I'm Still Mortal

Chapter Sixteen (LAST CHAPTER)

Percy's POV

Three Years Later

     Today was my last day of therapy, finally. Jason and the therapist had helped me through a lot, especially through writing. I've been writing every night for the last year or so now, and have filled almost three notebooks full of notes and random figments of thought that don't even fit together. Today, however, was the last day. It was my last page of my third notebook, and I was going to make it count.

     I've been doing this for over a year now. I've collected notes, ranted when I don't feel well and written down the highlights of my day. Slowly, with the help of medication, Jason and others around me, I can see my notes getting brighter and more optimistic by every month that passes. I'm finally writing my last entry, one last frantic scrawl to make everything count.
     I wasn't doing well there years ago. I was struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD and minor anorexia, which was a struggle to deal with when I was trying to take meds (that didn't work for me anyways and just gave me terrible side effects) that required me to eat. Constantly losing weight and slowly getting weaker only made me feel more hopeless than I was before. When Annabeth paralyzed me, I realized how weak I really was, how weak I really felt.
     Instead of letting me give into the weakness and letting me drop off the edge without a fight, Jason and Nico held me up until I could stand properly and balance myself so I wouldn't fall, and everyone else that helped made sure I had a structure, a soft surface, to fall onto whenever I did stumble closer to the edge, helping me back away from the pit that certainly would have ended in death.
     It was confirmed that Annabeth had moved to California with her dad to study history and architecture and didn't intend on coming back. Even though she was a large part of my childhood and made a lot more of my life bearable that it would have been otherwise, I knew I had to let her go or she would cling to the darkest place in my mind, and slowly spread a fungal rot until I was completely finished.
     Fortunately, everyone around me supported and tended to me when I was down. Now, I'm better than I was even before I knew gods existed. I'm going to attend college with Jason in Rome, I have energy and actually feel emotions that aren't dragging me down into a ditch every time I turn a corner of my labyrinth of a life. I've regained my strength, both mentally and physically, and can actually eat full meals without a problem. I've stopped cutting entirely, and although I do still have the blades, I haven't used them in months. I'm only taking three medications instead of my six and I'm falling asleep much easier with Jason at my side.
     We concluded that the reason I haven't been able to sleep was paranoia, even before Annabeth. I've always been scared a monster would break into camp and hurt me in my sleep that I simply couldn't find the courage to sleep. Then, the monster changed to Annabeth, but I had Jason.
     Jason. The only real reason I'm better. Without him, I never would have made it this far. From the start on the Argo II so many years ago when we fought over the smallest of things to never wanting to leave each others side. I may be portrayed as a hero to the demigod world by many, but no one notices the heroes in the background, making sure that the main vessel can actually function. It's harsh, but it's true. I couldn't have done anything successful in my life if I hadn't had my backup. Not that I couldn't do it physical and godly ability wise, but my mental health wouldn't allow me. There were mornings I physically couldn't get out of bed because of my lack of motivation. Then again, I'm focusing on the past too much.
     These notebooks have held me in place in times of panic, but they are also weighing me down. It's a heavy ball-chain metaphor, except I've grown rather fond of the chain and would prefer to not leave it behind.
     Anyways, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them, but this is my last entry. The final goodbye from Perseus Jackson, Son of Poseidon, with a happy note that I think I'll be alright.

Author's Note

WOO. I finished it! I hope you guys like the ending, I was facing some pretty bad writers block there but I like the journal thing.

I really appreciate you guys giving me a chance to take on FallDown5s work after she's moved on from Wattpad and hope that I'm doing alright with my inheritance :)

I might do an extra chapter later for Jercy or something, something super short and under like 500 words, but something cute :) for now, good bye! I'll hopefully see you in my other works ;)