Chapter One:
I bit my lip so hard that it drew blood, which drizzled onto my tongue sending the salty, revolting taste of blood into the rest of my mouth. I scowled and abruptly spat out in a mixture of blood and saliva. My fault, all my fault... all my fault that Beckendorf (Charlie) perished. All my fault that I had lived. I heard footsteps approach me, but I thoroughly ignored them. I didn't care if it was Grover, Silena, or Chiron. I just wanted to be left alone, with the ocean and the waves.
"Percy," she was the last person I excepted to come considering are fight on the hill, last year. It seemed ludicrous now, people were dying left and right and it made are stupid argument seem like the most ignorant thing in the world.
"Go away," I spoke, my voice dry and strained. There was no reply, but knowing her she was so stubborn that she wouldn't leave. I felt her presence near me, and slid down onto the dock swinging her legs off of it as I did. She didn't ask if I was okay, because she knew me. She knew that I wasn't and she knew exactly what to say. That was what so incredible about her. So she didn't ask if I was okay, she said one of its exact opposites. I felt her hand slip into mine, and she squeezed it in a comforting motion. My cheeks would have normally flamed up, but in the circumstances I didn't blush.
"It's going to be okay." Annabeth said, her voice firm and so convincing, that it was believable. It's going to be okay.
"You know how I know?" She questioned, directed at me, but knowing that I wasn't going to respond. I felt her intense grey eyes on me, analyzing me. As if she could see straight into my soul, my thoughts and my feelings.
"Because you survived everything so far." Annabeth's voice trailed off for a moment, then began again. "But the real reason why you survived, Percy, is because you never have to carry things alone. You have friends and family who are here to help you. You have Grover, and Tyson, and even that mortal girl-" she didn't say it with distaste, surprisingly, more with amusement. "And you have me." I felt her head rest on my shoulder, as the moon shined down in slivers and strands of white. Her hair was down, out of her usual pony-tail, so her blonde princess curls were sprawled out across my shoulder and hanging around my chest.
I picked up a curl and began to play with it, gently and softly, as I worked up the courage to say what I needed to say. "It was my fault," I whispered, my voice cracking, still clutching her curl. Annabeth gave a sharp intake of breath, and we were silent for a moment, hearing the crickets and the harpies hissing off in the distance. Hearing the rustle of branches and leaves, and the trees swaying.
"It wasn't your fault." She said her voice sounding suddenly drained, like she didn't want to continue her sentence. "It was Luke's." I released her hair and sat up, finally looking at her. Her grey eyes were gorgeous and intense as usual, but suddenly dark and sorrow filled.
"But I thought you and Luke, were, well, friends?" I couldn't bring myself, to say anything past or more, just friends.
"Sure," Annabeth said, and I could tell she was holding back tears. "But this is his fault- and maybe I could've blamed this on Kronos possessing him or manipulating him, but there's always a choice, Percy." Always a choice...
"Always a choice," I whispered, facing her again, her blonde curls blowing in the small waves of wind. "I'll have to remember that, for what's to come."
"The great Prophecy," she said, shaking her head gently.
"I'm scared." That's the first time that I've ever said that, to anyone. I'm sure people assume that I am, but this is the first time I've ever said it aloud.
"I know." She said in clarification. "I am too." Annabeth leaned against my shoulder again, so she was half sitting in my lap. I didn't mind though. Her head was resting in the crook of my neck.
"I'm not scared for myself, I'm scared for my friends: Grover, Silena, the Stolls, Katie, Thalia, Nico, even Clarisse." Annabeth gently laughed. "And I'm scared for you." Her laughter died down, and I felt each breath that she took, on my chest.
"You don't have to worry about me, Percy." Annabeth said, finally. "I'll be fine." I felt my jaw set, and I'm sure she felt it too, because she sat up.
"You don't know that, Annabeth." I said, through gritted teeth. "You could get hurt." She brushed a strand of my hair to the side, and I blushed finally at her sudden affection.
"I could and we could spend the rest of our time, worrying about it. Or we could fight, and pray to the Gods for hope."
I grabbed her hand, gently, and played with her fingers. "I can't lose you."
"You won't."
"You don't know that!" I said my anger slightly rising. I released her hands and put my head in my hands, holding back desperation. I leaned up and stared at her, sympathy in her features.
"And if I do, I will go to the underworld and demand for you back." A small smile tugged at her lips, and I smiled as well, just because she was.
"Let's not talk about this." I said, and Annabeth gave a curt nod in agreement. Annabeth crawled back into my lap and I blushed again, and prayed to Aphrodite that she didn't notice.
"You know Rachel?" She asked, and I nodded. "I'm going to swallow my pride right now, okay?" She took a deep breath then began again. "The reason I'm so mean to her, is I'm jealous." Jealous? How could Annabeth be jealous of Rachel?
"Why?"
"Because," Annabeth sighed into my neck, sending warmth through me and believe it or not, I blushed again. "She's everything I'm not; she's artistic, she's confident, funny, easy-going... and she's mortal." My eyebrows scrunched together, and Annabeth pursed her lips together tightly.
"She's a better friend to you, then I'll ever be. I'm pathetic and insecure, mean, and a hypocrite."
"Don't say that." I said, feeling sharp, hot anger rush through me. I had never known that Annabeth felt this way, and it made me furious that she thought so lowly of herself.
"Why not? All I've been to you is selfish and prideful."
"No, Annabeth. You're the most amazing friend that I've ever had before. Your confident, funny, smart, and you crinkle your nose adorably when something annoys you. You love reading, and you wear your hair down when your upset or nervous." I took a breath, not daring to look at Annabeth.
"You fiddle with something when your anxious, your proud of who you are and your stubborn; but for some reason you always look cute when you cross your arms or glare at someone. You're not mean, you stand up for what you believe in. You know the difference between right and wrong, you're a fighter, your strong and proud of who you are. And you're the most beautiful person I've ever met." I heard a sniffle coming from Annabeth, and almost face-palmed. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did I say that?!
"No, Annabeth, don't cry." I said, in desperation.
"Your such a Seaweed Brain, Percy." Annabeth replied, a huge smile across her face. I felt my cheeks flame up, and we continued to stare at each other, until the harpies voices startled us.
"Naughty children, out of bed!" I took a quick glance at Annabeth and we stood up quickly and took off running, towards the Athena cabin. I took a quick glance behind me, and saw that the harpies hadn't noticed us take off across the grass. I sighed in relief and Annabeth walked up the short stairs onto her cabin deck, I walked up too.
"Thank you, Annabeth." I said to her, meaningfully. "For everything." She nodded, her grey eyes shimmering with happiness.
"I'm sorry about last year," I said as she turned to walk into her cabin. Annabeth froze, then turned around and nodded once more. "Me too."
"And Annabeth, I really meant those things I said about you." She blinked and smiled even bigger than before. Then she did something I didn't expect.
She leaned up on her tiptoes, and kissed my lips gently and quickly. Again, it felt like my brain was melting, even though it was a quick peck. Both are faces were blushing a bright crimson red, and Annabeth whispered, "Good night, Seaweed Brain."
I don't know how I replied, because at that moment I couldn't even remember what my first name was. All I could think about was her. Annabeth Chase. But the harpies snapped me out of my thoughts once again, and I ran back to my cabin, a smile never leaving my face.
*Third Person Perspective*
Silena Beauregard watched from the window of the Aphrodite cabin, the whole kiss unfold. A small meaningful smile spread across her face. Maybe Charlie was dead, but their love wasn't and Silena knew just from that little kiss scene, that she would sleep better than she did the night before. She knew that Percy and Annabeth would too.