"Annabeth," Percy sobbed. "I have to do this."
Annabeth's throat was tight with tears. "No!" she screamed, halfheartedly pounding her fists on his chest. After a few moments she gave up and collapsed in his arms. She sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. She knew the rest of her friends were standing behind her, just watching her cry. But at that moment, all that mattered was that after months and months of giving it her all, it would finally result in not being enough.
Percy grabbed her face and forced her to look in his sea green eyes. In her gray eyes he saw an image that was forever burned into his mind. Inside those intelligent eyes, he saw the broken girl he was going to leave behind. Her eyes were blood shot red, and cuts dotted her face, but it was that most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
Annabeth couldn't control the tears rolling own her cheeks, cutting through the grime. She just cried and looked into those sea green eyes that reflected all the pain she felt in her shattered heart.
Percy kissed her and it was better than any other kiss they had ever shared. "I love you."
"I love you too," she sobbed. "I can't live without you! Percy, no!"
Annabeth felt her chest rip open as Frank and Jason pulled her back. She began kicking and screaming, trying to claw out the eyes of anyone else trying to keep her from the only person who she was certain she couldn't live without. But after being in Tartarus for so long, she was incredibly weak. She screamed her voice raw as Percy stood there, tears running down his face.
Percy watched her, trying to remember all he could, as he slowly started closing the doors. "We'll be together again! I swear it upon the river Styx!"
Annabeth stopped fighting for a moment as his words set in.
An oath to keep with a final breath.
As realization set in she lost it. She bit Frank's hand and elbowed Jason in the stomach. She ran towards the door and reached them just as they shut, her last glimpse of Percy gone.
For a moment everything was still. Everybody was silent except for the quiet sobbing of everyone, even Nico.
Numbness. That's all Annabeth felt as she listened to Percy's dying screams as who-knows-what ripped him apart. She saw him, dead, laying on the ground. Those beautiful sea green eyes that were once so full of love and life, now cold, and unmoving.
The scream started deep in her chest. She felt it slowly build up, rising through her vocal chords. She threw her head back and let it out. Everybody flinched at the sound of her piercing shriek. She listened as it echoed throughout the House of Hades. Annabeth heard Piper sobbing, but it seemed like she was miles away.
Annabeth felt cold. She felt cold like the dead body of Percy. Usually, she never let emotions get in the way of her work. But this was too much. She laid there on the cold, marble floor, and pondered if she could continue on. Heartbroken sobs racked her body. She could no longer speak to save her life as her breathing was uncontrollable.
She considered jumping into the sea, and drowning herself. But Percy kept her alive for a reason. She had to destroy Gaea.
Slowly, she stood.
"Annabeth?" Hazel said softly. "What do we do?"
Annabeth kept her eyes on the Doors of Death.
"We fight."