I

ANNABETH

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in these stories except the plotlines and those characters I have introduced myself.

If anyone came up to Annabeth at that moment and said that their love-life was messed up, she'd sit them down, then wallop them in the face with a chair.

Her heart felt like it was being split into a million pieces. And each of those pieces into a further million. Tears were falling down her face, drenching her shirt with their immense volume. Her arms ached from being pulled back as she tried to run forward and throw herself into the pit head-first right after Percy.

"PERCY!" she shouted, repeating his name over and over again, half-expecting him to appear behind her and laugh; that it had all been a joke and they'd hug and kiss whilst the others watched awkwardly and Hazel fanned herself.

But she knew it was impossible. And that there was no chance of him being there when she'd turn around. She had felt the dread and evil emanating from that place. That had been Tartarus all right. And her boyfriend had fallen right into it.

She expected to feel a certain sense of clarity. It was logical. The last time he'd gone missing, she hadn't known where he was, and had run herself mad looking for him. Then he'd supposedly died; leaving her all alone in the world. Now, she knew exactly where he was, and that he was alive. Yet, she felt worse than she had ever before. Perhaps because she had experienced Tartarus first-hand and knew the horrors down there. Perhaps because she knew her Seaweed-Brain was hopeless without her – and that he'd gone down with an enemy.

"Jason, please let me go," she whimpered pathetically as he held her back. He said nothing, but merely turned her around and pulled her into a hug, putting her head on his shoulder. Sobs racked Annabeth's body as her back heaved up and down. She buried her face into Jason's neck, allowing the tears to run free. She felt her hair moisten, and realised Jason was crying too.

What right did he have?! To cry. He hadn't lost a boyfriend. He didn't know her pain. Although she longed to give vent to such feelings; her loss and sorrow overwhelmed her anger and she went on sobbing in his arms. She felt a soft hand touch her shoulder and heard a soothing voice speak. "Annabeth, sleep..."

Annabeth woke up in the bottom half of a bunk-bed. For a minute, she thought she was back at Camp Half-Blood, in the Athena Cabin. Then she looked around herself and knew she was not. It was a military-style room, with four rows of bunk-beds stretching from wall to wall. The room was huge, a bit too big. She felt uncomfortable as she realised how empty it was in the sense there was no-one else there.

Or so she thought.

Annabeth felt the gaze of someone rest on her. She turned her head slowly to see Jason sitting on a bunk-bed two rows away. "Jason," she smiled. He didn't smile back. His electric-blue eyes held a mixture of emotions so deep and conflicted she couldn't tell what was hurting him so. "What's wrong?" she asked, getting up and sitting next to him.

He looked at her incredulously. She felt somewhat irked by the stare he gave her, as if she didn't know something obvious. "An-Annabeth, don't you remember?" he croaked. Suddenly she remembered. Oh, gods, did she remember.

"It-it wasn't a dream?" she stammered pathetically. Jason looked at her in pity for a moment before he shook his head. Emotions flooded her again. She let out a wail of pure agony and then collapsed into sobs; burying her face in her hands. She felt Jason place an arm around her shoulder and pull her close, stroking her hair.

"Hey, hey...shh. It's okay. It's all okay," he comforted her. "It's Percy we're talking about here. He's gonna be alright. He's gonna be just fine." Although he said it convincingly, Annabeth realised even he didn't know what would happen actually. "Jason," she croaked. "He's so hopeless. He's such an idiot. What was he thinking leaving me like this again?"

Jason stayed silent, continuing his stroking of her hair. Annabeth heard footsteps echo through the room and looked up to see Piper walking over to them. She immediately disengaged herself from Jason, she couldn't afford a lovers' spat amongst all this.

"Hey, Annie," Piper said weakly as she neared them. "Pipes," Annabeth whispered and extended her arms. Piper hugged her and they held the embrace for a few moments. "You know," Annabeth said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "You really need to stop putting me to sleep every time I start crying." [1]

A genuine smile cracked Piper's face. She blushed, and began to apologise before Annabeth put her hand up and stopped the flustered girl. "Jason's right," she said, turning her head to look into those piercing blue eyes again. "He'll be fine."

Hey, guys! For all my old readers, welcome back! Here's the first chapter of the second book in the series! For new readers, please do check out the first story before reading this! I hope you all enjoy, and please leave a review if you have the time!

[1]: Chapter 16; the Mist.