Percy lay in his bunk, staring at the ceiling, trying very hard not to think. If he closed his eyes, he saw monsters, if he kept them open, he thought of Bob and Damasen and felt the guilt of leaving them behind to save his own life. He tried to find solace in the rocking of the boat on the sea, but even the waves weren't settling his soul tonight. As he tried once again to find the sleep his body so desperately needed, he heard his door creak open and Annabeth crept in, closing it behind her.
"Annabeth," Percy said, surprised.
"Hey," she said. "Can I come in. I just can't stand to be alone right now. Every time I close my eyes..."
"I know," said Percy. "It's overwhelming."
He patted the spot beside him on the bed, and Annabeth sank into the mattress next to him. He wrapped an arm around her and she snuggled close to him.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I don't think I'll ever really be okay again," she said with a grimace. "Tell me somehow they survived. Tell me somehow we'll survive. Just tell me something other than lines of prophecy about doom, death and destruction. When I was little, all I wanted was to lead a quest and be a hero. Now, I just want to know what it's like to look forward to my next birthday instead of wondering if it will ever come. I want to be able to think about a life beyond this boat. I want New Rome, Percy. I want a life with you."
Percy kissed the top of her head, "That's all I want, too, Annabeth. Somehow, we'll find a way to make that happen. I have no idea how right now, but if there's a way we'll find it."
"I love you, Percy," Annabeth whispered and touched her lips to his.
Percy took a deep breath and said what he'd been meaning to say, knowing he might never have another chance. "When I woke up without my memories, I had no idea who I was or where I was. I only knew one thing and that was you, Annabeth. I knew your name and I knew that whatever happened, I had to find you. Even though Hera wiped my mind, she couldn't take that away. You're a part of me. You're such an integral part of me that even when I didn't know who I was, I knew who you were. We are so deeply tied together, that even when I lost myself I could never lose sight of you. When we were in Tartarus, I wanted to survive to be with you, but I knew that if I had to die, I could as long as I knew you would continue to exist. I just can't imagine a world without Annabeth Chase in it." He smirked at her and ran his hands through his hair. "I guess that's my long winded way of saying I love you too."
Annabeth's eyes shined. "Percy..." she breathed. "don't ever try to be a hero for me again. Here or in the underworld, we stay together. We promised."
Percy nodded and buried his face in her neck. She rolled into him and held him more tightly and they lay holding one another and enjoying being alive and being together.
Annabeth broke the silence, "I want us to be together, Percy."
He smiled sleepily at her. "We are together."
"No, I mean I want us to be together."
Percy's head snapped up and his sea green eyes widened at her. "You mean you want to... you want...uh..."
"Yes, that's what I mean, "Annabeth blushed. "We could be dead when we reach Greece. Well, technically, we could be dead at any time before we reach Greece... Anyway, it's always only been you for me, Percy, and I've always known I wanted us to... well, you know... and I just don't want to wait any longer."
"Are you sure?" Percy stammered, "I don't have any, um... well..."
"I do." Annabeth said.
"You do? How?" Percy looked shocked.
"I, um, wanted to be prepared. Just in case." Annabeth was blushing furiously, but she reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a small square package and put it on the nightstand next to his bed.
"Oh wow, you mean, now, like tonight." Percy stared at her.
"Yeah, I mean tonight, seaweed brain," she smiled. "Percy, have you ever... I mean, I know last summer you and Rachel got pretty close, and then there was the Calypso incident, ah nevermind, I don't want to know."
"No, Annabeth," Percy said, turning her chin gently to face him, "it's only ever been you. Rachel was always just a friend. Sure, she kissed me once before I left, but that was it. Calypso, well, I don't even know what that was, but, I've only ever loved you. I didn't understand what I was feeling back when we were kids, but even then, I knew you were the one person I could trust and the one person I always wanted to be with. It's always been you, Annabeth, only you."
"Percy!" Annabeth kissed him, gently at first, then with more emotion. She wrapped an arm around him and pulled him on top of her. Percy tentatively ran a hand up her side and under her shirt. She sighed, encouraging him. He sat up and slowly eased her shirt over her head, watching for any hesitation on her part, but her gray eyes were locked on his. He removed his shirt as well and lay his bare skin on hers. She wound her arms around him pulling him closer. He smelled like the beach and salt water and sunshine and everything that was warm and safe and she needed more. Eventually, he sat back on his heels and carefully pulled down her pajama bottoms. As he reached to remove the rest of her clothing, he asked again, "Are you sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything," she replied.
He stood to remove his own pajama pants and stopped to stare at the golden demigod in his bed. "Annabeth, gods, you're beautiful."
She smiled at him and a hint of pink tinged her cheeks, "You're not so bad yourself, seaweed brain."
He laughed and lay down beside her.
For a long while, they enjoyed the feel of their bodies together. They kissed and touched and explored one another, until finally Annabeth broke away and said, "now, Percy, please."
Percy grabbed the package Annabeth had brought with her, glad for once that the gods were occupied with their multiple personality problems. Otherwise, Athena might show up on the Argo II in a fiery rage for what was about to happen.
Percy held his weight above her and whispered, "Are you sure, Annabeth, we don't have to..."
She put her hands on his face and said, "Percy, I'm completely sure. I love you and I want this with you."
He kissed her nose, "I love you too. Tell me if you want me to stop."
Slowly and as gently as possible, he pressed into her. She gasped and he paused, but she pulled him in closer. Once he was as physically close to her as he could get, he stopped and kissed her deeply while they both became accustomed to new feelings and sensations.
Slowly, very slowly at first, they began to move together, their lips never parting. Soon, the tempo began to increase and Annabeth pulled her mouth from his to throw her head back. Percy kissed her throat, her shoulder, her jawline. She held him closer, tighter, her breathing becoming more ragged. She felt something building low in her stomach she had never felt before. She felt Percy's breath coming faster as he moved in her with more urgency. Suddenly, she cried out his name and pulled him close. He held her tightly as he shuddered above her and went still, both of them breathing heavily.
After a long moment, Percy kissed her neck and left for the bathroom. When he returned, Annabeth was curled on her side facing the wall. He slid into the bed next to her, curving his body around hers and wrapped an arm around her stomach.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine. A bit sore, but otherwise, I'm fine."
Percy reached for an ambrosia square for her, but she shook her head, "no, this is a good kind of sore. It's one I want to hang onto for a while." She smiled at him, "thank you, though."
He lifted her hair and kissed her head. "Do you feel different?"
She turned to face him, "I think I do, don't you?"
"Maybe a little. In a good way, though. I feel closer to you."
She sighed and rolled over again.
Percy held her close again, "Something's bothering you, Annabeth, what is it? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no, please don't think that Percy," she said, "I'm just - well, this is so ridiculous."
"it's not, please tell me." He nuzzled her shoulder.
"I'm afraid to face our friends tomorrow," she whispered. "I feel like they'll look at me and know right away that I'm not, well, not the maiden daughter of the maiden goddess anymore."
"Who cares if they do," Percy said, "We've done nothing wrong. I love you and you love me and we'd like to plan a life together if we survive, if the world survives, and if not, well, then I will never regret a single moment spent with you. I'd walk through Tartarus and back for you again and I don't care who looks at us and guesses what we have or haven't done. Your opinion is the only one that matters to me, and as long as you're okay with what we just did, nothing else is important."
She rolled toward him again, her gray eyes shining, "I'm okay with it, Percy. I'm very very okay with it."
"Good, Now, as much as I'd love to spend every second we have left exactly like this - believe me I never want to get dressed again," he smirked at her, "we really should put our pajamas back on. This crew of ours has a habit of walking in unannounced and I don't want to traumatize any of them."
She smiled back at him, "I'm going to take a quick shower first and I'll be right back."
Percy silently thanked Leo for the private bathroom as Annabeth climbed over him and headed for the shower.
She returned with her soft pajamas back on and climbed in beside him. "Do you think it would be okay if I spent the night here tonight?"
He chuckled, "Well, our bat wielding chaperone has left the building and we may very well have a limited life span, so I think it would be perfectly reasonable for you to spend every night here."
"Good," she yawned and she snuggled in next to him and was soon breathing slowly and deeply.
Percy kissed her forehead, held her close and closed his eyes, finally seeing images far more pleasant than earlier in the evening.