𝕚𝕧𝕪; annabeth chase

epilogue.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

when the twins were ten, maddie had had a near death experience.

they had been playing on the fire escape like they always did, when suddenly there was a creak, followed by a snap as one of the bars that made the floor snapped clean off. their mother had warned them to be careful of it, but percy hadn't realized just how fragile it was.

maddie had been standing on it, and her foot slipped as the bar gave way. she screamed as her foot fell though the gap, the rest of her body following suit. 

percy just had time to catch her arm before maddie slipped all the way through, his heart in his mouth. there was a fire escape underneath theirs, but it was a good drop down, and would result in several broken limbs.

maddie was already on the verge of tears, for she had never been as daring as percy growing up. she clung to percy with all her might, looking up at him with wide, terrified eyes.

percy felt like bursting into tears, but held strong for his sister, grabbing her other arm and bracing his body by putting a foot behind the ladder.

"i've got you," he said, trying to sound brave for her sake. but he couldn't deny the terror that ran through his veins, seeing his sister so close to danger. she was only ten, far too young to die. and his mom would never forgive him.

"pull me up!" maddie told him, panicked. percy nodded and pulled as hard as he could. thankfully maddie was relatively light, and after a minute of yanking, there was enough of maddie's body on the fire escape that she swing a leg up, followed by her other.

they fell back onto the bars, panting. percy's heart was still racing.

"are you okay?" he asked.

maddie glanced at him. her eyes were shiny with tears. she shook her head and threw her arms around percy.

they clung to each other, the panic of maddie's near death still racing through their veins.

percy's mind flashed to what might have happened, had he not caught her. he pictured her body slamming into the next fire escape, and hearing a crack. 

the thought made him pull her even closer, taking in a deep inhale as he reminded himself that maddie was still here. she was safe, and alive, and he was not going to lose her.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

percy is sixteen, and his worst nightmare has come to life, more terrifying and gut-wrenchingly real than he had ever imagined.

his mind is a blank echo as the funeral shrouds are burned, silena's, ethan's, and every other camper who had lost their life. maddie's is left until last, probably because she was the last to die. 

it is blue, decorated with sea shells. as it went up in flames, percy imagines maddie standing next to him, whispering some joke about how her shroud 'should have been green, don't you know that's y favorite color, you idiot?'

but she isn't there, and percy is left standing with only annabeth and grover to support him. the words of sorrow passed to him by pretty much every single camper mean nothing, and it takes everything in percy just to nod and say thanks.

he couldn't bear to face dinner, as the thought of sitting by the poseidon table by himself made him dizzy, so instead he drags himself through the forest, staying there for some time. 

when the sun had set, percy finally reemerged, slumping onto a seat by the poseidon table and watching the moonlight on the ocean. he saw gover and juniper sitting on the beach and felt a pang of happiness for is friend.