"No. No! Percy! Percy, please listen to me! You can't—," she faltered, "you can't go!" She held him close. Percy smiled up at her. His hand reached to a lone curl.

"I've always loved your hair. It's one of my favourite things about you."

Annabeth cried into his bloodied chest. "There can be more things you love about me! Just please… don't die!" She bent her head down as tears escaped her eyes. She froze. She couldn't be like this. Not in his last—don't think like that.

Percy continued to play with her curls. "You know it's inevitable. Huh. Would you look at that? Guess I'm pretty smart after all." Annabeth let out a choked laugh.

"Guess you are."

She had never seen him like this. So vulnerable and…

Weak.

She touched his face. His skin was losing warmth. "Hold on. Hold on." Percy shook his head.

"No. Annabeth, if death comes, death comes. It's your time to shine."

He grinned up at her.

Annabeth shook her head. "No. It's yours! It's always yours! Stay with me! Stay with me, please!"

She felt salty tears get into her mouth. She paid them no regard.

"You won't go away. I know you. You're the strong, wonderful, amazing, brilliant…" She trailed off and let out a crazed laugh. "Look at me! Seaweed Brain, the things I do for you."

Percy smiled sadly. "Annabeth."

She looked at him.

"When I go, I need you to remember me. I need you to remember everything we've done. I need you to remember everything we've said. I need you to remember that I love you."

Annabeth caressed his cheek.

"Okay. Anything else?"

"Tell… nah. Just remember…"

He stopped.

"…I love you."

Annabeth set him down and wept. The sky turned dark. The world silently cried alongside her.

The great Perseus Jackson was dead.

Disclaimer: All canon characters and possibly mentioned canon events belong to the owner who had ever so rightfully copyrighted their hard work, and I, the Artist, am in no way whatsoever, that person. In this case, the "owner" is Mr. Richard Russell "Rick" Riordan, Jr.

To the guest with Gentle critic: truuuu but i guess she doesn't have a water bottle or whatever killed him was too strong for that idk *shrugs*