It's a cold summer night in Santa Cruz, California. On a cliff near the city Percy is sitting with Annabeth, legs stretched. The ocean below is calm and reflects moonlight, making Percy remember the quest to save Artemis. Sad thoughts crossed his mind, as he remembered Thalia fighting Luke desperately trying to win him back. So Percy decided to change his thoughts to something happy. He liked to see Annabeth smile so that would be his goal now. Percy has thoughts of jumping down like in Alaska just to show off to Annabeth but he knows she would chastise him rather than encourage him. So, he changed his tactic and drops his head into her knees and looks up at her.
-I would throw off the weight of the world just to be with you again- he says softly. She puts a hand on his hair, which desperately needs a cut, and shows him his gray locks that were previously hidden behind his ear then grabs her own hair until she holds her own grey streaks. She lets her own part of grey hair fall until they seem to mix into a silver tangle of hair.
She smiles at him, then laughs, Percy's face now is dumbstruck with adoration making Annabeth reach behind his ear and lower down to whisper
-I would too seaweed brain, I cannot afford to lose my lovable idiot like that. Even if you look at the water like you're going to jump and ruin the peace, I won't mind. You can show me what you wanted.
She knew too much about him, Percy realized, and felt dumb. Of course, they knew each other since he arrived at camp. Too many experiences during the years, now they are both 21 and almost finishing college. A plan starts to form in Percy's head. He knows he should have proposed already and has the ring ready but left it in their apartment deep in one of his bags. He cannot swim to the apartment and back to get it, and Annabeth will not like the wait, so he decides to act. He gets up and faces Annabeth, putting a foot behind as to kneel down and propose but trips backwards on purpose. After a hundred foot fall, he breaks the surface of the water and quickly prays to his dad, asking for permission to marry his rivals daughter. Poseidon immediately answers him with an Iris message before he could finish the prayer. All the fish that were gathering around Percy stop where they are, and scutter out of sight scared they could be interrupting.
-You have my permission, son. Although I would have preferred… that you ask me earlier!- Poseidon says suddenly laughing
-It's not often I have a chance to get demigod grandkids- Poseidon says with a smile on his old face, looking more like a grandfather than anytime Percy spoke with him before. He must have changed his appearance before this call, Percy realized. He must have known about the ring or either have read his mind. Percy decides a direct approach to fixing his problem. He asks his dad to do him a solid and send him the ring from his bag.
Before he finished the sentence, he feels fall into his pocket. He turns around to when he feels something swimming away but whatever it was its already gone.
-Son, remember that I'm also watching. And maybe, just maybe Aphrodite might have contacted me urgently when she saw that you didn't have your ring with you tonight.-
-Thank you, I really mean it dad, send Amphitrite my regards!- Percy says while the iris message fades.
Percy starts making a whirlpool of water and start building himself a tower of water to go up. An easy job, even when out of practice. After propelling himself to a few feet over Annabeth he flips forward and lands on his knee. He opens the engagement ring box and says to a really startled Annabeth who just fell on her butt unprepared for the first time:
-Will you marry me?-