Revenge of the Duchess

Chapter 47

A/N: I own nothing. Enjoy!

************************

Both Percy and Annabeth were exhausted from the day's ordeals. After Percy arrived home, the rest of the events felt like a blur. After a much needed bath, Percy pulled Annabeth into his arms and both fell quickly asleep. But sleep would not come calmly for Annabeth.

That night, Annabeth felt herself enter into a strange dream. Dreams about her past life were not uncommon. Sometimes she dreamt about her married life. Other times, she would quietly weep after dreaming about her newborn daughter being forcibly taken from her arms. Those dreams had become fewer and fewer as time went on, and Annabeth forged forward with her life.

But this time, the dream was odd. Annabeth had no recollection of any of the events from her past.

She found herself in a crowd of people dressed in dark clothing. There was her mother, supported by her father. Malcolm, her beloved brother, was on his knees, tears streaming down his face. There were more familiar people she knew in the crowd. Her diligent secretary who was usually serious, now had an expression of anguish. A manager whom she had picked and mentored right off the street. A few orphans she had sponsored through an orphanage.

In a flash, Annabeth realized that she seemed to be dreaming of a funeral.

Her funeral.

Annabeth tried calling out, but no one seemed to hear her. Someone passed right through her to walk to the grave where a mahogany coffin lay and threw two white roses in. One for her, and one for her daughter.

It was as if she was a ghost, wandering among the people who had gathered together for her memorial service. Was it a dream? Or was this reality where Annabeth had returned to her past as a ghost, doomed to walk the earth as her resentment and anger would not let her pass the boundaries separating life and death?

There were more people whom she recognized now. Startled, Annabeth then saw the man standing a few feet behind her parents.

Percy.

Though she knew Percy had been a business client and then friend in her past life, Annabeth had become so accustomed to Percy's love and presence by her side that it was jarring to see him alone.

Annabeth willed herself to go forward, and she drifted closer. In this present life of Annabeth's, Rachel was not set to be Percy's arranged marriage partner, so Rachel had continued her travels in other countries, learning different painting techniques as she developed her passion for art.

Percy looked the same as ever. She reached her hand out, wanting to brush away the one tear that had escaped his sorrowful eyes. Annabeth felt bitterness rise in her heart.

I'm here, she wanted to call out. Please don't cry. Please don't be sad. I love you. All those words fell on empty ears.

Suddenly, Percy's expression changed to anger as he seemed to have spot something in the funeral. Annabeth followed the direction of his eyesight. No, it wasn't something Percy was glaring at, but someone.

Luke, that bastard of an ex-husband, threw a bouquet of white roses onto her coffin as tears streamed from his eyes. Kelli was at his side in hysterics, bawling and inconsolable.

Annabeth sneered and clenched her fists in anger. What a lovely show the pair was putting on.

But why was Percy glaring so openly at Luke? To her knowledge, while Rachel and Percy were not close with Luke, the pair was at least cordial.

The dream faded into mist before changing into another place. It was her company, only the workers Annabeth was familiar with were leaving in troves. Bemused, she found that her company was overtaken by Luke soon after her death. Employees were protesting at the front door over all the changes Luke Castellan had implemented. He had not waited long after his wife was buried before desiring all the money and assets she had worked hard to earn.