A/N: Post-Tartarus Percabeth, anyone? I'm still experimenting with writing for the PJO/HoO fandom and this probably isn't my best work, but I'm super critical of all my pieces, so if it was up to me, this fic would probably just be sitting on my hard drive forever, collecting dust. So, I decided to just post it. Hopefully the characters aren't too OOC or anything. Happy readings! (Warning: Spoilers for The House of Hades. Sorry! ^^')

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to Rick Riordan and the title was borrowed from Shania Twain's lovely song of the same name.

Holding on to Love

Their first night back on board the Argo II, Annabeth slept in Percy's cabin. Under normal circumstances, Coach Hedge would've never allowed it, but he was helping Nico and Reyna transport the Athena Parthenos, so he couldn't do much to stop them. Given everything that had happened to them (and the news he'd received about Mellie) he seemed to understand their desire to be close to each other and he and the others hadn't really commented on it. Evidently, Tartarus had taken its toll on them and neither of them was quite ready to return to their previous living arrangements, so Coach Hedge had kept quiet about it. Annabeth had taken the silence to mean their current arrangement was okay and all but lived in Percy's cabin. After going through Tartarus with him, she never wanted to let go of him again. Once upon a time, she'd have scoffed if someone had called her clingy, but she was starting to realize that maybe she was. She preferred to be near Percy and whenever they were close, she couldn't stop herself from intertwining their fingers or leaning against him. She didn't even care if Leo made funny jokes about how clingy they'd become or if Jason looked he was going to burst out laughing when Percy kept hugging Annabeth like a teddy bear or if Hazel kept giggling and Piper kept winking at her. They were still together and that was all that mattered to Annabeth. And as long as they were together, she wasn't planning on letting Percy out of her sight again. So that was how she'd found herself in Percy's small cabin, on board the Argo II.

At the moment, most of the ship was asleep. Piper was at the helm, standing guard and Leo had Festus on autopilot and was napping so, aside from the daughter of Aphrodite, Percy and Annabeth were the only ones awake. Annabeth lay curled up against her boyfriend on his bed, closing her eyes, as he idly played with her curls. The room was lit with the soft glow of the celestial bronze lamp and, if she concentrated hard enough, Annabeth could almost convince herself she was back home in Camp Half-Blood, relaxing with Percy in his cabin. Almost.

She opened her eyes to find Percy gazing at her intently. In the dim lighting of the room, his green eyes seemed to become impossibly greener and practically glowed. Annabeth resisted the urge to laugh as she stared back.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Seaweed Brain?" She demanded.

"Because you're beautiful," Percy replied, kissing her forehead. "I mean, I always knew you were, even if I didn't tell you, but after all the Death Mist and stuff, you look ten times more gorgeous. Aphrodite's got nothing on you."

Annabeth wanted to cry, something she felt she'd been doing a lot of lately. Once, he'd have struggled just to say Annabeth looked alright without blushing, but now he said it simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Annabeth wondered when Percy had become so suave and charming, or if he always had been and she just hadn't really noticed. She opened her mouth to thank him (or possibly kiss him senseless after telling him she loved him) but the words didn't seem to form. Instead, she just gave a soft laugh, and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"Careful what you say, Seaweed Brain. You don't want another god for an enemy."

Percy just shrugged, pulling her closer. "Considering the way she's using us as her own personal soap opera, I doubt she'll kill me for that. Besides, I'm sure Piper could put in a good word for us, if things come down to that."

Annabeth chuckled, yawning softly and snuggling closer.

"I don't feel like going back to my cabin," she admitted, her eyes fluttering shut.

"Then don't," Percy said, gently tightening his grip on her. Though he often felt the need to clutch Annabeth like a lifeline, he was being infuriatingly sweet by treating her like broken glass. "Stay here."

Annabeth nodded, yawning again. She hadn't realized how fast the time had gone by since she'd entered the room.

"You should get some rest. You look tired."

Annabeth nodded. "Promise me you'll be here when I wake up?"

Percy looked at her, puzzled. "What kind of ridiculous question is that?" He demanded, hugging her. "You, Annabeth Chase, are an idiot if you think…"

"After everything that's happened, I have every right to wonder whether or not you'll still be here," she said, pointedly. Percy had to admit she had a point.

"I know, but like I said, you're not getting away from me ever again."

Annabeth sighed in content. "I don't mind."

And she leaned up to kiss him softly before curling up beside him and falling asleep.

Percy would've liked to say the night was uneventful, but it wasn't. He couldn't seem to sleep and Annabeth was having strange dreams (which were somewhat of a mixed blessing because demigods usually got nightmares) and neither of them seemed to get much rest. Annabeth almost had a panic attack when she woke up in the middle of the night to find Percy's side of the bed empty. In her disorientated and half-asleep state, her mind had somehow convinced her Percy had disappeared again and the son of Poseidon had returned from the galley (with a blue cookie) only to find his girlfriend nearly in tears. When Annabeth saw Percy, she practically assaulted him with a hug and was half-laughing, half-crying, berating herself for being so melodramatic and silly. Percy had just wrapped her up in a hug and they'd spent the better part of an hour just lying awake and clinging to each other, before the gentle rhythm of Percy's fingers playing with Annabeth's curls lulled her to sleep. When she woke again, it was to the sound of Percy mumbling something in his sleep. He seemed like he was having some sort of bad dream because his eyebrows were scrunched together in that adorable way and he kept mumbling her name as he tossed and turned. After five minutes, Annabeth caved in and woke him and nearly fell over as Percy tackled her in a bear hug, burying his face in her hair.

"I'm so sorry," he mumbled, his voice muffled by her. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Annabeth asked.

"I didn't everything we did would come back to bite us. When you thought I left…"

"Oh."

Annabeth remembered the arai they fought and shuddered. "Percy…"

"When I was marooned on Calypso's island, I didn't think I was abandoning her when I left. I mean, I planted her moonlace and even asked Zeus to pardon her after the Titan war. I didn't think she'd…that you could…"

He broke off, and held her tighter.

"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth mumbled, returning the gesture. "It doesn't matter. We're both okay and…"

"It does matter," Percy said, pulling back and glancing at her. "I always thought holding up the sky was the most painful thing I've ever done, but watching you go blind and thinking I'd abandoned you…never being able to reach you; that scared the Hades out of me."

"I'm not blind anymore."

"Promise me you won't ever scare me like that again?"

"I'd love to, but unfortunately, I don't think I can, Percy. It's all part of being a demigod."

He sighed. "I know."

"Promise me something?" Annabeth wondered.

"What?" He asked, warily.

"When we were at the Doors of Death, you wanted me to go. Alone." She said. Percy nodded. "Don't ever ask that of me again."

"But, Annabeth," He said, taking her hand. "How can you…?"

"No," She said, snatching her hand away and glaring at him. "You promised Percy; you said we were staying together. I'd rather be with you, half-dead in Tartarus than alive in the mortal world." Percy began to protest, but Annabeth cut him off. "That's why I've loved architecture, because it's permanent. You can build stuff that lasts forever and I remember thinking how I'd never find something permanent in my life…until after the War."

Percy didn't say anything, but merely kissed her again.

"Well, unfortunately for you, you're stuck with me forever," Percy said. "So you don't have to worry about me leaving."

"Except for when you pull stunts like that," Annabeth replied.

Percy shrugged. "You can't blame me for wanting to protect you and trying to save your life."

"Yes, I can."

"Okay, but if our positions had been reversed, what would you have done? Wouldn't you have tried to stay back, if only one of us could've made it out?"

Annabeth looked down. "Probably," she admitted, nodding. "But, you have people who love you to come back to. I don't have anyone."

"That's not true and you know it!" Percy said. "You have me. And your family."

"I don't think it'd affect them too much," she said, shrugging casually. "I mean, I've never been as close to my parents as you have. Sure, they might be sad, but I ran away when I was seven and I haven't spent much time with them."

"That doesn't mean they love you any less. And that's still pretty stupid reason to consider sacrificing yourself."

"It wouldn't be stupid if it meant saving you."

"Annabeth, they don't call my fatal flaw personal loyalty for nothing. There's no way in Hades I'd have let you stay there."

Suddenly, Annabeth seemed tired. "I know, Seaweed Brain."

For a while, the two lapsed into silence. At last, Annabeth yawned and flopped back on Percy's bed. "I wish this whole quest was over."

"That might be a bad thing," Percy chuckled, leaning back against the headrest. Annabeth shuffled over and rested her head on his lap.

"True," She acquiesced. "But, we might win."

"Or die trying," Percy said.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean!"

Percy smiled, nodded. "Yeah, I do and I wish it was over too. I'd miss this though," he said, absently twirling a strand of Annabeth's hair.

"Miss what; me being in your cabin?"

"No," He laughed. "We both know when we get back to Camp, we're just going to break the rules to do this." Annabeth chuckled. "I meant, the seven of us, traveling together. Frank's praetor now; he and Hazel will probably go back to Camp Jupiter and I'm not too sure about Jason. I mean, he might go back with Piper, or stay here; I guess it really depends on Piper for him. And Nico will probably disappear to the underworld until the next big prophecy. And I'm not sure about Leo. It'll be so different after we defeat Gaea."

"Assuming we do," Annabeth sighed, wearily. "After Tartarus, I'm not so sure."

"We will," Percy said. "I meant what I said the other day, in the stables. I've only ever really planned one thing in my life and, well..." He blushed slightly. "I'd love for that plan to actually happen." Annabeth smiled. "Besides, the only reason I got through Tartarus is because of you. It'd be pretty sad if none of that happened."

Annabeth nodded. "I guess so. It'd be nice to have a future like that."

"We will," Percy said, resolutely. "I didn't make it out of Tartarus for Gaea to destroy the world. And after everything Bod and Damasen did, we have to stop her."

Annabeth nodded, thinking of their deceased friends.

"Gods of Olympus," she sighed, running her hand through her hair. "If we survive this, I never want to go on another quest."

"Me either. Two great prophecies are enough for one lifetime. I'd like to just spend my time…"

"Being lazy?" Annabeth supplied, laughing.

Percy shrugged. "Whatever it takes to spend time with you."

Annabeth just leaned up and kissed him.

"Love you," she mumbled. Percy didn't respond, but he didn't need to. Annabeth knew his answer from the way he kissed her back. And for the first time in a long time, Annabeth felt content. True, their biggest battle yet was looming on the horizon, but she'd worry about all that later. For now, she intended to enjoy whatever time she had with Percy.