Gone and away. A Percy Jackson Fanfiction.

Part 3

Anabeth and I both knew that as soon as we arrived at camp we would be swept up into its routine madness, requiring ample physical and mental stamina. Therefor for the weeks leading up to our departure Annabeth and I lived off Ambrosia, which was one of the few things we could both resonably stomach, and remained in bed for the majority of our stay. I managed to recover quickly between the godly food and regular contact with water. Annabeth, although making huge strides in her recovery prossess, still couldn't move around completely freely. 

"Ambrosia will do what it can, what it can't...will be a problem for the future." She said as she dismissed my concerns, but even as she recited these words fear glowed behind her eyes. She wouldn't admit it but she was frustrated, being so dependent made her feel weak and weakness never lent to anything good.

The morning we were to leave for Camp I awoke to the sunlight streaming though my window and an empty presence beside me, Annabeth was gone. Every horrible possibility flashed through my mind as I sat up my eyes scanning my surroundings, Annabeth's crutch was gone as was her little backpack of toiletries mom had given her. She was still here, I breathed a sigh of relief shuffling out of the room sleepily. 

I ventured out to the kitchen, from the corner of my eye I caught Annabeths curly blond hair seated at the kitchen table, Estell beside her in her car seat, her arms flailing about, her eyes drinking in her surroundings thirstily. The open windows let in a soft breeze that swept through the kitchen gracefully drawing my attention to the table was set with mounds of food covered in tea towels. Annabeth sat at the table cooing at Estelle, Paul stood at the sink washing the cooking dishes, as my mother flipped beautiful blue pancakes on the griddle. The scent of pancake batter invaded my senses, a nauseating sensation erupted in the pit of my stomach. I steadied myself on the back of Annabeth's chair my knuckles white as I gripped the wood rooting myself in place. I was not going to sprint to the bathroom to throw up, not again.

Annabeth turned back to me smiling into my kiss her broken eyes reflecting the same sick feeling pestering me. Its not that the food smelled fowl or anything, I just was overwhelmed, it made me feel disorented, like the room was spinning and everyone was screaming everywhere but nowhere all at once.

"Whats the reason for all this?" I forced a smile.

Mom glanced over her shoulder, smiled, and replied. "One last hurrah before you leave." She replied cheerfully. 

"You didn't have to."

"I know, I wanted to darling." Her smile was the same kind and mischievous smile I knew as a child, the same smile I longed for during my time...down there.

We managed to get through breakfast, we played with Estelle one last time and finished packing whatever few things we had forgotten. As we gathered beside the awaiting taxi we said goodbye like Annabeth and I were walking toward our deaths. Mom grasped me tightly in her arms. "Don't do anything stupid," She whispered in my ear. Her meaning clear. I shook my head.

"I never intend to," I replied solemnly. Her eyes were misty but she didn't let a single tear fall, at least not now, not when I needed her strength the most. But my bloodline can't be ignored I would eventually meet my end and more likely than not it would be sooner rather than later and at the hands of an angry god, monster, or even in battle. There was no promise I could make that would change that, though I wished so very much I could.

We drove all morning, when we arrived at Half-Blood Hill we paid the driver and started to leave. Just as we were about to shut the door the driver spoke up. "You sure you want to be here?" He asked us gently. "There is nothing here for miles, 'cept that old strawberry farm."

Annabeth glanced back at him then looked to me her eyes were empty shattered like a glass pane. "Perhaps, but we see a whole life spread out for us." Her eyes darkened as she glanced past me at the hill. "Thank you though." He reached behind his seat as if to catch us by the arm and hold us there.