Annabeth's POV
I laced my fingers through Percy's. They were warm and strong; it felt reassuring to touch them. We sat at the very edge of the lake; our bare feet dipped in the cool water. It was twilight, the sky a dusty purple. I sighed contentedly, and leaned my head on his shoulder. "You know," he said, "you're the best thing that's ever happened to me." No one else was around, they were all either in their cabins or down at the campfire. I could hear their happy voices carrying across the field. "We've known each other since we were 12!" I said. "Yep, and we will be together through all the other hard times ahead." He said. "C'mon, I want to show you something." Percy stood and pulled me up. "What do you want to show me?" I was curious. Then everything went wrong.
He froze, his eyes darted side to side and he reached for his deadly pen, Riptide. "Annabeth," he muttered urgently, "go, NOW!" But I knew it was too late before anything happened. The sand around us began to shift, slowly rising from the ground. The particles swarmed together and faceless bodies rose up. I drew my dagger. I swung around to face the one behind me and I plunged my knife down into its chest. That was my mistake. The moment the celestial bronze touched it, it exploded. I flew backward and slammed into the ground, sand whirled around us and encircled us in a huge dome. I pulled myself to my feet, still dizzy from the impact, and turned towards Percy. The sand creature holding him was easily 7 feet tall. It had no eyes, mouth, nose or ears, just a warped oval of a head. It held Percy's arms behind his back. His sword was stuck in the ground a few yards away, he must have tried to fight it. I charged the creature with an angry scream and brought the knife down on its neck. This creature also exploded, both Percy and I were thrown in different directions. But instead of changing into a dome, this creature shrunk down into a tiny funnel cloud the size of my hand. It sped towards Percy. He opened his mouth and yelled angrily. To my complete horror, the whirlwind disappeared down his throat.
I sprinted towards Percy. It was a terrible sight. He writhed on the ground, choking. Gasping for breath. He clawed at his chest. Then, he rolled limply onto his back, his eyes closed. I leaned over him, screaming his name in desperation. I could hear the campers and Chiron yelling for help outside the dome. But I knew that the dome would yield for no one.
Percy's eyes fluttered open. He slowly stood, reaching for the pen that always returned to his pocket, he wasn't Percy, something was wrong. He clicked the pen and it once again grew into its Celestial Bronze form. "Time to die my old friend!" He growled. I almost died then and there. Had I not whipped out my knife as fast as I did Percy would have skewered me. But I was fast enough to block the strike. He slashed at my face this time, but I caught the blade on the hilt of my knife. I held him in check. "Percy!" I screamed, "I know you're in there! You have to fight this thing, it's controlling you!" But my words had no effect. I had lost my focus. Percy swung his leg out at mine and nocked me off my feet. I fell to the sand and I felt my right ankle crack and break as I landed on it the wrong way. I gasped and tears sprang up from the pain. Percy took my sudden weakness to his advantage. He slashed his sword down at my arm. I let out a horrible yell as the razor sharp edge found its mark. Riptide had cut a huge gash on my upper right arm. He swung again, but I rolled to the side and the blade missed my left arm by half an inch. "Percy! You have to stop! You'll kill me!" He faltered at the words "kill me." He stumbled forward and almost dropped Riptide. But then he seemed to restart. He lunged again at my arm and hit it, drawing yet another gash and screams. He swung at my face. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't hold my dagger. I couldn't stand. I was helpless against my boyfriend, the best sword fighter at camp. A slash at my face and there was a shallow cut across the bridge of my nose and across my cheek. He seemed to be tired of just injuring me. His face hardened. He was going to kill me. He raised the tip of his sword directly above my chest. "Percy, I'm your girlfriend. I'm in love with you and you are with me. We have known each other since we were 12. You–you can't kill me." I could hear Chiron behind me; I knew he was doing everything in his power to break the dome. Percy hesitated. Then he staggered. But as he fell to the side, the tip of the blade arched across my chest. The cut wasn't deep. But it drew blood. Too much blood. Then I heard Percy's scream.
The sound was a bone chilling, blood-curdling scream of pure agony. A sound you might hear in the Fields of Punishment. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Percy lying on the ground. Shaking uncontrollably. Then his back arched upward without anything supporting it, and Percy screamed again. Then he lay still. Sand erupted around us. The world was swirling. I couldn't see. Then I saw people hovering over me. I heard terrified voices and worried faces. But the only one I cared about was the one directly over me. Percy's beautiful deep green eyes were filled with real, heartbreaking tears. "Annabeth. Oh, Annabeth." He was sobbing. His shoulders shook and tears leaked down his face in numerous places. He looked anguished; I hated to see him like that. He was holding me. His arms were wrapped gently around me. It was comforting. I tried to move my arm. I gasped and winced. More tears. "Percy," I muttered. "Percy. Please... Please don't- don't cry for me..." My voice trailed off, and with a searing pain in my chest and Percy's strong arms stroking my hair, I blacked out.
When I opened my eyes, I was in the Infirmary. Everything hurt. Both my arms were wrapped in Ace Bandages from the shoulders to the elbows. My ankle was splinted and crutches lay next to my bed. I could feel a cloth pressed over my cut face and my chest was wrapped carefully and padded well. I took a shaky breath and turned my head to the side. I felt dizzy. Percy was sitting on a stool a few feet away. He was focused on his camp necklace. His fingers fiddled with it. 5 beads. 5 summers I had been with him. He looked up and I saw his face. He looked terrible. There were huge bags under his eyes and they were bloodshot and full of worry. He looked exhausted. Tear tracks could be seen across his cheeks. I had never seen Percy like this before. And I had only ever seen him cry once before. The first day he entered camp. He came stumbling up Half-Blood hill, dragging Grover and gripping a Minotaur horn, sobbing for his mother. More tears leaked down his face. "Percy, it's okay." I muttered quietly. My voice was hoarse and unstable. He blinked hard. "No. It's not okay Annabeth! I—I almost killed you. We... None of the campers thought you were going to live. You've been out for 4 days..." He trailed off. I had been out cold for 4 days! "OH Percy, do you think I blame you for that! Percy! You're my boyfriend and I love you! Percy, you're my best friend, I can tell you anything and you'll listen." He shook his head. "But, but you... You just about died. And it was my fault." More tears leaked down his face. "Percy. Don't cry. You're the best fighter at camp, you've faced so many monsters, you're invincible and you hate yourself for being possessed. Don't cry." He wiped his eyes and looked at me."You're right. I'm sorry Annabeth, for everything that's happened." "I forgive you Percy! I was never angry with you. Now, come here and help me sit up." He stood and carefully stepped towards me, "Have some Nectar first." I took a sip. It tasted amazing, like Percy's mom's homemade blue chocolate chip cookies. Then, he helped me sit up right. It was painful, I can't deny that. Percy took my hand. He stayed by my bedside for the next two weeks. Up until I was well enough to get around on my own. Then, one warm night, like the one where we fought, we walked down towards the beach, I was still limping pretty badly, but I hated the crutches. Percy supported me though. We stood and looked out over Long Island Sound. The darkening sky reflected off the water. Percy turned towards me. He reached over and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. He smelled of the sea, his hands were gentle. "Never leave me Seaweed Brain," I whispered. "Wouldn't think of it." He laughed and we kissed. His lips were soft, his breath warm. I could've stayed like that all night. We watched the sun set and I pressed my head against his chest. Listening to his steady heartbeat.