Author's Note: So here's a little one-shot that popped into my mind, and I couldn't get it out. Also, it's here to kind of let me practice the mood that I might put in my main series, "A New Percy." Anyway, before I start, I'd like to thank MY AMAZING FOLLOWERS AND FAVORITERS.

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Oh, and some background before I stop rambling. In this version, there are no gods/demigods, and Annabeth actually has a mom and a dad, rather than a stepmom. Comment if you want me to continue, but I'm going to warn you; it's definitely not going to be longer than four chapters.

Disclaimer: Characters all belong to Rick Riordan!

ANNABETH'S POV

It was April 23rd. It was the day he returned to me.

As I pulled on my Wellingtons to walk out into the light drizzle, I couldn't help but grin broadly into the rain. He was coming back. Him, my other half, after twenty months.

Percy.

Like this was the only thought drilled into my brain, I sprinted through the puddles in the rain. I didn't need an umbrella. I didn't care. Let it do its best to damage me. I was invulnerable, soaring above cloud nine.

I was free. I was as free as a bird.

The weight of what seemed like to be the world had been lifted off my shoulders. Scratch that. Off my whole body – off my living presence entirely.

By the time I had reached the train station, I was nearly soaked. Yet it only invigorated me, powering my lately unexercised muscles towards his gate. IA6.

He was going to arrive in five minutes.

I don't know when I started becoming self-conscious, but it struck just then. What was I going to say? What was I going to do? What was he going to look like?

What if he doesn't come back? That sneaky little weasel of a thought snaked its way from the plentiful bits of dark recesses of my mind, creeping to the front like vines of poison. It hissed its demon song: What if, what if? It was just this little idea – a terrible, small idea, but it seemed to roar its entrance into the front of my mind, forcing, pushing.

What if, what if?

I fought the thoughts. I shoved them back; I was Superwoman, with the strength of one thousand men. Nothing mattered. Percy was coming. He was.

The minutes ticked past. A group of other pale, gaunt women had begun a huddle near me. Half were dripping with rain. Some brought children. A couple were crying.

There was no conversation. Just dreadful, cruel waiting.

The clock hit 3:45. Sharp intakes of breath rustled the damp air as a faint screech of metal came calling into existence. Slants of golden light swept past in a whirl of wind.

I tried to peer through them, but they were going too fast. I didn't see any recognizable black head of hair. No green eyes.

Steam poured out from the underbelly of the beast holding Percy away from me. The doors opened. Soldiers, clad in their veteran's uniform, stumbled out, temporarily blinded by reality, before becoming enveloped with hugs and cheers from their family.

Eventually, the once solemn crowd had morphed into a bustling group filled with shrieks of laughter and relief.

Stupid Seaweed Brain, I thought, smiling as I remembered my nickname for him. I rolled the name around in my head, mentally tasting it; remembering the way it rolled on my tongue as I addressed him. I shook it out of my head.

Leave it up to him to be late during a time like this! I paced, before giving up and fumbling my way to the front of gate IA6. I glanced at the clock again. 4:10.

I clucked. He was going to be late for the dinner arrangement I reserved. I glared at the entrance, still and barren of life. When was he going to pop up?

"I'm not in the mood for practical jokes, Percy!" I called into the train. There was no response, only an echo.

That was when realization hit me like a truck.

He wasn't returning to me. My Percy, my Seaweed Brain. Gone.

That once small voice cackled, doubling, tripling, growing. Soon it was the only thing in my mind. You knew it. What if, what if, all the time. Well, guess what happens now? He's gone. Gone.

Left. Not coming back.

Dead.

I choked for air, the truth too much for me. A waterfall of tears streamed down my face, and I angrily wiped them away, not even knowing I was crying.

Sympathetic faces turned towards me. Hands reached out to pat my back.

I didn't want their comfort. I wanted to scream.

But I couldn't; everything was wound up inside, a coil of horror, drawing tighter, tighter. It wrapped its way around my lungs, my brain. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I couldn't, I wouldn't.

I was home before I knew it. I didn't even remember coming back, up the steps of my apartment building. All I knew was that I was so cold, so very cold. My teeth chattered among the sudden gasps from crying. I took off my clothes and flung it on the ground, jumping into the shower.

That was when I unwound.

I sank to my knees, not caring about anything, or anyone anymore. All besides Percy.

Percy, Percy, Percy.

I cried until the landlord switched the water off. I shivered, but not from cold this time. I had lost all motivation to get up, to move, to continue any attempt at normal life.

What was normal anymore? The only part of my life had been taken away.

I didn't move, huddled in a ball, unwilling to put myself together.

Move on, I knew people would tell me. Screw them. Screw it all.

Be strong. You can continue without him.

Well, here's a new piece of information for you; I couldn't.

It was like my heart had been torn into pieces; ripped forcefully, and then shattered. There was so much pain, so much emptiness. The sobbing came to a cease, and the only sounds I made were hiccups from the torrent of tears.

And there I stayed.

It had been six months after Percy had failed to return. At the beginning, I started and ended every day like that day at the train station. But after the second month, a numbness crept in.

I was grateful for it, but there were always the remaining sparks of heartache and flashbacks. I felt guilty not thinking of him, but it only brought me pain, such deep, breathless pain. I knew he would want me to continue after he left, but it was just so difficult, so very nearly impossible.

At the moment, I was on the couch, staring blankly as my TV rattled off facts on National Geography. My phone rang.

"Hello?" I croaked, picking it up. I rarely talked these days, spending all my days working at home. While my company never complained up front due to my still outstanding work, I would always hear whispered snatches of conversation every time I dropped by the office. I shut it all out.

"Annabeth, is that you, sweetie?"

"Hi, mom." I replied, recognizing the concern, the cautious tone. "What do you need?"

"Well, I was just thinking… your father and I, we're worried about you. You keep shutting others out, and yes, I know… I know you're in pain." She quickly added as I made to cut her off.

"But the thing is, Annabeth," My mother continued. "One day, you will have to move on. And I care about you, and I want you to get better. You can take your own time. But if you ever want to get to that point, you have to let people in. It's been six months, and you can't just keep living your life this way. If not for yourself, then for us." There was a pause. "For him."

She'd never brought up Percy before, and another stab pierced my heart. For him. My mind spun, flashbacks swirling.

No, no… I thought, helpless to the thoughts that forced their way into my mind. They were too strong, there were too many to stop. There was no choice but to let the dreaded flashback rear its ugly head.

It was a summer day, and I had my handed clasped in his. We were getting ice cream from a frustrated looking vendor.

"I'll take the blueberry one," Percy pointed at a bright blue vat. "And how about you?" He turned, looking at me.

"I'm good," I promised, smiling. I'd rather just watch your face, I wanted to add, studying the features I'd fallen in love with time and time again.

"I insist," He laughed. "C'mon, just get one. You never know – you might love it!"

"Fine, fine," I gave in, for the sake of the ice cream seller. "Err, how about that vanilla one?"

"Out of all of these ice cream flavors, you pick the most boring one, Wise Girl." Percy grinned, releasing my hand to reach for his wallet.

"Oh, and it's my fault that I happen to like vanilla?" I placed my hands on my hips, mock-glaring up at him.

"Yes," Percy chuckled, reaching for the two cones the relieved ice cream vendor passed back. He wrapped his free arm around my waist, drawing me close before placing a kiss on the top of my head.

He started on his ice cream, devouring it and the cone in a matter of minutes. I hesitantly took a couple laps at mine. It brought back bad memories, of when I was friends with Luke.

Percy looked down on me, and frowned at my pathetic progression on my cone.

"Haven't you tried it?" He asked. "And don't tell me you don't like it; everyone likes ice cream!"

"Well, surprise!" I laughed. "I don't like it."

"Please try it again?" Percy whined like a child. It was sweet, if not somewhat annoying of him, to try to get me to enjoy myself in his own indirect way.

Percy leaned in and put his forehead to mine, his minty breath washing over my face. I shivered. "For me?"

And then he leaned in to kiss me, his lips tender and pleading against mine.

"Annabeth? Annabeth, are you still there?" My mother's worried voice snapped me back into reality as I realized I'd gone silent.

"Yes," I responded, my voice hoarse. "Yes. I'll – I'll try, okay?" I hung up, feeling a little bad on shutting her out the second after she asked me not to.

A tear drifted treacherously down my cheek. I'd promised myself I wouldn't cry over him anymore, but that flashback; the most vivid and longing for a while, had dragged the incoming stream over my lids.

I slumped back onto the couch, any work forgotten, and had no choice but to relapse into the dark memories. To tell the truth, I sobbed. I sobbed like a small child, like that very first day all over again.

I gave in to the loss. I accepted it. And I knew it would never go away.

It had been one year.

I was recovering, slowly, so very slowly.

I had finally relented to getting help. My parents, siblings, and the sole friend I managed to keep over the years visited me every couple weekends or so.

At the moment, it was Saturday. I had slept in until eleven o'clock p.m. after pulling an all-nighter at work.

There was a rapping of knuckles on the door.

"Coming!" I yelled, as the rapping intensified. My doorbell rang a couple of times afterwards, as if to add insult.

"Sheesh, I'm coming, Thalia!" I stumbled over to the door, my hair in a disarray, and my eyes a little puffy from nightmares of Percy.

I swung upon the door, the words: "Can you calm the heck down next time?" already poised on my lips, only to be forgotten instantly.

There stood Percy Jackson.

I was pretty sure my jaw hit the floor.

He was smiling his crooked little grin, his trademark hair cut short in traditional military. His arms were slightly raised, halfway between a shrug and a motion asking for a hug.

His eyes were just as green, just as entrancing, just as familiar.

"Oh, Percy," I sobbed, the dam holding back my tears breaking once again.

"Shh," He murmured, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. He smoothed my hair. "It's okay, it's okay… let it out, let it out."

"I-I t-thought you were g-gone!" I spluttered.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Percy kissed my forehead. "I was moved to another unit, and I had to stay longer. I wasn't allowed to move back, cause I was needed for a covert mission…" He trailed off, lost in thought, his hands still absentmindedly stroking my hair, rubbing my back, keeping me close.

"I should've sent word… I just couldn't find time, I'm so sorry, Annabeth." Percy kept muttering.

I silenced him with a kiss, all the desperation, the thousand pound weights taken off my shoulders, pouring into it. It was long and needy, and I never wanted to pull away, afraid that he would be gone when I opened my eyes.

Finally, I was forced to pull back for air, and to my relief, he was still there.

"I missed you so much," I breathed.

"On the bright side," He smiled sadly. "I won't ever have to be separated from you again."

"What do you mean?" I asked, eyebrows furrowing.

Percy slumped down on the couch, grunting.

"Annabeth," He started. "I need to tell you something."

I could see his green eyes dilated with fear, the always lapping waves now something of a raging storm.

"Anything." I replied, as steadily as I could.

He sighed, and took off his shirt.

"Percy?" I frowned, confused. "What are you – oh. Oh my god."

The whole left side of his body, starting at his collarbone and disappearing behind his hip, was covered in scarred, grafted skin. Some parts seemed dried out, while others were an angry red, stretched unnaturally across his muscles. It was like a mutilated patchwork of skin.

"What did they do to you?" I whispered, tentatively reaching out to touch his forearm. It didn't feel human; rather, cracked and twisted. It was nothing like the Percy I remembered.

"It – it was a mine. They were prepared for us. I was the only survivor." He grimaced.

I was running my fingers lightly up and down his arm now, trying to take in this new man before me. "Does it hurt?" I couldn't make myself say anything above a whisper.

"No. It's just all kind of numb." He then clasped my hand. I could feel his fingers tense as they squeezed mine. Percy closed his eyes, breathing heavily.

"Annabeth," He said again. "Pull up my left pants leg."

I started towards it, my arm trembling. At the last second, I realized I didn't care what he looked like underneath. He was mine, he was here, and he was alive.

I pulled up the camouflaged fabric to reveal a scaffold of bending metal parts, all the way up to his knee. A prosthetic. Whatever resolve I had just built shattered, and I cried, guilty at not being strong for the one who was suffering most.

Percy pulled me into his arms again, and I buried my head into the crook of his neck, unable to resist. I'm not sure how long we sat there, huddled on the couch, as I let the avalanche of emotions cascade down. Eventually, his soothing aura of just being Percy drifted into me.

I dried my tears. "I'm sorry," I sniffed. "I'm sorry for being a sobbing little girl at a time like this. I – I just, I just…"

"Don't be." Percy rasped, and I was surprised to see a silent tear slide down his cheek as well. "I'm okay, I promise. And now I have you." He kissed me on the temple and gently slid me off his lap.

"Is it okay if I call my mom?" He asked, slightly limping towards my counter.

"How about we visit instead?" I offered. "It might be better, considering your… condition."

"Yeah, that'd probably be better than me calling her up and saying: 'Hey mom? Yeah, it's Percy. I'm alive and I'm missing a leg and scarred over half my body.'" Percy chuckled weakly.

I grinned broadly, laughing somewhat hysterically. Underneath all the new rubble, at least my old Percy was still trying to fight his way back out.