Okay, here's chapter 9! Grab some popcorn if you like angst with a sprinkle of Percabeth! Yay! Yeah... well... maybe it's the other way around? Whatever. Oh and by the way, I'm horrible at writing romance lol...

"I can't believe... that's just so..." Annabeth was crying again, much her dismay. Percy just let her hold onto him.

"Shh, it's OK Annabeth, it's over." he said gently. She found she didn't mind having his arms around her, but she cast that thought away.

"It's not over, they're gone." she said, looking around the ruins.

"Yeah, but maybe there's hope. Isn't that what you told me? There's always hope." he said softly. She didn't remember saying that, but at that moment she let her lips brush his... he made as if to kiss her back, but pushed away at the last second.

"A-annabeth. We c-can't... Rachel..." he stammered and Annabeth got his meaning. Sure, the people dying was bad. Terrible. Horrible, but somehow reality got that much worse. Percy had chosen Rachel.

"But-- right, sorry." she looked down. She couldn't bring herself to say the words she meant. "And Matt..."

"That's the guy you're engaged to? Matt Peirce. Bad choice Annabeth, he's a prick." he said, smiling slightly. She could tell he was trying to lighten the mood.

"I don't know, I can't remember." she said shaking her head.

"I think I have a picture of you two maybe, Rachel keeps her PEOPLE magazines in the back of the car." he said, walking over and unlocking the back.

"Wait a minute, I'm in PEOPLE magazine? Are you kidding?" she asked. Wow, she thought not my life ambition but still, some girls would kill for that.

"Yep, all the time." he said, handing her an issue. She looked down at it for a while. The caption read 'Famous Actor Matt Grey to marry Andrea Carlise.' The guy on the cover looked a bit like Luke, maybe that was why she had choose him. But his hair was longer and his shoulders broader. He was several inches shorter then her, but the strong aura went good with her graceful one. They were the perfect couple. She threw it on the ground.

"What have I gotten myself into..." she mused under her breath. She realized, with no surprise (which surprised her), that she'd rather have Percy any day... stupid Rachel. Then a figure stepped forward. The mist swirled around it and Percy drew Riptide from his pocket.

"Percy! It is you! I have the biggest headache ever, you try partially resurrecting yourself..." the silhouette said, coming into view a bit.

"What? Who are you?" Percy asked, pulling Annabeth behind him, just incase.

"It's me Percy, it's Nico. I found a way out of Tartarus! Luke's getting lazy with the security down there and personally I don't think he cares. I'll be solid in a couple of seconds..." the voice trailed off. Annabeth gasped at what happened next. The mist swirled faster until the figure couldn't be seen. When it dissipated, Nico sat on the ground looking a bit disorientated. He stodd up, brushed himself off and watched as the wound in his chest healed itself. "Interesting..." he muttered. Percy and Annabeth stood in shock.

"What-? How-?" Percy sputtered.

"It's good to see you to Percy." he grinned.

"Nico..." Percy began.

"I bribed fate OK? It was bad, but those guys down there need some kind of hope. I needed to see what was happening up here. I can only stay till midnight." he explained. Percy just pulled his little cousin into a hug. Annabeth almost smiled, she NEVER thought she'd see that. She also never thought she'd see Nico taller then Percy, but Percy was. By several inches. Finally she did smirk a bit.

"Malcolm says to give Kampe hell if she ever reincarnates. Clarisse said she'll kick Percy's... let's see how did she phrase it? 'Scrawny ass'? And Conner says to tell Travis that he better not have gotten married because he wasn't there to be best man, but if he married some one hot, does she have a sister? You know, the usual."

Kay, I tried to make this a teeny bit lighter. Did I fail? Succeed? Review please? :) Thanks y'all. Erm... a new yorker just should say that! Yeah, I live in NYC. My fam also has a summer home on the Island, ever been to Montauk? Beautiful. And if you've ever seen the land out there, you really can imagine a camp there, by the grape vines and roads that seem to lead nowhere, I recommend it as a vacation spot! And the ocean? Gorgeous. Now that I officially sound like a travel agent, I'll let you be at peace! Peace out you guys!