Annabeth stood at the top of the stairs as she watched Percy walk through the palace gates to cheers and applause. She wanted to hit him. He looked up at her and for a moment they locked eyes. She turned her back to him and stormed into the palace toward the war room. For a terrifying moment, she had thought that he was dead. Her blood boiled when she saw that red head, Rachael, come out of the underground, and Percy didn't. Annabeth's opinion of her lowered dramatically. And then Percy just comes back, as though he were impervious to death. Like he hadn't hurt her. Annabeth stopped when she reached the war room table. The map of Olympus had been put back on the table. She stared unseeing at the map as she fought to get her emotions under control. She hated that he made her feel so weak.

"Are you alright?" Annabeth's head snapped up at the voice. Percy stood in the doorway completely soaked with a look of concern on his face.

"How dare you." Annabeth snapped.

"Wha?" Percy began.

"How dare you sacrifice yourself. How selfish can you be?"

"We were under attack. They would have undone all our work had I not stayed and protected it to the last minute." Percy defended himself.

"Everyone is looking to you to get us through this. You can't keep putting yourself in harms way. " Annabeth snapped.

"So I should stand in the back and send my men out to die? I can't do that, Annabeth!" Someone cleared their throat behind Percy. He turned to address who it was. "Yes?"

"I was sent to report . . ." He looked uncomfortable because of the argument he had interuppted.

"Go on." Percy snapped.

"The flooding of the underground has effectively flushed out the enemy. It filled up the trench we dug, however it also put out the southern fire. The enemy is advancing." The soldier looked to Percy with such trusting eyes.

Percy however was looking strained as he took the news. "Thank you. Make sure the archers are in place and get all of those buckets of rocks to the southern gate." Percy issued his orders.

"Yes, sir." The man saluted smartly and left.

Percy turned to Annabeth with a tired look. "I'm sorry I scared you, but I can't put my safety above everyone else's. Yes, they are depending on me. And that is why I do everything possible to make sure we all survive, even if it means, putting my own life on the line. I won't apologize for it." With that, he turned and left.

Annabeth wanted to scream. But worse than that, she knew he was right. She just didn't like the thought of him sacrificing himself, at all. She wanted him in the back, sending the soldiers out to fight, but that wasn't Percy. It was one of the qualities that she admired about him, but drove her crazy. She gripped her sword and took a deep breath. If she couldn't stop him, she would be by his side. She would make sure nothing happened to him.

She left the war room and headed toward the south gate. Word had spread, and the streets were filled with people rushing about. "You've been with him three times! It's my turn." A voice whined.

"I didn't hear you volunteering in the underground." Annabeth spotted the twins having an argument.

"That's different. You know how much I hate closed spaces." The other twin argued.

Annabeth couldn't help but smiling at the argument. Percy had inspired everyone. Annabeth found Percy atop the southern gate, staring out across the field. Annabeth followed his gaze and saw the last residual smoke hovering eerily over the field. Out of the smoke marched Kronos' army, looking every bit the omen of death.

"Every arrow counts." Percy whispered. "Don't fire unless you have your mark. Avoid the armor; aim for the openings in it. We want to hit flesh."

Every archer had an arrow notched into their bow as they waited. Out of the mist came several men holding wood. Obviously, they were going to try and cross the new moat that had been made. They looked like they were struggling. Annabeth looked closer and saw how muddy the ground had become. It would be difficult to carry something heavy in the mud. At least that was to their advantage.

The first archer let her arrow fly landing right in the enemy soldier's face. Then another arrow flew and another. For every arrow that flew a soldier went down. More soldiers took their place as they picked up the planks of wood. The archer's bows let loose arrow after arrow, and soldier after soldier went down, but it still did not slow their progression. Soon they were at the moat. They threw rocks at them, which only served to slow them down. One plank was in place and another was soon to follow. The sheer number of men headed toward them was enough to dishearten them. They just kept coming, no matter how many they took out. The archers kept this pace for two hours, before they got the last plank into place.

Then came a large battering ram manned by at least a dozen men. The archers plinked them off as fast as they could, but as soon as one fell another was there to take their place. Annabeth gripped her sword nervously. Before long the battering ram was at the gate. They were a little bit easier to plink off now. However, whenever a soldier fell, the men would rotate forward and another would take their place.

"Keep at it. Your doing great. Every arrow counts." Percy encouraged as he left the wall. Annabeth followed.

"At this rate they will be through within the hour." Annabeth said lowly.

Percy gave her a worried look. And walked over to where the soldiers were. "They were quiet and snapped to attention when Percy approached them. Their eyes were fixed on the gate and the impending army on the other side. Percy followed their gaze. "They've underestimated us." Percy said softly. In the first day we have taken out over fifty thousand of their men." The men chuckled at that. "How many have we lost?" Percy asked. No one answered no one needed to. They had come out fairly unharmed so far. "That's right, very few." He looked each one in the eye with determination. "And we won't loose any. We are prepared. You know the plan. They will come through those gates, but at a great cost to them, and it will only lead them into our waiting traps. So let them come, and show them the price they must pay to enter Olympus!"

The men replied with a ruckus yell. All fear had left their eyes and there was only determination.

Percy nodded in approval. Annabeth had to admit, for how much Percy hated the spotlight on him, he was excellent at speeches. He knew how to inspire men. "Remember to hold the line long enough for the archers to get out. No one left behind." Percy looked at each one as though wanting them to understand the weight of his words.

The gate shuddered as though it had heard Percy's speech and was putting every last strength into keeping the enemy out. Percy took his position at the front of his men. Annabeth took her position by his side. He gave her a sidelong look, but said nothing. The gate shuddered again. Percy withdrew his sword. The rest of the army followed suit. The archers continued to fire their arrows, never stopping. The gate shuddered a few more times at the impact of the battering ram, before it collapsed.

The army ran forward with their battering ram to which Annabeth and Percy as one cut them down, dropping the ram halfway through the gate. It was now an impediment to the rest of their army trying to get through. Percy and Annabeth fought ferociously side by side. The archers could be seen firing their arrows as they began leaving the wall. They protected the steps until every last archer was off the wall. "Retreat!" Percy yelled the order.

As one the army ran down a side street. Annabeth noticed that Percy hung toward the back. Percy would of course make sure that he was the last one through. Annabeth encouraged the soldiers to continue their retreat until they reached a dead end. They turned to face their enemy, who by the grins on their faces, were pleased at the sight. Percy stood bravely at the front of their little army unfazed. There was a loud explosion behind the enemy army that made them jump and look around warily. A building close to the main street was now collapsing on top of several soldiers, who screamed in alarm. The building was now blocking the street they had just come down, effectively trapping them.

A giant man stepped toward the front. He wore a skull of a bull atop his head, with the horns sticking up dangerously. His armor consisted of thick cow hides. In his wand was a spiked mallet that he swung around with deadly accuracy. "Percy Jackson!" He roared.

"I'm afraid you have the advantage. You know my name, but I don't know yours." Percy quipped. The men around him actually chuckled at his audacity.

"The only name you need to remember is 'Minatuar.' It will be written, that the Minatuar claimed the glory of killing the false legend."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Percy yelled then let out a war cry and charged. At first no one moved, but watched in awe as Percy and the Minatuar engaged in battle. The Minatuar was strong, but Percy was fast and in a disappointing display, Percy easily dispatched the Minatuar. Percy then turned to the remaining army and pointed his bloodied sword at them. "Surrender." He ordered them.

The army, however, did not do as he asked and instead charged at them. Everyone responded in kind. Their little army quickly rallied together, and as one, they engaged the opposing army. Every soldier fought with every inch of strength that they had. Annabeth sliced through the soldiers. She could see the self doubt on the enemy's faces. She fought side by side with Percy, and for a time they seemed unstoppable. But the more they killed ,the more violent the enemy became. Four soldiers had ganged up on Percy and others had cut him off from the rest. Annabeth could see the strategy immediately.

"To Jackson!" Annabeth yelled as she fought her way toward him. She saw the sword headed straight for him and managed to get to him just in time to block the sword that was aimed for Percy's back. The man was tall and lithe, but only had one eye making him look fearsome. He attacked Annabeth with new vengeance. He almost killed her with a deadly move that Annabeth figured out just in time to block, but not before his sword sliced through her shield arm. She screamed out in pain and backed up from him. He grinned maliciously, knowing he had weakened her, and pounced. Annabeth watched helplessly as he came at her, when Percy came out of nowhere and engaged him.

Percy had a glint of such anger and ferociousness that she had never seen in battle. "Get her out of here!" He yelled. For a moment she wondered who he was talking about, then she realized that he was talking about her. In a few swift moves he dispatched the enemy. It was a bloody battle, but one that they one. Not one soldier surrendered. They had all fought to the death, which disturbed her.

Percy noticed too. He and Annabeth looked at each other worriedly, before he turned back to the men. "We've got wounded!" Percy grabbed Annabeth by her good arm and draped it over his shoulder. "Get the wounded to the palace. The rest of you get what supplies you can, and let's move." He wrapped his arm around her and guided her to the exit they had planned.

"Whoo!" A voice cheered. That was awesome!" Annabeth looked back to see Travis walking into the aftermath of the battle. Looked like he got his wish and got to blow up the building for Percy.

Percy opened the door to a house and walked through it wordlessly. He was taking her to the palace.

"Percy." Annabeth slurred.

"Why did you do that?" Percy demanded.

"Do what?" She looked at him cluelessly. Things were becoming a little fuzzy.

"He was aiming for me. You got hurt blocking for me." He looked at her with concern, even panic.

"I couldn't." She slurred. "You are more important. . . to me." She looked at him. She suddenly became a acutely aware that she was in his arms, their eyes locked onto each other. Annabeth's breath became shallow. They were so close, and it sent tingles throughout her body.

"We can't go down this path." Percy whispered.

Annabeth took hold of her faculties and whispered back, "I know."

They stared at each other, not wanting to let go. They heard a door open in the house, indicating the rest of the soldiers coming. Percy guided her through the rest of the house, through the backstreets, and up to the palace, where he gently laid her down in her mother's room. A physician was waiting to tend to her. They locked eyes again as Percy backed slowly out of the room. When he was gone, there was an ache that had nothing to do with her arm.