"This isn't working!" Annabeth grumbled in frustration. They were trying to construct a door that would lead into the real world. They could imagine everything, so why not this? But every time they tried, there was just an empty pit behind the door.

Percy shrugged. "Do you have a better idea?"

"It was my idea" She said, shooting him an irritated glance.

"Right, Wise girl. Cause you have all the ideas."

"Excuse me, what was that?"

"Nothing."

"It's in my genetics to have ideas, sorry if that offends you, mister all-mighty seaweed brain."

"So I'm stupid now."

"I did not say that."

"Buuut, you were thinking it."

"So you can read minds now?"

"Nope, just yours."

"Really?"

"Mh-hmm."

"So, what am I thinking now?"

"That I'm a seaweed brain."

"Something like that."

They sat in silence for a while. They had been here nearly three weeks, according to the calendar she had made on their second day. They could only guess the time, really. She wasn't even sure if any time had passed in the real world. Or maybe it had been hundreds of years already?

Percy sighed in defeat. "Well, today was another fluke."

"Yeah." She said, yawning. "But there's always tomorrow."

"About that…" He trailed off and she looked at him questioningly. "It's just…"

She nudged his side gently. "Oh, come on. Spit it out Percy."

"Well, I don't know about you, but trying to escape every day and to fail every time… It leaves me hopeless. It's like having your legs knocked out from under you. We hope against hope every day, only to be disappointed." He paused. "I know it's weird. Being trapped here, just the two of us, and it might get lonely. But could we just try not to escape for one day? Just forget, and even though I know it sounds impossible, try to have fun?"

Annabeth stared at him. She might be good at talking nonsense at monsters till she's blue in the face, but pinning her emotions like that, and expressing them in words had never been her strong point. She listened to him, and realized that that was exactly how she felt as well.

"I think that would be nice." She said, smiling.

He grinned at her in relief.

As planned, they spent the next day relaxing, as if they were at camp half-blood, just without the other campers.

They were lying next to each other, looking at the stars they imagined, Percy's arm wrapped securely around her back.

"Do you think they're looking for us?" She asked, intertwining their hands.

He remained still for a moment. "Definitely."

"What makes you so sure?" She asked, turning to face him.

He shrugged. "You tell me."

She thought about it. They had become so close on their quest, and Annabeth missed them all so much. She didn't doubt for a second that Percy did too.

"What if they think that we're… well, you know, dead?" She whispered the last word.

He froze. He hadn't considered that. They looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. That possibility was just too painful to even consider.


"Do you wanna practice some archery?" He asked, quickly changing the subject.

She smiled. "You realize you're never going to beat me, right?"

"Nope."

"All right then."

They stood up, a target materializing across from them. Two bows and some arrows were scattered over the grass. He picked one of each up, and aimed.

"YEAH!" He shouted. "BULLSEYE! Try to beat that, Wise girl!"

She shook her head. He could be so childish sometimes. She drew her arrow back, straining the bow string. She aimed and released. A loud crack sounded as the arrow split the other in two. He stared at the target. Annabeth cheered, smirking at him.

"How was that?" She asked him.

He shot her an annoyed look. "How did you do that!?"

"Practice, Perseus."

"Please don't call me that."

"Fine."

"Thank you."

"Do you want to play a round of chess?" Annabeth asked, already sitting in front of a chess board. She gestured to the chair opposite hers.

He groaned. He was rubbish at that game, and judging by her smirk, she was well aware of that. He sat down grumpily, and the game started.

After about 5 minutes, Percy had already lost. "Checkmate!" Annabeth said, grinning.

"Where? How? WHAT!?" He shouted.

"See? Your king can't go left, or my knight would…"

He zoned out. "Let's eat something!" He said, interrupting her explanation.

She laughed at his impatience. She took his hand and they walked into their house together.

A day quickly turned into a week, then several weeks. Before they knew it, half a year had passed. Time was strange here. The calendar said it was six months, but it felt more like one month or even less.

They still occasionally tried to escape, but just left them too depressed, realizing they were trapped over and over again. They continued on with their life as best they could in their strange situation. On the bright side, (if there was one) no monsters ever attacked.


The entire Roman and Greek camps stood assembled on the field. They were still two separate camps, but they became more alike. The war against Gaia had been won, and peace between the camps was inevitable.

Reyna and Chiron stood in the centre, next to two grave stones.

She cleared her throat, and began her speech. "We are here today, to honour the two heroes who sacrificed themselves to close the doors of death. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, and Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon…"

Leo paced around his cabin. Jason, wearing plain black clothes entered through the door. "Leo. The ceremony started, don't you want to-"

"No." He snapped.

Jason frowned. "Leo, listen to me-"

"NO!" Leo cut him off again. "It's been two bloody weeks, damnit! What right do you have to assume they are dead!? Even Nico said he didn't feel anything! He always knows when people are dead! Don't you see, they are still alive, probably trapped somewhere!"

Jason sighed. "I know." He sat down heavily. "I don't think this is right either."

Leo stared at him hopefully. "Will you help me find them?"

"I didn't say that!" Jason countered. "You know that they might really have passed away, right?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah, but I don't think so."

"Neither do we." They heard a voice from the doorway. Their heads whirled around.

In the doorway stood Hazel, Frank, Piper and Nico. Hazel was the one who had spoken. Jason eyed them wearily. "What are you planning, guys?"

"Oh, we're going on a holiday." Piper said, her eyes gleaming.

Frank snorted. "Yeah, more like an unofficial, highly dangerous and forbidden quest."

Leo grinned. "To find Percy and Annabeth?

Jason sighed, a smile forming on his face. "How about we go somewhere no one can hear us?"

After they all gathered their things, and gone aboard the Argo ll, they started planning in secret.


YAY! So, six months have passed in Percy and Annabeth's world, but only two weeks in the real world, in case you didn't catch that. :D

Any reviews are appreciated! :D