***Hi all! So, this chapter is mostly fluffy and about Percabeth because apparently all of my stories have to end with Percy and Annabeth moments, ha. Anyway, this is the final chapter, which makes me equal parts happy and sad. I hope you've had as much fun reading this story as I had writing it. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who read, reviewed, or added this story to their favorites. You guys have been awesome!

And now, for the last time (on this story, anyway), I'm not Rick Riordan, none of these

characters belong to me, I'm just borrowing them and playing around while waiting for the real Blood of Olympus (which will be a thousand times better than my version) to come out. Which, as of July 18, will be in exactly 80 days!

Thanks again for reading,

Maria : )

XXXX. ANNABETH

The sun was beginning to set by the time Annabeth and Percy left his parents' apartment. Annabeth was pretty sure the only reason Sally let them leave was because Percy swore up and down he would be back in a few weeks, before school started.

Blackjack was waiting for them on the sidewalk as they came out of the building. He whickered.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Dude, really?"

"What does he want?" Annabeth asked.

"He, um, says I owe him some doughnuts." Percy grinned sheepishly. "Do you mind if we make a quick stop?"

Annabeth had to laugh. "You know what? I could totally go for a doughnut."

Half an hour later, they were standing outside a doughnut shop on Eighty-Sixth Street, finishing off a box of glazed doughnuts, most of which had gone to Blackjack.

"Last one, boy." Percy tossed a sugar-coated ring into the air. Blackjack caught it and swallowed the doughnut whole. His nose was covered in crumbs, but Annabeth had never seen the pegasus look more content.

Percy crumpled up the doughnut box, then shot it like a basketball into a nearby dumpster, banking it off a brick wall. "Two points!" he said, grinning as he turned back to Annabeth. "So, where to now?"

The setting sun was tinting the buildings and streets with a golden orange light. There was only one place in the world Annabeth wanted to be right now. She kissed Percy. "Let's go home, Seaweed Brain."

"Best idea I've heard in months," Percy said. He climbed onto Blackjack, then helped her up behind him. "Next stop, Camp Half-Blood!"

They landed on Half-Blood Hill, near Thalia's tree. The Athena Parthenos was gone; it had been taken to Olympus, to be displayed in one of Athena's temples. Annabeth was proud of everything she and her friends had achieved with regards to the statue, but she was also relieved to be rid of it.

"Perrrrrcy!"

They had barely dismounted from Blackjack when Grover came flying out of nowhere and practically tackled Percy in a hug. Blackjack whinnied in either alarm or annoyance and took off, but Annabeth just grinned.

"G-man!" Percy said. "It's good to see you."

"You, too." Grover released Percy and looked at Annabeth. "You told him we'll kill him if he disappears again, right?"

"Obviously," Annabeth said. "Thalia told him that, too."

"That's a lot of death threats from people who are supposedly happy to see me alive," Percy said.

"We only say it because we love you," Annabeth told him.

"Or something like that," Grover replied.

Before Percy could respond, there was a shout of, "Percy and Annabeth!"

Annabeth shrieked in surprise as Tyson swept both her and Percy into a bone-crushing hug. "You are not dead! That is very, very good!"

"Yeah, big guy, it is," Percy said when Tyson let them go and they could breathe again. "Wow, it's great to be back. You have no idea how much I've missed you guys and this place."

The stars were beginning to come out and lights were coming on in the Big House and the cabins. A few satyrs were still in the strawberry fields, playing lullabies to the plants. Campers, both Greek and Roman, were still busy cleaning up all around, but most people were heading to the amphitheater, where it looked like the bonfire and sing-along were almost ready to begin. Looking around the camp, Annabeth had to agree with Percy; it was good to be home.

Ella the harpy landed on a branch right above Tyson's head and announced. "Fire. Great Fire of London, 1666. Great Fire of Chicago, 1871. Zhang family mansion, June. Camp Half-Blood campfire, now."

"Ella is smart," Tyson said, looking up at his harpy girlfriend. They both blushed, which Annabeth found strangely adorable.

"She is," Percy agreed. He took Annabeth's hand and threw an arm around Grover's shoulders. "I say we take her advice and get to the campfire."

On the way to the amphitheater, Grover told them that nature had settled down since Gaea went back to sleep. "No more fists popping out of mountains or earthquakes destroying forests. Everything's going back to normal."

"Good," Annabeth said.

Grover left them at the amphitheater. "I need to find Juniper. But I'll see you guys in the morning. Percy, try not to get kidnapped again."

"He'd better not," Annabeth said.

Percy held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not going anywhere, guys. I promise."

Grover waved and ran off to find his girlfriend. Tyson and Ella had already gone into the amphitheater. Annabeth was getting ready to follow them when she saw someone hovering near the entrance, as if debating whether or not to go in. She recognized the glint of his skull ring, as well as his aviator jacket and messy black hair.

"Nico!" She called to him. He looked around and spotted her and Percy. Reluctantly, it seemed, he walked over. "Are you going to the campfire?"

Nico didn't meet her eyes. "Actually, I was getting ready to, you know, just take off."

"Come on, man, you've got to stay." Percy put a hand on Nico's shoulder and the son of Hades flinched. Percy dropped his hand, but said, "Everyone's going to want to hear about how you and Reyna brought that statue all the way across the Atlantic."

"It wasn't that big of a deal." Nico crossed his arms.

"Nico, you helped stop a war between the camps," Annabeth said gently. "That's kind of a big deal."

"Just come in for a little bit," Percy coaxed.

Nico finally looked up. For just a moment, Annabeth saw a look of intense longing cross his face. Before she could interpret it, the expression disappeared and he looked like a sulky teenager again. "Fine. But I'm not staying long."

They found seats by Reyna and their friends from the Argo II. Nico immediately squeezed in next to Hazel, who gave him a hug. Annabeth could see her other camp friends scattered around, but after everything they'd just been through, these were the people she most wanted to be with right now.

The sing-along started, but it quickly turned into a (mostly) friendly competition between the Apollo campers from Camp Half-Blood and the ones from Camp Jupiter. As far as Annabeth could tell, the god of music had a pretty similar persona in both forms, but the competition definitely led to some very interesting musical arrangements. Over the cacophony of guitars, lyres, and sometimes off-key singing, Piper told Annabeth about Coach Hedge's baby satyr, Nimbus, and introduced her to Calypso, who was sitting between Piper and Leo.

Annabeth managed a smile as she shook the goddess's hand. She was trying hard not to remember the curse from Calypso she had unleashed by killing one of the arai in Tartarus; Annabeth didn't really blame Calypso, but it wasn't exactly a happy memory. There was an awkward moment as Percy and Calypso greeted each other and Percy apologized for not making sure that the gods had kept their promise about freeing her.

"It's alright," Calypso told him. "I think, maybe, everything worked out the way it was supposed to." She smiled at Leo, who grinned back.

"Maybe the Fates really do know what they're doing," Piper mused.

"Maybe they do," Annabeth said. She squeezed Percy's hand and he smiled at her.

Eventually the voices of the Apollo singers from both camps began to get hoarse and Chiron announced it was nearly curfew. "Also, it has been decided that the day after tomorrow we will have a friendly," he stressed the word, "game of Capture the Flag between the two camps."

Whoops and cheers broke out around the amphitheater. Annabeth's mind immediately began to race, forming strategies that would best utilize her friends' talents. Because if Jason and Percy created a storm at the creek, then Piper could use the cornucopia over near…and if Leo could rig up a net…or Frank could turn into a bear and Hazel could…wait, Frank and Hazel were Roman.

Hazel came to this conclusion the same moment Annabeth did. Her eyes widened. "We'll have to be against you guys!"

Leo grinned maniacally. "This should be interesting."

"It looks like we're going to have a battle after all," Reyna said. "Your camp against mine, Annabeth."

"Oh we are so going to take you down," Annabeth said.

"We'll see." Reyna's dark eyes glittered, but her smile was teasing. "But you've never seen the legion in the war games."

"I have." Percy looked nervous.

Annabeth resisted the urge to smack her boyfriend. Instead, she told Reyna, "Don't underestimate Camp Half-Blood."

"Oh, we won't," Reyna said. "But Praetor Zhang will come up with a winning strategy."
Frank gulped. "I will?"

"You will," Hazel told him confidently. Her smile was mischievous as she pretended to whisper, "We know all their tricks, remember?"

"Don't worry, we have a few surprises left." Piper's eyes danced and Annabeth wasn't sure if she was bluffing or if she actually had an idea; hopefully the latter.

Jason shook his head, but he was grinning. "Frank's strategy versus Annabeth's? This is going to be a good game."

Annabeth had to agree. As Chiron stamped his foot to get everyone's attention and announced again that it was almost time for curfew, Annabeth felt like everything was finally starting to go back to normal. Or, at least, as normal as things ever were in the life of a demigod.

Annabeth and Percy were the last to leave the amphitheater. By the time they'd said good night to all their friends, the campfire had died down to ashes. Percy stood up and stretched.

"We should probably go." He held out a hand to pull Annabeth to her feet. "After everything we've been through, it'd be pretty lame to get eaten by harpies."

"Very true," Annabeth agreed as she took his hand and stood. An idea struck her. "Of course, if we went down to the beach, we could always escape into the ocean if the harpies came. Right, son of Poseidon?"

Percy smiled slowly. "I like the way you think."

They walked down the beach until they were nearly at the camp's boundary. This way, they would have plenty of time to see the harpies if the chicken-ladies came squawking over the dunes. They sat down in the sand, just close enough to the water so that the edges of the surf washed over their bare feet.

"You know, I think this is almost the same spot where I met Hermes, before we went into the Sea of Monsters to rescue Grover," Percy said.

"Gods, that seems like so long ago." Annabeth looked out at the ocean, half expecting to see the Princess Andromeda, but there was no cruise ship on the horizon, only stars. "That was the first time you made an air bubble underwater, wasn't it? In Siren Bay?"

"Yeah." Percy picked up a sea shell and tossed it into the waves. "What did you tell me, by the way?"

"When?"

"In the bubble. You said something, but I had that wax in my ears, so I missed it."

"Oh." Annabeth remembered. Being ripped out of the fantasy the sirens had shown her had been horrible, but Percy had put his arms around her and let her cry and promised to get them safely back to their ship. As miserable as she had felt, she was also incredibly grateful he was there. "I just said thank you. For, you know, rescuing me and being there."

"I'll always be there." Percy grinned. "Just try and get rid of me."

Annabeth traced her finger in the sand. "That reminds me, I don't think I've told you yet."

"Told me what?"

Annabeth met his eyes. Butterflies danced in her stomach. "What you did in Rome, in Arachne's cave, was pretty amazing."

"Easiest decision of my life," Percy said. "I mean, what would you have done, if it was reversed?"

"Oh, I would have let go."

Percy looked as stunned as if she'd slapped him. "Wh-what?"

"Of the ledge, Seaweed Brain. Only the ledge." Annabeth smacked his arm lightly. "After all the trouble I went to searching for your sorry butt for six months, no way am I letting you get away again."

"Oh." Percy's shoulders relaxed and he exhaled. "Okay, good."

She shook her head incredulously. "You can't honestly have believed—"

"Nah, you just caught me off guard."

"Your head really is full of kelp."

"So I've been told." Percy leaned closer and Annabeth's heart began to race. He kissed her. His lips were salty and his hands on her back were warm. Annabeth felt the fear and the stress and the anger she had been living with for the past months finally melt away. She focused on the waves washing over her feet, the sea breeze blowing her hair, and, most importantly, on Percy beside her. It was a while before they spoke again.

"So, what happens now?" Percy finally asked as he laced his fingers with hers in the sand. "You told me I should ask you when we got home."

Annabeth looked at him. The wind off Long Island Sound ruffled his dark hair and she could just see the gorgeous sea-green color of his eyes in the moonlight. He was giving her that familiar, sarcastic troublemaker grin that had become so annoyingly endearing. Her heart leapt.

"Now," she said, leaning forward and returning his smile, "we get our happy ending."

But before she could kiss him again, she heard a screech coming from the dunes.

"Uh-oh," Percy said. "They found us."

Annabeth scrambled to her feet. "That's our cue to leave."

Percy's eyebrows scrunched together. "Wait, are we going back to the cabins or—"

"The ocean, Seaweed Brain!"

"Right." Percy grabbed her hand and pulled her with him out into the water. Just as the first harpy poked an eager head over the sand dunes, a ten-foot tall wave rose up behind Percy and Annabeth.

Annabeth instinctively closed her eyes and held her breath as the wave crashed down, but nothing happened. When she opened her eyes, she saw why. "You're getting pretty good at these air bubbles."

"Thanks," Percy said. The wave must have pushed them farther away from the shore, because they were now about twenty feet below the surface. "I think we'll be safe from the harpies here."

"Probably." Annabeth slid her arms around Percy's neck. "So, where were we again?"

"I forget." Percy pretended to look confused. At least, she sincerely hoped he was pretending but, honestly, sometimes it was hard to tell.

"Ha ha, that's so funny—" She didn't have a chance to finish that sentence because Percy leaned down and kissed her.

And it was the new best underwater kiss of all time.

THE END

***And that's a wrap on The Blood of Olympus! Thank you again for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It did go in a direction I wasn't expecting, with the Capture the Flag game. But it seems like a fun idea, so I'm actually going to do a one-shot about that game. It'll be up in a couple of weeks. I'll post a chapter on here to say that the one-shot is up, for anyone who might be interested in reading it. But until then, THANK YOU all for reading and reviewing this story. Stay awesome, everyone!***