A/N: Okay, none of you has found me for month which I think is a good thing and allowed me to write this next chapter. Let me just tell you that this was another one tough chapter to write. But still, I had to.

Anyway, I know during the chapter breakdown that this was supposed to be until chapter 35 but I'm changing that. This would be the third to the last chapter (excluding the epilogue). I just think that I would just be dragging the story if I do try to extend it because after Noah's death it would be just about them trying to cope with it and I don't think stretching it into five chapters is a good idea.

Also, there is an announcement by the end of this update so stick around.

Lastly, because I'm a silly guy, I will be waiting for your gifts for my b-day on Oct. 11. Haha! Kididng. :D

AncientTide:Was that a proposal? Ha! Just joking here. Seriously, though, I'm so glad you liked it and posted reviews about what you think. I truly appreciate that.

Nora Frost 'the crazy one:I actually have, and it's one of my favorite movies of all time. I'm also not going to deny that I borrowed some of the lines from that movie. The story was the one that inspired Never Let Me Go. :D

ADayWithNoLaughterIsADayWasted: And I love you, too! Seriously. Love the name, too! :D

TheNiceCritic:I did, actually. If not, I'm afraid I will no longer be around to write this chapter. Anyway, thank you. I guess that's the only thing that I can really say to my amazing readers, and to you, for giving me a chance and giving this story a shot. I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.

TinaDaughterofPoseidon23: Hey, there. Haven't heard from you in a long time but I'm glad I did. I know how busy a highschool student can really be so know that I truly appreciate the time you took to provide me a review. As usual, you again provided a very detailed and nice breakdown of what you think of the chapter. I'm also glad that it has been made clear. I did ask who most readers want Percy to end up with but in my mind, the center and core of the story is Percy and Noah. It's about father and son (hint: the picture of the story).
Thank you for sharing me your thoughts! Take care! :D

CimFan:Here's another one I've been waiting to here from for a long time. What's up? :D

To tell you the truth, that's also what I thought. The chapters before were kind of . . . boring (or lacking). Nothing much happened, which is why I knew I had to at least update two chapters at once.

Anyway, that's good to hear. It's at least a start that she's starting to go back to school. Hope she'll make a real full recovery. And you take care!

PLEASE READ:We're two chapters away from the end so let me fulfill one little request: 1000 REVIEWS! Whoo!

NEVER LET ME GO

Chapter 31: FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

ANNABETH

"Then I realized funerals aren't for the dead; they're for the living."

That was something I remembered from a film I once saw and instantly agreed with it. This type of thing, one they say is a way to honor the dead and celebrate the life they've lead – it's nothing but a pile of cow dung. You try to accept it but then there was this tradition where people would come and say nice things you aren't even sure they mean. If it was up to me, I would've mourned along with my family – the people who really knew who Aedan Noah Jackson was, but Poseidon said that we owe it to other people to share my son's story.

Like I said, it's for the living.

I sat in the back seat of my father's car, watching detachedly as people started to arrive. We were at the chapel where the support group Poseidon was sponsoring used to meet. I knew without confirmation that this was also where Percy met Luke Castellan, a cancer patient whom he became fast friend with. He, like most of the people in that group, had already gone.

Dad looked back at me. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"No," I admitted.

He reached back and squeezed my hand. "You can stay here as long as you need to," he said softly. "Take all the time you need."

"No," I answered quickly. I knew I had to do this, and I knew I had to do it already or else I was afraid I would never have the strength to. "I have to do this; come on." I went out of the car and smoothed the black dress I was wearing. It was one of Nina's. I never really had the time to shop for a funeral dress. I was mourning my son and how I looked on his funeral was the last thing on my mind.

Reyna was at sitting at the stairs leading to the entrance, the edge of her black dress tucked at the back of her knees. She looked up as I approached her, trying a smile but failing miserably. I sat beside her, knowing very well that I wasn't anywhere near ready to face what was surely waiting for me inside.

Reyna didn't say anything, or attempted to make small talk. What was there to say, anyway? That we're sorry someone we loved was now gone? We wouldn't hurt each other further. The silence, however, was also unbearable. It magnified the loss, the echo of the one we've lost resonating inside our chest, each impact more painful than the last. For said reason, I found myself the one trying for a small talk. "How's Percy?" I asked.

"Not here yet," she answered. "He said he wants some time alone." She sighed and looked at me. "He hasn't cried," she added. "And because he hasn't, it makes me more worried. He's being a rock for everyone, giving himself no time to really grieve. Although, even with trying to make others feel better – he's not doing that much; he's been detached and hasn't spoken a word." She took my hand and gave it a squeeze. "You?"

I shrugged. "Still trying to wrap my mind around it."

She nodded. "Me, too. I just can't believe that after everything, he's just gone . . ." She trailed off then tentatively reached out to place her hand on my shoulder. "Hey, you can say it."

I looked at her. "Say what?"

"The thing you – all of us – had been wanting to say, only been too caught up in everything to actually voice it out."

I shook my head. "There's nothing I can say, Reyna; it's not gonna change anything."

Reyna nodded her assent. "I'm not saying that saying it out loud would make you feel better, because I know that at this point, none would. I'm just saying that I'm here to listen in case that you want to say something."

I didn't want to say it. No way. But then I knew that I had to. Who else could I talk to? Not Percy. We were going through this together but I knew that if I voiced out how we were both viewing this situation, he'd be hurt more and I couldn't do that to him. I knew that Reyna was the only person I could really talk to about this.

"It's so unfair," I nearly whispered, though I was sure Reyna had heard it. "He was so young and there were so many things he should've had the chance to do. He was supposed to grow up, decide if he wanted to have kids, grow and start his own family . . . he was supposed to have a lifetime to make choices, to make mistakes, to learn and now? They're all gone. He's just gone."

I wanted to ball my eyes out, to actually let my feelings out but Percy's car pulling into the parking lot stopped me. I knew that he would be looking for us, to see if we're grieving – which, of course, we were – and would have to feel like he needed to be our anchor. I didn't want to do that to him. This was just as hard for him as it was for me; he was with Noah all his life and who knew how much grief he's been holding inside? I wanted him to be able to cry, to accept our loss, even when it meant I had to put mine off.

He was holding Annabeth the dolphin on his left hand and was clutching Pierre's on his right. They were both dressed in black suits, hairs messed up. Reyna stood up and started combing her son's hair with her fingers. I couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Reyna was lucky; she still had Pierre while me . . .

"Ready to go inside?" I asked Percy.

He just shrugged.

Together, the four of us went inside the church where a memorial for my son was prepared. Noah's picture was propped on a stool at the foot of his coffin. This was the first and last day of his wake. It was something Percy and I both agreed on. We listened to what Poseidon wanted, to at least let other people see my son, but we were doing it our way.

We found an empty pew up front, which was reserved for the deceased immediate family. Sally and Paul were there, and Poseidon, so were my Dad and Nina, Matthew and Bobby. Grover, Thalia, Nico, Calypso and her boyfriend Leo were also present, along with people whom I assumed were from the support group Percy once attended. So many people present yet very few who really knew the dead.

The priest who would be supervising the ceremony stood up and walked to where the podium was. "Before we start the mass," he said in a soft voice, "is there anyone here who would like to say something about our departed love one?"

Eyes immediately fell either on me and Percy. As the parents, I guess everyone was expecting for us to talk about him, how wonderful he was, how he was the reason why we used to smile. But I couldn't. And I knew Percy would never. They wanted us to talk about our son whom we just lost? What kind of twisted tradition is that?

Sally was the one who stood up. Her eyes were puffy from crying and she was holding a handkerchief on one hand, while the other was clutching her stomach, like she was trying to keep herself in one piece. God knows that's what I was doing.

"Hello," she said to the mic, addressing the crowd. "First I would like to thank all of you for coming her to be with us. Please know that we truly appreciate the support." She paused then looked at Percy and me, a small smile on her lips. "I'm not going to talk about my special, special grandson because it is unbearable. The reason why we held this small gathering was that so he could talk about the people he held most dear in his life."

What? Noah would be the one doing the talking?

The overhead projector came to life and a video started playing. A video of my deceased son. Seeing him smiling and alive knocked the air right out of my lungs. For a second I forgot that he was gone. I could hold him again, hear his laugh and feel his lips against my cheek when he gave me a quick kiss. The memories seemed so real that I checked beside me to see if he was there. And then, oh, I remembered. Aedan Noah was gone and it was like reliving his last moments again and again and again.

I forced myself to dry the tears that were blurring my vision. If I was going to have a last memory of my baby, I wanted it to be this - him smiling and happy - and not the bleeding, pale boy shivering on his father's arms.

"Hi," he started. Even when it was just a recording, his voice was easily the most beautiful sound that I ever heard. Would I hear something like that again when he had already been taken away from me? "If you guys are watching this, then the inevitable had happened. I'm just sad that this was necessary. Believe me, if there was another way, I would've chosen it but at this time, choice is one thing I no longer have." He paused and looked directly into the camera. "There are a lot of things I wish I was able to do, a lot of dreams I wish I was able to accomplish . . . but I'm not going to tell you about them," he grinned, then seemed to reconsider. "Okay, maybe a few, but most I will keep to myself to . . . wherever it is that I'll be going.

"I wish I could've taken you with me, but this one I guess would be kept unfulfilled," he continued. "It would be selfish of me to keep you guys from your lives anyway, so I guess it's better this way."

Selfish? I wanted to scream at the screen. Why was he the selfish one? I kept him suffering for ten years just so I could a mother. I tried to reject the truth that he wanted to move on because I couldn't bear the thought of losing him. He was saying he's selfish, when he let himself hurt for us?

"Instead, let me just tell you a story," Noah went on. "Some of you might know it already, some might be living it. For what purpose? I don't know. I just hope you can find something in it to inspire you. It is a story of love, of sacrifice, pain and suffering and how to live in contentment even in the presence of all these things.

"I will tell this story by talking about the characters. Boring? Huh. Maybe, but it's impossible to tell this story any other way. I can just relay it by talking about them. I might also add some personal comments by the end of each one, which, as I think now, seemed kinda silly, but hey, I would be dead by the time you watch this so it's useless to be embarrassed."

Some people gave soft chuckles while I was trying to stop my glare from burning a hole on the projector. How was he able to joke? Doesn't he know what everyone he left behind was going through?

"First character is a beautiful woman. She has dark hair and dark eyes, and is very beautiful. She's also very tough. You see, when she was younger, she went through something horrible, something that would've driven most of us over the edge, but she didn't let that deter her. Her name's Reyna."

Reyna gave a choked sob from Percy's other side. Her eyes were glued to the screen. I knew that he loved my son just like he was her own and that she was grieving as much as I was.

"For some time she was alone, not really trusting herself, or anyone. That was until she met this guy - whom we'll get to later; he's another character we're going to talk about. Anyway, Reyna met this guy who was absolutely crazy about him. She was scared at first but she must've loved the guy a lot for she set aside all her fears just to be with him. That must've been one great love because the guy had a son. She didn't care about that, though. She loved the boy, and even when he never told her, he'd like to know that he loves her just as much.

"Then the boy got sick, and things got more complicated. The boy needed his mother which, incidentally, was her boyfriend's ex, whom he never really moved on from. Instead of running away, she stayed. She stayed and helped them get through it."

Noah took a deep breath and looked into the camera. "RR," he breathed. "Honestly, I just want to thank you, for sticking by us when we have done nothing but hurt you. You put your entire life on hold to help us, and for that, I truly thank you."

Reyna had her face buried on her hands, sobbing while Pierre rubbed her shoulders. I wanted to comfort her, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen.

"The next character is a very special boy. His name's Pierre Isaac." Pierre stiffened hearing his brother say his name, looking up to watch the video. "He was born under an unpleasant circumstance. It was unplanned, but despite that, he still grew up to be a very fine young man. He's strong, too, for when his brother was sick, he took care of him, unfazed by all the horrible things he was forced to witness. He was the key to saving his brother, you know. He would've done it in a heartbeat because he secretly idolized his older brother," he joked. "Now his brother wanted to tell him to stop, to not let it happen because he had already done so much. His childhood was already taken from him because of his older brother and he just wanted Pierre to, for once, live a normal life.

"To my little brother, do you know how brave you are?" he asked. "You wake up each day hopeful even when you knew deep inside what was going to happen. Things may not have gone the way you wanted, but it's okay because you have hope and that's all I wanted you to have. Please know that I will watch over you every step of the way. I'm just sorry that I didn't get to protect you from the bullies at school like an older brother should've. The girls I promised I will introduce you to, sadly, I won't be able to anymore. I'm sorry you were hurt along with me." He paused and leaned forward. "Do me a favor, baby bro, and give Dad headache and date a lot of girls." He smiled wistfully, looking down, as though knowing that Pierre was looking up at him. "Seriously, though, look after them, will you? Be the light and love that they need, okay?"

Pierre, who shouldn't be exposed to this kind of loss was now hugging his mother, crying. Percy pressed his lips on his hair and rubbed his arms.

"Third character is an exceptional woman by the name of Annabeth." Suddenly, everything around ceased to exist. All that was left were myself and Noah. I imagined that we were just having a normal conversation on a park while having a picnic. He was sitting beside me, eyes closed and face to the sunlight as he told me about this woman.

"She had a tough life, growing up without a mother and always feeling like she has to prove herself to everyone who thinks she can't do anything. She's very smart, disciplined and had her eyes on her goals in life, and her goals only. She, like, Reyna, met this guy and then suddenly, Annabeth found herself falling in love. He was everything to her while for him, there was not enough treasure in the planet to match her worth to him. They loved each other, protected one another and promised that they would always be together. Until the event that tore them apart.

"Annabeth got pregnant," Noah continued. "And even with her boyfriend's support, she found herself in a world of solitude. All her life she has never felt more alone. The future she had set for herself suddenly disappeared and was only replaced by uncertainties. She found herself asking questions – Can I do this? Am I strong enough to? After giving birth, Annabeth made the most difficult choice of her life - leaving her family behind. People judged her and thought she was a bad mother, an extremely selfish person. What they didn't know was how terrified she was. She grew up without a mother by her side and she had no idea how to become one. She was scared that she was just going to hurt her son and she didn't want that. So, even when it broke her heart, she left.

"For five years, she felt utterly alone, punishing herself for what she had done. She carried the weight of her guilt for too long, thinking that if there's such thing called forgiveness she didn't belong. She held on to her shame, thinking that she had fallen too far and that she was beyond redemption."

Tears ran down my face and oxygen escaped my lungs. How? How was he able to paint the darkest part of my life with so few sentences? I never told him about how I felt those five years so how, I wondered, did he know?

"Then fate, or life, must've interfered. An opportunity came her way and she went back to where she left her family. She saw them again and knew that she would bring sky and earth, heaven and hell together, if that's what she had to do to be with them. She hurt herself to show them how sorry she was, how she really loves them. Then her son got sick and she was the only one who could help him at the time. She gratefully did everything she had to, even when she suffered. Now her son, who was five that time and didn't know what it was he's feeling, wanted her to know that seeing her hurt crushed his heart and that he loves her so much."

I love you, I whispered and reached out to hold his hand, convincing myself that I could feel the warmth of his skin. I imagined him looking at me and giving his smile.

"Mom," he said softly. "You weren't beside me the first five years of my life and when you came back, you gave up everything for me. I'm sorry to say that all of that was bullshit. You didn't have to give up anything because you, only you, were more than enough. I know you probably haven't really forgiven yourself for what happened but I'm here to tell you that you should. You are not a bad person, Mom; you're everything a child could ever ask for a mother. Even if you did something you think isn't right, your sacrifices, the good things that you have done for me outweighed the mistakes. And I can't tell you how thankful I am that you returned, that you let me get to know the most amazing mother the world can offer. Just please, help them move on. You are the strength in our family, just keep on being who you are and you'll be just fine."

You'll be just fine, he said. How could I be fine? Right then it was an impossibility but I knew that I at least had to try . . . even when the question how was looming over my head. How do I keep on breathing without him? How do I keep on being a parent when the one I was looking after was now gone?

If I was to ask, I wanted more days with my son, more chance to embarrass him once he started dating. I wanted more time, more time than I was likely to get. And more importantly, more time for Aedan Noah Jackson but it's something I couldn't get.

You were supposed to bury me, not the other way around.

In my head, I kept on imagining our conversation, our picnic and not the eulogy going on that kept on making my heart stop.

I want to thank you, I told him. For giving me everything I've ever wanted in life. A love that filled me. The sense of sacrifice and the true meaning of life. There was nothing I could ever ask for, except for it to last forever. I paused, wondering how he would answer.

But you can't always get what you want, can you? he told me.

I guess not.

There was a hand that gripped mine tightly, dissolving the dream that I created. I know from the feel of the criss-crossed scar on his palm that it was Percy. I couldn't see him, though; all I could see was the darkness from the back of my eyelids.

Why was Percy holding my hand? Was it over yet? Can I open my eyes now? Should I? I didn't want to, because at least in this park I conjured, I was with Noah. Opening my eyes would again make it real.

You can't keep on trying to escape the truth, Mom, Park-Noah said. You're just prolonging the inevitable. You're just making it harder for yourself to move on. Open your eyes and be strong.

So I did. Noah was still talking, now talking about the final character of his story. "His name's Percy. He's the kind of guy everyone would want to be friends with - funny, loyal and brave. He was an easy-going guy and was always ready to lend a hand to anyone needing his help, and always with a smile, might I add. For him, he had the most amazing girl. They were so happy together until the girl, Annabeth, got pregnant. Percy wasn't anywhere near ready to be a father but he knew he would do it. With Annabeth by his side, Percy felt like there was nothing thrown at him that he couldn't handle

"But because Annabeh was overwhelmed, she left. Percy was left all alone and he was scared. He had never felt so uncertain in his life but he didn't let his fear get in the way of being a great father. Even with his young age, Percy became the model of how a father should be."

Percy's hand tightened around mine. His eyes were red but he wasn't crying. I let mine closed around his and gave it a soft squeeze.

"For years Percy was alone, making every decision based on his son's needs. He gave up a lot of things for his son - the chance to be in college, a normal life, having the choice to start a family on his own time. He even made a promise to his son that he's never going to date, that he was just going to spend his life taking care of him. He gave up his freedom for his son. His son, though, never asked for it. All he wanted for his Dad was to be happy, to have a life, which was why his son was so happy when he fell in love again with Reyna. Everything was well again.

"Then Annabeth came back," Noah added. "Percy's son didn't understand it until now. Percy was confused. There were two amazing women in his life and he didn't know how to choose, add to that the fact that he had a son to look after. One more time, Percy set himself aside for him. Although his son saw how he tried to distance himself from Annabeth because, his son knew, he was scared and couldn't forgive her for what had happened.

"Percy's son got sick and even when the boy was in pain, he was grateful, for his illness brought his family together. Not just his parents but his Mom's family, too."

Now no one was speaking. The church was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Except for scattered sobs, the place was all quiet. And Percy was hanging to our son's every word.

"Mr. Percy Jackson, it's such a shame that not everyone can have a father like you. You know, I want to be your cane when you get older, to be the one to remind you of the things that made us smile when age starts to take your memories away. I'm sorry but I couldn't be there anymore. That doesn't matter, though, because you're strong. My proof is that Dad, you fought my battles for me day after day after day and never complained. I'm just sorry that you couldn't win; I'm sorry that it has been doomed from the very beginning. But don't give up the fight, don't stop holding on because you're the glue that hold our family together. And since I'm already apologizing, let me just add one more thing. Dad," Percy's eyes never left the video. He was gripping Annabeth the dolphin so tight I was sure if the thing could speak, it would've squeaked. "I'm sorry I took your first love from you."

He smiled and slightly shook his head. "Now these four people were part of a family, somewhere in the story their timelines met and have been intertwined since then. If there is one thing I'm scared of is that it might not hold. I was the one that brought the four of you together and please, do everything to stay together. Be each other's strength. RR, show them that it's possible to live with pain and loss; Pierre, always give them hope and always keep the love going on; Mom, be their strength. Give them the strength to carry on and Dad . . . do not give up. Keep our family together. And move on. I want you guys to keep on living and you'd better because I will be watching you every moment.

"I love you, you guys and I'm looking forward to seeing you again."

That's all Percy could take, he stood up and ran to where the door was. People looked at him, some tried to stop him but that was unnecessary because I was already running after him. I heard our names being called but I didn't dare stop. If I did, I would forever be trapped inside that church trying to find my way out.

Percy was bent forward in front of his car, his hands on the hood. He was wheezing. I rubbed my hands on his back. "Stupid set up," he croaked out between deep breaths. "Why did they have to do that? Why play the video? Seeing it . . . seeing him . . . it felt like an asteroid hit my chest." His voice was trembling and his hands were shaking. I knew how close he was to losing it, how close we both were.

If that was going to happen, I'd rather not be here. "Want to get out of here for a while?" He didn't hesitate in nodding his assent. I climbed in the driver's seat and started the car. Reyna, Pierre and the rest of our family was at the door, watching us. I didn't dare look at them and just sped off.

Next thing I knew we were at Noah's old room in Poseidon's house. This room was the one he used to occupy when he was still . . . when he was still with us. The room was so him. There were pictures of us hanging on the wall against the door. Just random pictures. There was one of us when he had a parent's-teacher conference and he forced one of his classmates to take a picture of us on front of his locker. Next to it was one of him and Pierre playing video games in Percy's house, them making funny faces towards the camera. There was one of him and Reyna, cooking. And of course, a copy of the picture that was taken during one of his educational tours. It depicted him and Percy in the museum. He had one arm around his father's shoulder.

The room felt alive, like it was Noah himself who was sheltering us against the loss that we were both running from. What would he say if he could see us? Would he be upset because his father and I were not handling it well?

"Do you think that we will ever forget?" I asked Percy, sitting on the bed. "Because I'm scared that one day I will."

That one. That one was what set the both of us off. Percy slowly fell to his knees, crying. When I gave birth, I thought I had experienced the worst pain the world can offer. That was until I lived for five years alone and changed my mind. Being alone was worse than the physical pain of giving birth, but not as painful as finding out that my son had cancer. Each time I thought that I was feeling the worst, the full extent of the word pain. But I was wrong. There was nothing that could compare to how agonizing it was to lose your child. I can't explain or describe it, only that it was unbearable.

"I-I can't . . . no, I won't," Percy croaked out. His face was buried on my lap while had mine in his hair. We held onto each other, trying to hang on to reality, even when the ledge was sharp and cutting. "The pain . . . this is my only reminder that he was real, that for once I had a son."

He looked up I wiped the tears from his face. I gave him a small smile. Be their strength, Noah said. If that's what he wanted then that's what I would do. "Then let's hurt together," I told him. "But you do know that we need to go to the cemetery, right?" He nodded. "You ready?"

"How do you do it?" he asked. "How can you be so together?"

"I think about him," I answered. "Percy, Noah needs us to be there, at least for one last time. I'm not doing this because I can, but because I have to." I reached out and touched his face. "Just be the father that watched over Noah all these years and you can do this."

He shook his head. "I don't . . ."

"Percy," I said firmly. "I'm here. So are Pierre and Reyna. And Noah is watching over us. Just think about him. You're not alone, okay?"

"Okay."

He took my hand and together, we drove to the cemetery to say our final goodbyes to our son.

[Next - Chapter 32: THE LITTLE THINGS GIVE YOU AWAY]

(Yes, changed that one)

Announcement:Because NEVER LET ME GO is drawing to a close, I'd been thinking of a new story to write. And I have come up with a concept. This one, unlike WISE GIRL'S SEAWEED BRAIN and NEVER LET ME GO will deal with darker and serious stuff: drugs, sex and human trafficking and will, once again, feature Percy and Annabeth in a world where gods don't exist. I'm excited for this one and because of that (and because I love you guys), I will be providing a very short sneak peek!

Title: DEMONS

ANNABETH

"I told you, Annabeth: never fall in love with me!" he yelled.

"Believe me, it wasn't my choice, either," I retorted back. "Look, when I said I'm in love with you, I didn't ask you to love me back, did I?"

"You didn't have to because I already do."

"You're confusing me. You said I can't fall for you then all this time you feel the same way towards me? What kind of messed up logic is that?!"

"It's a messed up logic of someone who wants to protect you!"

"From who, Percy? Who do I need protecting from?" I demanded.

"Me! You need to be protected from me because I am a bad person. A bad person who deserves nothing while you . . . you deserve everything."

"I am nothing and you are my everything," I told him. "Do we deserve each other now?"

How about that? Let me know what you think and if I should proceed with that story. :D