This chapter is crap. Sorry about the long wait.

Chapter 6

"Are you okay?"

Percy groggily cracked his eyes open, peeringat the blurry figure in front of him. His head pounded violently. All Percy wanted was to close his eyes and go to sleep, but he slowly forced himself to sit up.

Every move hurt. What had happened?

"You collapsed along with about 40 other students." The person said softly, answering his unasked question. Why did the voice sound so familiar?

Percy forced his eyes open, taking his first look at the girl leaning over him.

It couldn't be-

No-

How?

Why was she here?

Did she know?!

Annabeth.

His heart ached as he looked up at the daughter of Athena. She was so close, and yet, he couldn't go back.

"You're- youre…," he stumbled over his words. Percy had to know. Had to know that it wasn't some illusion. Had to know that his girlfriend was actually here.

"Yes, I'm a demigod. Daughter of Athena. Annabeth Chase."

"Why?" Percy forced the word out of his mouth slowly. He had to know.

"Why what?"

"Why are you here?"

"To figure out why this happened." Annabeth frowned, her face twisting up into her 'I'm thinking' face. "I'm guessing you haven't heard, but the mist just collapsed. I'm here to figure out why it affected you and your fellow mortal students."

"Oh."

Percy could barely wrap his head around it. The mist is gone. Poof. Never coming back.

Does that mean that they'd stop. That he could finally go back? That his reason for leaving was gone?

Percy shook his head. No, they'd still be coming for him. It was unrealistic to think otherwise.

"How are you feeling?" She held her pencil, ready to record notes.

"Uh.." Percy looked up into her grey eyes, lost in the swirling orbs. He scanned her face, which was modeled into an expression of polite interest. Percy could see that she didn't want to stay long. That she was almost eager to go somewhere else.

It broke his heart.

"I'm fine I guess."

"Really?" She gave him a slight smirk. "C'mon, you just passed out. You're probably feeling like crap."

"Why do you want to know?"

"What? I just explained it to you; I'm seeing how the mist affected…-"

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I can tell that you don't want to be here right now. Why are you even pretending to care? Why not just send some Apollo camper?"

Her face turned into one of annoyance. "It's not your job to question me." She took a deep breath, seemingly calming herself, but Percy knew better. "How are you feeling?"

"My head is pounding and I really just want to go back to sleep, but other than that I feel fantastic. Absolutely splendid."

She scribbled a couple words down, and rose to her feet.

"I have to go check on the other students. It was nice meeting you…?" The words were forced, and entirely fake. Percy felt bad. He didn't mean to rile her up. He just wanted to know why she was here.

"Alex." Percy's voice shook, "Alex Hawthorne."

Annabeth nodded in response, but seemed focused on his chin, or the surrounding area.

Percy tentatively raised a hand to his mouth. Did he have dirt there?

"You- you drool when you sleep." She almost choked the words out, turning on her heel and stalking the other direction.

Percy was going to cry.

He missed her so much. Curse the gods, the fates, and every MYTHICAL BEING OUT THERE. He wanted his life. He wanted his life with Annabeth.

He raised his head to watch Annabeth talk to other students.

Percy could have sworn that she raised her hand to wipe away a tear.

"Dude, you okay?" Emmett knelt by Percy's side.

Percy nodded, keeping his eyes pinned on Annabeth.

"Hey Emmett, do you wanna come over to my place after school?" Percy asked offhandedly. He needed someone to talk to. He didn't want to spend another night alone in his apartment, watching an episode of his life broadcasted on national television.

"Uh...yeah. Sure. I mean, we've never really done anything outside of school. Also, I think that school is basically over now. Let's go I guess."

Percy stood up and hefted his backpack onto his shoulder.

"We can just leave? They aren't checking out students?"

"Nah." Emmett shrugged, as he followed Percy towards the door. "The school's kinda a mess right now."

"Ok."

Percy stepped outside into the chilly air, breathing in deeply. He took one look back inside, at Annabeth who was helping a fellow classmate stand.

He felt like a jerk for leaving.

Percy almost laughed when he unlocked the door to his apartment.

"Man, you never told me that you liked video games," Emmett paused as he took in the scene. "You also never told me that you had a GIGANTIC collection of them."

Percy shrugged as he stared at the pile of containers scattered across his floor. Attached to his television was a fancy new game console.

It must have been one of the gods.

Percy made a mental note to remember to give them a large sacrifice later. They had been nice, and almost sympathetic to Percy lately. First getting him this life, and now furnishing his apartment so that it looked like he was a normal teenage boy.

"It never came up."

Percy strolled over to the fridge and wrenched open the doors, displaying a full array of food. That hadn't been there before. Recently, he had been sustaining himself on noodles and the occasional take-out. Percy was a terrible cook.

A large grin filled his face. "You want something to eat?"

Emmett nodded as he dramatically plopped on Percy's sofa.

"Of course I do! I've barely eaten all day! I'm practically starving."

Percy laughed, the first sign of happiness that he had shown in several weeks. "You ate three sandwiches at lunch and my apple."

"That was nothing, just a mere snack." Emmett assumed a rather regal pose as he lounged on the sofa, "Hurry up peasant! Bring me my food! Chop chop, let's get moving."

Percy grabbed the first thing in the fridge he could find - a bread roll - and chucked it at his friend's head.

"Hey!"

Percy bowed down mockingly. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Your Majesty?"

"Get over here and turn on your tv. I'm gonna crush you in this game."

Percy stalked over, sighing louder than he needed to. "Why must you make me do everything."

He shoved the disc into the compartment, and pressed the power button, praying to the gods that something would actually happen.

The screen flickered on, a bright light illuminating the room.

Percy grabbed a controller and tossed one to Emmett.

"Your royal butt is going down."

Emmett let out a low chuckle, not removing his eyes from the screen. "You don't stand a chance."

Percy knew he was a goner within five minutes of the first round.

Emmett was good. Really good.

Percy began lasting longer towards their tenth game, but he still lost every time. But he was okay with it.

He hadn't had this much fun since before.

Percy felt somewhat guilty for laughing and having a good time since he had abandoned his friends and family. However, spending time with Emmett, doing normal things, had help reduce the sharp pain in his chest to a dull ache.

He felt lighter.

"Wow Alex. No offense, but you really really suck." Emmett shook his head in mock disappointment, "I thought you'd be better than this."

"It's not my fault that you probably spend half your life playing these games. I don't have the same experience as you." Percy sat up on the floor and stared Emmett in the face.

"Teach me your ways, your highness."

"It's gonna take a while. I have a lot of skill and technique to pass on."

Percy checked his watch. "It's only eight. We have time."

"Eight!" Emmett sat straight up, suddenly alert.

"Do you have somewhere you have to be?"

"No. But you know what happens at eight! The next episode!"

"Oh." Percy's smile left his face as he reached for the tv remote. "We don't have to watch that."

"Seriously? Don't you find it interesting!?" Emmett leaned over and snatched the remote out of Percy's hand. "I want to watch it."

He flipped through that channels before stopping on the one that Percy desperately wanted to avoid.

The tv blared out the regular introduction, along with a warning attached.

"Welcome back mortals for the next episode. I would like to advise parents of children to potentially limit the viewing of this episode as it contains graphic and violent scenes."

This time it was Leo giving the introduction to the video, but his voice lacked the humor it normally contained

Percy knew why. He knew what episode they were on. The demigod's quests and adventures had been playing on tv for several weeks now, so it made sense that they were getting toward the end.

Tartarus.

They played a recap from the night before, showing Percy and Annabeth hanging from the edge of that cliff while the rest of the Argo's crew watched in horror.

Percy's face went pale as he stared at the screen. As he watched them fall. As they fought their way through. As they lost Bob. As they struggled to make it out.

Emmett sat next to him in fascinated horror, all laughter gone from his eyes. They didn't talk. They both just stared at the screen.

Time seemed to fly by as Percy sat there, frozen and expressionless. He was barely watching the events occur on the tv, instead reliving every moment inside his head.

He wanted to cry out. He wanted to scream at Emmett to turn it off. Couldn't his friend see what it was doing to him? Couldn't he see how watching this was tearing Percy up from the inside?

And then, it was all over.

Emmett grabbed the remote and flicked off the screen, leaving the room in almost total darkness.

Percy took deep, rasping breaths as his body shook violently. He slowly uncurled himself and rose from the sofa.

"I'm going to bed. You can sleep on the sofa if you want."

Emmett nodded, his face betraying no emotion as he watched Percy walk to his room."

Percy and Emmett ate breakfast solemnly the next morning, each avoiding the elephant in the room.

"I should probably get home soon."

Percy nodded.

"Are you ok?"

There it was. That question and the look that went with it. The one that made Percy feel weak. Like he was an invalid. Like he couldn't take care of himself.

"Yeah I am." The answer came out more violently than Percy had meant, and he felt guilty as he looked at Emmett's hurt face.

"I'm sorry, I'm just tired. But yeah, I'm good."

Emmett raised an eyebrow in response and rose to put his dishes in the sink. On his way, he stopped and picked up a thin, white envelop on the counter.

The blood drained from Percy's face. "Don't look at that. It's private."

Emmett waved the envelope in the air. "It's from the government."

"I know. Now put it down."

"What do they want? Taxes? Or are you involved in something bigger?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Set it down." Percy's heart beat quickly as he stared at the boy in front of him. His secret was moments away from being revealed.

"Ok." Emmett placed the envelope back on the counter, and crossed his arms. "I won't read your personal letters, but I do want some answers. Why were you so affected by the episode last night?"

"You saw it; it was pretty gruesome and terrible. I don't think that there's anyone who wouldn't be affected."

"But that doesn't explain why it seemed like you had a panic attack over it!" Emmett paused for a second, mulling it over. "You're so secretive. You are detached from the rest of our classmates and you don't seem interested in having friends. It took weeks for you to have more than a polite conversation with me! You're hiding something."

"So? Why do you care? Why did you even want to be friends with me in the first place? What are you getting out of this?" Percy snapped. He didn't want to have this conversation. Not now, not ever,

"I'm not getting anything out of this other than a friend. I just wanted a friend."

Percy scowled. "Maybe you'd have more friends if you'd stop prying into other people's business."

He instantly wanted to take it back. Emmett hadn't really done anything at all. Percy was still on edge from the video the night before, and he hadn't gotten much sleep. But still, Emmett didn't deserve it.

"I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it."

"I'll see you on Monday." And with that, Percy's one and only friend stormed out of his apartment, leaving his jacket and shoes behind.