Hey guys, Merry Christmas! This chapter is longer than the rest, and the last part is influenced by the Hush, Hush series. Also, I think any other characters than Percabeth in this story is OOC, I am sorry! It was the last part that I focused on the most instead of the battle.

If you think this cruel story of Percabeth is my gift to all of you for Christmas, then no! I'm not that eeeviiilll, so please don't blame me if you think I'd written this! This just happened to be post around Christmas Eve!

I'm fixing my other stories, but you can check in in about a week, and I'm sure I will finish and (probably) post another chapter to "The Life of Demigods and Magicians" :)

Disclaimer: PJO/HoO characters/plots belonged to Rick Riordan, cover photo belonged to the owners on Internet.

Percy's POV

You may be wondering why I did such thing, using my blood and all. But really, I have no other choices than to do that; after all I couldn't just get the blood from some fallen demigods. Alright, maybe I can, but it seems a little... off. And if you're asking if the experience was bad, I can only say: it's worst.

Good thing that Annabeth has saved me from there, although I know such dangers when you have to go against a goddess. I may not have wanted her to do that, but now as I surveyed the battle site, I'm actually grateful for it. Grateful for a chance to save my friends, and mostly my girlfriend, Annabeth. I couldn't stand if she... she... died. She still have a long way to go in life, like continue designing Olympus, for example. I don't want all of us to end here.

Glancing back outside, I saw monsters of all kinds throwing weapons and rocks at the ship, which only urged me to carry out my plan faster. Yes, I always come up with crazy plans when everyone lost hopes, and this time the plan will work out perfectly. Except that a certain son of Poseidon have to sacrifice. Last I checked, there's no one else a half-brother to me on this ship.

Then what? Leave her alone to suffer?, part of my mind reasoned. You won't be doing her any favors by killing yourself.

Annabeth was like a family member to me, without her I won't be able to live anymore. I know she felt the same for me, but then I'd rather die to save everyone else than letting them all die. Which triggered the memory of my fatal flaw. Loyalty.

A long time ago, before the battle of New York with the Titans, Athena has warned me how my loyalty will someday made me sacrifice the world for it. I'd then proved her wrong as I still saved the world from the Titans and (sadly) most of my friends. Can Athena predict the future? I never know. But it seems like this time a sacrifice must be made, I die or we all do.

Fighting the balance, I don't really know how to make a decision this big, bigger than any I'd made in my life. I imagined Janus standing a few feet away from me, holding a set of keys. Which one?, he asked, one hand pointing to Annabeth and my friends, the other at the battle. Maybe I'd gone mad or something, because I'm sure I did see Janus smiled before disappearing to thin air.

Annabeth has given me some nectar and I'm feeling better by the second. When she stood up and walked to the maintenance room, I made my decision. Seeing everyone, especially Annabeth, being worried made me feel responsible for not helping them when possible. The word loyalty came up in my mind again, but this time I followed its direction.

Trying to stand up, I reached for the rail to support myself. The monsters below didn't seem to be in a hurry; after all, we were the one being trapped in the middle of Greece, their homeland.

I looked back at the group of demigods, thinking maybe it's the last time to see them. All of my friends were too tired or distracted to notice me standing up, reaching for the ladder below on the side of the board. Good, I thought. Better do this secretly than to let them know.

Climbing down the ladder, I reached for Riptide in my pocket and slashed at any monster in my way, making a path to a pile or crumbled building higher than the most. Glancing at the monsters, now far below, I started to carried out my plan when someone yelled my name.

"Percy!", Jason few toward me with his ability to control the wind. "What are you thinking? You could die here!"

"Which is exactly what I want", I said calmly.

He opened his mouth, trying to said something. But I think the news surprised him a little, because the next thing I knew he was trying to pull me up.

"Come on, let's go man", Jason said, making up his mind. "I don't want anything to happen, and what will I tell Annabeth?"

Freeing the grip of his hand, I took out Riptide. "Tell her I'm sorry for doing it, but it's the only way. No gods or magics would help us, unless we have a better way than dying together."

"Percy", the son of Jupiter said, trying to calm me down. "If we actually... die, we can do it together. We've came through so much, only to see you sacrificing for us? For all we know, I replace you to do the same thing."

"What about Piper?", I asked him. "Jason, I appreciated your offer, but you have a life to go on with Piper too."

He appeared to be at a lost state, which mean I had hit a spot of his, one that he has been worried over for a long time. I'm no different, but then... I also have a spot for watching my friends suffer instead of me.

"Go back, Jason", I said and realized it's a little harsh. I then held out my sword, "Otherwise, I will have to force you to."

"Alright, alright", he said, backing up before lifting himself up on the air. "We will always remember you." Before he leaves, I called out.

"Say goodbye to Annabeth for me", I said, holding back emotions from the memories of us being together. "Tell her to continue with life, so I didn't sacrifice myself for nothing."

Jason glanced back at me for a moment then took off, leaving me to wondered if this decision was better.

Annabeth 's POV

I surveyed the site where numerous kinds of monsters had gathered around us, trying to tip over the ship. They are making slow progress, but it was progress after all. We, on the other side, were still sitting here thinking up something.

What should we do, I asked myself. What if there's actually no solution to this problem?

"Annabeth!", Hazel yanked me out of the train of thoughts. "Percy... Percy... he..."

"He got down and already reached a small hill, the one over there", Frank pointed, where I saw two little figures. Percy and...

"Jason", Piper told us. "He spotted Percy first and went on after him."

Why did he do this? Is it one of his plan? And which one?

I breathed slowly, trying to figure how I will solved this, if I'm a daughter of Poseidon with powers like him. While rationalizing, a memory hit me. One after the explosion of Mount St. Helens.

He has explained how the explosion was caused by him, I thought. Explosion, water, waves... Oh gods, tell me that wasn't what he is trying to do.

I ran toward the rail, expecting to see Jason carrying Percy back to the boat. But as part of me feared, he just flown alone, landing a few feet away from us. Jason's face looked to be in pain, not physically but emotionally.

"We need to talk", he stated flatly.

"Talk about what!?", I said, a little overreacting. "Why don't you save him?"

"He... Percy... have a plan that could save us", Jason said, then told me and the others about the meeting with the son of Poseidon. Annabeth also explained the plan Percy probably has on his mind.

"But that would be suicide!", Piper realized, covering her mouth.

"Exactly, that's why we are going to save him", I walked toward the ladder that lead us below, when Jason stand in front of it, blocking the way.

"Annabeth", he said, trying to be calm. "You know how much you are to him. And he will never let anything happen to you."

"So what?", I reasoned, this time my temper was rising. "Doesn't mean he will... he will... sacrifice for all of us!"

I pushed past him, trying to get down the ladder when the worst came. Percy started his ultimate plan that will get himself killed. Before I have any seconds to realize what happened, an explosion was heard throughout the place. The monsters below half turned to see waves of water - ocean water miles away from the shores - flooding through buildings and landscape toward the ship.

I looked for Percy, climbing down the ladder faster. When I spotted him again, he was on his knee and looking at my direction. He shook his head, as if to tell me not to do this. But who am I kidding? Percy was a part of me, a part of my life. I couldn't lose him, I just couldn't...

"Annabeth! The flood is coming!", Nico called out. "It's dangerous down there!"

Ignoring him, I climbed until reaching the ground. The monsters had long scattered, leaving the ship alone on the open field. I ran toward Percy as the waves of water came up behind him. He gave me a smile, one that should have warm my heart any other day, before the waves engulfed him.

"NOOOO!", I yelled out, running toward the water when it crashed at me and I found myself several feet under it. I opened my eyes, but the surrounding was not clear enough.

Be well, I heard Percy whispered, I love you.

I turned my head around, but there was nothing to be seen except water. No, I thought helplessly, Percy couldn't die. He is still alive. He is...

Before finishing any more thoughts, I realized I was running out of breath and was going to blacking out. Good, I thought again, at least I will be with Percy soon.

With my eyes slightly opened, I saw the red sky above, this time a few stars had crept into it. Then I had a faint memory of something with claws picked me up. Before I blacked out, maybe this time of the emotional pains, I felt being carried away over the air.

-o-O-o- few hours later -o-O-o-

I woke up inside the infirmary, my whole body aching. It was morning and the clock on the wall read 9:54 A.M.. Before I could sat up, the doors opened with Thalia and Grover.

"Oh gods Annabeth", the lieutenant of the Hunters hugged me, while Grover shed some tears in the background. "I thought you... you... have die."

"Here's some nectar", Grover offered me a full cup. "You need it."

After draining the whole thing, I looked at Grover, then at Thalia, "Is Percy in another room? Did he recovered yet?"

Their sadden looks only confirmed my worst fear. "No Annabeth", Thalia said. "Frank told us he transformed into an eagle and searched the water for both of you, but apparently Percy is nowhere to be found."

"I can't believed it", Grover began to eat at what look like to be report papers. "We'd been through so much, only to lose him..."

It's not until now that the full truth hit me. I'd been trying to hope this was a cruel joke everyone had done only for me, or one of those nightmares I occasionally found myself into. But no, this time it's reality.

I had lost Percy Jackson.

-o-O-o- Present time, Camp Half-Blood -o-O-o-

"Hey", my old friend Thalia called, sitting on the opposite side of the table. "So how's thing going?"

"Good", I said the word for the hundredth time. Saying "Great" and "Good as always" is like lying to myself.

"So... how 'bout the designing of Olympus?", she asked, taking a sip of her can of Coke.

"No, I quit", I said flatly.

"Wait, back up a little bit", Thalia said, making a 'pushing back' gesture. "You are like, the most architecture-obsessed child of Athena I'd ever known, and now... you said you quit?"

"Yeah, I didn't think I will have the heart to do it", I explained. After all, he was more than any architecture achievements I would ever receive.

"Oh well, you know, Annabeth", she said as she pulled a brochure from her pocket. "You will always be need."

I picked up the paper, and it was the same I'd put in my backpack a few years ago. The same brochure about being a Hunter. Back then I'd noticed how Percy looked at me during the time Artemis made Thalia her lieutenant, and I had a feeling he thought I will join the Hunter. He didn't know that because of him, I had chosen not to.

Now was the time to make that choice again. It seems to be perfect, Percy was no longer close to me, and so becoming a Hunter I could stay out of boys forever. But then, the camp need me, and I don't wanted Percy to see me joining the Hunter, an idea he disliked back then.

"I will keep that in mind", I said, taking the brochure. "But I don't think I would need that anytime soon. The camp need me."

"Well, at least you know you're not running out of choices", Thalia smiled, and together with her Coke, walked into the more crowded of the party.

That afternoon during our campfire, I sat down with everybody else even though I'm not even in the mood to. The Apollo campers led the sing-along, with songs about heroes coming back from the war and how bravery was the key to all. Once in a while they would looked at me, like they're trying not to mention Percy and hurt me or something.

At night, while everybody was going to their cabin, I walked toward Cabin 3. The door opened with a creaking sound, and the interior was empty like always. I had got into a habit of going to sleep here every summer. Chiron had saw me once, but he just trotted away in his centaur form. Knowing him for many years, he will understand my action.

I lay on the first bunk bed, the one I'd seen Percy slept in for so many times. Staring at the roof, I remembered back those memories we had, from the first day he came here, to the battle at Athens. Inside the cabin, the fresh ocean air and the color blue everywhere only made me sobbed. I admitted I will... cry... if I be in this cabin, but I can't hold myself against going here.

Turning my head over, I saw something sparkling on the table. Reaching to take it, I realized it was, in fact, a gold ring. Holding it closely, I can read the word carved on the ring: Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl. Thinking how he will never have the chance to give this to me, I examined the ring if there was anything else special. Surely, two words carved inside of the ring almost make me sobbed. Together. Always.

I close my hand around the ring, more tears coming down my face. And so, with the calming air and the sound of waves hitting the shores, I felt asleep, wondering where will I ever see my Seaweed Brain again.

-o-O-o-

I opened my eyes and saw myself sitting on the shore of the camp's lake, my head on someone's shoulder. My vision was all black-and-white, which only make the surrounding more dark.

"Remember this place?", Percy asked as he stroke my hair. "We had our first real kiss..."

"And also where the hero's biggest birthday party was held", I blurted out, remembering the night we share the blue cupcake, except the fact that the other campers were eavesdropping.

Wait, what?, I suddenly thought. Why am I with Percy? I thought he's... gone.

Maybe it's a dream, a part of me said. Maybe this is your last chance to see him.

We sat in silent as the waves crashed gently at the shores, enjoying each other's presence. If this is a dream, I reasoned, I must make it special and memorable.

"You know, Athena has once told me my fatal flaw would cost the world", he said, staring at the horizon. "But at least I'd put it to good use instead."

"Percy, do you know the sacrifice is unnecessary?", I asked, then surprised that I had said it calmly. "None of us want to lose you."

"But again, you are more than anything to me", he said, looking down at me. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Opening my palm, I showed him the golden ring, "What about this? Is it supposed to be for something?"

"Yes", he took the ring, holding it in the moonlight. "After the war, I thought of giving this to you as a birthday gift*. Sorry I'm unable to give it to you in person."

"No, I'm very thankful for the ring", I said, feeling touched by his effort. At least I'd got the ring, my last souvenir of him.

"You know, maybe this is the last time we see each other", he said as he put the ring on my finger. "Let me give you something."

He took out Riptide, which is in pen form, from his jean's pocket. Percy uncapped it, and I thought it will turned into a bronze sword like always. But this time it is still a normal ballpoint pen.

He began to draw a trident on my left forearm. The art wasn't the best, but his effort worthed way more than that. "Now, here is something that would make you feel close to me."

We stay close to each other, my head on his shoulder and his arm around me, for a few moments, thinking of nothing but us. Percy stroke my hair again and for the first time in three years, I happily fell asleep.

-o-O-o-

"CAPTURE THE FLAG EVERYBODY!", Leo's voices was heard throughout the rows of cabins. "LET'S GET READY TO BRING THIS ON!"

I opened my eyes then turned myself to the clock on the wall, which read 8:32. The sunlight shone through the windows to the water fountain making a perfect rainbow for Iris Messaging.

Leo's voice was still audible in the distance, announcing the new Capture the Flag game between the campers and the Hunters. Except this time, Percy wasn't here to play.

Percy. The dream has been weird, as I felt asleep inside my dream. I hadn't been able to make out much details from his face because the dream was in black-and-white. Sadness washed over me since I couldn't see his face well enough, even for the last time.

Getting ready for the morning, I didn't realize the golden ring was on my finger on the right hand. Maybe I had put it on through my sleep, I decided. Then I remembered Percy putting it on my hand in the dream, and how it felt so real like he has really been next to me. Slowly, I turned to look at my left forearm. And there it was, the piece of art Percy has drawn, right where I remembered.

A trident.

*I don't really know Annabeth's birthday, but let's assume it's after the war.

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Edited on Dec 27, 2013: It's not that often that I received a request for a continuation of my story, but since a someone asked me to, I will :) Btw, thank you for the review!