Hi- sorry if this is a bit OOC. I am just trying to portray PTSD symptoms in writing. I am still battling some PTSD of my own, and it is hard to portray that feeling of pain and fear.
By the way, I have let all of these characters live, and I am not planning on having a cliffhanger in here, so therefore I am not Rick Riordan. So, furthermore, I do not own the characters. Only my plot. Thanks!
"PERCY!" Annabeth screamed, lashing out with her fists. "NO, PERCY, DON'T PRESS THE BUTTON! I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT YOU-" Percy frantically took her into his arms and unraveled the sheets from her clenched hands as she let out a strangled sob. She shrieked once more, and Percy hugged her close. "You're okay," he whispered, gently pushing strands of her hair out of her face. "We're okay. We're safe now. We defeated Gaea. Bob, Damasen, Small Bob... they're going to be fine. They're strong. They'll regenerate. I'm here with you. We're okay. I'm never going to leave you, Wise Girl. I'm going to be there for you, forever and always. I swear it on the River Styx." Thunder rumbled outside, and Annabeth's eyes snapped open wide, her terror still fresh from the dream.
"Percy!" she gasped, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. He kissed her gently, then wrapped her into his arms.
"I love you," he whispered to her, silent tears running down both of their faces.
She quietly responded, "I love you too."
Simultaneously, they both said, "Forever and always."
Back in the mess hall, the other members of the prophecy watched this exchange on a live video feed, courtesy of Leo. "Wow," Jason whispered, watching as the couple embraced. "Tartarus really affected them." They nodded their heads in agreement.
"The bond between those two is stronger than any I've ever seen before. And I'm not typically an Aphrodite love guru. Anybody with a brain, mortal or demigod, could see how strongly they are connected." Piper wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and leaned into Jason.
Leo muttered to himself, "Caly will probably feel better about the whole Percy leaving her thing once she sees how intense his relationship is." Frank turned to Leo.
"Caly?" he asked quizzicaly. Leo shook his head.
Hazel, wiping her eyes with a tissue, murmured, "It's like... their connection is stronger than any marriage, if that makes any sense. It's as if their inevitable marriage is just going to be a symbol of putting the rings on and putting a name to their relationship. I mean, for the gods sake, he just swore on the River Styx to love her forever!"
Frank wrapped his arm around her and added, "Their relationship will always be more poignant and deeper than any words can explain."
Hazel nodded her head. "I really do think that they will be together forever and always." They all watched as Percy and Annabeth laid down to go to sleep, still in their tight embrace.
"Annabeth?" Percy asked after a beat.
She opened her eyes to look at him."Yes? What is it?"
"Remember our first night back from... I mean, our first night back on the Argo? And you started to tell me something, but told me to ask you again after we defeated Gaea?"
"Mmhmm..." she murmured.
"Yeah, so... what did you want to tell me?" She didn't reply, so Percy poked her arm.
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Don't worry, I'm listening."
"Then what did you want to say?" he whined.
"I wanted to tell you that my answer is yes."
"Your answer to what?"
She rolled over. "Your proposal, of course."
The crew gasped. "He proposed!?" Hazel exclaimed.
"SHHHH!" Leo hissed. "I want to hear what they're saying!" Jason looked at him oddly. Since when was Leo into lovey-dovey stuff?
Percy crinkled his brow. "When did I do that?"
Frank muttered, "He doesn't even remember when he proposed to her!? I thought that his memory was fully recovered... but either way that's ridiculous. Biggest moment in a man's life, people. I mean, I'm still planning for it to be perfect in a few years from now!" Piper raised her eyebrow at him. "Uh... I mean, he would have been planning for a few years for that..."
Piper smirked. "Nice save," she remarked.
Annabeth flipped back over to face him, and put on a fake pouty face. "Don't you remember?"
Percy looked even more confused, and asked helpfully, "Remember what?"
"Our first quest, of course!" Annabeth reached over and smoothed out the wrinkles on his forehead.
"This has something to do with our first quest. When we were twelve."
"Good deduction skills, Seaweed Brain. That's why I brought it up."
"What did I say? I don't remember proposing to you then! I had only just developed a major crush on you..." He grinned sheepishly.
"Really? That fast?" she asked, surprise written across her features.
"Actually, the first second I set eyes on you was when it started. I thought you were a princess. And then when we first met and you told me that I drool when I sleep sort of sealed the deal for my... subconscious mind."
Annabeth smiled at him fondly and took his hand. "You listen to me when I teach you big words?"
"I will always listen to you. However boring-" Annabeth glared at him. "-erm, fantastically interesting and amazingly long your speech is. In a beautiful and wonderful way, of course." Percy looked satisfied with himself, and leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
Leo threw some popcorn at the screen. "First of all- terrible coverup. Second of all- can we get back to how Percy proposed?" This time everybody turned to stare at Leo, who was currently munching on a bowl of popcorn. "What? You want some?" he gestured to the popcorn. Jason shrugged, and they all leaned over to take some.
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Nice, Percy. Nice."
Percy looked confused again. "Wait... didn't you say something about me proposing to you?"
"Curse ADHD driven tangents. Anyway, yes. Grover was even there as a witness." She leaned on her arm.
Percy scrunched his face up, deep in thought. "So... If this was during our first quest... Was this while we were waiting for the bus? That's really the only time we weren't being chased by monsters... I don't really remember that being very romantic, though..."
Annabeth cut him off. "Yes, Percy, this was while we were at the bus stop."
"The only thing we did was play hacky-sack! Annie, you're confusing me." Percy gave her his best baby seal face. She promptly reached over and pecked him on the lips.
"First off, don't call me Annie." Percy grinned at her cheekily.
She rolled her eyes and continued, "What did we play hacky-sack with, Seaweed Brain?"
"An apple? I remember Grover ate it in one gulp. How is this important?" he whined.
Leo now threw his empty popcorn bowl at the screen. "Yeah, Annabeth, tell us why this is so important!"They all stared as poof of pink sparkly glitter surrounded Piper.
Piper coughed, and said, "I think I know what's going on. My mother just blessed me with... some sort of knowledge or something."
"Don't tell us!" Leo squeaked. "I need to hear this so I can use it for Caly- never mind." Everybody turned to raise their eyebrows at Leo.
Annabeth leaned over and kissed Percy. "Have a bit of patience, Percy! I'm getting to it!"
"Okay, fine..." he mumbled.
"To explain this, we need to go a bit back in history."
Everybody, including Percy groaned. All except for Piper, who promptly jumped up and started to do a happy dance. "OH MY GODS! I get it now! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it knew it knew it!"Leo turned around and shushed her while Jason picked her up and carried her back to her seat. "Sorry, Aphrodite magic," she whispered.
"Percy, do not groan at me. I'm going to keep it short and to the point. In Ancient Greek times, throwing an apple at a woman was considered a marriage proposal."
Percy stared at her, uncomprehending.
"Percy. You started the game of hacky-sack with the apple. Your first throw was at me. You threw an apple at me. We are Greek demigods who still abide by most Ancient Greek beliefs. Do you know what this means?"
"Wait... I proposed to you at age twelve!?" Percy said incredulously.
"Yes."
"But... I had a whole speech prepared..."
Jason raised his eyebrows. "Percy had a plan? Geez, Annabeth must be rubbing off on him..." Leo looked ecstatic.
"Dear Percy. May I please use your unused proposal speech for my proposal to Caly- Hades, I keep doing that." Leo looked around suspiciously. "Did any of you notice that?"
"Um... yeah, but we'll ask you about it later." Piper answered for the group.
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "You prepared a speech?"
"Yeah, and I had to read a book for it too," he pouted.
Annabeth kissed his cheek. "That was for reading a book. But... Percy? I'd love to hear this speech of yours, even though you have technically proposed already."
"Really!?"
"Really," she replied with a smile.
"So, here goes nothing. Wait- one second." Percy got up, and then fumbled around in his pocket for something. He pulled out a small oyster, and then jumped on the bed. He knelt down on one knee. Annabeth sat up and gasped.
"Percy?"
Percy took a deep breath. "According to Ancient Greek history, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs, and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate beings, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves."
Annabeth looked impressed. "That's from Plato's 'The Symposium', Percy!"
"Play-dough? Never mind... Anyway, I know that I have found my other half. And it's you, Annabeth. It's always been you. I've known you since we were twelve, which somehow feels like an even longer time ago with all we have accomplished, and throughout that whole time I knew it was you. You were my connection to humanity when I bathed in the River Styx. You were the reason I turned down an offer of immortality right to Zeus's face. You were the reason that I turned Calypso down. You were the person who I trusted the most in battle, who knew my routine as well as I knew yours. You were the one who took a poisoned knife for me even though I was invulnerable. Somehow you subconsciously knew that it was headed for my one vulnerable point, when I didn't tell anybody where it was. You were the one memory I did not lose when Hera gave me amnesia. You were the reason I jumped into Tartarus. You were the reason I lived and am here today. You, Annabeth, are my reason for existing: my other half. And now, despite what Athena may do to me, you are the reason that I am asking you to allow me to make it official, so that everyone will know how I love you, even though I will swear again and again on the River Styx that I will love you forever and always. Annabeth Chase, my Wise Girl and two time savior of Olympus and the world, will you accept my offer of marriage, even though twelve year old me already beat me to it? I mean... will you marry me?"
Thunder boomed outside the ship as silent tears fell from her eyes.
"Hades! I didn't mean to make you cry! Did I hurt you when I jumped on the bed-"
"Yes," she smiled.
He jumped off of the bed frantically. "I hurt you! I'm so sorry, I'll get the ambrosia-"
She laughed."No, Seaweed Brain. I'm answering your first question, the one that you first asked me when we were twelve. Yes, Perseus Jackson, my Seaweed Brain and fellow two time savior of Olympus and the world, I accept your offer of marriage."
Percy stared at her.
"Percy, I just said that I would marry you!" A huge smile broke out on his face, and he leaned in and kissed her lovingly, sliding one arm around her waist and the other to the spot just between her shoulder blades. After a few minutes he pulled away.
"Wait!" he exclaimed. "I almost forgot!" Percy pushed himself back up onto one knee and whispered something to the oyster in his hands. It opened slowly to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. In the center of the ring was a large circular diamond, and surrounding it were little infinity signs created out of tiny pearls and sea green and grey diamonds. On the inside of the silver band was a tiny engraving that read: Forever and Always. "Tyson helped me make it, and I found the diamond in an underwater cave. Annabeth... I hope you like it." He smiles sheepishly at Annabeth, whose mouth is slightly open.
"It's... it's perfect!" He slipped it onto her finger, where it fit perfectly.
"So we're now officially acknowledging our apparently six year long engagement? You're soon going to be my Annabeth Jackson?" Percy said, bouncing up and down like a child in a candy store.
"I already am yours. Except for the whole last name bit. And you are already mine," she smiled.
His face turned serious. "Annabeth, I love you."
She leaned in towards him. "Percy, I love you too."
Together they smiled and whispered, "Forever and always." He leaned in too, and they met in the middle for the most beautiful kiss the universe had ever seen.
Piper and Hazel were crying. "That was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed in my life," Piper sniffled. Jason said softly, "I agree." Frank moved closer to Hazel and dried her tears with his hand. Leo blew his nose loudly.
"What?" he asked the others. "So I get bit emotional. At least I still look manly doing it!" He paused for a minute, then jumped off of his seat. Leo then proceeded to start dancing around the room, shouting at the top of his lungs, "PERCY AND ANNABETH ARE GETTING MARRIED, PERCABETH IS GETTING MARRIED, ANNIE AND PERCY ARE GETTING MARRIED, WHOOP-WHOOP! YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAH!"
"LEO!" Piper, Hazel, Frank, and Jason screamed.
"Hehe, I got a little bit too excited?" Leo smiled sheepishly.
Back in Percy's bedroom, Percy and Annabeth quickly pulled apart. "What was that noise!?" Percy asked, pulling out Riptide.
"I don't know. Maybe a monster attack? I bet some of the mountain spirits are still mad about our victory against Gaea," Annabeth replied, unsheathing her drakon bone dagger.
A tear dropped from Percy's eye as he looked at the knife. "Damasen... Bob..." he said weakly.
"I... I know. But we're going to get through this together. We're going to build a life, and we'll help each other with the nightmares. We're going to have a happy ending, whether the Fates want it or not." Annabeth said firmly.
Percy took a deep breath. "I agree. Now let's go save our friends." They quickly kissed before getting out of bed.
Percy and Annabeth crept down the hallway until they were standing outside the Mess Hall doorway. Inside they could hear something being thrown at somebody. On the count of three, Annabeth silently communicated. They burst through the door with their weapons drawn and stopped short. Leo cowered in the corner with Piper standing over his head, brandishing... A popcorn bowl? And Hazel, Frank, and Jason were frantically pushing buttons on a tiny remote, trying to stop a video feed. Annabeth looked at the screen they were pointing the remote at. Displayed on it was Percy's room. "Were you guys listening to our conversation?" she asked suspiciously.
"Uh... No?" Leo replied with an overly cheery grin.
"Are you sure, Leo?"
"I'm sorry, we heard screaming, didn't want to interrupt, and wanted to make sure that you were okay?" Leo stammered. He laughed nervously and tried to move backwards but hit the wall instead.
"Annabeth, Percy, we're sorry that we violated your privacy-" Jason started.
"Hades! Mom must be excited- her magic is getting stronger... EEEEK! I'm so excited for you two! Ooh, can I see the ring? That was so romantic!" Piper squealed. But instead of getting annoyed at the group, Annabeth laughed and put her dagger away, nudging Percy to cap Riptide. She leaned into his side, laughing, and soon he was laughing too. The first time since Tartarus and the final battle. The rest watched in shock as Percy and Annabeth stood there, laughing. "We're getting married! I'm marrying my Wise Girl" gasped Percy through his laughter.
"We don't have to save the world right now!" giggled Annabeth.
"Listen to Piper- and look at Leo's face!" Percy snorted. Soon the others joined in their laughter. The horror of the war was over. The pain of watching the two strongest demigods alive being reduced to screaming in the middle of the night and walking around the ship expressionless was a thing of the past. Percy and Annabeth were on the road to recovery, and being together was the key for their healing. They all sat on the floor and exchanged their stories, except for the ones of Tartarus. Percy and Annabeth recounted their many adventures and how they grew to be a couple, and everybody laughed at how Percy seemed to manage angering and annoying the gods. Jason told the group that Nico might have some difficult things to discuss with them, and nothing more. Leo explained his meeting with Calypso, which made Percy happy to hear that she was doing well. After their stay in Tartarus, Percy was convinced that Calypso felt bitter towards him and Annabeth. The group pledged to help Leo find Ogygia and rescue his love. Leo assured Percy that Calypso would enjoy being his friend. After a while, Annabeth and Percy excused themselves to spend some private time alone. Watching the moon shine on the screens showing Camp Half Blood put the remaining demigods at ease. They were going home.
When the demigods realized it was too late to try and go back to sleep, they decided to go above deck. But Percy and Annabeth were already there, standing at the bow. The heroes watched as the sun began to rise, and the couple turned to face each other. "Wise Girl?" Percy asked.
"Yes, Seaweed Brain," she replied.
"How am I going to explain this to your mother?"
"The same thing as when you were offered immortality. Nothing. She may think as she would like, but we will do as we please. I love you, you love me. We coexist now, ever since Tar-" she gasped, and shut her eyes tight.
Percy gently stroked her cheek."Look at me. I know. I can't say his name either. But we're going to be okay. Nothing can ever come between us. We will help each other heal. We will be together forever."
"When did you become so wise?"
"Down... in that horrible place. When I realized that I couldn't live without you." They stared deep into each other's eyes.
"Percy, I love you."
"Annabeth, I love you too."
"Forever and always."
If you would enjoy reading this with the gods reacting, please review! (I have some ideas handy :D )
Constructive criticism and any comments are always appreciated! Thanks!