I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I also do not own the prayer that Eric says at the end of the story. I found that quote on the internet. This story is based off the song "Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisly. I do not own that either. Please read even though it's like a songfic. Fortunately, I do own Eric and the engraving on the graves. They are mine. Also, so you know: a white tulip is a symbol of forgiveness. (look it up if you don't believe me!) Thanks for reading! Please review!
The flames of the campfire lick the air hungrily. Hestia would have been happy that night. All of the campers had thrown in blessings that night, but more than usual had prayed to her. Her happiness would explain why the heat radiating off the flames was warmer than usual.
All the demigods at Camp Half-Blood were settling around the fire for a story. One of the new traditions at the camp ever since the Prophecy of The Big Three was fulfilled. Chiron looks around at the campers sadly. Thankfully, Mr. D had already gone to bed so he wouldn't ruin the story.
"They all seem so happy." Chiron whispers to Grover, the satyr.
"They're young." Is the only answer the now grown goat boy can give his old mentor.
Grover's girlfriend Juniper, a wood nymph, pats his hand reassuringly. The loss of his best friends had torn Grover apart over the past few years. She was one of the only things holding him together now.
"What went wrong?" Grover asks her.
"There's nothing you could have done." Juniper has told him this many times, but he still doesn't believe her.
The campers are all talking amongst themselves, oblivious of their leaders' glum moods. One boy notices though. He was swirling gray eyes and beach blond hair. A son of Athena. He's smart and notices their sadness.
Shyly, the boy raises his hand. Everyone quiets at this movement. Chiron smiles at the young boy.
"Yes Eric?"
The boy blushes, as if he's embarrassed to be called on. His voice is strong when he speaks though. "Can we hear the story of Percy and Annabeth?"
Tears spring to Grover's eyes at the request. When all the other demigods nod in agreement, it's almost too much for him to handle.
Juniper smiles at him and kisses him lightly on the cheek. Grover smiles at her and stands. "We'll tell the story."
Everyone quiets. Eric smiles at Grover for reassurance, which surprisingly does make Grover feel better.
Chiron starts first. "Percy and Annabeth were two of the most amazing students I've ever had here. Without them, the world would have fallen to the dark power of Kronos twenty years ago."
Grover nods to him. "They were my two best friends, and were the best kind of friends I could ask for. They were loyal, smart, funny and were lots of fun to be around."
"They fell in love when they were sixteen. They were perfect for each other, and could hardly seem to live without each other." Juniper sighs regretfully.
"But one day they got in a huge fight." Grover sighs along with his girlfriend as another tear leaks out of his eye. This story was always really emotional for him.
Grover couldn't even remember what they had fought about anymore. It was of that much insignificance. But it had been awful. Hurtful words had flown like wildfire, and tempers had flown until nothing was left of their relationship but dust.
"She put him out like the burning end of a midnight cigarette." Grover could remember Annabeth yelling at Percy about all his faults and how everything bad that had happened was because of him.
"She broke his heart. He spent his whole life trying to forget." For years Percy had been depressed, and nothing seemed to get him out of it. He never had another girlfriend.
"We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time." That had been awful. Watching his brilliant green eyes become dull and thoughtless had been torture to Grover. Even his dark brown hair seemed to sag when he walked, hunched over as if with a huge weight.
"But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind." Percy would cry out Annabeth's name while he was sleeping and even after nearly a dozen beers he would still slur out her name.
"Until the night, he put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger." Only the gods know how Percy hat got a gun.
"And finally drank away her memory. Life is short, but this time it was bigger than the strength he had to get up off his knees." Grover sniffles a bit.
"We found him with his face down in the pillow, with a note that said 'I'll love her till I die'." Grover sniffles again and Juniper has to hug him.
Chiron continues. "And when we buried him beneath the willow, the angels sang a whiskey lullaby."
Chiron stops and sighs. The flames of the fire burn higher, as if to honor his memory. Grover has tears running freely down his face. This story never failed to make him cry. Only with the strength of his friends and the friendship of the younger campers could he force him to stay himself.
"What about Annabeth?" One of the girl campers asks quietly. She's immediately shushed by the boy beside her.
Juniper smiles at them and continues the story. She had been a little closer to Annabeth. "The rumors flew, but no one knew how much she blamed herself." In truth, Annabeth had gone through every day wishing she could go back in time and stop herself from breaking up with Percy.
"For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath." But everyone could tell that she was drinking, no matter how hard she tried to keep it a secret.
"She finally drank her pain away a little at a time but she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind."
Grover kisses his girlfriend and then continues since he's collected himself a bit. "Until the night, she put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger." She had taken the gun from him when they found his dead body. Then used it on herself.
"And finally drank away his memory. Life is short, but this time it was bigger than the strength she had to get up off her knees." Grover sighs. Seeing Percy slowly loose himself in the whiskey had been bad enough, but seeing Annabeth's swirling grey eyes slow with the alcohol had nearly killed him.
"We found her with her face down in the pillow, clinging to his picture for dear life." The sight of Annabeth lying dead on her bed had nearly sent him off the edge. Her blond hair became dull with death, though she had died with a smile on her face.
Juniper hugs Grover tightly as Chiron finishes the story. "We laid her next to him beneath the willow, while the angels sang a whiskey lullaby."
All the campers applaud softly at the end of the story; none of them want to break the magic of the story. Slowly all of the demigods disappear back to their cabins. The flames of the campfire burn extra bright for a minute, to honor the couple, before dying down to a dull burn.
The boy Eric gets up. But instead of walking to his cabin, he first walks over to the willow tree near the main cabin.
Two graves lay under the tree. One marked PERCY and the other marked ANNABETH. There was a block between the two with the following inscription:
Forever and always in our memories and in our hearts; they'll be together forever and always in heaven.
Most demigods don't believe in heaven, but in this case it was completely appropriate. Respectively, Eric bows his head and kneels on the ground.
He stays there for a few minutes, talking to the graves. The sight brings tears to even old Chiron's eyes. Before leaving, Eric places a single white tulip between their two graves.
He stands and says a single prayer. "The things two people do to each other they remember. If they stay together; it's not because they forget; it's because they forgive."