Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Rick Riordan.

Annabeth knew something had definitely changed inside her. She no longer looked forward for all the activities the Hunters did. Her heart ached for something. Percy.

Annabeth told herself that that was her punishment. She would long for something that couldn't be hers. Her punishment for disobeying Artemis. Her heart refused to believe that though. It was like a disease. Except the disease was unspeakable for the Hunters.

She denied it was love. Probably a little crush. She kept telling herself. Years of living, though, told her that was not how life worked.

"Annabeth!" Thalia yelled. She snapped her finger in front of Annabeth's face.

She recovered her composure. "Yeah?" she asked cautiously.

Thalia sighed. "This is fifth time you have tuned out. What's wrong?" she asked exasperatedly.

"Nothing."

Thalia pressed on, "I've known you far too long. Stop lying."

Annabeth was getting annoyed. "Nothing is wrong." She empathized every word.

Thalia huffed. It was useless arguing with a stubborn Annabeth. It was also close to midnight and Thalia didn't want to waste any more time. She punched Annabeth lightly and went to bed. She probably went to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Annabeth stood up and stretched. It was fairly warm and the moon was shining brightly. Fireflies were dancing nearby. They had encamped in a forest so little critters were everywhere.

It was hopeless going to sleep. Annabeth decided instead to wander around. As she traveled her way through the clutter of silver tents, she heard a faint noise. She let her ears guide her way toward the source of the noise.

It was a lone tent. It was slightly smaller than the other tents, so Annabeth assumed it was a one-person test. As she went closer, she identified the noise as sniffling. More like crying.

Annabeth didn't want to intrude, but her curiosity got the better of her. She hesitantly poked her head into the tent.

As her eyes focused, she noticed who was crying. It was Anna. She joined the Hunters of Artemis around the same time she did. Anna was a pretty brunette with green eyes. She was quiet so Annabeth had rarely talked to her. It didn't help that their names were similar too.

A polaroid photo was clutched in her hand. Polaroid photos were really rare in this time and the camera itself was even more rare.

Anna turned her head toward Annabeth. She blinked and in a moment of panic, she tried to hide the polaroid photo and wiped her tears unsuccessfully. Traces of tears were still imprinted everywhere.

"Yes?" she asked unsteadily.

Annabeth cleared her throat. "I heard, uh, crying. Are you okay?"

Anna let out a small sniffle. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine. What's wrong?" Annabeth pressed.

Anna looked at her thoughtfully. She looked torn. Then she shook her head and wiped her face again, removing all traces of tears. "I'm fine." She said firmly. Then the water gates broke.

She started sobbing full on. Annabeth hurried in. She put her arm her. "Shh. Here let's get out of here before anyone hears you." She half carried a crying Anna into the woods close to her tent. She set her down on a flat slab of rock. The bright moon cast enough light for them to see each others' faces.

Annabeth squatted down beside her. "Now tell me. What's wrong?"

The polaroid photo made its appearance again. Anna was clutching it like it was her lifeline. Despite her vise-like grip, she made sure that no creases would harm the photo. Annabeth looked at the photo curiously. It was still vibrant with color. As she looked closer, she saw that there was a boy in the photo. A very handsome boy. Kind of like Percy. Her thoughts ended there. Annabeth mentally cursed herself. Percy was a forbidden topic.

While Annabeth was in her mental war, Anna was getting herself back together. Occasionally a tear fell out of her eyes. She breathed heavily and said, "Telling you won't help. I will still live in a pit of misery every year on this day. And regret all the choices I made."

Annabeth replied, "I've had my own bad choices. You know my story."

She laughed bitterly. "Hero of Olympus, daughter of Athena, and war heroine. You could have done everything and anything. Instead you chose to be part of the Hunters. I don't get you sometimes." She shook her head.

Annabeth cocked her head and tried to keep a straight face without showing her turbulent emotions. Meanwhile, her mind was going over what Anna had said. She went back to a memory warp. All the others had been horrified. The look on Piper's face when she announced her decision was the worst. Annabeth had never dwelled in these memories. She pulled herself out just in time before she was plunged even deeper. These memory lapses were getting more and more frequent. The downsides of immortality. Something bad was going to happen soon if they kept occurring. The worst case was that she might get killed.

Annabeth chose her words carefully. "I did what I had to do," she said firmly.

Anna looked at her carefully. Then she relented. She tentatively showed Annabeth the polaroid photo. Even though Annabeth had already seen it, she looked at it again. The boy in the photo was reading, one of those flimsy paperback books that were barely used in this time. He was smiling and was covered with a thick swath of a dark blue blanket from the knees to feet. The boy also had dark brown hair. Annabeth could not see the color of his eyes.

Gently, Annabeth asked, "Who is it?"

Anna let out a rattled breath, as if afraid of the mere mention of him. "He was my boyfriend."

Boyfriend was a rare word among the Hunters. Annabeth itched to know more. Anna continued, "He died of cancer."

Cancer was not a word that came upon Annabeth's mind a lot. There was a cure for it now. The horrid disease that had killed millions was finally eradicated. Not totally though. From time to time, there were some cases, but it was easily stopped. The world had barely changed from Annabeth's early years, but immunities of deadly diseases were mostly all found.

Annabeth could piece her story together. Like her, Anna had become a Hunter because of her boyfriend's death.

"Oh Anna," she said sadly. Tears were becoming to form around Anna's eyes again.

Anna said bitterly, "He died on this day. I loved him so much."

Annabeth pulled her hand through her hair. This was hurting her as much as Anna. She felt the same way on August 1st, the Feast of Spes, and the day she lost everything. She reached for Anna and hugged her tight.

The two girls hugged each other, both crying, and the luminous moon shining its light onto them. It was funny really the way both of them, different people and personality, had such similar stories. Maybe learning the truth about Anna would be a good thing. They could comfort each other and cry together. Or maybe it was a bad thing. Knowing how other people suffered in the same way.

This was one of the few moments in her immortal life that she realized the true grasp. Percy was gone. Forever. The dead weight in her had grown imperceptibly. With each mention, memory lapse, and look-alike, the hole in Annabeth's heart had torn and gotten bigger. She decided that Anna would be a good thing. They would mend each other's heart. It would never be the same, but it was close enough.

Annabeth whispered into Anna's ear. "I know how you feel. I have felt it too. Too many times to count." It was different than what people would say usually to a person they pitied. Annabeth acted the way Anna was acting now numerous times. Sometimes even worse. Time went on though, so they did to.

o.O.o

It was even more hotter than the day before and Annabeth was tempted to strip and jump into a pool of cool water. Like that would happen.

Eventually Annabeth and Anna parted ways and went to their respective tents. Annabeth had a fitful sleep and woke up with a scream lodged on her throat. It didn't help that it was a hundred degrees outside.

Even Thalia was grumbling. After breakfast, the Hunters packed up and headed north, hoping for a cooler temperature. Annabeth and Anna walked along together and chatted, almost oblivious to the night before. It was still there though, the lingering sadness in Anna's eyes. Thalia walked with them. If she noticed Annabeth's new choice, she didn't say anything.

Even though they headed north, the Hunters decided to leave because of a too cold temperature. Snowing five feet, it was a nightmare. Fortunately, a hydra trail was found and they headed back south.

They were intercepted by a goddess though. To be exact, Artemis. Their patron goddess rarely traveled with them, so it was a surprise.

Artemis was came in her older woman form. Her shining black hair was wound into a tight bun with a few loose curls and framed with a moon diadem. She wore her traditional silver Greek chiton and her arrows were slung on her back in its quiver. Artemis held her bow and looked stern and serious.

Annabeth thought fearfully that she was in trouble for her intimate moments with Percy. Her fears were confirmed when the goddess came up to her and beckoned her. What came out of her mouth was not what she expected though. It still froze her blood.