What's up, bitches? This is probably the quickest update I've ever done. You're fucking welcome. Thank the gods I have the next week and a half off from work or this update wouldn't be happening. Thank you to everyone for reading this and thanks a bajillion and seven for those who have reviewed. Guys, please review. It makes me a better writer and please feel free to make suggestions and speak your mind about this story in the comment/review section. I'm not exactly sure how great this chapter is, but pay close attention to some of the littler details as they will be important in later chapters.

Chapter 7

Annabeth POV

My jaw dropped to the floor at the sight of him. I'm not sure why though, since I saw this coming a mile away. He always finds everything out somehow. And apparently he also shows up at the worst of times. I looked to everybody else, trying to tell them to act normal, as if I hadn't told them anything, praying that they understood what I was trying to tell them. Thankfully Percy picked up what I was putting down.

"Hey, Luke," Percy extended his hand out, welcoming Luke and pulling him into one of those weird bro hug things, "how's it goin', man?" The others followed suit.

"Good, good. But, I can see you guys are just about to do something so I can-"

"Don't be absurd," Thalia tried to act like she didn't want to kill him. "Come in, we were just waiting for some people to show up for Thanksgiving dinner."

"Thanks," he accepted the offer and walked through the door's threshold.

Nico visibly gulped, trying his best not to rip Luke's head off. To be honest, I was expecting that more from Percy than from Nico, but I shot him a look to just go with it. He gave me look as if to say that he's trying, but we both know that at some point he is going to snap. I tried to get over to talk to Nico and tell him that it's gonna be all right, Hades, I may have even asked him what's so wrong that he can't even act, but Luke got in my way and very discretely handed me something: a flower. A red Carnation. I stared at it in shock and closed my eyes for a few seconds.

"Guys, I'll be back in a sec," I said and walked to my room as to not raise any suspicion.

I silently shut the door and tossed the flower onto my dresser with the others so that they would all just kind of blend in. I let out a frustrated sigh and took out my hearing aids, tossing them in anger. I can't believe he had the nerve to just show up here. He's getting obnoxiously gutsy with his moves comparatively speaking. Never before has he showed up somewhere trying to ease his way in like the little ferret he is. Sure, he showed up at my school in San Fran, but that's because he wanted to learn sign language to ensure that I understood him at all times. This… This is something different. But what?

Realizing that I've been gone for some minutes now, staring into the blank space over my bed, I decided that I should probably get back to the awkward gathering happening in the living room. Leaving my hearing aids wherever they happened land when I threw them, I meandered throughout the endless white hallways to where I was supposed to be.

Sally and Paul had apparently arrived while I was sulking angrily in my bedroom, though I didn't think I was gone too terribly long. I greeted them with a slight smile and made my way to Percy for two reasons. The first reason being that I was not about to go through this chaotic mess without Percy being there to anchor me to reality. And secondly, I had to make sure he didn't go off on Luke even though I would pay to see it happen, and he wasn't the only one who needed to be anchored to serenity. Thalia was practically glued to Nico to make sure that he didn't fly off the handle.

After everyone stood there awkwardly, we migrated to the dining room and set all the food on the table. We all stare at each other waiting for someone to break the silence, but vocally nobody did. However, Luke did start signing to me saying, I know what you did. Of course I knew exactly what he was talking about. He knew that I had told the others about what has really been happening.

Just wait. We'll talk about it after this bullshit dinner that shouldn't be happening in the first place, I say back.

Everybody looked at us confused. Some of it was how Luke knew sign language and how he knew I was deaf. Some of it was wondering what in Hades we had just said to one another. The rest of it was them questioning what was proper protocol for what to do next. Thankfully I had a very oblivious boyfriend who just kinda stood up and started piling food on his plate. Even more luckily, everybody else followed his example and left the prior communication alone. They all started talking amongst themselves and I, knowing that I wouldn't be able to follow anything they said no matter what, stare at my plate so that no matter what I wouldn't be able to see anything that anyone was saying.

Percy placed his hand over mine in reassurance, something I almost wished he hadn't done. I was happy not knowing what was going on and not having to look up from my plate, but I had to look up. I stared at him and tried to put on a brave, confident façade, but we both knew that's all it was: a façade. He squeezed my hand comfortingly and I rolled my eyes slightly.

I looked up to see Sally and Paul shifting nervously in their seats as if they expect some sort of commotion to break loose at any moment and I sent them a sympathetic, apologetic smile. They nodded in understanding and went back to eating their dinner. Though, after a few more minutes Paul couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"So, Luke, how do you know these guys?" he asked. I sighed internally.

"I met them through Annabeth, actually."

I stared at him wide-eyed for a minute and Nico, Thalia, Jason, and Percy all watched in fear of how this would play out. Just go with it, Luke signed, or else.

Or else what? I responded.

Do you really wanna start this right here?

Fine. We'll talk after dinner, let's just get this over with. Where are you going with this?

Luke didn't get the chance to reply as his attention snapped over to Sally, but I didn't catch what she had said.

"I'm sorry, I missed what you said. Do you mind…?" I asked her.

"Oh, I'm sorry dear. I said you must know each other from the school you went to in San Francisco. I can't help but notice that he knows sign language. Are you deaf too, Luke?"

"No," he multitasked, "I'm actually hearing. Yes, we know each other from San Francisco. I took a few sign language courses there though because I find ASL very… Intriguing."

"That's an understatement," I mumbled, looking down at my plate. I felt someone kick me and I knew it had to be Luke. When I looked back up, everybody was staring at me.

"What do you mean?" Nico asked and I sent him a glare to say 'are you fucking kidding me.'

"What I mean is," I played along, "that Luke was just quite advanced for a hearing person and eventually he became a full-time student at my school. His family is from around here, so he moved back after a while."

I went back to staring at my plate and pushing my food around with my fork, never really eating any of it. Percy, his hand still on mine, started to draw words on my hand with his fingers. E-A-T. I couldn't help but to laugh slightly at his antics and looked at him with a look to say 'yeah right.' I wrote back C-H-I-L-L and he gave me the same look that I gave him. Then we looked at each other in understanding, knowing that we weren't gonna do what the other said to. He went back to conversing with the others while I continued to not partake in the activities around me.

Some time passes and eventually Thalia and Jason brought out the desserts. During dessert, though, Luke's foot found mine and he started rubbing my leg suggestively. I kicked him in the shin as hard as I could from across the table and knew he was in pain without even sparing him a glance. However, he quickly recovered and retaliated with what felt like a knife of some sort coming out of his shoe up next to the veins on my leg and I shot him a questioning look.

Try me, he signs.

What the hell is it? Drugs? I asked.

You could say that.

No. I'm done living in fear of you.

I then looked around the table to see that everybody was pretty much done with dessert.

"That was a nice dinner you guys," I said, switching the subject and everybody's attention.

Could've fooled me, Luke signed back referring to our little tiff from just moments ago.

Percy squeezed my hand and I looked up to him. I shook my head ever so slightly so that he was the only one to notice, telling him to not worry about what had just happened. He sighed in defeat, knowing that I wouldn't accept his help even if he offered. But, I also knew that he wouldn't stop worrying.

"Jason," he said, "why don't you help me clear the table?"

Luke pushed his foot so that whatever was coming out of his shoe was just barely not pushing into my skin, as if daring me to get up. I look to Percy, begging him to get his parents out of the house before something erupts. He nodded and walked over to his mother, helping her out of her chair and rushed her and Paul to the door. The both of them waved me goodbye and disappeared out of my line of sight. I glared at Luke and moved my head, motioning that we should go to a different room to have our argument or whatever we were about to get into. He nodded and stood up, Thalia giving me a nervous stare as I stood as well. I left the room with Luke, ignoring the look. I lead him into the training room and shut the doors behind me.

2 A.M., he signed and I knew what he meant. He wanted me to meet him at 2 in the morning to do gods know what, but I'd had enough.

No. I told you I'm done living in fear of you. What's this all really about? We both know I'm not gonna tell anyone what really happened, so why are we still doing this?

Really? Because I know you've already told all these guys what really happened, so why wouldn't you come forward with the truth to anyone else?

Because…, I faltered.

Because I make you not tell. Your friends are on the line here. Are you really gonna risk that? Are you gonna risk them?

I don't think there's anything to risk anymore. You're all talk. In the past few years, all you've ever done is throw me deeper into my own bucket of shit. You haven't done anything to anyone else. Why should I believe you?

Because I know you, Annie. You're not a risk taker.

Yeah, well this time I am.

He stepped closer to me and I thought he was gonna try something so I readied myself, however, he did something I didn't exactly expect. He pulled a knife out of his back pocket and came too close for comfort to stabbing me. He took a swing with it, but I ducked out of the way and grabbed a dagger from the wall of weapons behind me.

He charged at me and my dagger met his, sending a jolt up my arm. I struggled against his strength, but eventually managed to push him away. I swiped at him, but he took my arm in his free hand and twisted it behind my back to which I let out an involuntary whimper. He started trailing kisses up and down my neck, so to stop it I kicked him in the knee as hard as I could and he crumbled. For the first time ever, I had the upper hand on him. The only problem was that since I've never been ahead of him, I hadn't the slightest clue as to how to beat him or at least maintain the upper hand. But he recovered quickly enough for me not to have to worry about it.

We stood there just simply facing each other, circling each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. I wouldn't make the first move, not again. I tried to once, but it didn't turn out so great. I looked at the scar on the left side of his face and recalled the last and only other time I tried to fight back. I had the upper hand for all of two seconds during that fight too, but after my dagger made contact with his face, his eyes filled with rage and he easily won. He then made sure to do ten times worse to me than I had done to him.

He started to move towards me and I analyzed his positioning. It looked like he was going to go after my legs, so I thought that when he did, I'd kick him. But alas, he never went after my legs. Instead, he picked me up and threw me across the room, my back and side slamming against the wall of daggers and I could feel something, probably my ribs, crack. I fell to the ground, tears starting to drip down my face. He came rushing at me and I closed my eyes, bracing for whatever impact was pending, but it never came. I opened my eyes to see Nico and Jason, mostly Nico, tackling Luke to the ground. Nico stood over Luke, punching the fuck out of him. I watched as blood started to drip down from his face and it wasn't until then when I tasted blood in my mouth as well and felt some running down the side of my head.

As Jason pulled Nico off of Luke, Thalia and Percy rushed over to me. I knew I should have been watching what Thalia and Percy were saying to me, but I couldn't peel my eyes away from from the scene unraveling before us. Nico pushed Jason off and slammed Luke against the wall next to me, holding him to it much like he had me just last night when we fought. For the first time in my life, I saw Luke's eyes full of fear. They bore directly into Nico's near-black eyes, through which he was undoubtedly seeing red.

"Fuck off," he growled. "Leave Annabeth alone. And never come back."

"I was just about to leave anyway," Luke responded, though I had to turn my head in an uncomfortable angle to see. "You guys might wanna watch your backs. Consider that your first and last warning from me. Watch out for your friends, too."

"Luke, what are you going to do?" I asked.

"Something big. Just you wait, Annie."

"Get. Out," Jason barked. When he did so, I felt thunder crackle throughout the house and Luke left before he could get too beaten up. After he left the room, I finally turned my attention towards Percy and Thalia.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Percy hounded me.

"Of course I'm hurt, you Seaweed Brain! I was just thrown into a wall of fucking knives and I probably just broke a few of my ribs. But, yeah, I'm fine," I said, standing up. I started to walk, more like limp, away, but Percy grabbed me by the arm and spun me around to face him.

"Just because you're pissed off at Luke and about whatever just happened in here, doesn't mean that you can take it out on us. We're just trying to help."

"I'm gonna take a shower and clean up the wounds I can reach and that are within my range of capabilities of fixing, but you can come into the bathroom with me if you're not done. My apologies if I'm just a little fed up with being toyed around. Sorry for taking control of my own damn life," I said.

When I get into my bathroom, I looked into the mirror and gods was I a sight for sore eyes. There was blood coming out of the lower left corner of my lip as well as the left side of my head, my right cheek was bruising, and when I took off my shirt - very carefully I might add - the bruising on my ribs was ridiculous and the swelling was quite evident. I turned around in attempt to see my back since I landed on a wall of knives, but couldn't see much, however I did see some blood. Perfect. Just fucking perfect. I braced myself for the stinging of the shower water and I bit the inside of my lip to cope with the pain.

Near the end of my shower, I sensed something wrong. I sensed someone else in the bathroom with me. I poked my head out of the end of the shower curtain to find Percy sitting on the counter.

"Jesus, Percy. You scared me half to death. Warn a girl next time."

"It's not like I could've knocked."

"Well, what do you want?"

"I was waiting for you to finish your shower so I can clean out your wounds and cover them up."

"Gimme a sec," I responded and finished rinsing conditioner out of my hair then turned off the water. I wrapped a towel around my body and stepped out. "I'm just gonna step out and grab my pajamas, kay?"

"I wouldn't recommend that. The others are out there, waiting for you."

"Well then you go get them. They're folded on the bed. Thanks."

He stepped out of the room and returned with the silver, fake silk, pajama set. He handed them over to me and we commenced staring at each other. I don't think he understood the whole "leaving when a girl changes" concept of life.

"Why don't you go look for my hearing aids. You can get the others to help you look. I tossed them somewhere before dinner and I have absolutely no clue where they are."

"Yeah, sure," I said, my pathetic attempt at getting him to leave succeeding.

I towelled off carefully and put on my pajamas like I was performing heart surgery. I ran a comb through my hair and put it in a loose braid, cascading down over my right shoulder. I took the first aid supplies that Percy must have brought off of the counter and went into my bedroom to see the others huddled into a circle. I cleared my throat and they all faced me, Percy holding something behind his back. I looked into all of their eyes. There were what seemed like thunderstorms in Thalia and Jason's eyes. Despair, disappointment, and death in Nico's. But worst of all were Percy's. In his were angry, pissed off tsunamis swirling to life.

"What the hell is this?" Percy asked, revealing what he was holding behind his back.

I recognize it immediately. It's a small wooden box with a painted black with a neon green leaf pattern on it. I knew what was inside of it and judging by their reactions I would say that they'd opened it and taken a peek inside. In the seemingly inconspicuous box was numerous types of blades and needles. I looked at them with a nervous smile on my face, but I didn't dare to look any of them in the eye.

"It's my past."

"Looks pretty present if you ask me," Thalia told me.

"Well, it's not. I haven't used it since before I moved in here."

"Annabeth, that was two days ago. You haven't exactly gotten the chance to use it. When was the last time you used it?"

"I don't know," I said defeated. "A couple of weeks ago maybe?"

"Why didn't you come to, I don't know, any of us?" Percy asked.

"Because it didn't and doesn't matter. I'm gonna die either way."

"Anna-," Percy started, but Nico cut him off.

"Are you okay right now?"

"I beg your pardon?" I responded.

"Right now. Are you okay? Do you need to use any of these things right now? Is it a possibility in your mind? I've told you before, all I ever see is death and despair and I'm getting really disturbed having to see it here too. So, are you okay?" Nico asked, his eyes turning from the pits of Hades to deep seated concern.

"Yeah. I'm fine. No, I don't want to use them right now. Recently it's just been a safety net. In case I fall off the wagon."

"So you're telling me that even though you know you're going to die, you still don't wanna use these even just a little bit?"

"Well, even if I did it wouldn't matter because, like you said, I'm gonna die anyway."

"So, right now you don't?" Jason grabbed my attention and said.

"No," I stated plainly.

"So, are you gonna give living a shot?"

"Maybe. I mean, now that I'm out of my parents' house I feel like I have a lot more to live for and that I deserve better. But at the same time, I'm still not okay with putting you guys in danger, so I'd rather just get it all over with," I explained.

"Are you okay with everything that's happened?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, of course I am. I mean, I've been expecting it for a while now."

"Oh my gods, Annabeth. You can't rationalize death and I know that's what you're doing and I can tell that not even you're buying it," Thalia spoke up

"Well, in general I can rationalize it. Specifically I can't because I don't know exactly when it'll happen, but I've known that it will sooner than most. I'm still scared, you know. It could happen at any time and we all know that it's going to be in the near future. It's not that I'm not scared, Thalia, it's that I accept what's going to inevitably happen. It seems to me that you're the one who can't. I don't think any of you can," I sighed, exasperated.

"Well, while you're being honest do you think you can answer something truthfully without blowing up at us?" she asked and I nodded. "Are you really, truly okay?"

"I'll let you know later," I said cryptically, at which she raised an eyebrow of question. "I'm not sure yet. But when I figure out how I feel about this, you guys will be the first to know."

"How do you not know how you feel?"

"I don't know. Maybe because deep down I always knew it would happen."

"Well what did you feel when Nico told you that you're going to die soon?"

"I didn't. I challenged him, remember?"

"Trust me, we remember," Nico says with a smirk on his face. "But if I had to tell you how you feel about this, which I'm going to, I'd say you're pretty pissed. You're finally starting to fight back. I'm not sure how this is going to change things in the end, but it is changing. I can promise you that."

"Yeah, about that…" I started to trail off. "I'm really sorry because I just put you guys in so much danger. Don't take Luke's warning lightly either. He will go after you guys because now it's personal. He knows that you guys know and I stood up to him, I lost, but I held my ground. I'm so sorry, you guys."

"He's at fault too, you know. Not everything is your fault all the time. Why do you have this preconception that you are the cause of all horrible things in your life and those surrounding you?" Percy asked.

"Because in some way I am to blame for all the shit in my life. The deafness? My fault for being there. The Luke thing? My fault for taking the blame, though he would have hurt me or my family had I not taken the blame for him. The abuse from home? If I hadn't been in the factory and taken the blame in the first place, they wouldn't be so mad at me all the time and wouldn't abuse me and stuff. Most of my 'injuries' are self-sustained anyhow, so there's no way to even pretend someone else contributed. So, somehow every horrible, shitty thing that happens is at least partially my fault, okay? I don't know how you guys don't see that and let me just do what I have to to survive," I explained serenely, which I could tell frightened them terribly for some reason.

"Because for most of it, you weren't surviving. You were just in the process of dying," Nico pitched in.

"Well, I'm in the process of dying now anyways, aren't I? And, why do you even care? Don't give me the whole 'all I ever see is death' bullshit either. What's the real reason you care so much about what happens to me?" I said, finally getting a little fed up with Nico's ever changing attitude with me.

"Because," he started and sighed, "I already lost my sister and I'm not gonna lose you too. I know you don't think we're friends, Annabeth, but you're like a sister to me now. I've tried to be there for you and you didn't want the help, I get it. But, now you're not gonna shake me off your back. Honestly, you're not gonna be able to shake any of us off of your back. I can't speak for the others, but I can tell you that I'm gonna try to protect you because you and the others are my family. You guys are all I've got and I'm not willing to let that go without a fight."

"What happened to your sister?" I asked and everybody looked at him nervously. I realized I may have overstepped my boundary, but I didn't take it back because they had done the same to me more than once.

"It was kinda like how you became deaf," he confessed and I then understood why everyone got nervous when I asked. "She died in a fire. Our mom was a raging drunk drug addict. She, like you, was a huge fan of heroin," he called me out and I suddenly felt more ashamed than I ever had in my life. "Two years ago, she came home in a drunken state, so drunk that she probably would've died that night anyways, and she set the house on fire. Bianca was inside when it happened and she couldn't escape. She died on July 12. It was the most devastating thing I've ever had to go through and I really don't want to do it again, so please don't make me," he begged.

I stood there and just sort of stared at him, not believing that he actually just told all of this to me. His complexion became a little less death-like, almost as if he had just physically lifted the weight off of his shoulders. I searched my brain for a way to console him without giving him sympathy as sympathy does nothing. I don't believe in sympathy and I had the feeling that Nico didn't either. It won't give him back his sister.

"I…," I stuttered, "That really… sucks. I'd say I'm sorry, but that won't change anything."

"It's okay. She's fine. Well, as fine as someone who's dead can be. She's in the Elysium. She's happy. For once in her life, she's finally happy. I see her when I go to visit the Underworld. It took me months to convince Hades to let me see her on a near-regular basis, but I did it. If you were to die, though, I don't think it would be nearly as successful convincing him to let me see you. And Percy? Just fuckin' forget about that. He'd never let him step a foot in the Underworld until he dies. So, do me a favour? Stay alive."

"I can only do so much to do that without pissin' ya off. Why do you get to tamper with fate trying to keep me alive, but you fight me when I wanna kill Luke?"

"Keeping you safe and alive is one thing, but killing Luke is another."

"Whatever bro," I said playfully, putting my hands up in surrendering position.

"Listen," Nico said, "if you ever feel the need to use this stuff," he motioned toward the box, "find me. Don't go to Percy, no matter what he tells you. He'll just yell at you more and I have a feeling that you're tired of that. Find me and I will be more than happy to fight you to blow off that steam," he said smiling at me.

Percy looked a little pissed that Nico told me not to go to him when I feel the need to do something stupid, but deep down he knew Nico was kinda right. For some reason, without hesitation I hugged Nico. I could tell he was taken aback for a minute, but he eventually returned the hug. I stepped back after the hug and looked around at the others who looked amazed by the fact that either I hugged him or that he hugged me back.

"So did anyone find my hearing aids?" I changed the subject.

For some reason everyone ended up sleeping in my room. Percy in my bed with me, though I tried to convince him to go home. Jason slept in the giant chair next to my bookcase. Nico and Thalia slept in a pullout couch to the left of my bed. It would've been great if it wasn't 1:30 in the morning and if I didn't have to sneak out right now, but I did. Percy slept with his arms around me, making it even harder for me to get out unnoticed. When I tried to, he woke up immediately and turned on the lamp next to his side of the bed which in turn woke up the others.

"Where do you think you're going?" Percy asked me and I knew I couldn't lie my way out of this one.

"I have to go, Percy. Luke told me 2 A.M. and this time I have to go, okay?"

Percy pointed to Jason who was waiting to say something.

"Why? What happened to make you fight with him one second and now have to run to him instead of defying him?"

I walked over to the flower vase next to my bed and plucked out the flower that Luke had given me earlier. "Do you guys know what this is?"

"A flower," Thalia said.

"It's a red carnation," I said. But what I said next really caught their attention and woke them up. "It symbolizes death. Guys, I think this is my last warning."