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It took a lot for Annabeth Chase to admit she was wrong. It took even more for her to finally realize that Percy had been right all along.
Luke wasn't the 'good guy' that she had known for nearly seven years.
And it had taken being abducted off the side of a cliff by a Manticore, stuck under Atlas' burden for who knows how long, and then being forced aboard the Princess Andromeda until whatever deity that Luke had defected to join and was now listening to decide her fate. It had taken all of that, for Annabeth to finally realize that the Luke she had known, had loved, and had idolized was long gone. Dead and buried. Replaced by the heartless monster that lived in his skin.
"Annie, come on." He pleaded, again, "I've already almost lost you, more times than I can count, between all those stupid quests that Chiron's let you and Jackson go on as well as the utter insanity that runs rampant through that moronic camp." Somehow, the Luke that was standing in the door frame of the ship cabin Annabeth had been locked away in, he sounded genuine, "If you just join us, and stay with me, I can keep you safe. And, we can stay together, protect each other, like we used to."
If it had been over a year ago, she might've been more enticed by the offer. Hades, just a few months ago, as the sirens' song had so helpfully reminded her, being able to have Luke and Thalia back was her dream. (And if she would be able to have her mom and her dad act like some semblance of a family, that would be the cherry on top. But it was utterly unrealistic.)
But now, after everything he had done in the past year and a half, some of which Annabeth was sure she still didn't know the full extent of, she wanted nearly nothing to do with him. And like Hades, would they ever be a 'family' again.
Luke calmly crossed the room, the door clicking shut behind him as he perched himself on the corner of the room's bed. (She refused to call the cabin her room. That would imply she was going to be staying any longer than she had to.) "Annie, I know this wasn't exactly your plan," He started, reaching one of his hands toward hers, but Annabeth pulled her hand back out of his reach, "Look, this wasn't my plan either. You weren't supposed to get mixed up in all of this-"
"Well, I am so sorry for screwing up your plans Luke, again!" Annabeth snapped back, surprising herself and Luke a bit, even as unwanted tears welled up in her eyes, "I am so sorry that I keep screwing up everything for you! And that nothing I have ever been able to do or say or even think is enough for you!"
The tears that had been welling up in her eyes spilled over, and every single tear that streamed down her face melted the anger that had boiled over within her, morphing her anger into embarrassment. With every tear that slipped down her cheeks, Annabeth just felt more and more exhausted.
Before she had even realized that he'd moved again, Luke's thumb was brushing one of the tear tracks off her face. "Annie," He started again, "I don't want you to be upset. And that wasn't what I meant, not at all." Despite what her head had been screaming for her to do, Annabeth's heart ignored it, which was how she found herself looking into his blue eyes as they bore into her. "I just, even though we seem to be on opposing sides right now, Annie, I just want you to know that you can always come to me, or, stay with me." Luke paused, taking a heavy sigh, sliding his hand from her face down her arms, stopping on her wrists. "I never want you to think, even after everything that has happened, and everything that's going to happen, that I ever stopped thinking of us as a family."
Family.
After betraying her, Chiron, Percy, and all of Camp Half-Blood. After poisoning Thalia's Tree, trying to destroy Camp Half-Blood's protective border, and nearly killing Thalia's spirit in the process. And after trying to kidnap an unaware half-blood, killing another painfully ill-prepared half-blood, as well as herself, Percy, Grover, and Thalia in the process. After all of that, he had the audacity to talk about family.
"You're so full of shit." Annabeth replied.
For a moment, all she got in response from him was dumb blinking and open mouth gaping. "What? I, Annie, Annabeth, what are you talking about?" He finally asked back, once his brain processed what she'd said, "Annabeth, all I am trying to do is reassure and protect you, and this is the thanks I get?!"
She had pissed him off, royally.
His hands had tightened around her wrists for a moment, as his anger had heated up and then boiled over in an instant, and as soon as Luke had realized what he'd done he let go as quickly as he could. He even went as far as to nearly leap off the bed, landing back a few steps from the door. Despite his best, forced efforts, Annabeth could still tell he was seething because of her comment. And she knew, had she been anyone other than Annabeth, he would've not only rescinded his offer immediately, but he likely would have tried to kill her then and there. (And the most terrifying part, was that he probably would've been able to given her circumstances.)
"I am going to give you some more time, to think it over." Luke told her, his barely restrained fury audible in his voice, "And maybe, once given a bit more time, you'll be able to conduct yourself in a more sane manner."
It was quickly made evident to both Annabeth and Luke that she was also quite annoyed with their whole interaction currently. As she simply replied, "That's a lot coming from you."
Luke's hand had just grazed the doorknob when she'd spoken. And her words had him turn back on his heel in an instant. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"You are one to talk about conducting myself in a sane manner, when you are literally working to resurrect Him!" Annabeth snapped back, "And not only that you've personally tried to kill me, Thalia, Percy, Grover, and all of Camp Half-Blood several times-"
"That wasn't intentional!" Luke yelled back, cutting her off, "You and Thalia weren't, neither of you were supposed to be getting caught up in any of this! I don't know how many times I have to fucking say it, Annabeth! But I am doing all of this to make our world a better place. The Gods do not give a shit about you Annabeth, they don't fucking care about any of us!"
Somehow, the person that she'd once idolized easily brought out the worst in her. Which was shown as she scoffed back at him, "And starting a war is going to make them care?!"
"It will make them care!" Luke snapped in response, "Don't you get it, Annabeth?! They sit up there and just watch as their own kids do the Gods' dirty work, fight for their lives, and die, all without any care for them. And if starting a war against them is what gets them to notice, then that's what it takes."
His back turned towards her again, his hand was back on the knob, and the door swung open. So, of course, Annabeth yelled at him, "Thalia and Percy aren't going to let you get away with that!" And then the door shut, clicked, and was locked without another word or a single glance back from Luke.