ELAPSE | PJO

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 2

--Future/present Percy--

Annabeth stared into Percy's eyes, and for the first time in a long while, he saw a spark of fear ignite.

He didn't like it.

Annabeth looked behind her to where Beckendorf was staring at the two strangely, and then back at Percy. "I don't know what to do," she admitted.

Percy sucked in a breath. It wasn't often she admitted to not knowing something.

"I thought we'd finished the whole Luke thing," she continued, her voice dangerously quiet.

"Hey," Percy said, grasping her shoulder. "We knew, at one point, we'd have to deal with the aftermath. Just...not like this."

Annabeth took a deep breath. "You're right. I just need to pretend like nothing happened."

Percy nodded. "Exactly. And I'll be right by your side, the whole time."

Annabeth took his hand in hers. "You better," she mumbled.

"You weren't kidding," came a gruff, faintly accented voice from behind them.

"Chiron," they both turned, relieved to know that someone with more experience was there.

"My, my." Chiron studied the two demigods, from head to toe.

Past Annabeth stood next to him, her arms folded and her gaze completely focused.

Finally, Chiron moved to Annabeth and put a hand to her cheek. "How you've grown."

"So you believe us?" Percy asked.

Chiron turned to him with awe. "I'm at a loss for words. You are--were--just that thirteen-year-old boy over there," he pointed behind him with a thumb, "and then--now--you're this. Fascinating."

Annabeth cut to the chase (yes, I did). "Chiron, do you have any idea what's going on? At all?"

Chiron finally seemed to realize that there was an issue at hand. "Ah, right. I believe you were sent here to assist us with a...problem."

"What's going on?" Percy asked, fully expecting a quest from the gods.

Chiron rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Eager, aren't we?"

"Not the slightest bit," Percy muttered.

"In that case, why don't you join the campfire tonight? Then I can explain to the rest of the camp why there are future demigods running around, and explain what's going on for you two as well."

"Not now?" Annabeth asked.

"Patience, child. There is definitely trouble brewing, but I want everyone to warm up to you first--and I'd rather not have you two on edge." Chiron spun on his horse legs, before turning back. "Annabeth, Percy? Get them settled."

Past Percy and Past Annabeth nodded in Chiron's direction, and they watched him go.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on here?" Beckendorf asked.

Annabeth looked at Percy. "It's a long story."

~

Percy understood that they weren't supposed to leak any big information--like how they completed the quests, or who they'd met. Not even who had died.

But he was having a difficult time.

Beckendorf and Silena were there, oblivious to each other's love--as well as each other's deaths.

It took everything Percy had in him not to break down, right there, and tell everyone everything.

That would've been embarrassing on a godly level--something he was unfortunately used to.