A/N: Hello there, a new idea came to me so here's a chapter. This one is set 4-5 years after HOO and is another Percabeth one. And no, this One-Shot Collection is not exclusively Percabeth, but the plot bunnies that sprout in my mind are usually Percabeth so expect more of them.

Like I said prompts are welcome.

One Last Time

Annabeth

In that moment, lying on the ground and covered in a sheen of blood and grime, Annabeth was certain of one thing. She was dying. And even if she weren't…

What chance did they have of victory now? What was the point of it all? The years of hardship. All the rules broken, the battles fought, the wars survived. So, what if the world had changed for the better. That did not matter when there was no one left to live in it.

Everyone dies in the end-

No. Not everyone. Not him. She'd make sure of that, at least. Annabeth reigned in her rabid breaths and managed one singular word as she stretched out her working arm in a desperate grasp towards the presence she knew was knelt beside her.

"Percy."

He leaned into her field of view, his fingers straining towards hers.

"I'm alive." he whispered, their fingers interlocking. "I'm here."

Annabeth forced a smile, the residual briny warmth of her tears still lingering on her lips.

"Percy, please…"

"No," he squeezed her hand. "I don't want to hear it. We'll make it out of this together. We always do."

"Listen to me," she insisted, her vision blurring from the effort. "At some point, our luck was bound to run out. Ten years…three wars. I'd say we did pretty good to survive this long. But now I need you to run. I need you to outlive me because you and I both know that I'm not making it out of this pit-"

"No Annabeth, I don't."

Percy slipped his arms around her and attempted to move her gently, but the pain was too much for them both. He turned away for a moment, as if looking at her condition was too much to bear.

"Luck," Percy murmured, his entire body shaking. "Luck had nothing to do with it. That I know. We fought—that's how we survived this long. You fought for me, and I fought for you. I'm not going to stop now. I'll find you a healer and then I will end this."

"End what? This war?" Annabeth paused as she broke into a fit of bloody coughs. "Look at me—you know that's impossible. There's no one left."

"That's not true," he turned back to her, eyes swollen red. "The gods may have fallen but their children have not. I saw Thalia with some hunters about an hour ago. Nico and Reyna were still fighting too."

Annabeth's heart fluttered with a hope that died in an instant. In a war, an hour was an eternity.

Reading her expression, Percy continued. "They'll have survived. Like us, they always do. And if they're in no condition to fight, so be it. One demigod is enough to win a war. Both Luke and Leo taught us that."

Annabeth had wanted him to run to safety, not death.

"They did not do it alone—you know that. And this is different. Kronos was still weak without his Titan form and Gaia had just awoken. Erebus has broken out of Tartarus and fed off the world. Fed off all the death he has brought upon. Don't add yourself to that list. I'm begging you."

"I'm sorry, Annabeth." He kissed her on the forehead as he combed his hand through her hair. He pulled away for a moment, resting his forehead against hers as their breaths mingled. "Whatever happens…promise me you'll keep fighting."

Annabeth was about to argue but her vision spun as a voice filled her head.

This is wrong. I wanted him, not you. Tell him-

The voice stopped, her vision settling back on Percy. He moved her to a safe location and kissed her one last time before turning away.

Percy

Percy hated himself for it. For breaking the hundreds of vows he'd made her.

As long as we're together.

A part of it had always been a lie for if ever there was a chance to give his life for hers, Percy would have taken it.

Finding a healer was fortunately easy. A daughter of Apollo had been hiding behind a pile of corpses when he found her. She was glad to be ordered to the far end of the battle—anyone would be. For there, in the battlefield's center, waited Erebus. The bastard had not moved since he struck down the gods.

When Percy arrived, the primordial was smiling gleefully. At least, if felt like he was.

"What now?" His inner doubts echoing in Annabeth's voice. "How do you expect to defeat a swirling mass of darkness."

That was what Erebus was. But smoke he was not. Whatever his form, it was tangible. It killed. It reveled. It smiled. The palace of bones and the throne that matched was proof of that.

"Ah," Erebus's voice an ancient sort of thing that grated through Percy's mind. "So, you've come. The boy so many have feared. Now a man. I should smite you down this instant for the pain you've caused my family. But I would be lying if I said I was not even a little intrigued. What makes you so special? How does a puny mortal like you stand against the gods—against fate?"

"I don't run-"

You did run, Percy. You ran from me.

Percy pushed aside the thought. Annabeth would have never said those words.

"-I don't concede. I fight."

"You don't run, you don't concede, and you fight," Erebus mocked. "That easy, huh. Well then, let me give it a try."

The darkness expanded, concealing Percy within it. Then the swirling increased in velocity and ferocity, funneling itself down into a cone. When light returned to the world, a man was standing before Percy.

No, not a man.

"Funny how this has become one of my true forms." Erebus gloated, turning his arms over as his eyes scanned himself. "Humans do not deserve this world. This is proof of it. They are darkness incarnate."

"By that logic," Percy challenged. "You do not deserve this world either."

"I never claimed to," Erebus stared, a sword materializing in his hands. Not any sword, a dark, twisted reflection of Anaklusmos. He shot forward, too quick for even Percy to react-

The blade slashed across his midriff, blood spurting everywhere. Erebus backstepped, grinning wildly. Erebus was toying with him.

Oh gods, Annabeth had been right, hadn't she? Percy could not defeat him alone.

You are not alone. This time it was his father's voice. Call my trident. It will answer to you.

How?

Demigod blood is powerful. You know that. This is where it happened. Where your blood and Annabeth's had awoken Gaia. The land remembers. And now that the same blood has been spilt here…

She's here? Percy asked frantically.

She isn't. But her blood was on you.

And it's brought you back?

Not entirely. A small part of my essence remains in my trident. Call for it-

The world spun as Erebus slammed the butt of his blade into Percy's shoulder.

"You don't run, you don't concede, and you fight," Erebus repeated. "All lies from where I'm standing. All you seem to be doing is dying."

Percy ignored him, focusing solely on the connection he felt to the sea. The invisible strings he had always shared with his father. He tugged on them, string by string, each one sending pulses of energy through his being.

And then it was there. His father's golden trident soaring through the air and straight into his hands. The instant Percy's fingers wrapped around it, the world exploded in a luminescent flash. A barrier of his own to counter the barrier of darkness that seemed to hover over Erebus.

"I have to admit." Erebus advanced, still lazily spinning his blade. "I'm impressed. For a mortal to wield such a weapon-"

Percy spurred himself forward and threw a wild lunge at Erebus, but the blow was parried easily.

"Ah, ah, ah," Erebus wagged his finger. "You think that you now stand a chance. You don't. I killed your father with that trident still clutched within his hands. What makes you think that its power can save you."

"I don't speculate on the outcome of a battle still ongoing," Percy grimaced. "I fight. That is all I do."

Percy, you have to listen.

Athena?

Yes, but there is no more time for questions. Olympus still stands as long as you children survive this. I have a plan but what it costs may be too high a price.

Will it save her? Will it save Annabeth?

It will have to.

Then there is no price too high.

You are a good man, Percy. Too good perhaps. We Olympians never deserved you. But we are here now and we offer you what remains of our strength. It will hurt like hell and you will burn up from within. But in that few moments we can give you, you Perseus Jackson will carry the power of an entire pantheon.

It wasn't enough though. He defeated you.

We were divided. We always are. You of all people know that. We gods are undeserving of this world. And we are undeserving of our children. Wield this power for her. You're her only chance. You're the world's only chance. I'm sorry that it has to be you. I honestly wish it wasn't. Fight for us, Percy. Do it one last time.

I accept.

Percy.

Father.

Don't worry-

I'm not-

You are. There is no honor lost in being afraid. We all are. But we will be here with you till the end. Remember my words. Brace yourself.

Sheer, unadulterated power coursed through Percy's veins. Where once there were a thousand different strings connecting him to the world, were now a million more. They pulled at him, ripping him apart.

"How?" Erebus stammered. "They're dead. I killed them."

Grimacing against the pain, Percy managed to tear his eyes open. His vision, clearer than it had ever been. The world was nothing like it had looked only seconds ago. Thousands of floating threads of colour in every inch of space. Was this what it was like to see the world as a god? Every detail, every molecule, every emotion.

Percy stole a glance at himself. The fact that he was glowing white was nothing compared to the sight of seeing through himself. He had become light. Fitting, seeing that he was about to battle the manifestation of darkness. Erebus transformed back to his original form and slammed into Percy.

They ebbed and flowed around each other. Blow after blow that released sonic blasts. Athena had explained that moments was all that he had. The fight however felt like it had been going on for hours.

Percy did not know exactly what he was doing. But whatever it was, it seemed to be working. Erebus seemed to dissipate with every collision of theirs.

Percy, came Athena's voice. You have to end it now. Any longer and you'll be incinerated.

So that's what Percy did. He conjured the image of Annabeth in his mind. Her smile. It had worked for the curse of Achilles and it would work now. Percy threw himself into the darkness one last time…

When Percy regained consciousness, he was certain of one thing. He was not long for this world. At least he was him again, his body having been restored when the gods had left him.

Restored

He laughed at himself for the thought. There was nothing 'restored' about his body. It was a miracle that he was even standing. A miracle he'd gladly accept if it would allow him to at least return to Annabeth before it happened.

And as if it were magically pre-ordained, she materialized before him. Princess curls and all. Percy reached for her, the strain of even that slightest movement making his head spin.

"Annabeth?"

She stepped closer, green eyes swollen red.

Wait, green-

"No," the girl sobbed. "It's me—Elizabeth. Your daughter."

Percy's world was flipped upside down at the declaration. He had a daughter. She was here. His first thought was that he and Annabeth would survive. His second, was to throw his arms around his daughter and comfort her.

He held her tight, letting her sob into his chest as he combed her hair.

"Elizabeth," Percy whispered after giving her a minute. "Why are you here?" That was the question he chose. Not how but why. The how of it didn't bother him. Not when for once in his life the surprise was a good one.

"I needed to see you," she said as she pulled away slightly and looked up at him. The crying had not stopped. In fact, Percy was sure it had gotten worse. And then it hit him—her words.

"Oh," he breathed. "I don't make it out of here, do I?"

She shook her head, burying it into his chest again. Dying had been infinitely easier before learning that he was about to leave a child fatherless. And easy it had not been, leaving Annabeth a widow.

"Hey, I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you." He planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Sorry does not bring you back," she clenched her delicate fist at the back of his armor.

"I know," Percy managed as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Tell me about yourself. Your likes and your dislikes. What you've been doing? If you're happy?"

"I…" she stammered. "I have your powers."

"Elizabeth," Percy smiled sadly. "I'm glad that you do. It has saved me a hundred times over. But that is not a character trait. It does not define who you are. I want to know you before I go."

Elizabeth pulled away from their hug and nervously ran her hands through her hair. "I like pancakes. Especially how mom makes them."

"Annabeth…cooking?" Percy joked.

Elizabeth laughed at that. It was a beautiful sound. Exactly like Annabeth's. Percy was glad to hear it one last time.

"Speaking of dislikes, anything else mom cooks that isn't pancakes."

"I see you've got my sense of humor. Thank god for that."

Elizabeth smacked him playfully on the shoulder and continued talking. "I love fighting with a sword. Mom says I'm better than you ever were."

"I doubt it," Percy grinned.

She smacked him again.

"Your blade, is it good?"

"The best."

"Tell me about it."

"There's nothing to tell. It's the one in your pocket."

Just imagining her, his daughter, fighting magnificently with riptide in her hand was enough to send him into an emotional breakdown.

"What's wrong?" she asked, as she linked her arm through his.

"I always wanted to teach my children how to fight. I guess there are a lot of things I wanted to do that will never happen. Who was it? Who taught you how to fight?"

"Other than mom?"

"Uh huh,"

"Thalia, Nico, Reyna," she listed their names so casually it hurt. Not in a bad way. He was grateful they had survived. Grateful that they had stuck by Annabeth and his daughter. But to think of a future that he would never live was mortifyingly terrifying. He was dying. And soon. And that scared him. Was that so wrong?

Percy widened his smile, hoping that his eyes did not give it away. He wanted his final moment with his daughter to be a beautiful one. He wanted her to remember him in a good light. Hell, he wanted to remember this moment to be the best one he'd ever had. That's what it should be, right. To meet your child for the first time.

"That explains why you're better than me."

"Reyna would love to hear you say that. Thalia, too."

"I figured," said Percy. A wave of darkness flashed through him and if not for Elizabeth, he would have collapsed then and there.

"Elizabeth, I need you to go back. You don't want to be here when it happens. Trust me."

"No," she ducked under his arm and used her shoulder to support his weight. "I'll stay here till the end. I will not miss a moment with you. That, I cannot afford."

"You're stubborn, aren't you?"

"Who can blame me. I have you and mom for parents."

"Fair enough," he laughed. Now that was painful. But filling her only moments of him with laughter seemed for the best.

"Sit with me," he offered.

She nodded and helped him to the ground before plopping herself before him. They sat facing each other, cross-legged as their knees touched.

"Is there a special someone in your life?" Percy wriggled his eyebrows playfully. That hurt too.

"Dad," she whined, her cheeks flushing red. "I'm only seventeen."

"And?" Percy pushed.

"There is someone but…"

"You're afraid." Percy finished for her. "I know. Believe me, I do. If you think you love him or her and your mother approves, don't waste time. Tell them. It's easier that way for everybody."

"I did not expect relationship advice of all things when I decided to travel back in time to meet my father before he dies."

"I am known to be unpredictable." Percy grinned. "The sea is a wild, untamable thing and all that."

"Gods, they do say that a lot, don't they? Every time I do something even slightly differing from the norm. It's infuriating really."

"Unless it comes from your mother. Then it's charming."

"Eww," Elizabeth's features scrunching up in feigned disgust.

Instinctively, Percy reached for her cheek, caressing it with his palm. She leaned into the touch, her smile turning sad as she nuzzled closer."

"I hope you know you're remarkably beautiful and that you look just like her."

"I get that a lot too. But I have your eyes, your nose and your temperament."

"Let me guess," Percy squeezed her hand. "She told you that when you were being unreasonable about something trivial."

"Good guess."

"Don't let her get away with it," Percy offered her a conspiratorial look. "It was she who was unreasonable."

"You really want me to tell her that?" Elizabeth challenged.

"Please, don't," said Percy meekly. "She'd find a way to strangle me through time. I know it."

"On that, I agree with you-"

Another wave of darkness hit him, sending him careening sideways and convulsing on the grass.

"Dad!" Elizabeth screamed, shifting so that she could cradle his head in her lap. "Please…not now. I still have so much to ask and so much to tell."

"I…" Percy stammered. "I love you."

Elizabeth

"I love you too," she whispered as she was whisked away by an arm on her shoulder.

It was not enough time. He was there and then he was not. She needed more-

"What have you done?" asked Reyna.

"Hey," butt in Thalia. "Go easy on her. We're here, aren't we? She followed the rules."

"Are you hurt," said Nico, kneeling next to her.

"This blood isn't mine." Elizabeth's voice an empty echo.

"Shit," cursed Thalia. "We should have been there that day."

Reyna lifted her hand from Elizabeth's shoulder and moved it to Thalia's. "We can't go through this again. And we should not do this in front of her."

Nico leaned closer and held her gaze. "What you did was awfully brave. Awfully stupid perhaps…but still brave. I would have done the same for my sister."

"I needed to see him at least once, you know. I needed to know my father for who he was. Not this mythical hero everyone is always mentioning. Do you know how much it hurts to hear people telling me that he died so that we could all live."

Reyna bent and retrieved the artefact beside her. "The staff of Cronus, the primordial of time, and you've ruined it. Do you know how long people have been looking for this?"

"I had to, Reyna. With mother's condition, I… I needed someone to talk to."

"We would have listened to whatever you needed to say," Thalia added.

"But it's not the same, is it?" Elizabeth challenged half-heartedly. "How is my mother?"

"The last time we were with her, she was getting better," said Nico. "That was days ago. She should be fine now. If it weren't for Will's overly explicit instructions, she'd probably be on the way here now. You should never doubt her strength. She has survived it all and she won't stop doing so for a long time."

Annabeth

Annabeth was furiously pacing the room as she awaited her daughter's arrival. How could she have been so foolish? All these years of trying to protect her and she just ups and leaves.

However, all her fury melted into relief the instant Elizabeth emerged from the shadows with Nico, Thalia and Reyna. Elizabeth was covered in blood but as far as Annabeth could tell, it wasn't hers. Oh gods…

Before Annabeth knew it, Elizabeth was cradled safely in her arms.

"I was so worried."

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth sniffled.

Annabeth combed her hand through her daughter's hair in that way Percy had combed hers. "You went to see him, didn't you?"

"I did."

"How was he?"

"He was cracking jokes relentlessly on his deathbed," Elizabeth smiled. "I think he might have been a little deranged."

"Oh, that I was sure of that a long time ago." Annabeth's laugh—a painful one.

"And he was brave—so brave. He made those final moments all about me. He told me that my powers don't define me. That I was beautiful. That if you approve, I should tell that certain someone how I feel."

"So, my seaweed brain got wise in his final moments," Annabeth teased. It was good. Remembering him for something other than his sacrifice. "What else did you talk about?"

"The first thing he did was apologize for not being there for me. The last, was to tell me that he loved me. I thought those words would make me feel better, mom. And they do. But they also make everything infinitely harder. Why did it have to be him?"

"It was just who he was. He would not have let it be anyone else. He played his part one last time. The Hero of Olympus.

And there's that

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