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*ANNABETH*

Annabeth woke up to whispers, they came from the pit and buzzed all around her head. They were getting louder and faster as they fell, almost as if-

"Percy! We're going to hit the bottom soon, wake up!" She shook his arm frantically, and speculated what lay at the bottom, the more she thought though, the more dark and sinister thoughts began to pollute her mind. They were gloomy and depressing, and definitely not hers. "The whispers!" She realized.

"Percy-, please wake up." She gulped down mouthfuls of air as she became more and more hysterical. Percy stirred beneath her, she grabbed on to him, for reassurance.

"Annabeth wha-, what are you doing? Whats wrong?" He croaked groggily.

"We're getting closer to the bottom, do you hear the whispers getting louder?" He went silent as he listened for the them, without their voices disguising them, they were everywhere, and yes, they were getting louder. He gasped, grabbed her hand, and held on tight,

"Annabeth" he yelled, the whispers were no longer whispers but obnoxious buzzes filling the cavern. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do!" She shrieked back. She felt him readjust himself as he folded her into a fetal position, and then covered her head with his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. He was protecting her, from whatever lay below he would shield her from the impact. She fought against the his grip knowing that by protecting her he could very well die. The muscles he got during his stay in New Rome paid off though and she succumbed to his protection.

The voices had reached a deafening tone now and she could barely hear herself speak, Percy yelled something but it was stolen in the wind as they fell.

And then they hit.

Luckily Percy had fast reflexes and absorbed most of their momentum in a roll, but not all. Annabeth felt like she had been crush to a pancake, hit by a truck and scratch by a thousand cats. Her head connected with something hard and a sharp pain rang through her skull. Some where as they were tumbling about, Percy let go of her and rolled off into the darkness. All was silent as they both came to terms with what had just happened, Annabeth was the first to move. She felt to make sure she still had her arms and legs and then sat up, off to the side she heard a scuffing sound as Percy crawled his way over to her. He felt through the dark and held her hand, and they sat like that, listening to each others breathing.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice was hoarse but still held the sweet concern she admired.

"Well I'm still in one piece if that's what you mean." the joke fell flat, and she cursed herself for making it more awkward. He chuckled for her benefit though, and began to feel in his pockets for Riptide.

"It should be in-, ah!" She heard the snap as he uncapped the pen, and sighed with relief as she saw the faint glow of Riptides blade cast across on the floor. Percy smiled and looked at her, a shocked expression etched into his brow.

"What?" She asked, a little self conscious, "Am I that dirty?" He quickly rearranged his features as he heard her annoyance.

"Um-, no but I think we might have knocked heads on the way down, you have a goose bump the size of a strawberry." Annabeth ran her hand across her forehead and felt a good sized lump sitting above her left eyebrow. She grimaced as it began to throb.

"Ya well don't joke, you've got one the size of my fist above your right eye." She said with a smug smile. He felt for the lump as well, and smiled as his fingers glanced over it. She felt a small bit of pleasure at their matching injuries, it was like the strands of gray hair they had both gotten from holding up the sky for Atlas, another test of their partnership.

"Where to now?" He asked sullenly, She glanced around at their dim circle of light. The darkness seemed to lurk around the perimeter sinisterly, almost asking;

"Take one step out and the horrors will begin, little heroes." She shuddered and looked back at Percy, and the minute she saw his scratched face, with his bumpy head and spider webbed hair. She knew that what ever awaited them outside of Riptides glow, they would be able to take on together. They would find a way to the Doors of Death, and close them from the other side... together.

"I guess we start our journey through Tartarus."