The next morning, I woke up earlier than normal.

The sun was only just rising, poking up through the leaves of the trees. Percy's bedroom was dark but light enough to see everything. Birds were chirping outside, waking up their friends with their beautiful melodies. I stood up slowly from the bed, my arms reaching up into the sky as I bent back slightly stretching, my mouth opening wide as I yawned. I moved the curtain away from the front of the window and looked out to see the sky turning from black to purple to pink to blue. I could still see the moon low in the sky. My view was picture perfect, but when I turned back around to the bed, it wasn't.

Percy had half his face squashed against the pillow, his mouth open wide and the fabric underneath it wet from his drool. His hair was all over the place, the blanket pulled down just to his waist, showing off his shirtless-ness, the result of me hastily taking his shirt off last night during our heated make-out session. One leg was out and on top of the blanket, the other bent at an awkward angle. One arm was underneath the pillow and the other had flopped down onto where my head was meant to go as soon as I left the bed. I sighed, smiling as I looked at the boy I'm in love with. How did this even happen?

It started when I realised that he was cute, with a baby face in an adorable twelve-year-old kind of way. And then he grew and he became stronger, his voice became deeper, his face developed new sharp edges. But underneath the handsome yet intimidating features, he was the same loveable, loyal, smart goofball that I grew up with. I thought about what Jason said to me yesterday- that Percy was my over half, my anchor, my soulmate. Maybe that's true.

I want to build something permanent with him.

Our friendship is and always will be permanent, but I want something that has the foundations down into the earth's core, steady and mighty and powerful enough to last the biggest storms. Something so strong that no earthquake, tsunami or hurricane could destroy. Something that would be cracked and covered with dust in many years time, but still standing there, even after the fights and the heated words, even after the jealousy had shone and the broken pieces of a heart lay scattered on the floor. Something permanent.

I can't wait to marry him.

I grabbed the book Sarah gave me, lying forgotten on the ground. I had until later today to finish it, which was most certainly doable. I carefully moved Percy's arm back to where it was before, moved the pillow up against the bed head and got comfortable, cracking open the book with a determination to do well today.

Nearly eleven chapters later Percy started to stir. He groaned and moved his legs, nearly becoming a starfish on the bed. I pulled my legs up to my chest so he could put his legs in my space.

"You right there?" I asked him, flicking his forehead.

He swatted my hand away making unintelligent noises.

"Sometimes I don't understand you," I muttered. "Some mornings you wake up like it's nothing, smiling with no drool on your chin. You just wake up and get out of bed straight away. Other times you groaned and you flop around like a fish out of water. With drool. You-"

"-drool in your sleep. Yes, I know." He finished for me, wiping his chin and patting down his hair. He cracked open one eye, looked at me and then at the book, flashed me a smile then closed his eye again.

I put my bookmark in place. "I wasn't going to say that you know. I was going to tell you that you confuse and delight me."

"Delight?" He asked, his tone getting a little bit too cocky for the morning. "I like the sound of that."

"Don't get too full of yourself. We wouldn't want that ego of yours to burst."

"I think your ego is bigger than mine." He pouted, his eyes still closed, blocking me from seeing their memorising sea-green.

"In some areas, probably. I mean, when it comes to swimming and people and comedy, your much better at that than I am, so granted you would have an ego for that. Whereas my ego is placed in school and learning. I'm confident in myself to read and solve equations-"

"Okay," Percy grunted as he got up. He leaned his back on the bed head and kicked off the blanket. "Stop. Too many words. Not enough full stops. Too early."

I leaned my head on his bare shoulder, closing my eyes. A small smile danced on my lips as his chest moved in and out as he breathed.

His hand came up to my head, his fingers brushing through my blonde locks. It was so peaceful. "What are you thinking about?" He muttered.

"Something permanent."

I left and went back to my room through the secret tunnels. Well, it wasn't really a secret that Percy and I are sharing a bed at night, is it? Rachel and Calypso knew. Sally knew, why wouldn't everyone else know?

My maids decided to put me in a short dress, the colour of daisies in a meadow for the first half of the day. They said that they would do my hair and put me in a bigger dress for the Convicting this afternoon.

Hazels presence was definitely noted, her squeals and energy missing making the room feel like we just got back from a funeral.

Four days until Percy's birthday I made my way up to Sally's office to finalise the plans that I had made with her yesterday. Everything was good, ordered and planned to perfection and we prayed that nothing would happen to destroy the perfect celebration we had planned.

I also decided that it was about time that I saw Luke. The last time I had, I had handed him a phone with an angry Thalia on the other side. An angry Thalia was a scary one.

The guards nodded to me in greeting as I walked down the dark hallway of the palaces underground prison. I stopped at Luke's door and watched as he got up from his bed surprised by a visitor. The guard standing there opened the door for me and closed it behind me with a soft click.

"Hey, Luke." I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested the side of my head on his chest.

"Hey, Annie." He wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace.

"How are you?" I asked.

"Good. You?"

"Great."

He pulled away and his hand lingered on the bump on the back of my head. His face was concerned as he asked, "Who did this to you? Are you okay?"

I nodded and shrugged. "I got into a fight, that's all."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "Did you win?"

I smirked. "No, but I got in some good punches before Percy broke us apart."

"He's such a party pooper isn't he?" There was a glint of amusement in his cold blue eyes.

"Yeah, and then he yelled at us." I rolled my eyes. "Idiot."

Luke's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "Who were you fighting with?"

I looked away and fiddled with the collar of my dress. "Totally not the other girls..."

He gasped and pulled away. "Annabeth! What the hades?"

"It was just a petty fight," I sat on the edge of his bed. "Over Percy and other stuff."

"Well, I think I agree with Percy on this. I would have yelled at you too." He sat down next to me.

"Yeah I know," I kicked my legs under the bed. "I apologised and he accepted. Everything's good."

"Yay." He muttered, putting an arm around my shoulders.

We stayed there in silence for a few moments, basking in the feeling that we were both alive and together. Everything was going to be okay. It had to be.

When I got back to my room Sarah was waiting patiently on the couch.

"I have to be quick," She stood up and checked the clipboard in her hands. "A guard is going to escort you to your car just after lunch. It will take you into the city and to the court. There you will wait with the other two girls, and if Percy chooses he can have a moment with each of you. Then all three of you will go in, give your sentences and then we come back here. Any questions?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm all good."

She sighed a breath of relief. "Now to Calypso. Good luck, Lady Annabeth." She smiled at me as she passed.

"Ready?" Alicia asked. She walked out of the wardrobe, a heavy looking dress draped across her arms. She dropped it on the bed with a huff. "We have to start earlier because someone decided to drop everything, not giving a care in the world about her friends, and ran away to another country with her so-called lover who also happens to be a prince!" That was directed at Hazel, and if she were here she would have rolled her eyes and ushered me into the bathroom.

I rolled my eyes and ushered myself into the bathroom, where a bath was being made up.

"We want you to look and smell your best!" Justine squeezed a bottle of lotion into the bathtub and when I ran my hands through the water, the soap turned into bubbles.

They scrubbed my scalp and lathered my hair in shampoos and conditioners. My skin felt silky smooth as I traced my fingers down my arms as I sat in front of the mirror, Alicia drying my hair as Justine set to work on my makeup.

"I think we'll just cover up the bags under your eyes." She muttered.

I gasped. "I thought that I was getting enough sleep!"

I was joking, but the look on Justine's face said that she thought otherwise. "I'm so sorry, miss. I-"

I waved her away. "Don't worry Justine. I was only joking. Do whatever needs to be done."

The girls worked like a well-oiled machine, pinning my hair and making my face look flawless. They moved around each other like they were reading each other's minds, never once getting in the way of the other, always sensing where the other was and always there to give an extra pin if needed.

After the hair and makeup, which looked divine, they helped me into the dress. In the book, it said that tradition was that the ladies participating in the Convicting had to wear a dress of white and gold. This dress was just that. The dress had a sweetheart neckline, gold thread embroidered onto the white fabric on the first half of the dress. It flowed out from my waist, and when I spun, the dress fanned out around me. It was beautiful.

"One last touch!" Justine darted into the wardrobe and came back out holding a beautiful piece of gold metal. She placed it on my head and beamed proudly at me. It sat on my head like a headband but looked like a gold leaf crown. With the gold crown, dress and hair, I looked like a queen. We would soon find out if I acted like one.

A guard knocked at my door and I was conflicted on how I should react to the scrawny Latino elf standing in front of me. Be happy because it was Leo and he would make me laugh or groan because it was Leo and he would make me laugh?

"Whoa," He said, his eyes scanning my body. He whistled. "The smart girl knows how to dress."

I rolled my eyes, turning around and hugged Justine. "Thank you," I whispered in her ear.

"You've got this. Just remember, you are strong." Her lips moved into a smile as I pulled back.

Alicia wrapped herself around me in a tight embrace. She sighed. "I did a good job didn't I?"

I giggled slightly. "You did."

She held me out at arm's length and gave me one last look. "Now you go do a good job."

"Ready?" Leo held out his arm for me and when I took it, he winked at me.

"See you soon." I waved to the girls and closed the door behind me.

"This is pretty cool, huh?" Leo asked, trying to swagger down the hallway with me on his arm. "Fighting crime, bringing justice to those horrible criminals."

I thought of Luke hollered up in a cell. A criminal.

I nodded absentmindedly. "Cool. So cool. Cool as ice."

He gave me a weird look. "You okay there, smarty pants? That's something you wouldn't normally say."

"Huh?" I raised my eyebrows at him, the words taking forever to register in my brain. "Yeah. Of course. Just a bit nervous."

My stomach was filling with butterflies, their wings batting and batting around my stomach, tickling me and making me fill sick. More butterflies and more and more and if any more came I was sure I would either throw them up or choke.

"Nerves are a good thing, aren't they? They tell you that you care about it, that you care about the outcome and you care about the problem. You want something good to come out of this."

I nodded slowly, wondering if those words had just come out of Leo Valdez's mouth. I thought he was going to make me laugh, but he had done nearly the opposite of that. He had made me think. "I guess that's true."

He held open the car door for me and I slipped into the polished to perfection black car. He gave me one last troublemaker smile and closed the door behind me, leaving me alone to bask in my nervousness.

The car wasn't even out of the driveway before my mouth had become so dehydrated I thought I was going to faint. I shifted closer to the black screen separating me from the driver. I knocked quickly and quietly, pulling back as the screen disappeared down into the wall.

The driver, who I recognise as Argus, looked at me through the rearview mirror. Argus was a nice guy, with beach blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Whenever he was in the same room as you, you always felt like he was watching you, even though he only has two eyes.

He never speaks, but you can always read his face pretty clearly. He raised his eyebrows at me in question.

"I'm okay, just wondering if you have some water?"

He nodded and handed me a half full water bottle. I guzzled half the water down in nearly one gulp. "Thanks," I said breathlessly. "I'm going to keep this."

He shrugged, an amused look on his face as I fell back into the plush leather chair, the screen reappearing at the touch of a button to separate us again.

The drive was silent outside of my mind but inside, it sounded like the sound of hundreds of speakers were up to the maximum level. What if I fail? What if I make a fool of myself? What if I let emotion get in the way? Who is my criminal? Will their crime be petty or serious? How will Rachel and Calypso go? Will the press say bad things about me? What if I fail?

The car pulled up at the Angeles courthouses, old buildings made of sandstone with dusty windows. People with cameras and microphones lined the sidewalk, cameras flashing as they tried to get a picture of me through the stained car windows. Clouds overhead were grey, and I was mildly surprised. We hadn't had any rainfall in months. Maybe today would be the first.

Guards filled out of the main doors of the courthouse, creating a path for me to walk down. They faced me on either side as I tried to block out the question thrown at me from left, right and centre.

"How are you feeling today, Lady Annabeth?"

"What are you thinking about the Convicting?"

"When will Prince Percy propose?"

The guards followed me indoors and I let out the breath I was holding once the doors closed behind me.

I placed a hand on my forehead and surveyed where I was. The floor was a plush red carpet, the ceiling high in the room. Columns held up the roof made out of white expensive looking marble and chairs were dotted around for anyone to sit in. There was a high desk off the left, and an older lady with greying hair was standing behind it writing something down.

Sarah came jostling up to me. "There you are! I hope the press weren't too much of a pain."

My hand fell back down to my side and I followed her down a series of hallways, three guards trailing behind us. "No, it was all good. Nothing I haven't dealt with before."

"Good good. And you've read the book? You're ready to go?"

I nodded even though she couldn't see me. She didn't need to ask again because she knew that I would have read the book and that I would be ready. Was I, though?

We slowed down in front of a large, dark oak door. I pressed my ear against it and heard people talking as they waited for one last event in the Selection before the proposal.

Rachel and Calypso stood on the other side of the hallway, keeping to themselves. Calypso was wearing a beautiful Greek-style dress, a long flowing white cape down her back. Gold beads were weaved into the fabric along the neckline and shoulders. She looked stunning with her hair down, framing her face.

Rachel's wild hair had been tamed into a perfect ponytail. She had on a gold dress that shimmered when she moved. It went right up to nearly her chin and down to her wrists. She had a white collar and white cuffs, white lining the bottom of the dress too. I wondered if she felt hot in it, but she looked superb too.

Sarah left after giving her usual advice. "Remember good posture, chins up, smiles bright and don't look bored." In a lower voice, she said, "You've got this girls."

She gave us one last smile before rushing off to organise the royal family.

There was an awkward silence as we tried not to look at each other. Calypso busied herself with fixing her cape and Rachel looking at the ceiling.

I sighed and stepped forward. "Look, I'm sorry. To the both of you. For everything that I've done and the way I've made you feel. I'm sorry."

Calypso gave me a small smile. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have tackled you and shouldn't have felt jealous."

"And I shouldn't have thrown that hairbrush at you." Rachel laughed. "I'm sorry three. It wasn't cool for me to blow up like that."

I looked at these two girls and thought of the amazing friendship we could have. They were both wonderful people with fantastic personalities. Why couldn't we be friends? It didn't matter we were all hoping for the same boy, for the same future. We could be friends.

"Friends?" I asked weakly, sticking out my hand for a handshake.

They both put out their hands and we laughed at each other as we did a weird three-way handshake.

We pulled back for a moment of silence and then we connected eyes again, bursting out laughing all over again.

"Wow," Percy was standing behind me, hands in the pockets of his pants. He whistled. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"What, Seaweed Brain?" raised my eyebrows at him. "That we could overcome our differences and small jealously and become friends?"

"Pretty much."

All three of us rolled out eyes at the exact same time. Percy stared for a moment and then shook his head. "Right, I need Rachel for a second."

"Why?" She stepped around me and walked over to him.

"Just a pep talk," He sighed. "Why is everyone doubting me today?"

He took Rachel's hand and led her down the hallway, into a room that I had walked past before.

Calypso and I talked about our nerves and the book Sarah gave us as we waited for the other two to come back. They did and Percy took Calypsos hand, leading her off into the same room he did with Rachel.

Rachel told me about one of her recent paintings she's been working on and I told her about architecture. Percy came back with Calypso and gently took my hand.

He opened the door for me and I walked through. I heard the door close behind me and turned around, only to be greeted with the feeling of Percy's lips on mine.

I made a startled sound but didn't protest, my body igniting with the proximity of Percy.

He pulled back, his hands hanging around my waist. His eyes were still closed. "I'm in love with you so, so much. Remember that, okay?"

My eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "I already know that." His shoulders were tense under my touch. "Wait... what's wrong?"

He opened his eyes and I was surprised to see water pooling at the bottom. He was about to cry. "Nothings wrong. I just love you."

"I love you too, but seriously. What's wrong?" My heart rate was picking up. Everything about this screamed something terrible. What was it?

"I tried to stop it, I really did. My parents did too but the council wouldn't budge. They said that they wanted to challenge you once more because they still need convincing that you'll be a good queen. They think that I'll choose you and they want to test you. I tried, I tried to stop them Annabeth. Trust me."

I kissed him lightly on the lips, becoming more and more worried by the second. "I trust you. Whatever it is, I'll be strong enough to handle it, right?"

Even though he nodded that I would be, everything else about him told me that I wouldn't be strong enough for this.

I gave him a small smile and gave him another kiss. "I'm in love with you," I whispered before pulling away.

He rubbed his face to get rid of the emotions carved into it. He told me to remember to breathe and that he would be right there for me. He told me I had this, but I knew that he was lying.

He took me back to the other girls and gave us all one last final kiss on the cheek. "Good luck!" He walked away and once the girls' eyes left his body, I watched as his shoulders sagged.

Sarah came rushing back around the corner. "Quick! Positions!"

Rachel, Calypso and I all quickly moved over to the big doors, standing behind each other. I was first, then Calypso, then Rachel.

Sarah placed an olive branch in each of our hands. We are meant to bow to the King and Queen and place the olive branch at their feet, a sign that we follow the law and live under it. I nearly laughed when I had read that this morning. I've committed a couple of serious crimes no one knows about.

Music started up from inside the room and I heard the announcers deep clear voice through the wood of the doors. "Citizens of Illèa, please welcome our gracious King Paul, Queen Sally and Prince Percy."

I imagined everyone rising from their chairs as the three royals entered the room, taking their seats on three beautiful gold thrones.

"Thank you, everyone," Paul said. "I would now like to welcome the stars of this Convicting, the final three Selected girls!"

I plastered a fake smile on my face, bringing my shoulders back slightly and my chin higher. The doors swung open and the music started. I put one foot in front of the other, in time with the beat.

Cameras flashed as I walked down the red carpet, rows of chairs on either side of me. In front of me, Sally, Paul and Percy were sitting on three thrones. I would have to climb three or four stairs to reach their feet. Off to my left, there were three seats for the Selected and off to the right was a door that the criminals would walk through.

I heard the heavy wooden doors close behind me as Rachel entered through. I climbed three steps up and curtsied low, placing the olive beach at Sally's feet.

I looked up at her face for a moment to see a shocking sight. She was trying to hold back tears. Her lips were rolled into her mouth and she wouldn't make eye contact with me. She was clutching Paul's hand very hard, both their knuckles turning white. Paul's face was as white as a ghost.

I stepped back down, even more worried than I was before. My gut was filled with so many emotions I couldn't count them on my fingers. What is going to happen that's got everyone so worried?

I stood in front of my chair, watching out of the corner of my eyes as Calypso curtsied and then Rachel. Cameras were going off every now and then and as the music died down you could hear the odd whispers of reporters and witnesses.

Paul stood, still holding onto Sally's hand. "Please bring forward the first criminal."

Calypso and Rachel sat down next to me but I took a few steps forward, turning around to face the door the person who had everyone so raffled would walk through. To my left was Percy and to my right, reporters and the doors I just walked through.

My heart was beating way to fast as the large heavy doors opened and the cameras started to flash frantically. Once I could see the person I was going to punish, I immediately felt sick.

Time slowed down as he walked down the aisle, ratty clothes hanging off his body. I went numb in all parts of my body as my brain registered who was walking towards me.

There, in chains, being held by two guards, was Luke Castellan.

Luke was breathing heavily, dried blood staining his clothes. The guards dumped him, not gently, just in front of my feet.

Tears brimmed in my eyes as I stared at the face of my hero. Luke. Luke was kneeling in front of me, a criminal at his trial.

He looked up at me and tried to give me a smile, the scar on his face becoming more prominent, trying to help my nerves but it only made it worse.

I looked over at Percy, hardly believing my eyes. His face showed so much helplessness that a single tear fell down my cheek.

My breathing was coming in and out shaky as I turned to face Rachel and Calypso. Both of their faces had paled, their eyes and mouths opened wide as they looked at the boy who had kidnapped me, nearly killed me and then saved me.

This really was happening. I, a Selected lady, was going to have to sentence Luke, a criminal.

I took a deep breath. I remembered what I was here to do. The council didn't believe in me to make the right choice, to not let my emotions get in the way of a serious problem. Half the nation still believes the printed lies the reporter Kelli had come up with. Everyone believed I was weak and not fit to rule because I had been kidnapped for ransom. By doing this, by sentencing this "criminal" I could prove to them all that I would be Queen. I made eye contact with Luke. He knew this too.

The lines that I had read over and over again this morning came back to me. I cleared my throat to get rid of the raw emotion building up in there. "What it your name, criminal?" Both Luke and I flinched at the word criminal. He wasn't just a criminal. He saved us.

"Luke Castellan."

His voice was so weak, fragile. He tried to be strong because he knew that I needed for him to be, but it was obvious some guards had attacked him after I saw him last. All I wanted to do was give him a hug. But I couldn't. Not here. Not now. Maybe never.

"And what is your crime, Luke?"

Even though I knew, it still hurt to hear it.

"Crimes, my lady. Murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, treason-"

"Please. Stop, Luke." I looked off at the door in front of me, not bearing to be able to look at him.

A tear leaked out of my eye, which I quickly brushed away. I couldn't cry just yet. "How do you plead?"

He waited for a moment. "Guilty." His voice broke.

Somewhere in another universe, cameras continued flashing and people kept on talking. It was all muffled. I could only hear and see Luke.

Continuing even though I wanted to run, run with Luke, I asked the question I didn't want to know the answer too.

"What is your sentence?"

I held my breath, with just murder you could be executed. Death is what he would get. Plus all the ones he hasn't said, I feared the worse.

"Death."

And that's what I got. The worse.

He didn't deserve this. He's a hero, without him Percy and I would not be here. Maybe not even alive. He didn't deserve to walk free either. He did some horrible things, but was death really necessary? Years behind bars would be sufficient, where Thalia and I could visit him. We couldn't visit him after his heart stopped beating. Only in our memories. He changed his ways, found a new path and fixed everything he had done. Why was I given this task? All the other girls will be given people who had stolen something or hadn't committed murder.

The man in front of me saved me, broke me, then repaired me.

This is what Percy said I wouldn't be strong enough for. He was right. I'm not strong enough.

How did Sally and Paul have no say in this? How could Percy not have stopped this? How?

Sentence Luke to death. That's what they wanted me to do. Death. He would be dead, I'd never get to see him again. And it would be my fault.

"Annabeth." It was just a whisper. Just enough to get my attention.

I turned my attention to Luke. My heart broke even further.

"Just do it."

I shook my head slightly so no one would notice, only him. I would not do this, not to Luke. It was bad enough I thought I'd have to send someone to jail for stealing food or clothes but this was just beyond the line.

"Annabeth, I don't want to live any longer. I don't want to be trapped in a cell, knowing that I hurt you and Thalia. I can't live with myself."

He was not going to talk me into this. I'll come see him, Thalia, too. He'll have the best for what I can get him. I'll make sure of it. This was not going to happen.

"I'm not going to kill you, Luke." My voice wobbled and I'm pretty sure my feet did too.

He smiled at me, tears started to run down his cheeks. How could I let him die? Surely he doesn't want to leave me. What will I do without him?

I took a deep breath, ready to sentence him to life in prison. But his voice cut me off. His voice changed my life and his.

"Family, Annabeth. You promised."

My breath caught in my throat. Promises are such a powerful thing if lived up too. Ironically, I used that promise to stop Luke from putting a knife through my heart to stop it from beating and now he is using it to stop his heart from beating.

I closed my eyes briefly, feeling the pressure at the back of my head as I held in the waterworks that wanted to burst out of my eyes. Family, Annabeth. You promised.

My lip trembled as I looked down at him once again. He smiled at me and that's all the reassurance I needed.

"L-Luke Castellan." I cleared my throat and stood up taller. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I can do this, I'm Annabeth Chase.

"Luke Castellan," I stated more clearly. "I sentence you to-" My voice started to become shaky again so I paused and took another breath. "-death."

Cameras flashed and recorded. Luke gave me a smile, which I returned. Glad to see him happy even though I just served him his death on a fancy silver plater.

I looked over at Percy. He was staring at me with wide eyes. I could tell he wanted to run over and let me collapse in his arms, but we still had two more Convicting's to sit through.

Even though there was a hurricane inside of me right now, I was clear and calm on the outside.

"Come see me soon Annie," Luke whispered to me.

"Don't worry. You'll get sick of me."

"Never."

He smiled at me one last time before the guards came to escort him away.

Proud that I made him happy I moved back to my seat. I slumped down in my seat and stared straight ahead. I wiped all the emotion off my face as Calypso squeezed my hand tightly before getting up and standing in the same spot I did as before, only she wouldn't have to sentence one of her closest friends.

I didn't pay any attention to Calypso and Rachel. Frankly, I couldn't care less that Calypso sentenced a female rapist to fifteen years in prison and Rachel sentenced a male who had committed multiple crimes of theft and fraud.

We stood up as a three and I led the two other girls in a trance-like state in front of the Royal family. We curtsied and the music started up again.

I was the first one out the doors and as soon as I heard them closed, I dropped to my knees with my head in my hands.

"Oh gods," I muttered. "Oh gods." Fat tears rolled down my cheeks, one after the other until my whole face was saturated.

Rachel and Calypso knelt beside me, a hand on my back whispering comforting words to me. I started to rock back and forth as my chest tightened. It felt like there was a rope tied around my neck, pulling tighter and tighter until there was no air coming through.

My breathing was irregular as I stood up, my hand finding the wall to steady me.

"Annabeth?" I heard Rachel asked.

"Fresh... air." I panted and started to walk down the corridor. "I need...fresh...air."

I heard someone shout "Annabeth!" as I started to run, looking for a door to led me outside. Anything. Anything to get me out of this hell hole.

Footsteps pounded behind me but I just kicked up my skirt and ran as fast as my wobbly legs could carry me. I found a door that had a sign that read "Fire Escape."

I pulled it open with so much force I was surprised that it didn't come off its hinges.

I struggled to get oxygen into my body as I sprinted up the narrow, rickety fire escape.

I heard the door slam further down below me but I was already climbing over the short concrete wall to get on the roof.

Four stories up I had a magnificent view of the River Styx and the city of Angeles. I would have stared but I had other, more important things on my mind.

Tears were falling down my cheeks, some ending up in my mouth making it hard to swallow. My knees gave out from underneath me, and I fell to the concrete roof with a thud. On my knees, my dress fanned out around me.

What was Luke doing now? What was he thinking now? What is Thalia thinking? Is she planning my murder? Who will plan Luke's murder? Who will kill him? I had sentenced him to his death. I had killed him. I had set this fate, this destiny for him. He was to die as punishments for his crimes.

I did that.

Me.

Someone came running towards me and crouched down next to me. They wrapped their arms around my shoulders and pulled me into their lap. I couldn't see anything. My eyesight was blurred by all the tears. My hearing was muffled as my brain processed the one million and one thoughts zooming through my head.

"Shh," They rocked me back and forth. The rope tightened around my throat. My chest felt like it was going to explode from the pressure. "You need to breathe. Shh. I'm here. Breathe, Annabeth. Breathe."

I breathed in through my nose and smelt the cool breeze of the beach and the salt of the water. Percy.

"Oh, Percy." I struggled to get the words out. It felt like there was a boulder lodged at the back of my throat.

"I'm here." His hand moved soothingly on my hair and lower back.

"What have I-have I done?" I hiccuped. "I just killed him!"

"No, no, no. You didn't kill him. You haven't killed him."

"I killed him!" I screamed into his chest. "I put a bullet in his head! I strung a rope around his throat!"

I pushed him hard on the chest. Not expecting it, Percy fell back down with a thud.

I stood up and threw my hands in the air. "I killed-I KILLED LUKE CASTELLAN!"

It was like the gods wanted the whole city to know how I felt. The dark clouds that I had seen earlier opened up, small droplets of rain falling down to earth. It started off light then grew heavier and heavier until it was pouring down rain. The first rainfall of the summer.

My hands came flying up to my face as I shook my head until I felt dizzy. Percy got up from the ground and wrapped his arms around the middle of my torso. He drew me in.

The rain quickly soaked us. My dress started to weight a lot, and Percy's hair stuck to his forehead. The water cooled my hot skin.

"Why didn't you try to stop it?" I asked weakly.

"I tried," Percy muttered into my ear. "I tried everything I could. I begged and pleaded. I threaten them and even punched Hera in the nose. I couldn't do anything."

My tears blended in with the rain on my cheeks. If someone came up here right now and looked at my face, they would have no idea that I had been crying. "I'm a terrible human being, aren't I?"

The feeling of guilt mixed in with dread and grief was like a stone in my gut. It was heavy and I could still feel it's presence as my breathing returned back to normal. I had a feeling that the stone would only grow more until it suffocated me, and even if it didn't, the stone would be there forever. A reminder of the deed I had done.

"You're not a terrible human being," He rested his forehead on mine and searched my eyes. "Actually, I think you're one of the best there is. He'll understand. He feels weighed down by the guilt of what he did even worse than what you a feeling right now. In a sick, twisted sort of way, you are freeing him."

I was suddenly glad that Justine had decided on no mascara. If she had put some on my eyelashes, it would be running down my cheeks leaving black streaks behind it by now.

"I'm such a mess," I wiped my nose with the back of my hand.

Percy leant down just an inch and whispered in my ear the words that made me feel like I was flying. The stone was still in my stomach, and it weighed me down, but my feet were still off the ground. "You look perfect, Wise Girl."

He started to rock us to the side as the tears came streaming down my face again. Left, right, left, right. It was calming. I could feel the steady beat of his heart, and I could hear the pit-pat of the rain hitting concrete. I could smell the sea when I breathed in, and the rocking motion made me feel like I was out at sea, on a small boat with Percy. Out at sea, safe with the love of my life.

We stayed standing there in the pouring rain until I didn't feel so rattled and shaken. Which was a very long time. The temperature was still warm outside, so the rain didn't make us shiver in cold. My hair fell in stringy clumps and my dress weighed a tonne from all the water it had absorbed. I thought about how Alicia and Justine would react, but then I thought about how they would react to Luke and I knew that they would forgive me pretty quickly.

Percy helped me down the stairs of the fire escape and when we reached the door I kissed him on lips. "Thank you for being here."

He kissed me again. "I'm always here for you."

We walked hand in hand down the long corridors until we found his family huddled together near the lobby.

Sally looked up at us and her mouth flew open in shock. "What happened?" She came rushing over, her dress swishing around her and enveloped me in her arms. She didn't care that I was soaking wet, she only cared about me. "How are you feeling, dear? I am so sorry."

Paul came over and out a hand on my back. "They were pretty determined. We tried, honey. We really did."

I wiped a stray tear from my cheek. "I'll get there, eventually. I'm more worried about Luke than I am me."

Sally cupped my cheek. "He'll go peacefully. We'll make sure of that."

I closed my eyes and imagined Luke dead. The stone grew into a rock.

"I think it's best if she gets home," Percy took my hand. "She needs a cup of tea and a book."

Sally nodded, still looking at me as she answered her son. "Yes, yes. Of course. Why don't you two take the car that's in the basement? We don't want the press seeing you like this."

I stumbled after Percy towards a staircase going down. I got in the car through the door that he opened for me. I cuddled against his side as the engine started and the tears started to fall silently down my cheeks as the driver pressed down on the accelerator.

Percy took me up to his room and he quickly showered and got changed into casual clothes. I stared blankly at the wall. I showered in my room after Alicia and Justine peeled off my dress. They both hugged me tightly when they first saw me and didn't comment on the dress. They were silent as they helped me dress again. Alicia ran off to get me a cup of tea and Percy opened his arms. I stayed in them until nightfall.

"Where is he now?"

"Back in his old cell. He won't be moved for a while."

"I want to see him." I tried to stand up but Percy pulled me back down onto the bed.

"No. You both need time to think. How are you feeling?" Just his presence calmed me in a way a cup of tea and a book could not.

"Numb."

He nodded in understanding and closed his eyes. He fell asleep pretty quickly.

It was still raining outside as I tossed and turned for hours. The rock wasn't leaving and it was keeping me from sleeping. I tried everything an when I did finally fall asleep, even if it was only for a little bit, there was only one person on my mind.

Luke.

Word count: 7591

Massive chapter!

Please don't kill me.

I'm sad. That was a sad chapter. I've planned that since the start, and now that I've written it I'm realising that this is the second last chapter. Can you believe that? Two more chapters. Crazy times. 

So many people praising me for this fic and my writing. If there was a stronger word than thank you, I would say it to you.

Have a lovely weekend my favourite people in the world!

- Squirrel