I Was Percy Jackson (A Percy Jackson Betrayed Fanfic)

Chapter 25 || Unexpected Help

ANNABETH CHASE

"I want you all to think of your happiest memory," Luke said to us while we sat down, closing our eyes.

I searched through all of them. And I knew my happiest memory. Years ago. Percy and my first kiss. Well, first real kiss. When we kissed underwater in a small bubble. His lips tasting like the sea. The ocean breeze fresh in his hair. He feeling of his skin along mine, stroking my hair. The way I latched onto his neck. Playing with his messy, dark hair. Taking a breath to gaze in his beautiful eyes.

Sea green to gray.

"Now," Luke said, cutting through the memory, "I want you to imagine that memory going straight to your heart. Focus on your heartbeat. Imagine each event in the memory happening with each thump."

I did. Each second turning into my heart beat. Into his heart beat. The giggles I was releasing each happened with a thump. His soft voice telling me he'd love me in soft, rhythmic movements.

"Think of this memory turning into a small ball of light. This is what you cling to at your worst. Remember that."

I did. It turned into a small grayish sea-green ball of light, swirling with all the giggles, laughs, and sounds of blue cake being shoved into our mouths.

"Now... I want you to think of your two worst memories."

I reached deep inside and found them. First was when Percy left us at the campfire. The pain when I realized what I had done. Next, was back in Tartarus when Percy was dying of gorgon's blood. The steam rising from him. The groans he was releasing as Bob carried him through the pit of hell itself. When we fell. Him telling me he'd never leave me again. His promise.

That loyal seaweed brain...

"Now, I want you to imagine that ball of light and cling to it. Cling as hard as you can and let it fish your body out of the bad memories."

I saw it. I remembered the laughs, the kisses, the sound of party balloons popping as Clarisse pranked us and threw us in the lake. And I promised myself. I remembered. I remembered telling Percy I'd never let go. So I grabbed onto the ball desperately, feeling the sea breeze blow into my face. Blow off my tears and sweat. The feeling of cool water lapping at me surrounding my senses as I clung on for dear life.

"Now imagine yourself entering the ball."

And I did. It was hard... like I couldn't reach. The harder I tried, the harder the outer shell was. But I immediately saw Percy's face.

"You can do it," he said with his signature smirk, "I believe in you, Wise Girl. I'll love you forever."

So I stepped into the ball. For Percy. And I was met by blinding sea-green light.

"Congrats," his voice faded into white and I was awake, gasping on the floor.

Percy was my core. The source of my power. The source of my life. No matter what happened, he was still my seaweed brain. My sea of emotions. And I loved my sea.

PERCY JACKSON

I had hung on the wall for a week. A week. A week of torture and pain from Order's whips and stabs and punches. I was a broken, bloody mess. I felt my life slipping away. That's when the sound of the door opening and closing caught my attention. A small voice sounded.

"Percy?"

I raised my head and saw orange eyes.

"Hannah," I croaked.

She ran to my side, holding my hand.

"Look," I coughed and blood splattered onto my chin. "I'm sorry--"

"Sh..." Hannah cooed and lifted my bloody chin to face her. "I forgive you, Percy."

And I didn't complain.

"We need to get you out of here," she said.

"No, Hannah. You're gonna get hurt."

"Who says?" Hannah shook her head, "I am Order's most trusted commander. She'll suspect me the least."

"But Hannah," I looked into her orange eyes. "There's hope."

"What do you mean?" Hannah immediately tensed.

"You said you disagree with Order's antics. You can change, Hannah. It's never too late."

Hannah stared into my eyes and I felt her hand caress my cheek, wincing as she touched my broken jaw.

"You'll be okay, Percy."

I heard footsteps.

"Order's coming. I'm gonna get you out, Percy. I swear."

Hannah then did the thing I wasn't expecting. She leaned in and kissed me. Her lips tasted like fresh picked mangoes from a tropical island. It lasted for about ten seconds before she pulled away and slunk out the cell door. I heard rough footsteps that signaled Order was here.

"Oh..." Order lifted my chin, "My... poor nephew."

She sliced my chest again.

"I wouldn't put you out of your misery, Thalost. Never. Because you deserve it."

With that, she slapped me three times. Hard. Then, she left. So I sent a signal to Luke from where I was with my last conscious thought.

They found me, Luke. Don't come to the Void.

Then, I was out like a light.

HANNAH MCFLANDERS

As I kissed those bloody lips, past the metal taste, I could taste the sea. That was a feeling I'd never felt in a long time. I quickly slunk back in the cell once Order had gone. And I knew that if Chaos really sent his own son down here, he must have a way out. Knowing this, my only option was to get Percy out of the dungeons and to the edge of the Void, where he could easily escape, and no one could pursue him.

I stared at his limp form and I silently added a little bit of ointment to the wounds.

"Soon, Percy. Soon."