HAPPY THIRTIETH CHAPTER! You guys are the best, thanks so much for sticking with me!

PS- this chapter is during the BOTL while Percy is missing, hanging out with Calypso.

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or the song "Untouchable".

"Tomorrow, Annabeth. We cannot put it off any longer."

I forced myself to look at Chiron, whose face was equally as apologetic as it was sad.

"A little longer," I said hoarsely. "He'll show up. I know it."

I didn't know it.

"I'm sorry, child," Chiron said softly. "It's been over a week."

I avoided his gaze, suddenly very interested in my bare feet that rested on the rough wood of the Big House front porch. I traced the grain with my big toe, and looked out across camp. Everyone was gathered around the roaring bonfire, merrily singing campfire songs and roasting marshmallows. I was struck by the unfairness of it all, how despite the earth shattering crisis I was facing, everyone else was fretting over if their marshmallow were golden brown or not.

Ha. If only my problems were that frivolous.

Was I bitter? Yeah, I was. I was honestly downright peeved with the gods... just when I had found someone I trusted, someone who filled the holes that my father and Luke and the rest of life had gouged in my heart, he went and got himself blown up.

But he couldn't be dead. He had a prophecy to fulfill, a camp to defend, a Titan to defeat...

... and he had me. And there was no way that Kelp Head would ever leave me hanging. He had proven that one time and time again.

"You've had your time, Annabeth," Chiron said quietly. "The longer you wait, the harder it will be."

"Chiron, please, I'm begging you-"

"It cannot be helped!" he insisted. "We have waited longer than we should have as it is."

"But-"

"I have no choice but to declare him dead," he said roughly. "Tomorrow."

I stared at him.

Chiron's expression softened. "I don't like it anymore than you," he told me quietly. "But these are dark times, and people look to the both of us for strength and courage. We need to set an example," said Chiron. "The Titans grow stronger. There will be more casualties as our situation progresses, and they must realize that they need to let the deceased go and continue to fight-"

"He's not deceased," I snapped angrily.

"Child," Chiron said, eyes filled with sympathy. "Why don't you take the rest of the night to mourn. Prepare yourself for tomorrow."

Meeting his sorrowful eyes, I knew there was no use in arguing.

"He's dead," he told me, quite plainly.

"Goodnight," I said, standing up abruptly and stalking if the porch.

"I expect you to be there when we burn his shroud!" called Chiron. "In fact, I expect you to be the one to do the honors!"

I ignored him and kept walking, the cool grass slippery underneath my feet.

It was strange. When I was in the labyrinth, all I wanted was to get out. I wanted to leave, to come back home to camp and deal with something, anything besides the eerie maze and the maddening riddle it seemed to ask at every turn: which way is the right way? At least then I had options. It was pass or fail, win or lose, live or die. Well, I'd gotten what I wanted; I was out. But now all I wanted was back in... because at least in the labyrinth, I had him.

Irony. What a bitch.

I wandered on, and the lawn that had poked my bare feet became soft sand, still warm from the sun that had shone on it all day. The salty air of the sea calmed me, making me feel closer to him.

Closer... but still untouchable.

I sighed and looked at the waves, turning my attention to Percy. Percy. Even thinking his name was difficult to do. Walking in the surf, I tried to rationalize with myself. A year ago, being the clever daughter if Athena that I was, I would have logically faced the facts, cut to the chase, pulled it together and just accepted the obvious. But for some unknown reason, right now I just couldn't.

Some unknown reason. Oh, please. I sat down on the wet sand and let the waves wash over me, clothes and all, knowing exactly the reason why I couldn't admit Percy's death. I could still feel that very reason burning on my lips from when I had kissed him.

But he was untouchable. As untouchable as the distant diamond sky that shone down on me, the millions of stars making the waves dance with light. Gods, every time he was close I started coming undone, all of the sudden I've lost all sense of logic and I turn into a babbling idiot. It was a good thing Percy was fairly oblivious, because if he had any perception at all he would know that I had already fallen for him. Hard.

And I knew it! I knew I liked him! And what did I do about it? Nothing! I kissed him in a moment if dead panic, and then he exploded. Wow, I'm such a romantic. I banged my forehead against my knees, mentally kicking myself. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I was so caught up in him. Everything from his scruffy hair to goofy grin.

Yeah... this mushy emotion-fest wasn't helping with the mourning I was supposed to be doing.

I glanced up at the sky again, as if the stars held the answer. I guess the answer was Percy, but there weren't any stars spelling out his name.

Oh shit.

Heroes that died, well, heroically almost always got their own constellation. I searched the sky frantically for a clump of stars that resembled Percy. Ten minutes later, I was rolling around in the surf and laughing somewhat deliriously to myself. Looking for a constellation of Percy... what was I thinking?

I pulled myself in a vaguely upright position. When Percy shows up, I'm gonna do something, I vowed silently. When Percy comes back, I was gonna reach out and tell him exactly how I felt. Exactly.

I shook my head. What the hell was wrong with me? Making pacts with myself, dependent on the next time I see a certain person who was, by all logic, dead. I'd definitely gone off the deep end... no pun intended.

"Annabeth?" I turned around to see a dark figure approaching me, barely outlined by the moonlight.

"Annabeth?" the voice bleated again, clomping closer.

"Grover!" I said happily, glad for the company.

"Uh... hello," he said cautiously. "Why... why are you so happy?"

"Oh, just glad to see you," I said, smacking his shoulder lightly as he sat down next to me. "Buddy. Pal. Amigo."

"Are you drunk?"

"Course not," I said.

"Well... I think you should be a little more disappointed that your best friend was declared dead," said Grover gently.

I didn't say anything.

"You haven't accepted it yet, have you?" he asked.

I scowled at him. "How do you know?"

"Saytr's intuition," he said simply. "We can sense emotions, you know."

"I do know," I said solemnly.

"Well, I just came to check on you... and give you this." Grover handed me a small bundle that I hadn't noticed him carrying. It was lightweight and wrapped in white parchment paper, tied with twine in a bow.

"Uh, you got me a present?" I asked perplexedly. "I didn't know it was customary to give gifts before funerals."

"It's not a gift, blondie," said Grover rather sassily, rolling his eyes. "But you can open it all the same."

I pulled at the ends of the string, unwrapping the package. A length of slippery green silk slithered out onto my lap.

"A blanket?"

"No," bleated Grover impatiently. "For a daughter of Athena, you sure are slow today. Here," he said, and flipped the material over. A delicately embroidered trident shone up at me, the golden thread stitched expertly into the fabric.

"It's Percy's shroud," Grover said quietly.

Oh.

Grover put his hand on my my shoulder briefly, and though he said nothing, he easily communicated his shared grief and brotherly love to me. I smiled up at him weakly, trying desperately to put up a good front. I knew he saw through it though, and he just stood up.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said.

"Yeah," I said, my mind roaming elsewhere. Grover began to walk off, but he suddenly stopped and turned around.

"Annabeth... I know how you felt about him."

I automatically whirled around to look at him, eyes wide.

"I know this whole ordeal must be hardest for you, and I'm afraid what I'm about to tell you isn't going to make it any easier."

"Then don't tell me," I whispered.

But Grover shook his head.

"You should know... that Percy felt the same way about you."

I stared at him, not believing him for a second.

Grover just gave me a sad smile and turned to walk up beach back toward camp. "Goodnight!" he called over his shoulder.

I ran my finger over the golden trident.

"G'night," I mumbled.

I was alone. Just me, the shroud, and my hazy thoughts. Looking down at the sea green silk and the careful stitching, all of the sudden it became so real. All the pain and grief that I should have been feeling for the past week filled me, pressing in from all sides and nearly suffocated me.

Percy was dead.

Tears stung my eyes as I realized that I wasn't ever going to see him again. I wouldn't get to bicker with him or kill monsters with him or talk with him or... or do anything with him. Ever. The only place I'd see his green eyes would be in my dreams, the only way I'd see his goofy smile would be in my memory. I guess I wouldn't ever kiss him again either.

Sobbing, I thought bitterly of all of the things I never told him. Forget the fact that I had a crush on him- I never even told him how much he meant to me as my friend. My best friend. Regret gripped me as I continued to weep, my tears splashing down on Percy's shroud.

He wouldn't have minded, I thought miserably.

I didn't even have his body to give him a proper burial ceremony.

Clutching the shroud tightly, I blinked my tears away as I looked up at the stars again. He deserved to be up there, burning brighter then the sun.

Consumed by the pain that I had been denying for so long, I pulled myself up off the beach. Percy felt more untouchable than ever now. I sniffled as I dragged my feet up the beach, figuring that if I had to talk tomorrow at the service I should at least be awake enough to be coherent. I barely remembered walking back to my cabin, but I did remember crying myself to sleep that night, my fingers wound tightly around the silk shroud.

Just as I was about to nod off I sent a quick prayer to any god who was listening, praying as a last ditch effort that Percy was still alive. I waited for some acknowledgment, but I was disappointed.

As sleep took hold of me, I swore I heard the distant rumble of thunder... but I drowsily dismissed it and feel immediately into a deep sleep.

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