//ALL CREDITS TO RICK RIORDAN//
No matter how much she hates it, Annabeth sometimes wishes she
had allowed percy to fall with her.
When she would curl up on the ground with her arms wrapped around herself, desperate to get any sleep, she would wish that he was there to hold her. To tell her everything was fine, that they were together.
And she hated herself for it.
What kind of a girlfriend, or a decent person for that matter, would want someone to suffer only so they didn't have to suffer alone?
A bad one, incase you were wondering.
She had no clue how long she had been walking around the pit. The days seemed to mold together here. It was always dark, there were always screams in the distance, and Annabeth was always terrified.
Her hair was matted with bits of dirt and dried blood. She was scraped, cut up, and bruised all over her body, and she was physically and mentally exhausted. She hadn't encountered many monsters, but Tartarus had done enough damaged on its own. Whenever she would travel there was a blistering heat, when she would try to rest it would be freezing. No matter how often she changed her schedule it still happened. The ground, which seemed to be made of glass, cut away at her bare feet leaving deep gashes.
And of course, there were the constant voices.
They were always there, taunting her quietly. They told her to give up, to give in, to just surrender to Gaea.
The only thing that kept her from listening to them was Percy.
Yeah, sure, it was cheesy. But it was true.
When she reached her breaking point his voice would always be there to pull her back from the edge.
"Always together, right Annabeth?"
She pictured a dopey grin on his face, twinkling green eyes, and wind tousled hair.
It was enough to keep her sane.
When she finally came across the doors she couldn't believe it.
Based off of stories she had heard, and the books she had read she pictured the doors to be giant, ornate golden doors. Maybe even obsidian or Stygian iron.
These looked like something you would see at a New York office building.
The interior of the door was made of cheap plexi-glass, and the lining was just plain metal.
These were the infamous doors of death?
Who the hell designed this place?
She dismissed the thought (now was so not the time) and hobbled slightly faster, eager to get through the doors and escape from this place.
When she was only a few feet away she saw movement coming from the other side and tensed, dagger already in hand. The thickness of the glass blurred the image immensely, but she could tell it was too small to be a monster.
Maybe it was one of her friends?
Maybe it was Percy?
With the hilt of her dagger clutched tightly in her right hand she took the last few steps, placed her left hand against the handle, and pushed.
Immediately she was bombarded by the unfamiliar smell of fresh air and a blinding light.
With her eyes clenched firmly shut, she stepped through the threshold and collapsed, safely, on the other side of the doors of death.
Immediately her chest constricted, and for the first time, she let herself cry.
Well, maybe cry wasn't the right word for it.
She let herself sob.
She sobbed for leaving Percy behind, she sobbed for the horrors that she had experienced in Tartarus, and she sobbed out of pure and utter relief.
She was such a blubbering mess that she didn't notice the person next to her until strong arms slipped under her and she was adjusted so she was cradled in their lap.
Annabeth took deep shuddering breaths trying to calm herself, and that's when she smelled it.
The sea.
Her head whipped up to meet bloodshot sea green eyes staring down at her with worry.
She breathed his name, hoping desperately that this wasn't a dream she would wake up from.
She studied him closer and saw deep purple bags present under his eyes. His lips were pressed into a thin line, a mixture of sadness, relief, and guilt written on his face. And his hair was greasy and messier than usual.
All in all he looked just as bad as she did.
"Hey seaweed brain." She said quietly, a small smile on her lips.
There was a pause before a large lopsided grin spread across his face.
A laugh bubbled from his lips and before they knew it they were both in hysterics clinging onto each other as if their lives depended on it. And, maybe they did.
The rest of the seven stood around them in a protective circle allowing the two heroes their well deserved moment.
Annabeth knew that neither of them would be able to move on from this easily. She would most likely be plagued by nightmares, and knowing Percy he would blame himself for all of it.
But despite everything, they were together again and that's all she really cared about.
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AN: So this was originally just going to be a one shot but I was suddenly struck by some inspiration so I thought why not. I guess I can even go forward with it if anyone actually wants me to.
OK BYEEEE
~ Amanda, your resident daughter of Athena
