If Percy Hadn't Caught Annabeth

Part 3: A Broken Promise

He flickered in and out of consciousness. Occasionally he would come to only to be lulled back to sleep by the murmur of a sweet voice, his mouth full of what tasted like his mom's homemade chocolate-chip cookies. Sometimes a girl with dark hair and braids fed him, her face fixed in worry. Sometimes she had blonde hair curled like a princess's. She smirked while she scraped drips off his chin with a spoon.

When she saw his eyes open, she asked, "What will happen at the summer solstice?"

He managed to croak out, "What?"

The sweet voice intervened, and lulled him back to sleep.

She stood before him looking stunningly beautiful.

Before he could figure out how to apologize for being such an idiot, she tackled him with a hug, then pulled away just as quickly. "I'm glad you're not a guinea pig."

"Me, too." He hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt.

The scene faded out and the nine muses cranked up the tunes; the music could be whatever you wanted it to be. She touched the new streak of gray in his hair that matched hers exactly-- the painful souvenir from holding Atlas's burden.

"So," she said. "What did you want to tell me earlier?"

The music was playing. People were dancing in the streets. He said, "I, uh, was thinking we got interrupted at Westover Hall. And... I think I owe you a dance."

She smiled slowly. "All right, Seaweed Brain."

So he took her hand, the music sounding a little sad, but maybe a little hopeful, too.

Everything around them turned to red. The heat was horrible and he began to sweat. The telekhines were on their heels but he had a plan.

"But you'll be killed!"

"I'll be fine. Besides, we've got no choice."

She glared at him like she was going to punch him. And then she did something that surprised him even more. She kissed him.

"Be careful, Seaweed Brain."

He turned just in time to see her fall, clutching her arm. A demigod with a bloody knife stood over her. She had intercepted the knife with her own body.

But why?   She didn't know his weak spot. Nobody did.

"Get back!" he slashed the air in a wide arc, driving the rest of the demigods away. "No one touches her!"

He was so distressed he almost awoke, but the soothing voice kept him from doing so.

"Interesting," said Kronos.

New York City melted into the Camp Half-Blood pavilion. She laughed and put her hands around his neck. When she kissed him, he had the feeling that his brain was melting through his body. Her gray eyes were sparkling and they continued to when they landed in the lake. Not that it mattered, their kiss was even better underwater.

Suddenly, she grabbed his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. He slammed into the stone pavement. Romans cried out. Her knee was on his chest as she pushed her forearm against his throat.

"If you ever leave me again," she said, her eyes stinging, "I swear to all the gods-"

He had the nerve to laugh.

"Consider me warned," he said. "I missed you, too."

He studied the fierce look on her face and watched it melt. Her gray eyes softened, the corners crinkling as her mouth turned into a smile; her blonde curls spilled over her shoulder like a golden waterfall.

Percy was lost in Annabeth's smile and now he was lost without her. He had broken his promise and left her alone again. Maybe if he had caught her, maybe if she hadn't slipped through his fingertips, perhaps the two of the could have made it through Tartarus together. Now he would never know. Annabeth was gone and it was his fault.

He awoke with a start.

It was night and his cabin was dark and quiet. Piper had dozed off sitting upright in a chair, her voice no longer convincing Percy to fall back asleep. Momentarily, he was fine. Then the weight of his pain fell back upon his shoulders; Atlas's burden had been easy to carry when compared to the weight of losing Annabeth.

He tried to stand but almost blacked out. His entire body felt heavy and stiff, as if he were filled with wet sand. His fingers found bandages on his forehead, his thoughts muddy as to how they had gotten there. Not that Percy cared. 

From where he sat Percy could see the view from out the window. The city below him sparkled with thousands of lights, like constellations earthbound. As he watched their reflections dance in the canals of Venice, Percy wondered how anything could dare be so beautiful without Annabeth around to see it.