Enjoy! :)

The next, I think, four days went along the lines of:

Wake up, have minimal breakfast, deny Kronos the crown, endure endless torture, eat two stale slices of bread for dinner and then sleep.

Bob had tried to visit us as much as possible without it looking suspicious that he was helping us, and he told us that it would be harder than he thought to escape.

"I don't know friends," He had said yesterday. "Unless everything goes perfectly right down to the second, we won't be getting out."

Percy had been so strong. I knew how much it pained him to see me in pain and he knew how to stop it, but I always reassured him that it was more important that the crown stayed with him, and only him.

I felt a finger brush against my cheekbone, and I stirred slightly, snuggling closer to the life form that was producing heat. My stomach growled loudly, and I clutched it in pain. I was so hungry, I could not describe how I felt.

Percy let out a low chuckle, and kissed me lightly on the forehead. "Wakey wakey, eggs and bacey."

"Unless," I grumbled rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "There is actually bacon, please do not say that."

Percy pulled my hands away from my face, I opened my eyes involuntarily and was greeted with swirling sea-green orbs. "No bacon, unfortunately," The corners of his mouth twitched upwards. "But I do have a surprise."

"We're not in a prison cell?" I asked hopefully, knowing full well we were still in one.

"Not quite," He closed his eyes and leant forward, resting his forehead on mine. He paused for a moment then opened his eyes again. He was so close I could see the tiny flecks of blue and darker green that made up his unique eye colour. "But it is a very special day."

"Oh come on," I groaned. "Just tell me!"

"You really don't know?" He placed a delicate kiss on my lips.

I leaned in for another one but he pulled back quickly. "Happy Birthday, Wise Girl."

I didn't even get to respond before his lips came crashing down on mine. The kiss Percy gave me was slow and patient, but passionate and told me everything I needed to know. He was there for me, we would make it out alive, and of course, happy birthday.

"It's my birthday?" I asked a bit dizzy afterwards.

"It is indeed. I had a birthday party planned for you and I had the perfect present." Percy shrugged. "But you'll just have to live with me for now."

I pulled him into a hug, resting my cheek on his grimy shoulder. "I wouldn't want anyone else here with me."

Percy slipped an arm around my waist, and we sat there for a few minutes, our limbs tangled in our disgustingly dirty clothes, listening to the sound of our tired breaths and hungry stomachs.

"Aw," Ethan's voice drawled out from the shadows. "Look at the love birds."

"Yeah," Percy scoffed as we heard the creak of the cell door. "The love birds stuck in a cage."

I hid my smile behind Percy's shoulder, loving that he didn't deny the word 'love'. Whilst in this horrible place, I had come so close to saying 'I love you' in a romantic way to Percy, but I couldn't just get it out. I did have thoughts that I didn't feel that way, that that was the reason I couldn't say it.

But yesterday, when Percy left with Ethan, I felt broken. I felt like the life was being sucked out of me, not because my body was exhausted, but because he was leaving. Because he was going to go endure so much pain that I could easily stop. And when he came hobbling back into the cell, silent tears streaming down his face, his sea-green eyes that I love shattered, I felt like a mess that was so relived to see my best friend alive. Broken, but alive. And that was all that I could ask for. The relief that washed over me whenever I hear his heartbeat, or sound of his breaths is hard to describe. It fills my bones, pumps my blood and moves my muscles. I'm only surviving this because of him, and I think I may love him. Not just for that, but for everything that he's done for me.

"Don't think like that." Ethan walked in with the usual silver platter. It held the same two stale yucky looking pieces of bread we get each, every morning and night. It was not enough to sustain us through the day and night. I could already feel my dress handing slightly off my waist from the weight loss, and you could see it in Percy's face too. We decided last night that as soon as we get back to the palace, we're having a massive 10 course meal just for the two of us. 'A celebrity date', as Percy liked to put it.

"How else am I supposed to think?" Percy stood up and dusted dirt of his pants. He held up a hand and helped me stand up. We both nearly lost our balance, but we were both there to catch each other before we fell.

"That your getting delicious food in a award winning hotel room?" Ethan gave us both a glass of water, that we greedily drank in under 5 seconds. Percy looked extremely refreshed, as he always seemed to look after having a glass of water. "I don't know man, you're kind of in a Styx situation."

"No Styx Apollo." I muttered. "Why are you in a good mood today?"

Ethan smirked at me. He did seemed to be happier today, a little bounce in his step. Even though he was being sassy towards us just a minute ago, I picked up on his body posture and movements. "Things are going to change today, my friends. Change is on its way."

I was about to ask a question about what he had just said, but he interrupted me. "Happy Birthday, by the way. I'm sure you're loving your birthday holiday."

I nodded, looking at the distasteful bread. "Oh yes, but a bit of fresh air would make it so much better."

Ethan responded with a chuckle and a wink, closing the cell door behind him.

"I hope you fall off the 600th floor of the Empire State Building!" Percy called after him.

"I think I'd rather drink lava." I bit into the bread and grimaced

Around ten minutes later, after forcing down food that wasn't really food, Percy and I had a chance to talk.

"I'm sorry your birthday had to be like this. And your 18th too, it sucks."

I shrugged, resting my head on the wall and looking up at the ceiling. "Yeah it's sucks."

"And to actually have had conversations with my parents about the caste system just a few weeks ago."

"Really?" I asked turning my head towards him. "What were you thinking of doing?"

"Helping the lower caste. We were going to set up food banks, get donations from twos and threes. We want to feed them."

"Not eliminate the caste system all together?"

"The council would never approve. But don't worry, Wise Girl, when I'm king I'm going to push for it."

"Good," I rested my head on his shoulder. "What did Ethan mean by change?"

"I have an idea, but I'm praying to all the gods I love and even hate that it's not what I think it is."

I squeezed Percy's hand for comfort, but I knew it would do nothing. I had a terrible feeling in my gut, brain and heart about what was going to happen.

Our peacefulness was soon interrupted by Luke banging on the cell door. I immediately felt different vibes off of him. Ethan was happy and Luke was a mixture of happiness and maybe dread?

Percy stood up shaking slightly. "What do you want?" He growled. Recently he had become very hostile towards Luke, and I could understand why.

"Hand over the girl."

"Not going to happen." Percy glared at Luke with hatred. I stood up next to him, but he pushed me slightly behind him, rising his hand a little bit to protect me.

I scoffed behind him, pushing down his arm that was in front of my face so I could see Luke better. "The girl?!" I shouted at him. "The girl?! You're calling me the girl now? You know I thought we were friends," I raised my eyebrows. "Until you stabbed me in the back, literally."

I saw Percy's lips twitch upwards in pride but he quickly masked it. "Either you take both of us, or none of us."

Luke sighed, looked around and him and opened the cell door. He pushed us forcefully out of the cell, locked the door behind us and pointed down the corridor. "That way."

We walked, him trailing very close behind us. Percy gripped my hand and I rubbed circles on the back of his with my thumb in an attempt to calm him down. It seemed like he was going to jump on Luke at any moment.

Percy and I were going to turn left like always but Luke stopped us. "Nope. We're going right today."

We turned right and went down an identical hallway. "Why right?" I asked, hopeful to get an answer.

"Because."

"Why are you different today?"

"Because."

I looked up at Percy, concern washing over me. I wasn't really that concerned about Luke, but for Percy then me. Was something going to happen to us?

We took multiple turns and multiple times I felt like I was going to pass out from either hunger, dehydration or exhaustion.

We came to a stop in front of a large iron door. "Open it." Luke barked behind us.

Percy held out his hand and twisted the cold door handle, opening the door.

We stepped inside the large room, walls lined with plaster and painted a bright white that made me close my eyes for a second. The floor was a smooth grey stone tiles and the room was pretty well lit.

The door closed with a click behind us and Luke went to join Ethan and Kronos, who were standing in the middle of the room.

"Something that I have been very generous about whilst you've stayed with me, is choice," Kronos' voice filled the room. "I have given you the choice of handing over the crown to me too many times to count, and every single time you have declined me of my destiny, putting yourself and your little girlfriend in pain," Kronos shrugged. "I gave you that choice and warned you of the consequences, so don't tell me I didn't warn you."

Percy started to say something but was cut off by Kronos. "Boys!" He barked.

Ethan and Luke, out of nowhere, pulled swords out and held them in front of them, pointing toward us. They were both in the stance to duel, or go into battle, and the metal of their swords shone light across the room.

"What are you going to do to us?" I asked, trying to cover the nerves that were filling my body.

"What I told you would happen if you resisted. Your death."

Luke rushed forward, sword pointed directly at my heart. Thinking quickly, my fight instinct kicking in, I dodge the slice attack that came towards me.

"Hey!" Percy lunged at Luke but was cut off by Ethan, who held a sword level with Percy's heart.

"Luke!?" I questioned as he tried to have another got at me. "What are you doing?"

Percy kicked out his leg and kicked Ethan in the shin, who stumbled back slightly. Percy took this chance to run toward me and pull me toward the door. We tried desperately to open the locked door, but we failed.

"Wise Girl?" Percy asked as we watched Ethan and Luke start to run toward us.

"Yes Seaweed Brain?"

"Thank you for being my best friend."

"Of course Percy. Thank you." My heart swelled with Percy's words, but it quickly deflated as the boys got closer to us.

"Split up?" I asked.

Percy nodded and bolted to the right, I bolted to the left.

Ethan and Luke were defiantly faster than us, most likely because they had actual food and sleep. Luke chase after me, Ethan after Percy.

"Why the chance of scenery?" I asked Kronos, dodging another one of Luke's attempts at killing me.

Kronos smirked at me. "I didn't want to get blood on my expensive rug."

"No blood shall be spilled today, grandfather!" Percy called from the other side of the room.

I turned my focus onto Luke, who kept swinging at me. It was an extremely unfair fight, as I had no weapon to defend myself. I was becoming very tired very quickly, my legs becoming weaker and my breaths becoming shorter and sharper.

Luke managed to get the better of me, and used his legs to trip me. I stumbled to the ground, landing with a heavy thud. I scrambled backwards, until I hit the wall. Luke grinned a menacing grin and held the end of the sword to my throat, one simple movement from ending my life. I looked into those gold eyes and saw nothing of the boy I remembered who saved me, from my childhood.

"Annabeth!" Percy screamed and ran towards me, but fell from Ethan pushing him towards the ground. "No! Luke! Don't! I'll abolish the caste system!"

Luke froze and I trained my eyes on Percy. He was standing there struggling against Ethan's tight hold, Ethan's sword held to to Percy's throat. "Don't do this guys. We were planning to help the lower castes. They don't deserve how they are being treated, I want to help them. They'll be recognised and will not be forgotten."

Percy's word seemed to have no affect on either of them. "Kill them both. They do not deserve to live." Kronos growled.

My heart rate slowed to a dull slow beat as the prospect of what really was happening settled in. But Percy wasn't finished talking.

"Look around you, Ethan," He said. "The end of the world. Is this the reward you want? Do you really want everything destroyed—the good with the bad? Everything?"

"My mother died of starvation because she couldn't get a proper job," Ethan pressed his sharp sword closer to Percy's neck. My breathing picked up again. "Because she didn't get a good enough education, because she was born a 7."

"That's right!" Kronos yelled. "It's because of these two your and your mother's lives were so horrible. They deserve to die!"

I knew that I was the one with all the battle strategies, that I should have done something smart. But I let Percy talk, because I knew that what they need to hear would only be able to come from him. They needed to hear that he wanted to change the country too, in a good way, not a bad.

"You said your mum was a 7," Percyvreminded him. "The lower castes deserve better, Ethan, but total destruction isn't balance. Kronos doesn't build. He only destroys."

Ethan paused for a moment and then looked over at Luke. His whole face changed, and instead of killing Percy like I thought he was going too, he charged at Kronos.

He tried to being his sword down on Kronos' head but Kronos dodged it and and pulled the sword out of Ethan's grasped. Without even blinking he pushed it straight though Ethan's stomach, the tip poking out from his back stained red. Percy and I watched speechless as Ethan fell back to the ground. "Treason." Kronos spat.

He managed to move his head towards Percy. "Deserve better," He gasped. "If they just...had better conditions-"

But he didn't get to finished his sentence, for Kronos pulled out the sword from his stomach and pushed it through Ethan's heart.

Ethan's head rolled to the side, his eye and mouth wide open. Percy rushed toward Ethan in a desperate attempt to try and save the already dead boy.

I watched shocked as no emotion passed over Luke's face after watching his best friend die. A tear slipped down my cheek as I stared at his emotionless face.

"So much for him," Kronos turned to Luke. "Now kill her."

Luke's hand rushed towards my head, and pushed it back. It connect with the wall with a sickening crack and pain shot through my head. I could feel warm blood trickling down the side of my face.

I looked up at Luke, my vision blurry from a concussion. "You won't," I said. "You promised. You're holding back Kronos even now."

"Enough!" Kronos yelled frustrated. "Kill the girl now and end this lunacy!"

Luke gripped the sword and stared down at me. Time seemed to slow down as he moved his arm back and he was about to connect it with my chest when I finally gathered the courage to say something important.

"Family Luke," I said. "You promised."

He stared at the blood on my face and then at his sword. "Promise."

Then he gasped like he needed air. "Annabeth..." He crouched down in front of me and touched the side of my head. "You're bleeding..."

"Luke," I croaked, glad to be talking to my Luke Castellan. "Your sword.." I could see Kronos' angry face behind Luke and I knew what was coming.

"Traitor!" Kronos picked up Ethan's sword and charged at Luke.

Luke was quick enough and spun around, stepping to the side. He rolled and stood back up, swinging at Kronos' chest. They continued to fight, ducking, swinging and advancing at each other.

Percy ran over to me and helped me stand up. "Oh Annabeth," His voice came out muffled because he pressed his face into my hair. "Oh gods, I thought we were gone."

I hugged him tightly, wincing slightly from the pain of my head. "We're not gone. Not yet."

We both looked over at Kronos and Luke just in time to see Luke to get pushed onto the ground. I gasped, scared for Luke.

"I don't know why I would have ever trusted you," Kronos stood on top of Luke, peering down at him. "I knew she was your weakness."

Kronos did something that all shocked us. Instead of killing Luke, he brought down the sword to Luke's face and cut along the white scar that ran down Luke's faces.

Luke yelled out in pain as his old wound was re-opened after many years of healing. Blood poured from the cut, down his face and onto the floor.

"Pathetic." Kronos left the room without another word, and without killing any one else.

I tried to rush to Luke's aid, but Percy held me back. "How do we know we can trust him?"

"It's doesn't matter," I whispered. "He's hurt and I need to help him."

Percy let me go so I could help look. I couched down next to him and ripped off a section of my dress, pressing it over his wound to stop the bleeding.

"Hey Annie."

"Hey," I laughed. "Thank you for not killing me."

Luke tired to smile. "Anytime."

I smiled at him and helped stop the bleeding. Percy helped me get him up into a standing position when two Rebels came to take us back to our cell.

As we walked back, the thought of what happened finally hit me, the adrenaline leaving my system. Percy and I had both nearly been killed, Luke had nearly killed me and Ethan was dead. Could we trust Luke? Would he turn around and stab me in the back again? Did he really believe Percy? Would he be mad about Ethan?

When we go to our cell, the Rebels separated us from Luke. Percy and I were forced into our normal one, and Luke was pushed into the one Percy was originally in.

"Hey!" Luke called after the Rebels. "Thank Kronos for me about Ethan's death!"

I heard Luke slump against the wall. "Ethan..."

I walked away from my cell door, giving Luke some time to process the death of his best friend.

I couldn't even imagine what he would be going through, and I knew that I would've felt the same pain if it weren't for Ethan tonight. I didn't even want to think about Percy dying. I don't think I would survive it.

"Are you okay?" Percy pulled me down beside him, as we rested against the wall.

"No, you?" I responded, the relief of him being alive making me feel like I was on cloud 9.

"No," He chuckled. "I'm glad your alive though. I thought he was really going to do it. I don't think I would be able to live with myself if you died."

I titled my head up and kissed his lips with as much energy as I could muster. I would never, ever, get tired or board with the way his lips moved against mine. It was a match made in heaven, a kiss that tasted as sweet as honey and filled me with so much bliss I was about to explode.

He pulled back from the kiss. "Do you remember that myth we learnt about when we were 9? The Greek mythology one about how humans had four legs, four arms and a head with two faces?"

I nodded smiling at the memory of Chiron telling us the myth "'According to Greek Mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two seperate beings, commending them to spend their lives in search of their other halves.'" I recited from Plato's, The Symposium.

He cupped my cheek with his dirty hands, gently rubbing circles on it with his thumb, giving me a room brightening grin. "I figured something out today."

I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch. "Mmmm. And what was that?"

"I found my other half."

My breath hitched in my throat and I slowly opened my eyes to look at his extraordinary sea-green orbs of familiarity and love?

"It's you Annabeth. You're my other half, my other arms and legs, my other head and heart. You're my best friend, my soulmate."

"Seaweed Brain?" I asked the breath knocked out of me.

"I'm completely and utterly in love with you Annabeth Chase."

Pure and absolute bliss spread out inside me, making my skin tingle and blood rush. Percy, the one person I could count on in the world, was sitting in front of me in all of his dirty and broken glory telling me he was in love with me. Percy, who had seen me in my happiest moments when my brothers were born, when a new shipping of books came or I had planned the perfect house. Percy, who had seen me in my worst times when I came to terms with my mother's death, when my father and I had a fight, when Helen was being horrible. Percy, who had seen me at my lowest and strongest, my scariest and bravest, my worst and best times, and had been there for every single one of them. To wipe my tears when the life was just to hard, to cheer me on from the sidelines and to alway have my back no matter what. He always had the right words to boost my confidence and keep me going or to heal deep wounds, and now he had said the words that tipped me over the edge.

"I'm completely and utterly in love with you Percy Jackson."

Lalalalalalala-PERCABETH. WASNT THAT ADORABLE?!? Gahhhhh, they told each other that they're in love with each other. *squeaks* *faints* *dies*

I hope you like that!

IMPORTANT: Next weekend I will not be updating as I have exams the following week. I am extremely sorry but I have to much work to do!

But after that it's 8 weeks of summer so you'll be getting heaps of updates then!

Thanks for the endless amount of support about this being a day late! It meant the world to me!

Love you guys so so much!

-Squirrel