A/N: This is going to be the last chapter in this Fanfic. This is going to be very long as it crossed 11k words. Someone in the reviews pointed out my mistake that I wrote Percy and Estelle as step siblings. Thanks for that! And sorry for that mistake, the both of them are half siblings. If there are any mistakes in this one, I'm sorry for them in advance.
Also, if you're an emotional person, you will need tissues. Because this is NOT going to be happy. At all.
Disclaimer: PJO and HOO belong to Rick Riordan
Chapter 3:
Silena POV
He parked the car outside a gate and we both got out. My heart was beating loudly, anxious to know what he was going to tell me. This place felt a bit eerie. But I wasn't concerned about my safety with Percy here. I looked at him. His face was red with fresh tears rolling down every now and then. But he was making sure to wipe them off. I looked up to see the sun had just sunk below the horizon. Yet dashes of pink, red and orange were strewn in the sky.
"Where are we?" I asked him out of curiosity.
"Do you really want to know why I couldn't keep my promise?" He asked me silently, ignoring my question.
"Yes, Percy. I'm sure about this. I'll do anything if it is going to make you feel better." I told him truthfully.
It was clear he needed a shoulder to lean on, somewhere he could let out whatever was swirling inside him and trying to suck him in. I thought that he didn't open up to Piper because she had a lot of her to deal with. And Jason…I personally thought that he was just too perfect to mold himself to understand someone. He simply didn't understand that mistakes could happen. He was Mr. Perfect. The only remaining option was me and I was ready to share his pain. I had never had a brother, a loving family and I wanted it. I had Charles with me and I loved him a lot. But I didn't know why Percy felt like family.
He gave me a broken smile. "Follow me then. And don't be scared. Nothing bad happens here in the night."
"How do you know that?" I asked, walking besides him as we entered the door.
It was dark to see where he was leading me but he knew the way by heart. He hadn't even turned on the flash of his cell and he didn't stumble once on the way.
"I just know."
"Does your mother know?" I asked, interpreting what he meant.
"She doesn't. I come here during the days a lot. But I sneak out on some nights when everyone is asleep and when I'm sure Estelle won't wake up in the middle on the night. And I get back home every morning at 5."
"You sleep here?" I asked in surprise. I was a bit horrified too.
"Sometimes I sleep. Sometimes I just lay awake talking." He said and stopped as we reached where he wanted to lead me. I stopped behind him. Who did he stay awake talking to? And here!
"I'm turning on the flash now. Don't be scared, okay." He told me.
"I won't. Don't underestimate me that way. I'm not scared." I worked pretty good with the dark. It didn't bother me. Just my womanly instincts of survival were too strong in dark places which didn't have walls. But I wasn't expecting any kind of threat from Percy.
He nodded at me and turned on the flash which illuminated our close surroundings. A big gasp left me as I saw where we were. Were we…?
"Are we…" I stuttered and took a deep breath. "Are we at the cemetery?" I asked even though it was obvious. I still couldn't believe it.
"Yes." He whispered and he went to sit down. Only then did I see that his legs were shaking a bit. I sat down beside him without any hesitation.
He flashed the light on the very grave next to us. I…Even my thoughts were in a scramble. Was she…was she the…? I couldn't even complete the thought. I just watched every one of his movements. He hooked his phone on the plant besides him. Maybe he always did that. His shaky hand moved forward and caressed the name written on the grave.
Annabeth Chase
Intelligent, Kind and Brave
A Loving and much-loved girlfriend.
"Even strength has to bow to wisdom sometimes."
"Wise Girl," He whispered and swallowed. "I missed you today. Well, I miss you every second of the day but I know you know that. But today, I brought you a friend." He looked at me. I was still too shocked to comprehend. "This is Silena." He continued. "She's in my college. She's like a sister to me. And you know the best thing, wise girl? She doesn't judge me by the scars. So, I'm going to tell her today how I got them." He paused and took a deep breath.
"And Silena, this is…" He paused again. "was. This was Annabeth. My wise girl. My everything. The love of my life."
"I—" I stuttered. The past tense. The damn past tense.
"Don't know what to say?" He chuckled mirthlessly. "I understand. You don't have to say anything." He gave me a reassuring look.
Oh my god, it hurt him so bad. The expression he wore was so painful. I could see his pain and I could almost feel it too. It was crippling. If I felt even a fraction of what he was feeling, then I couldn't even imagine the magnitude of his pain. I felt something hot roll down my cheeks. Tears were streaming down my face too as I saw the reason of his scars, the reason he couldn't fulfil the promise he made to his girl.
"I'm sorry Annabeth. I didn't bring any flowers today. I didn't have the time." He told his girl who was now just in the form of a grave in front of him. The sight shattered my heart.
He continued speaking to her. Now I understood what he meant by 'talking' here at night. "But you know, I found something. Or rather, Piper found something in her room." He pulled out the heart necklace that had made him cry earlier and held it over. "Remember this? Remember the time I'd gifted this to you? You couldn't believe that I had gotten you a gift this thoughtful. This brought back so many memories. And this brought back the first time I ever shocked you." He chuckled at the memory but the sound was broken.
He pulled the necklace back and held it in front of me. "Look inside of it." He told me and I took it from him. I held it carefully and opened it to find another small heart inside of it which had a hole in the middle of it. But it wasn't open. It was covered with glass. He unhooked his phone from the plant and held it behind the necklace. "Place your eye near and look inside the glass." He instructed and I did.
I placed it near my eye and looked inside. There was a picture in there of a guy and a girl. I gasped as I realised it was Percy and Annabeth. They were in each other's arms and looking at each other—very much in love. They looked so happy, like nothing bad would could ever touch them. "She is beautiful." I whispered.
"She was." He agreed and again, the past tense hit me with force. If it impacted me so much, I couldn't even fathom how much it impacted him.
I handed him the necklace and he placed it on the grave. "I'm not going to keep the necklace for you here though, Annabeth." He said to the lifeless grey stone which was the only way he could now supposedly talk to the love of his life. "I'm taking it with me. This is my reminder of you even though you're on the edge of every thought I ever had and have."
He looked so tired yet so happy to talk to his girl. He looked as he had carried on the weight of the entire world alone for too long.
"You don't have to tell me, Percy." I said in comfort. "Don't if it's going to hurt you."
"Everything pretty much hurts nowadays." He said. His voice sounded so miserable that I could barely recognize it as his. He told me further. "We started dating the day I turned 16. Almost 2 years ago now. But we've known each other since we were 12. We used to quarrel a lot when we were little but then we became friends and then subsequently lovers. She made the first move." He smiled at the memory.
"After that we began dating and we'd been inseparable. I loved her. I still do and I'll love her forever. At the age of 16 I had realized that she was the one. It might sound silly but it's still true. She was the only one for me and will always be. No one would take the place of my wise girl. That's why, everyone kind of erupted at Aphrodite at dinner. They know how those kinds of comments immediately remind me of what my life could have been with Annabeth by my side."
I said nothing, let him continue. He picked up the necklace from the grave and held it in his hands. "I had gifted her this on our one-year anniversary, which is also my birthday. 18th August." He said the date reverently, not because of his birthday but because it marked his Anniversary with Annabeth. "On the same day in the evening, I had promised her that I was going to marry her someday. It was then that this big scar flashed on my cheek and it stayed there. She used to kiss it every time we met. I won't get into the details of this, it hurts too much." He said and wiped his tears. I wiped mine too.
"I understand." I said and he smiled at me.
"I got the 2nd big scar on the…" He breathed in and a sob escaped him. "on the day she left me. Again, I won't get into the details. If you want to know you would have to ask Piper. Annabeth left me in the same accident in which Piper lost her legs. But I won't be able to tell you about it because I'm not sure I can get any word out of my mouth without crying. As you can see, I'm barely holding on now." He chuckled but it sounded like a sob again. Tears rolled down my cheeks again. "But I promised her that I would love her forever. And that I will." He said and lifted his shirt up.
Right there, on his heart, a scar as big as the one on his cheek was etched. It was a scar of her love. But not a scar from her love.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through this, Percy. I can't even imagine how you're holding up. How you're walking through the world right now as if a reminder isn't carved on your face. I…" I paused. "You're so strong." He ignored what I said.
He sighed and wiped his eyes, rejecting the pain. "Thank you for listening to me. It felt good to tell someone about her." He smiled at me. His eyes were red and swollen.
"Don't thank me. It was nothing."
"No. It was very much for me. You're the only person my age who was not present when all this happened and yet doesn't judge me, who doesn't call me a promise breaker, a freak."
"Because you're not! You're absolutely not, Percy! You're just in love. You're not afraid of showing it. What you did, what you promised her was a really big deal. You know how difficult it is to find someone in this promise ridden world who loves you so much and isn't afraid of marking himself because he is so much in love? There would be a handful people in this entire world and no one as mature and young as you. You had the courage to make that big of a promise to her when you had just turned 17." I told him.
"I know, I know. But all of that doesn't matter. The courage, the scar it means nothing. I did it all for her. I would do it in a heartbeat again, even if…even if we were to see this fate." He said and I was left in awe of those words.
He practically just said that even if he knew that Annabeth would die someday, he would've made the promise. Because he wasn't afraid of the scar, he was just afraid of a life without her and that's what he was going through right now. And he would keep going through it.
He got up on shaky feet, picking up his phone and putting it back in his pocket. I too got up. I held him by his shoulders. "You, Percy, must know that wherever she is, she's looking down at you. She's proud of you." I swallowed my own sob back. "She's looking down right now and she loves you." Tears rolled down his cheeks again and they weren't stopping this time. "She is so proud of you for holding on, she's proud of you for living, she's proud of the bonds you've preserved and she's proud of your right now for sharing. Remember that. Whatever you do, she'll be looking down at you lovingly. She would always be proud of you. Even if the whole world collapsed around you, she would still be looking out for you from above. Remember that, always."
He nodded at me as he held his sobs back. I gave him a quick hug. "Thank you. I needed to hear that." He told me.
"It's everything true and what I believe and what you definitely should."
"I will try." He told me in earnest. He put the necklace back in his pocket along with his phone. "Now, let's get you home. It's pretty late and we have college tomorrow morning."
I nodded at him and we started walking out of the cemetery. He looked behind him one last time, at her name which shined under the light of the moon now, like he didn't want to go. If this much separation was hurting him, I couldn't even come to fathom how much the real one must be hurting him. I just couldn't. No one should ever have to experience this. Ever. In that moment, I put all of my emotional power in and prayed to whichever God who was listening to me right now—please don't bestow the pain of losing their soulmate on anyone in this entire world. It is crippling, it is miserable and no one should have to go through that. It isn't just fair. It. Just. Isn't.
-!-
Percy POV
After dropping Silena off to her dorms, I went home to have a quick shower. That would convince mom that I wasn't going anywhere. I lay in bed till about 12am, tossing and turning. When I was sure that everyone in the house was sleeping, I got out of bed and put on a shirt. I put my feet in sneakers and grabbed my car as well as room key. I hooked them together on the same keychain and got out of my room. I locked the door from outside so that even if mama checked, she wouldn't be able to come in and probably think I'm sleeping. She didn't know that I had made a key to lock it from outside too. I silently went into Estelle's room to see if she was sleeping. And she was—soundly, her baby forearms stretched up beside her head and her tiny palms clenched in fists. I smiled. No words could describe and no power could ever decipher the love I had for this tiny human. I kissed her forehead and ruffled her baby curls.
"I'll be back home before you wake up, Elle." I whispered to her and subsequently left the house.
I silently drove towards the place I could drive to even with my eyes closed. The way was so familiar now. If the people in my University somehow found out that I also went to a cemetery after midnight, they probably would think I was a ghost who had taken over a boy's body. The thought was comical enough to keep my tears at bay so that I could see clearly while driving. Driving was something I now did very cautiously. There was a period where I was even scared to blink while driving because of what had happened.
In a few short minutes, I was again making my way through the gate to Annabeth. My Wise Girl. Instead of sitting next to her, I lay down, without switching on the flashlight this time. The light meant nothing. All the lights in the entire world wouldn't be able to put out the dark running through my heart right now. I spread my legs, putting one of my arms behind my head and the other on her grave—as if I was holding her head and not the slab of cement that was the only concrete reminder of her.
"The stars look beautiful tonight, don't they, Wise Girl. But I wish you were here to see them. Do you know, I finally memorized all the constellations you tried so hard to teach me?" I swallowed back the lump in my throat. "Look, I can see my sign. I can see Leo though it doesn't remotely look like a lion. I don't know why the Greeks thought it a lion. It looks like a duck to me." I joked.
But I didn't hear her laughter. I was only greeted by the dreary breeze and scorching silence of the cemetery. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to contain the tears. I took deep breaths but they just wouldn't listen. Deciding it a lost cause, I opened my eyes.
"And wise girl, I can see Orion too. The titan who was Artemis' best friend, right? And he had his eyes made from Hephaestus. He was among the very, very few guys which were allowed in her hunt. See, I remember everything you'd told me. And you used to think I was sleeping mentally while you told me these things and when you rambled on about architecture. I remember every single word. You know, because of you, I took interest in Greek History and now I'm minoring it in college." I said to her. But why did it still feel like I was talking to the cold, black and lifeless cemetery?
"I wish you were here, wise girl." I sobbed, unable to contain anything now. I didn't want to. "I don't want to let go. I never want to. I'm not that strong. I'm not. I still need you and you're not here and nothing makes sense anymore, Annabeth. If you hear me, please don't leave me alone like this. I beg you. I can't bear it, no. Take me with you. Just take me."
I begged her and closed my eyes, not wanting to look at the sky full of stars where every point of light reminded me of her. So far away, so out of reach. I could see it but never get it. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to remember different things. But every memory flooding in my mind had her essence. And I was in that flood, trying to catch a memory between my fragile fingertips. One got caught in my eyes and played behind their curtain like a movie in its own—
I woke up in the morning and stretched, my hands immediately finding Annabeth. But her side of the bed was cold. I opened my eyes to see bright sunlight streaming in from my window. "Wise Girl?" I called.
"And he finally wakes up." Her voice fell on my ears and I turned to the other side to see her sitting in the chair besides the bed.
"What are you doing there? Come here." I urged.
"No. You get up now!"
"It's a Sunday, Annabeth. Get your ass in the bed. I wanna cuddle." I pouted.
"Fine, you persuasive baby seal." She grumbled but got up and in my arms. I held her close to me.
"Whatever happened to Seaweed Brain?" I asked sleepily.
She turned in my arms to look up at me. "Oh, he's still there."
"Is he?" I turned us over so that I was hovering over her. I looked down at her, with love shining in my eyes. I could see it getting reflected in hers. I bent down to place a kiss on her lips. "Happy Anniversary, wise girl. I love you."
Her eyes softened as she cupped my cheek, pulling me in for another kiss. "Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthday Seaweed Brain. You've turned 17 today, big boy. How do you feel?"
"I feel like staying in bed all day with my girlfriend."
"Percy…"
"But I'm not 'cause I have plans for us."
"You do?"
"Of course, I do." I said like it was obvious. "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I did not!"
"What plans do you have?"
"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I told them to you!" I smirked and she smacked my chest. "Ow! You hit a birthday boy like that?"
"When he's not behaving."
"Oh yeah. I think you like it when I don't behave." I smirked again and bent down to kiss her.
She kissed me back. The kiss became quickly heated as I clutched her closer to me. I didn't want any space between us. I was about to take things further when a knock fell on my door. I groaned.
"Go away."
"Percy!" Annabeth admonished me.
"Yeah, listen to your girlfriend, Seaweed Brain." Mom said through the door. "I want to wish my darling boy a happy birthday. I'm coming in. You both better be dressed."
"Mom!" I said and she barged in before I could completely get off Annabeth.
"Okay, you both are in a compromising position but still dressed. Good." She joked and grinned.
"Mom!" I said again and got up and sat up on the edge of the bed.
"Happy Birthday, Perseus." She said and placed a kiss on my forehead. "I love you, my darling boy."
"I love you too, mama. Thanks." I smiled as I got up to hug her. "How are you doing?"
"No morning sickness today." She pumped her fist and Annabeth laughed.
We had found out only last month that mom was pregnant. We didn't know the gender yet because she was only 3 months along but I knew for sure that I'd love the little one regardless. I was so pumped that I was gonna be the cool big bro.
"That's good. Now, I'll meet you in the living room in 15 minutes okay? I'll freshen up and take a shower and come meet you while Annabeth has hers."
"Sure." She smiled. "I'll heat the cookies up." Se closed the door behind her.
"I still find it weird that your mom knows we're sleeping together." Annabeth chuckled.
"Me too. But I guess it's easier that she's this open. Or else we wouldn't have been able to spend this time together."
"We have all the time in the world, Percy."
"That I do not doubt, wise girl. But doesn't mean we shouldn't spend all the time that we have." I went over and hugged her.
"But it was very, very weird when she told us that she had kept condoms in your bedside drawers." She joked and I shuddered.
"Annabeth! Should you bring that up!"
She laughed against my chest and I pulled back giving her a look. "After all, we stan a 'blue-cookie making, strong willed woman, who loves her son dearly, and who asked the world if anyone could give me the love of a mother and didn't wait for an answer." She said.
"That we do. Now let me shower."
"Alone?" She asked jokingly.
I placed a hand over my chest. "So crude, wise girl." Her laughter trailed behind me as I entered the shower.
*Time skip*
Me and Wise girl spent the morning with my family and the afternoon with our friends. It was fun meeting everyone—Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel, Leo and Grover. Jason was still crushing on Piper and was oblivious that she liked him back. Though, I felt that they would get together soon. Will and Nico were unfortunately visiting Will's family so they couldn't attend. I guess something had happened so they had to plan this untimely trip. I missed them even though we facetimed them later on.
It was in the afternoon that I gave her the first gift of the day. The necklace. I gave it to her in front of all our friends. I wanted to celebrate her, not my birthday. She was quite shocked. She was close to tears but when I kissed her, she melted right in my arms and wore the necklace around her neck with pride. It looked good on her. Who was I kidding, everything looked great on her.
The evening though, it was just mine and hers. I was taking her out to dinner. With my savings, my part-time job at the marine zoo and the cash prizes from my swimming competitions, I had managed to secure us a private dinner in a restaurant. She knew where I was taking her now. She managed to coerce the information out of me in the afternoon. She knew all of my weaknesses, the biggest one being her.
But Annabeth was both—my strong point and my weakness. She stood beside me and I was the strongest person in the world but she was my queen. One look from her and I would be kneeling in respect on the floor. She deserved that level of admiration, adoration and reverence. She was it for me. I was mature enough to understand the feelings coursing through me weren't temporary. They were meant for forever and she knew that too. We hadn't talked much about the future but either of us knew that whatever happened, we would be together in it. I had told her than she wasn't just in my future. She was my future.
Right now, I was waiting for her to come out of my room. Mom was "dolling her up" as she put it. I just hoped Annabeth was enjoying whatever was going on. I didn't know what she was going to wear.
I, on the other hand, was wearing a light blue button down with the top two buttons open to give me some room. The shirt literally stuck to me. I didn't realise I had grown in muscle. I was wearing dark blue slacks underneath. My sneakers were ditched for formal shoes. Yep, I looked classy and not 17. I looked older. I definitely didn't have the body of a 17-year-old. Working out and having swim practice every day had gifted me with abs. I was lean but broad-shouldered. My biceps were bulging because of all the swim strokes that I did every day for almost one and a half hours.
"Ahem." Someone cleared their throat and I looked up to see mom. "She's ready. And you're looking so big." She came over and kissed my head. "So beautiful."
"Mama!" I chided. "I'm not supposed to be beautiful. I'm a guy. I'm supposed to be rugged and handsome."
"You shaved your chest hair off, Seaweed Brain. You can't be rugged." Annabeth said.
Without looking at her, I replied. "Hey! They tickled me a lot while swimming."
"Whatever you say." She spoke and I looked at her.
My breath stopped in its tracks when I truly saw her. She was wearing black stilettoes which were strappy. Her black dress with hugged her body just perfectly stopped just above her knees. Her ears were accented with dangling diamond earrings which I had gifted her on her birthday this year. She looked more than beautiful. She would make all the goddesses jealous. Good gods. Her blonde hair was cascading down her shoulders and her stormy grey eyes were boring into mine, waiting for a reaction. I walked over to her.
"Beautiful would be a very inadequate word to describe you right now, Annabeth. I'm fairly sure that I could scour the dictionary and still not find a word to describe you." I said.
"Now you're being just too complimentary." She blushed.
"It's the truth." I shrugged. "Shall we?"
"Yes."
"Have fun you both." Mom said.
"We will." I said back to her and winked.
The evening was perfect, just what I imagined our first anniversary to be. With many more to come. Even if we had been dating for just a year, we both knew that our feelings were too strong to be normal. It was like we were under a love spell but we both were coherent and understanding. We had dinner and we talked about each and every thing. We called each other out and joked around making bad puns. Well, the last part was me. What I loved most about us that even though we started dating, we didn't lose the carefree and teasing bond we had before while we were friends. We still teased each other relentlessly, called names and fooled around like we were kids. That was the beauty of us.
After we had dessert, I slumped back in my seat.
"Ate too much?" Annabeth grinned.
"When do I not?" I retorted.
"Touché to that, Seaweed Brain."
Just then I realized that I was yet to give her the other gift. But before I could, she suddenly bounced up in her seat. "What!" I asked, startled. I looked around instinctively but we were in alone in the private garden area of the restaurant I had arranged to have dinner at.
"Oh, nothing. I just realized that I forgot to give you your gift." She said excitedly.
Wow, we even had the same thoughts at the same time—just, about each other. She opened her clutch and pulled a small box out of it. "It's not much," she said. "But I still wanted to make you feel special."
"You're in my life, wise girl. What else would I need?" I said, picking the box up from her hand.
I opened it to saw a watch. It was elegant and it was all black but the hour blades were silver in colour. Then I saw something more silver beneath the blades. There were waves of the sea—all black but with silver linings to accentuate them and there were 2 inscriptions. One was written above the waves and the other on them. The one above read—
'Our love is too strong to drown in the waves of separation'.
That's why it was above the waves and on them like the other inscription. The other one was a bit long one and I had to squint my eyes to read it. I knew why she kept them small, so that only I and her could know about it. No one else, just us. The other one read—
'I dropped a tear in the waves. The day you find it, I will stop loving you.'
I was floored, literally floored. "Annabeth, I—" I stuttered. "I don't know what to say. This is… this is so thoughtful. And you called the necklace thoughtful, I mean…"
"You like it?" She looked at me hopefully.
I got up and swooped her in my arms, hugging her. "I love it Annabeth." I kissed head. "Now put it on." I pulled away.
She gave me a radiating smile and put the watch on my wrist. I kissed her after that and she went down to sit. But I stopped her. "Dance with me?" I asked.
"But there's no music."
"We can dance to the symphony of our love, wise girl." I told her, making a beautiful blush reappear from her neck up to her cheeks.
I took her back in my arms as we swayed in silence, enjoying each other. Her head was close to my chest and I was looking down into her hair after bending my head a bit. I inhaled her strawberry scented curls. In that moment, I saw my entire future. I saw sunny afternoons, picket fences and our kids. One with grey eyes, black hair and one with green eyes and blonde hair, the mix of us. I wanted it. I wanted it all.
I don't know what came into me and I decided to sing. (A/N: I decided that Percy could sing since he is a son of Poseidon (not in this fanfic but originally) and he is related to sirens through Poseidon. I thought he'd be able to sing. Just my thoughts though.)
If I wasn't wrong, I had never sung in front of wise girl, or anyone for that matter—just in the shower. It wasn't intentional but the moment or opportunity never came. But maybe I could pull this off. I started singing bits and pieces of a song, editing it along the way as it fit our situation.
I met you in the dark, you lit me up
You made me feel as though I was enough
When you looked over your shoulder
For a minute, I forget that I'm older
I wanna dance with you right now
Oh, and you look as beautiful as ever
And I swear that everyday you'll get better
You make me feel this way somehow
I'm so in love with you
And I hope you know
Darling, your love is more than worth its weight in gold
We've come so far, my dear
Look how we've grown
And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old
Just say you won't let go
Just say you won't let go
She looked at me with a stunned expression and tears in her eyes as I sang bits and pieces from the song 'Say You Won't Let Go' by James Arthur. She hung on to every word I sang and meant. The pieces I sang fit perfectly with what I wanted to tell her. As I remembered the words that were going to come ahead, I decided that this was the best moment to give her the gift I had bought her. It was more than a gift though. I sang further.
I wanna live with you
Even when we're ghosts
'Cause you were always there for me when I needed you most
While singing the last line, my hand that was behind her back left its place and went into my back pocket. I pulled out a box and pulled away from her. She looked dumfounded as I sang the next words which meant everything.
I'm gonna love you 'til
My lungs give out
I promise 'til death we part like in our vows
I trailed off and her hand flew to her mouth. I opened the box to present her a promise ring studded with an azure coloured stone in its centre. But as I said those words, the expected happened. I felt a scar, almost as big as my pointer finger flash across my cheek.
"Percy…" Annabeth whispered as her hand came to rest on my now scarred cheek. "Percy, you…you…" Tears streamed down her face.
"Shh...Annabeth. I know. I know."
"You promised…you just…" She was too shocked to form sentences or even comprehend. So, I did it for her.
"Yes, I know. I indirectly promised that I would marry you, wise girl. I did. And I meant it. It was because I meant it while singing, the scar flashed."
Usually the words 'I promise' were in lots of songs but scars never flashed on the singers' cheek because it was not something they meant truly for someone while writing the song, it was maximum of the times just to complete the song or to emphasize the love shown. But right now, I meant it. So, the scar flashed.
"You didn't…Percy!" She pulled me to her or pushed herself to me, I didn't know and it didn't matter. She started sobbing against my chest, her hands clutching my back. Now, an uncertainty tainted my thoughts. Did she not want to? I pulled away for a moment.
"Annabeth?" I asked and she sniffled. "Are you crying because you…" I lagged off and she guessed the meaning.
"No! No, Percy. It's not because I don't want to marry you someday. I do." She wiped her cheeks. "Why such a big sacrifice for me? And you…It's not fair that you'll carry the scar for another couple of years and I—"
I cut her off. "Sacrifice? I'll carry this scar proudly till the day you walk down the aisle, wise girl." I smiled. "I love you so, and there's nothing fair-unfair about this. It was my choice. It's not like I need you to promise me something just because I did. Because then that would just be obligatory. If you're thinking about that, don't. I wouldn't like that."
She nodded at my words, getting their plea. "I love you, too." She sniffled again and kissed me. I kissed her back, pouring all of my love in it. We pulled back and I started humming again.
Just say you won't let go
Just say you won't let go
The memory snapped beneath my eyelids and I opened my eyes. I was still reeling in its after effects. I did not usually dwell on memories like these. But talking today with Silena broke a dam that I had built around my mind. The dam which held the rivers and waters of my memories. And now that it was broken, I felt like I wanted to rehash everything that the river wanted to show me today. I wanted to break down, I wanted to shatter and I wanted to twist the knife that was already pushed into my heart. I wanted to twist it again and again. None of this would bring her back. So masochistic, Percy. This isn't you. Probably Silena or my mom's voice said in my mind but I ignored it.
When I was rehashing, I was lost in the memory like I was living it. Well, I had previously. But I wanted to again. Oh, how I would give anything, any damn thing to feel her in my arms again. I did the only thing possible. I caressed her name embedded on the grave and sang in a broken whisper.
I wanna live with you
Even when we're ghosts
"But you weren't supposed to do that before me, Annabeth. We were supposed to do that together." I whispered after the line ended.
If it even existed, I would've travelled down to the Underworld and demand Hades to send me back the love of my life. I would've raised hell in hell itself and even the lord of the Underworld would have to cave to my will.
There was a period after she went away that I stopped saying anything for a week. I didn't cry, I didn't react, I did nothing. Because my mind was rejecting what my brain knew. I was numb. Completely numb. Expect for the sirens and the silence ringing in my head alternatingly, there was no other voice that I actually comprehended, even if it fell on my ears. I had worried everyone. It was after almost one and a half week that my heart finally caught up to the happenings around me and the knowledge that I would never see Annabeth again had sliced through me, breaking the numbness.
I vaguely remembered mom running into my room only to see me down on my knees, leaning against the foot of my bed. It was when she started shaking me, then I realized that I was hysterical and sobbing so loudly that the neighbours were alarmed. Paul had picked me up and placed me in my bed like I was 3 and even then, I couldn't stop the sobs that racked through me. I was in mom's arms but I didn't feel them. I could hear her whispering but I couldn't understand it. I knew that she was beside me but I couldn't see her. All I could see was my wise girl, her head in my lap and her telling me that she loved me. That was all I could here and that was all that I wanted in that moment. But I couldn't have it. I still can't.
"Tell me, Annabeth." I asked of her, even though I knew she could never do it again. "Tell me you love me, once again. Please, wise girl? I'm begging you here. Even if it were for one last time." I sobbed.
As I said the last three words, they brought me back to the worst possible memory. My mind sucked me back in the flood, throwing me onto the memory I hated the most. That held my heart and tore it apart piece by piece, stitch it back together, only to tear it again. My mind threw me into the day she left me.
"Come here." I told Annabeth, asking her to sit with me by the fireplace.
The December chill had permeated the air and we all were huddled close to the fire. It was just Me, Jason, Annabeth and Piper. All the others had gone to their families for the Christmas holidays. Nico and Will had gone to Will's family while Leo had decided that he was going to go to a camp which taught you higher mechanics with the money he had saved. Hazel and Frank were in Canada with Frank's grandmother as she was a little ill.
Annabeth came and sat next to me, as I cuddled her close and kissed her head. She kissed my scar in return and I smiled at her.
"You both are so nauseatingly adorable." Piper said.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I laughed. "I didn't know someone could be nauseating as well as adorable."
"She's saying Annabeth is adorable and you're nauseating." Jason joked.
"I never said that." She mock glared at Jason while Annabeth laughed silently against my chest. "I think, between those two, Percy is the romantic one."
"Finally, someone noticed!" I pumped my fist in the air. "You're right. I am the romantic one and she's the fun killer." That earned me a smack against my chest. "Yeah, like that hurt, wise girl." I threw her a sassy look.
"Persassy on the flooooor." Jason drawled.
"Isn't that Versace on the floor?" Piper asked and we all laughed.
"That wasn't sass though. That was just the truth." I said and smirked.
"Oh yeah, I'll show you hurt." Annabeth said in challenge as she picked up the pillow beside us.
"Like a pillow would hurt me, Annabeth. You can do better." I gave her a smug smile.
"You wished for it." She smiled devilishly like she had some big plan. Knowing her, I wasn't surprised (but kinda scared). She picked up a stray wooden stick from the grass below us and smacked it against my shoulder.
I flinched because damn! It hurt! "Wise girl, that's really hurting."
"Oh yeah, this stick hurting you Seaweed Brain? Those hours in the gym do nothing then?" She taunted as she came to strike again.
"Look, you're my girlfriend but doesn't mean that I won't fight back." I got up and took a defensive stand.
"You've done nothing so far."
"Yeah, cause my Mama raised me not to hit someone lesser." I taunted.
"Oh burn!" Jason exclaimed but shrivelled under the glare Annabeth threw him next.
"Seems like right now I have the upper hand." Annabeth pointed out.
"You go, girl!" Piper encouraged her as she came for me.
I ran quickly as her stick sliced the air. I screamed like Drew Tanaka would have screamed just to mock her and ran further, but I didn't show her my back. I ran backwards so that I could anticipate her next move. She paused for a moment and I stopped too. But then she suddenly sprang forward and caught me off guard. The wooden stick hit my chest.
"Ow, Annabeth! Leave the man boobs alone!" I exclaimed and she erupted in laughter.
She clutched her stomach and I could her Jason and Piper laughing too. She looked so carefree and beautiful. Gods, I still couldn't believe that we were each other's—forever. I went to her and took the stick out of her hands to throw it to the ground and kissed the laugh right off her face. I wasn't met with any resistance though.
We went back to sit down with Jason and Piper who were making eyes at each other. Gods, they were both so oblivious! Just as we were about to sit down, Piper got up and stopped us.
"Let's go for a drive." She said.
"Now?" I asked, just wanting to stay cuddled with Annabeth.
"I'm down." Annabeth nodded.
"Now, I can't say no, can I?"
"Can't deny Princess Annabeth huh?" Jason teased.
"Princess?" She echoed.
"That makes me a prince." I grinned. "But I'm not a prince because my girlfriend is a princess and also not because my father is a king. But because I was raised by a fricking queen." I said and imitated putting shades over my eyes.
"Here comes out the Mamas boy." Piper laughed.
"Its adorable." Annabeth said.
"I'm glad, princess." I smirked.
"But I you call me princess one more time, the wooden stick would be forgotten and I'll search a metal pole."
"But then you'll kill me? How would you live without me?" I made puppy eyes.
"How do you even win an argument with him?" Piper asked Wise Girl. "One look at those eyes and I would be the one saying sorry."
I smirked. "She's ruthless when it comes to winning arguments. Even if I cried on my knees when she was right, she wouldn't let me go."
"Well, good luck for the rest of your life." Jason said and I laughed.
"I can't wait." I said and kissed Annabeth's head.
"Okay so are we gonna go or not?" She asked.
"Yeah. But we're gonna go in two different cars. Guys and girls separate."
"Why?" I protested.
"Because she said so." Annabeth told me and gave me a look that said 'I'll tell you why later'.
Maybe something had happened between Jason and Piper. But it didn't seem like it while we were sitting by the fire in Piper's garden. I frowned. "Okay fine." I said.
"Bro, I'm gonna go shotgun and you're driving." Jason said and I shrugged.
"And I'm driving too." Annabeth announced.
"Fine by me." Piper agreed.
"We'll take my car. You and Annabeth can take yours." I told Piper since I had driven Annabeth here today.
"Okay." She said and we all went into the garage. On the way, I asked Annabeth why we were driving separately.
"Its just because Piper's been throwing Jason hints all evening and he's so ignorant towards them!" She answered.
"Not intentionally, I'm sure. He likes her, I know." I shrugged.
"Well, why doesn't he act on it!"
"But he's scared perhaps. I don't know." I looked at her. "If it hasn't happened yet, there would be a reason maybe. Timing is everything, wise girl. I'm sure they'll get together. Let him take the time he wants and they'll figure it out."
"Wise." She nodded.
"Does it when I stay around you a lot. But I wouldn't have it any other way." I said and she smiled at me, leaving me dazzled.
We all got into our cars and I started the engine. "Where are we going?"
"Take the first right. The road leads to a straight path for about 3-4 miles. And then we can turn around and come back." Piper said.
"Sure, okay." I said and Annabeth started the car too. Only then did I realize that the car's headlights weren't working.
"Wise girl!" I called to her. "The headlights aren't working." I pointed out.
"I know." Piper said. "But I don't have any other car. Mom and dad have taken theirs to the party and I'm not allowed to use the others. They hide the keys." She grumbled and I laughed.
"Fine. So, you guys stay ahead of us but not right in front of us. My headlights can guide you a bit then."
"Perfect." She smiled. "Annabeth, put on some music and let's keep the windows down."
"This reminds me of some lyrics." Jason said.
"If you like midnight driving with the windows down." I completed his thoughts.
"You know One Direction?" Piper seemed surprised at us both because I recited the lyrics and Jason because he found them familiar.
"You like them." Jason said like it was an explanation and she blushed.
"And I know this song because its supposedly about Taylor Swift or so I've heard. I don't know for sure." I chuckled. "But Annabeth is a big Swiftie. So, I know."
"Right here! The perfect boyfriend." Piper deadpanned and I laughed.
"Now, let's go." I said and they both left.
She started some rock music in her car so loud that it reverberated in ours too. She was singing to it and me and Jason looked at each other as if to say 'someone please tell her to stop'. But she looked like she owned that song and totally carefree. Jason gazed at her singing out the window with a soft look on his face.
"Ask her out already." I sighed, raising my voice a bit for him to hear me over the music and I took the first right after the girls.
The road was secluded so I was a little more alert. There were huge trees on either side of us as we drove straight ahead. There were no streetlights too so I was a bit sceptical. But since it was close to Piper's house, I figured she would be knowing. Tristan would always let her know if a road wasn't safe. The air was cold and it blew in my face because of the open windows. But it felt thrilling. We were driving at a steady speed of 65-70mph.
"What?" Jason questioned. "Ask her out?" I gave him a look that said 'duh'. "She doesn't like be back bro." He sighed in dismay.
"Are you freaking blind? She's been throwing you hints all evening today, you idiot."
"She has!? I didn't realize them at all. Wait… those were hints."
"Oh yeah." I said, sarcastically. "Now lover boy, once we get home again, ask her out to dinner or something. Get your girl before she goes for someone else. Are you intimidated by the fact that she could get anyone she wants because of her parents?"
"Well, yes. Sometimes."
"Would she have waited for you if that were the case?" I left that question in the air and we drove in silence for a while.
Well, apart from the hideous hard metal song that Piper was screaming on top of her lungs. I could also see Annabeth nodding her head to it and I was shocked. Woah, wise girl was liking this? Nice. It was great to see the girls happy like this. Maybe Piper needed this drive. To clear her head and give herself some space. Well then, I was glad that she asked because I was enjoying this driving too. Just driving without any destination. It was always the journey that counted, right? I did have a home though. But that home was right now driving the car in the front. I chuckled to myself at that comparison.
But it was the truth. She was my home. The song in the car ended and there was a little gap between it and the next one. So, I just shouted. "Annabeth!" She seemed startled for a minute and I grinned. She looked at me through the side mirror. "I love you, wise girl." I shouted again and she blushed. Oh, how I loved that colour on her cheeks. I was so completely, captivatingly hers.
"I love you too, Seaweed Brain!" She shouted but the next song had started till then so I didn't hear her completely. The 'Seaweed Brain' was muffled.
Soon enough, Piper started screaming again and to my utter shock or delight, however you want to take it, Annabeth was singing with her too and my gods, was she tone deaf! Me and Jason laughed hard at the two of them, deeming them mad. We drove forward for another minute when I saw Jason suddenly stiffen.
"What is it?" I asked him.
"While turning, which right did we take? There are 3 rights on the road we were going to turn." He asked cautiously.
"We took the first one. Why?" I asked. Something about his tone was making shivers run down my spine.
"And how many miles have we driven till we were going to turn?"
"What's with these questions Jason!"
"Answer me." He said in a terrifying voice.
"We'll turn in about a minute."
"Percy, we have to stop and turn back right now. The road here was destroyed in the untimely rains last month and they're still fixing them. There's concrete and bricks, the cars will slip. We have to turn now." He said in a compelling voice, the need to be urgent was clear.
"Annabeth!" I screamed out the window but she didn't hear me over the music. It wasn't practical to just scream but my mind went absolutely blank with fear. "Annabeth!" I yelled again but no response.
Horror ran through every vein of mine and I was left completely bewildered. She was looking ahead at the road but the light from our headlights wasn't enough for her to see what was ahead. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
"Call her." I barked at Jason and he nodded.
I pressed the horn and didn't lift my hand off of it as the dreary sound filled my ears, almost bursting my eardrums. But still, it wasn't greater than the terror racing through me in the moment. The horn was loud, but the music was louder. No, no, no, no. Please Annabeth, look at me. Please. Annabeth hear the horn, stop the goddamn car.
"She's not picking up." Jason said in utter distress.
"Call Piper. Quickly. She may have her phone connected to the in-car speakers." I yelled as I decided to speed up, come between them and the slab or just maybe warn them with the speed. It was a rash decision, probably even fatal for me. But if it meant that she would be unscathed, I would do it in a heartbeat.
He placed the call and the music stopped, the call we placed taking over the screen in the front. I pressed my foot on the accelerator. Just as Piper picked up the phone, a slab of cement came in between their front wheel and the car swerved from the speed it was at.
"No! Annabeth!" I shouted in agony as my foot lifted itself up the accelerator. If I sped up now then we would just crash into each other because of the bricks and sand and cement, causing an even greater collision.
Piper's singing of joy turned into screams of help as they now filled our car through Jason's phone and also through the windows. I could do nothing as I saw everything as if it was in slow motion. I saw Annabeth fighting to control the car, pressing down on the brakes but the car was shaking on the gravel, the friction too much. Too late. I was too late to tell her to turn.
"Annabeth watch out!" I yelled into the phone but no response came. I cursed the workers for leaving things like these on the roads carelessly.
The car skidded over the cement from the construction and I was sitting in my car, totally helpless and shouting on the top of my lungs for some miracle to strike as she completely lost the control over the wheel. The car turned in total 180 degrees as she hit the brakes hard again. Just for a second, her eyes met mine before the worst happened. Her eyes were filled with fear. Scared grey eyes met teary green ones and both were helpless, slaves to the circumstance. It felt as if time slowed in that very moment and I saw the love of my life terrified, her eyes blown with fear. Her timing to press the brakes hard was so bad that another slab came under her wheels. No, wise girl! A blood curdling scream left my lips as she was too late in hitting the brakes and the car took the blow of another slab, toppling over the pavement, banging right against the bark of a tree with a massive force.
"Annabeth, no!" I shouted as I stopped my car and flung myself out the door.
I didn't even spare Jason a glance as I ran to her. The car was completely upside down, the bonnet having suffered the bang from the tree, completely crushed and light smoke coming out of it. No, the last thing I wanted was it to blow up.
"Get them away from the car." I bellowed at Jason, gesturing to the smoke.
He gave me a quick nod, running to Piper whose upper body was out of the car and on the ground. She was groaning lowly, still conscious. I rushed to Annabeth. She was stuck upside down between the gears of the car, her seatbelt holding strong but that had made her body twist at an ungodly angle. Her legs were still trapped on the controls of the brakes.
"Don't worry." I said. "I'm getting you out of this." I opened the car door, held her body upright with one hand as she was almost fighting gravity, close to crashing down on the car floor.
I removed the seatbelt and got her body out. Thank the gods, the windshield didn't break. I looked at her, her eyes were open but dazed. I carried her away from the car, without jolting her as her head hung back, powerless. I lay her down on the pavement and situated her head it my lap carefully. I immediately felt something hot and wet on my lap. I put my hand under her head and pulled it back out again to see it was soaked with blood.
"No, Wise Girl." I cried. "Can you hear me?" I pleaded. She didn't even groan in pain. "Annabeth!" I shouted and her hand twitched. Oh yes, she was conscious. "Listen to me." I wiped my eyes and tore my shirt in half and quickly tied it around her head, pressuring the wound. "Stay with me." I closed my eyes. I couldn't hear anything else. Just silence ringing in my head when her whisper cut through it like a knife.
"Percy…" She whispered; her voice barely audible.
"Annabeth." I breathed in tentative relief. "I'm here. You're fine. Everything will be fine." I said. "Call 911." I shouted at Jason.
"On it." His voice came back from somewhere. But his voice indicated that Piper was in a better condition.
"How are you feeling?" I asked her, completely bewildered, not sure what to ask. My brain was in knots.
"Not so good." She answered.
"Where is it hurting?" I asked. "Tell me and I'll fix it."
"My head…it does the most." She winced. "My chest, ribs and my left leg. Somewhere on my hands." She completed.
Both of her hands had numerous bruises and cuts. My eyes filled with fresh tears. I lifted her shirt to see bluish black marks appearing where her ribs were. I put the shirt back down hurriedly to inspect her leg. I dare not lift it, fearing I'd do something wrong but I saw a gash open on her left leg, bleeding profusely. No. I tore off what was remaining of my shirt on my body and tied it tightly around her leg, without jolting her head in my lap which was still bleeding. No, she's losing too much blood.
"I'll take the pain away. Just wait with me for a few moments Annabeth, help will be coming. Please." I soothed her despite my fears. I needed to be strong for us both. I needed to get us through. No time to be dazed and confused and miserable right now.
"I don't think I can." She said, moving her legs and winced.
"What does that mean?" I asked, fearing that what I was thinking was right. That my darkest fear right now was correct.
"I love you, Percy."
"What does that mean, Annabeth! Tell me!"
"Tell me you love me." She pleaded and smiled but her eyes were filled with pain and tears. No, no, no, no.
"Don't ignore what I'm asking, wise girl." I caressed her cheek but my voice was trembling.
She sighed and flinched. "I don't think I'm going to survive this, Percy." She said.
"No, don't give up." I yelled.
"I'm not giving up but you can't hope for the impossible. I know what is going to happen." She whispered lovingly.
"No. You don't. YOU DON'T." I yelled yet again as if that was going to fix things. "We'll fix this. We always find a way through, don't we, wise girl? You find a way; I help you through and that is EXACTLY what is going to happen." I said hysterically. "We'll find a way. Even strength has to bow to wisdom sometimes. That's what you say, don't you?" I pointed out through my tears which were now dripping down my face onto my chest.
"Tell me you love me, Percy." She said, her voice breaking. "Tell me you love me. One last time."
"I'll say it all my life, Annabeth." I cried. "This isn't the last time."
She smiled again. It pierced my heart. "I think it is. Tell me you love me. Say it one last time. Please." She pleaded, smiling through the pain but her eyes didn't hide it. Her eyes held a deeper agony than of her wounds. I knew it well because it had resided in my heart too. "I want to hear you telling me that if those are the last words I'm going to hear." She whispered.
"I love you." Sobs started racking my body. "I love you and we're getting through this. Together. This isn't the last time I'm telling you that I love you."
"Might not be the last time you tell me." She said and I felt a flicker of hope in my heart. "But it's the last time I'm going to hear it." She said, dousing the flicker just as quickly as it ignited itself. "I want you to live your life. Truly live it. Enjoy it and smile every day." She said.
"Life is nothing without you by my side, wise girl." I said. "I'm not letting you go. Not yet and never."
"I don't think its your choice anymore." She said in a broken undertone and winced.
"What's wrong, wise girl? Where does it hurt?" I asked impatiently and fearfully. "Annabeth! Tell me what's wrong?"
"I love you, Percy." She said and smiled, rejecting the pain in that moment. "One Last Time."
"I love you too. I'll love you forever. I…I promise I'll love you forever, Annabeth." I screamed and a scar flashed over my heart.
A sob escaped her at that and she looked at the scar. She raised a weak hand and placed it over my heart.
"Its yours." I mouthed to her, tears wrecking me over to actually say those words. "Forever."
"I know." She mouthed back and closed her eyes. Her hand drooped down my chest slowly, leaving a fire of her last touch in its wake as it fell into my lap.
I screamed loudly, piercingly, relentlessly. "No! Come back to me, Annabeth." I shook her shoulders but they just jolted her. She just wouldn't wake up. "You HAVE to come back Annabeth. I can't…I can't get through this mess without you. I can't live without you, wise girl." I swallowed the sob that was trying to escape my tight grasp.
"Now who say 'I love you' to me with a kiss on my scar every morning? Who will call me out on my stupidity?" I sobbed ruthlessly, not being able to contain the pain. It felt as if someone was twisting a knife in my heart, pulling it out and shoving it back again.
I shouted with all I had into nothingness. Absolute nothingness. I screamed out loud for her. But she didn't reply, she didn't come. She would never. No! No, take away my life too. Take it. I don't want it if it's without her. There's none of it without her here. Because she took it with her. My heart, my soul, everything. It went away with her.
The distinct sound of sirens pierced my ears but they still weren't enough to calm down the raging ocean inside me. They weren't enough to stop the silence ringing inside my head. I looked around me and there was red spilled everywhere. But I couldn't see blood. I couldn't comprehend the red as blood. All I could see were pieces of my heart, my love scattered around, painting the ground in red. Those pieces were lost to me. Lost to me forever. Like her.
"Who will call me Seaweed Brain now, Annabeth?"
I shouted those words out with all my strength, pouring my agony, my pain in my voice, hoping that would bring her back to me.
I hoped relentlessly that my screams, my calls of desperation would bring her back but nothing happened. The pain that I was feeling was clenching my insides, twisting my heart and throbbing as if it was a separate living entity inside my body now. The scar on my chest felt like it was burning into my chest over and over again, the scar of her love. Tears escaped me, sobs left my grasp and the everything came crashing down, shattering everything and leaving the smoke of my burning heart in its wake.
The world was collapsing, and it didn't really matter to me because she wasn't alive.
-!-
A/N: This is the end of 'One Last Time'. Thank you for reading, though I'm not going to hope you enjoyed it (because you probably want to kill me).
Ps, I'm sorry. I know you hate me now but I understand. I hate me too.