Together Only In Dreams...
After they cremated the bodies of the fallen heroes, Annabeth made her way back to her cabin, sick of the raw emotion of the last few days.
She stumbled through the door way, lurching over the trash can in the corner of the room and throwing up. Then she moved groggily to her bed and wrapped herself in the blanket, shaking despite it's warmth, before finally falling asleep.
She groaned in her head as Hades and Hypnos appeared in her dream, both of which smiling at the look on her face. "Lord Hades, Lord Hypnos." she greeted each one, bowing slightly. "Why are you here?" Hades stepped forward and spoke for the two of them. "We're here to offer you a chance to be with Percy." Her breath hitched slightly. "What..." He held up his hand. "The Ancient Laws state that we can't bring someone back from the dead, but there is no law that states that we can't communicate with the dead. You can see him in your dreams, that's why Hypnos is here, we think we've found a way to let him speak to you in your dreams."
She couldn't comprehend what she was hearing, she could talk to him, she actually had the chance to live with her seaweed brain stuck in her head for the rest of her life. Yet somehow, the idea didn't seem that bad, she didn't have anything to hide from him. "Yes, please, if you can let us talk, I would love that."
They smirked, they both knew how much they meant to each other, especially after all they had been through. "Alright" Hypnos said this time. "Drink this, after we leave, then think of him. And enjoy." He said the last part, handing a small vial to her and winking indiscreetly. With that, the two gods disappeared.
She shook the small vial, staring at it, before uncorking it and chugging its contents. Her memory of the kiss under the lake, and their moment in the stables of the Argo II, she smiled, hugging herself. Then she heard his voice...
She turned around quickly, tears forming in her eye's, starting to take a step, but stumbling into him.
He caught her in his arms. "Careful Bird Brain!" He said laughing. She smiled back, the tears flowing down her cheeks, the sight of this cut his laugh off, tears forming in his eye's too. "I know Annabeth, there was nothing else you could have done." She dug her face into his neck and let all the pain from the ceremony early come out.
"Percy, do you have any idea what it was like to stand up there and cremate your body? To smell your skin burning? It was so horrible..." She choked up the last word. He just held her, letting her vent all the raw emotions that had been built up.
Eventually he kissed her forehead and made her stand back from him. "I can't imagine what you went through Wise Girl, but I'm here now, even if only in your dreams." She looked up at him, and he realized just how vulnerable she felt. He leaned down and kissed her, gently, but firmly.
The next morning she woke up with a wane smile on her face, she walked out to the Athena table, clutching her stomach protectively. I guess, in a way, he had given her life new meaning...