The Light and the Dark

♧︎Two♧︎

So, I'm going to give you some warning for this book. Percy does go a bit insane so it will be really dark. But there will be some good parts so it's not all dark. I'm not going to censor it because I feel it would take some of the quality and the angle I'm going for.

~~~

" Oh, no, stay with me, Annie, stay with me." Percy cried over Annabeth's body. Percy was so close to breaking. It hurt more because Annabeth wasn't dead. She was just laying there flaunting with the line of death and life. Annabeth's breath short and shallow and came out raspy. A trickle of blood ran from her nose, while Percy cradled Annabeth to her chest, muttering a bunch of  'I love you's and 'You'll be okay.'

Percy placed a feathery kiss on Annabeth's lips.

After Percy closed Annabeth's eyes, she looked around the battle field. Hundred of bodies laid around. And that's what broke her.

Percy let out a laugh. At first, a short laugh. She found this funny. Dead bodies laid around her, most of them she knew. A lot of them she loved. The survivors looked at her, stared at her with fear and confusion. The fearful ones had the right feeling.

Then they realized, the great Percy Jackson finally broke.

~~~

Percy stayed in her cabin, people thought that it would be for the best. People would take turns feeding her and talking to her. At first, Percy didn't listen, she would just hum and pay attention to random stuff in the cabin now she can pay attention to you. She can nod back or smile, and sometimes she will even reply. She would just zone out, making disturbing gestures and then start laughing. Proving everyone's theory that she is too gone to save.

She wasn't like Chris, who got better. Percy was so far gone that even Mr. D's therapy only helped a little. Everyone knew that Annabeth was Percy's rock, her love, her girlfriend and her best friend. Percy fell into Tartarus for her, and it's a miracle that both of them didn't go insane before they made it out of hell. Jason knocked on the door, after waiting a few seconds he shifted the plate of food in his hands and opened the door. " Percy?"

Jason looked around the room, his eyes stopped on a figure in the corner. Percy didn't even look at Jason when he came in, nor when he sat next to her. Percy was fascinated by the fountain in the corner of her room. She was staring at the colors reflecting off the water and the gold coins at the bottom of the fountain.

Jason gently placed a hand on Percy's back, Percy didn't change what she was doing. She didn't even feel Jason's hand. " You wanna eat, Perc?"

" Pretty..." Percy smiled at the colors reflecting and changing.

Jason softened. This was the first time that she had focused on something longer than a few seconds. Jason wasn't used to Percy being calm. Jason thought it was the fountain, because Piper and Hazel  unplugged the fountain so Percy wouldn't hurt herself or try to drown herself.

" Want to sit on the bed?" Jason placed the plate of food on the desk a few feet away. Then he offered a hand to Percy, after she didn't take it Jason bent down to pick her up.

She squirmed and and started thrash, " No!"

As soon as Jason released Percy's arm she was fine. Back to staring at the staring at the fountain, slightly rocking back and forth muttering over and over again, " No, no, no."

" Alright, we'll eat here." Jason sighed. He thought they were making progress. He got the plate that had a cup of pudding and a few french fries. The others didn't know he brought the french fries but Jason felt bad. Percy had been treated like an unstable toddler since the war, of course they had full right to, but Percy was still his best friend. And the old Percy loved french fries and finger foods.

After Jason fed Percy with pudding with a spoon, he handed her a french fry. Percy opened her mouth like she does for a spoon, but when she realized it wasn't pudding or a protein shake, she quickly grabbed it with both hands. Nibbling on the fry.

" Jay?" She asked, after Jason handed her another fry.

Jason gasped slightly, this was the first time she was present enough to recognize someone was in the room with her, " What's up, Perc?"

" Annie?" Percy asked, then started to look around.

" She's not here, Perc." Jason didn't know what to say. If he said the wrong thing he could send her into panic or a meltdown.

Percy didn't answer, just nibbling on her fry. Sighing, Jason wondered if time would fix Percy, or break her more. " Hey, guess what I did today?"

" Pretty," Percy mumbled. Her eyes glancing at Jason.

" Yeah," Jason nodded, trying make sure his voice didn't break. Percy used to be the strongest person Jason knew, now she was broken pieces of the hero she used to be. The gods kept adding more pressure and more pain until- she broke.

How long until everyone is like that? Jason wondered. Maybe the reason why demigods didn't leave that long, wasn't being they were too weak, but they were just too tired. They didn't get killed, they let themselves be killed.

Jason sat up against the wall, watching Percy rock back and forth. Back and forth. " Leo pranked me, today. I think you would have liked it."

Jason continued to tell Percy about his day while Percy stated at the fountain. He knew she was listening. And that's he cared about.

Jason got up, " Alright, Percy, Piper will be back soon to get you ready for bed. Now, don't tell her about the fries. It will be our secret."

" Secret." Percy mumbled, " Pretty, pretty secret."

" Yeah," Jason was hit again with another wave of sadness. He hung his head, then looked back at Percy to see her playing with a strand of her hair. Then made his way to the door.

After Jason left, Percy rocked back and forth. Her mind was a broken road, floating pieces of thought. She had to jump from thought to thought, because when she landed on a thought, it would disappear. " Annabeth. Pretty Annabeth. Secret Annabeth. Pretty secret."

Then Percy's head snapped up, " Find Annabeth."

~~~