The Choice

She woke up every night from the same nightmare. Well it wasn't really a nightmare now was it, she thought to herself it really happened. She went over it again in her head, cursing him, and thinking about how much of an ass he was to do that. Mostly though she was just thinking about how much she missed him and wished she could be holding him close to her. She got up knowing that after that she wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep. She went to the kitchen and asked for the same thing she had every night since she came back. Blue chocolate chip cookies and blue coke… She cried when she saw them, wishing more than anything to see Percy eating them, but he would never eat them again, Annabeth thought bitterly to herself. He had to save her and Bob, had to make things right in his mind. The tears started to fall as she drifted off into the memory…

"Annabeth, you have to go, I'll hold the button." Percy shouted as he sliced through monsters.

"Not without you Percy," She answered honestly. She couldn't leave him here.

"Annabeth you and Bob have to leave, with the gods out of commission a titan might be able to work with you to destroy them. Plus I owe Bob that much."

"Percy I won't leave you,"

"I'm too dangerous Annabeth, to monstrous… I belong here. Let me save you one last time." She didn't want this.

"No. You promised we were never getting separated. Not again."

"I'm sorry Annabeth, I love you," And with that he threw her and Bob into the doors and closed them shut. Annabeth had been crying the entire time. Her stupid, selfless, guilt ridden boyfriend had to do what he felt was right. When she got out of the elevator she didn't remember much except telling her friends to leave Bob alone and right before falling asleep saying, "I love you too Percy".

Afterwards she had woken up expecting Percy's arms around her but she didn't. She heard her friends talking about what might have happened to Percy and she interrupted them. She walked in and told them what had happened, crying when she had mentioned Percy's final sacrifice. She begged Nico to tell her if he was dead, to call his soul up so she could talk to him another time, to tell him she loved him and that she would see him in Elysium, she would wait for the day when she journeyed to Elysium to be reunited with the only person she would ever be in love with. She would wait for him. Nico said he couldn't that he didn't know where Percy's soul was but he couldn't feel him in the Underworld and that just made her heart soar and fall at the same time with thoughts that he could be alive or that his soul was still in Tartarus. She refused to give in to the latter thought and kept hope.

She became reckless. Destroying any monster in her way and forcing any that could talk to tell her if they knew anything about Percy.

None told her anything of use.

In the midst of the final battle with Gaea, the Earth Mother played her ace in the whole. She stopped the battle and brought out a cage made of dirt, similar to the one that held Hera. Inside though instead of an annoying goddess was Percy, her love. Her heart soared, he was alive she could save him. When she took a closer look she gasped, he was so thin, his body was worn, his shirt torn and he was battered, bloody, and bruised. She was horrified, what had they done to him? What had those monsters done to her love, her Seaweed Brain, her Percy?

Before Annabeth could run up and kill Gaea for touching him the Earth Mother spoke, "I have saved your boyfriend Annabeth Chase, as you see we are quite willing to torture the boy, so if you don't do what we say I will torture him forever. If you drop your sword and stop fighting I will return young Perseus to you and the two of you may live out the rest of your days in peace. Refuse and I will send him back to Tartarus to forever be tortured."

Percy got to his feet clutching at the cage and his torso, he looked so weak at that moment that she wanted to cry. He shouted, "Don't do it Annabeth, you can't sacrifice the world for me. Please Annabeth do the right thing and tell my mom I'm sorry and I love you both." With that he collapsed to the floor having used all of the strength he had.

At this Annabeth almost dropped to her knees. She knew what she should do, what Percy wanted her to do. He wanted her to save the rest of the world, sacrifice him and to continue fighting. She knew she couldn't do that though. She had already lost him twice in the last year and over the years she had almost lost him so many times. She thought about him, letting her heart swell at the thought of having him close to her again. Then though she thought about saving the world and if his life was worth the rest of the world and she had her answer. She knew what she had to do.

"I accept your terms on one condition." Annabeth stated. Her friends looked at her with shock and horror, she knew what they were thinking. Gaea smiled though and the other Giants did as well.

"Very well my child what is your condition?"

"You and the rest of the Giants must swear on the River Styx that Percy will never be harmed." That is my condition.

Gaea thought for a moment until nodding, she and the rest of the living giants swore on the Styx that Percy would never be hurt and Percy was released and put in her arms. She cradled his head in her hands. He opened those beautiful sea green eyes and looked up in confusion. She kissed him, good and hard needing to feel his lips. He looked up at her he said, "You were supposed to do the right thing." He coughed out.

She smiled at him and whispered, "I did." She had no time to enjoy this moment though she needed him to help her, she whispered in his ear and said, "Trust me?"

"Always," he replied. She took her sword and made a tiny cut on his arm. She hated that she had to do this but it was the only way for a total win.

Gaea and the Giants started to burst into flames. Gaea started to scream about what happened and I told her. "You promised that no harm would come to Percy and some did, therefore the oath you all took will destroy you." Annabeth smiled. After the Giants melted, she knew the prophecy was fulfilled, the world fell to fire.

Her friends ran up to her and Percy. Annabeth didn't care she had Percy in her arms. A place he wouldn't be leaving for a very, very, very long time.

Everyone was amazed by what she did. Frank asked, "How did you think of that plan?"

Annabeth smiled, "Percy, he loved the Disney movie Hercules as a child and even though it was horribly inaccurate it made me smile when we watched it to see him so happy. When I was offered the choice all I thought of was Percy, everything and that came to mind and so I tried it." She hadn't looked up from her boyfriend's face once, still stroking his hair and face. They brought him up to the Argo ll into Annabeth's room and let the couple get some rest.

When Percy woke up he had Annabeth had her arms wrapped tight around Percy's shirtless torso. She was facing him her head tucked into his neck and Percy smiled. He knew it was selfish but he was so glad Annabeth had saved him. That she hadn't been willing to let him sacrifice himself. He smiled at her and he went to go to the bathroom but Annabeth's arms wrapped themselves even tighter around him. "No," she said, "You don't get to leave my sight or my arms for a very long time. You have a lot of time to make up for, plus your penance for sacrificing yourself is that you are doing everything I say for a long time."

"But Annabeth I have to take a shower and go to the bathroom." He complained.

"Well you can do one of those things with me," she teased running her hand down his stomach to his crotch. She feels him harden under her hand and she drags him over to the bathroom, and to the shower. When they finally get out it is time for lunch and Annabeth brings Percy to the lunch room. They eat with hands still being held.

She could see a change in him, he was quieter more he had nightmares, they both did but some days she knew he could feel being tortured all over. She helped him get over it and the two of them barely left each other's side over the next few months.