Last Breath

Annabeth gasped in pain as a knife imbedded itself in her shoulder.

“Percy!” she gasped. Percy looked behind him to see Annabeth clutching her shoulder while trying to fend off the monsters closing in around her.

—

“Annabeth!”

—

Annabeth lay gasping for breath on the pavement, Percy tried to stanch the blood flow from her shoulder but it seemed like a hopeless cause.

“Annabeth talk to me.” he said in desperation.

“Percy, Its gonna be okay, I've had worse,” she smiled at him, as her vision faded in and out.

“Annabeth...”

—

Percy woke with a start, sweat running down his brow and drenching his clothes. He took a deep calming breath. He had been having nightmares ever since Tartarus, some where he died, others Annabeth. But each time he had failed in some, horrible, horrible way. He got up and splashed some cold water on his face, instantly reviving himself. He made his way to the lake and sat down on the shore, staring out at the water, the stars reflected on its surface making it look as if they where swimming in the lake. Percy didn't know how long he had been sitting there when he heard light footsteps behind him. He didn't need to look behind him to know who it was. He had memorized every single detail about her a long time a ago.

“Can’t sleep?” Annabeth asked sitting down next to him. He didn't move. She pulled her legs up to her chest. She was wearing basketball shorts and a tank top, her long golden hair was down and blowing in the wind. She shivered slightly. Percy wordlessly took off the sweater he had quickly thrown on as he left his room and draped it over Annabeths head. She smiled and put on the too big sweater.

She knew not to press him, if he needed to talk to her then he would. If not, then there was nothing Annabeth could do about that, only try and help him through it. She rested her head on his shoulder as they sat there in silence. After a little while Percy spoke.

“It was another nightmare,” his voice was hoarse, as if he hadn’t used in a long time, or like he had been screaming. Annabeth lifted her head to look at him.

“They’ve been getting worse, especially after Tartarus,” Annabeth shuddered at the mention of the hell hole they had been forced to walk through. Percy paused, “We’re surrounded by monsters, me and you, we can't run, we’re forced to fight, we almost make it out when one of us dies. Its usually you. You die because I’m not strong enough, because I couldn't save you,” he stopped talking, his head was bent low, his knuckles where white as he clasped his hands in front of him. He took a deep, calming breath. Annabeth traced circles on his back. He looked up at her, his sea green eyes where wide as they glinted in the moonlight.

“They’re so vivid, real. And I’ve had it before. I’m starting to think that maybe, maybe its not a dream,” he paused and looked away. “Maybe its fate,”

“It’s okay Percy,” Annabeth whispered. “I’m here, I’m here and I’ll never leave you. I promise,” she said. Percy looked up at her again. His eyes where less panicked and he seemed calmer.

“You can’t promise that,” he whispered. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “I just did,” she whispered. He leaned into her and there lips met.

He pulled away. “I’ll protect you Annabeth. Even if it costs me my life I’ll protect you. I swear it on the river Styx.” Annabeth was only slightly surprised by the conviction in his voice.

Then she smiled. “I love you,” she whispered. He leaned his head against hers.

“I love you too...”

x X x

Three months later

“Come on, it'll be fun!” Percy pleaded. Annabeth had her hands on her hips and was looking at Percy with a look of disbelief and annoyance. He had his best puppy dog face on and had his hands folded in font of him. Leo and Calypso stood a little ways away.

Annabeth looked at her Fiancée. “No,” she said simply.

“Did she just...” Calypso pointed to the couple half heartedly. “Did she just say no?” She asked in disbelief.

Leo shook his head. “Heartless women.”

“Annabeth,” Percy pleaded.

“No Percy, I have a lot of homework and so do you,” she said half heartedly. It was pretty obvious she didn't want to do homework.

“I can't even read it though, the words keep getting all mixed up. And there's just so much of it! I asked my teacher to translate it into ancient Greek but she said that would take way to long. I think she was just trying to be nice though because she looked pretty shocked when I asked and she looked at me like I was crazy,” he pouted.

Annabeth laughed. “You actually asked that?”

“Yeah I did,” He said smiling, “I thought it would make for a good story. Come on, it's been forever since we've gone out together,” he said.

Annabeth bit her lip. “But we still have a lot of homework.”

“And we’ll do it as soon as we get back,” he reassured her.

She glanced at the door to her cabin then back at Percy. “I still think we should st-”

“Come on, it’ll be really fun!” He said.

Annabeth sighed and looked at her cabin again. “Okay,” she said after a minute.

“YES!!!” Percy did a small victory dance. Annabeth laughed.

“Wait. He just got her to say yes,” Leo said in disbelief.

Calypso smiled. “I don’t think anyone can say no to him if he’s set his mind to it.” Leo pouted.

“And I can’t?” He asked her, imitating Percy’s puppy dog face.

Calypso giggled. “Of course not. You’re my boyfriend so I can't say yes all the time,” she winked at him.

Leo put on the saddest look he could muster, which looked quite cute on his impish face.

Calypso laughed again. “You silly boy,” she said and pressed her lips to his. His face immediately brightened.

“You broke my smolder,” he whined, referencing to a disney movie they had recently seen together. Even as he was grinning in triumph.

Calypso looked over to where Percy and Annabeth where. “Wait. Where did they go?” Calypso looked around in confusion.

Leo laughed. “Obviously they don't like being spied on,” he said before pressing his lips against hers again.

“And I don't care.”

x X x

After Annabeth had agreed to go out Percy had grabbed her hand and dragged her as fast as he could to the stables. He convinced her to ride with him on Black Jack and off they went. They grabbed some food at a Chinese restaurant and then made there way to a park.

“So, you having fun?” Percy asked. Annabeth smiled. “Yes.”

“Good, then lets not go back for a while,” he said happily. “We have homework,” she reminded him.

He groaned. “Fine, but we're doing this again sometime soon.” Her smile widened. “Okay.”

x X x

“We should really be heading back now,” Annabeth bit her lip a little as she checked the watch on her wrist. Percy sighed.

“Your not gonna have fun anymore, are you? Not when you have this much homework,” he answered his own question with a small smile.

Annabeth chuckled. “You know me too well Seaweed Brain.”

“Come on. Lets go somewhere less crowded before I call Black Jack,” he said.

“Okay.”

Five minutes later it started raining.

“What the heck? Where did this come from?” They heard a guy sitting on a bench curse as the rain soaked his magazine.

“Percy,” Annabeth looked at him scoldingly. “Did you do this?” She asked. He was powerful before, but after Tartarus, after he snapped, something had changed in him. His power had surged to unimaginable strengths, a power he was still learning how to control… Percy shook his head in slight confusion.

“No, at least I don't think so.” Just then a man loomed out of the shadows in front of them. He had what looked like a knife in his hand.

“Now where do you think your going?” He asked, his voice light and happy, as if he was a good friend asking whats up.

Percy rolled his eyes. “Well lets start with ‘out of the rain’ shall we?” he said sarcastically, not even fazed by the knife the man was holding.

The man smirked. “Well lets see if you get that far, shall we?”

Percy smiled and looked at Annabeth. “This will be fun,” he said cheerily. Annabeth rolled her eyes and fingered the dagger on her hip. Suddenly the man in front of them let out a bloodcurdling yell, monsters that looked both human and monster both seemed to appear out of the shadows Percy flinched slightly. “Kinda reminds you of Tartarus doesn't it,” he said as the monsters encircled them. “Surrounded by monsters. Unbeatable odds,” he flashed a smile. “Piece of cake.”

Annabeth smiled back, “Yeah, just like Tartarus,” she whispered. He rarely mentioned Tartarus, it was only if he was afraid. When he was afraid he tended to refer to Tartarus in a joking manner.

Percy felt like he was seeing the beginning of a nightmare. Except this time he wasn't asleep. His nightmares always started with them getting encircled by monsters. Then one of them would die. His eyes hardened. That won’t happen. Not this time he thought. Not this time. Suddenly the monsters surged forward.

Slash duck stab turn parry water duck stab slash stab sidestep swing water duck stab parry slash water swing sidestep parry water slash water stab water parry water...

Percy was a blur as he fought the monsters, there was water swirling around him as he twirled and fought in a trance like state, monsters erupted into dust as he worked his way through them. He didn't realize it but as he fought he was growing increasingly farther from Annabeth.

He glanced behind him to see Annabeth surrounded by monsters, she was ducking and weaving through them as they burst into dust all around her. Suddenly a monster appeared behind her.

“Annabeth behind you!” He yelled but his voice was drowned out by the storm raging around them. The monster lunged forward and sank its fangs into her arm.

Annabeth gasped in pain. “Percy!” the monsters around her closed in. Percy looked behind him to see Annabeth clutching her arm while trying to fend off the monsters around her but her movements where getting increasingly sluggish. Percy quickly made his way toward her, leaving a cloud of golden dust in his wake.

“Annabeth!” He yelled. He made it to her side but the monsters encircling them wouldn't allow him to tend to her. He took a calming breath and closed his eyes, a moment later he felt a tug in his gut and the rain water around them froze midair. His eyes snapped open and the rain sped out like daggers, impeding themselves into the monsters around them. They burst into dust as the rain hurtled through them.

Annabeth swayed on her feet slightly. Ambrosia! Percy thought. Annabeth always keeps ambrosia with her! He quickly started searching for the one thing that might be able to save his fiancé. After a minute of frantic searching he found some in her bag. He took some out and brought it to Annabeths lips.

“Here, eat this, it’ll help,” he said, a slight tremor in his voice. She smiled slightly and ate the ambrosia.

“I’m fine Percy, its just a little bite,” she said reassuringly.

He sighed. “No need to worry,” she said putting a hand on his arm. Suddenly all the color drained from her face and she gripped his arm harder, as if trying to root herself to the spot.

“Annabeth?” Percy asked, gripping her shoulders and trying to keep her steady. Annabeth’s eyes widened.

“Behind you!” she gasped. Percy whirled around, simultaneously drawing Riptide. A monster with fangs and red eyes had come up behind Percy as he tended to Annabeth. The monster jumped and Percy brought his sword up in a classic ‘let the monster fall onto your sword move.’ Percy smiled.

“Always wanted to do that,” He turned around. Annabeth was laying on the pavement gasping for breath, Percy dropped to his knees and tried to stanch the blood flow from her arm but it seemed like a hopeless cause.

“Annabeth, talk to me.” he said in desperation.

“Percy, Its gonna be okay, I've had worse,” she smiled at him as her vision faded in and out.

“I don’t get it, why is is bleeding so much?” He asked no one in particular.

“Poison,” a voice said from behind them. Percy jumped up and franticly searched for the voice. It had seemed to come from all around them.

“Who are you?” Percy asked as he drew Riptide.

“Why, you don’t remember me? I’m offended.” The man from before, with the knife, suddenly appeared out of the shadows.

“You!” Percy yelled as Riptide extended in his grasp.

“So you do remember me,” he said jovially.

“What did you do to Annabeth?” Percy asked him leveling his sword at the man.

He frowned. “Now your accusing me? your kind of jumping to conclusions now aren't you?” he said, “I didn’t do anything.”

“She’s bleeding on the ground and your trying not to see that!” Percy yelled.

“Why, I never said I didn't see that, all I said was that I didn't poison her. Now, an ‘assistant’ of mine, lets say. Did.”

“Why?”

“Because I told him to,” he answered simply.

“Why did you tell him to?” Percy growled.

“Why, I thought that would be obvious,” he said, his frown returning. A low growl of anger emanated from Percy’s throat. The man held up his hands in surrender.

“Alright alright, I’ll tell,” his smile suddenly vanished. “I did it because of you,” Percy’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“Yes, thats right. I did it because of you.” Suddenly the man lunged at Percy with his dagger. Percy sidestepped but the man flicked his wrist and another dagger appeared in his hand, he slashed over at Percy, catching him off guard. Percy jumped out of the way but the blade nicked his chest drawing a thin line of crimson blood.

The man smiled. “What, you don’t remember me? now I’m really offended.” He sidestepped as Percy’s sword cut threw the air next to him. They circled each other, trying to find an opening. Percy jumped forward with a downward slash, the man blocked with his daggers in a crossed position. Percy dropped Riptide and grabbed the handle in the air with his other hand as it began to fall. He stabbed forward with it and the man jumped to the side, he managed to avoid most of the damage it would have caused but the blade nicked his side and blood started seeping out of the cut.

“Your pretty good,” the man said.

“Who are you?” Percy asked harshly. Hiding his surprise that the man actually was human, or demigod.

The man pouted. “Still don’t remember me? Keep this up and I might start crying.”

“How do I cure Annabeth?” He asked instead.

“Now now. All in do time. And right now, the time just isn't quite right,” The man’s movements where snake like, fluid in every way.

“You know, speaking of time. You don’t seem to have much of it do you?” He said, motioning toward Annabeth. This distracted Percy for a second as he glanced at his fiancé, bleeding out onto the pavement. That one second was all the man needed. He jumped forward, his dagger aimed at Percy’s stomach.

“Never look away from your opponent,” he hissed. Percy’s eyes shifted back to the man, he barely managed to stop the dagger meant to gut him. There was a flash of steel as the second dagger arced toward his face. Percy jumped back but there was the familiar stab of pain followed by numbness. Percy tentatively brought this free hand up to his face. It came back down covered in blood.

“Don’t forget, I still have this one!” He said slashing his dagger down again. Percy brought his sword up and blocked the blow.

“Percy,” Annabeth gasped weakly.

“Annabeth,” again he glanced at her. This time the man made no move toward him. “What do you want with me?” Percy asked the man.

“Want with you? Why, the only thing I want with you is to kill you. Is to cause you as much pain as you did me.” The man snarled.

“Okay,” Percy dropped Riptide and it landed on the ground with a clatter. The man looked shocked.

“You can do whatever you want to me. Just don’t hurt Annabeth.” Percy looked at the man through the blood covering his eye. The man just smiled.

“You know, I might have let her live. But seeing as you love her that much. I don't think I will.” His smile vanished. “After all. I did say I was going to inflict the same pain you inflicted on me.” He jumped forward. Percy leant back and the blade of his dagger passed inches over his neck. Percy reached inside of his pocket and once again drew Riptide.

“Ahh, now its time to play,” he said at the angry and determined look on Percy’s face.

The two men where a blur as they fought but neither of them seemed to be able to get the upper hand.

“You know, I was thinking. Maybe I should let you tend to your love instead of fight?” The man said.

“You know what. I think that would be too good for you, maybe I’ll just continue to try and chop you into a million pieces instead.” He smiled. “Wouldn’t it be nice to see that happen.”

“Shut up,” Percy growled.

“Why? Are you tired of my voice? I’m not, I think it has quite a nice ring to it, don’t you?” He said smiling once more.

“What did I do to you?” Percy asked.

The mans eyes hardened. “You don’t remember anything? Man, they sure did a number on you didn’t they?” Percy looked at him in confusion.

“Who?”

“Maybe a name will jog your memories. Do you, by any chance recall the name Broadsword?” Percy stopped mid swing as fragmented pieces of memory flooded in.

***

“My name is captan Shiara, Your to be quite and diligent. Don’t speak unless spoken too and don’t even think about leaving. Trust me. It won’t end well, it never does...”

——

“Who’s the new kid?”

“Don’t know, probably just another loser Broadsword took on.”

——

“So young, and yet already so resourceful, so,” he paused, trying to find the word. “Deadly.”

——

“Agent twenty three, captan Shiara thinks your not ready for your first assignment. What do you think?”

“I’m ready...”

x X x

Percy gasped as the memories faded, they where all so confusing. Fragmented. Broken. “What was that?” Percy asked the man smiling in front of him.

“Oh, nothing much. Just a memory wall slowly breaking.”

“Memory wall?”

“Its basically a mental wall you put up to block memories from your mind. There is of course a way to break that wall but it take time and is very painful. You only cracked yours, only got small fragments of whats behind that wall.

“Why is it there?”

“Oh come on. Your not that stupid are you? Its there to block your memories idiot.”

“Yeah I know but why?” He smiled. Again.

“Well, that you'll just have to figure out by yourself. But in the mean time. You have a dead fiancé to bury so,” the man dropped a pellet like object and smoke poured from it, making it hard to see anything around them. Percy put his shirt over his mouth and nose as it became impossible to see more then a foot in front of him.

“Tata for now, Percy Jackson. I can’t wait until our next encounter. I wonder who will die next time? Your mother perhaps? Oh and, by the way, my name’s Caleb, Caleb Turner.”

The smoke cleared to reveal a damaged street with wet golden dust and a bleeding girl. Percy ran to Annabeth. He dropped to his knees at her side.

“Annabeth,” he gently stroked her forehead as her eyes fluttered open.

“Per-cy,” she whispered haltingly.

“I’m here,” he said as tears welled up in his eyes.

“Its okay, its not your fault,” she managed.

“Yes it is. I should have saved you. And the man, Caleb. He said he did it because of me.”

Annabeth shook her head slowly. “No, he just said that, he wanted you to feel bad. Its not your fault. Remember that time when you turned down being a god, just so you could be with me?”

Percy nodded sadly, “yeah.”

Annabeth smiled. “I love you so much, you know that right?”

“Of course I do,” a tear landed on her cheek.

“Don’t cry,” she said wiping it away. Another tear fell, accompanied by a drop of blood, Percy quickly wiped the blood away but only succeeded in smearing it. There had been enough blood spent that day to last a life time.

“Your gonna be okay. Right? Your gonna make it and we’re gonna go back home together. we’re gonna go back home and your gonna be okay.” He said hopefully, tears spilling out of his green eyes.

Annabeth smiled sadly. “Not this time Percy,” the light in Annabeths stormy grey eyes seemed to fade as she started leaving this life. Her eyes closed.

“Annabeth?” She forced her eyes open one last time.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“Annabeth? Annabeth?!” Her head lolled to the side as she took her last breath.

“ANNABETH!!” Two figures where left alone in the dark, cold night air, one unmoving, the other shaking. The stars seemed to dim as the second figure, covered in blood, knelt there holding the other in his arms.

“I love you too...”

Two promises where broken that night, Percy could not protect her and Annabeth left...

x X x

It was raining again. But its not like Percy would have seen the sun anyway. Not today, not for a very, very long time. No, he wasn't sure if the sun would ever shine again. Not after his Wisegirl, his Annabeth was gone. Everyone had left the cemetery hours ago. Everyone except him. He had stood there in the rain, still as a stone as people offered their condolences. They had left, umbrellas up to hide them from the rains cold embrace. Everyone except one. Except the one who had loved her more then he had loved the sun, more then he had loved life itself.

Percy stood there in the rain. Dripping wet and cold to the touch. A scar now ran from his right eye to his cheekbone. His sea green eyes, once filled with life and laughter where now filled with anger, hate and regret. Anger at the man who had done this, and regret that it wasn't him in the coffin. That it wasn't him making his way down to hell.

He was lost without her, and they knew it, but they had still tried to make Percy come inside, to leave the rain and cold, to make him leave the side of his now dead lover. But he had just stood there, emotionless and unmoving, until they had given up.

“He’ll come in when he’s ready,” they said. But he wasn’t. He didn’t know if he’d ever be ready to go back to a normal, happy life. He doubted it. He couldn't stand the sad forlorn looks thrown his way before they where quickly replaced by a forced smile or excitement, showing that they where moving on. Percy moved for the first time in hours as he knelt down in font of her grave. He laid a single red rose by her stone.

Annabeth Chase

Loving daughter and Fiancé

1996 to 2016

“I love you Annabeth, I always will,” he whispered. Then he stood up, he pulled the hood of his coat up, hiding his face, his scar, his pain. Hiding it from those who might think to look. Under the hood burned two green orbs, once bright with life, now hard and cold. Hardened by sorrow and anger, they burned with one thing. Determination.

“Caleb Turner. I swear on the river Styx, I will find you. and when I do, there’ll be hell to pay.” And so, Percy Jackson faded away, leaving behind a cold, dark and empty shell...

Once a promise is broken, its never the same again...