Annabeth was having a good summer. She was working on designing a Greek equivalent of New Rome. Sally Jackson was treating her more like a daughter than either her stepmom or her godly parent. The nightmares weren't as intense even on the nights she didn't sneak into the Poseidon cabin. She was also reasonably confident Percy was going to propose soon. Her only real worry was that he wouldn't tell her about his trip to Olympus a few days ago. Getting upset and changing the subject anytime it came up.

On one of the adamantly rare nights, she spent in the Athena cabin she was gently shaken awake. A hand quickly grabbed hers which was going for her dagger. This gave her a long enough moment's pause to see that it was Percy with his finger to his lips. He motioned for her to follow him and wouldn't explain himself until they got to the beach. The sunrise over the beach was amazing. When she turned back to Percy, he was on one knee with an Empirical Gold band in one hand.

"Annabeth," he started. That is when her mind split in two. The half she conceded her, and the other part that was controlling her body.

"Why would I marry you?" her body interrupted him angrily. While she mentally shouted "NO. Percy, it's some sort of trick. This isn't me."

"I told you when we were twelve, Seaweed Brain," her mouth spat out the name like it was the worst thing one could be, "Your kind don't mix with Children of Wisdom." continued her body while slapping aside the ring.

Shock, heartbreak, and anger flickered across his face, finally settling on cold impassivity. In his eyes was the raging ocean look she'd only seen when someone threatens his friends. It was terrifying to watch when aimed at others. When aimed at her, well, it was enough to shock her back into herself. As soon as she could she called out to him, but he was already in the ocean and long gone.

When Aphrodite's blessing told her he had returned to dry land she rushed to go find him. Her worry cranked up a notch when the little tug that told her where Percy was starting to lead her towards a bar. She had been around CHB long enough to have a fairly good idea of what's in the area. The bars especially after they all turned 21. This place was different. She hadn't seen it before, and it was giving off that faint aura of godly places like Olympus had.

Entering this strange establishment, she quickly found out why. Behind the bar was Mr. D. When he noticed her, he smirked. "This is what comes of challenging the gods Girl," he said as he disappeared leaving behind the faint scent of overripe grapes. Annabeth quickly found Percy on the floor. She had to yank her hand back when she reached for him. He was burning up.

Her vision started to cloud. She sculled herself for being so emotional "You can't let yourself panic, Wise Girl. You are a child of Athena. Calm down and figure out what's wrong so you can fix it." Looking around, she noticed a glass on the bar near where Percy must have been sitting. She picked it up, ran her finger around the edge, and licked off whatever Percy had been drinking. Underneath the alcohol was the defiant taste of seawater, home-baked cookies, and a stubble tang she had learned to recognize as food coloring. A strange combination that could only be nectar. That explained why Percy was burning up. A glass this large of even a tenth nectar would immediately kill most demigods.

The panic came rushing back as she rushed to him and, ignoring the temperature of his skin, tried desperately to find his pulse. She'd have a mild burn to deal with later but that didn't matter as long as she found a pulse. After searching for what felt like a lifetime, she found a very weak one.

"Lord Apollo, God of healing, I invoke your name. SAVE HIM!" She shouted at the ceiling. The tears he had been holding back finally spilled free, hissing and sputtering whenever they touched his skin. 3 heartbeats passed before she sprang up and rushed over to the sink behind the bar. She quickly filled one cup and then left a pitcher to fill while she jumped the bar and started pouring the water on her son of the sea god. As she was rushing back to get the pitcher there was a bright flash. Standing over Percy was Apollo.

He frowned down at the prone demigod. "Even seawater won't be enough to save him at this point, my dear."

"YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!" she shouted desperately, pouring the water on her boyfriend.

"There is one thing I can do," Apollo said quietly, "and he won't like it." Annabeth turned on the downcast sun god.

"I don't care. Just bring him back to me. I can't let him go. Not now, not after what I…"

The god turned his gaze from Percy to her. "I will take him to Mount Olympus and there he will be turned into a god. He might not be able to see you for a while, a mortal lifetime even."

Annabeth knew there was nothing that would keep her stupidly loyal Seaweed Brain away from her. "Go ahead and take him. Whatever you have to do to save him." With one last sad look, the god of light and healing bent down and flashed both himself and the dying demigod away. When Annabeth felt the tug coming from the direction of Olympus she whispered softly to the empty bar. "Come back to me soon, so I can give you my real answer to your proposal." He would not.

I hadn't realized how motivating seeing the comments and follows would be. Thank you guys so much. I am still very new to writing and any feedback on what you like or don't like would only serve to make me better.