I'm ALIVE! *emerges dramatically from fog. Sorry, everyone. School, part-time uni, writing my novel, jet-lag and crap got in the way. But I AM BACK!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Percy Jackson, Rick Riordan does. Oh, and this was inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean so some credit goes there too.

WARNING (this one's important): HUGE SPOILERS FOR HOUSE OF HADES! Read that first.

How in Hades are the mortals missing this? The final battle had started two days ago, and Annabeth had hardly slept. Endless tides of monsters came. And came. And came. Shouts and yells and war-cries pounded her head constantly. Soon, her headache would have a headache. The air stunk of blood and monsters. If she didn't rest soon, she would faint. Camp-Half Blood and The Legion had joined forces (finally), the Athena Parthenos was safe of Half-Blood Hill and the Doors of Death were closed. But Gaia wasn't lying when she prattled on about her grand army and total destruction and havoc and stuff.

Annabeth disintegrated a harpy with her knife and glanced at Percy. He was fighting tirelessly, despite looking as exhausted as she did. She had snatched up sleep where she could. Percy hadn't had the chance.

On the steps of the Parthenon, which she'd finally gotten see (joy, she thought sarcastically), Frank, Jason, Leo and Piper were fighting for their lives trying to keep the enemy away from themselves and the mortals inside. Frank was a dragon, glowing red with the Blessing of Mars/Ares again. Jason slashed and stabbed with his sword, in a strange combination of Greek and Roman fighting. Leo shot fireball after fireball into the crowd, and braining any monsters who got too close with a hammer. Piper was part-fighting them, part-yelling commands at them and part-knocking them out with fresh cornucopia ham.

Annabeth felt something brush up against her. She whirled, killing the Cyclops in front of her and attacking whatever was behind her. The 'whatever' was Percy and he ducked – probably because he liked his head on his shoulders.

"Geez, Wise Girl, calm down!" He yelled above the din.

"Fancy seeing you here, Seaweed Brain." she replied, turning around and continuing the fight. They fought back to back, continuing the casual conversation.

"Just wanted to tell you, I love you!" he said.

"Fantastic, I love you, too!" she replied, stunned they had moved so quickly through that.

"And, well…" he seemed to choke.

"And…?" she promoted.

"Annabeth, will you marry me?"

The entire world froze and stood still. Then whirled back and seemed sharper and faster than before. She almost laughed when she thought they were moving fast before. They'd just made the jump to hyper-speed. She was delighted! Then her head caught up with her heart. They could die here. How, when….? Lightning struck her mind (well, not literally).

SPOILERS FROM HERE!

"Frank got made a Praetor, right?" she asked.

"Yes…"

"FRANK!" she screamed. "WE NEED YOU TO MARRY US!" He looked at her and gave a dragon-y 'thumbs up' and a big fanged grin. Jason, Leo and Piper whooped.

"NO! I MEAN NOW!" she yelled. Frank looked confused and turned human. He yelled something back that was lost in the wind. Probably, 'A bit busy now, maybe later'.

"BEFORE WE DIE!" she was going to lose her voice like this. Frank stabbed a monster, stood straight and started talking. Annabeth couldn't hear him and tapped her ears to tell him that. He stopped and seemed to have a conversation with Leo. He passed him a megaphone out of his tool belt. Before he started, Percy tore off the hem of his shirt and tied around his neck like a bow tie. Piper shot Annabeth a bouquet of coronations from her horn of plenty, which she caught easily. Frank began;

"The horse says neigh!" He blared. Leo cracked up. Piper yelled something (VALDEZ!) and shot a wedding cake at him, covering him head to toe with frosting and sponge cake. Frank tried to continue, his voice coming out like Darth Vadar's;

"We are gathered here today to witness the union of these two demigods, Annabeth Chase and Perseus Jackson, in holy matrimony!" Darth Frank said, slashing wildly with the sword in his free hand. Annabeth had never thought she would be married in Greece, by a Sith Lord, while fighting off an evil army with a dagger and a bouquet of flowers.

"The cow says moo! Do you, Perseus Jackson, take Annabeth Chase to be your lawfully wedded wife!?"

"I DO!"

"The house says nothing! Sorry, what was that!?" Percy just gave him a 'thumbs up'.

"Her name was Lola! And do you, Annabeth Chase take Percy to be your lawfully wedded husband!?"

"I DO!" she waved her bouquet around and jumped so he'd get it.

"She was a showgirl! I seriously hope that means 'yes', and not 'call off the wedding', because I now pronounce you husband and wife! All the ladies luv Leo! You may kiss the- GAH!" A monster caught the Praetor by surprise and knocked him down. Piper dashed to help while Jason tried to finish.

"You may kiss the- OOF!" he went down too. Leo seized the microphone;

"Betty Buttons brought a bunch of beautiful bananas! JUST KISS HER ALREADY!"

And they kissed in the middle of the battlefield, Leo giving them time by flame-thrower-ing the hordes around them. Piper, Jason and Frank popped up as they broke apart and kept fighting.

"What about the rings!?" asked/yelled Piper. Leo fished something out of his tool belt and lobbed it to Percy. Annabeth saw that in Percy's hand were two big, silver nuts. Close enough, thought Annabeth as they put them on. Piper face palmed.

Well, back into the fray.

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