The Greatest Gift

We were running, towards that big shape hovering at the entrance. Seven figures stood at its railing, their arms outstretched as if their wiggling fingers would get us to move faster. It didn't. But it certainly gave us hope and pride to know they were there; waiting for us. Our breathing was heavy and our muscles were burning and our wounds were bleeding, but the fact an army of about three hundred monsters of all kinds, together despite their differences, were right behind us kept us determined.

"I don't know if we're going to make it!" Annabeth panted, her matted and bloodied hair flowing behind her. Her intense grey eyes were fixed on the Argo II and the other half of our family as she ran, her sprained ankle not the least bit of an issue.

"We will!" I said, though I wasn't sure. It didn't matter if we reached the ship, an army was at the doors of Death and if the doors weren't closed, the effort of escaping would be worthless. She looked at me, and I could tell she was thinking the same thing. We ran, but came to a halt, backpedalling to avoid falling into a giant trench that separated us from the Argo II. Rocks crumbled at our feet and tumbled down the sheer cliffs into darkness. We spun to face the army that was rapidly closing in on us. It seemed to be over. Jason and Frank tried to jump off and come to our aid, but Nico stopped them. There was no way they could get us and out without being pulled in.

Leo's hands flew as he tried to figure out a way to reach us; a good two hundred feet away. A mechanical basket flew out the ship's side and latched itself at our feet with two huge, silver grappling hooks. We stared at it, as everyone on the ship was screaming for us to climb on board. But we knew one of us had to stay behind.

"I'll stay!" Annabeth said. There was no way in hell I was going to let her do it. Over my dead body.

"No, I will!" I said.

"Percy! We don't have time to argue about this!" she argued, casting a quick glance at the advancing army. She was stubborn and I knew I would never win this argument, so I nodded. I grabbed her and pulled her close to me, our lips crashing together with an explosion of fireworks. She grasped me as if her life depended on it. I felt tears running down my cheeks as I knew this would be the last time I'd ever kiss her, or touch her at all. I could feel her body shuddering from sobs and as I cupped her face, I could feel the wetness of her cheeks.

We pulled away, almost breathless. I stared at her, drinking in every single aspect of her. The way the sun pouring in to the entrance shined on her honey colored hair and the way her eyes sparkled. The way her pink lips were perfectly outlined, and it didn't matter her face was bruised and cut. She never looked more beautiful to me. I opened the door to the basket, but instead of stepping in, I pushed her in. She stumbled in with a startled yelp and fell onto its hard floor. I slammed the door and released the hooks.

"GO!" I yelled. Leo understood perfectly, though I could tell he didn't want to do it. The basket started to retreat as Annabeth stared at me in horror.

"PERCY!" she screeched. She tried to unlatch the door, but she was already too far to jump back.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice breaking.

"Percy! No!" she cried, as she put her hand out. I mirrored her gesture, but we would never be touching again.

"I love you! Live for me, Annabeth," I said, pressing two of my fingers against my lips and pointing them at her. Crying, she did the same.

She struggled, but she finally found her voice. "I will. I love you," she said, her voice strangled. Her eyes were red and she clutched her chest like it would fall apart if she didn't. I never stopped looking at her. Not even when she was back on board with Hazel and Piper tending to her wounds. Nico looked at me. He had a knowing look in his eyes, and even though he was pained, he nodded. He then turned to Leo and barked an order. Reluctantly, Leo turned back and fired up the Argo II. It began to take off as Annabeth pushed off the girls and ran down its length, trying to keep me in her sights. She was leaning over the rail at the very back of the ship as she stared at me with her painstakingly beautiful eyes. She raised her hand and I did same until she disappeared around the mountain and I was glad she was the last thing I'd ever see.

I pulled out the dagger that was supposed to close the doors from the inside and stabbed it into the ground. There was a deep rumbling sound as the mountain shook, rocks tumbling down and crushing monsters. The only opening that had ever existed in this giant piece of rock closed up, as if night had swallowed it. The sunlight on my face disappeared and I closed my eyes as memories flashed by.

"You drool when you sleep."

"What if it lines up like it did in the Trojan War ... Athena versus Poseidon?"
"I don't know. But I just know that I'll be fighting next to you."
"Why?"
"Because you're my friend, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?"

"Don't I get a kiss for luck? It's kind of a tradition, right?"
"Come back alive, Seaweed Brain. Then we'll see."

"You're cute when you're worried," she muttered. "Your eyebrows get all scrunched together."

Then she laughed for real, and she put her hands around my neck. "I am never, ever going to make things easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it." When she kissed me, I had the feeling my brain was melting right through my body.

"You are such an idiot sometimes." She smiled. "Come on. Take my hand."
Memories came flooding back to me- sharper and more colorful. I stopped dissolving. My name was Percy Jackson. I reached up and took Annabeth's hand.

She looked at me, like she was drinking in the fact that I was still here. And I realized I was doing the same thing. The world was collapsing, and the only thing that really mattered to me was that she was alive.

"I think I owe you a dance."
She smiled slowly. "All right, Seaweed Brain."
So I took her hand, and I don't know what everybody else heard, but to me it sounded like a slow dance: a little sad, but maybe a little hopeful, too.

"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, Seaweed Brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."

She leaned in and kissed him; a good, proper kiss without anyone watching—no Romans anywhere, no screaming satyr chaperones.
She pulled away. "I missed you, Percy."
Percy wanted to tell her the same thing, but it seemed too small a comment. While he had been on the Roman side, he'd kept himself alive almost solely by thinking of Annabeth. I missed you didn't really cover that.

"You're not getting away from me. Never again."
Only then did she understand what would happen. A one way trip. A very hard fall.
"As long as we're together."

It didn't matter that he was stuck in Tartarus or that he was surrounded by hundreds of monsters or that he was going to die. It only mattered that Annabeth was alive and safe. Annabeth would live for him, and that was the greatest gift she could ever give him.