be content both staying up through the night, knowing the other was okay.

Percy, on the other hand, slept peacefully until the morning, finally getting the rest he desperately deserved.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Percy slept and slept, showing no signs of waking up. Others kept coming in to check on him and Annabeth, but she never had anything new to say.

Finally, at noon, Annabeth decided it was time to wake him up. He needed a shower. He needed food. And, selfishly, Annabeth needed to talk to him, to see him awake. She missed him so much.

She walked over to his bed. Despite all the grime and wounds still covering him, he looked so young lying on the bright, white sheets.

What would Sally say if she were here, if she could see Percy…..

Annabeth hadn’t told her that he had fallen, she hadn’t told Sally anything. She figured it was better that way, but now she didn’t know. Should she have told her? Percy said he called Sally in Alaska and left her a voicemail, but that was the last communication they had. Gods, she must be worried sick.

Annabeth reached for Percy’s shoulders and slowly started shaking them, gently waking him up.

Despite her soft touch, Percy’s eyes snapped open immediately, frantically scanning the room for threats. He shot up in bed, raising his arms as if to fight. He had an edge in his eye she had never seen before, even in the darkest parts of their past adventures. She didn’t want to admit it, but it scared Annabeth.

“It’s okay, Percy, it’s just me”, she said, subconsciously taking a small step back.

He looked at her and, just for a moment, it was as if she were a stranger. She could see the gears turning in his brain, scanning her face.

“Annabeth.” His eyes softened a little, but that edge was still there. His voice sounded horrible.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty”, she replied, trying to lighten the mood. “I had to wake you up, you’ve slept long enough.” He tried to smile, but it was wrong. The crooked grin he was famous for looked twisted and forced, it almost looked painful. “Let’s get you to the shower. I think the whole ship can smell you.”

Annabeth wanted him to riff with her, to crack a joke back, to do anything. Instead, he just nodded and looked down at himself, as if just realizing how dirty he was. “Okay.”

She gave him more ambrosia before helping him out of bed. His injuries were already much better than yesterday, he could almost support himself. Almost.

He leaned on Annabeth as they made their way down the hall and towards the bathroom. When they got in, she sat him down while she ran the tub. She made sure the water was just right, not too hot or cold. Then she helped him take the tattered remains of his clothes off and ease himself into the water.

The water was immediately dark brown, but Percy didn’t seem to mind. He looked like he was in heaven.

“The water feels amazing. Down there, all the rivers were… well, they…” he trailed off, lost in his thoughts. Annabeth didn’t say anything, waiting for him to finish. She desperately wanted to hear what it had been like. “The water feels amazing.” He repeated, abandoning his prior sentence. Annabeth knew not to push it, that it would take time for him to open up, but it didn’t make it easier for her.

She grabbed a rag and gently began scrubbing him. She tried to conceal her horror as she removed the dirt from his arms, legs, back and found hundreds of scars littering his body. They had all healed over, thanks to the water and ambrosia, but, still, they were everywhere. And they weren't the kind that was going to heal any time soon.

She tried to remind herself that they all had scars. Every demigod does. But she had never seen someone with this many.

The entire tub was still ringed with a thick layer of dirt after the water drained. Annabeth helped Percy into his fresh, new clothes. An orange camp t-shirt and jeans, a classic Percy outfit. As she helped him put his shirt on, she realized his necklace was missing. Her heart sank. The pit had stripped him of everything.

Percy looked significantly better after bathing and putting his new clothes on. He was still injured and far too skinny, but he was starting to resemble his old self more.

Annabeth supported him as they made their way back down the hall. She had left the bathroom a disaster, but she thought someone else could clean it. Right now, Percy was her one and only priority. Annabeth figured Percy must be hungry, so they walked to the kitchen. Who knows when the last time he ate was. And who knows what it was he had eaten….

Jason was sitting at the table, studying a map. He looked up when the door opened, but was clearly surprised when they walked in. “Annabeth, Percy, how are you guys?” He asked, trying to play the situation off as casual. Nothing about Percy limping in, half dead, after weeks in Tartarus was ‘casual’, but she appreciated Jason’s attempt.

“I’m starving”, Percy said with a small smile, trying for a joke. Annabeth was grateful he was starting to act more like himself, but she cringed at his words. She could see his ribs poking through his shirt. He actually was starving. She led him to the table and sat down next to him.

He stared at the plate. She expected a great stack of blue pancakes to appear, or maybe a big, juicy cheeseburger, but his plate remained empty.
“Are you okay?” Annabeth asked, concerned.

“I… I’m so hungry, but at the same time, If I eat anything, I feel like… like I’m going to be sick”, he said, slowly. Annabeth understood, but at the same time, she knew he really needed to eat. His cheeks were gaunt and hollow.

“Then, let’s start with something small, alright?” He nodded. On Annabeth’s plate, a small bowl of oatmeal appeared. Blue, of course. She slid it over to Percy, and he picked it up with shaky hands.

It was a slow and tiring process, but he managed to eat almost the whole bowl. Later, he would throw the entire meal up, but small steps are still progress.

For now, they would have to be content with whatever small, little victories they could get.

Chapter Text

The next few days were some of the longest of Annabeth’s life, but she knew they were even worse for Percy.

Whatever toxins were down there made him horribly sick. The symptoms came on quickly. He had a nasty, hacking cough that was relentless. He still couldn’t hold any food down, was running a high fever, and no mortal or godly medicine they tried worked. She hoped and prayed it would pass with time, but who knows what he had been exposed to down there.

Annabeth didn’t know if it was because of his rising fever, trauma, or some sickening mix of both, but Percy became more delirious by the hour. He would have full conversations with an imaginary Annabeth on the other side of the room, while the real her sat right next to him. Sometimes, he would suddenly start to freak out, terrified, and there was nothing anyone could do to console him, not even Piper’s charmspeak. And every time they moved closer to him, he would get even more scared.

And when he got scared, the edge returned to his eye. A murderous, dark edge. That look, combined with the scar now fully visible over his eye, made Annabeth’s skin crawl. Once, he pulled out Riptide, holding it at her like he would strike if she got any closer. She wanted to throw up. The boy in front of her was not the Percy she knew, he was a sick, confused, but very dangerous version of him.

“When he looks at us, it’s like there's nobody home,” Piper said, sitting next to Annabeth. Percy had finally drifted into a restless sleep, but who knew how long it would last.

“That’s not him.” Annabeth said, coldly. Piper just looked at her, pity creeping onto her face. Earlier, they had discussed possibly having to restrain Percy. Annabeth hated the idea, but if he didn’t start improving soon, she knew they would have to. They couldn’t have him hurt someone.

Annabeth had tried to push this thought as far from her mind as she could, but it kept crawling back: What if he dies? What if he came all this way, made it back to her, only to die upon his return? No. She wouldn’t allow it. He had survived hell for her, she was going to get him through this, too.

He groaned in his sleep, in pain and discomfort. Sweat covered his body, but he couldn’t stop shivering. “Annabeth…Anna” he muttered. His eyes groggily opened, but she couldn’t see any ounce of cognizance within them. “I’m.. I’m sorry…”

This caught Annabeth off guard. He had said a lot of odd, delirious stuff in the past days, but he had never apologized. Gods, what does he have to apologize for? None of this was his fault.

“Please just…. I can’t take it anymore…. please” he started begging, big tears rolling down his cheeks. Annabeth stood like a statue, breath caught in her throat. Piper, too, was frozen.

Was he asking what they thought he was? Surely not.

He kept begging, his words becoming an incomprehensible string of cries and pleads.

It was hard to look at. It was hard to believe the boy in front of her was the strong, heroic boy she had fallen in love with. That he had survived the prophecy, led the war, saved the world.

All the hope Annabeth had felt when he first returned crumbled in an instant, vanishing.

What if the pit had broken him in a way that could never heal?

Chapter Text

Annabeth found herself crying for the first time since Percy had returned. She had been doing so well, keeping herself together and putting on a strong face, but she couldn’t help the tears that currently streamed down her cheeks.

They were tears of joy. Tears of relief. Percy’s fever had finally broken. He wasn’t out of the woods yet, far from it, but it was better. He was doing better.

Earlier that morning, he had woken up with the most consciousness he had had in days.

“How are you feeling?” Frank asked, currently on ‘Percy Duty’ with Annabeth.

“I’ve been worse.” Percy said with a small smile. Annabeth sat beside the bed, holding his hand. He had accepted her touch gladly, a stark difference to how he had previously reacted. She never wanted to let go.

Later that night, they both remained in the same position. Surprising no one, Percy had slept the day away. They had grown accustomed to seeing him passed out on the bed. Annabeth had held his hand all the while he slept. They were both awake now, sitting in silence. Percy appeared to be lost in thought.

“Can we go for a walk?” He suddenly asked her. This caught Annabeth off guard. He hadn’t walked more than a few steps since the day he took a bath, and that had been almost a week ago.

“Are you up for one?”

“I have to move around. I’m going crazy.”

Now that he mentioned it, he did seem more restless than before. His injuries were healed, he felt healthier, and Annabeth agreed this was probably the next best step for him to take.

“Yeah, that would be great.” She replied, standing up. He slowly got up too. Though his injuries had healed, his whole body was still stiff and sore.

They headed for the hallway, still holding hands as they walked. Their pace wasn’t fast, and Percy stumbled a few times, but they made it to the deck. Nobody else was out there. They were probably having a meeting or eating dinner, who knows.

The summer night was brisk and warm. They walked to the starboard rail and leaned on it, sides pressed together tightly. Annabeth looked over at Percy, but his gaze was fixed on the night sky. She could see tears building in the corner of his eyes.

“The stars…Bob asked me…” he started. The stars sparkled in the night, shining and glittering over the ocean.
Annabeth remembered the mental note she had made to ask who ‘Bob’ was. She figured now was as good a time as any.

“Percy.. who’s Bob? You keep calling for him.” Percy took a deep breath, still looking up at the stars.

Then, for the first time, he opened up. He told Annabeth about Bob, and Damasen, and the swamp. He told her about how he had never visited Bob, how it had been Nico who had. He told her about how Bob had sacrificed himself for him. He told her about the promise he had made Bob about the stars.

Annabeth never interrupted, she stood and listened. What Percy described sounded horrifying, but she was also glad to hear he had had allies down there.

After Percy finished, they sat in thick silence, digesting his words.

Over in the bow, Leo now whistled happily as he tinkered with Festus’s mechanical brain, muttering something about a crystal and astrolabe. Amidships, Piper and Hazel practiced swordplay, gold and bronze blades ringing in the night. Jason and Frank stood at the helm, talking in low tones.

“We’ve got a good crew,” Percy said. “If we have to sail to our deaths–”

“You’re not dying on me, Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth said. “We’re never getting separated again. Ever. And after we get home….”

“What?”, Percy asked. He seemed genuinely excited. It warmed her heart. Maybe things will be alright someday.

Annabeth kissed him. “Ask me again, once we defeat Gaea.”

He smiled, but this time it didn’t look forced. As they kept sailing, the sky darkened and more stars came out. Percy remained fixed on them.

“Bob says hello,” he told the stars as the Argo II sailed into the night.

Chapter Text

It’s been almost months since Percy returned from Tartarus. The war has been over for weeks, but Percy and Annabeth’s lives are still far from normal. Normal. Annabeth doubts anything will ever feel normal again.

They went to Leo’s funeral a few days ago. It was horrible. They burnt his orange shroud, engraved with a hammer, the symbol of Hephaestus. She looked over at Percy and found tears were rolling down his cheek. It was the first time she had seen him cry since he got back. Gods, she already missed Leo. She would give anything to hear one of his stupid jokes. She always rolled her eyes, but deep down, she appreciated them. Everyone did. Guilt clawed in Annabeth’s chest. She thought about one of their last conversations:

“Maybe we could help each other. You know, keep an eye out. Since we both aren’t the best at looking out for ourselves.” Leo said.

“I would love that.”

Annabeth had failed him. Just like she had failed Percy. She’s the daughter of Athena, she’s supposed to be smart enough to stop these things from happening. But, she’d failed. Again.

Camp was still in ruins from the battle. Most of the campers who hadn’t died were still recovering from injuries. Every cabin had lost chunks of campers. Of their friends. Their family. Everyone was grateful to have won the war and survived, but the weight of all that had been lost hung heavy in the air.

And Percy.

Gods, Percy. Nightmares terrorize him every night. Annabeth is woken up by his screaming as he writhes on his bed, entwined in his covers. She wakes him up as gently as she can, but some nights, it takes her shaking him as hard as she can to finally awaken him. When his eyes finally do open, they are wild – searching for any sense of recognition. After a few seconds, he focuses on Annabeth’s worried face and starts to calm down. He lies back down with Annabeth, getting closer to her, and they both drift back to sleep. Until his next night terror. Deep, dark circles have formed under both of their eyes.

Percy did finally feel ready to see Sally. Annabeth felt awful keeping her in the dark for so long, but Percy assured her it’s what he wanted. He didn’t want her to see him until he was more healed. Annabeth understood, but still, she couldn’t imagine the constant worry Sally had been feeling for the past months.

The two of them had ventured into the city together for the first time since the quest ended. Despite it still being blazing hot, Percy wore jeans and a sweatshirt. He won’t admit it, but he doesn’t like showing all of his new scars. No amount of clothing could cover the scar over his eye, though. They had never addressed it, but they both knew the weight it carried. She did her best to ignore it, and she’s sure Percy does the same. They made it to Sally’s door, and Percy hesitated.

“Are you ready?” Annabeth asked, giving his hand a squeeze.

Percy took a deep breath. “Yeah, I think so.” He gave her a small smile. It was small, but she could tell it was genuine. Slowly, he brought his arm up and tentatively knocked on the door. After a moment, they heard shuffling from inside the apartment. Percy gripped her hand tighter.

“Hi, how can I help y–” Paul stopped, shocked. “Percy?” His voice held so many emotions: disbelief, relief, fear. Percy stood there, unable to move.

Then, Sally came to the door. “Who is it Paul?” Paul moved aside, revealing her son standing in the doorway.

“P… Percy?”

“Mom.”

Percy’s voice quivered as he barely got the word out. He sounded like a little kid. Sally ran to Percy, engulfing him in the tightest hug Annabeth had ever seen. Her body was wracked by sobs. Percy was stunned for a moment, but then he wrapped his arms around her with the same tightness. She could hear him crying, too.

Annabeth stepped back, giving them space. “Annabeth,” Paul said, giving her a hug. She gratefully hugged him back.

“Hi Paul.” She said, pulling away. He didn’t say anything, but his expression as he looked between Percy and Annabeth spoke a million words. The rest of the night was a blur. They talked for a long time. Percy and Annabeth recounted the entire quest. When it got to Percy’s time in Tartatus, he awkwardly skipped over it. Sally and Paul could tell there was a lot they weren't told, but they knew he would tell them when he was ready. Annabeth had heard a lot, but still, she isn’t sure she has heard everything, either.

Sally cooked a grand, delicious dinner for them, along with her famous blue chocolate chip cookies. Annabeth had never tasted anything as good. Their apartment was filled with so much love, so much warmth, she found it unbelievable that just a few weeks ago they were fighting for their life aboard the Argo II.

They had a lovely night. Percy and Annabeth went to bed, staying in Percy’s childhood bedroom. “I love you, Wise Girl”, Percy said, sleepily.

“I love you, too, Seaweed Brain.” She smiled, giving him a small kiss. They fell asleep snuggling, their stomachs and hearts full.
A few hours later, Percy started violently tossing and turning, muttering under his breath. His mutterings quickly turned to yelps and then to screams. Annabeth calmly tried to shake him awake. Moments later, Sally and Paul came barreling into the room.

“Percy!” Sally cried, quickly going to Percy’s side. “Is he okay, Annabeth?”

“Yeah, just nightmares,” she said quietly. “He’ll be alright. You guys can go back to bed, he’ll fall right back to sleep.” She went back to shaking Percy, and a few moments later, he woke up, immediately sitting straight up.

“Shh, it’s okay Percy”, Annabeth said, coaxing him back down. She could feel him calming down, and after a moment, his eyes dipped back closed and he fell back asleep. Paul and Sally were still standing by the bed, watching.

“He used to have terrors like that as a kid,” Sally said, softly. She knelt down and started pushing Percy’s hair from his sweaty forehead. When people look at Percy, they see a hero, a warrior, a leader. But when Sally looks at him, she sees her little boy.

They stayed at their apartment for a few days, but then they needed to return to camp. Sally and Paul understood. “Perseus Jackson, you must promise me you’ll stay in touch and visit. You can never disappear on me like that, again. Ever.” Annabeth could tell Sally meant it.

“I promise, Mom.” Percy said, wrapping her in another hug.

Despite everything that had happened, Annabeth couldn’t help but feel hope at the love Percy had supporting him. From her, from Sally, from Paul, from everyone at both camps. If love is what he needs to recover, he’s got more than enough.