A/N : Okay that was a sucky summary, but there's literally nothing more I can say about the one-shot. That's basically it. She comforts him. So, I guess, read if you want, skip if you don't, just make sure to review if you DO read, cuz it's polite, y'know ? And also ethical and in accordance with the code of conduct on fanfiction and alright, why don't I just make a PowerPoint presentation now ? -_-

R&R ! =D

It was his turn to keep watch. They'd found one section of the ice-cold floor of Tartarus that didn't turn to lava as soon as they stepped on it. Annabeth had curled up on the tiny space and he sat beside her, watching her sleep. Even in her sleep, she had that distracted look, like she was thinking a million things at once. But since the quest had started, (he was sure it must have been there even before that, since his disappearance, actually) there was that (unwanted) addition of one more look on her face. She looked worried. Her forehead was creased with worry even in her sleep now.

And he hated the fact that she wasn't able to even sleep without worrying about things. Just thinking of her worrying got him angry. And really guilty. Guilty that he'd been the cause of her sorrow for so long. Angry that they couldn't get a break even for a second from all the drama in the Gods' lives. She'd already suffered enough when he'd been missing all that time.

She didn't need this of them did. Why couldn't he have a normal demigod life, just for once ? Just once, couldn't he kick back and enjoy a normal day at camp with Annabeth and Grover and not have to worry about the world ending and prophecies and monsters and Gaia ?

'Stop it.' He sternly told himself. 'It's not gonna help if you think like that, because none of that's gonna happen anyway. So don't get your hopes up.'

'But what if we never make it out of here ?' His mind whispered. 'Can't I think about it then ?'

'No.'

'What if nothing's ever okay again ?'

'Shut up ! I can't be thinking of that now. Not now of all times.'

But now that he'd thought about it, he couldn't let it go. In fact, now that he'd thought about it, he couldn't stop the train of thought that came crashing through, that had been threatening to break its way out of his head for so long. He'd been refusing to think of these things for so long now that he just couldn't hold it in any longer. Now he couldn't stop worrying like Annabeth. He couldn't help but wonder if any of them were ever gonna make it out of this mess. He couldn't help but wonder if his friends were okay, heck, he couldn't help but wonder if they were even alive, whether his mom and Paul and Rachel and Mrs. O'Leary and Grover and the whole camp was even alive, whether they would ever fulfil the prophecy and save the world, whether the Gods would ever stand up to Zeus and actually help them for a change, whether he would ever see his family or friends or camp or anything pleasant for a change.

And now the more recent fears started to surface.

What if they never made it out of here ? What if they never saw a ray of sunshine again ? What if he never felt the soft, wet sand of a beach under his toes again ? What if he never smelt the rejuvenating salty water of his father's domain again ? What if he never saw his mother's beautiful smile ever again, never felt her familiar arms around him, telling him that everything would be all right ? What if he never saw blue food again, what if he never felt Mrs. O'Leary's heavy paws on him again, what if he never saw Grover again ? He broke down and started crying, he just couldn't hold it in any longer. He couldn't stay brave for both of them, he couldn't keep lying to himself that it would be all right in the end, that everything would work itself out, like it did before, like it did every time.

He couldn't.

He felt Annabeth's arms around him.

"Vlacas !" He cursed himself under his breath. He'd woken her up.

He turned to look at her and found her face streaked with tears too. She put her palms on his cheeks and wiped the tears off with her thumbs. Before he knew it, he was throwing his arms around her and sobbing into her shoulders. He hugged her tight, and in that hug, it seemed that she understood all his unvoiced fears. She squeezed him back tightly and in that squeeze, she seemed to be telling him that she understood all his fears and that she had them too, that she was here with him, that they would get through this somehow, that they would get through this together.

Since when had they become so good at understanding each other ? He pulled back and looked at her. He saw the same surprise and wonder that he was feeling reflected on her features. She wrapped her arms around him tight without a word and they held onto each other in silence, crying and comforting each other wordlessly at the same time. He kissed her cheek and brushed away the tears that had silently streaked down her face during their embrace.

"It's going to be absolutely fine." He said untruthfully, and she nodded at him and said, equally untruthfully, "Yeah, of course it is. Everything's going to be perfectly fine."

He leaned his forehead against hers and sighed. As long as he had her, everything would be fine.