Chapter one

Percy was restless, his hands itched for a weapon, he couldn't help being unable to sleep or the fact that he just couldn't relax. The time he spent in Tartarus had changed him in a way that didn't affect Annabeth. The boy he once was loved her with all his heart but the man that he had become knew that he had out grown the girl.

He had faced too many battles, seen too much death and suffering to retire into the new camp that they had built from the ashes of the war and go to college, marry the girl and have a couple of kids even though there had been a time when that was everything that he had dreamed of having but he knew that he couldn't.

Tartarus had changed his heart, there was a darkness there that refused to go away or heal because the truth was he knew that he could not heal. Something deep inside his soul had been broken and he couldn't ignore the changes. He always denied the title hero but he knew what he was, he was a warrior. He needed to keep fighting because the truth was he wasn't sure he could stop, his blood was burning underneath his skin and he needed to go, the itch to leave just got worse the longer he tried to ignore it.

He watched Annabeth, saw how she remained normal after Tartarus, well maybe that wasn't completely right. Annabeth had been hurt, damaged but not broken, she was still able to retain most of herself even though she had suffered. She had big dreams and because of him protecting her, she hadn't suffered as much as he did. There was no torture for her, no scar on her back as a constant reminder, nothing physically keeping her from moving forward. The daughter of Athena had one of the strongest minds to ever exist and she was able to overcome her nightmares.

Percy on the other hand was suffocating and tired of pretending to be a foolish boy that he once was when he had been so deeply changed. He sat next to Annabeth thinking of how to explain to her what he wanted while she went on and on about the new camp.

Camp Olympus was the pride and joy of every demigod who had been a part of building it. It had two praetors from Rome, two leaders from the Greek side, which ran over the cabin counselors. All the demigods were grouped according to parents with a representative for the four leaders of camp. They were trained in both Rome and Greek ways and before long all traditions were celebrated and brought together. There had been some friction before they managed to figure out what they were doing.

"Now that the camp is settled, we can get started planning a wedding seaweed brain." she said.

Percy finally snapped, all of his patience and understanding gone. She was just too much, everything was just too much, but the idea of getting married finally made him snap, "What makes you think I want to get married Annabeth?"

The entire camp went silent, listening to their heroes many unsure if they should leave and give them privacy or if they should make sure Percy didn't actually kill her. They all knew he was different, it was obvious they saw it every day only Annabeth was desperate enough to ignore all the signs and keep living in her little bubble that everything was still the same.

Annabeth had a look of shock on her face, "Of course you do Percy." she said as she dismissed him. She knew that he was different but he was still Percy, her Percy and she couldn't just give up on everything that they once meant to each other, not after everything that they had gone through together. It had to end with a happily ever after. She deserved that much after everything that she had gone through.

His eyes narrowed and he grabbed her wrist before she could walk away, "Who do you think you are? You do not think for me Annabeth. I am not your pet to be told what to do or dismissed when I displease you. I'm supposed to be your partner, we make these big life changing decisions together."

Annabeth's eyes went wild and she finally started screaming, "Yes you are! You do what I say because I'm smarter than you are. You don't think about the future but I do. I tell you what to do and you do it. I have the brains you have the brawn that's why we make such a good team because I cover up your weaknesses. You have too because I know you want to leave. I have to keep you here."

Annabeth was ranting as if she were crazy, her eyes were wide and unfocused as if she was unable to actually see what was happening in front of her. She was seeing something that only she could understand. Campers were looking at her worriedly, many of them suffered from forms of PTSD or depression after the war and none of them wanted to think that Annabeth may need more help than they thought. She had already gone through so much of therapy to deal with the trauma of the pit.

"You knew I was unhappy. I am not a child Annabeth, you cannot just take it on yourself to make all these choices for me anymore. I need to do things for myself. I can't stay here at camp like nothing happened. I need to keep moving to keep fighting because I am still needed. I know I am and there's something out there that I need to find or do, its like an itch under my skin, I'm being called somewhere and I don't know why."

Annabeth went still, numb as she tried one last thing to make him stay, "You have to stay because you love me." she cried.

Percy shook his head, "The boy who loved you saved you many times. He went on quests for you and with you. He took knives for you and he would have died for you. Your memory kept him going when he remembered nothing, when all he knew was curly blonde hair and stormy grey eyes that was what he fought to reach. He kept fighting to protect you. He fell into Tartarus with you and he died in Tartarus for you Annabeth. Percy Jackson died in Tartarus and you know it. "

Annabeth stared into his eyes, those sea green beautiful eyes that she had once known so well, they used to sparkle with love and happiness. His eyes used to hold a light in them that used to make her heart skip a beat and deep down she knew the truth. Ever since they stumbled out of the doors of death, she looked into his eyes and that light was gone.

As the days went by his eyes turned darker, colder. He was changed in a way that you could see reflected in his eyes. She tried so hard to pretend it wasn't there and that he still loved her but the truth was, she didn't believe she could love the person he was going to become, she finally had everything she ever wanted and he wanted none of it.

She didn't want to give it up, she could not, they had been through so much, worked so hard for a happily ever after and now he was just going to walk away like it meant nothing. It broke her heart but she could not force him to choose her and you cannot restrain the sea so she had to let him go and pray that he found his way back to her.

"I'm sorry Percy. I just didn't want anything to change." she hung her head, all the fight that she once had in her was gone. She was just tired, tired of trying to keep someone here when they didn't want to be, tired of pretending that everything alright when it wasn't, tired of loving someone who didn't love her anymore.

Percy shook his head at her, "Things changed a long time ago and its time we accept it Annabeth. I don't make you happy anymore Wisegirl and you deserve to be happy. Chase your dreams Annabeth, I won't stand in your way."

Percy had only taken a few steps when she finally asked, "If I'm chasing my dreams what will you be doing? Can I wait for you? "

Percy paused then replied, "I'm going to chase down the nightmares that plague me. Do not wait Annabeth. I will return someday but it would be because I had no choice but to come back not because I came back for you, move on, live your life, find happiness Wisegirl. Goodbye."

Lady Artemis watched as a boy broke yet another girls heart, she saw many scowls on the hunters faces as the daughter of Athena broke down in tears. Artemis felt her rage build up as Thalia watched her brother break her best friends heart. It took half an hour for people to finally calm Annabeth down before she went into her cabin to rest.

The Hunters wanted to find the boy and kill him however Artemis had her own questions so she agreed to follow the boy. She wasn't foolish enough to just kill him though, Poseidon would slaughter her entire hunt if they harmed his son. Thalia wanted to speak to him at least try to reason with him. She knew the boy would not change his mind but maybe this could finally show Thalia that no boy should be exempt from the Hunters ire.

The hunters found Percy a day later in the middle of a forest. He was in a clearing, sitting lotus position in the middle. He seemed to be meditating.

Lady Artemis stepped forward, "You are just like every other cowardly male in the world. A woman gives her heart to you and break it even though you once claimed to be different. Tell me now Perseus, what makes you so different?" she sneered but was surprised when he gave no indication that he had even heard her nor did he try to defend himself.

Percy didn't move or even acknowledge the fact that he was no longer alone. A hunter, Ava, snarled "You do not disrespect our Lady without consequences boy."

Thalia was quiet as she watched him. He acted like nothing was there, Phoebe was about to release an arrow then he took off his hoodie. The girls watched speechless as he removed the shirt underneath showing his back to them. Three scars, knife wounds ran the length of his back. It looked like someone had run over the same wound at least twenty times before making the next one. They started from his left scapular all the way down to his hip, his spine and then his right scapular all the way down his right hip.

Lady Artemis went red with rage, "What the hades do you think you are doing?" she screamed.

Percy stood up suddenly and faced her, eyes closed, "I am showing you the reason why I left the girl that I loved. I hoped it would be you who would chase after me to show me the error of my ways. Something happened to me in Tartarus. I'm not crazy but I am no longer normal milady." when he opened his eyes they glowed a sliver black colour as if liquid mercury was poured into his eyes.

Lady Artemis took a step back, "What happened to you?" she asked.

Percy shook his head, "I do not know. When I was in the pit something changed in me. Its slowly taking away something though I am not sure what it is. My thinking is changed, my emotions dulled, as if I were drunk but I still feel awake. I feel detached from life but I am still me. I feel colder on the inside."

Percy tried to explain his actions but at the same time he knew that not even Artemis knew what happened to him, "I left Annabeth because I meant what I said milady. Percy Jackson is dead. He died in Tartarus. I cannot love her when I am fighting against myself. I need answers and I know where to find them. You cannot help me and if you do not know then none of the gods will know. Swear on the river Styx that none of you will ever say where I have gone. Please milady, you owe me this much."

Lady Artemis didn't know how but she knew that he was honestly asking her to stop people from looking for him because they would not find him even if she didn't swear besides it didn't concern her where he went. She swore his oath and her girls followed her lead, Thalia watching him as if she were afraid of what he was about to do.

"Percy what's happening?" asked Thalia and he shrugged, "I don't know but when I do, I'll come back."

Percy focused in his earth shaker powers, he felt a tug in his gut then felt the ground shake until a large crack appeared. Percy took his back pack and nodded his thanks to the goddess before jumping back into Tartarus ignoring Thalia's scream.

"Why would you just allow him to do that?" she cried to her mistress and Artemis shook her head.

"He made his choices and I owe him this much. He asked for my help and in repayment of his deeds towards me and the hunt, I honored his wishes. What the boy does now has no dealings with us and besides Thalia, do you think you could have stopped him?"

Thalia bit her lip, she couldn't tell anyone where he went and he promised that he would come back so she was going to be forced to suck it up and wait for him to return. His father was not going to be pleased, neither would the campers. They would search for him but she knew that no one would find him until he wanted to be found.