~Author's Note~

I know this concept has been done many times before – I just fancied a go at it.

I will never post the complete works of Rick Riordan just a few sentences to show where they are in the book.

This is will only feature Percy and Annabeth's time in Tartarus from HoH and how they get there from MoA.

Please let me know what you think – I hope you enjoy!

We only want to help

Three weeks after the giant war had ended Annabeth and Percy were still having terrible nightmares.

"We have to know what happened" Poseidon said to Athena "how can we help them otherwise?" He asked her.

"You're right" Athena responded "but, we aren't the only ones that need to know."

Percy's P.O.V

Annabeth had had a particularly bad nightmare last night. We sat on my bed in my mom's apartment as I tried to comfort her. I knew I was the only one who could but at the same time I knew what I was doing was mostly in vein as we'd be back again tomorrow doing it all over again. That was our life now, no sleep, comforting each other and trying to make it through school.

"It's okay Wise Girl" I said "I'm right here, we made it out, together" I kept saying the same things I always did, and like she always did for me, slowly she stopped crying.

"Thanks Seaweed Brain" she said "they seem almost worse now we're home"

"I think because we don't have a war to distract us" I replied.

She scowled but then replied "you're possibly right, do you think they'll ever stop?" She asked me.

"Gods, I hope so" I told her.

We got up and dressed for the day ahead I walked over to Annabeth and laced my fingers through hers.

"Ready?" I asked her before we opened my bedroom door.

"As I'll ever be, I guess" she answered.

I opened the door and we walked through. Instead of ending up in my mom's kitchen though, we ended up in the palace of the Gods, in the throne room.

I looked back at the door we had just walked through but it was gone.

I looked around the throne room and noticed that it wasn't just the Gods that were present. Our friends from the Argo II and Calypso were also here, Thalia was here, Nico, Chiron, Will, Clarisse, Rachel, Malcolm and even Reyna was present. But, that wasn't what made me frown. My mom and Paul were here, as were Annabeth's father and step mother.

I looked at Annabeth who looked just as confused as I was.

"What's going on?" She asked before I could.

"We have come to an agreement" my father started "that in order to help the two of you we need to know what happened to you."

"No" I said. "Dad, don't make us talk about that, please" I begged and I could hear the terror in my voice and I could see it in Annabeth's eyes as I looked at her.

"You are not going to have to talk about it" Athena said "the fates have put it in a book for us to read" she said and I noticed the book by Hestia on the hearth for the first time.

"No" I said again and then looked at my mom. "Mom, I don't want you to read this please." I knew I sounded desperate; I had always played down the dangers of the quests we had been on for my mom. And, I think she knew that, but if she read this book or even had to listen to it, there wouldn't be any watering it down for her.

My mom walked over to us and placed a hand on each of our cheeks.

"Percy, you've not left me, or any of us with much other choice. You walk into the kitchen every morning and I know you've not slept. We hear the screams at night and it breaks my heart knowing I can't do anything for either of you." I felt so ashamed that she felt this way and I could see she knew that's how I felt. "I'm not telling you this to upset you, but if you can't tell me, well this is the only way."

"Sally" Annabeth tried and I could see the panic on her face and she looked up and saw her dad just as worried as my mom. "Dad, please you can't-" her voice just as desperate as mine, I knew the realisation had come to her, faster than it had to me.

He looked at us and I could see pain in his eyes too and I knew instantly that we were not going to win this discussion.

"Annabeth, we only want to help you" he said "please let us try" and I heard the same heart ache that was in my mother's voice.

I turned to Annabeth and looked into her eyes and I saw fear, I knew I must have had the same fear in my eyes too. Normally we were pretty good and pushing that fear down and carrying on with the day but last night was still so fresh in our minds.

"Percy" she whispered looking up at me.

"I know" I said enveloping her in a hug, there was nothing I could do to make this better and there was nothing I could do to stop it. We were going to have to relive our time in that horrible place, all of our thoughts and fears, open and on display for our family to hear and see.

She sobbed quietly against my chest and I knew I had tears on my cheeks too. I looked around the room and saw faces full of concern. I must look so weak I thought to myself. I placed my lips next to Annabeth's ear and whispered "we'll get through this, like we always will, together."

I felt her nod against my chest and eventually she looked up at me. I wiped the tears from her cheeks and she wiped away mine. I hated that so many people were watching us have this raw and exposed moment. I turned towards the Gods, still holding Annabeth in my arms and looked at my father. With a wave of his hand sofas appeared for everyone who was a guest to sit on. Annabeth and I sat on one all on our own this wasn't something that we wanted anyone to read or know. It wasn't something we wanted to relive and I just hoped it didn't trigger any flashbacks. As if reading my thoughts Annabeth's mom spoke up.

"This is purely a reading; you won't feel any effects from the book"

"How can you be sure, it won't trigger-" Annabeth started to ask.

"We have made sure, my daughter, there is a layer of magic around us; you are safe here."

Annabeth looked at me and I could see the scepticism in her eyes, I'm sure I had the same look in my eyes.

"Let's just start" she sighed next to me and I could tell as much as the people we cared about wanted to know what happened to us, at the same time, after seeing our reactions, they didn't.

Annabeth's P.O.V

Lady Hestia started to read.

Chapter 1 - Annabeth

"Great- this is literally going to be our thoughts" I muttered and Percy pulled me closer to him. I knew he was just as afraid as I was, we didn't want people to know; we weren't ready for people to know.

Annabeth had seen some strange things before...

This was before we fell I thought to myself, I looked at Percy and he understood what I was trying to tell him silently. I was still in that place with her.

Unfortunately it fell straight towards Annabeth...

My dad had terror in his eyes, I didn't ever tell him of our quests and adventures but I knew he knew it was dangerous. Ever since he'd flown in to help rescue me, we'd had an understanding. I would do what was necessary and he wouldn't ask how dangerous it was. But, deep down, I don't think even he knew how dangerous they had really been. Sally also looked terrified for me but there wasn't much I could do about it.

As Arachne fell...

My mother shuddered visibly. I could tell she had realised that she had put me on this dangerous quest to find the Athena Parthenos.

But none of that mattered when she heard Percy's voice from above: "Annabeth!"

"Here!" She sobbed.

I could feel eyes watching me, but Percy just held me closely, like I was the only thing that mattered. I appreciated that and I loved him for it. Even now when there was nothing we could do except listen he was still letting me know he'd do anything for me.

"Annabeth-" my father interrupted and I knew he must know how terrified I must have been in that moment. I looked up at him and I didn't really know what to say.

Lady Hestia kept reading, but I could tell our family was worried.

He didn't say you're okay, or we're alive...

...She loved him for saying that.

The squeal that irrupted from the Goddess of love was ear piercing. "See! What did I tell you?!" She said, my mother and Percy's father gave her a hard stare, but she didn't seem to notice.

"How is it that you always know what she needs to hear?" Piper asked "Like I know how, but have you always been this in tune?"

I looked at Percy and I smiled, I could see his face heating up.

"I'd like to say yes" he started and he looked down at me and smiled "but I can't"

"We've always had a degree of it" I whispered to him so only he could hear me. He smiled at me and kissed the top of my head, I really loved when he did that.

Thalia snorted from another sofa. "Please Kelp Head; you two have always been so in sync, it's just got worse since you finally admitted how you feel." I looked over at my best friend and I realised that she was right, she noticed me looking at her and raised her eyebrows as if to say "tell me I'm wrong" but I couldn't.

"If I could continue?" Lady Hestia asked but she wasn't looking for a response. The room fell silent once more.

...a sign across her pedestal that read: WIDE LOAD.

Leo burst out laughing and soon most of the demigods had joined in.

"I wish I had thought of that" Leo said which earned him a harsh glare from my mother.

"Be thankful you didn't" she warned, I could see Lord Poseidon really struggling not to laugh, trying to be respectful. To be fair to them they had been trying to get along more since Percy and I had started dating. But, I guess there are some things that just wouldn't change.

"That would have been disrespectful" Percy whispered so only I could hear him and I nodded against his chest. I knew what was coming next and I could feel the fear starting to bubble in my stomach. Instinctively Percy's arm seemed to tighten around my waist, like he knew. I looked up at him and I was going to try and convey a silent thank you but I saw the fear I was feeling in his eyes. He knew what was coming too, and how he felt about what had happened, well we hadn't really talked about it before. I just knew that if he had to do it all over again, for me, he would.

He finally noticed me looking at him and looked down and gave me a half smile. I could feel eyes on us watching our exchange of fear and I didn't really know how to keep them from feeling it.

She tried to stagger towards the ladder...

"No!" My father and Sally cried at the same time, I dared to glance at my mother. I could see panic in her eyes. I glanced at Percy and saw a deep sadness in his eyes, not about the story but about the pain it was causing the people we cared about.

Percy lunged...

There was a collective sigh as those who had not been present for this the first time around, let go of a breathe that they had been holding. Percy's grip on my tightened as he pulled me as close as he could without me landing in his lap. His eyes met mine, and they said one simple word to me, 'together'. We hadn't even got to the part about our time there, if this was how our parents were reacting now, I didn't want them to know anymore.

Percy was the only thing keeping her from falling...

Everyone looked at Percy.

"What?" He asked almost angrily, I knew it was because we were being forced to share this with the people we cared about before we were ready. But, then would we ever be ready? Would we inadvertently push them all away because we couldn't talk about it? I was starting to see why the Gods had assembled us, as much as I didn't like it.

"Percy let me go," she croaked...

"Never" Percy said next to me and I kissed his cheek before settling my head on his chest again.

"Never" he said...

"So romantic" Aphrodite said, dabbing tears with a tissue.

Then Percy let go...

"You let go?!" My father yelled.

"Dad!" I started but Percy stopped me from finishing.

"It's ok" he told me "he wants to blame someone"

"Then blame the spider" My step mother, the last person I thought would defend me, said to my father.

Percy stood "Mom, Paul, Mr Chase, Mrs Chase, Dad, Lady Athena - could we have a moment?" I also stood and he laced my fingers through his.

With an approving nod from Zeus we walked out into the gardens of Olympus. Percy stopped near a fountain and we turned to face our parents.

"Please" he begged tears in his eyes "please, don't insist on this, we've only just left the tunnels of Rome and that's nothing on what" he paused.

"On what is to come" I finished for him he looked at me gratefully.

"I can see the pain just this one chapter has caused, mom please" he begged her; he didn't want her to know what happened down there. I stood in front in front of Percy and looked into his eyes I could see numerous emotions in them. We had a silent conversation and eventually he closed his eyes, sighed and nodded. I stepped from in front of him so he could see our parents again.

"Percy we need to know, we can't help you if we don't" Paul said to him.

Percy looked imploringly at his father.

"I think what Percy is trying to say, is that it won't help" Poseidon voiced and there was a sadness to his normally proud voice.

I knew there was another reason fear; he didn't want them to see him or I differently. I knew that they were already seeing us differently and after our silent conversation so did Percy. Ultimately I think Percy knew that trying to persuade them not to continue reading was only going to make them want to know more.

His mom was the one who seemed to finally get him to relent.

"Percy, hunny, I know when you tell me of your quests you play them down to try and spare me the dangerous parts. I understand you cannot do that this time and I also understand how much that frightens you. With all this in mind, Percy I still need to know. Maybe it won't help, maybe it will, but until less we try we won't know." She said and I could tell Percy was trying really hard not to cry. He nodded and after a few moments we all headed back into the throne room.