Author's Note: So I wrote this about... let's see, three years ago? Anyway, I found it on my old iPod I lost last year (It was in the crack of my couch! like seriously?!) and couldn't help but upload it! Don't worry it's been edited... a lot! Enjoy!

Annabeth

The sun was setting along the sea line.

"See!" Percy smirked, as he ran up the boardwalk "I told you didn't I?"

"Wow..." Annabeth hadn't seen anything so beautiful in her life. They stood on the pier along the shore of a Florida beach, gazing into the sky. They stood in awed silence as the setting sun shot waves of color across the sky and even into the ocean. It was the first time in a long time that Annabeth and Percy had some alone time. With the prophecy day coming she thought they deserved a break! So she, Percy and Grover took a little vacation, with the permission of Chiron of course. Of course they couldn't actually take a legit vacation, (it was almost war time after all...)so Annabeth begged Chiron to let the trio come take care of a mild monster problem and figured they could get some r&r while they were at it. That sounded pretty stupid now that she looked back on it but her plan worked! They took care of the pesty basilisks in no time flat and had a few days to spare!

That night Grover decided to stay back at hotel, after Annabeth had begged him to stay back. She was determined to tell Percy how she felt before the huge battle. She figured now would be a perfect time to do so. She clutched the railing of the pier and looked at Percy. The sun cast glorious light on his face making it glow. His eyes reflected the light and danced excitedly, more then they usually did. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. It was now or never.

"Percy," she began after a period of silence "You don't have to face this alone, you know"

He turned his gaze away from the horizon and into her eyes.

"What do you mean" he asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"I mean... this prophecy, you know you don't have to face your destiny by yourself. You have so many people who can help you and back you up! If you don't think you're strong enough-"

"You don't think I'm strong enough" He interrupted. That caught her off guard.

"What?" she asked, surprised "No, no that's not what I meant at all!" She stammered, trying to recover herself

"We'll that's what it sounded like!" He turned back to the sea, the wind rustling his all ready messy hair making it even more tangled.

"You know, I'm not a little kid anymore! I don't need you and Chiron babysitting me! Annabeth, I can do this;" he turned back to her, gazing deep within her eyes. "I have to do this and I'm not letting anyone get hurt because of me!" His sea green eyes quit dancing in the light, they were now filled with a look of desperation.

"What are you talking about? I'm still here... alive! So is Grover! You don't need to take full responsibility! I just I don't think you or anyone could do this alone and you don't have to! Let us help, I don't want you to get hurt..."

"And so what if I do? So what if I die! It's bound to happen some time, I'm a Greek hero... we don't get happy endings, Annabeth! I just... don't want you or anyone else to get hurt because of me" this almost sounded rehearsed, as if Percy knew she was going to bring this up and he spent time practicing how to respond. Anger started swelling in Annabeth's chest. She balled her fists.

"How can you say that!" She yelled back "How can you be so selfish! How do you think I would feel if you died? What about your mother, after all she's done for you? Or what about Grover? How do you think he would feel if his one and only best friend died?" Tears started streaming down her cheeks.

"How could you possibly think of giving up on us!" This was supposed to be a simple and easy conversation, a supportive pep talk but Annabeth ruined it! This whole issue was stressing her out and she just wanted to stop. To forget about the whole thing!

Percy obviously saw she was upset because he started in a gentler tone: "I never meant for that to sound rude, I'm just-"

"Yeah, whatever! Let me know how you're unhappy ending goes Mr. Greek hero!" Annabeth turned and stormed down the pier toward the beach, leaving Percy standing on the peer alone. She couldn't believe how selfish he was being. Did he not know how much his loved ones cared for him? How much she cared for him? Whatever, she just wanted to go home! She began to make her way to the beach side motel they were staying at across the street. When she got to their room she plopped onto her bed, stuffed her face in the pillow and began to sob uncontrollably. There was a knock at the door and Grover peaked his head in.

"Umm... how'd it go?" He asked shyly. Annabeth threw a pillow at the door and Grover just barely dodged it.

"Just leave me alone!" Annabeth yelled, then plunged her face back into her pillow. Grover decided it was safer in his own room and left Annabeth alone, crying miserably into her pillow.

Percy
Percy couldn't believe how stupid he was! No matter what he did he seemed to always screw things up! He was still standing in the same spot Annabeth had left him, feeling guilty as ever. He stood there, silently kicking himself and watching the last rays of light sink into the ocean.

"Why am I so stupid?" He asked aloud although the question was directed towards the sea, towards his dad. He took a deep breath trying to clear his head but the ocean felt weird here, almost distant. He was about to turn back and head to the motel when he heard a voice.

"I don't know" it said, "maybe it runs in the family"

Percy whipped around to see a man standing casually behind him. A handsome man mind you. He seemed to be in his late 20's and was wearing a long beige trench coat. He had sort black hair with long bangs that seemed to sway in the wind as if he was underwater. But that wasn't even the weirdest part about him. The most strange part about the man was his eyes. Percy wasn't sure if it was just a trick of the light but they seemed to changed colors faster than Percy could blink. They turned from various shades of dull greens and blues to dark browns and purples but every color reminded Percy of the deep, dark depths of the ocean. The parts even he didn't really like.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice quavering a little. He put his hand protectively on his pocket where his pen/sword, Riptide was hiding.

"HA! You don't know who I am? I guess I was right, stupidity does run in the family!" The man chuckled and stepped closer "I am Thetis, soon to be king of the seas! And you, my friend, are Percy Jackson. And you are going to help me!"

Percy had to hold in a laugh

"And why exactly would I do that!" asked Percy, getting his courage back.

"Because," Thetis said looking surprised that someone dared disobey him. "You have to and if you don't... I'll make you!"

Percy didn't know how to react to that. What did he mean by: "I'll make you?". Honestly, he sounded like a ten year old bullying Percy for his lunch money. Who was this guy... actually, Who did this guy think he was?

"Go ahead and try!" Percy retorted, trying to sound tough.

He pulled Riptide out of his pocket but before he could do anything he was cut off by a sharp snap of fingers from Thetis. Suddenly two lizard/pig things (Seriously... they looked like giant lizards but with the pushed in noses and floppy ears of pigs)appeared behind Percy and grabbed his arms knocking riptide from his grip. He tried to break lose from the creatures grip but it was to tight. Their scaly arms were about three times the size of Percy's! He glared at Thetis who just smiled as snapped his fingers once more. The pier seemed to melt away before Percy's eyes and then everything went black.