The only times I think it would have made sense for Percabeth to get together is in BoTL and TLO for obvious reasons, so I'm going to do ANOTHER of these writing out how they could have gotten together in BoTL!!! It's in Mt St Helens! Kinda sad, sorry, but it gets better. Warning, kinda long and I wrote this at like midnight so it's kinda crappy at first. I wrote the second half of it while I was actually fully awake, so maybe it's better!

She kissed him.

Percy would later describe it as shocking that she'd kissed him, but right then, his brain had short circuited. The kiss wasn't short or long, but Percy thought she'd pulled away too quickly.

He had thought before that she was pretty, beautiful even, and he kinda had a little crush on her, though he'd never admit it. He pulled her back and kissed her again, not caring that they were in imminent danger.

"I'm staying." She said shortly when they pulled away. He hadn't expected that, but was too fuzzy in his head to argue. She could take care of herself. Annabeth put on her invisibility cap but since they were still close, Percy could feel her presence. They both stood. He wanted to be able to see her, but knew that the cap would keep her safe.

He wished he'd forced her to leave...

///

Percy
He stepped off the raft, automatically going towards the sounds of speaking. He had to find her. That was all he could think of as he was on Ogygia. Annabeth had to be alive.

As he stepped towards the sounds, everything went silent. Malcolm and Beckendorf stood on the stage, Beckendorf talking about how brave Percy was. It was his funeral.

"He was a great friend..." The boy cut off and stared wide eyed at the figure in the doorway.

Percy first person (Whoops, I started writing in 3rd person!)
I was looking at the crowd as I tried to find her. Everyone was hugging me, asking me where I went, but something was wrong. I glanced at Malcolm, who had a hard look on his face. He was angry.

In his hands was a beautiful burial shroud. Grey with owls patterned onto it in black. The sight of it made my heart stop. Malcolm was gripping it so tightly, it looked like it would rip. His eyes were filled with unshed tears.

Child of Athena's Final Stand

I sunk to the floor. It wasn't real. While I had been eating berries and stew, resting on the beach and in meadows, chatting with a girl on a luxury island, Annabeth was dead.

I remembered how it felt when she kissed me and my heart squeezed. Someone was stabbing me repeatedly through the chest with a cold knife. Everyone gave me space, Chiron coming over.

"Percy... We thought you were dead..." He tried to explain. My eyes were trained on Malcolm as he stormed over to me.

"Why didn't you save her?" The tone of his voice was angry. I knew Annabeth was closest to Malcolm over all her siblings, I knew he was mad. All I could do was sit there, grief apparent in every atom of my body. I remembered this from losing my mom, but it was worse than that. I didn't have any hope.

"You're the reason she's dead." Malcolm was openly crying now. "Child of Athena's final stand, huh?" He lunged at me, but Chiron caught his arm and towed him backwards.

"Now is not the time. Percy, please come with me." Even Chiron looked beat up. Bags were under his red rimmed eyes. He'd practically raised Annabeth.

Even thinking her name hurt. She was my best friend. Maybe... Maybe more, after the kiss in the volcano, but I'd never see her again.

I obeyed Chiron and followed him numbly towards the Big House. He sat me down on the couch and paced in front of me. He talked about Ogygia, and I numbly nodded in response. He sighed.

"Percy... I suppose you should know why we were hosting a funeral service." I didn't respond. He sighed again. "You see... We didn't think there'd be any survivors after the mountain exploded." My heart wrenched. "But you were sent to Ogygia. I also regret to inform you that neither Grover or Tyson returned. You are the last one." That made me feel worse. I knew Chiron wouldn't sugar coat it, but he could've at least lied a bit.

"My brother, my friend, and my.... Uh,
Other friend," Chiron almost smiled, "are all dead. Just like that..." The realization made me feel something... I knew I'd had feelings for Annabeth, but now I knew how powerful they were. Losing Grover made everything feel wrong. Losing Tyson made my heart ache. Losing Annabeth made the world seem dim, worthless.

If the gods could allow this to happen to me, who knows what will happen later on. For the first time, I understood why maybe Luke hated the gods. They were unfair.

Chiron said he'd call for my mom. That she'd take me home. It wasn't safe, but he knew how much pain I was having. I just needed her.

When she arrived, Chiron guided me out of the door and onto the porch. I looked at the floorboards. It was strange how a couple slabs of worn wood could make me want to sob.

I didn't say anything as my mom came and wrapped her arms around me.

"What happened, are you okay?" She tried to look me in the eyes. I turned away, knowing I'd cry.

"Ms Jackson, I regret to inform you that... One of his friends has passed on, and two are missing. He's having a hard time."

"Who?" She asked softly. I looked at the ground.

"Annabeth Chase, I'm afraid, was the one who passed on. Grover and Tyson are both missing." I blinked back tears. My mom wrapped me in a hug, but I didn't move. If I did, I'd start sobbing like a baby.

My mom wrapped her arms around me and slowly lead me down the hill towards Paul who was waiting silently in the car.

///

It was about two days later when I had the nightmare. Flashes of Grover and Tyson being crushed under rocks. All of that was painful, of course, but not as bad as the next few. I saw Annabeth dying. A sword through her stomach, her neck being snapped, smushed by terrain, falling into lava, beaten by telkhines, dissolved by a curse, poisoned by a sword, you name it. It was by far the worst experience I had ever had. I'd rather hold up the sky for days, anything but this.

I knew it was just a dream, but I still screamed for her. I missed her. Grover and Tyson returned the day before, having escaped the Labyrinth by some miracle, but Annabeth was still gone. I missed her so badly. I wished I'd saved her.

I was woken up with my mom cradling my face in her hands. My heart felt like lead. "Mom?" I asked. She sobbed, hugging me.

"I thought you were being attacked! You were yelling and screaming for...." She trailed off. I stayed quiet, I knew she was about to say Annabeth.

"Mom... I miss her so much." Tears were rolling down my face. She rubbed my back slowly.

"Percy... I know you do... But... I..." She took a deep breath. "Did you love her?" I stayed quiet, thinking about it. I'd had a crush on her. But the feelings I had were confusing. I was only fifteen, but what I felt when Annabeth was around was dazing. Those emotions had escalated when she died.

"Yeah... I did..." I took several breaths. I expected my mom to not believe me, but she nodded and kissed my head.

"I knew it..." She said triumphantly. I chuckled slightly. Finally, after my mom and I talked for a few minutes, I drifted off to sleep.

///
(This is the second half. Hopefully it's better because I'm now actually awake! Sorry if something confusing happened in the first half, I was barely sane when I wrote it. I have no recollection of writing it, so)

My mom and I sat eating dinner when the doorbell rang. At first, I didn't want to leave my delicious pile of spaghetti, but my mom made me get up. I did so, wiping tomato sauce onto the sleeve of my blue shirt.

"Use a napkin!" My mother scolded, grinning. I rolled my eyes, still feeling out of place. It still wasn't the same without Annabeth. My episode last night had proven that.

I opened the door, expecting to see a salesman or delivery man, but instead I saw an exhausted demigod with twigs in her lemon colored hair and bruises littering her arms and neck. My breath caught. She was supposed to be dead.

But there she was, in all her glory, standing at the doorstep of my apartment. Annabeth Chase. She looked ready to collapse, but my voice wouldn't work.

"Who is it?" My mom called to me. Annabeth pitched forward, groaning. I think she was meaning to run inside, but she fell forward immediately. I caught her, a shocked 'Annabeth?' Coming from my mouth. Her knife fell from her hand and I saw it was covered with monster dust.

My mom ran in at the sound of knife against floor, surprised when she saw a half dead blonde in my arms. I picked Annabeth up bridal style, closing the door with my foot. My mom bolted it. I was surprised to how light my best friend was. I wondered if she'd gotten to eat anything.

"Put her on the couch!" My mom ordered. That's what I loved about my mom. She didn't ask questions about my demigod life. She just rolled with it and tried to do her best to help.

I did as she said, running to my room afterwards to grab nectar and ambrosia. My mom had a wet wash rag in her hand and was trying to clean leaves out of the cuts on Annabeth's arm. The girl cried out, making me startle and almost drop the little bit of nectar I had.

"What are you doing?" I asked. I didn't want Annabeth to be hurt, or in pain. My mom glanced up with me and saw the worry.

"Cleaning her cuts so they won't be infected. What are you doing?" It was her turn to be shocked as I gently pulled Annabeth into a half sitting position, held her up with my arm, and dropped some ambrosia on her arm, which had a long gash in it. She tensed, still passed out, and I tried to be as gentle as possible.

"Shhh, be still Wise Girl! You're as annoying as before!" She opened one eye and glared at me.

"And you're still as stupid as before, Seaweed Brain." She mumbled. I would've been insulted, but I was too overjoyed that she was alive. I laughed, grinning.

"Why, thank you!" She scoffed, wincing as my mom wrapped her arm. I realized I was still sitting with my arm around her and moved. I kneeled beside my mom and gave Annabeth some ambrosia. She ate it, and immediately looked better. I mean, she looked really good with monster dust and battle scars on her, but she looked even better when she didn't look like she was about to die.

My mom left to grab some water and wet another wash rag, so I sat on a cushion in front of the couch Annabeth laid on. I rested my head on the side and looked at her sleeping. I'd thought I'd never get to see her again. I thought she was gone. Seeing her again made me happier than I could ever be.

After making sure my mom wasn't within an earshot, I grabbed Annabeth's hand.

"I missed you, Wise Girl." She didn't move, so I assumed she was still asleep. I sat there for another few minutes, slowly tracing shapes onto Annabeth's hand. The relief she was alive felt like it would lift me from the ground. I refused to take my eyes off her. Even blinking was a risk that she'd disappear.

While I waited, I examined her closely, worried she was hurt even worse. Her arms still had bruises on them, but they were rapidly fading. She had a cut above her eyebrow that my mom had washed, and it was healing over rather quickly, her lip was still busted making blood shine over her mouth.

I had been on enough quests with Annabeth to know what she looked like while sleeping. She was always peaceful, the tolls of being a demigod washed off her face. But now she was tensed, rigid like she was expecting someone to attack her in her sleep. She didn't move an inch, like she was afraid too. I wondered what happened to her.

And then came the guilt. I lifted my other arm and touched her cheek lightly with my fingers where a large bruise was. I was the cause of this. I didn't go to rescue her, I didn't save her.

It was like someone had impaled my heart with a cold sword. Annabeth didn't move as I laid my head beside her waist, placing her hand over my cheek and holding it there. I felt an immediate change as Annabeth relaxed slightly. That made me feel better.

I stayed there until my mom came back with the rag. She seemed to pause for a moment before deciding.

"She needs a place to sleep... Take her to your room Percy, you can sleep on the floor." I was slightly shocked., but then I realized why she probably was allowing this. Otherwise, she'd never have let Annabeth and I sleep in the same room.

Whatever was wrong with Annabeth, it was serious. She needed me to guard her. We were two powerful demigods, if a monster attacked (which was very likely) if Annabeth wasn't with me, she could die.

///

I carried Annabeth into my room and placed her softly on my blue sheets. The sight of Annabeth laying in my bed was shocking, but it didn't overpower the guilt I still harbored. My mom spread a sleeping bag on the floor and I nestled into it, Riptide at hand. I didn't plan on sleeping tonight. It was my job to protect her.

My mom left the door open and escaped to her own room, probably collapsing after today's toils. Annabeth still didn't wake up.

I sat with my back to the bed, watching the city lights from outside my window. Everything was peaceful. I didn't uncap Riptide, afraid that the glow would wake up the Daughter of Athena, but I was ready for anything.

The only thing I wasn't ready for, was a rustle coming from behind me. I spun around, watching as Annabeth sat up slightly, panting terribly. Before I knew what was happening, she curled her knees to her chest and put her face in her arms. I stood, sitting hesitantly on the edge of the bed and wrapping an arm around her. I realized she was crying.

"Percy?" She asked, looking up at me. I nodded and wrapped her in my arms, holding her to my chest. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach and I felt myself blush. She was still curled into me, her arms wrapped around my neck. I held her tightly, not wanting to let go. My own tears sparkled on her lemon colored hair.

"Gods Annabeth. Do you have any idea how much I missed you?" My voice was rough, filled with relief. She held on to me like I was the only thing keeping her from flying away. My eyes met hers. Grey sparkled in the dim light coming from my window.

I don't know who kissed who, but the next thing I know, my lips are firmly on hers, her fingers in my hair, and my arms snaked around her waistband. It was a slow kiss, but full of relief and something else. Love.

Percy didn't want to pull away, but he did. If his mom walked in, she'd go crazy. There was a silence. Long and slightly awkward. Percy broke it before he could lose any confidence.

"Do you... Like, want to go see a movie sometime?" Annabeth stayed silent for a moment, then sleepily grinned up at him, making the butterflies in his stomach stir.

"Two demigods watching a cliché movie and eating popcorn?" She laughed. "Sounds good to me."