In Your Dreams (dream thread) [Luke]

[Annabeth Chase]

Annabeth hurried to write down her last notes on the already full page in her spiral notebook and closed it up. With a tap on the touchpad, she closed the windows of designs and descriptions she’d been studying on the laptop Daedalus had given her some nearly four years ago and shut the computer down just as the clock on her nightstand turned to 11:00 PM. She shoved her laptop and notes under her bed, looking around at where several of the other Athena campers were still diligently working on models or getting in a bit of bedtime reading. “Alright everyone, eleven o’clock. Lights out.” She waited until everyone was in their beds before turning her light out and moving so she could get under the blanket of her own bunk.

For a little while, she lay there, going through the designs she’d been reviewing over and over in her mind. A cricket chirped just outside one of the windows and she could hear Malcolm start to snore. It really didn’t take him long at all to fall asleep. Then again, after the extremely tiring day of training, ending in two hours of unarmed combat to boot, they were all fairly worn out. Annabeth just hoped she slept well enough… her quest started as of tomorrow morning.

It was the first quest she got to lead since the more-or-less complete disaster in the labyrinth. Grover and Tyson missing… Mt. St. Helens blowing up with Percy still inside… Rachel having to lead the second half… all the deaths at Camp Half-Blood because they couldn’t keep the army from coming in. And Kronos taking over Luke’s body right before her eyes. She closed her eyes hard in the dark. No, stop thinking about all of that. It will be fine. We’re just searching a stupid lake. Ignoring the fact that there may be some psychotic god of fear joining the fun…

Her thoughts chased each other around her head annoyingly. She didn’t know how long it took, but finally, she drifted off to sleep.

[ϟ MOD PIKA ϟ]

It had been two years since his death, since he had taken the bronze dagger he had given to Annabeth from Percy and ended it all by hitting the spot under his arm. He couldn’t have let it go on any longer! By the time they had fought on mount Olympus, Luke had been in over his head for a long time so much that he had lost control of his own body anymore. Just after Kronos had hurt Annabeth and was about to crumble everything to ruin he knew that he couldn’t let him win, he had to make up for the mistakes he had made and he did it with his life. By killing himself he was able to send Kronos back to the pits of Hades, which in the end he thought was worth it. After a death like that, you would think that Luke Castellan would be at peace but he wasn’t, no he was far from it.

He spent just about two years in the waiting room of DOA studios to ride the ferry down to the underworld so he could be reborn when he heard things. Well what could he say? The dead talk and not to mention Hades croanies often didn’t know how to keep their mouths shut. Someone was trying to bring down Olympus again, he even heard Percy and Annabeths names mentioned a half dozen times. Camp-half blood along with the rest of the world was in danger, and there was no way he was going to go and be an infant! He had to see how it turned out first, and maybe even find a way to help if he could because he still had a lot to make up for in the eyes of everyone and also his own.

So as a son of Hermes he thought of a way to sneak out. While Charon wasn’t looking, he stole his sack of drachmas and hid them. Once the Ferryman noticed he threw an absolute fit in the waiting room searching for it, which with him distracted allowed the young man slip out the door and into the city. He doubted any mortals could see him because of the mist, so once he was out he ran as fast as he legs could carry him because once they noticed he was gone they would come looking for him.

A safe place, that was what he was looking for. He was on the move for days before he finally came across a place he knew. Him, Annabeth and Thalia had spent a lot of time there when they had been on the run together, a nice innocent playground. As he stared at it in the moonlight he could almost picture the figures of a much younger him pushing Annabeth on the swings while Thalia watched from the slide. Things had been a lot easier then, for one he had been alive and second it had been before he had joined Kronos. Luke still didn’t like the gods, but he also knew that he shouldn’t have aligned himself with such evil. In the end him doing so had cost so many lives, including his own.

He walked over and sat on a picnic table by the playground, sitting with his feet resting on the bench just staring at the innocence of the playground. Remembering back before everything really went wrong. How long he had been lost in his own thoughts he wasn’t sure, but what snapped him out of it was a presence he knew. When his head turned he saw Annabeth standing there, but he could tell what it was. She was dreaming, because she didn’t look like she was quiet all there. Luke sat there for a moment, transparent and slightly blue before he gave her a small smile that she hadn’t seen since before he had gone to the dark side.” Remember this place? Everything back then seems so easy now..” He said gently, after a few moments he got up off the bench and walked over to her, worry in his green eyes.” Annabeth are you alright?….Percy? Ive heard things…” He wanted to say he missed her, and how much the guilt of what he had done haunted him but after all he had heard he needed to know how she was first. If she was okay, if Percy and the camp where in one piece.

[Annabeth Chase]

Annabeth found herself standing at the edge of an old familiar place, though she hadn’t seen it in about ten years. She had come here with Luke and Thalia before they had made it to Camp Half-Blood, before they had even met Grover. The grass was well-worn by small feet around a set of swings, a slide, a see-saw, and a small jungle gym. Everything was still now though, as it was several hours past dusk. Why she was here of all places, she wasn’t sure. Demigod dreams were hardly ever a coincidence… maybe it had something to do with the quest? Though… this place was in… Stanwich, Connecticut? For some reason she remembered that. It had been a decent handful of miles from where Luke’s home was, and a place they’d stayed for a while. She’d always thought it was a funny little town because the name sounded like ‘sandwich’ (which she’d frequently called it instead of its real name).

Sure, she should probably look around for some hint to the importance (besides personal importance) of being here right now, but she found herself instead wanting to maybe just go swing on the swings for a minute or two. Just for old time’s sake. She was about to do just that when a familiar, and fitting, voice broke the silence. At first it seemed it had to be from her memory, but then she realized it couldn’t be. And voice from her memories here would be so much younger than the one she’d just heard. She turned sharply and stopped short, her eyes wide and mouth falling open, forgotten.

Luke.

For a moment, she couldn’t think of anything to say. And even if she could, her voice certainly wasn’t cooperating. It was definitely Luke. He looked just as he had when she’d seen him last, when-… when he’d paid the ultimate price to save the world. She could feel her eyes start to prickle. To actually see him again, if even only in a dream… it was amazing. “Luke…” When he came up to her, she hardly gave him the chance to finish his sentence. She didn’t bother to consider the fact that he was dead and she wasn’t really there either. She just threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, which thankfully actually worked. He still felt as solid and normal as he had in life, though that was probably only because she was dreaming. Oh well. She didn’t exactly care about that right now. “Luke! I’ve missed you so much! After-… I mean, you saved the world! But-… I thought you were trying for the Isles of the Blest? How are you here now? How do you remember all of this?”

Annabeth kept herself from asking How do you remember me? It had been one of the things that had haunted her every now and again when she was alone and left to her thoughts. She’d often wondered where he was at, what his new life was like, if she’d ever see him again. That last question was always a sore spot though. What did it matter if she ever saw him again? She wouldn’t know it was him surely. He would be a completely different person. And sixteen years younger than her… she may not be alive still by the time he made it to kindergarten, judging by the average lifespan of demigods. And he wouldn’t recognize her. That was the part that hurt the worst. The one she had looked up to all her life, had considered like her brother, wouldn’t even give her a second glance.

But it didn’t matter now… he was right here, just as he had been just before he’d died, when he’d won out over the Titan’s control. He was her family again. And he still remembered everything. Why did this have to just be a dream?

It was another moment before she remembered that he had, in fact, asked her a question. She let go of him and wiped at her tearstained face, still smiling what she imagined was rather stupidly, but she couldn’t help it. She nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. And Percy too. And Grover, last we heard from him, though he stays busy these days. What sort of things have you been hearing?”

[ϟ MOD PIKA ϟ]

At the look on his old friends face, Luke felt his heart warm a little. She looked shocked yeah but she also looked happy to see him. And by the gods was he happy to see her, after all they had been threw. The good and the bad she was still the closest thing to real family he had ever felt he had, her and Thalia. Just in the end he had let down them both in his eyes. So part of him was surprised she wasn’t running from him and yelling she hated him. When he walked over he noticed the tears in her eyes and his smile faded a little, he always had hated to see her cry.” Annabeth..Please don’t-” Just before he could finish his sentence she had jumped into his arms. Wait, she jumped into his arms? Is that possible? He was dead! But he didn’t think about it to hard. Instead he just hugged her back tightly, unable to stop the smile from forming on his lips.” I missed you too, a whole lot.” He said gently before she was running off questions at him, he sighed and looked down into her soft grey but tear filled eyes.

“ I was, but I got to tell you the wait in that waiting room is horrible, I never got past there. I was planning to wait it out until I heard the rumors, lets just say when your dead. The rest of the sprits get really gossipy about what they have heard from Hades guards or anywhere at all. Well after I heard everything I did, I stole Charons sack of drachmas when he wasn’t looking, then when he freaked out about it I snuck out. That was about a week ago..” He explained, but then when she asked about how he remembered everything he just sighed a bit. That was always one thing that he had hated about being reborn. He would forget all the horrible things of his life yea, good riddance. But he would also forget the few good parts, and good people that had made it all worth it in the end. Just he didn’t really have much choice in the matter if he wanted to get into the Isles of blest, but that was a worry for another moment. Especially cause he wasn’t sure how well escaping the underworld helped his chances.

He let her go when she pulled away, but he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.” Hey, no need to cry. Its just me.” He said trying to sound jokingly to cheer her up a little. She looked older, not much though but he was still pretty sure she had grown at least a couple inches. But he still looked the same, frozen in time from the time he had won over Kronos.

When she said that she was fine, along with the others Luke took a deep breath of relief and let it out from habit since he actually didn’t need to breath.” Okay good, I was worried..” He said before she asked him what he heard. He had heard a lot, but he didn’t want to tell her everything. Not because he didn’t trust her, not of course not. If there was anyone Luke Castellan trusted it was Annabeth, but the problem was he was afraid if he told her to much it would put her in danger and living or dead he wouldn’t be able to handle it if she got hurt because of him, again.” There are old and evil forces coming, along with others. Not to mention your defeating Me- Kronos.” He said quickly correcting himself, he had been tricked yeah but he still viewed a lot of it as his fault.” Has put you and Percy along with the camp on their raider, you need to look out for yourselves and this may be hard for Percy…Don’t do anything reckless. Please Ann be careful..” He said as he looked down into her eyes pleadingly, he didn’t want to see her or anyone end up like him.

He walked over behind her and sat down in a swing, looking at the one beside him.” I remember pushing you on here until my arms felt like they where about to fall off. I just kept going because every time I slowed you went ‘Higher Luke, higher!’ lucky for me you eventually tired out.” He said with a small chuckle before he looked up at her again. His smile had vanished and it was easy to see the pain in the young mans eyes.” Im sorry. You have every right to hate me, but I just want you to know that I wish I could take it all back. Not because I ended up like this but because I let you down, I let everyone down.” He turned his head to look down at the gravel underneath his feet.” I let Kronos play on my weakness’s and it cost so many people their lives and cause so much pain..” He whispered but it was easy to hear the guilt dripping off every word. He had to say this to her, let her know how sorry he was because this could be his only chance to tell her..

[Annabeth Chase]

It was childish really, but Annabeth couldn’t even begin to describe how much it meant that he’d missed her as well. It really was like they were back in time, like the whole mess with Kronos hadn’t even happened. He was back to the Luke she remembered, to the Luke that had been her best friend growing up, who, along with Thalia, had taught her nearly everything she knew, who had helped her get used to things at Camp, especially after the loss of Thalia. And now, after two years of bottling up her grief because she hadn’t really had anyone to talk to about it, to learn that perhaps Luke had been missing her just as much as she had been him.

She listened to his story and had to smile. It really was a clever trick. Trust Luke to come up with it, and then have the nerve to pull it off. Even in death, he was still playing the protective older brother. She supposed one didn’t just grow, or die, out of. “Why am I not surprised it’s some ingenious little trick. Though won’t they notice you’re gone? That can’t be helpful for your efforts to get to the Isles. I mean, running away from the Underworld…?” If anyone deserved to go to the Isles, it was Luke. After all he’d been through, and given up in the end…

Annabeth smiled when he put his hand on her shoulder; the touch felt so solid and real she almost forgot he’d died at all. Almost. “I know, I know. I’m just so happy to see you again though.” She hugged him again, just briefly, and smiled. It was sort of odd to think how he looked just as he had two years ago. Though that was death for you: nothing much changed. She fell silent and listened to him recount what he’d been hearing, though the vagueness of it wasn’t encouraging. She nearly jumped in to argue when he mentioned having defeated him, as she was still in the firm belief that that had been Kronos they had defeated, not Luke, and that it had in fact been Luke who defeated him, with all the other demigods, herself included, just playing the part of buying Luke time to gain control over the Titan. She kept her silence though. “I promise I’ll be careful, Luke. Really.”

She paused to watch him walk over to the swing set and sit down, following a minute later and sitting on the swing next to him. She had to laugh at his words. “Sorry I was such a pain.” As soon as he opened his mouth, though, her smile dropped. She listened in silence until he seemed to have finished. “Luke… I could never hate you. I know you couldn’t possibly have meant for any of that to happen. You’re a good person. And no one thinks you let anyone down. Just the opposite. If Kronos hadn’t tricked you, he would have just tricked someone else. Lucky for the world, though, that you were strong enough to take him down.” She offered a smile to show she really did consider him a hero, just like so many others, and that nothing that could happen could change anything. “And no matter what, Luke, we’re always going to be family.”

[ϟ MOD PIKA ϟ]

Luke couldn’t help but smiling, he was glad that Annabeth had been the one he was able to get in contact with. He had needed to just see her, because looking into her smiling face that was actually happy to see him and had even missed him. Made him think that there was a possibility that his life hadn’t been a complete waste. For two years in the back of his mind he had been wondering if she would just forget him, that he would just be a part of her past that she would never want to think about because of what he had done. But no, she had missed him too and that made the fact he was dead a little easier.

When he had finished telling her how he got out he chuckled a little, he knew it had taken a lot of guts but that was something he was never short on, guts.” Well I got to say that means a lot coming from a daughter of Athena, that she thinks my plan was ingenious.” He said before giving her a teasing wink, but when she mentioned escaping would effect his chances of getting into the Isles his smile faded and he sighed.” Yeah they probably will notice I’m gone eventually and then I will just have to try and avoid them. I am a pretty good sneak you know so I should be able to dodge them for a couple weeks, maybe more.” He said softly, knowing if he was alive he would be able to fight them off longer. He was the best swordsman camp half blood had seen in three hundred years after all, but he wasn’t alive and he couldn’t even pick up a sword. So all he could do was run and try and sneak his way past them like a coward, something Luke hated to have to act like.” And yeah your right, my chances at the Isles probably just got a lot slimmer, but I had to get out of there Anna. I had to warn you all, try and do something before I was stuck in the body of an innocent child and have no idea what is going on.”

He kept his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly.” I know, I’m really happy to see you. Its really good to see that your okay. You definitely look better then I do.” He said with a small chuckle before he hugged her back, wrapping his arms around her tightly for a moment. When she pulled away he went into explaining what he heard, and he knew that she picked up he was being very vague about the whole thing but he was glad she didn’t call him on it. Though knowing her as well as he did he could always tell when she was holding something back, he knew that when he had mentioned them defeating him she wanted to argue with him. Why he wasn’t really sure, but he was glad she didn’t do it because the last thing he wanted to do now was argue with her. Because who knew how long they really did have to talk? For all he knew this was the last time he would ever get to see her and he didn’t want to spend it fighting.

He actually smiled a little when she promised she would be careful, he knew that she wouldn’t break a promise to him. Even though she had every right too.” Thank you, because no matter how much I have missed you I don’t want you to join me in the afterlife..” He said with one of his normal charming smiles that he used to show before he had gone on his quest for the apples. When he walked over to the swings he chuckled a little at her response.” I wouldn’t call you a pain, I would just say you had me wrapped around your little finger,” He smiled softly at the memory, but it didn’t last very long. He had to get all he could off his chest, but her response definitely surprised him.” You make me sound like this big hero..but I was an idiot and it got a lot of people killed and I’m sorry but I did fail you. I didn’t keep the promise I made when I gave you that,” He said as he pointed to the bronze knife in her belt. Just when she smiled at him, he knew she really did believe everything she said and that made him feel better and worse all at the same time. Because he still wasn’t sure what would have to do to prove to himself that he had made up for it all. After a moment he reached over and took her hand in his cold grasp, smiling a little as he swung back and forth a little.” What did I do to deserve a friend like you huh? You have never given up on me accept..”

His mind went back to when she had gone to her house to try and get her to run away with him, he had just found out what Kronos had wanted to do with him and he was dying for a way out, someone to save him. Just she hadn’t gone with him, so he had left alone and that was when he though that all hope was lost and that the only person he had really felt he could count on had given up on him. But had he been wrong? All he knew was that he never wanted to feel that way again, that day was when he really felt like his whole world crumbled.” You never gave up on me..” He whispered correcting his last sentence because he knew it wasn’t Annabeths fault.

[Annabeth Chase]

Annabeth laughed. How great a feeling to be laughing with her old friend again! “Clever, to be sure. Something you always had a knack for. And brave. Aren’t you worried what they’ll do when they catch you?” She certainly didn’t want to think about it. She’d seen the forms of punishment they had there (luckily from a distance) and they weren’t pretty, and she’d read enough about them in the old stories too. “I’m sure you’ll still make it to the Isles though. They can’t ignore all the good you’ve done. And at least you came back for noble reasons.”

She smiled slightly at his comments here and there, until he, out of nowhere, seemed… caught off guard. “What? Of course you’re a hero, Luke. Yes, many people died, but think of how many are still alive. Had you not done what you did, none of us would be here right now. You kept Kronos from rising to his full power.” Annabeth paused and looked down at the dagger sheathed at her side. A lump grew in her throat. Sure, this wasn’t the same dagger (she kept that one wrapped up in a cloth and tucked away in her trunk, vowing to never use it again after it had carried out its final horrible purpose), but rather a replica she’d forged herself, but it still held the emotional potency of the original. She pulled it from its sheath and looked at the highly-polished blade. The moonlight gleamed off the bronze, catching on the etching at the base of the blade: a tiny caduceus, the symbol of Luke’s father, and a reminder of what the weapon stood for, though she needed no reminder. She sighed sadly and slid it back into its sheath. “It was the only way,” she said quietly.

It was a nice relief from bad memories when he reached over and took her hand, just as he always used to whenever she needed comfort or just wanted to be around him. He always seemed to know when she needed him most. She started to swing along in sync with him and laughed. “Well, you opened a trash can and took in the weird little kid that attacked you, that’s what.” Her laugh died immediately when he continued, and she stopped swinging abruptly. She knew all too well when she’d failed him; Hermes had made sure she remembered it, though she would have anyway without the near beating to death with a caduceus/electric cattle prod. “I’m sorry, Luke. I should have-… I mean, it was stupid of me not to help you. I hated myself for it for the longest time. I’m truly sorry, Luke. I don’t blame you if you hate me for it.”

That was about when an idea struck her. Her gaze had drifted to the ground, but it immediately snapped back up to her friend, a fresh determined gleam in her eyes. “Come with me, Luke. Let me make it up to you now. I want to help you stay out of the Underworld a little longer. I promise I’ll do whatever I can. Luke, I’ve been given a quest; Percy and Nick, a son of Zeus, and I are leaving tomorrow, so we won’t be staying in the same place anyway. Come with us. We can help you.” She tried to keep the hope from getting the better of her in case he didn’t take the offer, but it wasn’t very easy.

[ϟ MOD PIKA ϟ]

Luke couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled like this, so freely. Though he wouldn’t be surprised if it was back before he had ever taken that quest for the golden apple, or with Annabeth. Even after what happened to Thalia, they where able to keep there bond tight if not strengthen it. He had been worried for awhile that he had lost that forever, but now that he was sitting here and talking to her he was sure that what they had would stay intact even in death. No matter if this was the last time they would ever see each other, he would never forget her and neither her him. Though when she called him brave he laughed a little.” Brave and stupid, reckless. “ He let out a soft sigh, before saying something that he probably wouldn’t ever admit to anyone except her.” Yeah, I am scared but I cant really let it slow me down or stop me from doing what I need to do.” But he couldn’t help but smile a little when she spoke of all the good he had done, he thought she gave him to much credit but he didn’t argue with her.” From your mouth to the gods ears..” Anything to cut him a bit of a break when he finally did have to go back.

He listened to her while she insisted he was a hero, he looked down at his shoes for a moment just thinking.” Maybe I did die a heroes death, but does it count when I was part of the reason it got that bad?” He asked while he turned to look at her again, their was still a lot of doubt in his voice but it was easy to see in his eyes that there was a little hope. Hope that maybe he wasn’t a monster. Though when he mentioned the dagger he saw her reaction, when she pulled it out he also could tell it wasn’t the same one he had given her years ago. He also saw the symbol on the on base of the blade, the symbol of his father. Just seeing it could still make his non pumping blood boil. It was defiantly an understatement to say that Luke Castellan had some father issues.

Though as she put it away he turned her attention back to her, nodding softly.” You where the only thing that snapped me out of it, showed me what I was doing so I could do what needed to be done.” Everything about the day of his death was pretty fuzzy until she had uttered those words. Family Luke, you promised After that he remembered everything clear as day. Annabeth hurt, because of him. Asking Percy for the knife and then plunging it under his arm. His final words and then his last breath, it wasn’t really his fondest memory to say the least.” Why don’t you carry it anymore? Because I used it too..” Off Myself? He thought in his head but he just left the sentence there. Because he doubted it would be good for either of them to voice what he was thinking at the moment. When he grabbed her hand he couldn’t help but smile a little, it always had brought him some comfort to have her close. To know she was safe, and he always thought it calmed her too. It was just easy for them to get lost in old times, at least for a moment.

Luke chuckled a little at him taking her in.” Well that kid had a lot of spunk, and was pretty adorable. From then on Thalia always said I spoiled you to much.” He said as he rolled his eyes, a small smirk on his face but it didn’t last very long.

Hate her? How could she expect him to hate her? He got to his feet before he knelt in front of her, just like he used to do to make sure she was looking at him.” Annabeth Chase, I could never hate you okay? You’re the only reason I’m back to myself even if it is in death. You did all you could and I know that, I admit the day I asked you to run away with me I was angry. But by then I also knew if I failed again I was going to be Kronos’ vessel and I was scared out of my wits..” He squeezed her hand a little comfortingly.” But I don’t want you to think for a moment that my death is your fault, got it?” He said softly with a look that meant that he was dead serious (no pun intended). However her eyes then lit up just like they did whenever an idea came to her. He listened to her idea and his first reflex was to say ‘yes!’ but then he stopped himself.” I…I want to go with you, I really do but I don’t want to put you into anymore danger then you already are. What if someone or something pops up looking for the reneged ghost you have tagging along? Not to mention Percy, I really don’t think he would want to see me at all.” He wasn’t sure about the Nick guy she mentioned, he must have joined the camp since Luke’s death but he still doubted he would be happy about a ghostly tag along either. Just he did want to go, maybe even try and help somehow..

[Annabeth Chase]

Annabeth stared at him for a second as though he was about the most disturbing monster she’d ever seen, and that was definitely saying something. “Luke! Of course it counts! Don’t be silly.” Though he was, of course, Luke. To expect him not to be stubborn would be to expect the sun not to rise. When she pulled out her dagger at his comment though, she was temporarily lost to her own thoughts. That is, until Luke spoke up again. She looked up and smiled sadly, letting the dagger rest on her lap. “I wish it hadn’t had to be done, but I am glad I could help you. There was… there was a time I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to. It was hard to get to you. The real you, I mean.”

She looked back down at the dagger for a moment before sliding it back out of sight, though not before Luke count notice it wasn’t the one he’d given her apparently. She looked up, more than a little uncomfortable, sure that her face had either gained a bit of color or lost a bit, whichever the case may be. Annabeth had always looked up to Luke and his approval was considered about as prestigious as gold medal at the Olympics in her mind. His disapproval… well, that wasn’t pretty. The look in his eyes, she wasn’t really sure which it was right now, but she was not much up to waiting around to find out. Instead, she hurried to explain herself; maybe she could still win his approval. “I-… I still have it! I swear! I keep it safe in my trunk! Just after… you know… It had so many bad memories with it and all. I nearly cried every time I saw it. And besides, it didn’t seem right to fight monsters with it after that. Seemed like it would be dishonoring you or something. So I made a replica of it. I promise you, Luke, it’s not meant to offend you! I promise!” Oh gods, please let him understand! After that outburst, Annabeth was both too embarrassed and a bit nervous to really register what he was saying. She recognized Thalia’s name, but that was about it.

And then Luke did something completely unexpected. She watched him kneel down in gravel just like he used to when she was so much younger and he wanted to tell her something vitally important, or just reassure her that things were going to be okay. She smiled as she listened to him, holding his hand tightly in hers. “Alright… I believe you.” Of course, that was easier said than done. Well, at least she believed everything up to the last part about it not being her fault. She did feel at least a little bit of responsibility in it. When the door seemed to open towards some form of redemption for her mistake, she jumped on it, suggesting the idea with perhaps a little too fast a words than was necessary, but still.

She waited eagerly for his response, hoping that he said yes, though she had a sinking feeling that was a very, very long shot. Though she shouldn’t have been, she couldn’t help but be disappointed when he said he wouldn’t come. He did have a point though. With a sigh, she dropped out of her swing and sat on the ground next to him. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She leaned slightly toward him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug just like she used to when the two of them and Thalia were hiding in one of their many makeshift shelters from some monsters or just some foul weather. “I’ll see you again, won’t I?”

[ϟ MOD PIKA ϟ]

When she looked at him like he was some kind of monster Luke flinched. He never wanted to see Annabeth look at him like that, he had spent years having her soft grey eyes looking at him hurt and disappointed, like she had been starting to doubt she even knew him. He never wanted to see that look in her eyes again, or have her look at him like he was something other then the guy who had been her best friend all these years. She was all he really had left in the world, not that he had much before. But He didn’t want to lose her completely to, if she ended up hating him too he would have nothing. Just after a moment he realized he was worrying over nothing and relaxed. When she said that it was silly for him to think that it didn’t count he held back the urge to roll his eyes.” Yeah, your right Anna..” He said softly, but it was rather easy to tell he was only saying it to make her happy. Luke looked at the dagger in her lap, he knew it wasn’t the one he gave her. He had made that one himself with his own two hands..

“Yeah, but we both know it was the only way to beat Kronos and that was the closest blade. I hadn’t been sure how long I could hold him..” He said softly, relieving his death in his head as he spoke, his crystal blue eyes growing vacant for a moment before he turned and looked at her with a little smile.” If anyone could get threw my thick head its you.” He said trying to get on a happy note for at least a moment, he and Annabeth had a lot of happy memories before the Kronos mess and he wanted them both to be able to focus on them when he left again, never to come back.

Luke looked at her when she started her little babble about her reasons for replacing the dagger. Truth was he was torn about it, part of him was glad she didn’t carry it because it was the blade he had used to end it all. Just the other part of him was hurt, because he had made that blade with his own two hands and had given it to her to protect herself. He looked into her eyes and shook his head, he could tell that she was freaking because of the thought of upsetting him. He was touched at the fact but he just squeezed her hand.” Anna breath okay? I…I understand why you don’t carry it and its okay. I also know that you would never offend me.” He said with a ghost of his old charming smile. He knew she had every right to offend him in anyway she could think of, but she wouldn’t. Just sitting and talking to her, seeing her look at him just like she used to he knew she wouldn’t want to offend him.

He knelt in front of her, trying to make her understand that his fate wasn’t her fault. It was no ones fault but his own, he knew that. He didn’t exactly buy it when she said she believed him but he let it go for now. If anyone could be as stubborn as he was, it was Annabeth.

He wanted to go with her, try and make it like old times with them fighting side beside. But he knew it couldn’t happen, he would cause way more trouble then he was worth and he couldn’t do that to her. If she got hurt he would never forgive himself, not to mention if something happened to Percy or that Nick guy she had mentioned. He sat by her when she dropped out of the swing and sighed gently.” I wish I wasn’t, I wish we could just turn back the clock..” He admitted as she leaned over and wrapped her arms around him, he returned the hug tightly, holding her like he wanted to protect her just like he used too. Just at her next question Luke paused, the world was telling him that this probably would be the last time she would ever see him. But something deep inside just wouldn’t let him say that.” Yeah, you will see me again. “ He said softly as he looked down at her in his arms, praying he was right.” Keep an eye out for me in your dreams.” He said with a gentle smile before he leant down and kissed her forehead without really thinking about it. It was just something he did, since it was probably the last time he would see her, and she was his family..

[Annabeth Chase]

Annabeth hated admitting it, but he was right. Well, she didn’t hate so much that he was right, but what he was right about. It really was the only way to have gotten rid of Kronos. The prophecy foretold it. The cursed blade. Didn’t it just figure it was her dagger all along. She was pulled out of her thoughts by his momentary light tone and smiled. Trust Luke to bring light to an unpleasant time; he really was a great friend. If only he wasn’t a ghost at the moment. Though the happier moment didn’t last long, as her guilt trip sent her stumbling over her words until he, unsurprisingly, told her everything was fine. It was just what he did. He had always been there to reassure her. It was one of the many reasons she hardly left his side growing up.

But this time he was wrong. She felt like she was choking. The pause in his words was enough to rip her in two. A tear rolled down her cheek. “No…” She wanted to say more, to reassure him or something, to heal the wound she’d opened. But nothing came. It was the worst possible time to get tongue-tied. This was a rare chance to get to talk to Luke again! And what was she doing? Insulting him with the fact that she’d replaced the gift he’d given her when they first met, the gift that symbolized how close of friends they were. Perhaps she would rethink keeping her old dagger tucked away.

Whatever he was really thinking, she was glad he was still right here with her; though she really couldn’t see him just getting up and leaving her alone, not when they finally got the chance to talk again against all odds. He was always there for her, save the time Kronos got in the way. And she didn’t intend to let anything get between them like that again. She dropped to the gravel next to him and almost immediately hugged him. His words were such a comfort and she couldn’t help but smile. “I will. Every night.”

Her heart skipped a short beat when he kissed her forehead, the simple gesture triggering so many memories. It was the sort of attention she had so wanted since she was around eleven; that was about when he changed from just big brother to her own personal knight. That is, until Percy came into the picture. Then it was just confusion up until about two years ago. Everything seemed to clear then. It was still clear now. She was with Percy. Luke was gone from her life, stolen by the Titan lord, only to come in her dreams, and occasionally her nightmares (though that was a different story, as those were mere memories). And besides, he was like her brother. Just her brother.

Annabeth looked into his clear blue eyes, semi-transparent though they were. What she saw was surprising though. It was almost like… pain. Didn’t he think they would see each other again? No, she didn’t want to think about that. She would play like she didn’t even notice. Why spoil whatever time they did get to see each other with depressing thoughts like that? She hugged him a little closer and rested her head on his shoulder. “Every night…”

[ϟ MOD PIKA ϟ]

Luke could tell just by the look in her eyes that she knew he was right, and she didn’t like it. But it had been the only way for them to defeat Kronos, He had to kill himself and use the dagger he had given Annabeth so long ago. He tried to cheer her up with commenting how they where both stubborn, he was glad to see the smile he had grown to love show on her face again. He had really missed seeing that smile over the last two years, he had almost forgotten what it looked like. Just it didn’t last long, he tried to reassure her that he understood why she didn’t carry the dagger anymore but it didn’t seem to be helping. He hated seeing her in pain like that because of him, especially when this could be the last time he would see her. He wanted her last memory of him to be a good one!” Please Anna, I understand…I promise.” He said gently as he squeezed her hand comfortingly.

When they dropped into the gravel he held her close, like he would never let her go. Something he wished was possible, he had missed her so much. Just being around her again made him wish he never had to leave but he knew he did, they where running on borrowed time together. He felt a tinge of guilt when she promised to watch for him in her dreams, what would she do if he never came? Forget him? Wonder what happened? Live the life she was supposed to with Percy? He ignored the small pang in his chest when he thought of her with Percy, guessing it didn’t mean anything. But was it wrong of him to get her hopes up to seeing him again? No.. He couldn’t think like that. If he told her the real odds of them seeing each other again it would ruin what time they had.

He kissed her forehead and it just made him think of better times, before he went bad and when he had started to think of Annabeth as more then a sister. He used to find himself just staring at her thinking she was the most beautiful thing in the world. It hadn’t been long before he had deep feelings for her, he may have even loved her. Threw all of the horror with Kronos the one he had always tried the hardest to protect was Annabeth, even if it didn’t seem that way a lot of the time. Just he ignored a lot of those feelings now, he convinced himself after she told him that she only loved him as a brother before he died. Now he just wanted to enjoy having her in his arms, not dwell on painful memories‘.

It wasn’t to long before he saw her soft grey eyes staring up at him and for a moment it felt like she could see right threw him. (Not just literally) Did she know that he didn’t know if they would ever see each other again? If she did she didn’t call him on it which he was thankful for. He ran his fingers threw her hair comfortingly until he saw the grey streak in her hair and stopped. She had almost died holding up the sky, and he had been the one that put her there..He had been an idiot to believe anything Kronos said, he had been lucky that he had been able to keep them from killing her as long as he did. Pictures of her tired and broken in his arms after they had gotten Artemis to take her place still crossed his mind.” I don’t blame you for not running away with me, they could of killed you..” He whispered sadly as he played with the grey streak in her hair, pain and guilt easily seen in his eyes. He had wanted to take them both away from it all, and maybe try and show her that he could be the good man she once knew…but that was the past and maybe he was that good man again but he wasn’t even breathing anymore.

[Annabeth Chase]

Annabeth felt like she could easily have drifted off to sleep there in his arms. It really was just like old times, yet at the same time so much better. Just like when she’d woken up from a scary dream or something and he had comforted her… except this time this was the dream, and it certainly wasn’t scary. And this time her feelings toward him were a good deal different than they had been when she was still hardly big enough to lift the Camp’s heavy practice swords. It was different now, besides the fact that he wasn’t really… alive. But she tried to forget that fact, just for now.

His fingers in her hair were so soothing. Honestly, was he trying to make her fall asleep, she thought with a soft laugh to herself. Then out of the blue he stopped short. She opened her eyes and tilted her head, still resting on his shoulder, so she could see his face better, and his expression was less than reassuring. And then she noticed a strand of hair fall in front of her face from between her fingers: not a dark one like the rest, but grey. A pang of guilt crossed her heart. She’d never had a problem with that streak being there… until now. Now it was dragging down one of the few chances she’d get to see Luke. Stupid Atlas. How she’d love to shoot him full of arrows while he struggled under that weight, even if-… even if it had been Luke who had tricked her. Even if that had been the last straw in her belief that maybe he still cared, the last cut that made her hope for anything between them bleed to death. Of course she still wanted to save him, but she didn’t let herself think anything else after that. ’Your help is coming… In the mean time, try not to die.’ He’d said it like it was nothing. Like he honestly didn’t care if she had died. That had been the worst moment… well, up until he actually died several years later. The moment part of her died.

Now… the hope seemed to have come back, a ghost of what it had been just as Luke was now. Great timing. Then again, that was life for you. She sighed at his words. “Part of me so wishes I had gone with you… just you and I. It wasn’t death I was afraid of, Luke…” She couldn’t bring herself to finish it. No, it hadn’t been Kronos’ horrible army or any Titans that had kept her from going with him that day. It had been him. She had felt so hurt and betrayed, worse even than when he had first left Camp Half-Blood. She believed he could be good, but so close after what had happened on Mt. Tamalpais, she had a difficult time actually trusting him. She had been afraid of the pain.

[ϟ MOD PIKA ϟ]

Luke smiled a little as he listened to her steady breathing, was she going to actually fall asleep on him? Not that he minded, it made him feel like everything was back to normal, back to the days where she felt safe enough in his arms that she could just let sleep over take her. Knowing that he would do whatever it took to protect her, little did she know that the fact never really changed. Ever since the day they had met in that ally he had wanted to protect her, keep her safe. His ways of showing it just got really clouded along the way.

Just his little moment of bliss didn’t last long as he noticed the strand of grey in her dark hair. He had tricked her into taking on the weight of the sky, by using himself as bait. It had all been Kronos’ idea but how could he have gone along with it? He remembered the look in her eyes when it was reveled to her what he had done, it was like he could feel her heart breaking. Or it may have just been his, he isn’t sure but he never wanted to see that look in her eyes again or for her to think he just didn’t care. Just he hadn’t known what else do to, if he had acted the way he truly felt he doubted Kronos’ would of let either of them live and by that time he already guessed his fate. If he tricked her and she held on long enough, he knew she had a chance of getting out of it okay.

When she spoke again it snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked at her having been staring into the space. Though her words didn’t offer him any comfort, it only confirmed what he already thought knew, Mt Tamalpais had been where he had destroyed what chance he had ever had of her loving him. The way that he had a hard time admitting to himself let alone anyone else, the way he knew she probably loved Percy. And deep down the way he felt about her. Though after a moment he quickly tried to push those feelings aside before he spoke.” I broke your faith in me that day.” He said softly, not wanting to let her go even though part of him felt like he didn’t even deserve to touch her because of what he did.” I saw it in your eyes after you got me out from under….the sky. I just saw something die, but all I could do was pray that it didn’t take the rest of you with it.” He said softly as he looked away from her, a single bright tear falling down his cheek. He didn’t even notice he had let it escape…

“ After you all had gotten away, I knew that I had failed in Kronos’ eyes to many times, which meant I was to be his vessel but I had to at least try to get you to believe in me again, and if I could then we could both get away..…but after you turned me away I knew I had no options left, I know I was weak but I just gave up hope..” When he thought that he had lost her, he lost himself completely, and he didn’t find himself again until that night on Olympus, where he was finally able to set things right. At least for some..

[Annabeth Chase]

Annabeth listened silently as Luke spoke, though her mind was anything but silent. Gods, she wished he wasn’t so good at reading her expression (or mind) or guessing or whatever sometimes. She sighed and nodded. The sight of a tear rolling down his face was both surprising and horrible. Sure, she knew by now that he really did care and that all of that on the mountain about leaving her to die hadn’t been entirely true, but at the same time… she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him cry. And here it seemed the thought that she might of died because of those events was actually making him cry… She reached up a hand and brushed the tear away. “Luke…” She tried to think of something to say after that, but failed miserably. Luke continued speaking though, saving her from her awkward moment, if it indeed could be considered that.

“You’re right.” Annabeth sighed. A small battle waged in her head as to how much to tell him. On one hand, she didn’t want to hurt him any worse than he obviously already was. But on the other hand, she wanted to be honest with him; what if she never got the chance to again? “Just… I cared about you so much, Luke… then-… well, you were a really convincing actor. I admit what you said and watching you walk away was more painful than the sky was; like you were letting me know loud and clear you hated me or something… There were a few times I’d actually considered what it would have been like if the sky had just crushed me; if it would have been more pleasant. But that was selfish. Anyway, I know you had to. Well, I know now.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I had to be the cause of you giving up hope… Had I known what was going to happen to you, I would have done anything to stop it. I’m really, really sorry, Luke.” Well, any efforts he’d been making earlier to make her feel any less guilty about his death had just become doubly useless.

Out of the dark in the distance where the trees sparsely rimmed the playground, something rustled. To her great embarrassment, Annabeth jumped. Of course, it wasn’t as embarrassing as when she held on to Luke all the tighter when something came out of the branches of the tree and soared over their heads to another tree. Of course, with all the talk about things coming after Luke, she wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of anything out of the ordinary coming at them; so she was just a bit protective. Looking back on it, she was surprised her reflexes hadn’t led her to pull out her dagger instead. And then the shadow made a sadly familiar noise and Annabeth nearly burst out laughing. Of all the things for her to suddenly go on the defensive about, it was… an owl. Irony, anyone? Well, perhaps it was good she hadn’t drawn her dagger then.