*So sorry this took so long. School, you know? I WILL finish this, just be patient with me. I have 7 classes now instead of 4.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Rick's.*

*Chapter 10*

(Percy)

A big explosion caused Percy to fall flat on his back.

Tears from the dust and smoke stung his eyes, and he blinked, trying to clear them. The last thing he'd seen was Annabeth, running towards the army of monsters, knife raised. Percy swore he even thought he saw a faint glow around her as she fearlessly approached the awaiting army.

Annabeth!" Percy shouts, jumping to his feet. He couldn't let her fight alone, but his knees were wobbly and his legs wouldn't support him. He managed to stand again, until another explosion knocked him back down. his ears were ringing. Blackness tinted his vision. He was out before his head hit the ground. Annabeth's face was the last thing he saw.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(Annabeth)

The prophecy rang in Annabeth's ears:

Wisdom's daughter walks alone, the Mark of Athena burns through Rome.

Annabeth knew what she had to do. Tears welled in her eyes but she blinked them away. She could not - would not - cry. Not now. Not later.

She looked at each of her friends. Thalia, who's been there for her since she was seven. Her best friend. Thalia's shoulder length black hair snapped in the wind as she attacked the giant. She was probably one of the bravest people Annabeth knew.

Nico, who's changed so much since she first met him. the once happy little kid who liked to play with Mythomagic cards was now using his own skeletal army to fight Gaea's army Hyperion kept rising from the earth.

And - Annabeth swallowed - Grover, who was the bravest satyr she's ever met. Who's been with her through thick and thin.

Jason, who she didn't trust at first, was bravely fighting side by side with Leo, Piper close by, her teeth clenched together in pain, but it didn't stop her. She fought hard, and Annabeth admired her for it.

Hazel and Frank, two people she knew she could trust. They were loyal friends.

Annabeth then forced herself to look at him. She could say so many things about Percy. He was couragous and loyal. A total Seaweed Brain but a great leader. She knew that she'd fight by Percy's side no matter what. She was proud to call him her boyfriend, and her friend.

All of Gaea's army seemed to be heading for one main target: the city. Everyone was trying to fend them off as much as they could.

I have to catch their attention, Annabeth thought. Athena's mark seemed to burn through her. The cold feeling was pressing on her. She knew what she had to do. She did her best taxi-cab whistle, and a few seconds later Mrs. O' Leary was bounding toward her, her ears flapping and her tongue hanging out.

"ARF!" She barked, her tail wagging.

"Good girl." Annabeth climbed onto her back, gripping her collar, "Get me in front of that army. Block their way."

Mrs. O' Leary bounded foward again, racing ahead of the crowd. I jumped off of the hellhound's back, and Mrs. O' Leary ran back to Tyson.

Annabeth pulled her knife. She felt hot inside, like her mother's mark was burning inside her. She knew Percy was watching her, but she kept her eyes on the approaching army. She heard him calling her name. She wanted so badly to answer, to go back to his side. But she knew she couldn't.

I'm so sorry, she thought. Please forgive me, Seaweed brain. I love you. Then she charged.

She felt her mother with her, feeling her helping her, giving her strength and courage. She even saw a faint glow around her skin. Athena was giving Annabeth her blessing.

Everything turned blank after that. If someone were to ask what happened later, she couldn't explain it. Her body felt like it was on fire now. She heard yells, hissing, screams of pain, then she heard nothing at all.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(Thalia)

Before the huge explosion that knocked everyone off their feet, Thalia thought she was doing a pretty good job at keeping Gaea away from the city. She had just helped Nico take down a blue giant when she heard Percy yelling Annabeth's name.

She looked, and her heart almost crawled out of her chest. Annabeth was racing toward the army, knife drawn.

It's hard to explain what happened next. All Thalia saw was a huge orange glow, like fire, then the explosion that knocked her off her feet. For a moment, she was blind. She blinked a couple of times, and her vision cleared. She blinked again in disbelief.

All of the monsters were gone. Everyone had been knocked to the ground. Everything was destroyed, and worst of all, on fire. It burned so bright Thalia had to shield her eyes. Then, as quickly as it had come, the fire died out, leaving nothing but black smoke behind. Thalia scanned the bodies on the ground, panicking. Where was Annabeth?

"Thalia!" someone called, following by coughing. The voice echoed in the dead of silence.

It was Jason. Piper was behind him, her face pale. Jason gripped her hand.

Jason helped Thalia to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Uh huh," she said absently, still scanning the bodies for Annabeth.

The camp was ruined. Gaea had caused a lot of damage.

Thalia's eyes rested on a guy unconcious on the ground, wearing the purple praetor's cape and Camp Half-Blood necklace. She ran over to him and turned him over.

"Percy?" Thalia gently slapped his cheek. "Come on, Kelp Head, wake up."

"W-what?" Percy's eyes flickered, then opened. "What happened?"

"You were knocked out during the explosion," she told him.

He put a hand to his head, sitting up. He scanned the valley and the people on the ground as well as he could through the smoke. "Annabeth?" he said softly. "Where is she?"

Thalia looked down.

"Where is she?" he repeated.

There was a terrible feeling in my chest. But I didn't want to admit it. I couldn't. It couldn't be.

"I have to find her," he murmured, getting to his feet. Thalia noticed that his legs were a little wobbly, but they held.

"Percy," Thalia said softly. Tears stung her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. She got up too. "Let me look with you."

Together, they searched the grounds. They looked everywhere, but didn't see any sign of a blond curly haired girl.

"Annabeth!" Percy screamed. "Where are you?"

It felt like they searched for hours, calling Annabeth's name. The smoke had finally cleared, and people were starting to stir.

"Ouch," Nico muttered. "My head feels like it's full of bricks."

"Guys," Hazel said. Everyone turned. Thalia and Percy were just standing there, dumb struck. Then Percy fell to his knees.

"No," he said. Thalia didn't notice the tear that streamed down her cheek. She fell to her knees beside him.

"Percy . . ." she whispered.

"She can't be gone," Percy said weakly.

Thalia couldn't answer. Words failed her. So she just layed her head on his shoulder, and they stayed like that for a long time.

They could tell people were crowding around them. Then someone knelt in front of them, putting his hands on their shoulders.

"Please tell me she's not . . ." Nico choked.

Neither of them answered. So the three just sat there in silence, bringing comfort from each other in the only way they knew how.

*The Big Three trio's got to stick together. :) Please wait patiently for the next chapter. Only one or two more chapters to go.*