A/N k this is the second chapter, and the last one that i will be able to publish personally for a while most likely, my GF will prob post all the next ones for a while. but imma send her chapters as often as i can for all o' y'all's pleasure. please excuse errors in things like tense shifts or inconsistancies or just plain stupid or whatever things. hey, i'm new at writing. sue me. anyways, ENJOY

The Loss of a Hero: Chapter Two

Annabeth POV

I woke up, and for a moment I didn't remember. Then I saw where I was. I was still in front of Percy's grave, thought someone had come sometime during the night and had put a blanket over me. My mind was a little foggy from having just woken up from sleep, but as the fog started to clear, a fresh wave of sadness came right along with it, and I began to cry again.

I cried for some time, a few minutes maybe, or more. But eventually I finally quieted down, wiped away my tears and, with some hesitation, left Percy's grave to go and clean myself up.

I walked into my cabin and looked around the room. Empty. I guess it must be later than I thought it was. I walked over to my bunk to get a fresh set of clothes. As I open the drawer to the dresser beside my bunk, I see a picture on top. I pick it up and look at it; it's a picture of Percy and me, at the beach. He has his arm around me and he's smiling, while I am caught in mid-laugh. Seeing us together and happy like that just tears my heart into pieces. Still holding the picture, I collapse onto my bunk and I sob for a while.

Eventually I quiet down and just sit numbly on the edge of my bunk. After some time, I hear someone come in and the bed creaks as someone sits next to me. I look up and it's Thalia, which is surprising. "Thalia? W-what are you doing here? Are the Hunters here too?" I manage to say.

She puts a hand on my shoulder. "Yes, the Hunters are here, though they're waiting a ways away from the borders though. You know how they don't like coming here. But we all came last night for the funeral- there was no way we'd miss it. But that's not what matters right now. What matters is how you're doing now that Percy's dea- er, isn't around anymore."

At that I burst into tears again. "I don't know how I'm going to be able to live without him… Oh, why did he have to die?" I start sobbing again, and Thalia pulls me in for a hug, but she doesn't say anything. For what would there be to say? No words could comfort me. My love, my whole life, had been taken away from me. How could anyone live after something like that?

Thalia pulled away after a minute, but she kept her hands on my shoulders. "Annabeth, I know that it just happened and that you're going to need time to recover from this, but you've gotta be strong. Remember, Percy gave his life for you. You have to honor that sacrifice and live your life. It's gonna be hard, I know, but you have to move on somehow."

I nodded, not really hearing. Thalia stood up. "I'm really sorry, but I don't have any more time to visit- the Hunters need to get moving. There's been some strange things going on and we're going to out and investigate."

I looked up. "What strange things?"

She pursed her lips. "Nevermind, it's nothing. Don't worry about it. You just work on recovering. See you later, Annabeth." She walked out the door, leaving me on my bunk. I knew she was right, that I needed to recover, but I couldn't see how I could possibly move on from this.

I continued sitting on the edge of my bunk all day, declining all offers of food or activity. Nothing would ever feel good again without Percy…

I fell asleep at some point, I don't know when. But I kept waking up all throughout the night, and in the morning I was even more tired than I was before I went to sleep. I was offered breakfast again, but I declined. I would have declined anyways, but I also had something else I wanted to do. I got out of bed, and walked out of my cabin. I walked across the fields, and down a path I knew well. I emerged onto a wide stretch of land, and I took off my shoes. I dug my toes into the sand, and smelled the salty air. I was at the place that I felt closest to Percy- the beach. I walked over to our special spot. I looked out across the water, and I cried. The tears wouldn't stop, until I heard a sound. I listened, and I heard the clip-clopping of hooves.

I turned, expecting Chiron. But to my surprise, I saw a black horse, with huge wings curled up at its side. Blackjack the Pegasus, friend of Percy ever since he helped to free Blackjack from the Princess Andromeda. His head hung low, and I swear he was crying.

I pulled myself up and walked over to stand by him. I put my hand on his side. "I know, Blackjack. I know. We all miss him. He's gone, and we'll never see him again… Oh, Blackjack, why did he have to die?" Tears started slipping down my cheeks again, and somehow I could tell that Blackjack was crying too. Eventually we cried ourselves out, and we just sat together a while.

After sometime, Blackjack rose to his feet. He looked at me with a little tilt in his head, like he was asking want a ride?

I shook my head, and he nodded. He then ran and leapt into the air, and his powerful wings flapped, and then he was soaring through the sky. I watched him until I could no longer see him. Then I sat back down on the warm sand and stared across the waves.

As time went on, the sky grew dark, and the conch horn was blown for curfew. I paid it no attention, and stayed out on the beach. The harpies were nowhere to be seen, I guess they felt sorry for me and so were leaving me alone. I didn't really think about it.

I watched as the stars came out, and as they appeared, twinkling, one by one, I searched the sky for a constellation I knew well. I scanned the sky, and then saw it-the huntress. I gazed at it, remembering how it used to be Zoë Nightshade, the former lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis. She was killed in battle- a battle fought to free Artemis and me from the Titan Atlas. The memory reminded me of what Percy did for me, and it made me sad again.

Sometime during the night, I walked back to his grave. The moon was out, so I could see where I was going. Not that I needed it, I knew the camp like the back of my hand. But it was a full moon, and it was beautiful.

As I walked toward the grave, the shadows seemed to become solid, and then there was a boy standing in front of it. "Nico?" I said, and the son of Hades turned with tears in his eyes.

"So it's true… he's really gone," Nico said, and tears ran down his cheeks.

"Yeah… he is." My voice sounded hollow. "He-he sacrificed himself to save me."

Nico turned, his expression hardening into…anger? No, Determination. But why…? And then I realized.

Nico was going to bring Percy back from the Underworld.

He took a step back, ready to shadow-travel, but I grabbed his shoulder. "Nico, Wait."

He looked away, shrugging my hand off his shoulder. "I'm bringing him back."

"Nico-"

"Don't try to stop me." He stepped back, but I grabbed his shoulder again. "Wait, Nico."

He glared at me. "You won't stop me, Annabeth." Then his expression became confused. "Wait… why are you trying to stop me?"

I gave him a look. "Well, if you'd let me speak…"

He sighed. "Fine. Talk."

"Thank you," I said. "And I'm not trying to stop you."

"Then what are you trying to do?"

I looked at him, surprised. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going with you."

End of Chapter 2

A/N hey guys.. no reviews but mine and my gf's... so, i'm not posting unless i hit 10 reviews. from diff people. so 7 people need to review then i'll continue posting. come on, people. its rather depressing when over 120 people view but 0 take the time to review.