An Epilogue, from popular demand (: Enjoy!

My body ached. That was the first thought to come to mind, after I was actually able to withstand the pain in my head. I groaned, and tried opening my eyes. It was a hard task, like I haven't opened them in days. When I finally did, I was in, what I recognized, as a hospital. I looked around in confusion. Why am I in a hospital?

I tried leaning up, but I felt a wave of nausea hit me and went back down. "You shouldn't do that. You'll probably pass out. Again." A gruff voice spoke.

I looked to my right. Siting on the couch was Nico, looking tired. "What happened?" I managed. My voice came out low and hoarse.

He rubbed his hand on his chin, "You don't remember?" He asked. I tried racking my brain to see what happened. I faintly remembered a few events. Something about Rachel, Annabeth, and… a crash? "A car hit you."

I started panicking. "What? A car? But, yesterday,"

"Not yesterday, Percy." Nico interrupted. "About three weeks ago. You've been in and out of consciousness for about two weeks, the first week, you were out cold. A mini-coma."

That gave me an even worse headache. I gritted my teeth and sat up. Pain exploded in my left arm. I had broken my arm, it was heavily bandaged and in a cast. My right wrist and shoulder was heavily bandaged, too. I had several cuts and bruises. I had stitches above my eyebrow.

"What the fuck happened?" I demanded.

Nico told me everything. From when Annabeth caught me kissing Rachel, to me trying to drown myself, to me going to Annabeth's house, although he wasn't quite sure what I told her, only that I was rejected. Finally, how I stumbled onto the street and a car ran into me. Apparently, when I was hit, I skidded back several feet, which explains the stitches on the back of my head, making me pass out, and then another car swerved to avoid me, causing another to crash into me.

Nico tried getting me to safety, and broken his fingers in the process. The police and doctors finally reached us, and I was out since then.

I tried letting it all sink in, but, honestly, I felt like crying. I messed up everything about my life in just one night. I was also drunk as fuck and I didn't remember a damn thing. "Why am I so stupid?" I said angrily, feeling every bit of hatred towards myself. "I ruined my perfect relationship with Annabeth and got stuck in a goddamned hospital."

"You're right." Nico replied, shrugging.

I looked at him and frowned, "I'm sorry, Nico. I really am."

"You should be! I tried stopping you, I really did, don't get me wrong." He said, standing up. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Bro, I thought you died. You know how fucking scared I was? Jeeze, man. You're not stupid; you're a fucking love-struck idiot."

I didn't say anything. He was right, of course. "How long were you here?" I asked, carefully picking up a cup of water, I glared at my hand. Sure, it was in pain, but it was shaking annoyingly.

"A few minutes. I was here earlier, left, and then came back because… Annabeth didn't want to come alone. She couldn't come with Thalia; Thalia still wants to hurt you."

My eyes widened, and I dropped the cup. I cursed, and tried to get it, but Nico did it before me. "Annabeth? Where is she? Does she hate me as much as I think she does?"

He thought about it for a moment. "No. She feels sorry for you."

I frowned, that's not what I wanted to hear. I rather her hate me. "Can I see her? Does she want to punch me?"

He shook his head again, "I'll get her." He slipped his hands into his pocket and left the room.

My heart beat loudly in my eyes. My stomach felt like it was being flipped over. I was nervous. My breath caught in my throat as Annabeth walked in a few minutes later. She was dressed like she just came back from work. She bit her lip and studied me. Her hair was loose around her shoulders. I couldn't read her eyes, which is weird, because I always know how she's feeling. Or… actually, I just didn't recognize the emotion in her eyes. Pity? Hatred? Sadness?

"You look beautiful." I said quietly, cursing myself silently from sound so sick.

She laughed, though it sounded choked, like she was crying. I hated myself even more for putting her through so much pain. "You absolutely don't." She commented, studying my bruises and cuts. I managed a smile. "Are you okay?" She asked, more serious now.

"I'm fine. Really." I said, noticing her expression.

Her eyes filled with tears and she smiled, "You don't have to lie." She said, her voice cracking.

Without thinking, I jumped out of the bed and wrapped my arms around her. I ignored the severe pain in my arms and legs, and tried to cherish the moment, which wasn't possible since the heart monitor was beeping like crazy.

I felt woozy. I always dropped down to the floor, but Annabeth quickly put me back on the bed. She sat next to me and I held her hand. "I'm sorry. I really am. I feel like shit. I really don't know what to do with my life if you aren't in it. I need you. I want you. I'm in love with you. You have to know I am truly, incredibly sorry."

She wiped her eyes, trying not cry. "Percy…"

"Annabeth, please don't say it."

"Say what?"

"That you hate me."

She smiled sadly, "As much as I want to, I can't. I love you, Percy."

"Then forgive me. You haven't said you forgive me yet. Annabeth please. I know I can't turn back time, but you know if I could, I-"

"Wouldn't be in the hospital?" She said, leaning forward.

"I wouldn't have even gone near Rachel." I finished.

She let go of my hand. I felt cold and abandoned. She leaned back in the chair, looking outside. "Unfortunately, you can't change the past. But, I forgive you, Percy."

She looked back at me. I couldn't hide the joy in my face. "Then marry me." I replied, leaning towards her.

She was shaking. A few tears escaped her eyes; it almost made me yell at myself for being suck a dickhead. Then, she kissed me. It was short, but meaningful. When she pulled away, my lips tingled. "I love you, Percy, I do, but I can't marry you."

"Why not?" I said, growing angry. "I love you, you said you love me!"

"You cheated on me Percy! You fucking cheated on me,you asswipe!" She yelled, standing up. "I can't marry someone who cheated on me!"

"I won't do it again! Annabeth, please." I pleaded.

"You can't promise that."

"Yes, I can! I'm doing it right now!" I argued.

"You promised you would never cheat after that prick Luke cheated on me! Oh, look at that! You did! Now can you see why I can't marry you? You can't guarantee anything! I will not go back with someone who cheated on me, not again, I'm not that pathetic." Her voice grew calmer as she finished.

It was taking all my willpower not to just drop dead. The heart monitor still rang, loud and fast. I angrily pulled out the connection and it went dead. "Percy, don't do that-"

"I don't care about the stupid machine. I care about you." I said, turned back to her.

She shook her head and stepped away from me. "I care about you, too. Please, don't be angry with me. See you around." She left before I could say anything else.

I laid back down, rubbing my eyes. I felt miserable. A nurse came in, and rushed to the heart monitor and connected it again. "Mr. Jackson, you can't turn this off-"

"Alright." I practically yelled.

She shrank back and nodded. She bustled around me, checking everything, and then gave me another shot of Novocain. I rather liked feeling the pain, since I couldn't feel anything else.

~ One year later ~

I laughed as Grover finished his story. He was complaining, I just shook my head. "Why you would do that, I don't know." I said.

Nico nodded in agreement, taking a sip out of his beer. Grover muttered to himself and took a drink out of his. I glanced down at my watch and cursed. I took and grabbed my jacket. "Sorry, guys, I have to go."

"Calypso?" Nico questioned.

I grinned to myself and nodded. "Five month anniversary." I told them.

"Don't ruin it!" Grover called out as I exited the bar.

"Not planning on it." I called back and put on my leather jacket.

Outside, it was really cold. Snow fell fast; I had to shake it out of my head every few minutes to keep it from giving me a snow hat. Haha, I'm hilarious. I smiled to myself and stuffed my hands in my jacket pockets for warmth.

I looked down, not wanting snow getting in my eyes. Suddenly, I crashed into someone. Coffee spilled all over the snow. The girl I bumped into cursed as she got hot coffee on her hands. "Watch where you're going-"

She stopped once she met my eyes. She looked the same, except her hair was much shorter. She was bundled up in a large coat. "Annabeth." I breathed.

She looked nervous, but smiled and hugged me. I awkwardly hugged back and then pulled away. "I haven't seen you in forever!" She exclaimed, but that was a lie. She saw me about two weeks ago. "How are you?"

"Good, good." I replied, and smiled. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." She said and looked around. After a few seconds, she spoke again. "Hey, do you want to get a coffee, since you know, you just knocked it down." She grinned.

I laughed, "Oh, sorry about that." I said. "Actually, I have to go meet someone right now."

"Calypso?" She asked, in a monotone voice.

I nodded, "Yeah… It's our five month anniversary."

"Okay." She said, blankly, "I'm happy for you."

I smiled, and then took out a few bills. "Here, get a new coffee, sorry, again. I have to run." I said, trying to hand her the money.

"No, no, it's alright. Buy Calypso a flower." She responded. I smiled. "Some other time, then?" I recognized the look in her eyes, hope.

"Sure, Annabeth." I said. I gave her another hug. "I have to go, it was nice seeing you, bye, Annabeth. See you around."

She smiled, "Bye, Percy."

I hurried past her. My hand automatically went up to the long scar right above my eyebrow. I know I should've stopped or something, but I didn't. I didn't even look back. I'm sure she didn't either.