A/N: I can't believe this chapter took so long! School pounded me with work as soon as I got back from break, and my brain was stretched too thin throughout all my stories. Don't worry though, I neither gave up nor completely forgot this one! Sometimes I just really hate writer's block! I hope it was worth the wait!

Percy's POV

It's been twenty minutes since Annabeth went to check out the shop selling different books and notebooks, and I was lingering in a store full of beautiful scarves. Of course, I'm not gay and I was planning to give the scarf to Annabeth as a surprise. I find a dark blue one that reminds me of the night sky, with wisps of gray in it that would match her eyes exactly.

Paying it with drachma, the new currency that I had received back up at Mt. Olympus. The lady in a flowing toga-dress was smiling widely at me, and as I was leaving the store, I could hear her squealing with another women. To think, I'm now famous... It really is both good and bad. Good: can you say free everything? Bad: can you say lack of privacy? On second thought, don't. I don't want to jinx myself.

I try to head back to the shop Annabeth was looking in, but ended up getting lost, stranded in a dead-end alley. Suddenly, the hairs on my neck stand on end as I turn around to the entrance of the alley. There are no monsters in Olympus...

"Annabeth?"

Annabeth's POV

I can't help but smile when I find the perfect gift for Percy right next to the shop I was looking in. It's a dark blue corded watch, the face clean-looking, and it just seems like it would be perfectly at home on Percy's wrist. I slip my hat on, disappearing in the middle of the busy street. A few people look up, and I can tell no mist clouded their vision.

I walk in the middle of the road, alert for carts, wagons and bikes who would run me over now that they couldn't see me. I find myself getting lost in the city I helped to build, trying to pull up the blueprint of the city in my mind. I arrive at a dead-end alley way, but luck is on my side when I find Percy himself looking quite lost in front of me.

"Annabeth?" He asks, his eyes searching the air for me, and I know her can't see me because his eyes flit right over me, but his hand is dipping towards his pocket, where Riptide lay waiting.

I remember him telling me how the hairs on his neck stand up either when there is a monster around, or if I'm in my cap. I can't help but think that is must be true, with the way he was acting so uneasy even though he couldn't see me.

I see a package in his left hand, a hint of blue showing at the opening. Is that for me? We're going to match! I think as I laugh, forgetting that Percy isn't suppose to see me.

"Annabeth." He says, his body relaxing and his posture returning to relaxed attention. As I'm about to tear of my hat, we both hear a whisper of curse words coming from the dead-end. Something tells me to stay invisible, a wise choice when I see a broad-shouldered man walk through the wall. He's wearing biker clothes, with black sunglasses that glow red. Ares!

Percy's POV

My first thought when I saw the all-powerful god who had wanted to kill me sense forever was that Annabeth might get hurt. Since when am I selfless, usually I sleep until three on the weekends. You're also the person who would take a blade for Annabeth in a heartbeat... My battle mind-set, or whatever you want to call it, has really gotten out of whack since I came to Olympus with the attentions to stay.

Seriously, right now I'm thinking of giving the scarf to Annabeth when Ares is stepping forward calmly. What am I doing? I haven't even got my sword out! Rapid fire realizations torture my brain as I flipped the cap off Riptide. One: Annabeth was still wearing her cap and Ares hadn't seen her. Thank gods. Two: Not a lot of Olympic citizens went down alley ways, especially citizens who could defeat the god if war. Three: Ares somehow managed to mess with my focus.

My thoughts were all over the place, partly the reason why I was making a weird list. I forced my mind to clear, and thought of only Ares and his sharpened dagger and ominous threat.

Annabeth's POV

Percy finally crawled out of his head, brandishing his sword and trying to stare Ares down. I had my dagger out, ready to help any way I can. The look Percy had before he focused on Ares told me he would explode with anger and worry if I tried to fight Ares. So I'm back up. Lovely.

Ares glows with rage, a cumulative grudge clouding his vision. A machine of precision. He comes flying at Percy in a fluid movement, and Percy's reaction takes my breath away. Whenever he's fighting, I'm fighting, being that I'm his favored sword practice partner. His arms shoot off with his sword tightly in his grip, the clash of the swords ringing through the air.

His feet bearly shift, as soon as Ares starts pushing he swoops out to his left, Ares stumbling until swinging the sword to his right in a head down position. Percy swings out of the way again, the sword's tip just short from grazing him. His eyes are on fire with determination, electric blue in their concentration.

It continues like this, Ares always just coming short. My chest explodes as I think back to them fighting in the sea, and I can't believe that Percy almost doing just as good in a dry and small alley. Years and years of monsters, his reflexes honed to perfection, the muscles under his cotton shirt moving and flexing with each flick of his wrists.

Sweat pours off him as his nerves are stretched to the max. I'm biting my nails to the stubs, unable to control the overwhelming sense of danger. It's almost like their dancing together, or having a heated conversation with rash strikes of words exchanged back and forth. I know Percy can't hold out forever.

Just as Percy's arms tense with the need to put them down, with my hand resting on my cap, ready, thunder shakes the clear blue sky as clouds quickly roll in, the fountain in the near empty courtyard close by breaking from the gushing water over taking it.

"Ares! Stop this child's play!" A voice booms from the clouds, another voice cursing.

"Don't lay a finger on him!" The other voice shouts from the fountain. Percy and I witness the spectacle of the look of fear on Ares' face. His sword slowly lowers, his arms clenched, his jaw locked. Percy backs away slowly before lowering his sword, cautious and tense. I touch his back, and his mind is thoughtless as he swings his sword into my side.

Percy's POV

Annabeth's cap flies off, her hands pressing to her right side, her hands already drenched in blood.

"Annabeth!" I howl, my voice unbelieving, I just stabbed my girlfriend. I'm not going to live through this guilt. Annabeth's eyes are unfocused as tears fall quickly from them, her face tense.

"Annabeth..." I say as I'm crying, my hands shaking as I brush the hair out of her distant eyes. My sword is on the floor, bloody, the thought making me want to throw up everything I ever ate in my life. I can feel people gathering around us as Ares vanishes, I would be mad at him if I had enough energy left.

"I'm so sorry baby, this is so messed up." I weep as Annabeth weakly tries to hold my hand. Her beautiful gray eyes focus on me for a brief second, on the cusp of being fully lost.

"I love you..." She whispers through cracked lips.

"I love you too..."

A/N: Whatever horrible thing you're thinking, don't think it. I promise, it isn't worth it. This idea just came out, and I almost feel evil doing a cliff hanger like this. I will say nothing on what I plan to do next. Review please, even though you might yell at me in all caps, I know you will. It's okay, remember, constructive criticism!