Annabeth's POV
Be strong, Annabeth. Be strong. But I wasn't strong. No, not after losing Percy. I trembled as I cried. It was like the beginning; me and Percy were separated. But this time, there was guilt. So much guilt. The fact that I lived because he died. The fact that he died so I could live. I cried more.
Percy's POV
I was in Elysium now. even though Lord Hades was pissed at me, I was still placed in Elysium for my heroic deeds. But I wasn't happy. I wish Annabeth were with me. No. I take that back. I wish that I were with Annabeth. When Aphrodite said that she would make my love life hard, I really didn't expect it to be like this. I slammed my fist on the table.
"Thinking about her?"
I turned around to see Luke. Yeah, I was mad at him before, but he's really a pretty cool guy once you get Kronos out of him.
"Yeah."
"Sometimes I think about the people I love, too."
"Like who?"
"My mother, my old friends, and… Thalia."
"Thalia?"
"Yeah. I loved her. I cared for her. I didn't just want to be like a brother to her. I wanted to be her lover. But then she was killed and turned into a tree. I blamed the gods and I wanted to avenge my love." He had tears in his eyes.
"I'm sure that she loved you too."
"No, she didn't. When she was finally revived, I had already left to fight with Kronos. And when I saw her, I wanted to go back to camp. I wanted to go so much. But I swore my eternal loyalty to Kronos. I couldn't go… and she hates me. Forever." He looked away from me, but I could tell that he had tears in his eyes. After awhile, he calmed down and we talked again.
"Sometimes, I don't know if I made the right decision."
"To me, the right decision is what you believe in is right, and if the outcome is right."
"I don't know. I mean, Annabeth and I loved each other and I thought it was right of me to bring her back, but I don't think that she's happy right now."
"How do you know?"
"Well, I just have this feeling."
"Sometimes we shouldn't just think about the present. We should think about what will happen in the long run."
"I was supposed to forget, but I didn't. So I decided to bring her back. And now she's supposed to forget, too."
"Well, are you happy with what you did? Does it make you feel proud that you have done it?"
"Yes."
"Then I believe that you did do the right thing."
"But I just have this emptiness inside of me… and it hurts so much. I loved my friends and family so much that it hurts and now that I've lost them… I feel so…numb. I thought that dying for Annabeth would end my confusion and leave both of us in happiness, but… both of us are miserable." I felt the tears coming and I held them back.
"Sometimes things don't come out exactly as we planned them. You just have to except that you messed up and move on."
"But… it's hard to move on. It leaves you in never ending confusion."
"Then find the strength to endure that confusion. Endure the pain."
"But where do I get my strength from? Everything and everyone special to me is… gone." I manage to choke out that last word and tears began to fall. I didn't want to cry in front of anyone, especially Luke. But I felt… so alone. Lost again… maybe even worse.
"I'm sorry… I look weak, don't I?"
"No, crying doesn't mean that you are weak. It means that you are human and an affectionate heart. It's okay to cry. Even thought I seemed like the carefree and unemotional evil traitor, at night I cried too… because of all the things I've lost and how I yearn to have them back. How I wished to be able to relive my life once again."
"Thanks, Luke."
"No problem."
Annabeth's POV
Loneliness. Grief. Sorrow. Sadness. Pain. I used to think that those words were just feelings… nothing that I would go through. But now… I'm experiencing every one of those words, perhaps even more plus one word. Loveless. Please have mercy on me, God. Send your Angel of Mercy to find me. Send your Angel of wisdom to guide me. Send your Angel of Care to help me. I was so helpless. I wished that this were a bad dream and I'd wake up and run to Percy and give him a big hug, just so that he was still there. I closed my eyes and prepared for sleep to devour me, but then I heard Percy's last words repeating over and over again. Move on. Move on. Move on. Move on. I answered with one word. How?