*ANNABETH*
Annabeth yawned and opened her eyes, waking up from a blissfully empty sleep. After sitting with everyone and politely discussing how they should proceed with the quest, Annabeth had cracked. As Jason and Hazel once again clashed on whether they should take the water route or air route she groaned and dropped her head in her hands. The arguing immediately quieted down and she peeked between her fingers to see the whole table watching her.
"Um Annabeth, would you rather pull the ship across land where Gaia is unstoppable?" Piper asked, looking a little miffed at Annabeth's outburst.
"No- guys, I wasn't groaning about the plan, I was groaning about the fact that Percy and I just came back from death pretty much and I honestly cannot comprehend what your saying because I. Am. So. Tired." Annabeth shook herself, one part of her realized that she could have said that in a much nicer way, whereas the other and more in-control part of her just didn't give a dam, dam...as in Hoover dam." Annabeth struggled to suppress her laughter, knowing that she was full on punch drunk now.
"And besides," she continued tiredly, "Neither of us can even help you with the decision, I mean right now Hazel" Annabeth said, while swinging her hand drunkenly, "You have three eyes." Hazel glanced worriedly at Annabeth and absentmindedly touched her forehead, "Maybe you guys should go and get some rest, we'll wake you if anything happens." Hazel said as she got up, crossed over to Annabeth and slowly helped her get to her feet. Annabeth's knees felt weak as she clung to Hazel's arm, "Come on Seaweed brain." Annabeth said as she and Hazel reached the hallway, she turned around to see Percy start suddenly, at some point during the conversation he had dozed off and now had the table cloth pattern stuck onto half of his face. He blinked and looked around before clumsily getting up and accompanying Hazel and Annabeth into the hallway. Looking back, Annabeth pitied Hazel, for the length of the hallway she was practically supporting both her and Percy, seeing as they were both loopy from sleep deprivation. After what seemed like eternity, Hazel opened Annabeth's door and promptly deposited her on the bed before closing the door and taking Percy to his room. She passed out almost before her head hit the pillow.
For the first half of the night, Annabeth was plagued with intense nightmares. She envisioned Arachne sneaking behind her and the arai leaving her blind and alone; yet the dream that plagued her the most was the dark maw of Tartarus as he sucked the life from all in his path. Periodically throughout the night she woke up crying out, or in a cold sweat, until she couldn't take it anymore. She threw back the covers and opened her door. She silently padded down the hallway, leaning against the wall as the boat gently listed to either side, Annabeth reached for the doorknob and carefully turned it. She cringed when she heard the click of the lock, it sounded like a bomb in the silence. Carefully she slipped inside the room and leaned against the door, letting it close with another deafening click. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Percy was asleep in his bunk, but not peacefully. He twitched and yelped as he slept, grasping at the sheets and twisting around in the bed. His skin glistened with sweat, his shirt was abandoned on the ground where he had flung it off in his heated nightmares. A wave of comfort rushed over her as she watched his sleeping form, only she could relate to what tortured him; in some ways their experience replaced the gray hairs that had grown out since taking turns to hold up the Earth. Annabeth smiled slightly to herself, and lifted back the sheets of Percy's bed. She crawled in and pulled up the covers around the both of them, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her body to his back, almost immediately his tossing stopped and he let out a tired sigh as he settled onto the bed. His weight leaned against her, yet it wasn't uncomfortable at all, she nuzzled her face against his bear back and closed her eyes; finally and completely falling asleep.
*PERCY*
Percy woke up to someone stirring in his arms, he froze and then realized that it was Annabeth, he had come to be able to sense her more and more; like his body was becoming especially tuned to recognizing when she was near. He blinked a few times and then opened his eyes to the top of a blonde head sitting on his chest. Her hair sparkled in the sunlight that came through his porthole window. He lifted his hand and ran his fingers through her hair, stopping at the ends to twist them around his fingers, drop them, and start again. He did this for some time, relishing in the knowledge that they were safe and above all together, he was so unbelievably at peace that he could almost forget that they still had to make it to Athens. Right now there was only Annabeth and Percy. He knew she awake, but she seemed in no rush to ruin this moment, her fingers traced aimless patterns on his ribs, he jerked as he tried not to laugh; he was ticklish on his sides. Eventually she turned her head up to face him and gave him a dazzling smile, his breath caught as his thoughts went to mush in his head. She always took his breath away when she smiled. She reached up her hand and gently closed his mouth,
"Be careful Seaweed Brain, or you'll start to drool." She whispered with a smile. He smiled back and wrapped his arms around her, turning to his side, as he hugged her to his chest; she buried her head under his jaw. For awhile they just sat like that, clinging to each other, drinking in every moment that they had together knowing that time was not on their side and their moments were numbered. He kissed the top of her head and pulled away to look at her face, she was breathtaking with her stormy eyes. He had never seen anyone more beautiful, even the Aphrodite campers back at Camp Half-Blood had nothing on Annabeth; no offense to Piper of course. Just as Percy was about to tell Annabeth what he was thinking, she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his. He was taken off guard, but he certainly did not mind. He pulled away after a few minutes, their breathe mingling as he whispered,
"I love you Annabeth Chase, from Tartarus to Olympus and back."
