A/N: I was going to do a nice, happy, fluffy Tratie story for this one but then I came up with this idea and I sort of couldn't help but write it. Sorry.

Someone asked me if I was going to do a Tratie story for this prompt, which is fine, but please, PLEASE don't request characters or storylines. There's reason why this is a challenge.


Flowers

It was August 18th, Percy's birthday. Annabeth grinned. They could go to the beach with their one year old son, Charlie, and have a picnic and- Annabeth's train of thought was interrupted by wailing coming from the next room. Charlie. She sighed and stretched out, expecting to find warmth and hear a grunt of annoyance from Percy. Instead she was met with silence and freezing cold. Her smile faded. Of course, how could she have forgotten? It had only been a month since he... No. She wouldn't think about it, not now. She'd just do what she had to, and just pretend that it was a normal day. Just a normal day. For example, now she'd go and dress Charlie and eat breakfast like she'd done every morning for the past year.

As she got out of bed, she knew that it wasn't a normal day and that it never would be. She should really stop pretending that it was.

Charlie had started off crying again so she hurried into his room and picked him up and cradled him. It saddened her to know that he'd never properly know his daddy. Her eyes filled with tears but she quickly brushed them away. She couldn't let Charlie see her cry. She dressed him and then took him into her bedroom while she showered and dressed. They had a quick breakfast of toast before setting out.


The town of New Athens had grown and grown over the years. Annabeth's house was a newer one on Seventh Street. It looked so peaceful Annabeth could almost believe that it was a normal day and she would be meeting Percy at the café just down the road where they'd been so many times and they would hold hands and spend a quiet night curled up on the sofa in the living room and-

She shook herself. No good thinking about the past when she had so many other things to do. It was ridiculous really. She had no work today - Chiron always gave her August 18th off even though it was the height of the summer season - so why was she so busy? Honestly. She ran through a checklist that she'd mentally made this morning. First things first: Find Katie.

She walked over to Katie's house but Travis told her that she'd gone to work early that morning. Great. Annabeth supposed that she'd be in the greenhouses or the strawberry fields. She opted for the greenhouse.

Fortunately, Katie was there tending to some wild plant that Annabeth didn't know the name of. She might be a child of Athena but she had zero interest in Demeter stuff like flowers. Katie hadn't seen her immediately so she jumped when Annabeth cleared her throat. Her happy smile faded as she saw the pair standing there expectantly.

"Hey Annabeth. I'm guessing you'll be wanting what he always got?"

Annabeth nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"This might take a while, so feel free to look around. Just make sure Charlie's careful; I don't want him soaking any of the plants."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. " He's too young to be 'soaking' anything yet, Katie."

Nevertheless, she kept a tight grip on her son's hand as they wandered around. It was some 30 minutes before Katie came and found them. In her hands was a huge bunch of blue flowers. As she looked at them she couldn't help but let a few tears escape. She ducked her head but it was too late; Katie had already seen.

"You'll be okay?"

"Yeah. It's hard, that's all."

"I know. Take care, Annabeth."

"Thanks Katie."

She walked out of the greenhouse, her eyes never leaving the bunch in her hand.


Ever since he'd first proposed all those years ago blue flowers had been an important part of Percy and Annabeth's relationship. Crocuses, hyacinths, Annabeth's personal favourite the meconopsis flower, you name it, as long as it was blue it would feature in the Jackson household. It had become a bit of a running joke. They were presented to her with a little ceremony every birthday, Christmas and anniversary. Sometimes he'd just buy them randomly as a surprise. Even though she scolded him lightly for spoiling her like that, she secretly loved it. He'd bought an extra big bunch when she told him that she was pregnant.

In return, she made him blue pancakes on his birthday and Christmas and anniversaries. It wasn't much compared to the big bunches of flowers he gave her but he didn't seem to mind. She remembered fondly his hopeful face as he presented her with a sapphire ring and a bundle of flowers on the day he proposed. His smile was always so endearing and funny hiding behind huge bunches. She thought of all these moments and more as she continued on her errands.


She made a few more stops to Sally and Paul's house and all the rest of the Sevens, Nico's, Reyna's and Grover's places before finally stopping. She looked down at Charlie, who was playing in the grass and trying to catch butterflies. He looked so much like Percy did already, she thought, with his black hair and tanned face. He had grey eyes, just like hers, too.

"Come on, Charlie. Time to go see Daddy."


He seemed to sense that something was wrong because he was quiet the whole way and stayed close to Annabeth all the way. Only one and already getting perceptive, thought Annabeth. Nothing like Percy.

She caught her breath as they reached the beach. The setting sun tinged the water red and it was calm with just a small breeze, as though Poseidon himself was keeping it that way just for her. Which he probably was, given what day it was. The stone was every bit as beautiful as she remembered it. It was marble with a trident pictured at the very top and beautiful pictures of their adventures when they were younger etched around the outside. It read:

This stone commemorates Perseus Jackson,

Son of Poseidon,

Saviour of Olympus

Who was killed by a Hydra whilst defending two young half-bloods,

Aged 22

May his name live long in the memory of demigods

And may his soul achieve Elysium.

Annabeth sank to her knees and pulled Charlie close. She finally let the tears spill out over her cheeks and land in the sand. She sat there a long time, until night had truly arrived and she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up. Sally Jackson stood beside her, her eyes also shining with tears. Annabeth stood up and placed the bundle of flowers that represented oh so much in front of the stone.

"Happy birthday, Percy," she whispered.

And walked away.


A/N: I hope you liked it! Sorry it didn't follow the original plan of happy Tratie but when that plot hits you you have to grab it with both hands. Please tell me how it was and reviews are always appreciated.