Sorry it took so long for me to update :D But the story's here now.

Hope you guys like this chapter, kinda short (Tell me if you want longer chapters)

Enjoy and Review.

Annabeth sprinted downstairs, her eyes frantically searching for the engine room. Her breaths came in rapid gasps as she struggled to fill her lungs.

Everything hurt.

Only a minute ago, Piper had been fawning over her and Percy, somehow managing to laugh and joke around while Tartarus ripped apart their ship. Only when the mast had snapped in half, and Festus had grown silent, did the daughter of Aphrodite suddenly step up as a leader. Even Jason, who knew how intimidating and commanding Piper could be, was shocked when she suddenly began giving out orders to Leo, to himself, and even telling Annabeth to check up on the engine room, knowing that she needed something to do.

Of course, Annabeth was grateful that someone could restore order – she doubted that any of the other crew members could have done a better job than Piper anyways – but she was still angry with herself when she had failed to step up and fill in Percy's position as the backbone of the crew.

A stray tear traced its way down her face as Percy's face flashed in her head.

His expression, his pain, his sadness were ingrained into her mind – and with every blink, she would see his grim smile and his shattered eyes. She would remember the bolt of lightening that had been meant for her, a rod of energy that surely would have killed her.

But Percy had moved impossibly fast, somehow managing to leap in front of her right before the tendril of lightening had struck her heart. Once again, Annabeth was reminded of how much better Percy was than her. After all, how could she deserve someone so selfless and loyal that he would relentlessly risk his life for hers?

Gods, she hoped he was alright; he had been hit so hard, it was a wonder he was still conscious. The stress, the worry for Percy, it was almost too much.

I can't let him down, I have to do this, she told herself.

A beam of wood fell across the hall. Annabeth easily vaulted over it, ducking right in time to avoid the falling lamp. She turned a corner, sliding onto the ground as large pieces of wood buried themselves into the wall behind her. Various pieces of metal were thrown into the air as the ship suddenly dropped a foot or two.

Though Annabeth rarely visited the engine room – that was Leo's job – she still knew the intricate web of corridors and doors that lead to it.

A left turn here, a right turn there, a hidden door, and Annabeth burst into the engine room, gasping for breath. Her knees were weak, and her head pounded. To think that this run would have barely winded her only a few months ago seemed impossible, and she swore to personally kill Tartarus for what he had done to her and Percy's bodies.

Annabeth scanned the room, there were pipes and wires everywhere, forming an intricate network of hardware that powered the ship and its weapons. Although Leo didn't show it, she had to admit that the scrawny Latino boy had some skills.

When her eyes found the bronze scales, she froze in shock. Hidden by shadows and nestled far into the back of the room, was a full sized bronze dragon, and next to it, was an air mattress littered with nuts and bolts and screws. Somehow, Leo had managed to rebuild Festus in secret.

But how? she wondered. How did he get enough time?

She answered her own question as random fragments of her own memory surfaced. Leo telling her that the hum of the engine helped him sleep, Leo saying that he wanted to make sure the engine always functioned properly...

Leo was a much better liar than he let on.

But all those lies and nights he must have spent awake would soon go to waste if Annabeth didn't do something. And fast.

Festus was on fire. And from what Leo had told her, the bronze dragon contained quite a high level of oil. It didn't take a genius to figure out what would happen when the fire made its way down to the oil.

As fast as she could, Annabeth sprinted towards the bronze dragon. Above it, was a large tank of water. She silently thanked the gods that Leo had the sense to install a water tank in case things went wrong, and brought her sword down upon the flimsy aluminum.

The water, heavily pressurized and heated, exploded outwards. It caught Annabeth in the chest and sent her flying. Her head slammed into the wall with a nauseating conk.

Everything went dark.

Leo's hands flew across the controls, flipping one switch, then another. Jason stood next to him, sword out, slightly hovering in case Tartarus decided to target the Repair Boy.

"The oars are broken. The mast is broken. Festus is broken." his voice shook. "I'm sorry Jason, I don't think I can get us out of this one."

The son of Jupiter eyed Leo, his eyes were red, and for once, he looked completely still.

Jason grabbed his shoulders, and shook him hard, "You can do this! Don't give up!"

Leo took a shaky breath, and nodded.

Once again, switches quietly flicked and buttons glowed as he stabbed his fingers into them. But it was too late. The Argo II shuddered, and the already weak hum of the engines completely quieted.

"No, no, NO!" His fingers flew furiously over the mess of buttons and levers. "Come on, WORK!"

Leo looked up hopelessly, "The controls aren't working, I - I don't know why."

Slowly, the Argo II began to drift backward as Tartarus dragged them into his grasp. Dark tendrils wrapped around the cabin, bathing the interior of the cabin with shadows. At last, the scrawny Latino gave up. He slumped into his chair, all signs of his old self gone.

"Leo," the son of Hephaestus ignored him.

"LEO!" Leo's eyes met his, they were shattered.

Another broken demigod.

"It was nice working with you, Supreme Commander."

A small smile made its way onto his face, "Ditto."

Piper appeared next to them, exhausted, but her eyes were fierce and bright.

"Come on gu-" her voice broke when she saw the Argo II, a once magnificent vessel, now in shambles.

The mast was gone, the oars were gone, the weapons were gone. And the ship was caught in Tartarus' inescapable clutch. Jason watched as her face fell, and his blue eyes, met hers. They were filled with tears, and hopelessness, and loss. But through it all, shone love.

She grabbed Jason's face, and kissed him desperately.

They broke apart, a sad smile upon their lips.

"I love you," they whispered at the same time.

Funny what imminent death can do to you. Because only then, as Tartarus slowly pulled them into his grasp, did Jason fully understand how much value life can truly hold – a future with Piper, meeting his father, seeing the world, having grandchildren who would look up into his eyes, and laugh as he told them stories of the gods.

And all of it, gone in less than a second.

No more hopes.

No more future

No more life.

Only unfinished duties...

and broken promises.

But he refused to give in without a fight. To give up life without tightly holding onto its weak strands and begging it not to leave.

At least not yet.

So he stared straight into Tartarus' whirling vortex of a face, and laughed.

Tartarus flinched.

Then the lord of darkness relinquished his grip, and Jason's vision turned to black.

His last sight, a boy, with dark, messy hair, surrounded by a brilliant sea green aura.

Was it good? Did you guys like it? Did it send chills? Did it raise any emotions? Tell Me!