Annabeth

She felt Percy's deep breathing on the back of her neck as she laid in bed. He eventually fell asleep, which he admitted wasn't easy now. Annabeth however was convinced she would never sleep again. He brain was whirling with new information and she was trying desperately to not break apart again.

After such a long time of wishing the people gone from her life would come back, they were suddenly back. First Leo, now Percy had appeared back in her life. Not only were they back, but they were both completely different people. Leo was so happy and confident in himself and his life now. He had a girlfriend and a life without stress.

Percy was the opposite. Before he had been a troublemaker, always confident, always knowing what to do. Now he was broken and it was up to Annabeth to pick up the pieces. She felt too wide awake to be laying here. She felt her breath quicken and she wiggled out of Percy's arms.

She was very careful as to not wake him, but as soon as she left his arms, she was pacing around his cabin. With every step, her eyes would not leave his sleeping face. He even looked differently. He had bruises on his face and his cheeks were a lot thinner. His hair was much more wild than it ever had been and he looked as if he lost 50 pounds he could not afford.

But his eyes showed the same fierce loyalty and protection that they always had. He moved slightly and his jaggedly cut hair fell in front of his face. She moved over and crouched in front of the bed. Gaze softening, she moved the hair out of his face. She wanted him to wake up and smile at her. It had been so long since she'd seen him smile. But she had to let him sleep. It would be cruel to wake him up.

A soft knock came at the door. Annabeth stood quickly. She turned back around and looked at the still sleeping Percy. Every time he was not in her line of sight, she felt as life he would be gone. If she was not constantly looking at him, he would disappear forever.

She moved quietly to the door and opened it a crack. Jason Grace was standing on the other side. Annabeth quietly slipped through and turned the knob to close the door silently. She looked back at Percy before the door fully closed, already feel anxious to being away from him.

"What?" She whispered.

"Um, hi." Jason looked nervous.

"Hi?" Annabeth scrunched her eyebrows.

"Uh... is he... in there? Is he okay right now?" Jason stuttered.

"Yeah, he's sleeping." Annabeth glanced back at the closed door.

"Good. Yeah, that's uh... great. He doesn't sleep much so that's... great." He trailed off his sentence. There was a beat of silence where Jason stared at the closed door and Annabeth stared at Jason.

"Do you need something, Jason?" Annabeth broke the silence.

Jason looked at her and took a deep breath. "Yeah, actually. I came to apologize." Annabeth's eyebrows shot up, but she didn't say anything.

"Just for... what I said at Leo's funeral and all. I didn't mean it. It was a bad day and I... lashed out I guess." Jason kicked his shoes in the dirt.

"Jason," Annabeth looked down as well, "you don't have to apologize for saying something that everyone was thinking."

"No!" He said a little too loudly then glanced at the door again. "Nobody thinks that. I swear." He said more quietly.

"I think that." Annabeth said in a low voice.

"You shouldn't. Here's the thing. I was so... mad at you. I was trying to say anything that would hurt you. I don't believe it. And, I understand now. I understand what you did for Leo. You were a friend to him when he really needed it. There was no stopping him. I guess what I'm trying to say is... you did the right thing. Even if I didn't get it then. You were his friend when I couldn't be." Jason finished his speech. Both of them stood in silence for a minute.

"Well, you were his friend when I couldn't be." Annabeth nodded her head towards the cabin door. Jason looked at it again, imagining the person behind it.

"How is he really?" Annabeth asked Jason.

"Not great. He keeps trying to joke around and stuff, but he's struggling. Anyone can tell." Jason sighed.

"Do you have any idea what happened to him down there?" Annabeth held her arms to her chest, voice getting tight.

"We have theories." Jason said slowly.

"Like?" Annabeth's eyes searched Jason's desperately.

"Torture." Jason whispered. Annabeth felt tears come to her eyes. This was her fault. He closed the doors to save her. None of this would have happened if she hadn't fallen into Tartarus all those months ago. Torture. Just hearing the word made her feel sick.

"It's not your fault." Jason insisted.

"How is it not?" Annabeth's voice broke.

"Look," Jason grabbed Annabeth's shoulders. "He's here. He's here and he's alive. And he told me that the only reason he is here is because of you. He said you saved him. You didn't kill him, Annabeth. He's alive. He's alive because you motivated him to fight."

"I-" Annabeth felt tears dripping down her face.

"Annabeth, you need to realize that none of this is your fault. Not Percy, not Leo, not Luke, not anybody else. You need to forgive yourself for not preventing the inevitable. Forgive yourself, Annabeth." Jason begged her.

Annabeth's teary eyes met Jason's and she didn't say anything. Instead, she hugged him and cried. For the first time in a year, she didn't hate herself for crying. She didn't feel weak for breaking down again. She let herself fall apart, knowing that she would be able to pick herself up again. She had before, and she could now. That's the thing about shattered glass, every time it breaks, you can melt it back together again. You might not be able to get the same exact shape it was before, but you can make something whole.

Annabeth gave Jason a teary smile and headed back into the cabin. She found Percy struggling to get out of bed, his eyes anxious and terrified.

"Hey hey hey, lay back down. Don't hurt yourself." She ushered him back into his bed.

"I woke up and you were gone." His voice was hoarse and broken.

"I'm here." Annabeth knelt in front of his bed.

"Why are you crying?" He frowned.

"It's nothing." She gave him a small smile as she wiped her face with the back of her hand. Suddenly, he reached up and wiped one of the tears from her face. Startled, she looked at him.

"You were with Jason, weren't you?" He sighed.

"How do you-" Annabeth started.

"Heard his voice." Percy looked down. "What did he tell you?"

"That you were struggling." Annabeth whispered. Percy looked up at her, eyes filled with so much yearning.

"I'm better now. I know you don't believe it, but I am so much better now." He insisted. Annabeth laced her fingers through his. Such a small gesture, but the first somewhat romantic gesture they had shared in a long time. Their last kiss flashed before Annabeth's mind just then, but she pushed it away.

"You might be better, but don't be ashamed to ask for help." Annabeth told him.

He rolled his eyes and gave a smile. "You sound like one of those mental health commercials." And it was right then and there. Seeing him smile again, hearing him joke again. Seeing the way a smile curled up the corners of his eyes and scrunched his nose. It hit Annabeth so hard at that moment. She was reminded how much she loved him. All these months her loved had been painful and she had tried to suppress it, shove it in a dark corner and ignore it. But here it was, alive and in front of her.

Percy must have noticed the change in tension because his smile dropped. They stared at each other in a pregnant silence. Annabeth didn't notice when they went from a foot apart to mere inches. Percy's breath had turned shallow and Annabeth was aware of every one of her's.

Now less than two inches apart, Annabeth cleared her throat and looked away. It was too much too soon. Percy looked as if lightning had struck him on that very spot. He inhaled shakily and finally looked away.

Annabeth looked back at him, thinking desperately for something to say.

"I saw your mom the other day." She managed, trying to calm her racing heart beat.

"You did?" His eyes shot to her.

"She misses you." Annabeth said simply. Misses was not as strong a word to depict how anyone felt in his persumed death.

"Is she still with Paul? I thought about that a lot. Wether they would break up because of me. Please tell me they're still together." He blurted.

"They're still together." Annabeth paused. "They have a baby."

Percy looked at her, mouth agape. Finally, he said, "What?"

"A-a baby." Annabeth stammered, wondering if she should have told him this shocking news so soon.

"Like... like my mom and Paul?" Percy stared at her.

"...yes?" Annabeth said slowly judging his reaction. Suddenly, Percy's face split into the widest grin and he burst out laughing. Annabeth, startled, leaned away and looked around the room, as if seeing if anyone else was noticing his surprising reaction. He nearly doubled over, gasping with laughter. Annabeth's mouth nearly dropped open. Percy went from traumatized and near tears just from the fact that she wasn't there to laughing harder than he ever had since before the war.

"I want to meet him!" Percy nearly yelled. He had a goofy smile on his face and he watched Annabeth expectantly.

"It's a girl." Annabeth managed.

"I have a sister?!" Percy yelled, laughing even harder now. Something about the sight made Annabeth's mouth raise into a smile. Then, she started laughing too. Percy's laughter was contagious and suddenly Annabeth was laughing just as hard. She was holding onto his arm to prevent her from sliding on the ground. She laughed so hard that she could barely even catch her own breath.

Jason and Piper rushed into the room after hearing almost screams and also seemed taken aback by the situation. Percy and Annabeth were doubled over on the floor, laughing hysterically. Annabeth didn't even know why she was laughing. It was just everything horrible in her life had been boiling up, then suddenly there was something good. There was a baby. And that was hilarious.

Jason and Piper had left the room and Percy and Annabeth slowly started to calm down. Percy leaned his head on the wall behind his bed, still with a smile on his face. Annabeth, holding a side stitch, looked up at him to already find his eyes on her.

"All those days in Tartarus, and I would always dream of you." He was still gasping from his laughter.

Annabeth felt her smile fade into an anxious yet hopeful look.

"And all those days, every day, I would dream about holding you in my arms and kissing you." Percy was staring deep into Annabeth's eyes. Annabeth felt her heart rate pick back up.

"And I think that if that Percy who was trapped down there could see me now, he would hate. He would hate me because I'm sitting here, and you're sitting right in front of me, and I haven't kissed you yet." He began looking desperately at her.

"Percy-" She started, but then he grabbed her with both arms and kissed her. He kissed her with every emotion he had every felt, grief and love coinciding. He kissed her with every amount of pain he suffered through. But most of all, he kissed her because he finally could. Because he was finally free to do so.

Their lips broke apart, but only by a fraction of an inch. They breathing was shaky, and it was at the same time they said together:

"I love you."

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Also, bonus points if you get the reference that was in my title.