PERCY POV

"Hey, where's Annabeth?" asked Malcolm with eyes full of concern.

Everyone turned their heads towards me with expecting eyes. Murmurs of agreement floated through the air. I couldn't reply. I couldn't meet the eyes of the Athena Cabin, their eyes brought back too many memories of her. I buried my head in Hazel's shoulder. Piper and Hazel started rubbing my back and whispered comforting words into my ears. I could feel everyone's gaze pierce through my brain.

"Where. Is. Annabeth." Malcolm demanded. I felt a dam inside me break. Tears came rushing down my face and onto Hazel's shirt. Luckily, Jason answered for me.

"When we found Annabeth, she was in Arachne's Lair." Every cabin member from Cabin 6 gasped. "She defeated her by making Arachne weave her own trap. She fell over the edge of the pit into Tartarus. Annabeth told us to secure the Parthenos because the thread was not stable. So Leo, Frank, and I went over to the statue and started tying ropes around it. Suddenly Hazel started screaming for us the cut Annabeth's ankle. We didn't know what it meant until it was too late. Annabeth was dragged over to the edge by Arachne. Percy quickly grabbed her wrist and held onto a ledge." Jason looked to me, his eyes pleading me to finish the story.

The air was tense. Everyone's carefree mood was now replaced with grief. They knew what happened next, but were too scared to admit it to themselves. The Athena Cabin were hugging each other tightly. They only audible sound were their heartbroken sobs and sniffing.

I finally regained my posture and looked up from Hazel's shoulder. I took a deep and began telling them the story from then onwards.

"She told me to let go." I croaked. The memory of it still replaying in my head over and over again. "I told her that if she was going, then I was coming with her. I already let go of her once, and I never planned on doing it ever again. I was wrong, like always."

I felt my walls come crumbling down. I couldn't be brave. I couldn't be strong. I couldn't be the hero.

"She jabbed my hand with a splinter. My grip loosened and s-she...I let go. I killed her."

Everyone was crying. The Greeks shed tears for the loss of a family member. The Romans, stoic as ever, held a moment of silence. I couldn't stand the glances of sympathy everyone kept shooting me. It made me feel worse about myself. It made me want to go to Ares and ask him to show me no mercy.

I broke free from Hazel and Piper's grasp and ran back onto the ship. I ran down the stairs into the stables. I broke down. Nothing is fine, I can't pretend. I wrapped my arms around my knees and pulled them into my chest. I remember the night Annabeth and I slept down her together.

FLASHBACK (THIRD PERSON POV)

She couldn't help it. She laughed. "You know why I like it here?" She said suddenly. "It's not just the view. What does this place remind you of?"

"The zoo truck," Percy said finally. "The one we took to Las Vegas." Annabeth was so happy Percy got it right that she smiled. This seemed to encourage him. "That was so long ago. We were in bad shape, struggling to get across the country to find that stupid lightning bolt," Annabeth sensed some remaining bitterness there. "trapped in a truck with a bunch of mistreated animals," he continued. "How can you be nostalgic about that?"

"Because, Seaweed Brain, it's the first time we really talked, you and me." Annabeth smiled at the memory. She wondered if she had known all of what becoming friends with Percy would lead to, what she would have done. "I told you about my family, and..." Annabeth fidgeted with her necklace. All of her beads, her dad's college ring, and beautiful, red coral pendant Percy had gotten her shortly after they had started dating. She'd been so happy at his thoughtfulness when he gave it to her. Annabeth's hands moved to the clay beads. The past four beads each marked with something that Percy, and her, were connected in, in some way shape or form. Especially the first one, a simple trident, symbolizing, at that time, the coming of the first son of Poseidon in a long time.

"And," Annabeth continued, "it reminds me how long we've known each other. We were twelve, Percy. Can you believe that?"

"No, he admitted. "So…you knew you liked me from that moment?"

She smirked. "I hated you at first. You annoyed me. Then I tolerated you for a few years. Then—"

"Okay, fine."

She leaned in and kissed him: a good, proper kiss without anyone watching—no Romans anywhere, no screaming satyr chaperons.

She pulled away. "I missed you, Percy."

"I miss you too, Wise Girl." I wish I could wrap my arms around her and protect her from danger. So she would never be able to leave me again. I miss the way she fit perfectly into my side. The way she made my brain go numb whenever she kissed me.

Growing up, I felt incomplete, like a part of me was missing. Now I know that the missing part was in Annabeth. She was my other half. We were always together even before we were became a couple. Whenever someone called for me or Annabeth, you would get the both of us. We were a package deal, can't get one without the other.

I remember everyone teasing us when we denied being boyfriend and girlfriend. I wasted so much time. I should have just grew a pair and told her my feelings after the Labyrinth. We could have been together for a two years. Add that to my What If's list.

I spent the rest of the night in the stables. Luckily, no one came to find me. I just wanted to be alone. Lost in my own thoughts. Eventually, I cried myself to sleep thinking about a certain someone with stormy grey eyes and honey blonde curls.

AN: BABY PLEASE DON'T GO. IF I WAKE UP TOMORROW WILL YOU STILL BE HERE. POOR PERCY. T.T