Company

"Tell me about the demigods."

"What about them?"

"What are they up to? How are they?"

"They're…they're doing fine. Better, actually."

"That's good," she sighed, smiling contentedly. "Is there a new prophecy?"

Nico cracked a smile. He was sitting on the edge of her bed. "Of course. There always is."

"Of course," she echoed, her gaze drifting to outside the window, where children were playing in the snow. She wondered where her own children were, probably out fighting monsters and saving the world. Of course.

She spied the Stygian sword hanging from a sheath on his hip. "Why do you still carry that old thing around?"

"Can never be too careful," he responded, one side of his mouth tilting upwards. He reached out for the drawer of her side table and took out an old bronze dagger. "I could ask you the same thing."

Annabeth laughed and warmed her hands around the mug of hot tea, letting the sweet aroma waft to her nose. She had slipped a drop of nectar into it earlier, feeling refreshed as she tasted it in the warm drink. When others would take their daily medicine, the daughter of Athena had her nectar tea. It was necessary at her age - besides visits from Nico, Rachel, and occasional visits from Chiron and other old friends, not much kept her going through the day. Annabeth would never admit it, but she longed for the day when she would leave this world. Only then would she finally look into the eyes of the person she longed for the most.

"How are they doing?" she pressed on, smiling at Nico. He had grown old, just as she had, but he still regained a bit of his health. It was Nico who still visited the camp and kept her informed of the campers' doings. Their time had long since passed, it was a new generation of demigods who were saving the world now, and Annabeth smiled as Nico answered.

"As usual, they're all confused," his laughter came out like a bark. "But Chiron's helping them, as well as the gods. They're coming through, you know. Better than they did in our…our days."

"I wouldn't expect anything different," she nodded. "Hopefully they've learned their lesson. The war affected everyone. Gods, mortals and demigods alike."

"And if they don't, then I'll be there to remind them," he teased, raising a hand to his head in a salute.

Annabeth chuckled. "Speaking of reminders, do you remember your promise?"

The man's smile faded. His hand reached back to scratch his head as he tried to think of the words to reply with. "I…I haven't seen him. Not since last time."

"Oh," she frowned. "Well…if you do, you call me, okay?" she let out a long sigh, setting down the mug on her side table.

Nico sat up from the edge of the bed, letting her swing her legs over and shuffle her feet into bedroom slippers. Annabeth hugged her arms around her, as she walked slowly towards the mantelpiece of her room. Every room in the retirement home had a mantelpiece, it was only supposed to be for decoration but Annabeth still lit it sometimes, letting the natural fire warm her and reminding her of the campfires they used to have in Camp Halfblood.

Annabeth's mantelpiece held numerous photo frames crowded around on the ledge. There were pictures of Annabeth and her friends throughout the years, all the way from Luke, Thalia, and herself, to the seven halfbloods of the old prophecy, and fading photographs of her and Percy. His wide smile was evident in the old photographs. She took one frame down and gazed wistfully at the photo. In this particular one, Percy and Annabeth each had one arm around each other, wearing their camp shirts with their helmets under their arms and their swords in their hands, looking like they'd been mauled but still happy nonetheless. Racking her brain, she tried to remember when this was taken, but all she could guess was that it was after a Capture the Flag game.

On the wall above the mantelpiece was her old orange camp shirt, held up with pins and still sporting several burn marks and dirt marks. Next to it hung her camp necklace that still had all of the beads she had obtained over the years.

She unpinned it from the wall and held it out in front of her, slipping it over her head and grinning as it hung around her neck. She turned to face Nico, who had stepped up behind her, and he gave her a small smile. Her eyes began to water as she fingered the little beads. "I miss it, Nico," she said, her bottom lip quivering. "I miss everything so much…I miss him."

Nico opened his arms, and Annabeth sunk into them, embracing him. "Why can't I see him?" she sobbed. "Why won't he appear for me?"

"Annabeth…"

"I miss him so much…why can't I see him? It's not fair..."

He held her in his arms, beginning to cry as well. His eyes swept over the old photographs, letting emotions and memories resurface, despite them being buried long ago. Nico was never one to become emotional, he had learned not to become sentimental because it was a weakness that could be used against you. But standing there with Annabeth, as she buried her face in his shoulder, with no more dangers for the two of them, he let himself cry. The last two demigods of the old group. The only ones left.

The first to go were Jason and Piper. They had died in battle, brought in by the healers to the infirmary tent and still holding on to each other's hands until their last breath. The pair had moved on to Elysium, and this Nico made sure of.

Second was Frank, and Leo soon after. Frank's stick had finally burned, also in battle. Over the years, Frank and Leo had become close, becoming best friends despite the tension in the first few months of their friendship. Leo had died trying to avenge him. Elysium became their home in the afterlife.

Next came Hazel. Hazel had died but of unknown causes. All Nico knew was that he stepped into the Underworld for a visit, and found his sister in Elysium. She wouldn't divulge any information, only that she didn't deserve a hero's death. Later, she chose to be reborn.

Thalia was still a Huntress of Artemis, but she had not visited Annabeth or Nico in years. They could only hope that she was safe, for Nico had already swept the Underworld and had found no trace of the daughter of Zeus.

And lastly, only leaving a few years prior to Nico and Annabeth's latest meeting, was Percy. The legendary son of Poseidon had not died in battle, nor had he died doing any heroic feat. He had simply passed on, weary and tired from old age. And that was just how he wanted it. Nico found it hard to understand how Percy could be happy from simply dying of old age, but Annabeth explained it as Percy finally receiving the normal life he had wanted. Sure, he had loved being a demigod, he had loved fighting and sparring and winning battles, but essentially he was tired of it all. Dying calmly on his bed, with his hands clasping Annabeth's, was his closure.

"Simply," he had said, his voice slightly raspy. "Thank you, for everything. Living my life with you was the greatest adventure I've ever had. And I love you. I'll be waiting for you, Wise Girl," he added, raising the back of her hand to his lips and kissing it, before closing his eyes.

Percy appeared to Nico two times afterwards; first, as an old man standing by the sea side, with his eyes twinkling, and second as a young man, giving Nico a thumbs-up from across the street. Both times, Percy's appearance had baffled Nico. He had no idea what his appearances meant.

When he told Annabeth about these appearances, the old woman only gazed at him dourly, as if scrutinizing him and daring him to come out and laugh at her for believing him. Even with her slightly wrinkled face, her piercing gaze was still the same; her gray eyes staring into his soul whenever she glared at him. She was still beautiful – old, but in a regal and powerful way.

"Next time you see him, will you…will you try and keep him there?" she had asked, sounding hesitant as if she felt ridiculous for asking him to do so. "I… I know it's hard, but if you can…?"

"I will."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

In the present day, Nico left Annabeth in her room, closing the door behind him. He knew what it felt like to lose somebody you love, but he couldn't imagine how Annabeth must have been feeling. Percy was the only one for her, ever since they had first met when everyone thought he was the lightning thief. Nico had not been there to experience their first meeting, but from what Percy's old stories said, Annabeth had told him that he drooled when he slept.

He held up his hand to get ready to shadow travel but he couldn't shake off the uncomfortable feeling that he had gained when he hugged Annabeth. There was something different about that hug – it was weak and she felt more fragile in his arms. If his memory was serving him correctly, her aura was fading.

The next day, Nico knocked on her door again. The receptionist had smiled at him wryly that morning, her eyes flicking from a sign on the wall to him. Nico had raised his eyebrow at the sign. It said: 'VISITS ONLY ONCE A WEEK.'.

Since when was he to follow rules anyway?

Waiting for Annabeth to let him in, Nico furrowed his eyebrows, sensing two beings in the room. One of them wasn't supposed to be there. He drew his sword, his old hands shaking a bit, causing him to curse under his breath. He hated being old. Nico slowly opened the door and he pointed his sword at the unknown being, almost dropping it when he realised who it was.

"Percy? Wha—how?" he stammered, sheathing his sword. Percy only smiled at him. Nico's old friend was in a young form, maybe his late twenties, and his form glowed slightly in the sunlight streaming through the window. He was standing by Annabeth's bed with his arms crossed and wearing his camp shirt. Nico would've cried tears of joy if he hadn't been so shocked.

"He's here, Nico," came Annabeth's voice. She looked happier than he had seen her in ages. She was gazing longingly at Percy, reaching out her hand to hold him. Percy grinned at her, reaching out to meet her hand, but his hand simply went through hers. He was only a ghost after all.

"How though?" managed Nico, stepping closer and beginning to smile. "You're…this isn't possible. Is it?"

"Hades owed me," smiled Percy. "One favour. And this was it."

"Well, what are you doing?"

"I thought she would've liked a little company on the way over."

"On the way over where?"

There was no answer, but Percy's look was enough. Nico's smile dropped, his gaze switching from Percy to Annabeth, who smiled at him sadly. He strided over to her and held her hand.

"You're going?" he croaked, tears welling in his eyes.

Annabeth cupped his cheek and brushed away the fallen tears. "You knew, didn't you? You sensed it."

Nico only nodded, unable to believe the fact that the last person he cared about was leaving him. "Don't…don't leave me."

"It's my time, Nico. And I've been waiting," she glanced at Percy. "But you'll be able to visit me anyway, right? Fingers crossed that I go to Elysium," she chuckled.

"You will. I know you will," said Nico. "But it won't be the same. I'll be alone again, I'll be the only one left. I…I don't think I can-"

"Then make it count. Teach those younger demigods a thing or two. Make your last years count, Nico di Angelo. We'll be waiting," she said, before laying her head down on the pillow. Her eyes were glazed over with happy tears, looking over to Percy before finally closing them. Nico sighed, gulping when he felt her aura fade completely. Another one gone.

Percy was still there though. He seemed to be waiting for something. All of a sudden, Annabeth's aura seemed to return completely, brighter than before. Nico blinked as her soul left her body in a cloud of light, reforming next to Percy as young Annabeth. She threw her arms around Percy and held his face in her hands, kissing him before the pair turned to face Nico. Despite his sadness, Nico couldn't help but smile at the couple, feeling immensely happy at their reunion.

Annabeth stepped over and smiled encouragingly. "Make it count, remember?"

He cleared his throat. "Will you say 'hi' to everyone for me?"

"'Course we will," nodded Percy, still smiling at him. "Thank you for taking care of Annabeth all these years."

"No problem," he gave a watery smile.

Annabeth beamed at him. "Make it count, Nico. We'll be waiting," she repeated, winking at him. Then she turned to face Percy, who had jutted his elbow out. She smiled as she took it.

"Ready, Wise Girl?"

"All those years and you still haven't thought of a better name?" she laughed. "Ready, Seaweed Brain."

And with that, Nico watched as his two best friends disappeared in a flash of light, feeling their souls enter the Underworld and only smiling once he felt the gates of Elysium open for two of the greatest demigods who ever lived, together again.

AN: Hullo, so what did you think? Reviews are much appreciated - ranging from critique to anything, really.

Age wise, they are probably in the seventies here. Piper, Jason, Frank, Leo, and Hazel, died middle-aged. Percy died as an old man, peacefully as I wrote. That's how I imagine his death to be, ever since I read the Mark of Athena. I forgot where, but there was one part when he was thinking about how tired he was of all the quests and being - essentially - 'pawns' of the gods. Correct me if I'm wrong, though :)

I hope you liked it!

EDIT: Also, if it sounds like Nico/Annabeth, that was purely coincidental because I seriously did not mean for it to sound like that! Here, Nico and Annabeth have a brother/sister relationship, after all those years they just grew more comfortable and friendly around each other (also since they're the "last two") and Annabeth views him as a little brother.