"Freedom isn't free at all, that it comes with the highest of costs."
"You're being ridiculous," she gave a very wan smile at him, trying in vain to laugh at him.
"The cost of blood."
"You've been watching stupid war movies again, haven't you?" she managed a weak laugh brushing his hair back from his face. "You're getting some kind of hero-fix."
He smiled. That same half smile that he had been flashing her since they were twelve years old, the one that melted her. She saw the pain behind his eyes, he was hurting. Gods, he was hurting because of her. It was enough to kill her.
"I gave up immorality for you," he whispered, his hand reaching up to cup her face. His fingers were growing cold already, the grit mingled with the water and blood. She longed for his warmth again, she wanted this to be a dream, a terrible dream.
"Seems like a stupid choice now, doesn't it?" he laughed at her joke; a weak, forced action.
"Gods, that was never a stupid decision," he whispered pulling her toward him for a kiss. "I would do all of it over again," she was caught in his eyes, those deep green pools of ocean water.
"Even this?" her hand moved to the gnash on his side. It felt larger now. The wound was growing up his side. This had to be a dream.
He was bleeding still, so much blood loss. He was only still alive because of the water, and that was failing him. She had no idea what else to do; Leo and Piper had taken the last of the Nectar to save Frank and Hazel, Percy had given the last of the Ambrosia to Jason. Jason was going to live, and she was losing Percy.
"Especially this," his jaw clenched as pain racked his body, but he still smiled. "I would give anything for you, Annabeth."
"Stop it," she was trying not to cry. She was stronger than that. They had gone through so much and endured so much pain together. This had been his choice, she had to respect that. This was no time for tears. "I didn't ask you to."
"I know," he smiled again, his hand slipping from her face, his eyes growing distant. "But you took a knife for me once."
"You didn't have to return the favor," she felt the tears welling, she brushed them away. This is not the time, she told herself. "Or you could have waited until we got home. Chiron could have fixed you up in no time."
"I wanted to," his voice was quiet and breathless, "and it had to be here. It had to be now."
His head leaned back in the water, his eyes looking up at the stars. She watched as his breathing slowed, the water rising up over his chest. She forced the smile, wiping tears away again before she leaned into his line of vision.
She knew it just a line now, his eyes were out of focus. But he looked up, like Zoë had on Mount Tam, he looked to the stars. He smiled faintly.
"Remember us. Remember why we died."
"They will," she promised, brushing his hair back. "They'll always remember."
"Watch him for me," he brought his eyes in on her face. "I failed him so many times. You can do better," he reached up for her face. She held his hand, guiding it to her cheek. "He'll need you, he won't understand."
"I will," she smiled with her promise. "I'll watch after him. I'll explain it to him," her voice broke. This had to be a dream.
"Give thanks, men," he breathed. "Go tell the Spartans, passerby, that here by Spartan law, we lie." His eyes dimmed, the endless darkness clouding the once playful eyes.
"To bold Percy," she gasped, pressing his forehead against her own, "and his brave companions."
The rhythmic clicking of the ship brought Annabeth from the depths of her nightmare. She sat up groggily looking around her room of the Argo II. Just a dream, she told herself climbing to her feet. "It was just a dream."
"Annabeth, what are you doing out of bed?"
"It was just a dream," she passed Jason, walking stiffly to Percy's cabin. "Just a dream."
The cabin door opened with the same resistance plaguing Annabeth's legs. The room was dark, the bed made, and the floor gathering dust. No prints moved through the room, there were no signs of life in the cabin of her boyfriend.
"Come on Annabeth, you need to get back to bed," Jason's hand was on her shoulder, exactly where Percy had always placed his when he came up behind her. "We're almost back to Camp," she walked away from him.
"It was just a dream," she repeated numbly, her fingers lightly running across his desk. "It was just a dream." She fell back on his bed, breathing in what remained of his lingering scent. The tears returned, streaming on her face.
The door closed quietly, leaving Annabeth in the darkness. And that was when the nightmare began again.
"Freedom isn't free at all, that it comes with the highest of cost."