Chapter Text
Screams. That's the first thing Annabeth hears. She walks into a dark room, familiar, but she can't place how. Shivers run down her spine as she looks around. She can't see anything, but she can sense it all and knows that someone's watching her.
"Hello, my sweet." She froze at the sound of that voice.
"Wh-what do you want?" She asked, her voice wavering. Annabeth felt like a five year old again, whimpering and cowering in a corner.
"I wanted to say hi to my favourite stepdaughter." Annabeth could hear the wicked smile on her face.
"I'm not your stepdaughter." Annabeth tried to stand tall, but all her memories brought her down. "You can't manipulate me."
"What makes you think I'm here to manipulate you?" A pale hand reached out to Annabeth but she jumped back.
"That's what you've done my entire life!" The hand grabbed her arm now pulling her close. Annabeth shuddered as she heard her old step mum whisper in her ear, "You can't escape your past. You and I are connected."
Before Annabeth could protest, her step mum pushed her and she fell into an abyss that was never there.
Annabeth sat up, her eyes wild, hair messier than ever. She looked around and calmed herself. She was in her bunk. She was in her cabin. She was home. It was all a dream. She laid back down, her heart still beating way too fast. This wasn't happening. She didn't have trauma. She wasn't scared. But that was her third nightmare. It couldn't be a coincidence.
Annabeth looked at her siblings, all of them sleeping peacefully. She quickly changed and headed outside, to the pine tree on the hill. Annabeth found comfort in the tree. It had used to be her friend Thalia, but now Thalia was free, immortal and happy as the lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis. Annabeth gazed at the tree, wondering what to do. She wished she had some sort of sign, anything. What was happening to her?
She looked at all the cabins, odd buildings that didn't seem to fit together, but they really did. This was her home. So why did she feel so scared? You can't escape your past. You and I are connected. Her stepmother's words echoed in her mind. She could picture her face perfect - the pale complexion, dark hair and malicious eyes. For years she had been tormented by that face. Now it was back.
She knew she had to tell someone. Chiron? No, he would worry too much. Her dad? He would never understand. Percy? She hesitated. Percy would definitely support her, but did she really want to trouble him? They had just stopped Kronos. Another evil would just be cruel.
She headed back to her cabin, sitting on her bed. It was still the middle of the night, but she couldn't go back to sleep. She just sat there, researching everything about her step mum, all the way until dawn broke.