Nico POV

Annabeth's week was up in the morning.

Jason, Thalia, and I all sat on the front porch of the Big House, staring down into the remains of the camp. Juniper was down at the lakeside with Daisy. The little girl splashed and squealed in the water, smiling for what felt like the first time in weeks. The sun was setting, so Piper was setting up a small fire down in a pit as Hazel kept her company. She was slowly but surely coming back to life after Frank, and even though she wasn't smiling or really interacting with life anymore, she was willing to sit nearby as Leo cracked jokes in an attempt to see her laugh. It hadn't happened yet, but I think I saw her twitch once.

Juniper and Hazel were still heartbroken, but had begun to realize that holding on was hurting more than letting go. Annabeth on the other hand...

"If it weren't for the smell, and what we're about to do, this would be a really nice evening." Thalia muttered drily.

"I know. I didn't want it to come to this either," Jason sighed, "But we gave her the time, and she hasn't done it yet. We've reached a point where she's putting all of us in danger."

"She's just grieving still..."

"She's losing it." I said. I tried not to let it show how much the whole situation was really affecting me. This was going to be hard enough without me breaking down, "Annabeth loves Percy so much that she's ready to risk all of our lives just to try and bring him back. She can't see that it isn't possible, and she can't see that this is just hurting all of us even more." My voice started breaking, so I stopped there. Hold it together, Nico.

Thalia reached over and squeezed my hand knowingly, "Annabeth has never been very good at letting things go." She sighed, "It doesn't matter that the week is up, she's not going down without a fight." Jason began pacing across the porch.

"What are we supposed to do? If we wait much longer, Percy is going to kill her, and maybe us too." He stopped, grabbed the railing, and stared down at the cabins. Annabeth was still locked in cabin three with Percy.

"Guys... Annabeth is dangerous." Thalia said slowly, "I love her to pieces, she's my best friend in the whole world... but she will kill all of us before she lets us near Percy. She hasn't been in her right head since he died, and there's really no telling what she'll do." Thalia's eyes began to tear up, and her voice choked, "I don't think we're going to be able to take down Percy without Annabeth getting caught in the crossfire." Jason gripped the railing a little tighter, and I think my heart stopped.

I knew what she was getting at, but I wasn't ready to admit that she was right.

"Thals, I promised Percy that I would protect Annabeth with my life if something happened to him. I can't deny his dying wish."

"But if we don't act, then Percy is just going to end up killing her." She argued. Thalia was full-on sobbing at this point, and I had to firmly grip her shoulders to keep her from shaking, "I hate to even think this way... but one wrong move and Percy will get to her... and then he could get out and get to us... to Daisy..." She stopped there. I held her close to my chest, and closed my eyes.

"Nico I think she's right." Jason whispered, "We can do our best to try and get Annabeth out of there, but we all know her. And when it comes down to it... I'd rather it happen quickly and painlessly, than her getting eaten alive by the man who's supposed to love her." He turned and faced us, his eyes as red as Thalia's, "And we can't risk the lives of the rest of the people here anymore. This has to end."

Seeing the two of them so heartbroken had cracked my exterior. Tears rolled down my cheeks onto the top of Thalia's head. They were right.

"If we wait until tomorrow morning, Annabeth is going to be ready for us." I said, "We need to do this tonight."

Annabeth POV

I'm so close... so close... I have to do this... I can do this...

My time was almost up, I could feel it. As I stared into Percy's dead, glassy eyes, I felt the panic slowly starting to grow in the pit of my stomach. It felt like I had tried everything at this point to get his heart to beat, and nothing. I knelt down at his feet and put my hands on his knees. I could feel the skin disintegrate underneath my fingertips and the bones quiver under the weight. My face felt hot and the pain that I had been pushing down began to surface.

"Percy, please," I whispered, "I'm trying so hard but I'm so tired." Warm tears spilled down onto his torn, dusty jeans. I felt him struggle against his restraints, his head trying to lean down towards my exposed flesh, without success. At this point, did I really care if he bit me? Maybe it would put my out of my misery. Maybe we could live a happy zombie not-life together. He groaned and growled down at me, but I stayed put.

"I just wanted to save you," I sobbed into his lap, " I just need more time. I need this. I need you." He fought harder and harder against his constraints as I broke down and cried, "Percy I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm doing my best..."

"Annabeth?" For a brief moment, I heard Percy's voice and my neck jerked upwards to see his face. All I saw were his milky eyes and his rotting teeth, still growling angrily at me. I turned my head to the door where Nico, Jason, and Thalia stood staring at me.

"What are you doing here?" I croaked, "I still have until the morning." Thalia stared down at me sadly. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were red. Not much made Thalia cry, so the fact that she had clearly been crying a lot made me really nervous.

"Annabeth... we're sorry. It's time." She said it slowly and gently, as though I was about to explode.

Well, she wasn't wrong.

"You. Can't. Have. Him." My voice shook in a way that scared me. The panic exploded in a burst of heat in my chest, and my resolve strengthened. I stood slowly and planted myself in front of Percy. I wiped the tears from my face and stared them down. Nico stepped forward, hands out in front of him.

"Annabeth we don't want to hurt you. You have to let him go." My eyes narrowed.

"No." I said firmly, "I can do this, I know it. I just need more time with him..."

"Your time is up," Jason said. I noticed his hand reaching for the hilt of his sword, "Percy being here is a risk to you, to us, and to everyone else here. We can't give you any more time." My dagger was in my hand, and I raised it towards them. My voice held firm, but my hand shook.

"If you kill Percy, then you'll have to kill me too." Thalia and Nico both pulled out their weapons.

"Get out of the way." Thalia said, her face unreadable. I shook my head, so she took a step forwards, "Annabeth, move." She pursed her lips, and I could tell she was hesitant. She came closer, and the panic made me flinch. My dagger jerked forwards, and I saw blood before I even realized what I had done. Thalia pulled her hand back and applied pressure to the cut I'd left on her forearm. She looked up at me, betrayal in her eyes.

That's when it all went to hell.