Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus

Well, hello everyone! I have a One-Shot series in progress, and I was requested to do a Percy/Artemis story, but I don't think that would be possible to make happen in one chapter, so I decided to do a story about it! I've noticed while looking for ideas that there aren't that many good ones out there, at least that are finished, so I hope you like this one! I hope that you guys enjoy, review, and thank you!

Last note, this is a Beta of a sort, so let me know if you think the story has promise in the reviews so I know whether or not to continue!

Chapter 1

Percy's POV

The war with Gaia had ended, but nobody had escaped unscathed. Everyone has lost people, loved ones, siblings, friends… The list goes on. The Seven all survived by some miracle, but I heard people say I still had it harder than anyone else did in this war. I'd been the person everyone assumed to be the leader, the hero, the one who would make sure everything was ok. I was the one responsible for the victories, as well as the one accountable for failures. Nobody said this, but I knew it was true. When one of the Seven was injured, or nearly killed, it was my fault. I had all the pressure on my shoulders.

Then I fell into Tartarus. Granted, Annabeth was with me in that literal hell, but even with someone there, Tartarus changed a person. When we fought the curses and I saw everything that others had wished on me, I finally knew what they had gone through. Even Calypso had cursed Annabeth for being my reason for leaving her.

We escaped from Tartarus, but you can't explain to others what it was like down there, you couldn't make them understand the torture of every waking moment.

Last, during the final battle with Gaia and her army, I was nearly killed. Gaia herself had tried to "drown" me in some kind of dirt/mud that felt like tar. I'd blacked out for a few seconds before someone pulled me out, although I had been too lightheaded to see who it was. Ever since, I hadn't been able to shake my claustrophobia, and wasn't comfortable around water. I had nightmares about drowning, Tartarus, the people who had died because of me, and that was all that I ever saw at night, and I often woke up screaming from the visions.

I was alone in my cabin, but often there were people around me when I woke up who came to see if I was ok. Occasionally I even woke up to blood running out of my mouth from biting down so hard on my cheek or tongue. I could see their concern in their eyes, and I wish I could make them feel better.

I'd been miserable for months, not sure what to do. I'd wandered the camp, going through the motions, acting like everything was ok, but it wasn't. I could do nothing more than put on my mask of no emotion, my fake smile, but I was broken. A shell of who I used to be. I'd thinned, my skin had gotten pale, I rarely ate, my hair was almost like black straw, and when I looked in the mirror my eyes look shattered.

On rare occasion, Thalia had convinced Artemis to allow her to leave her duties for a few days to come visit me in an attempt to help me, but it did nothing. She always left a bit angry that I wasn't getting better, but I knew it wouldn't last. It never did, and she came back two more times.

Day-in, day-out, I couldn't shake the misery that was my life. Every time my eyes closed, I could see Tartarus. Every time I coughed, I felt like I was choking on soil.

I finally gave up for the day and went into the cabin and laid down on my bed, trying to escape what my life had become. I couldn't even go to the water for comfort anymore. I had nowhere to go.

I shut my eyes and waited for hours until I finally drifted off to sleep, hoping for a single night- just one- without nightmares. Of course, I was disappointed.

I realized I was in the air. I looked around but saw nothing except grey clouds surrounding me. I started thrashing, trying to find a way to escape.

The only thing I could sense was the whispering of the winds rushing past me. I couldn't understand what was happening until I heard a voice cutting into my consciousness.

"You can never escape me."

Then I fell.

I dropped, screaming as I fell. I couldn't see what was below me, all there was, and all there is, is clouds.

I fell for what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few seconds. Suddenly, the clouds vanished and I struggled to turn to see what was below me, and saw I was falling into the ocean.

I flailed, trying to find anything to keep me from falling into the sea, but there was nothing but air.

I fell to the water, and hit with a huge splash. It didn't hurt me because I was the son of Poseidon, but I immediately started panicking. I sank to the bottom of the ocean, clawing at the ocean, trying to go towards the surface, but being dragged down into the darkness by nothing.

I choked, unable to breathe. I tried to inhale to meet the feeling of cold liquid rushing down my throat. I coughed, trying to find air, oxygen, anything. I couldn't breathe, trying desperately to survive.

I clawed at my throat, beginning to sink into unconsciousness. I screamed, bubbles rising from me as I sank into the darkness, the nothingness, the abyss where I would die again, just like I did every time I fell asleep.

I woke up screaming.

I bit down hard with my blanket between my teeth, trying to calm down. I was breathing heavily, and tried to slow down my heart rate. The door opened quickly and Annabeth ran in, followed from a few feet behind by Leo, Nico, and Piper.

I just shook my head, and tried to put on a brave face, "I'm ok, I'll be fine."

Annabeth kneeled down beside my bed, and I could see the concern in her eyes, "Are you sure?"

I nodded and she hesitantly stood up and slowly left my cabin. I laid down on my bed, clenching my jaw and I felt tears running down my face, then slowly whispered to myself, "No, I'm not ok."

I don't know when this will be published, but it's gonna be an interesting story, I hope you enjoyed! Please review and I hope to see you in the next one!