Castaways

Chapter 9

*Zoe walks back into the house and sees Annabeth looking tense.*

Annabeth stood in the middle of Zoe's cabin, the air heavy with the weight of past and present. Her reunion with Percy had been a whirlwind of emotions, and now, faced with the complexities of their intertwined destinies, she gathered the courage to speak.

"Percy, you should come back to camp. Chiron has been worried about you. We all have," she said, her eyes reflecting a mix of concern and a lingering hurt from the years of searching.

Percy glanced at Zoe, and for a moment, the unspoken bond of shared experiences passed between them. "Annabeth, this is our life now. We can't go back to the way things were. You know what we've been through, and you have your own responsibilities."

Annabeth's frustration bubbled to the surface, and she clenched her fists. "Percy, you can't just hide away here. There's a war coming, and we need every demigod we can get. You're a powerful ally."

Zoe, sensing the tension in the room, moved closer to Percy, her expression unwavering. "Annabeth, we've endured centuries of struggles. This is our choice, our sanctuary. We can't be a part of your war."

Annabeth, caught between the desire for Percy's presence and the realization of the irreparable rift, took a step back. "I can't believe you're choosing this. You're choosing her over everything we've been through, over the friendships we built, over..."

Percy interrupted, his tone firm, "Annabeth, you need to leave. This is our life, and we won't be dragged into your conflicts. I'm sorry if that hurts, but it's the reality. Also I have endured a lot more than you know, I'm talking centuries in Tartarus."

Stung by the rejection, Annabeth stormed out of the cabin, the door slamming behind her. She stood outside, the anger burning in her eyes. Piper, who had been observing the exchange, approached cautiously.

"Annabeth, I know this is hard, but maybe they're right. Everyone has their own path, and sometimes they don't align with ours," Piper suggested, trying to ease the tension.

Annabeth's frustration overflowed, and she snapped, "I've been searching for Percy for three years, and now he just wants to stay here in this cabin with her? After everything we've been through?"

Piper sighed, her gaze thoughtful. "Love is a strange thing, Annabeth. Maybe they found something here that we can't understand. Percy and Zoe have endured more than most demigods. Perhaps this is their haven, their choice."

Annabeth, still grappling with the weight of the rejection, took a deep breath. "I just miss him. I miss the Percy I knew."

Piper nodded in understanding, "Sometimes, people change. And sometimes, they find solace in unexpected places. Give it time, Annabeth."

Annabeth stands outside as Percy and Zoe look on with renewed anxiety. She turns around with fire in her eyes. "You stole him from me." She mutters angrily. "She did no such thing. I married Zoe because I love her. She was my partner through Tartarus."

As if on cue, Aria walks out of the forest with a small hog that had a shoulder. "Did I miss anything?" She asked slightly confused. Annabeth rushes her and punches her in the lower jaw. Golden ichor splattered out of her mouth. She fell to the ground whimpering in pain. As Annabeth went for another strike, she froze.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Percy screams at her. He has one hand outstretched. Annabeth's eyes widen, 'he froze my blood.', "I am gonna let you go now. You try that again and I will throw you." His grip on her blood relaxes as he slowly drops his hand. Annabeth collapses to the ground and slowly reaches for her dagger. 'This is the one binding them. I just need to get rid of her.' She freezes again. "That's it." He throws her into the trees.

She is knocked out by the impact, a crimson trail leaving her nose and mouth. He then turns to Piper, "She's alive, but not for long. Take her back to camp. With a concussion like that she won't remember this. Do not utter a word of this to anyone. You do and I hunt you and her down. Understood?" Piper nods quickly and rushes Annabeth back to camp.

Zoe and Percy rushed over to Aria, with nectar and Ambrosia in hand. "Are you alright?" Zoe asked, frantic. She nods wearily. They feed her the nectar and ambrosia through her excruciating pain. She whimpers as the ambrosia takes effect and her bones reset themselves. She makes a hand motion to Zoe and Percy.

'Sing' she said in ASL. They look at her, rather confused. "What would you like flower?", she replies with 'You know the song I like.' They smile at each other and start singing.

*She was 19 with a baby on the way
On the East-side of the city, she was working every day
Cleaning dishes in the evening, she could barely stay awake
She was clinging to the feeling that her luck was gonna change

And, 'cross town she would take the bus at night
To a one-bedroom apartment, and when she'd turn on the light
She would sit down at the table, tell herself that it's alright
She was waiting on the day she hoped her baby would arrive

She'd never be alone
Have someone to hold
And when nights were cold
She'd say

The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad
If we got each other, and that's all we have
I will be your mother, and I'll hold your hand
You should know I'll be there for you
When the world's not perfect
When the world's not kind
If we have each other, then we'll both be fine
I will be your mother, and I'll hold your hand
You should know I'll be there for you

They were 90 and were living out their days
On the West-side of the city next to where they got engaged
They had pictures on the walls of all the memories that they'd made
And though life was never easy, they were thankful that they stayed

With each other, and though some times were hard
Even when she made him angry he would never break her heart
No, they didn't have the money to afford a fancy car
But they never had to travel 'cause they'd never be apart

Even at the end
Their love was stronger than
The day that they first met
They'd say

The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad
If we got each other, and that's all we have
I will be your lover, and I'll hold your hand
You should know I'll be there for you
When the world's not perfect
When the world's not kind
If we have each other, then we'll both be fine
I will be your lover, and I'll hold your hand
You should know I'll be there for you

You should know I'll be there for you
I'm 23, and my folks are getting old
I know they don't have forever and I'm scared to be alone
So I'm thankful for my sister, even though sometimes we fight
When high school wasn't easy, she's the reason I survived

I know she'd never leave me and I hate to see her cry
So I wrote this verse to tell her that I'm always by her side
I wrote this verse to tell her that I'm always by her side
I wrote this verse to tell her that

The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad
If we got each other, and that's all we have
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand
You should know I'll be there for you
When the world's not perfect
When the world's not kind
If we have each other, then we'll both be fine
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand
You should know I'll be there for you

You should know I'll be there for you*

As they sing Aria drifts off to sleep to assist in her healing. She listens to the harmony of her parents in complete peace with the area around. This is what she loves about their family.

If your like me then you skipped the lyrics and if so, sorry for the short chapter, but I hope y'all enjoyed.