Not sure about this one…really short. Sorry 'bout that.

but…

Here goes nothing… :)

Rick Riordan owns PJatO

February 14, 2003

Everyone had just emptied out their Valentine's Day boxes. Annabeth Chase looked around at everyone surrounding her. Chiron, Mr. D, Grover, Luke, and the few other campers who stayed year-round were scattered around the porch of the Big House with piles of Valentine cards.

Annabeth opened her first Valentine.

Annabeth,

Come home soon, sweetie!

Love,

Dad

Annabeth's face became scrunched up. Her nose wrinkled and her eyebrows furrowed. Annabeth crumpled the letter and moved on to the next. Annabelle Chance read the name on the envelope. Annabeth decided not to read the rest. She already knew who it was from, and that the contents probably wouldn't be too uplifting.

Annabeth felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and beamed when she saw Luke standing behind her. "Any good ones?" he asked.

"Not yet," Annabeth's smile faltered, but only for a moment. She remembered she was talking to Luke. Annabeth didn't like being upset around him. She hoped he hadn't noticed her momentary disappointment. "Mr. D. sent me one. Well, he sent Annabelle Chance one."

Luke grinned. "You know how he is. Mine was addressed to Leo Castanzo. It sounds kind of Hispanic, don't you think?"

That made Annabeth giggle. Luke continued. "So no good Valentines, huh?"

"I think I gave away some good ones. And, well," Annabeth paused, "I made one for Thalia. I know what you've been saying…about letting it go and all, but it just seemed right to include her in this for some reason. I put it by the tree." There was no need to clarify which tree the Valentine was currently sitting under. If you told any camper at Camp Half-Blood about "the tree," they'd automatically assume it was Thalia's Pine tree. And they were correct most of the time.

Luke sighed. "Annabeth," he said. "When Thalia gave her life for us, she didn't do it so that we could mope around forever. She would want us to be having fun. To remember her, but not to dwell on her. What she did was a heroic act. If it ever came down between the two of us—me or you—I think I'd do the same thing she did. Remember that, okay?"

"Okay." Annabeth nodded and went back to opening her Valentines. At the mere age of ten, Annabeth didn't recognize the look of dismay on Luke's face. She didn't notice the way his eyes avoided hers or the way he sighed as he walked away from her. She never could have guessed that he truly meant it. Luke Castellan would give his life for her.

Present Day

Annabeth held on to Percy as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. She focused her eyes on a boy, a hero. The sobs began to come. Annabeth Chase stared downward at the dying face of Luke Castellan.

Eh. I tried :)