August, 2015

Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase sit on Camp Half-blood's silky sand beach, watching the dark blue waves roll and crash against the shore. They're celebrating Percy's eighteenth birthday today. Every time a wave hurls itself against the shore, Percy flicks his wrist to make the water soar a little before letting it drop back down gracefully.

Apollo's getting ready to set the fiery sun for the day, and the sky is tinged with shades of crimson, orange and pink.

Percy and Annabeth sit in silence on the beach, hand in hand as they watch the waves roll. The silence is a comfortable presence as they enjoy the simple presence of each other.

It's been two years since Gaia was defeated and they rent an apartment in New York together. The monster attacks have been far less frequent after the war. They share a small blue chocolate chip cupcake, courtesy of the Demeter cabin, a small favour for the heroes of Olympus.

Percy breaks the silence before turning to Annabeth. Her face is framed by her golden curls and her stormy grey eyes seem calm, at peace. He sets the blue cupcake down beside them, resting in the sand.

"Annabeth Chase," his green eyes twinkle.

"Go on, Seaweed Brain," she laughs as she encourages him. Always teasing him, even in the most serious of moments.

"We've been best friends since we were 12. We've been through the toughest challenges the gods have ever thrown in our faces. We've been through hell and back, and we've survived the impossible. "

"Annabeth, we aren't meant to be alive."

She swallows as the words hit home.

"But the most important thing isn't that we went through Tartarus, or that we defeated Gaia. It's that we did it together. We did it as partners. And today, Annabeth Chase, I want to ask you a question: are you willing to be my partner in life?" He asks nervously, but his sea green eyes still sparkle.

Beautiful, she thinks. He's beautiful, and all that I can ask for.

She smirks before replying, "Aren't we already partners for life?"

His mouth opens and closes but no sounds come out. His eyes brim with tears as he slips a small gold band onto her finger. Quickly, they kiss.

It was a kiss of love, of loss, a quiet kiss.

It was a kiss of promise and hope and hints of what to come.

"I love you, Percy."

"I love you, too."

Hours later, when the first heart attack struck, Annabeth screamed the same words as his deathly pale face was rushed into the operating room on a cold metal gurney.

Hours later, when the operating light clicked off and the doctor came out with a grim look on his face, Annabeth screamed.

She screamed and screamed until her mother appeared. For once, Athena's grey eyes weren't condescending or unhappy with her daughter. "My dear... Zeus has just found out that the Fates cut his life string just before his heart attack. It was destiny; Apollo couldn't do anything."

She paused before murmuring, "I'm sorry, Annabeth."

Annabeth couldn't face her mother. She hid under the blanket, refusing to face bleak reality as she tried to steam herself to death under the thick duvet. If I close my eyes, she thought, Percy's going to come laugh at me. Like he always does.

Percy wandered over to where Annabeth was sleeping on her desk. she'd just finished another blueprint for Mount Olympus, and was dead tired. He smiled and picked her up, letting her head loll against his chest. Bending his head to kiss her cheek, Percy set her down on her neatly folded bed, before tucking his girlfriend in for the night.

"Goodnight, Annabeth."

She choked back a painful sob. It was like a bullet to the brain. Percy, Percy, Percy!

Her mother sighed before standing up.

"He left you a letter, you know. He knew just after his proposal."

The proposal.

Annabeth cried harder at the thought of her shattered future. She and Percy were supposed to get married at the beach, to have kids, to grow old together, to die together peacefully. It was like Percy was playing and tugging with her heart strings, and each thought hit her like shrapnel.

She felt a letter through her pocket, and she opened it with shaking hands. Through her blurry vision, wet with tears, Annabeth cried as she read.

Dear Annabeth,

I know you're probably crying as you're reading this. Gods, I love you so much. And I'm so, so sorry. It wasn't supposed to end like this.

I thought we were going to be the lucky couple. The couple that beat everything and made it all through. Somehow, I thought we were invincible.

I guess this shows we're not. Wise Girl, you have to remember I love you. I love you more than the stars, the sun, more than anything else in this world. I won't let go of you, even in death. We're too strong for that.

Annabeth, I wish I had more time with you. I wanted to see you waltz down that beach for me in a stunning white gown, and I wanted to see you lying in bed with me at 11 AM on a Sunday morning with a wedding ring on your finger. I wanted to make it through pregnancy with you, through all the cravings and the morning sickness and the pain. I wanted to sit in a rocking chair with you, and watch your golden hair turn white.

I wanted that life.

But Annabeth, don't forget. I won't forget you and I won't stop loving you.

I'll love you forever, Annabeth.

If you ever need someone to love you, Annabeth, if you ever need a caring friend, a

loving husband, a partner in crime, I'll be there.

Remember me, and I'll be there for you. Always.

Love,

Percy.

Annabeth stepped on to the roof, the wind blowing gustily as the sky turned grey to match her feelings. She walked to the edge. She looked down. And as Annabeth stepped onto the thin ledge, she took out the letter.

I'll be there.

And she jumped.

The end. I hope you guys liked this story! Review, please, criticism will be much appreciated! Flames are accepted too.