He felt her body slacken against his, a dead weight supported only by his two arms holding her up, acting as a life-preserver in her pool of grief. He tightened his grip on her, pulled her warm body closer to him. He did not want to be here, in fact, it was the last place he wanted to be, but this was where she wanted to be, and for her he would do anything.
She remained slack for only a few more minutes, she came alive when the casket was brought out. Her sobs were deafening, not because they were loud, but because they were hers. Her thin body was shaking, and he could already feel the fresh tears cutting holes in his shirt as they dripped off her nose.
"Shh…" He stroked her damp hair away from her face, and pulled her even closer to him yet. He didn't know what else to do, he had no good words for Luke, and comfort wasn't his forte even in the best of times. "Shhh… Wise Girl, it's going to be okay, it's going to be okay, Beth."
"I'm sorry, Percy," She sobbed out, her body shaking even more grievously than before, "I'm sorry I made you come. But thank you for coming anyway."
"Did you really think I wouldn't?" He pulled her away, grabbing her hands and clutching them tightly, "I love you, Annabeth Chase, and you loved him." He swallowed, but was proud of himself anyway for getting the words out, even though he hated them. "I'd have to be just like him to not let you come to his funeral, and I swear I'll never be just like him. I'll never hurt you the way he did."
She nodded, and a small smile lit up her face, brought light to her dimmed eyes. "That's the first time you ever told me you loved me, Seaweed Brain."
"I know, it was time, and it seemed like it was the right thing to do." She grinned, just a tiny one, and gave him a small punch to the arm. She'd be okay, he was sure of that now, she would get over Luke, she'd become the girl that he fell in love with again. It might take time, but eventually, he would get that girl back.
"Just to let you know, I love you, too."
He grinned, pulled her back to him, except this time it was a shared, and happy embrace, this time the kiss to her forehead was full of hope. They would get through this, together.