A/N: hello guys! This is my first piece to be betaed ever! So a big thanks to northstarwarriorqueen who is the best beta ever! This is new territory for me as it is going to be a pertemis one-shot not Percabeth. I would really appreciate feedback on whether I should do other pairings or just stay with Percabeth. Also, I have a poll up on my profile page and I would be very grateful if you would check it out. Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: pretty sure I don't own but this series… but hey, you'll never know…

The sky. I had held up the weight of the whole entire sky. I could still feel it even now when I was miles away from Mount Tamalpais. Whenever I closed my eyes or tried to relax, I felt the sheer weight of it crushing my body and mind, the intensity of it was so dense and painful. I knew the weight of it would never truly leave me and I knew how grateful I should be that it had not truly crushed me. But I'm not. After Thalia had her skirmish with Luke, Annabeth realized that she was still in love with Luke even after he got her trapped under the sky in the first place. I carried the sky willingly so that she could get to safety. I barged my way into somebody else's quest all for her and she loves an evil, unworthy, titan's bootlicker who had her kidnapped to take away the weight of the sky off of his shoulders. What a jerk. No, she's worse. I loved her. I didn't really realize that until she was gone. She had always just been my friend. Without her, I felt lost and alone.

We were still on mount Olympus. With everyone else busy partying and generally having fun, I had snuck away to find a secluded corner to gather my thoughts.

I had lost Annabeth to Luke, Bianca di Angelo and Zoë nightshade had fallen the exact way the prophecy had cruelly predicted, and I hadn't been able to save them. Poor Nico was all alone in the world and would probably blame me for Bianca's death; after all I had promised him I would keep her safe. Thalia was to become the lieutenant of the hunters. That was a surprise. I would miss her being around camp, all her liveliness and energy made me feel as if she were my sister. All the times we had argued, she was the only other person who would take my side, the only other person the great prophecy could be talking about. She had taken herself out of the way of the prophecy, leaving just me in the firing line. Suddenly I felt the urge to punch something. Didn't the fates think I had suffered enough? Why couldn't I just be normal? No demigods, no prophecy, no being the saviour or destroyer of the world. I sunk down onto the ground and gazed up at Zoë's constellation, why me? What have I done to deserve this life of pain and sorrow? Right, I was born.

"You look troubled Perseus Jackson" Artemis' voice sounded suddenly next to me.

She caught me by surprise; I had thought she hated all males. She must have seen the confusion on my face and explained,

"You helped Zoë get past her fear and distrust of men. That is why I am talking to you" she said, taking sudden interest in her shoes. I understood what she was trying to say. She was speaking for the both of them. Artemis had accepted me...kind of. Well, that made some sense. I knew how close Artemis and Zoë had been, and I felt another roll of guilt crash through me. I had heard the prophecy, knew two people were going to die and I hadn't stopped it, I had lost Artemis two of her hunters and one of her closest companions. I felt a single tear roll down my cheek. I was a failure.

"Don't cry young hero," Artemis whispered as she brushed away the tear on my cheek and let me lean my head on her shoulder "All their deaths were not your fault. You could not have changed their fates." She said quietly. She might look my age, but I knew that she had lived almost as long as civilization itself. She was right.

This made me feel angry, at Artemis, at prophecies, at death itself. Before I knew it I was talking, just throwing my anger at the one person who was listening to me, who could offer me some comfort. I was tired. Tired of being responsible.

"It is my fault though. I heard the prophecy, knew of Bianca and Zoë's plans and I didn't stop them. I was my fault Annabeth and you were captured in the first place and I just had to help hold up the whole freaking sky!" I hissed. My voice had grown steadily louder until I was shouting, until my sudden burst of energy faded and my head dropped back onto Artemis' shoulder. I began to silently cry in earnest, big tears that showed how much pain I was still in. Artemis didn't say a word during my outburst and just pulled me closer when my energy failed.

My face coloured slightly. I realized that I had buried my face in the maiden goddess's shoulder...and now her chest.

"I forgot that you had held the sky" she muttered in my ear "you are extremely brave young hero, and I believe I owe you a thank you, for freeing me from those shackles." She said kindly. Artemis lifted my chin with her beautiful pale hands, forcing me to look at her. Reluctantly my eyes met hers and those eyes held a newfound pride in me, and her thankfulness that I had not left her tethered to the sky. The very sky that I had released from the eternal pain that we had both endured.

Those silver eyes were as beautiful as the moon, her domain, but they were still so sad from the loss of her lieutenant and best friend. She may be old, but I saw her as my age. Someone I could relate to. Her pale fingers gently played with the grey streak in my hair that I had gained whilst holding the sky. Artemis's gesture was tentative and… loving? My heart skipped a beat as the thirteen-year old boy in me noticed her slim figure and long legs.

We were still looking into each other's eyes, seeing the pain the last few hours had ensued in us and we reached a mutual understanding. We would be there for each other, to help each other heal from this incident and move on as we must, but we would never forget that one night.

It hadn't mattered that she was a goddess and I a demigod. That she the eternal maiden sworn off all men and I was still hopelessly in love with someone who was never going to love me back. We were destined to be together. I looked up at her cautiously.

Slowly, I angled my face towards hers and pulled her head down to me, embedding my fingers in her layered auburn hair. Her lips brushed against mine. My heart stopped for a minute, I swear. Se deepened the kiss. I pressed myself against her and knew that night alone, everything and anything was possible because we had each other, and in the end, that was all that mattered.