Beyond Tartarus (A Percabeth Fanfiction)

Chapter 7-A Price is Paid

Chapter 7

"PERCY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I yelled

"I'm going to close the Doors," he replied

"from the inside"

Anger surged through me as tears fell from my eyes. He couldn't be leaving me, he just couldn't.

Without, thinking, I clutched Percy's shoulders, pushing my face into his chest.

After I had dried my eyes, I kissed him for the last time. I made sure it was our longest and most affectionate kiss ever, it was the only way I could bear the pain. We stood there for a while, breathing each others air, hoping that we could just stay there forever, until finally Percy said goodbye. Then I went completely ballistic.

I couldn't take it, I started yelling, screaming and crying, trying to change Percy's mind. It got so bad that Jason had to hold me back as Piper just stared at me with a deep sadness. I guess no one here has seen me go crazy but I didn't care how sad their faces were, I wanted Percy.

Percy

Tears swelled up in my eyes as I watched Annabeth break into ballistic tears while being held back by Jason.

Hazel and Frank just looked at me with a terrible sadness as they held each other for comfort. Even Valdez was looking at me with a deep sad farewell. Nico held the Doors for me as I made my way to close them. His face showed appreciation as well as sadness.

I closed my eyes, deep in thought. I didn't need this. I have a family, a girlfriend, a home. I couldn't leave the people I cared about, Annabeth was my life. She was the one thing that kept me from wanting to run away from all of this, what kept me strong. I had a future. But then, they all did. I was doing this for them, because I'm loyal to them. I then realized that, loyalty is my fatal flaw. It was going to get me killed. But I knew the Seven could destroy Gaea, they had Jason and Nico would be able to help them out too. The only thing that made me want to turn back was...Annabeth. She means too much to me, and what would happen when I was gone? Would she move on?

As I was about to close the Doors, Nico grabbed me by the shoulders and switched places with me behind the Doors. My eyes widened as I yelled, "NICO! DON'T! PLEASE!" He then grinned at me as he closed the Doors shut.

I felt like crying when I realized that even though Nico made a decision that would haunt me forever, I was with Annabeth.

"Percy!" Annabeth screamed with wet cheeks

"Annabeth," I whispered, clutching her waist

"I'm sorry I left you. I was trying to be loyal and it was the hardest thing I've ever done trying to leave you."

"Percy, it's okay, I'm just glad you're here with me." she gasped

"Everyone's heading back to the ship and we're going to have a memorial for Nico, okay?"

"Okay, let's go" I said

The seven of us sat in silence after the memorial of Nico. It was horrible that the little boy who I knew, once a Mythomagic maniac, then became a ghostly son of Hades, was now gone forever.

That night I barely slept. I felt guilty, once again for a Di Angelo death. As I was just about to rise from my bed, Annabeth came into my room and my heart jumped with joy.

"Hey Seaweed Brain," she said less excitedly than usual

"You alright?"

"I've just been having trouble sleeping, I feel kinda guilty for this mess."

"Percy, you're not guilty, Nico made a sacrifice that we will all celebrate with deep gratitude, and we can show him it was worth it once we've defeated Gaea."

I smiled at her. She was simply too beautiful that I couldn't take my eyes off of her, even in Tartarus. I know it sounds kinda cheesy but, I can't help myself. I rose from my bed as I grabbed her by the waist, bringing her closer to me.

"Now Percy," she began

"You know I don't like kissing you with stinky breath!"

I chuckled, "Can you make one exception?"

She smirked, "Well, I guess so"

With that, she dove in for a kiss, making my heart melt. She was mine, all mine.

I brought her closer to me as she shifted herself onto my bed, her body grazing off my chest.

We kissed like this for a long period of time, barely coming back up for air. We hadn't had this much time alone since one night on the deck of The Argo II, when Coach Hedge gave us "detention" for leaving our bedrooms after curfew.

When we were done, we were exhausted, and Annabeth willingly fell into my arms as we dozed off to sleep.