all about hope- tragedy! and man fanfiction what the heck!

Guest- ahh i love all the theories, you're smart! i would say it's a combo of one and two :) and this part isn't super canon-ish, just me kind of playing around!

radoddish- we love the angst

SEASBLU- dramaaaaaa

AyeraeW- she do be playing games!

The rumbling stopped as she quickly stepped out of Percy's path, falling onto her back.

Percy whipped back, his face scrunched up in concentration, a look of pure hatred in his eyes. He was under Lamia's spell.

"Percy!" She exclaimed, standing up and holding her arms out. "Snap out of it!"

Percy charged forward again, slamming his shoulder into her chest. She whimpered as all of the air was knocked out of her, falling back onto the ground.

"You see, Rosemary," She could only hear Lamia- she didn't know where she had slithered off to the Parthenon. "You two are Mother Earth's ideal sacrifices. But, we can't exactly allow you to walk this earth freely after she awakens. So as far as I'm concerned, you two must destroy each other."

Percy loomed over, that cold, hard look back on his face. She hiccuped, a sob getting stuck in her throat.

She had no choice- she had to hurt him.

As Percy raised his sword above her, ready to slit her throat, she quickly thrusted her leg upward, kicking Percy squarely in the face.

A sickening crack came, and suddenly, Percy's nose was bleeding. He staggered backwards, groaning as he put his hand up to his nose.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath. She crawled away from Percy, glancing back in horror as the blood trickled down his face, dripping down onto the altar. The rocks sizzled as droplets made contact.

One step closer, Earthshaker. There's no escape now.

She scuttled into a dark corner, hopefully buying herself some time.

Think, she told herself.

Laughter echoed throughout the temple. "You think you can hide, Rosemary?"

Percy came up from behind, grabbing her ankle. She was dragged back to the altar sight, as Percy pushed her head into the ground. She winced, her nose throbbing.

She was rolled over, her wrists pinned to the ground as Percy used his strength to keep her down. She tried her best to throw him off, but he was too strong. She struggled, not knowing what to do.

"Percy, please," she begged, sobbing.

She could cause an earthquake- but would it be worth it? Did she want to risk hurting Percy? Or was it inevitable anyways?

Before she could decide, she felt a burning sensation, as a moan of pain escaped her mouth. Glancing down, her abdomen was covered in shiny, bright red blood. Percy had cut her with Riptide.

"No!" She managed to get out, attempting one last time to get Percy off, trying to keep the blood from spilling on the ground.

Lamia had climbed one of the columns, where she was looking down at them, laughing.

Her blood slowly trickled down her side. It landed on the stone altar with a single plop.

The earth shifted beneath them, and she felt a chill pass through her body.

Gaea was awake.

Well done, Earthshaker.

"It's too late, Rosemary Reiger," she said, her voice echoing. "Prepare to take your last breath. Finish her, Percy."

Percy's hands reached up, clasping around her throat. Slowly, his grip tightened, cutting off her air. She began to gasp, unable to breathe. She was beginning to feel lightheaded- whether from the choking or the blood loss, she didn't know.

"Percy-" she broke off, gasping for breath, her eyes welling with tears as Percy's hands became tighter around her neck.

This isn't you, she wanted to say. She thought of Percy's secret, how he had lost control and almost killed the misery goddess. That wasn't him, either. It was the side that neither of them were proud of, the side capable of darkness and losing control.

But...that wasn't the only side of them.

Her hands reached up, shaking and clasping Percy's face. It was her last ditch effort, but it was all she could think of.

She pictured Annabeth.

"You're an idiot, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, a grin appearing on her face as she lovingly gave Percy a kiss.

She willed all of the memories she had of Annabeth and Percy together into his mind. The two of them sleeping together on the stable floor of the Argo II. Clutching each other under the stars, swaying slowly as if there were music playing somewhere.

Her strength was fading, but she wasn't going to go without a fight. She pushed these memories into Percy, reminding him of the other side of him, the gentle and kind and good side. The side that still had so much to do, that had the hope of a future. The side that had Annabeth waiting at the end for him.

The grip on her throat loosened, and Percy's eyes became clear, suddenly becoming more focused. Rosie knelt over, gasping for air. Percy's eyes became wide as it dawned on him what happened. He glanced down at horror at Rosie, the gash on her stomach bleeding profusely.

"Ro," he said, in an anguished tone.

"No!" Lamia screamed in frustration, slithering back down one of the columns. "No, no, you're supposed to kill her!"

"Hey!" Percy shouted. He started to get up, but Rosie weakly clasped his wrist. "She's going to get away!"

"You can't-" She broke off, her eyes watering at the pain, unable to move. "I-I got it."

"No, no, Ro, you need help." Percy's eyes were getting shiny with tears.

"Hold my hand," she instructed. "I can do this."

She closed her eyes.

Here's the deal, she thought, picturing Gaea listening to her. You win. I'm not going to make it out of this alive. Just, please, please, let me help my brother.

She could feel the ground beneath her start to shake, as Lamia started to back up, nervous.

This had to be the biggest earthquake she had ever caused. It had to kill Lamia, get Percy out alive, and warn her friends that Gaea had awoken.

That kind of power could only come from one kind of thing, something that was even more powerful than anger.

She thought of her friends, as the temple crumbled around them.

Leo popped up first in her head, smiling and cracking one of his dumb jokes. She thanked him silently in her head for being the best partner-in-crime she ever could have asked for. She hoped he would find his Calypso, that she would be the one to help him move on.

Then it was Piper. Her best friend, her dance partner, her roommate, her therapist. She would miss the movie marathons and ABBA singalongs and junk food sessions. But most of all, she would miss Piper's friendship, how she was the sister Rosie never had.

Oh, nerdy, grandpa Jason. She was glad to have a friend who was her opposite, someone who was grounded and calm and gave the best advice. She could already picture him being the know-it-all in all of his high school classes, and could already picture the glittering shrines he was going to build.

Annabeth Chase was one of the most intimidating people she had met. Despite this, she respected Annabeth so much. She had never met someone with a bigger affinity for caffeine than herself until she met Annabeth. Rosie cherished all the memories of Annabeth rolling her eyes at her, all while secretly smiling...she would never forget that.

Hazel Basil, her protegee. Rosie knew that there was something within Hazel that was more powerful than all of them combined. She would never forget her enthusiasm or passion for life. She couldn't wait for the paintings Hazel would make in that Roman cafe, her dream come to life.

Frank Zhang had gone from being someone she made fun of 24/7...to someone she made fun of 24/7 but respected. Rosie hoped he would continue having P.O.W.W. with Percy. She knew he was going to be one fine praetor...she hoped he would never forget how to stand up for himself. She knew his life was going to be full of badass Emily Zhang moments.

Nico diAngelo had been a huge pain in her ass. She regretted the fact that just as they were becoming friends, they went their separate ways. She hoped that if she couldn't be around here for much longer, he would succeed in not having a grudge against himself anymore.

She pictured her friends dancing on the Argo II, nothing but laughter and music in the air. No worries, no pain. The best family she could have asked for.

And then there was Percy, who was holding her hand and stroking her hair as her head was in his lap. Her big brother. Something in her had never healed after Max...not until she had met Percy. He was the family she had never wanted, the family she didn't ask for...that had snuck into her life and her heart.

Nothing but ruins surrounded the two of them, a violent wake caused by Rosie leaving a path of chaos and destruction.

She could hear a heartbeat now, one she thought was her own.

"Ro…" Percy whispered, tears running down his cheeks. "You did it."

She was feeling fainter, her chest rising and falling slower and slower. "It...it hurts." She mourned all the dreams that wouldn't come to existence.

"I know. I'm so sorry, Rosie…"

"It wasn't your fault." She hiccuped, letting another sob out. "Oh god, Coach..."

"What?"

"If I die, Coach dies…" she said, crying harder. "He's going to be a dad, Percy, I don't want him to miss his baby..."

"Don't you worry, Ro," he said, squeezing her hand harder. "He'll be okay."

She knew he was lying, but she appreciated it.

"It's not too late," Percy insisted. "We..we can get help! I can run down the hill and find Piper, she has the cure…"

He'd never make it in time. She could hear the battle sounds outside the temple, although they were becoming softer. And for some reason, she knew the cure wasn't meant for her. Her clothes were becoming soaked in her blood, her eyes drooping...

"Please stay with me," she whispered. She didn't want to die alone.

The heartbeat was fading...

Percy gulped, nodding. "I'm here, Ro."

"Until the end?"

"Until the end," he said, smoothing her hair back.

She wanted to say so much more, but it was getting harder to breathe.

"You were the best sister, Ro," Percy said.

She lifted the corners of her mouth, letting out a laugh that sounded more like a wheeze. "Obviously," she got out, coughing a little.

"You're alright," he comforted. "I'll never forget the POWWOWs , Ro."

Her hearing was starting to go; she could only hear a slight buzzing. "You...you said it," she said weakly, hoping she was smiling.

The buzzing was louder, and she couldn't see Percy anymore. All she could see was the clear, blue sky above her.

And then, almost out of nothing, he appeared.

Her father stood above her, forming words she couldn't hear.