Goodbye Annabeth

Jason POV

The goddess Nike twirled a laurel wreath on her finger. "Victory is always dangerous. And it often requires sacrifice. Leo Valdez, Annabeth Chase and I have discussed this." She stared pointedly with her fiery face at both Leo and Annabeth.

I didn't like that at all. I remembered Asclepius's grim expression when the doctor had examined Leo. "He may be used to defeat Gaia but he will definitely die. Someone else may take his place but he or she will definitely die."

I knew what they had to do to defeat Gaia. I knew the risks. But those risks were for Leo and Annabeth, Jason didn't want to put those risks on Leo or Annabeth's shoulders at all.

"Leo, Annabeth," Piper said, confused, "What is Nike talking about?"

Leo waved off the question. Annabeth smiled thinking about the discussion with Leo.

"The usual. Victory. Sacrifice. Blah, blah, blah. Doesn't matter. We can do this, guys. We have to do this," he said with so much bravery.

Flashback

Annabeth's POV

"Leo, we both know that someone of the seven will die," I said to Leo in a confined area.

"Yep, it's most likely going to be me," he replied back to me.

"No Leo, we need you to be alive," I reassured him.

"I doubt I will be alive after this battle," Leo replied with his usual smirk.

"I have a plan for you to live," I answered back. "But it will take my life."

"Why would you risk your life? Percy needs you the most. It would be better if you didn't sacrifice your life for me. No one needs me."

"Have you forgotten about the line in the prophecy?" To storm or fire the world will fall.

Leo winced. "You just had to remind me about that?"

"What if that line meant something else? What if the line means that if Jason or you will die, than the world will fall? Have you not considered that fact? So, I think it would be safer if you lived. Besides, nobody here is better than you at building or create fire," I told him with deep thought.

"But what about Percy, he needs you, I don't think he may be able to survive it," Leo said.

"Remember Leo, the world is more important than my relationship. Only people like Percy can save both the world and his friends but there were times when he couldn't do it. This might just be one of those times. Besides, he will understand the choice that I made."

End of Flashback

Jason's POV

The last I saw of my dad, Zeus was a hundred feet tall, holding the Argo II by its prow. My father boomed, 'HOLD ON!'

Then he tossed the ship up and spiked it overhand like a volleyball. Let's just say the best volleyball teams won't stand a chance against Zeus.

If I hadn't been strapped to the mast with one of Leo's twenty-point safety harnesses, I would have disintegrated into tiny particles of flesh. As it was, my stomach tried to stay behind in Greece while all the air was sucked out of my lungs. It was a painful experience.

The sky turned black. The ship rattled and creaked. The deck cracked open like thin ice under my feet and, with a sonic boom, the Argo II was hurtled out of the clouds.

"Jason!" Leo shouted. "Hurry!" I could barely hear him, the howling of the wind whipping in my face and the cracking of the wooden boards from the ship.

My fingers felt like melted plastic, but I managed to undo the straps.

I saw Leo, who was lashed to the control console, desperately trying to right the ship as they spiralled downward in free fall. The sails were on fire. Festus creaked in alarm. A catapult peeled away and lifted into the air. Centrifugal force sent the shields flying off the railings like metal Frisbees.

Wider cracks opened in the deck as I staggered towards the hold, using the winds to keep myself anchored.

If I couldn't make it to the others …

Then the hatch burst open. Frank and Hazel stumbled through, pulling on the guide rope they'd attached to the mast. Piper and Percy followed, all of them looking disoriented. I was happy and relieved that they were safe.

"Go!" Leo yelled loudly. "Go, go, go!"

For once, Leo's tone was deadly serious, also with a tone of urgency.

They'd talked through their evacuation plan, but that slap across the world had made my mind sluggish. Judging from the others' expressions, they weren't in much better shape.

Buford the table saved them. He clattered across the deck with his holographic Hedge blaring, "LET'S GO! MOVE IT! CUT THAT OUT!"

Then his tabletop split into helicopter blades and Buford buzzed away.

Frank changed form. Instead of a dazed demigod, he was now a dazed grey dragon. Hazel climbed onto his neck. Frank grabbed Percy in his front claws, then spread his wings and soared away in speed.

I grabbed Piper by the waist, ready to fly, but I made the mistake of glancing down. The view was a spinning kaleidoscope of sky, earth, sky, earth. The ground was getting awfully close.

"Leo, you won't make it!" I shouted. "Come with us!"

"No! Get out of here!"

"Leo!" Piper tried. "Please–"

"Save your charmspeak, Pipes! I told you, I've got a plan. Now shoo!"

Annabeth POV

I ran behind Leo, "Remember the plan that we made," I said softly and pushed Leo out of the ship. "Frank, save Leo," I cried as Frank hastily dived to grab Leo. I'm so sorry Percy, I thought to myself. I will miss you.

Time seemed to stop as I savoured my last moments with seeing Percy. My heartbeat raced faster than ever. I prepared my final moment.

Flashback

Before we fought the giants, I had to tell Percy about what was going to happen. I was walking in the ship looking for Percy's room. I slowly knocked on his door while I thought about what I should say to him.

"Hey Annabeth, what do you want?" he asked me.

"Um, can I talk to you for a moment?" I responded to his question.

"Sure," Percy replied, "What do you have to say?"

"Well... the thing is... I might not be able to survive this..." I told him.

"No Annabeth, we will survive together like we always have. Nothing can break us apart," Percy replied, his eyes filled with worry. "We have been together for so long."

I concentrated on his sea green eyes. This was one of the last moments I had with him.

"You don't understand Percy, I'm so sorry," Annabeth continued. "I have to sacrifice my life to sa-

I was cut off from speaking as Percy pulled my hands towards him. He tightly grabbed onto my head and his mouths slowly advanced towards my face. In a matter of seconds, his lips touched my lips. His lips were warm.

My body immediately melted allowing him to push deeper. A deep sense of happiness coursed through my whole body and my stomach fluttered with joy. I relished the short moment we had.

Percy cut the kiss while holding my arms and said "No more crazy talk about you dying okay?"

End of Flashback

Percy POV

"ANNABETH," I shouted, my brains just couldn't register with what my eyes saw. My girlfriend stood on the ship looking at me, her eyes pleading me to go. She sacrificed her life for all of us to live.

My head swarmed with thoughts of sadness, fear and a feeling of loneliness. I took a last look at her beautiful gray eyes before forcing my head to turn away. I stood in shock, emptiness floated through my body.

I couldn't think straight. I couldn't even accept the fact that she is gone. Gone forever. She was the single most important person in my life apart from my mom. I fought the urge and sensation to go back and save her, it felt wrong. To leave her behind. I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Hazel's.

No, she won't be gone that easily I told myself. She is Annabeth. She always has a plan. At the same time, I wasn't so sure. I didn't know what to do, I felt so helpless and weak.

"I'm sorry, Percy. I know she meant a lot to you but we have to save both camps from Gaia," Hazel whispered into my ear.

There was nothing I could say. I nodded in acceptance, before letting my head droop down.

"Man, I'm sorry Percy," said Leo.

"I HATE YOU GAIA," I shouted with all my might but I doubt she would care.

The Argo II had been our home for so long. Now we were abandoning it for good – and leaving Annabeth behind with it.