When You're Gone

Goodbye

"Percy?" Annabeth's breath hitched. "Is that you?"

The two stared into each other's eyes, not once breaking eye contact. Jason couldn't believe that this was the real Percy Jackson – dead and in the Isle of the Blest.

He had his shaggy raven hair and tan skin, but his eyes were different. They were green and red, just like the depths of Tartarus.

"Annabeth?" Percy rasped.

They slow approached each other like there wasn't a group of heavily armed demigods staring at them. Percy held Annabeth's waist. Annabeth caressed Percy's cheek like she was afraid that his was a mere illusion...

Then she judo-flipped him.

"Seriously?" Piper gawked.

Percy groaned loudly. "Not again... Miss you too, Wise Girl!"

Annabeth blinked. "Again? But that time – when I saw you... wasn't that Gaia?"

"Everything she does with my body is still linked to my soul. I can see and hear everything," he whined and Annabeth pressed her lips against his.

They remained in their position for a few minutes, drowning everyone in a sea of love. (Piper had to bite her nails to refrain squealing.)

Then they pulled apart, Annabeth hauling Percy to his feet.

"Missed that," he breathed. "Why are you here? Did you all get into the Isle of the Blest or are you all visiting?"

"We're on a quest. Well, they followed me – we're all friends. You know them, right?"

"Quest?" Percy frowned, then fixated his eyes on the group of demigods, Roman and Greek. He pointed at Jason. "You're... Leo, right? Correct me if I'm wrong, but afterlife does stuff to your memory."

"He's Jason," Annabeth corrected him. "Leo's at Camp Half-Blood. That little runt faked his death when he destroyed Gaia with his stupid plan."

"So we won!" Percy beamed, then his expression shifted into a stormy one. Jason knew that the sea was unpredictable and harboured many secrets – and he'd dealt with Sciron once – but Percy was the embodiment of the entire idea. He could shift from caring to killing so easily.

Hazel looked like she wanted to point a flaw out in a plan, but she simmered down and went back to study her shoes.

"Actually, there's another war," Piper interjected. "Between Romans and Greeks. Again."

"Say what?" Percy demanded.

"Dude, what happened to your eye?" Jason asked.

"It was created when Gaia used my body to look in the House of Night. And tell me why would there be another war? I died because of it! Not that I care."

Annabeth winced.

Percy not caring? That's a new one. Normally Percy would be the first person in line to fly – or swim, take your pick – to the front line.

And the House of Night? What in the name of Hades is that?

"We were here for Nico and Will," Frank simpered. "They told us that they have to assist Hades. I mean Pluto. Um, which one is it?"

"I'm clueless," Hazel sulked.

"Well, we found you! So let's go!" Annabeth grabbed Percy's arm. "We could hitch a ride from Mrs O' Leary, if you could call her from here!"

Percy froze and blinked at Annabeth, like he couldn't comprehend those words blurting out of the daughter of Athena's mouth.

Then he retracted his hand from hers violently and took a few steps back.

"Wait, wait, wait." His kind eyes turned into a steely glare. "You're here? To bust me out? From the Land of the Dead?"

"Maybe," Jason quipped.

Annabeth looked at Percy with pleading eyes. No one had seen Annabeth do that expression ever, especially in front of Percy. Percy was the one that had the reputation and fame for puppy dog eyes.

"Percy, what...?" Annabeth struggled. "Please, just come with us!"

To everyone's surprise, he scowled and drew Riptide from his pocket. No one told them that that magic bronze pen would be inherited even through death!

"Not again," he growled. "I've been the one in the so-called Great Prophecy because Zeus can't keep it in his pants or mouth. Then my memory got robbed and I had to drown. Drown? I mean, I'm the son of Poseidon! I. Don't. Drown. Then Gaia stole my body and used it to wake her. And I'm here, my soul enduring whatever havoc she is causing above. Now you want me to fight? Again? Oh, Hades, no."

"What happened to your fatal flaw?" Annabeth cried. "Loyalty! You were the glue to us! To Camp Half-Blood!"

His glare wavered, but steelier than ever once it returned.

"Juno told me that once," he wisped. "Before she led me to my death."

"Percy, please!" Annabeth sobbed. "I miss you! And I can't live without you. No one will. If Gaia starts this war, Camp Half-Blood will be flattened. Do you want that? It's your home!"

"Annabeth," Piper called, running towards her friend, expression pained. "You can't force him. That's not the Percy you know."

"Good." Percy capped his sword and crossed his arms. "Because you don't know me. You don't know anything about me!"

Annabeth broke free from Piper, lashing a the son of Poseidon like a wounded beast.

"We knew each other since we were twelve!" she bellowed. "We fought side by side in the Titan War! Now you just throw that away? Who am I to you?"

They glared at each other in tense silence.

Percy sighed, glare softened.

"When demigods die, their fatal flaws no longer are bound to them," he said softly. "And I want nothing to do with wars again."

He thrust out his hand and the sea behind them erupted, surrounding them in a water cage.

"This should send you back to Elysium." He glanced at Annabeth, who was outside the cocoon. "I love you, Wise Girl."

He pushed Annabeth into the water cocoon and they plunged into the Underworld Sea.