Percabeth One Shots (Collection 1) {Complete}

#29

WARNING: Mentions of suicidal thoughts and intentions as well as depression and slight PTSD

Take Me Back... (If Percy never met Annabeth)

Percy Jackson was tired.

He had to admit it, he was done, exhausted. Nothing seemed to have meaning anymore and all because of one thing. If he hadn't been a demigod, perhaps everything would be fine. Maybe he'd be normal. Maybe he'd be able to keep a girlfriend that would put up with him, maybe he'd be able to keep his family safe, maybe he'd have friends.

He'd never had friends. That was the sad part. There was Grover, but he was gone, Lord of the Wild and all. It wasn't like anyone wanted to be friends with Percy Jackson, Camp's hero of bad luck. Every quest he was sent on, people died. He just wasn't strong enough to go alone, he guessed. There was the rest of the seven, but they were few. The only ones to survive were Hazel and Frank, and that's only because they weren't there when the ground under Percy's feet exploded and made all of the seven go airborn. Jason, of course, was knocked out, and couldn't help. Percy was the only one to survive, and that was because of the water. Even Reyna, who had tried her best to stop the Romans, died on the battle field that day.

And it was his fault. His friends were gone, and he knew why. They were gone forever because of him. If he have controlled that explosion of water from underground, they'd still be alive, he knew it.

And of course, that's the reason why he stood on a rooftop in the middle of the night.

He'd messed everything up. He'd moved out a week after the war and hidden himself from his mother. He didn't want her to be hurt because of him. He didn't exactly have a place to stay, instead walked around town and slept at under bridges. You may wonder why he didn't sleep at Camp, well, that's because he wasn't the only one who blamed himself for all those deaths. They wouldn't say it, but he knew.

He'd managed to get by, but it was difficult. He stole and scavenged, getting attacked by monsters everyday. He knew he was being unreasonable, but still, it was better that he stay as far away from anyone as possible.

The cold night air whipped against his face and tousled his hair. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine that he was on the deck of the Argo II, the rest of the crew behind him. He could hear Leo's laughter, feel the love radiating off of Hazel and Frank, and see the smiles that Piper and Jason had on their faces. He could smell the ocean. All he had to do was take one step, and he'd be in paradise.

"What are you doing?" A voice said behind him. Percy almost tipped forward off the roof, but felt a hand grab his elbow with a surprisingly strong grip for what sounded like a girl. He opened his eyes, looking down at where his foot was suspended over empty air.

Someone stood beside him, concern lighting their eyes in a way that made Percy's heart clench. He hadn't seen someone wear that look for him in a while. Their eyes were dark, and he couldn't make out their color in the darkness, but their hair was a blonde color, or so he could make out in the limited light. It was a girl, and he had to say, she was very pretty.

"Huh?" He blinked, his voice sounding desolate. The girl glanced at her hand that still held his elbow, then towards the edge of the roof.

"What are you doing?" She repeated. Percy was so surprised, still, that he had to ask himself that question as well. What was he doing? Oh, right, killing himself.

"What do you think?" Percy turned slightly, wobbling in the wind. The girl's eyes widened when he tipped closer to the edge.