Hi, this is Ace and La and this is our first story so please review and comment if it's any good! Also what should be different! Thanks, Ace and La

1

Annabeth

Annabeth was sitting by the river, holding the lifeless form, when suddenly a voice came from behind her.

"Watch over him, young one. Do not despair."

It was Annabeth's mother, Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle strategy. Annabeth had not seen her mother in months, and that had not been a pleasant encounter.

She stared tenderly down at the smoldering form in her arms. His skin was raw and red; smoking like a burn.

"B-but, it's my fault! He shouldn't be like this! He did it once before. If only I hadn't fought with him." Annabeth replied tearfully.

"Sometimes the River Styx does not take kindly to those who seek the iron skin." Athena said, "Do not blame yourself, wise girl."

Annabeth froze. She felt all her muscles tense. "Don't call me that!" Annabeth screamed, suddenly furious. All around her the shades stirred restlessly. "That's what he calls me!"

"Yes, of course," Athena placated, "but my dear, he should be fine… I hope. But-"

Annabeth burst into tears. How could her mother be saying that. Athena didn't even care for him.

"Do not cry, my child. He chose his destiny, he chose this. Now I mustbe going. Watch him! Do not, under any circumstances, let him die!"

The very thought of this sent chills up Annabeth's spine. She gasped for air and let out a shuddery sigh, willing her tears to fade.

"Of course not, you know I could never- Wouldn't- HE CAN'T DIE!"

Athena gazed down sympathetically at her daughter. "Of course, I know you wouldn't. But many people will tempt you otherwise. You must resist them."

"Yes mother, remember…" Annabeth paused, fighting back more tears. "Remember? I- I love him."

Now her whole body was wracking with tearless sobs. Athena placed a hand gingerly on Annabeth's shoulder, then stepped back as she started to shimmer.

"Good bye child, and give him my greetings… if he ever wakes up."

Annabeth controlled herself just enough to cover his helpless eyes and turn her head. Her mother then showed her true form, and was gone in a flash.

Annabeth uncovered his eyes. She knew that she should probably get him back to the ship, so that Will Solace, the Apollo cabin's head counselor, could care for him. All she could do though, was sit there cradling him in her arms. Anyways, how would she manage to carry him from the river, all the way past the three headed dog Cereberus, and out into the living world?

Then another figure shimmered into existence next to Annabeth,

"Hello dear."

"Y-You!" Annabeth spluttered, rage now coursing through her veins.

Before her, stood the Queen of the Gods herself, Hera. Queen of the Heavens, Goddess of Marriage and Family, and Annabeth's arch-nemesis.

Hera sized her up, then said, "Why, don't be mad at me darling!"

"Don't be mad at you? You did this! You made him believe that he could do this again! It's because of you that he's… he's…"

She couldn't bring herself to say the words. That would make it seem too final. Instead, she burst into sobs.

"Dying," Hera continued for her. "Yes, I'm afraid so. But alas, he is a threat! Your mother knows this. Oh, and he is not only a threat to Olympus! He is also a distraction to you! It's a miracle he isn't dead yet! No demigod can bathe in the Styx twice without their very soul being ripped from their body."Hera then stood glaring at Annabeth, as if daring the girl to prove her wrong.

Meanwhile, a flicker of hope sprouted in Annabeth's heart. She ignored Hera's insults and otherwise obnoxious behavior, and asked, "S-so he has a chance? You said he's not dead yet… He could live?"

Hera scoffed. "Of course not! Isn't your mother the goddess of wisdom? Use some sense! He's only holding on for you! It's still killing him, but memories of you are drawing out his painful death. He's in excruciating pain, if he didn't love you so much it would be easier. He'd be dead. Because of you he is suffering, and I know it's killing you to be helpless!"

Annabeth straightened up, "I can! I can help him!"

Hera crackled in sarcastic astonishment, "Oh really? And how would you do that?"

The goddess seemed to really be enjoying Annabeth's suffering. She seemed to be saying 'serves you right!' Or at least that's how it looked to Annabeth.

"I-I-I could… I could…" Annabeth stuttered, trying to think of something, anything, to help him. She didn't have any idea what to do though. here she was, daughter of the wisdom goddess, without ideas.

Hera grinned triumphantly, "Ha! I didn't think so!"

Annabeth flushed, blood-red with embarrassment and rage.

"Oh Annabeth, you don't want him in pain like this, do you?" Hera asked.

"I just want him alive!" Annabeth half-whispered, gazing at his face.

"But is life really better than death, if it means endless pain?"

"I WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO HURT HIM OR MAKE HIM SUFFER!" Annabeth exploded.

A wry smile played its way across Hera's lips. "Oh really? Haven't you already-that fight you two had earlier? That caused him to suffer more than you know."

"I-"

But then Hera pressed a finger to Annabeth's forehead, and the hit her.

Annabeth had been tidying up her cabin aboard the Argo II, when Percy snuck up and kissed her from behind. His kisses still made her blush, even after all these months.

"Hey," he said cautiously, "Wise Girl, can I talk to you for a bit?"

Was she imagining it, or did he sound nervous? She stopped clean and turned to face him.

"Yeah, sure." She said. Then she noticed that his expression was one of pure terror. "Hey, you okay Seaweed Brain?"

A smile flickered across his features at the old nickname, but it was quickly covered by the fear.

She stared daggers at him, "Okay, what's up?"

Percy grimaced. "First, take this."

He opened her hand and placed an icy golden sphere in her palm.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow skeptically at him. "What's this?"

Percy shuffled anxiously. "Err… They're pearls; from the banks of the River Styx. They work just like the ones on our first quest, only these don't actually get you into the river, only the banks."

"And… Why would we need these?" Annabeth didn't like where this conversation was going, and she definitely didn't like how scared Percy looked. He was usually much more calm and collected.

"Um… I had a dream, saying something I have to do… Like right away," he said, shrinking back in a nervous panic.

Oh gods, Annabeth wasn't liking this at all. She didn't want to hear what she knew Percy would say. She didn't want to but she had to ask, "And… this 'something' is…?"

"Well…" Percy hesitated, then whispered, "I… I have to go back to the River Styx."

An icy sense of dread dropped into Annabeth's stomach. She hoped she hadn't heard him right. "The Styx?" She asked, dumbfounded and uncertain, though she knew it was true.

Percy nodded; an uncharacteristically sad look filled his astonishing sea green eyes.

"What? Why? Per-"

"Annabeth, I have to get the curse of Achilles again! I have to-"

"No!" Annabeth cut him off. "Percy, no. I can't let you do this. No hero –in all of history- has ever gotten it twice!"

She had hoped that this bit of logic would talk him out of it. Of course not. After all, this is Percy. He argued back.

"And only three heroes in all of history have gotten the curse! I'll have to make history, I need this."

"For gods sake Seaweed Brain! You've already made history! Please, please don't do this."

"Haha," Percy said sarcastically, "me make history. Right. But seriously, if I don't want to die, H-er, the dream, said I must do this. Regain the curse. It will give me a better chance."

Annabeth was starting to get the idea that he might actually go through with this crazy plan. She forced herself to put on a calm face, and trying hard to not set him off, spoke.

"Percy, you know that I'll support whatever choices you make, but…" She paused. Her next comment would only anger him more.

Then he snapped at her, "But what?"

"But this one is just stupid!" she burst out, then almost comically slapped a hand over

her mouth.

Percy's eyes flared up. More than anything, he hated being called stupid. "Your one to talk!" He yelled back, "You never believed me! Always liking and trusting Luke, even when he was Kronos!"

Annabeth stumbled back. He might as well have punched her in the gut. "As a brother," she choked out, "y-you know I chose you! I love you!"

Percy tried to keep glaring at her, but she saw the look in his eyes soften slightly. No longer yelling, he said, "Maybe you do, but I don't always need you to approve of my actions. I can make my own decisions!"

"Your 'decisions' are mostly stupid and rash and end in death!"

She could see that that was the wrong thing to say. She saw in his expression that he was thinking of everyone who had died in the last Titan War. He still thought that they had died for him, and he had tears stinging in his eyes.

Visibly trying to control his anger, he said, "No one can die this time except for me!"

Annabeth started screaming at him, "You dying would kill me!"

"You'd have other people!" Percy yelled back, his eyes filled with panic and hurt, "All the boys like you! You have other friends!"

Annabeth wondered, could he be… jealous? "Perce…"

He stopped her. "You think it's easy? Watching your friends die for you?" he scream. "How do you think that feels?"

"They weren't just your friends, Percy!"

"But they died because of me! You just said it!"

"P-Percy…" Annabeth started to cry.

"Have you ever thought I might not be as tough as I look?" he asked somberly.

"I alw-"

"Have you ever thought that I don't want all this?" He gestured around him, "Everything happens to me! Everyone looks up to and relies on me. I just can't take it anymore; I'm sorry Annabeth I'm going to the river with or without you. Bye, Wise Girl."

He threw his pearl on the ground, stomped on it, and then vaporized into nothingness. Without even considering, Annabeth followed.

She landed sprawled on her stomach, on the banks of the river, just as Percy was entering. She could see his tears flowing down his face, and knew that although they were mostly from their fight, the tears also held some fear.

Percy didn't want to do this, anymore than Annabeth wanted him to. She raced towards him, reaching out her arm to hold him back. But just before she reached him, he went under.

Annabeth reached the river, and threw herself down at the edge. She threw her arm in

desperately. Although she felt searing pain, she didn't care; she only cared about finding him.

She groped around for a while, and then finally, she felt a hand. She grabbed hold and pulled him up, but all she held was his lifeless body.

And now she was back in the present, facing her least favorite goddess, and cradling her dying boyfriend.

Fantastic.

Hope you liked it! Don't forget to review! We will post again next week on Friday (hopefully).