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Annabeth sat at Percy’s side, holding his hand as he lay in bed. The smell of antiseptic laced the room in expected fashion. It reminded her of a monster they had once fought who thought he was a brain surgeon. Percy had cut it a little close getting her out that time, but he came through. As usual. A smile played across her lips. Annabeth reached up and stroked Percy’s hair, her diamond ring glittering. Percy’s once black hair had now turned stark white with time, although his eyes stayed the same from the day she had met him. Those gorgeous, beautiful, sea-green eyes.
She hadn’t realized she was speaking out loud to him the memories that came to pass as she sat in the cushioned chair, watching his slowly breathing frame and listening to the slow but steady beep, beep, beep . “Do you remember the first day we met?” Her question was rhetorical and went unanswered. “I do. It was not so different from now. I was watching you, and you were laying in a bed, snoring, drooling, and talking in your sleep.” Annabeth allowed herself a chuckle. “Those were the days, eh Percy?” She sighed and kissed his old wrinkled hand.
“I know, I know. Those days are behind us. Best leave the adventuring to little Ava and Christopher eh? It won’t be long before Liam joins them either.” She laughed. “But my, my, PJ would kick up a storm if they left him out.” She chuckled goodheartedly. PJ was a nickname that the other great-grandchildren had assigned to the young one, whose name was, ironically, Peter Johnson.
“He has a way with the sea… Just like you.” Annabeth gave Percy’s hand a squeeze. He might be old but he was still her husband. “Just like you, that little one.” And to think, they wouldn’t have even been there if Percy had never gotten up the courage to ask Annabeth to marry him.
With that Annabeth’s mind flickered to a time long past, in the peak of their youth. She fingered the last bead on her camp necklace. It was a chariot pulled by hippocampi, an owl flying overhead, and two figures standing in it. Percy and Annabeth had stayed on afterward to train the new demigods, but from then on they had a new necklace they kept in a drawer with one bead each summer for the both of them. The day was June 30 th , three days before Tyson and Ella’s third anniversary.
“So, you still think you can beat me???” Annabeth tauntingly poked her boyfriend in the chest. Despite her battle armor Percy wasn’t afraid of her… at least not much. Not enough to keep back a sassy comment.
“Pfft. What? You, beat me? Come on. Who beat Kronos?” Percy was showing off by trying to balance Riptide on a finger. It didn’t work for very long.
“Um, Luke?”
“Touché. But still-”
“Parry.” Annabeth said.
“What??”
“ En guard .” She said as plainly as if she had been saying, ‘ Well duh’ .
Percy started to chuckle. This was a game Annabeth had invented when he had started teaching swordplay in the arena. “ Freaking thrust !” Percy laughed.
“OOHH!” Annabeth faked being stabbed and half falling over. Percy stepped up to her.
“You know that means I just won, right?” Percy looked down at her. Annabeth shot a glare up at him from her sideways position.
“Ahhhg! You know that’s not what I meant! I meant, capture the flag!” Annabeth bonked the side of his helmet on each word of capture the flag. “Seaweedbrain…” Annabeth looked at him, an amused expression on her face. Percy pouted at her and she laughed at him.
“Yuck! The lovebirds are at it again!” Clarisse La Rue walked by on her boyfriend Chris’s arm.
“You’re not much of one to talk, Clarisse .” Annabeth shot her a poisonous glance.
“Hey Chris.” Percy waved at his friend.
“Yo, Percy. Sup?” Percy jabbed a thumb at Annabeth. Chris nodded knowingly.
“Hey!” The girls said simultaneously. Annabeth was the next one to talk. “You guys done yet?”
“Um,” Chris and Percy exchanged glances and agreed on an answer “Yeah, yeah, we’re good.” Annabeth exhaled through her nose and walked off with Clarisse. They were actually… talking . Chris moved a little closer to Percy.
“Hey,” Percy looked at him. “You got the thing?” Percy took a deep breath and swallowed.
“Yeah. Tyson got it to me.” Chris grinned and punched Percy on the shoulder.
“Sweet. You know, I still feel like I should thank you for helping me and Clarisse together.”
Percy shrugged. “I didn’t do anything. That was you guys and Mr. D.” Chris put a hand on Percy’s shoulder.
“I know, but still.” He started to jog off down the wooded path that the girls had gone down then turned around as he was running. “Hey! Good luck with the thing tonight!”
Percy puffed up his cheeks and exhaled loudly. “Yeah. Oh boy.” Chris laughed at him.
“Hey, don’t stress it, K? Just go with the flow. Trust me. I got Clarisse to say yes.”
“K.” Percy nodded. “Sure. Don’t stress.” Percy took a deep breath and breathed out. “We’ll see.” He trudged off after Chris and the girls.
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“ All right! Now, campers, I know you’re excited, but it’s time to announce the teams.” Chiron stamped his hoof on the pavilion ground. A hush fell over the assembled campers as chatter and gossip died down to be replaced by an anxious silence. Today’s game was a special one. “Today’s game is going to be the customary good-will match between the campers and hunters. Red team will of course be led by Thalia and, per request by… everyone , the blue team will be co-captained by Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase.” Everyone cheered, even the hunters, in anticipation of a good match. The campers hoped it would mean their first win. 57 to 0 wasn’t a very encouraging record.
Annabeth turned to Percy. “Did you know about this?”
“Me?” Percy said, pointing to himself. “Uh, no. No! Nothing at all! Frankly,” Percy looked over at Thalia who was smirking at them. “I think Thalia set it up.” Thalia waved. Annabeth saw, and she and Percy waved back.
“YES! Yes, I am aware this is all very exciting but if you would please go to your team captains and discuss your strategy.” Of course he was looking at Percy and Annabeth at the end. If they came up with a plan there wasn’t a camper in the crowd (except for possibly Clarisse) that would challenge them. The campers moved to encircle Percy and Annabeth as the campers moved to the side to discuss their own strategy. Percy and Annabeth had a short conversation deciding to plant the flag at Zeus’s fist, just like they had before the battle of the labyrinth.
“Okay, listen up!” Annabeth called to the assembled campers around her. “I want Max, James and the Apollo cabin back a Zeus’s fist. Demeter- I want you and Hephaestus to make some traps past the boundary line, and if I could have Hecate, Hypnos, Nike and Iris as distractions and guards on the boundary line. Malcolm, you have home base.” Annabeth looked over at Percy. “Percy?”
“Right.” He nodded. “So, Ares, get in there and do your thing. Aphrodite?”
“Yeeess??” Piper put one fist in her palm in anticipation to show those hunter chicks that love did conquer all.
“Get all of your charm-speakers and go get the flag. Ask nicely .” Percy let out a small laugh. “I know you guys don’t get along.”
“Durn right we don’t!” An Aphrodite camper shouted out of the crowd.
Percy cleared his throat. “Right. Everyone else keep the hunters entertained and if you spot a good opportunity- take it.” Percy addressed the offense team. “If you see someone who has a better chance of taking the flag to our side, pass the flag to them. Keep the hunters distracted and don’t let them get to close to the flag. Annabeth and I will go wherever we’re needed.” Percy looked around. “All right! Let’s do this thing!” The campers let out a battle cry. As everyone started to wonder to their positions, Thalia came over to Percy and Annabeth.
“Hey. Good luck” Thalia said as she punched Percy playfully on the arm. “You’re gonna need it.” She looked off wistfully at the campers as they were finishing putting on their armor and others heading into the woods. “You know, it wasn’t so long ago I was on your guys team.” She smirked. “At least I’m gonna win this time.”
“Yeah well, we’ll see about that…” Annabeth slipped on her invisibility cap (that her mom fixed) and disappeared.
__________________________________________________________
Percy was walking as stealthily through the woods as he could, and that was saying something, as he had improved through the years. Although, he still wasn’t all that great. He had lost track of Annabeth about 50ft back. He wasn’t worried though. It’s not like she’s fallen in the Ant Pile. Percy stumbled. Dang… All this planning he’d done must have been freaking him out. He really needed to get his head back in the game.
“ Percy! ”
Oh, there she was. Percy spun around to see Annabeth taking off her hat. She looked mildly flustered and her hair was ruffled.
“Where have you been ? ” Percy whispered right back at her.
“Scouting. But listen ! I think the hunters are going to try a surprise attack!” As if on cue a couple dozen screaming pre-adolescent girls screeched down the hill toward their camp.
“Aw, dang it !” Percy hissed. He and Annabeth started to run toward their camp until Annabeth remembered her strategy.
“ Vlacus !” Annabeth called herself an idiot in Ancient Greek. She stopped so quickly Percy almost ran into her.
“What now??” Percy brushed a twig out of his hair. His annoyed hands needed something to do.
“That looked like most of them; which means they must have taken out the Aphrodite cabin because they’re immune to the magic.” She looked at him with her steely gray eyes.
“And if that was most of them…” Percy didn’t even need to finish the thought. They turned and started dodging trees back the way they had come. “I hope we don’t get there too late!”
“Yeah well,” Annabeth snarled. “I don’t intend to lose tonight.” They ran until they found the half way line.
“Hey! Take the flag!” Clair, from cabin 10, jumped out from behind a tree and thrust the flag in their direction. She was scraped and bloody and her hair was messed up and she looked pretty upset about that. “Hurry up! They’re after me!”
“I guess they did get the flag then.” Percy just got a short glare from Clair. Annabeth grabbed the flag.
“We got it. You should get out of here. Go find Chiron; he’ll tend to your wounds.” Clair looked relived and dashed off back towards camp. Annabeth took her hat out of her back pocket and put it on the flag.
“You can’t seriously think that’s going to work. It’ll just fall off!”
Annabeth reached in her back pocket and grabbed some duct-tape then started to attach the cap to the flag. “Yeah, I know. That’s why I got this.” Annabeth looked up from her job. Percy didn’t know what to think.
“You carry Duct-tape in your pocket ??”Annabeth finished the job with a “HRIP!” of the tape. She stood up straight and held the now invisible flag.
“Not usually. Only when I need it.”
“You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you ?”
Annabeth’s smile was the only answer he needed. She took off down the hill running as fast as she could in the direction of Zeus’s fist. When they finally found the main area of fighting it just happened to be 100ft away from the creek that served as the boundary line.
“ Di Immortales !” Annabeth exclaimed before jumping into the fray. And a fray it was. She lost Percy in the first thirty seconds. Within a minute she had been cornered by a hunter and was fighting, dagger on hunting knife. Eventually she knocked the girl down and took off towards the creek. At about 40ft away she spotted Percy. And just in time too. One second Annabeth was running, the next she was hanging from her foot in a tree.
“ Percy!!” He glanced up in the tree and smiled when he saw her predicament. “Take the flag!” She tossed the flag to him. The hat fell off when she threw it. He caught it and made a mad dash for the creek. Annabeth watched as he crossed the line and took the flag home marking the first win against the Hunters of Artemis. Which was great and all; but she was starting to get queasy hanging from that tree.
“Percy?” She waited. She heard cheering. “Hello?!” still no one came. Annabeth swung from the tree for about five minutes before someone finally heard her. All she could see was black hair. “ HEY!! A little help up here?!”
“Annabeth?” Percy called up to her. “How did you –Oh… Here! Cut yourself down and I’ll catch you!”
“You better.” Annabeth muttered as she fumbled with her knife. She sawed at the rope until it snapped. She screamed as she fell partly because she wanted to and partly because she was actually scared. She hit Percy’s arms with a thump. Actually, he fell over. And of course, he dropped her. “Percy!” She yelled indignantly from where she sat on the ground. Percy started rolling around and laughing. “What’s your problem?!” He couldn’t stop laughing. Finally Annabeth got so frustrated she decided to do something devious.
“OOOOWW!!!!” She wailed. Percy stopped laughing and sat up.
“You okay?”he asked. Annabeth smirked.
“Yes! And no thanks to you!” She poked him in the chest. She looked him over again and her expression changed. “You still look cute when you’re worried.” Her eyebrows went down and came together. “Why are you worried?”
“Me?? Worried?? No! I’m- I’m not worried!” Annabeth gave him a look. “Can’t prove it.” Annabeth shook her head, a smile on her face, as she stood up. She offered Percy a hand and helped him up. She reached down to brush the grass off her pants. “You’re keeping something from me and I intend to find out what it is.”
“Well…” Percy trailed off. “Hey!” His face lit up. “How about we go surfing with Thalia to make up for the dropping… thing ?”Annabeth considered for a moment.
“Fine.” She said and offered him her hand. He took it and bowed like a Ye-Olde gentlemen.
The surfing had gone great, courtesy of Percy and his Poseidon powers. Thalia only discharged once or twice. Grover had a nice conversation with a dolphin and Percy translated to Annabeth so they could carry on an “Intelligent” conversation. The waves were great and surprisingly Juniper was really good at it. Percy had made a joke wondering if she surfed so well because wood floats but all he got was a punch from the playful tree. Thalia and Annabeth wrote their names at the bottom of the shore and seemed pretty happy about that. Eventually Thalia had to go back to the hunters who were having an archery contest with the Apollo cabin and trying to stay as far away as they could from all the highly infectious males.
“You sure you have to go?” Annabeth was holding Thalia’s hands imploring her to stay and hang out with them.
“Naw. They’re not as comfortable with campers as I am. Plus, they're sure the Apollo guys are cheating.”
“Well, at least let us walk you back?” Annabeth looked at her with her big gray eyes. Thalia smiled.
“Sure!”
Annabeth went over to a spot on the beach where she had put her stuff and grabbed her white swim cover-up.
“Okay let’s go!” The girls started walking up the beach back towards the archery range.
“Those girls.” Grover walked up and stood next to Percy.
“Yeah. Best friends forever.” Percy glanced over at his best friend. “Seems like forever ago when we were all on the same quest.”
“Aah, don’t remind me.”
“Are you guys coming??” The girls called from up the hill.
“Yeah!” Percy called back. “On our way.”
Percy trudged up the beach. Grover and Juniper said goodbye and headed back off to finish some important Lord of The Trees work. After Annabeth had helped Thalia clear up the arguing between the Hunters and campers Percy and she headed back down to the beach to watch the sunset per Percy’s request.
Percy and Annabeth were walking down the beach holding hands. They didn’t say much, just walked and enjoyed each other’s presence.
“You know, Thalia really doesn’t know what she’s missing. Maybe if Luke were -” She faltered. Percy squeezed her hand.
“I know. It was hard on all of us.” Annabeth laid her head on his shoulder.
“I really don’t want to talk about him, especially when I’m with you.” Percy put an arm around her. The warm sand felt good under his feet.
“Um, Annabeth?”
She looked up at him. “Yeah?”
Percy gulped. Nope. Not the right time yet. “Uh- Nothing.”
Annabeth’s face showed a flash of confusion and then turned slightly mischievous. In a split second she had slipped her hand into Percy’s pocket, grabbed Riptide and dashed off down the beach.
“Hey!”Percy ran after a laughing Annabeth. “Hey! Give that back! Annabeth!” He caught up to her and she whipped around and they stood in a standoff. She had a crazy grin on her face and Percy couldn’t help but smile as well.
“Not until you tell me what you up to!” Annabeth declared stubbornly. Percy lunged at the pen but only ran into Annabeth as she stumbled trying to keep it away from him. They ended up rolling on the ground until they came to a stop at the edge of the water. They were still laughing but they were now too tired to do much else. Annabeth rose up a little bit and threw Riptide into the sand by Percy.
“Here, take the stupid pen.” She flopped back against the sand and looked up at the sky.
The sky itself was a pale blue, getting darker with the setting sun. Percy figured it was almost time; even though, so far, it hadn’t gone according to plan. Lightning bugs started flying around adding a soft ambient glow to the beach. Percy and Annabeth reach out to hold each other’s hand. Percy was vaguely aware of the incoming tide and the fact that as it rose it was creating a heart of water around them. He smiled.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Annabeth’s comment drew Percy’s eyes to her. Her hair was a curly mess strewn all over. Her cover-up and swim shorts were covered in sand. Her eyes were full of wonder and reflected the deep blue sky and shimmering fireflies.
“Yes. It is.” The waves kept rising and the sky was turning a gorgeous shade of violet. “Uhm, Annabeth?” She turned on her side so she could see him.
“Yes?” She looked at him expectantly. Percy took a second to get a hold on himself.
“I need to say something.” Percy stood and held out his hand to Annabeth. She took it and he helped her stand. Percy looked her straight in the eyes. Suddenly everything they had ever been through, every hardship they had ever faced was dancing before his eyes in this quiet moment. He suddenly saw her in a new light, felt a new reverence for her he’d never felt before. No; not reverence. Love.
“Annabeth Chase, you make me look like an idiot. You make me look like a really, really stupid person. I will never be as brave as you, and I could never do the things you do. You’re twice the hero I am. You’re beautiful, and I am honestly the most lucky person in the world, because I have you for a girlfriend.” Percy had no idea where those words had come from but he meant every one of them. So that’s what speaking from the heart feels like. Annabeth had tears in her eyes.
“No.” She said as she embraced him. “ I am.” Percy broke the embrace and kneeled down on one knee.
“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to push my luck.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. Annabeth’s hands flew to her mouth as she realized what was happening. Her eyes were wide and misty. Percy opened the box to reveal a golden ring with a diamond and opals on either side. It had microscopic engravings of wood-nymphs and satyrs playing in meadows and forests. Percy took a deep breath. “Annabeth… will you marry me?” There was silence for a long moment as she grasped for words that simply wouldn’t come. Finally the best she could do was nod vigorously and embrace the man she loved.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!” She spoke into his hair. She breathed in his ocean scent that would now forever be hers. Percy pulled her away and frowned when he saw the tears on her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?!”
Annabeth smiled and shook her head. “ Nothing . I just thought you’d never ask!”
Percy smiled, relieved. He pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it onto Annabeth’s finger. In that moment he thought he could never be happier, which wasn’t necessarily true.
“Those are Sea Opals. They only come from my father’s mine. And, uh, It kinda turns into a dagger as well.”
“A dagger ?” Her eyes shot up from the ring to Percy’s face. “Are you serious?!” Her eyes were bright and her smile was huge.
“Um, yeah …” Percy said feeling a little bashful. “Tyson made it.”
“ Are you serious ?? You sure you don’t have the wrong girl??”
“Positive.” He took Annabeth in his arms and let her cheeks dry on his shirt. He was happy that he was finally taller than her. She broke the embrace and held him at arm’s length. Her eyes were dry and she had stopped crying.
“I love you, Seaweed Brain.”
“I love you too.” They could have slow-danced the night away if everyone hadn’t gone out looking for them when they didn’t come back by curfew. Thalia was pleasantly surprised and told Annabeth that if she had to get married, Percy wasn’t so bad a catch. Grover and Chris patted him on the back, as it had gone successfully, and there was general merriment and another trip on shoulders. Only this time they were smart enough not to throw them in the canoe lake.
Annabeth came back to the present as the steady beeping of the heart-monitor started getting weaker. She squeezed Percy’s fragile hand. Annabeth gazed off into the distance struggling to accept reality. Then as the beeping became slower, it also became more sporadic. Suddenly Annabeth recognized a pattern in the beeps; something Leo Valdez always used to tap out when he was nervous. Love you…
“I love you.” Annabeth leaned over and whispered into Percy’s ear. A tear escaped her eye and rolled onto his cheek. Finally the only sound in the room was of the steady and monotone beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep …
Five days later…
Annabeth sat in her rocking chair, making the only sound to be heard, the squeaking of her rocking. The chair next to her was empty, as it had been for over a week now. She stopped rocking and went inside her house. It was too cold on the porch. She had just begun to pour herself a glass of blue cherry coke as she heard a knocking on the door. “Now who could that be?”
She walked to the door and welcomed in Grover and Juniper. Grover was looking well in his old age; he looked barely 62. He and Juniper were wearing black; which was unusual for them but was appropriate for the situation.
“Grover, Juniper, come in!” Her old friends came in and took off their coats and scarves. “I was just getting myself a glass of coke…” Annabeth grabbed a chair. Why did she have to be here without him?
“Annabeth? Are you alright, dear?” Juniper laid a soothing hand on her back.
She straightened and breathed deep. “Yes, of course. I’m fine. Really.”
“I got word from Kara.” Grover walked into the kitchen, limping in that clopping gait of his.
“Oh yes. How is she?” Annabeth wanted good news from her eldest daughter.
“She’s fine. She said that she and the others were planning to bring their families to see you.” Annabeth nodded. “She said that Lainie would bring Melonie too.” Annabeth smiled. Melonie was the most recent addition to the great-grandchildren, at a whopping 6 months old. They sat and talked in the parlor until Annabeth had finally situated herself at the window watching the driveway.
“Annabeth?” Grover had always been such a good friend to Percy. He looked out the window behind her.
“We’ve lived a long life, Grover. We saw many friends go before us. I know I should just be happy for the time we had and accept Elysium when it comes my way…” She paused. “But I miss him so much.” Grover put a hand on her shoulder.
“I know.”
Annabeth watched as a black car came up the driveway. It stopped at the house and she watched as the little-ones hopped out of the car. She watched Ava and Christopher run off into the yard to find Mrs. O’Leary. Peter stumbled out and stepped onto the pavement. He shook his head of long black locks and looked at everything in his usual awe with his big sea green eyes. He turned her way and smiled and waved.
“Just like you, that one….” Grover knew what she meant; she wasn’t talking to him.
“I hope he’ll be.” He said. “Percy sure was a fine man.” Grover walked over to the door, opened it and stepped outside. “I hope he’ll be. I hope he’ll be….” Annabeth walked to the door and stepped outside to greet her wonderful family. There was one part of him she still had.