I stopped screaming "...Dad? ...Mathew?" I mumbled.

The pain was... indescribable. But I forced myself to open my eyes. I saw familiar sea green eyes peering at me.

"...Percy?" I groaned.

He sighed in relief. "Annabeth. You- You made it." I could see he had bags under his eyes. His cheeks were stained with tears.

"Wha-" I cleared my throat. "What happened?"

He smiled at me. "We did it. We defeated Kronos."

"You 'kay?" I mumbled almost incoherently.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I could tell that he was distracted. He looked at me as if he couldn't believe I was here. He grabbed my wrist ad felt for a pulse.

"It's there." Percy almost cried with relief. "You're alive!"

"'Guess so" I muttered.

"Thalia! Nico! She's okay!" Percy called out. They both came running.

"If this is some sick twisted joke, Jackson." Thalia shouted back. "I'm going to-" She stopped in her tracks when she saw me. "Annabeth." She whispered.

"So." Nico said casually. "We meet again. I should have told you weren't really dead. I can sense it in your aura. You were almost, though."

Percy raised his eyebrows. "You saw her in the Underworld? When exactly was that?"

Nico shrugged. "When I took a bathroom break. I thought once she reached Elysium, she would be a spirit then. But I guess not."

Percy hugged me. "I'm so glad you're back. I don't know what I'd do if you...if you..." He hugged me tighter.

"Ouch..." I complained.

Percy's eyes widened and he let me go instantly. "Oh, sorry." He turned to Thalia. "Go get Apollo."

Apollo flickered beside him. "Don't have to. I'm already here." He kneeled down beside me. "I'm going to take her in." He snapped his fingers and a stretcher and an ambulance. He tried to carry me to the stretcher but Percy was still holding on to my hand from when he checked for my pulse. He let go immediately. "Sorry." He mumbled, his cheeks turning slightly red. I can feel mine burning up too.

He cleared his throat. "How long will it take for Annabeth to fully heal?"

Apollo looked at me and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "In this condition? I'd say about a week."

"Just in time for school." I murmured happily. "Perfect."