Percy had almost died, okay, he'd almost died many times, but having to push Annabeth back and make her go away without him almost killed him. He wondered around, not talking a word to Nico, he knew it hadn't been Nico's fault but he couldn't help but place some blame on him. Percy had been staring out a window, again, when Nico came in and told him he'd been up to Camp Half-Blood, the name wrenched a piece out of Percy's chest, and told him that Annabeth had made it back their safely, but she had just about ripped off Nico's head when some other campers had pulled her away. When Nico had told Chiron the news, his face had clouded over determinedly and he said they'd Iris Message soon to come up with a plan to get Percy back.

"Percy, I really am sorry." Nico sighed and turned to leave.

""Wait, Nico." Percy croaked. But didn't continue. "Never mind." He blinked, then turned back to the window.

That afternoon Percy was lying on his bed when a cloud appeared in-front of him and a face came into focus.

"Perseus Jackson!" It screamed at him. "How dare you do that to me!" Annabeth shrieked. Percy blinked in surprise and sat up. "You said we'd never be apart again!"

"Annabeth." Percy held his hands out in front of him, a gesture to try calm her down. "It had to be done."

"I don't even understand why? What happened?" She stopped shouting and instead was sobbing into her hands.

Percy took a deep breath, determined not to cry too. "In the tunnels, when Thorn had you. I got caught in a gas chamber and I ate a berry to help me breathe."

Annabeth gulped. "That's… that's so stupid Percy."

Percy opened his mouth then closed it again. Unfamiliar anger bubbled in his stomach. "Stupid?" He said slowly. "I was trying to stay alive! I would never have saved you if I had died!"

"Yes, but now you're stuck in the underworld. Forever!" She shouted back.

"Do you think I like it here!?" Percy shouted gesturing around. "It's a fate worse than death."

"Maybe you should have died! Then I would have too and we could be dead together."

"Go!" Percy shrieked. "Go! Find someone else, forget out your useless boyfriend who did this to save your life!"

Annabeth seemed a bit taken back, but recovered quickly. "Maybe I will!" She said quietly, but with much venom and swiped a hand through the cloud, cutting off their connection.

Percy flopped back down on the bed; he wanted to cry at the unfairness of it all. But no tears came; instead he rolled over and screamed into his pillow.