My first Percy Jackson fic! I'm sure everyone is doing a story about this part of the book (did anyone else cry like a baby? Because I did. For three days. And I also keep going back to read because apparently I'm a masochist.) But I thought I'd add my own anyway with a little extra. Hope you like it! Review if you do and if you don't. I like to know what my readers think.

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Sacrifices

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Percy gently helped Nico down from the Argo II before rushing over to Annabeth. She was staring blankly into a dark pit, standing on the edge of the cliff. He gently turned her away from the disturbing darkness, lacing their fingers together as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

"It's okay," he whispered as she pressed against him, shaking with sobs, "We're together." He held her tightly, his heart pounding with adrenaline. He had been so afraid that he would lose her, Percy turned to look at Nico, that he would lose them both. He had all his memory back now and he couldn't believe that he had forgotten the younger male. He loved Annabeth but he also loved Nico. He didn't know when the younger demi-god had captured his heart but he had told Annabeth as soon as he had realized it. He hadn't wanted to keep this from her and had broken up with her until he could work things out. Now he knew, without a doubt, that he couldn't bear to lose either of them.

"Your leg." He heard Piper exclaim and he pulled back enough to look down at Annabeth's leg. "Oh, Annabeth, what happened?" Annabeth told them all what happened with great difficulty and Percy felt pride well up inside of him next to the worry he felt for her.

"You made Arachne weave her own trap? Annabeth, you did it! Generations of Athena kids failed but you found the Athena Parthenos!" Percy grinned at her and she smiled tiredly back.

What do we do with her?" Frank asked. "She's huge!"

"We'll have to take it with us to Greece," Annabeth said. "The statue is powerful. It will help us defeat the giants." Leo, Jason, and Frank worked to figure out how to get her on the Argo II while Piper and Hazel worked on how to lift it. Nico leaned tiredly against the side of the boat, swaying slightly.

"What about you?" Annabeth asked. "What happened with the giants?" Percy told her about rescuing Nico and the fight with the giants, reaching out for Nico as he spoke. He wrapped an arm around Nico's waist, supporting some of his weight and relaxed slightly. He had the both of them beside him and they were safe. He could breathe easily now.

Annabeth turned, hand still holding Percy's, and directed the boys on how to get the statue on the ship. Percy watched her, warmth bubbling in his chest. He turned to Nico when he felt the younger male rest his head on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Percy asked him softly. Nico smirked up at him weakly.

"I was held captive and tortured for a week, Seaweed Brain. Do I look alright?" Percy looked over Nico's bruised and bloodied body, his gut clinching in anger and sorrow.

"I'm sorry," he whispered sadly. "I'm sorry I forgot about you and I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you faster. I should have tried harder, should have been stronger. If I can't protect you how am I supposed to-"

"Percy, stop." Nico demanded. "None of that was your fault. I understand what you went through and why you took so long. It's not your fault. You'll stop them. We'll stop them. Together." Nico promised. Percy smiled gratefully and leaned down, pressing his lips to Nico's in a passionately gentle kiss. Nico sighed and melted into Percy's chest. Percy tightened his hold on the Prince of Death and slowly deepend the kiss. A pained gasp to his right made Percy look up. Annabeth grimaced in pain as she shifted her weight from her broken ankle.

"Damn! You're ankle! Here, I have some ambrosia." Percy said as he let go of Nico to search his pockets. He pulled out a small sandwich bag with two ambrosia squares and took one out. He held it against Annabeth's lips and she smiled softly and opened her mouth. Percy had just slipped the ambrosia square between her lips when Annabeth stumbled back, the square falling from her mouth.

"Annabeth?" Percy questioned as he stepped towards her. She looked around in confusion, gasping in surprise and pain as she was yanked back again. Percy looked at her worriedly and she stared back at him in mounting fear.

"Percy?" She whispered before a hard yank on her ankle sent her slamming face first onto the cavern floor, her head smacking with a sickening crack. She was lurched backwards and she clawed at the ground searching for something to grab on to. Percy lunged for her as she began to slide backwards. He grabbed onto her wrist, eyes narrowed in concentration as he tried to pull her towards him.

Annabeth sobbed as she hit the edge of the pit, her legs going over the side. She realized now what was happening and cursed herself for being so stupid. She was tangled in the spider silk, what she thought was a loose strand was attached to something heavier, something that was pulling her in.

"No," Percy muttered as his eyes widened in realization. "My sword…" He trailed off when he realized that he couldn't reach Riptide without letting go of Annabeth. Hazel was yelling for the others to help as she ran towards them, Nico hobbling behind her, his eyes wide with horror and desperation. Annabeth slipped over the edge. Percy fell with her.

Percy clawed desperately at the sides of the pit as they fell and cried out in relief when he caught hold of a small ledge. Percy gasped when Annabeth slammed into the side of the pit, his shoulder ached fiercly and he wondered momentarily if he had dislocated it as it flared sickeningly with pain. Percy looked up to see Nico leaning over the edge, hand stretched out uselessly. There was fifteen feet separating them. Percy looked back down at Annabeth when he felt a sharp tug; he cried out in agony, his shoulder felt as if it were on fire.

"Percy!" Nico shouted from above them. "Percy!"

"Percy, let me go." Annabeth croaked. "You can't pull me up." Percy was shaking with the effort it took to hold them up; he thought he would pass out from the pain in his shoulder.

"I just got you back. I can't lose you again. I love you." He rasped as he struggled to keep his hold on her.

"You can't hold both of our weight, Percy. Just let me go." She pleaded.

"Never." He said. Percy turned to look up at Nico sadly. He knew Nico knew what he was about to say when Nico shook his head, screaming at him.

"The other side, Nico! We'll see you there. Understand?" Percy shouted.

"Don't you dare let go, Jackson! We're coming to get you! Just hold on! Percy, please, hold on!" Nico begged frantically.

"Lead them there!" Percy shouted. "Promise me!" Nico sobbed and shook his head, still pleading with him. "Promise me!"

"I-I will." Nico gasped. Percy tightened his grip on Annabeth.

"We're staying together. You're not getting away from me ever again. I'll make sure you're safe. The both of you." Percy promised. He would make sure the both of them got out of this alive, even if he had to sacrifice himself to do so. He would protect them.

"As long as we're together." Annabeth choked. He looked up at Nico, memorizing the face of the boy he loved.

"I'm sorry, Nico." Percy shouted as he prepared himself for the long drop that awaited him. "I love you!" Percy let go of the ledge, pulling Annabeth close to him as they began to rapidly fall into Tartarus.

"I love you, Percy! I love you!" Nico's desperate shout was the last thing he heard; the Ghost Prince's face the last thing he saw as he fell into the dark abyss.