Percy's POV

"It's because I'm the reason they are dead." 

I can't take back the damage I caused. Not just then, but now. You can see how their opinion of me is changing in their eyes. 

Their eyes change from warmth and kindness to confusion and sadness.

I can't meet their calculating eyes. I can barely face myself and the judgment that follows. 

"Percy," The calm and collected voice of Bruce breaks the silence. "How could you be the cause of their deaths?" 

My eyes don't move from their fixed point, the coffee table. I can't do this. I can't. The room closes in around me.  Why am I still alive? The room is coming in at such a speed I am forced to my knees. Why am I here? After all that I did to them. I should be in the Fields of Punishment. I slam my eyes closed. Just like Hades should shut me away in a cell again and throw away the key. I can't be with them. They obviously don't want me with them. 

"Percy," I barely hear, "You will be alright." 

They mumble something else that I can't hear. 

My lungs fill with much-needed air and my eyes manage to peel open. 

Loki is kneeling at my side. He offers a small smile and offers a hand. I take it. 

He helps me stand and places a hand on my shoulder, "I can tell them if it is your wish." 

I shake my head, "I need to tell them." 

I glance at the Avengers, they look anxious. Bruce and Tony looked like they wanted to help, but knew they couldn't. Steve seemed he has seen all of this before. Natasha was the hardest to read, her face was cold but her eyes full of worry. 

I face them, only to hesitate. 

I have faced the worst of monsters. I have led armies into battles. I have done more than the majority of people in their lifetimes. I have guided so many people to their deaths. All were my fault. Bianca, Zoe, Castor, Beckendorf, Michael Yew, Ethan, Silena, Leo, Hazel, Frank, Nico, Reyna, Jason, Piper. And my Wise Girl. But through all of it, I am still here. But after all of those monsters and trials, I've learned one common thing; It's easy to deal with the physical pain and scars, but mental pain and scars are the ones that never fade or heal properly. 

"We had gathered together on our ship to make plans for the final battle. We were struggling to put together a workable plan. I offered up a good idea, and we rolled with it." The scene is still vivid in my mind, "Later, right before the battle, we agreed not to stay stuck on each other's deaths, if that was called for. Obviously, I haven't held up my promise." 

"What were their names?" Natasha asks quietly. 

"Hazel, Frank, Piper, Jason, Leo, and... and..." I can't bring myself to say her name.

"Annabeth." Loki says quietly for me.

"Yes, her. We entered the battle, Gaea had the upper hand and we all knew it, but we thought my plan would work. We split into different groups and started working to Gaea. Reyna, Piper, and Jason worked together from the west. While Nico, Hazel and Frank worked from the east. My girlfriend and I worked from the middle." 

"That's a good strategy." Steve comments. 

"When we reached Gaea, we agreed I would distract and she would go from behind. It was going great, until Gaea angered me. I lost it and charged. At the last minute, she changed to dirt. She must of known She was coming from behind. I didn't react fast enough and my own sword ran through her stomach." 

I pull out my pen and turn it between my hands, "I later found out that Leo and Hazel had also died from facing her. When Gaea disappeared, thousands of more monsters appeared and took out Nico, Piper and Reyna. The only way we won was my rage and grief. The hurricane ripped all of the monsters to shreds." 

"What about Frank and Jason?" Tony asks. 

"Gaea wanted me to lose everyone, like she has lost everything. With her last strength, she pulled them down underground and suffocated them."

"That's..." Tony, for once, doesn't know what to say.

"Nothing a kid your age should even touch." Clint finishes. 

Steve looks right at me, "No one should grow up fighting several wars."

"Most demigods don't live to be twenty." I state bluntly. 

"That's not right. It's like you were born with a target on your back." Bruce shakes his head.

"Exactly what it is. That's why there are places like Camp Half-Blood." 

Suddenly, Natasha calls out, "Who's there?" 

I stare at her like she grew another head, but Peter, a bald man in a wheelchair and a super buff man with cool hair stepped out from behind the corner. 

Peter wastes no time rushing and engulfed me. I barely had time to see the tears in his eyes. 

"I am so sorry, Percy. I might not know what you went through, but I am here for you." 

It felt good to hug someone and not feel like it was goodbye. It's been a while since my last good hug. 

After a moment, we step away and do one of those bro handshakes. 

The bald man approaches me, "Hello Percy. I am Professor Charles Xavier. We overheard some of what happened, and Logan and I would like to help you through it." 

"How would you be able to help?" I don't mean to, but my voice has an edge to it. 

The other man, Logan, steps forward, "Percy, I killed my own love of my life. I have fought in the bloodiest war in US History and will continue to out live everyone else. So I do understand a bit of what you are going through." 

"We wish to help you, but only if you want it." Xavier informs me. I don't know how I feel about him. He looks at me and it is like I am just a window to him. I don't like it. 

I think about the past day. Nothing will be the same, but yet it is. 

I think for a second, "I don't need your help." 

"Okay. If you need me or anyone else, all you have to do is ask. Logan and I will most likely stay a few days to help Bruce." 

I nod, feeling odd that we are all standing in a circle. Half of us are sitting and the other standing. It brings an air of awkwardness. 

Tony must of sensed that and opened his big mouth, "Well I say this crazy morning deserves a relaxing movie day. Sound good?" 

"Why relax when we still haven't figured out the problem?" Logan points out. 

"Because it's not a big deal yet..." Tony says in a 'duh' tone. 

"Right, I forgot you don't have a brain so you can't think through problems this big." 

"You're one to talk. You are named after a rodent." 

This is going to be a long morning...