A/N Penultimate chapter now! After this, there'll be a small epilogue and then the story will be done.

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson


Annabeth

"Annabeth!" my stepmother called. "There's someone at the door to see you."

To see me? Who could possibly be coming to see me? Unless it was someone from Camp of course. That would explain the distaste in her voice. Even though we'd been trying to mend our relationship and she'd tried to be more understanding, it was hard to break old habits. I opened the door and the person I least expected stood before me.

"You," I growled venomously, pulling out my knife. "What are you doing here?"

Luke pulled out a miniature white flag and showed it to me, "I come under a flag of truce. Just please listen to me."

Reluctantly, I sheathed my dagger. Because he came under the flag of truce, we couldn't fight. At least, not physically.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated harshly. "To talk? Well, let's talk. Let's talk about all of the awful, despicable - "

"I want to run away with you," he blurted out. That wasn't what I was expecting to hear. "You what?" I asked.

"I can't do this anymore Annie."

"Don't call me Annie," I whispered, deadly quiet. "Don't ever call me Annie again. You lost that right when you abandoned me! Abandoned us all!"

"Please Annie - Annabeth. You don't know what he's going to do," he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation. "It'll be just like the old times again."

For a minute, I was tempted. Ever since Luke had gone over to Kronos, I had an enormous hole in my heart. I'd trusted him more than anyone else. For 5 years, he was the one I'd go to with problems, worries, anything. When he left camp, I was heartbroken. How could this perfect boy, almost like my older brother do something like this? Time and time again I'd asked myself this question. Time and time again, I longed to go back to the days when everything was simpler and we were like siblings. Now, Luke was giving me a chance to let that happen again. But could it really be the same again? So many things had happened since then. I'd changed, he'd changed and that simplicity would probably never come back, no matter what.

"No," I declared firmly. "I can't do this Luke. You say it'll be just like before and before, I would've trusted you. Now, I just can't."

"Annabeth please," he begged. "I mean it. This isn't a trick or a lie. I just want things to be like they were before."

I shook my head, "You don't get it do you? How can I trust you after everything you've done? To Percy, to Thalia, to me?" My voice cracked with emotion. "Remember, when you chose to go against the gods, you also chose to go against the camp. Against me."

"Annabeth please," Luke tried again. "You don't know what he's going to do to me."

"Oh? So you didn't come here because you're sorry or you feel bad about what you're doing, but out of fear for yourself?"

"No - I -"

"Save it," I snapped. "I'm not interested in your pathetic excuses. Just go,"

"Annabeth - "

"Go!" I shouted. "Before I decide to use my dagger, flag of truce or not. Remember, you've chosen your side and I've chosen mine. Next time we meet, we'll be enemies on the field of battle."