Hey everyone, sorry I haven't updated in a few days, it's been hectic with the holiday seasons. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I want to have a moment of silence for the victims of all the shootings. At Connecticut, at Pennsylvania, California, and at Wisconsin... may they rest at peace. So, I'm sorry I haven't been replying to reviews, there's just too many. And now, ON WITH THE STORY!

Percy

Today was just full of big things. He found out Nico died, Coach Hedge sacrificed himself to close gates, and now Leo is out of coma. The best part, he wasn't gonna die! He would've celebrated the fact that two good things have happened... no, three good things, they got out of Tartarus. The reason why he wasn't celebrating, the two bad things that happened.

So, Leo was flying the ship through the massive hole that he had created in the roof. Huge rocks were tumbling down from the ceiling, the blast from Festus apparently made the place unstable. Percy was holding Annabeth's hand, and they were gawking at Leo, and everyone else was too. As he got ship to ground level, Leo turned to them and shouted, "Come on! Quit trying to be flytraps and get over here!"

Annabeth shook her head, and and she shook Percy lightly. He looked at her, and then the realization dawned on him, it was time to go. He suddenly felt light headed, it was finally over, the nightmare was finished. He held her hand, and they chased after everyone else, who had reached the ladder. He allowed Annabeth to go first, and followed her up. When he got half-way up the ladder, the ship began lifting off. "HEY! I'm still climbing!" he yelled, nearly losing his grip.

"Climb faster then! We'll be trapped if we don't hurry!" Leo yelled. Percy started grumbling under his breath, and definitely not looking down. Annabeth reached the top, and Percy climbed on, right when they reached the hole in the roof. He got up there, and stood, huffing and puffing like the big-bad wolf. He noticed something random, right then, he wasn't wearing a shirt. Like, he didn't even have his bandages. Where he was stabbed in the abdomen, there was a half-inch thick, four-inch long scar. It was white, and he found it hideous. He touched it to see if it was real, and he felt the numbness, where his nerves had been killed.

Annabeth saw him, and she walked over and hugged him. "It's okay Percy, it's just a scar." she said, her voice choking up a bit.

"I know, it just feels weird." Percy said, feeling strange tingling on his scar as Annabeths stomach touched it. He kissed her head, feeling comforted holding her.

"When was the last time you ate anything?" Frank asked them.

"When we were at the Pizza Parlor in Rome." Annabeth told them, "Why? How long has it been?"

"It's been five days since then." Hazel replied.

"We were in Tartarus for five days?" Percy whispered.

"Yeah, and you spent most of that time almost dying." Annabeth said, tears welling in her eyes.

"We're alive. We're finally free." Percy said, he almost never thought he would say those words. "We did it together Annabeth." he had tears in his eyes now. He kissed Annabeth on the lips, a full, beautiful kiss. They finally weren't in danger anymore, they were free. She was smiling against his lips, and he was smiling too. He felt like a massive burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He felt so light with joy, that he could've floated off the ground. In reality, all those things can't even come close to describing how he felt, there were no words that could. To be free of a depressing shell, to be freed from a horrible, everlasting nightmare, to be alive, that's some of it.

"You guys should go get something to eat, you have to be hungry." Leo said, interupting the moment of bliss.

"Yeah, I could eat a bull." he said, looking at Annabeth, who understood what he meant, and she started laughing with him.

"What's so funny?" Piper asked.

"Nothing, just an inside joke." she managed to say between laughs. Percy turned to go down the stairs, and as he turned, everyone gasped. He had accidently shown his back, the back that Medusa had raked with her claws.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Quick, Piper, go get a mirror so he can see." Annabeth said, signaling to Piper, who had a shocked expression on her face. "Percy, I'm so sorry." Annabeth whispered.

"What happened? What did this?" Jason asked, his voice squeaking.

"What happened to your back?" Hazel asked, her hand covering her mouth. Memories washed over him. Being knocked onto his back... Medusa hissing in his ear... razor-sharp claws slicing his back... unbearable pain shooting up his back... warm blood soaking his shirt. All that came back in a matter of milliseconds. He was starting to tremble, and he felt weak on his knees. Piper came back with a mirror, and Percy looked to see four inch thick, lines running across the length of his back. He shuddered, almost feeling the claws rake his backside.

"I think we should head to the mess, for food, and to tell you the story." Percy said, shaking. They all agreed, and he went downstairs, and he was eating some pizza. Annabeth told them all the story, and explained each of his injuries. Out of curiosity, he looked down at his leg, and there were two fang marks where the Chimera bit him. By the end of the story, Leo looked like he wanted to build him an idol and bow down to it. Jason had an awed look about him, Piper looked scared, and Hazel was the same. Frank on the other hand, he was the same as Leo, about to help him build the solid celestial-bronze idol, and begin doing a ritual dance.

"How are you alive?" Jason asked plainly.

"I'm talented, and I had Annabeth with me." Percy said, and Annabeth snuggled closer to him. He held her closer and kissed the top of her head. She looked at him and smiled, then wrinkled her nose.

"You need a shower Seaweed Brain." she said, chuckling.

"And I have no doubt that you will need one too Wise Girl." he said smiling.

"Your taking a shower before I kiss you again." she said, and that convinced Percy.

"Okay, I'll be back in a few, and then you need to take a shower before I kiss you." he almost laughed at the look on Annabeth's face.

"Alright, get going." she said, looking a little... disappointed. He went and took a shower, albeit it was more then a few minutes. It felt so good to feel the hot water on him, it took an hour. By the time he was done, he was wearing a new pair of jeans, and a new Camp Half-Blood t-shirt. Annabeth glared at him playfully, and she took her shower. When she came out, gods. She was absolutely stunning, sure, all she wore was a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and some jean shorts, but she was beautiful. He quickly walked up to her and gave her a kiss, and she kissed him back eagerly.

"I'm gonna go to bed." he whispered, after the kiss was over of course.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked.

"Not at all, it would be my pleasure." he said, and pecked her on the lips. They went into his room, closed the door, and went to sleep. Percy fell asleep, with the smell of her lemon-scented air, and the warmth of her body as she held him. He went to sleep, finally at peace.

Okay, so Percy and Annabeth finally get some peace, and I hope you like that I left off with some Percabeth for you guys. If you're wondering, I know what it means to have a scar, I got one in a riding lawnmower accident. So... I will try to update daily, and if I do, then it will be finished on Christmas day! That would be a good present, don't you think. Please give a favorite, and leave a review! As Always, Have A Nice Day!