Hello! This one-shot was part of my fanfic titled "Song-Fic One-shots". I wrote those one-shots many years ago and wasn't satisfied with the grammar and writing quality. So, I deleted that story and decided to publish all the one-shots as individual stories. This is the first one I decided to rewrite. I hope you like it!

I woke up shaking and sweating. For a second, the dark of my room at the Argo II scared me. Every shadow looked like a monster. I was in a panic. Trembling, I reached for the light switch and turned on the lamp on my bedside table. The light that now brightened the room made me feel calmer, and a feeling of security washed over me. I tried to go back to sleep with the light still on. But I couldn't. I was still too scared, afraid that if I let my guard down, even if for only a second, a monster would enter my room, or worse, I would fall asleep and wake up to realize it had all been a dream and I was still in Tartarus. So, I sat on the bed and stared at the white walls of my cabin.

And just when my breath was getting steadier, I heard my door opening clumsily. I felt panic run through every nerve in my body. Not even the light from the lamp had saved me. However, the panic was replaced by relief when I recognized the blonde-haired girl who stepped inside. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Annabeth…," I whispered softly, studying her figure by the now-closed door. The sight made my heart sink. Her eyes were puffy and red, and her cheeks were tear-stained and still wet. She had been crying.

"Sorry. I didn't know you were awake," Annabeth whispered back, still sobbing, when she realized I was awake too.

"It's ok," I assured her while sitting in a more comfortable position.

"What happened?" I asked, worried.

Annabeth took a few steps and climbed onto the bed, sitting beside me. Instinctively, I held her in my arms.

"I…," she stuttered, "I had a nightmare," She explained before starting to sob again, louder.

"I had one too. Right before you entered," I confessed.

"That's why your light is on?" Annabeth inquired, looking at me.

I nodded.

Annabeth stayed silent. There was no need to explain what the nightmare had been about. We've been having the same one on repeat for a few days now. I took the moment to study her face. Next to me, with her arms around my shoulders and the tears streaming down her face, she looked fragile. Opposite to the brave girl, everyone else knew her for. I could feel my heart breaking.

"It was different this time…," Annabeth started quietly.

I let her take her time to speak. I knew she would tell me.

I could feel Annabeth taking a deep breath.

"It was about Tartarus. It was almost similar to the other ones: I was hurt and dying, and I couldn't help our friends. The difference was that you were dying, too, and I couldn't help you. I felt so useless. And then you…." She couldn't even finish the sentence without breaking out in sobs.

I could feel Annabeth's pain. The thought of losing her was enough to make tears run down my face, too. I couldn't image how horrible it must have been to experience that in a dream. I tightened the embrace and pressed her even closer to me.

"I'm right here. Nothing happened," I whispered while running my hands through Annabeth's hair. I didn't know if it was an attempt to comfort her or to make sure she was there, next to me.

"You're not useless. Not a bit. We're here together because of you. I would never leave you," I assured my girlfriend.

My words seemed to make Annabeth calm down. A weak smile appeared on her lips while I wiped the remaining tears away from her face.

"I would never leave you, wise girl," I repeated, ensuring Annabeth knew I was speaking nothing but the truth.

"You promise?" She asked in a weak voice, looking straight into my eyes.

We both knew she was asking for an impossible promise. But I still answered her.

"Have I ever left you until now? Except for that thing with Hera..."

Her smile lightened a bit more.

"No seaweed brain. That's why I love you."

I don't know who leaned first, but the next second, we were kissing. But it was not a regular kiss. It was an "I can't let you go because I need you and will never leave you again" kind of kiss.

"I love you too," I declared as soon as we pulled apart. I wasn't lying. I don't think I had ever loved someone as deeply as I loved the girl who sat next to me. And after everything we went through together, I doubted I would ever feel that way about anyone else.

Suddenly, Annabeth tensed. Then, she looked at me with a strange face

"Can I…Can I sleep here tonight?" She asked, a slight blush creeping into her cheeks.

"Did you think you still had to ask?" I answered. I couldn't deny her anything. And I also needed her next to me.

So, she got into the bed, snuggled herself next to me, and pulled the covers up.

"Good night, wise girl," I whispered before kissing her forehead.

"Good night, Seaweed brain," Annabeth replied as she closed her eyes.

Next to each other, we fell asleep and had no more nightmares that night.