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He’d been seeing Grover in his dreams for weeks. Grover on his quest. Grover in trouble. Grover pleading for help. Percy wanted to believe they were just that—dreams. Nightmares. But he knew better. His dreams had never been just nightmares. His dreams had never stayed in his head.
But bad as they were, his dreams had always stayed firmly in the sleep column. He had them at night, in his bed, safe and sound. Until now.
Percy, Annabeth and Sally were just walking back into his apartment after a day spent shopping in Chelsea. It had been fun. They'd be heading back to camp soon so it was really nice that they all got to hang out like this before he left. He knew Sally loved Annabeth. And Annabeth really seemed to love her too.
Percy was hanging up his jacket when it happened. Suddenly he wasn't in his hallway anymore. He was on a beach. He stumbled as his feet hit the sand. He glanced around, freaked out but trying his best to stay calm. The sky was darkening, large thunderclouds rolling in across the water. Lightning crackled across the sky and Percy flinched. What could he say, Zeus made him nervous. Blame it on almost being incinerated on Mount Olympus for his sass. Then he heard a voice behind him.
"Percy?"
Percy whirled around, his feet kicking up sand. "Grover!"
"What are you--? How are you here?" Grover looked confused. And scared.
"I don't know man. But I've been having dreams about you for weeks! Are you okay?" Percy looked around, trying to spot a landmark or something or determine their location. "Is this where you are?"
Grover looked over his shoulder warily. "Percy, I don't think you should be here."
"But aren't you the one doing this? Sending me messages through our dreams?"
"I mean, I've been trying to. But...Percy, you really need to go," Grover said urgently.
"Wait. No." Percy shook his head, confused. "Tell me where you are. Let me help you!"
"It's too late," Grover whispered, staring wide-eyed at a spot behind him.
Percy spun around to see a tall, dark figure in a cloak, standing a few yards down the beach. He couldn't see a face beneath the cloak but he could tell it was watching them. Percy's blood ran cold. As familiar as this sight was by now, it never failed to terrify him.
Despite that, he tried to play it cool. "'Sup Grandpa." He jerked his head in an approximation of a nod at the cloaked figure.
"Perseus Jackson."
"That's me," Percy said, suppressing an eye roll. "Look, do you mind? I'm kind of already in the middle of something here. No one likes a party crasher."
"Your impertinence will be your doom, child."
Suddenly, Kronos closed the distance and was standing inches from Percy. He grabbed the young demigod by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Percy made a strangled, choking sound as his airway was abruptly cut off. His feet kicked helplessly as he dangled in the Titan's grasp.
"What are you going to do little hero?" Kronos taunted him. "Are you going to stop me? You can't even breathe."
Percy was panicking. None of his dreams has ever been like this before. Kronos had never touched him before. Never hurt him.
Percy squeezed his eyes shut tight. It's not real, it's not real, it's not real.
Kronos laughed, dark and menacing. "What's the matter grandson? Are you scared?"
Suddenly a voice rang out behind Percy, strong and clear.
"Let him go.”
Kronos peered around Percy, to stare at the small satyr, feet planted in the sand, firmly demanding the Titan to let his friend go.
Kronos sneered, or so Percy imagined within that dark cowl. “I don’t think he wants me to."
"Let. Him. Go!"
Kronos sighed and dropped Percy in a heap on the ground. Percy coughed raggedly, desperately sucking in the damp, salty air.
"This doesn't concern you little satyr," Kronos said darkly. "You have your own worries right now. Don't you?"
"If Percy needs me, I'll always show up," Grover said, just a hint of a quaver in his voice.
Kronos turned his attention back to Percy. “Aren’t you tired? Of fighting? Of always hanging on by your fingertips? Wouldn’t it feel good to just? Let? Go?”
Percy felt despair creep in, along with a bone-deep weariness. Maybe Kronos was right. Maybe it would be better to just let him win. Something in the back of his brain screamed at him that that was insane. And yet. He'd never wanted to give up more in his entire life.
"Leave him alone!" Grover shouted. He ran forward and grabbed Percy's wrist. A static shock shot up Percy's arm and he felt a violent tugging sensation. The world spun around and then he was falling, falling.
And then he was laying in his hallway, cracked plaster on the stained ceiling above his head. He stared woozily up at the blurry faces hovering over him. His mom. Annabeth.
"...Mom? What's going on?"
"Are you okay?" Annabeth demanded.
"I...I think so. Why?"
“Percy," his mom said, voice shaking. "You were having a seizure.”
"What?!" Percy sat up fast, then immediately laid back down, the room spinning a bit.
"Whoa, slow down," Annabeth said softly.
“Are you sure you're okay baby?” Sally looked near tears.
“I’m fine,” Percy said, shakily raising himself back up on his elbows.
"You sure about that, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth asked skeptically. "Ten seconds ago you were flopping around like a fish on dry land."
"And all the sinks exploded," Sally added, face tight with worry. She laid a hand on Percy's forehead but he pushed it away and got unsteadily to his feet. He turned to Annabeth with a grim look on his face.
“We have to find Grover. Now.”