Okay, I can explain my absence... Okay, so maybe I can't, so all I'm gonna say is I'm sorry, and here is a new one shot. I thought of this and it popped in my mind. So, here you go guys!

Annabeth sat on the beach dock, watching the waves cascade and tumble and toss over each other. The setting sun made the water turn a soft shade of orange, purple, and red. It all blended together to make a onslaught of beauty. It was quiet, the only sound being the waves crashing.

Usually you could the laughter of the teens training and the clashing of swords. By now, everyone would be at dinner, eating and talking with their siblings, laughing and happy.

Annabeth wasn't very hungry, nor in the mood for meaningless chit-chat with her brothers and sisters.

It probably had something to do with the fact that flashes of Tartarus came back in her mind. The darkness of it all haunted her at all times. She hadn't had a restful sleep since the night on the Argo II when she fell asleep next to Percy in the stables.

Ever since then, she either spent her nights having a nightmare or not sleeping at all.

Annabeth sighed, trying to make the flashes of memories dissapear.

Annabeth looked down at the drakon-bone sword that was attatched to her belt. She was reminded of Damasen and Bob, the friendly giant and Titan who had helped Percy and Annabeth in defeating Tartarus.

Annabeth was suddenly enveloped in a sudden rage.

Why did this happen to us? She thought bitterly. After everything that had happened to her and Percy in the second Titan War, you would think that they would've been able to have some peace.

Ha, as if.

Annabeth grabbed the sword off the dock and yelled, throwing it into the water with all her might.

Tears streamed down her face as she collapsed back onto the dock floor, and silently cried, trying to release all her anger and sorrow.

After a few minutes, she heard something blast out of the water. Annabeth jumped back, scambling backwards on her hands.

"You dropped this," he said softly.

Annabeth looked up at him, awe struck. Tears were still streaming down her face.

Percy squatted down in front of her, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"You okay, Wisegirl?"

Annabeth flung herself at Percy, hugging him to her. Percy wrapped his arms around Annabeth and pulled her closer to him. He could feel his t-shirt start to get wet from her tears.

"We're together, Wisegirl. We're together." He whispered into her hair, trying to soothe her tears.

A few minutes later, Annabeth's tears stop and she pulled away slightly so she can look into Percy's seagreen eyes.

"I keep thinking about it. I keep seeing you injured from the curses, or seeing Tartarus and remember thinking that we had no hope of surviving his attack. It's all I can see when I sleep at night," Annabeth said, softly. "I can never sleep."

"I know," Percy said.

"You do?"

"Yeah, because the same happenes to me," He whispered. "Except in mine, I see you stumbling around, blind and calling out for me, because you think that I abandoned you. Only, I can't run to you and save you and you end up falling off a ciliff and I can't do anything."

His voice starts to break, and he stops talking.

"I love you," Annabeth said.

"I know."

Annabeth pressed her lips to his and then pulled away a few minutes later, sighing. She intertwined her fingers with his and sat him down on the dock next to her. They dipped their feet into the lake, and started to chat about anything and everything.

This is how I want to spend the rest of my life, Annabeth thinks. With him, forever.