AN: First fic...Flames encouraged, Betta Needed
Disclamer: I Don't own Percy Jackson isn't that right Nico? Nico...? oh yeah...I forgot. anyway I only own Lumara! the rest belongs to Rick Roirdan. Enjoy!
Annabeth's POV
"No Annabeth. I won't let you do this." Percy is yelling, but my mind is made up. I am going to do it; I'm going to close the Doors of Death. It will cost me my life, but I have to, or else it will be Percy. "I have to Percy, I have to be the one to close them. You can go on without me." I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I am ready to do this. I turn away but Percy grabs my wrist. "Annabeth do you really think that I could live without you? I can tell you right now: I can't live without you. There is no way I am ever going to be okay if you die. I love you too much to move on." I look at him, "Oh Percy… I love you too, but you can't go either. I need you just as much as you need me." That's when I hear it; I hear Hazel. "Nico!" I whip my head around to look at her but she is looking at the Doors, where Nico Di Angelo is frozen, in the middle of closing the doors. "I have to be the one Hazel. I have no place in this quest. Besides, I've always been the loner." "No." the air goes still as that one word hangs in the air. I don't know who said it until Lumara walks forward. "No." Her dress swishing slightly as she strides over to Nico. She grabs his jacket and I see a light in her eyes fade slowly. She has a look of pure anguish on her face as she pulls his face down to her's in a sweet, sad kiss. I am shocked, I always thought that Nico liked Leo or Percy. Lumara and Nico… no I can't believe it. Nico is doing the same thing Percy was going to do for me, for the exact same reasons. I turn away, unable to stand this sweet sad moment. "You can't leave, I need you." She says looking into his dark eyes. "I'm sorry." He leans down and puts one last sweet, slow, sad goodbye kiss on her lips. He then breaks away, takes his jacket off, puts it on her, pulling her into a hug and then pushing her away gently. "Ti amo, addio mia amor." "Maiṁ bhī tumasē pyāra karatā hūm̐ . Alavidā mērī parī." He pushes the Doors closed. Lumara touched the Doors and then slowly slides down, with her head down, one hand over her mouth, sobbing. I hear Hazel's soft weeping and see Frank holding her, upset. Piper's sobs are loud and ugly, unlike Lumara's quiet strangled sobs, and Jason has silent tears streaming down his face holding Piper while looking at the Doors. I look up and see Percy, his face twisted in agony and I bury my face in his neck. I see Leo out of the corner of my eyes, walking towards Lumara. He tries to gently pull her up but she cringes away from him. He sighs and walks over to corner and sits, burying his head in his arms with his knees to his chest. We had started with Jason, Piper, Leo, Coach Hedge, and Lumara. Then we had found Percy and picked up Hazel and Frank. Then we had rescued Nico. Then Percy and I fell into Tartarus. When we had come out there was no Coach Hedge, and a small shake of Jason's head meant that was the end of it. Now we had lost Nico, a death so painful to all of us. I lean back and take a shaky breath, to seem like a leader with my emotion under control. "Well we still have to finish this quest. We…we can't let Nico's death go in vain." Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel, and Percy nodded. Leo stood up, "We must avenge Nico." Lumara sat there for a moment before looking up with a deadly fire in her eyes. "Gaea will pay for this. I swear on the River Styx that I will have my revenge."