We're surrounded!" I yelled, as I punched a monster. It was about seven feet tall, with glowing red eyes, fangs, and black talons. I kinda figured that he either belonged to the WWF or the NFL, because his muscles were bigger than my head and his hands looked as though they could snap a zillion necks at once!

I looked over at my friend, Annabeth, who was invisibly slashing more of the monsters to keep them away from me.

"I know, Seaweed Brain, duh!"

Duh? We were probably seconds away from being killed and all she could tell me was duh. The last time I got a kiss, but I see now that was a fluke.

The monster growled, as I tried to swipe at his neck with Riptide. He ended up grabbing my arm, I dropped my sword, and then he put me in the full nelson. I tried to scream out, but his muscles were squeezing my neck. I couldn't breath. I could feel my body shutting down and the cold of death coming.

Just as I thought I'd pass out, I felt this twinge in my gut and the entire ground began to shake violently. The monster released me and I stumbled to the ground, gasping for air.

I felt Annabeth's invisible hand grab my arm and full me through the dense forest. She pulled off her Yankee's cap, and fear was etched across her pretty face. Her fierce gray eyes looking left and right making sure we wouldn't run into any monsters.

We stopped.

Silence.

"They came out of nowhere," she breathed, catching a stitch in her chest.

"I know," I leaned up against a tree, feeling Riptide back in my pocket. "What were those things?"

"Assassinmatons," said Annabeth, "built by Orsus, son of Hephaestus back in the mid eighteenth century. I can't believe they got near Camp. Their almost impossible to kill and once they target you, they continue until your dead."

I heard a low growl.

"I think their coming," I said, in almost a whisper. I was scared now. Scared that these things would kill me...kill Annabeth...before we...I...why do I always get confused in life or death situations? You'd think I'd have a handle on my thoughts by now.

I sensed water was nearby. I looked around and saw a ditch about four feet wide. The perfect place to hide. The water was about six feet below. Then, I saw them. The Assassinmatons were coming through the forest toward the exact spot were we stood now. I grabbed Annabeth by her arm, without any explanation, and we dived, headfirst, into the ditch.

We hit the water and I concentrated on making sure that the surface became a cushion for us.

"Thanks," said Annabeth, getting to her feet.

"No problem," I said, standing up and leaning against the earthy wall of the ditch.

I looked up and saw the moon out above us, the stars twinkling in the sky.

Then, I heard a sniff.

I looked over to see Annabeth crying.

"What's up?" I asked.

"It's nothing," she said, wiping her eyes, with her knife in hand. I didn't approach her. Girls crying with knives in their hands shouldn't be approached by guys, ever.

"Annabeth," I said, slowly, "you can talk to me."

She was silent for a minute.

"We might die, Percy." she said. "And I might never get to say how I really feel about--"

"--oh," I said, cutting her off before she could say "Luke".

"Yeah," she said. "I can't believe I waited this long. I don't know what I was thinking. I should had been smart enough to see who my heart actually lies with. That prophecy was right."

I knew it.

She finally looked at me.

"And it was wrong."

"How?" I asked.

"Luke was there for me my whole life." said Annabeth, walking closer to me. She stopped when were only a few inches apart. I stared into her gray eyes, she was really close. "But you've been there too. The best friend I could ever have. I've--I've been in love with you for so long, Percy. You've saved me so many times with your courage. I can't believe that I ever thought Luke was the true love in my life. I love you and only you." She began to tear up again.

I didn't know what to do or what to say, so I went for it--I kissed her. I tried to put a lot into that kiss. That I'd loved her for a long time, that I'd been wanting to tell her so much, how I got jealous of her feelings for Luke, and that I want us to be together, finally. I didn't want us to die, without her knowing that.

"Percy," she said, slowly, staring up at me.

"I love you, too, Annabeth." I said. I tried to sound cool and mature.

Then, she hugged me. She was crying again.

The Assassinmatons were close now.

I broke us apart. I pulled out my ballpoint pen and turned it into Riptide.

"Ready for one last fight." I said, with a grin.

"You know it," said Annabeth, raising her celestial bronze knife.

We climbed out of the ditch to find it empty of Assassinmatons, but instead, one beautiful woman. She had her long blond hair braided down her back, with pink and white ribbons threaded through it. She wore a long white and pale pink gown, which emanated a faint glow.

"Aphrodite?" said Annabeth.

"Its about time," she said, with a brilliant smile. "I thought you two would really have to die before I was able to bring you two together and get rid of Luke off your silly smart head, girl."

"You set this up?" I said, not surprised.

"Of course," said Aphrodite, with a seductive giggle. So, the goddess of love decided to send deadly assassin machines after me and Annabeth while at Camp, knowing we'd lead them away from the campers into the forest, and try to fight them back.

"I ordained your union thousands of years ago. Well, around the time you had wanted to save Annabeth, so badly. And being in love with Luke, even though you knew he was never truly the one for you. I see that my work here is done!"

"Wait!" said Annabeth. "What happened to the Assassinmatons?"

"Oh," said Aphrodite, with a sly grin, "those things are old hat! I got rid of them for you. Good luck! Ciao!"

We averted our eyes as she turned into her fully divine form and vanished.

Silence fell.

"So," I said, breaking the awkward silence, "what now?"

"Dinner and a movie?" Annabeth said, airily.

"Sounds good." I said, in the same tone.

Together, we walked off, holding hands, through the forest, back toward Camp.