Chapter Text
Loss. Guilt. Regret. Shame. Grief.
All those words describe the day prior. All those words could describe how Annabeth felt. All she seems to know how to do is lose people she loves. Thalia. Luke. All the innocent demigods lost in war.. And now, Percy.
His name was on repeat in her head.
Percy, Percy, Percy, Percy, Percy, Percy— how could you leave me!?
I hate you for leaving.
You didn’t even regret it, did you?
You may have died being a hero, but you’re a damn coward!
I love you so fucking much, seaweed brain.
Please, come back to me.
She cries. She mourns for her lover, for her friend, for her seaweed brain, for Percy. Annabeth wants to scream. She clutches her chest. It hurts so bad, she wonders if cracks would be found on her heart.
Percy Jackson was a part of her. A part of her soul, her being. Now that he was gone, she felt like there was a void in her. Nothing could ever heal it, except for having him back.
She wasn’t the only one mourning. Outside, the rain poured heavily from the skies. Even in camp, which could only mean divine action. Poseidon was clearly grieving for his late demigod son.
Annabeth sat up from her bed, rubbing her hands against her head. She felt a huge headache coming on. The thunder in the distance wasn’t helping.
She could only think of yesterday, when she got the news.
Annabeth approached Chiron on the porch after having been asked to the Big House. He was sitting at the table in his usual wheelchair, looking sorrowfully at the table.
“Chiron?” She asked.
“Ah, Annabeth… please, sit.” He said, gesturing with his hands.
She nodded and sat down across from him.
“What's wrong Chiron? What happened? Is Percy okay?”
Athena had then appeared and spoke with great remorse, “I’m so sorry, Annabeth. I..” Then the goddess went quiet.
“Mom,” she said with a puzzled tone. “What do you mean?”
Clearly, if her mother was apologizing, that meant something bad had happened. The first worry came to her head; her boyfriend was in danger. Or worse.
“It's Percy isn’t it? I need to know what's going on. What happened to Percy?” She demanded answers.
Chiron sighed, “Percy, as you know, had been asked to help retrieve a young girl.”
“My daughter. Your half sister,” Athena added. Annabeth nodded, her worry spreading through her like a wildfire. She considered the issue was with her sister, since Athena had decided to show up. Then, she ruled that option out. She knew how Percy worked, knew that he wouldn’t let that happen.
Chiron had taken her hands into his, looking into her eyes when he said, “He… he sacrificed himself for your sister and the young satyr that accompanied her. I’m afraid Percy didn’t make it.”
He saw Annabeth had tears that were already forming. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She retracted her hands from his and stood up abruptly.
“No, no, that can’t be… He promised!” Her voice got louder, but the shake in it was evident. “He said that he would never leave me. Never again!”
She sat back down, sobbing into her hands. “He left me.”
She didn't want to believe it. Even with all the confirmations from them, she couldn't believe that he was gone.
All of a sudden, Grover ran onto the porch with tears streaming down his face. “Annabeth, he’s gone. I felt it. It felt awful. Percy-“
That’s when it truly hit Annabeth. Grover would be the first one to know if Percy truly passed. She fell back into her chair looking up to the big house wall, her eyes blurry from crying.
Grover paused when he looked at Annabeth. “You- What happened?” Then he saw the goddess that was standing next to Chiron, looking out in the distance. Grover could’ve sworn he saw tears, but he didn’t comment.
When Annabeth didn’t answer, Chiron told Grover what he told Annabeth.
Athena had looked like she had more to say, but she quickly left. It was odd, and Annabeth couldn’t understand why. Annabeth didn’t care. The only thing she cared about was that Percy Jackson was dead.
Grover had to sit down to process it, plopping himself next to Annabeth.
He covered his mouth, processing everything. He knew Percy had passed. Their empathy link allowed him to feel it. Still, it hurt him to hear someone confirm it. “Oh gods, I feel like I’m going to throw up,” Grover finally said.
Annabeth was going to say something to comfort him, but her voice was caught in her throat.
The dinner signal suddenly alarmed, making Annabeth jump slightly. She slowly stood up and opened the door to look outside. It was stormy, but that didn’t stop some campers from being outside.
She went outside, closing the cabin door behind her, and made a run for the mess hall.
Her cabin had already been at the mess hall. Cabin six had been tasked with helping the Hephaestus kids to build a cover for it. Due to the recent loss of Percy, Annabeth was excused.
She went over to her half siblings, and distanced herself at the table. She stares at the table in front of her, lost in thought.
Distantly, she hears whispering. She hears his name, so she naturally eavesdrops.
“You seriously believe the lies made up about him? Come on. He most definitely did not do all that shit within six years.”
“They’re not lies!”
“How would you know? We know nothing about the guy, what we do know could’ve easily been fabricated!”
“SHUT UP.” Annabeth yelled before she could think. “You don’t have the right to say those things about him!”
Everyone turned to look at her. She immediately regretted yelling, but not what she said, so she stayed firm under the stares.
She would admit she didn’t know everything that Percy went through, but she didn’t need to know everything to know that he was better than any other Greek demigod.
Before another word could get out, a flash of light towards the head table catches everyone’s attention.
Annabeth felt shivers down her spine. There was a humanoid-like shape, but it was a void with eyes and stars all over. Her mind couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing. However, she knew exactly who this was. Nyx, the goddess of night.
Nyx slowly morphed into her usual woman-like appearance.
“I have been sent here on a mission.” Her voice was loud and threatening throughout the mess hall. Nyx raises her hand, and next to her four more goddesses appear.
They introduce themselves. The four were the Hestia, Mnemosyne, Hecate, and Rhode.
Hestia walks forward, the most comforting presence of the five. “We are here because we believe it was unjust with what happened to Perseus.”
Annabeth looked at them in shock. Did Percy’s death really cause these five to do something? If so, what? Why?
The Titan of memory spoke next, “We must change the past.”
“To do this, we need the help of a few demigods. However, you must know that there will be a price to pay, courtesy of Moirai. Along with that, some of you will have to reopen mental wounds from the past.” Hecate explains.
“I haven’t seen my father this anguished in millennia. I cannot bear to see it any longer, so I can only hope that you will agree,” Rhode adds.
Help change the past..? They mean- to make sure Percy doesn’t have the same Fate? But, how? How could that be possible? Annabeth thinks.
Nyx speaks up again, “We already have the others we need, we only need to pick out those from here. Hestia, if you would.”
“I will call those we wish to have. If you’re willing to help, please come forward.” She walks back towards the other goddesses. She then faces back towards the demigods and begins.
“Annabeth Chase.” Of course she was the first one to be called. Naturally, she got up as fast as she could to head over.
Hestia began listing more names, but Annabeth didn’t listen. She was focused on her thoughts. She was silently crying again, it felt as if all she could do was cry. She knew it was only natural, but couldn’t help but feel weak. Besides, this was her chance to see Percy again. Although, what would the cost be? Her thoughts run a million miles a minute through her mind.
“I believe that was all the names,” Rhode says, interrupting Annabeth’s inner dialogue. Hestia nods for confirmation.
Annabeth looked around and saw all the familiar faces. It seemed it would only be those who knew Percy well enough.
Hecate raises her hand this time, “We must head off now.”
Annabeth immediately felt as if her body was melting into the surface around her. As quickly as the feeling appeared, it left and they were no longer in Camp Halfblood.
She looked around and noted they seemed to be on Olympus. She saw many gods, and other demigods that hadn’t been at camp.
Then her eyes land on a group of people. People who were supposed to be dead. What she recognized to be Zoë and Bianca, Selina, Beckendorf, Jason, and even Luke. The one she cared about most though, was Percy.
Her eyes widened, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She immediately runs over to him, pulling him into a hug. She must’ve accidentally knocked the breath out of his lungs, but he hugged back anyways.
She buries her face in his shirt, definitely staining it with her tears. She mumbles, “Seaweed brain.”
“Wise girl,” She feels his hand rub her back to comfort her. She clutches the shirt on his back as if this was all a dream. It sure did feel like it.
“How is this possible?” She whispered. She pulled back, taking a look at his face. She removes her hands from his back and places them onto his face on both sides. Their eyes look into each other's, tears falling from them.
“When the Fates want something done, they get it done,” He sniffles and gently laughs. She smiles at him and leans in to kiss him. The kiss was short, but it was filled with emotion. They pull back and she leans her forehead against his, shutting her eyes tightly.
“Please don’t you ever leave me again, seaweed brain,” Annabeth whispered.
“I’m so sorry,” he says. “I’m sorry for leaving you.”
“I hate to interrupt this sweet reunion, but we must get started,” Rhode says.
Hecate then uses her powers to alter the room. Now, in the middle of the room an object appeared. It looked like a projector, but with a disc player. “This projector can only be controlled by two people.”
After she said that, seating appeared all over. All kinds of comfortable chairs, including beanbags and sofas, were arranged throughout the room. Added to that was objects like blankets, pillows, and more comfort items like squishies.
“Please, take a seat. We will explain shortly.” Hestia says.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Zeus demands.
“Calm down brother, sister said she would explain it shortly,” Demeter says.
Zeus mumbles something to himself while everyone takes a seat somewhere.
As expected, Percy and Annabeth sat next to each other. Their other demigod friends gravitate towards them too.
Hestia then begins speaking, “You all have been brought from different times. The demigods from a future timeline, compared to the gods who are from the past. With the exception of a few, who are also from a future timeline. You will have to figure that part out on your own, as we don’t have enough time. In addition, a few demigods have been brought back to life, solely for this mission. To change the past, and to save Perseus.”
Nearly everyone in the room looked shocked at this.
“Why do all of this for me?” Percy shook his head.
Hestia ignores Percy’s question and continues her explanation, “To do this, you must watch a series of videos about his life. We have asked permission from the Fates themselves to do this, of course. However, their one price to do this was to have him relive his trauma from the past. Therefore, I urge you all to rush through the scenes where he gets injured.”
“What? Why?” Annabeth questions, starting to get angry. Why would they bring him back just to hurt him all over again?
“I wish we could do without it, but the Fates insisted. It is between his life, or going through something that can heal again. Frankly, I would choose the latter.” Hestia says.
“What about mental injuries? Those can’t heal.” Hazel says.
“I’m well aware, my dear. However, if he can push through this… This version of Percy will have never had to go through what he has.” Hestia replies.
“Wait!” Percy interrupted. “Grover and I have an empathy link, he will have to feel all my emotions too. If I’m going to relive everything, can you at least stop him from feeling my past feelings?”
“Unfortunately not,” Hestia replies. “Your current and past emotions would be a blend. It would be impossible to separate the two.”
“It’s okay, Percy, I’ll be fine. As long as you’re alive,” Grover says.
Percy was about to reply before he got interrupted.
“Can we just get on with this already,” Ares scoffed.
“Silence, Ares, we will be continuing soon,” Nyx responded.
“The two that can control the projection are Percy and Annabeth,” Mnemosyne said quietly. “To work it, you just put in the disc and it’ll project. They are numbered, please watch them in order.”
Percy deeply sighs, “Lets just get this over with.”
Nyx, Hecate, Hestia, Rhode, and Mnemosyne walk to the sofas and sit down. Nyx then signals to Percy to proceed.
He sat up from the bean bag he was sitting on with Annabeth and went over to the projector. He bent down and found the disc that had a 1 on it. He slid it in the player, pressed play, then walked back over to Annabeth.