Hey everyone! If you have not finished The Mark of Athena, DO NOT READ THIS FIC. First and final warning.
So, we all know how absolutely terrible and depressing the ending of MOA was. I needed something to cheer me up, and I wrote this, just to give Percy and Annabeth a sort-of happy ending. I hope you enjoy, and please leave feedback!
The World Can Wait
Running. Percy was running. Running across the ground, escaping monsters, hearing them shrieking out as they re-formed or as newly killed ones fell down to the pit. He couldn't see anything, because Tartarus was dark, darker than anything Percy had ever experienced in his life. He imagined it was a billion times worse than being blind. Not only could he not see anything, but the darkness weighed on him, compressing his soul into nothing. He couldn't imagine anything more gloomy and sinister than this, the darkest place in the universe. The only concrete and familiar thing he had was Annabeth's hand in his, running with him as they traversed the abyss. He couldn't see her, but he knew she was there, and that was the only thing that could remotely keep him going.
His lungs aching from running so much, Percy breathed in through his mouth, even though he knew he shouldn't. Monster dust filled his throat, and he coughed up his lungs. He kept running, knowing he couldn't stop to catch his breath. They had to keep going.
He felt something fly past him, then heard an ear-splitting shriek. A few steps ahead, he felt something large slithering by, but he only kept running. Annabeth squeezed his hand. He knew that meant we're almost there. Neither of them had the energy to talk anymore.
He felt Annabeth slowing down. They stopped, and Percy reached his hands out. He felt cold metal, and he moved his hands across the wide surface. They had reached Doors of Death.
Annabeth squeezed his hand again. Are you ready? She was asking.
He was about to squeeze back in consent when he heard a low chuckle. It was a woman's voice; cold, sinister, and ancient, echoing across the cavern, making the rocks rumble in laughter with her.
Oh, my little darlings, she whispered into the dark. So young. So foolish.
Percy heard Annabeth scream out at the top of her lungs in utter horror. Her hand was yanked out of his, and he grabbed at the air, desperately searching for her in the dark.
"ANNABETH!" he yelled, again and again. His voice broke, and it felt like he was being punched in the stomach.
The evil voice chuckled. Silly demigod. Are you ready for your death?
Percy felt a blast of frigid air, as if a massive beast was breathing on him, and he was flown backward. He had no idea where he was being taken, but he heard a loud groan, as if the Earth was opening below him. The laughter gained in strength and sound, echoing across the pit, and he fell, sinking fast into the depths of the Earth.
XXX
Percy jumped out of bed. He yanked at the air, searching for Annabeth. He breathed deeply, and he still felt like he was falling. He pulled his head into his hands and breathed through his mouth, trying to calm the rapid beating of his heart.
He felt the sheets moving next to him. "Percy?"
He looked over, and Annabeth was looking up at him, her head resting against her pillow.
"Another nightmare?" she asked, her face showing a look of concern. He nodded.
She sat up in bed, and leaned over and brushed his messy bed hair out of his face. He lay down again. Percy glanced over at the clock on the bedside table. It was three A.M. Annabeth didn't say anything else, but kept stroking his hair. He focused on his breathing, and listened intently to the sounds of Manhattan traffic ten stories below them.
The nightmares hadn't come in a while. He had gotten them a few times over the last several months, and every night, he would yank at the air in terror, his heart beating out of his chest as he searched hopelessly for Annabeth in the darkness. He'd told her about the nightmares once, and she had tried to console him. She'd told him not to agonize too much over them, but they had haunted him, becoming worse every time they came. Percy was kind of grateful that she was awake now, because just her stroking his hair calmed him down so much more than when he had been on his own those other nights.
She leaned over and kissed him. "You're okay. I'm right here."
Percy stroked her cheek. "I know," he whispered, then kissed her forehead. She squeezed his hand, then lay down and closed her eyes.
Percy tried to fall back asleep, but every time he felt his eyes closing, he saw the images again as clearly as in his nightmare. He heard Annabeth's breathing slow as she drifted off to sleep. He stayed up, afraid to fall asleep again and face Gaea and the monsters.
Eventually, a half hour, then one, then two hours passed, and Percy couldn't fight it anymore. He knew he'd regret it in the morning if he stayed up any longer. He turned over, facing Annabeth, and closed his eyes. He caressed her hand, so close to his, and matched his breathing to hers. He felt himself drifting into sleep, finally, when he heard a cry in the night.
His eyes flew open. He heard the cry again, and this time Annabeth woke up, her eyes focusing in on his. The crying got louder, and Annabeth sighed and got up. Percy turned over, watching her every step as she walked over to the mahogany crib next to their dresser. She reached for the baby, their baby, and patted her back.
"Shh, sweetheart, its okay, Mommy's here," Annabeth said. She set the baby down again, and reached for a bottle on the nightstand. She fed the baby formula, then patted her on the back. Annabeth sang her a lullaby in Ancient Greek, and soon Percy could hear the baby's breathing deepen as she fell asleep. She was about to set the baby down in the crib again when Percy said, "Why don't you let her sleep in the bed for now? It's only a couple of hours until morning, anyway."
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "The doctor said she had to sleep by herself, Seaweed Brain. We don't want her infection to get worse."
"I know Wise Girl, but it's..." Percy leaned over to check the clock, "five A.M. right now. She'll be up in two hours anyway."
She looked down at the baby, who was sleeping silently against her chest. "Fine, Seaweed Brain. But just for now, okay?"
Once Annabeth crawled into bed, Percy made room for the baby to sleep in between them. Percy gave the child a light kiss on the cheek, and poked her nose. The baby sighed in her dreams.
"You know, sometimes…sometimes I can't believe we're parents. She's six months old, and I still can't get over it."
Annabeth scooted over on the bed, moving closer to the baby and Percy. She knotted her fingers in his, their hands resting just under the baby's feet.
"I know. For the most part, I'm used to it, but moments like these, when I think of how much I love her…I can't believe it's all real." She looked up at him, gazing intently into his sea green eyes. "Are you scared, Percy?"
He knitted his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"Are you scared you might lose her? Is that why you've been having nightmares?"
Percy sighed, and stared up at the ceiling. Sometimes Percy almost hated it when Annabeth knew everything about him, knew everything he was thinking, but he also loved that about her, too.
"I…I'm terrified I'll lose this. I don't want anything to happen to her, or to you. I don't want some catastrophe to happen and have the world on our shoulders again."
Annabeth gripped his hand harder. "I know what you're feeling. I get frightened too sometimes, that something will happen and the gods will need our help again." She sighed and grabbed at her chest, as if the thought was too much. "But if you dwell on it too much, it'll make you so scared, Percy. You'll just live your life in fear. You have to believe things won't get worse, or else you won't enjoy your life now."
Percy looked at her. Even in the darkness, in pajamas, with bags under her eyes, it took Percy's breath away how beautiful she was. Sometimes he marveled out how lucky he was to be married to Annabeth Chase.
"I know. Just after everything we went through ten years ago, this peace we've had…I don't ever want it to end."
Annabeth leaned over and kissed him on the lips. "We're together, Percy. That's all that matters. I'm not going anywhere."
Percy nodded. "Neither am I."
She leaned over and stroked the baby's cheek, then brushed her light, feathery black hair with gentle fingers. Percy yawned, still looking down at his baby, and could do nothing else but marvel at how small, beautiful, and perfect she was. He couldn't believe he was a father to such a wonderful little girl, and husband to such a beautiful, intelligent, courageous woman as Annabeth.
"I love you. Both of you." He gripped Annabeth's hand tight.
She smiled, her stormy eyes sparkling. "I love you too, Seaweed Brain."
When they woke up a few hours later to baby Sophie crying her head off, Percy completely forgot about monsters, Titans, Gaea, Tartarus, giants and gods. His biggest calamity right now was that his six-month-old daughter's forehead was burning up with fever. Percy decided that right now, in this moment, all that mattered was Sophie and Annabeth. Everything else could wait.