And why not death rather than living torment? - William Shakespear
He watched as they burned the shroud.
The others spoke some words, shed tears, held hands, mourned her loss. Percy just watched.
The others drifted off. Hazel and Frank walked off together, Leo was pulled away by Piper, Clarissa stormed off swearing, Nico slipped into the shadows, and the rest followed. Jason was the only one who stayed. Percy wanted the fire to die, wanted it so turn in to ashes and coals. Yet it kept burning.
Percy didn't notice Jason approach him. He did feel the hand on his shoulder that clenched into a shaking fist. He turned to look at the Roman in the firelight and saw the tears. Jason stared through the shifting flames, "It's a sign of respect to cry for a fellow Legionnaire." He whispered. Percy nodded and turned back to his vigil.
"I saw." Jason stated. Percy tensed and pushed the memory back.
"The others?" Percy croaked.
"No. At least I don't think so." Jason removed his hand from Percy's shoulder. "I understand why."
"Do you?" Percy said coldly.
"I couldn't have done it either, watched Piper go through that much pain, suffer through..." Jason trailed off.
Percy closed his eyes and ran through the decision again, like he had on the ship on the way back, like he had when he had called her father.
Jason didn't say anything else and Percy was glad. Condolences and placations wouldn't help and Jason knew that. They waited there until the fire finally gave its last flicker of light.
"I'll stay as long as you need." Jason spoke in the closing darkness. Percy thanked him silently and let the memory finally consume him.
One of the others shouted for them. The sounds of fighting rang out on both sides of the doors. In the days they had been trapped here they had never relented, never given them a chance to breath. Now they saw their prey slipping away and came for them with a furry.
Percy and Annabeth fought the waves of attacks back, neither willing to turn to the doors first. Both knew what the other would do if given the chance. Percy was doing his best to fend off the attacks but was being pressed back. He was forced to react when a figure tried to slip behind them. He dove on the Cyclops and rent its chest open causing it to dissolve before him.
That's when he felt her hand on his side. She used his momentum against him and sent him towards the doors but he turned and grabbed her arm. He saw the monsters surge up behind her and met her eyes.
He knew he could have done it. Could have pulled her past him, sent her through the doors and closed them himself. He could have shouted a last goodbye, told her he loved her one more time. He imagined her safe with the others, saw her screaming for him, crying for him. He imagined the others having to drag her away. Imagined the pain she would carry everyday. Then Percy thought about loosing her and the torment it would cause him. To live everyday without his other half, to never be with her. To suffer everyday with the death of the only person who really and truly mattered.
He squeezed her arm and felt her try and break free, try and stop him from changing their places.
Instead he let her go and watched the doors close.
Percy felt Jason grab him as he fell. He gripped his friend's shirt and tried to hold himself up, tried to hold himself together. It was all too much. Standing in front of the smoldering coals, holding onto his friend, he broke down and finally cried. This was the burden he had chosen to bear.
He would suffer so she wouldn't have to.
A/N: This is where I'm going to defend the story.
I know the popular theory out there is that if one of the two of them has to close the doors and sacrifice themselves it would be Percy. While that seems romantic I don't believe it is. Percy knows the one thing he can never do is abandon Annabeth and I honestly don't think he would close the doors. I think he would understand the amount of pain doing so would cause her and choose to suffer that himself. But that's just my opinion.
Please review and let me know what you think he would do.