keep it together anyway: a world without percy [PIPABETH SCENES!]

two: it wasn't supposed to happen this way

Jason yelled. He charged towards Percy and fell to his knees, hands hovering above Percy's body, unsure of what to do. Percy's eyes were closed, his breathing coming in short, shallow gasps.

"Percy!" Jason cried. "Percy! Come on, man, don't do this. Percy! Percy, wake up!"

Percy opened his eyes and looked up at Jason. His skin had turned extremely pale, almost tinged green. "You... you promised Kym an action figure?" he groaned. Jason chuckled weakly. "Yeah, I did. Come on, Percy. Stay with me." Jason looked down at the sword buried in Percy's chest. It had gone straight through his heart. Jason grabbed his right hand with his left, gripping them so hard his fingers turned white. He didn't want Percy to see how badly he was shaking.

Jason looked over his shoulder. "Kym!" he shouted. "Kymopoleia, help!"

Kym floated over. She made a hissing sound through her teeth as she inhaled. "I have impeccable aim," she said, "but so does Polybotes." She raised a hand and held it parallel to the ground, over Percy's body. She tilted her head, as though deep in thought. Jason exhaled. "So?"

After a moment, Kym gave a single shake of her head. In a low voice, she said, "It's gone straight through his heart." The resignation of her tone made Jason want to scream. This couldn't be happening. Not like this.

Jason turned back to Percy, whose eyes had closed again. He put his hands on Percy's shoulders. "Percy, man," he begged. "Please." Jason had no earthly idea what to do. Leaving his eyes on Percy, he addressed Kym in a shrill voice that didn't sound like his own. "Kym, is there anything we can do? Please, do something. I- he- Percy can't die. He can't. Please, do something. Anything! I'll give you whatever you want."

Kym sighed. It was almost regretful. "Young demigod, I'm afraid there isn't anything I can do. The Fates have written the story; once each sentence is decided, it cannot be changed. It is not my place to interfere."

Jason closed his eyes. "Please," he whispered. "Dad." he trembled. "Dad, if you ever... if I've ever asked for anything before this, just forget it. Don't let Percy die. He can't die. Please, take me instead. They need Percy. They don't need me. Dad, please!"

The sky rumbled, and Kymopoleia looked at Jason sadly. "He understands. But he knows as well as I do that this is not something that should be prevented." She put her hand on Jason's shoulder. "I am sorry." Kym disappeared in a cloud of sea foam.

Jason hunched over Percy's body, feeling more lost than he ever had in his life, more than when he'd woken up on a bus without knowing who he was. His shoulders began to shake. "Percy," he said. "Percy, don't do this. What- what am I gonna tell Annabeth? That I couldn't save you? She needs you. We all do. Gods!" The sky rumbled again, and Percy opened his eyes.

"Jason," he wheezed. "You can do this. You have to stop Gaea. Don't- don't let them wait. You can't let them break down. You have to hold everybody together. If they fall apart, if they can't do this, then this will all have been for nothing." With what seemed like the rest of his strength, Percy lifted his hand and rested it on Jason's elbow. "And Jason," he said. "Tell- tell Annabeth that it's okay. This is how I wanted to go. And tell her I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we never got to have a life together." His hand fell from Jason's elbow with a soft thud. "Tell her that I love her. I'll love her forever, and I'll be waiting for her in Elysium." And with that, Percy's eyes closed, and he exhaled for the last time. Jason knelt there, trembling with shock. He shook Percy's shoulders. "Percy?" Percy didn't respond. Jason let out a single sob. "Gods, why did this have to happen to you?" He inhaled deeply and got to his feet, his resolve hardening. "You didn't deserve this," Jason said, clenching his fists. He bent down and slid an arm under Percy's motionless form, yanking the sword from his chest with the other. He picked Percy up, and then looked to the sky, a dimmed blue beyond the waters that Percy had begun and ended his life in. "I'm going to make things right for you." Jason took a deep breath, bent his knees, and shot to the surface.