If Annabeth had been stabbed w/ the poisoned knife in a more fatal place. Part 1 of 2.

Percy sat completely still for once in his life, his arms wrapped around his knees, his armor hanging off of him loosely because he couldn't bother to tighten it. He knew he was needed out in battle, but he had to wait. He was distracted at the moment. Distracted with worry that weighed down on his chest.

Annabeth had been stabbed earlier that day, right in the side. At first, Percy payed no mind to it besides a few minutes of anxiety. Annabeth was strong.

Then, he got the call from Will Solace. Annabeth was dying. The knife she had taken for him was poisoned, and it was killing her. Percy left the battle immediately and demanded to see her. Will wouldn't let him in, instead saying that she had more of a chance to survive if there was no one loitering around as the Apollo campers tried to heal her.

The door opened to the room Annabeth was in and Will walked out, looking around as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. He spotted Percy next to the door. And Percy knew the look in his eyes.

"Percy... We tried..." Will kneeled next to the boy, looking down at his hands. They were tinted red.

"She's not dead." Percy said, shaking his head. Will looked up. "I would've known."

"She's dying, Percy. And quickly." Will added the last part, "You don't... It's not..." He squeezed his eyes shut, "Percy, it's not a good idea to go in there. Seeing someone you... Love... Dying." Will balled his hands into fists.

Percy ignored him, walking past him and into the room Annabeth was in. She lay on s futon, her face paler than he'd ever seen it, her eyes closed and you could see the veins crossing down her eyelids. He slowly walked forward, trying to keep his eyes away from the wound on her side.

"Annabeth?" The door closed behind him and he suspected that Will was giving him some privacy. Annabeth didn't respond, so he slowly took her hand that dangled off of the couch. He kneeled next to her, watching as she breathed ever so slightly in her sleep, "Annabeth, you have to wake up, okay?" He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. She still said nothing.

"Annabeth, we need you. I need you. Please." Moisture was gathering in his eyes and his voice was raw with emotion, "Just open your eyes, please. I know you'll call me a cry baby, a wimp, but that's what I am. Please." Annabeth still didn't wake up, so he put his hand against the side of her face. She was burning up with fever, probably from how much nectar they'd given her.

"Please... Wake up... Okay?" Percy cleared his throat, "You were right. I'm a coward... I didn't tell you how I felt, and I'm so sorry." He closed his eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks heavily, "But I'll say it now... I promise you..."

He looked up to see whether she was awake yet, then continued, "Please... I love you, Annabeth. I love you so freaking much..." He was shaking now, disbelief over taking his system. Annabeth was still and silent, not saying anything.

"I love you, please. Please come back to me. Please." Percy wiped his eyes and when he looked up, Annabeth's eyes were open too.

"Annabeth?" He asked, looking her straight in the eyes. Annabeth blinked, her chest rattling as she struggled to breathe.

"Hurts..." She said hoarsely. Percy felt a stab of guilt. Here he was, feeling sorry for himself and begging her to come back, but she was in more pain than he was.

"I know, Wise Girl. You have to fight through it." Percy said quietly, reaching up to cradle her face then pulling back, blushing slightly, "Sorry." He said.

"No." Annabeth said, "I... Have to go..." Tears were rolling down her cheeks as well, and Percy felt a knife slice his heart.

"What? No!" He shook his head, "No! I love you! Please, stay!" He stepped closer slightly watching as she looked over him quickly.

"Kill him for me." She said quietly, "Kill Kronos. Don't let my death get in your..." She started shaking, her words trailing off, and then she stopped suddenly.

"Annabeth?" Percy whispered, a cold metal rod puncturing his wind pipe, or so it felt. She didn't respond, but stared at him without seeing, "Annabeth! No! No!" He grabbed her shoulder, leaning over her slightly to try and hear if she was breathing. There was nothing.

His heart was hammering against his chest as he slowly closed his eyes, taking her in his arms and slowly trying to convince himself she'd be all right. Which was stupid. She wasn't all right. She was...

He started sobbing. Like, that ugly, heartbroken sobbing that's punctuated with hiccups and pleas to the gods.

Eventually, he was dragged out of the room by Connor and Travis, kicking and screaming that she was still alive. He was hysterical, and ended up giving Travis a black eye in his struggle. Chiron galloped over, taking Percy's face in his hands and saying something that was probably supposed to be comforting, but Percy couldn't hear it over the roaring in his head and his screaming.

Eventually, The Stolls were apparently told to put him somewhere that he couldn't hurt himself or others, or get to Annabeth, because they shoved him in an empty supply closet where he collapsed in a heap.

"What happened?" Chiron asked as the Stolls bolted the door. The two slowly turned, their heads bowed.

"Annabeth." Travis said, holding his eye, "She's gone."

Chiron stared at them, then slowly closed his eyes. He took a shuddering breath, "No..." He said softly, "She's here. With all of us. With Percy, especially. Don't let yourself ever think that she'd be anywhere else." Chiron looked pained, "She will always live on through the love we held for her in our hearts..."

///

His mother was scared when she woke up, sure, but not as scared as she was when she heard her son was locked inside a supply closet.

She followed Chiron back to the building, walking through the front doors where an air of despair settled over her. Eyes followed her as Chiron led her to the door where Percy had been held for three hours now, since anytime the door opened he'd try to run out and toward the room where Annabeth had been when she died, even though she was no longer currently there.

"What happened, Chiron?" Sally asked as they approached the door. Chiron's face was drooping and but he kept a strong façade.

"I trust you know Annabeth Chase?" He slowed to a stop. Sally nodded, her face becoming worried.

"Is she alright?" She asked softly. Chiron looked down.

"Ms. Chase passed away earlier this morning. Poisoned knife in battle." Chiron said lowly, looking into Sally's shocked eyes, "Percy... Percy is hysterical. He won't talk to anyone. He tried to attack several people. He is unfit for battle. We were hoping you could help him..."

Sally blinked away her tears, nodding. Just before she reached for the handle, Chiron placed his hand on her arm, "It is best not to mention Annabeth. Even just her name... It makes him go crazy."

"He loved her." Sally said, her voice soft. Chiron smiled.

"I have no doubt about it."

///

Percy was better after his mother came and held him close, shushing his cries like he was a little baby. But he couldn't force the guilt out of his heart. That knife was meant for him. Not Annabeth. She'd still be alive if he hadn't been selfish in not watching his own back. If he hadn't been so confident in his new abilities. It was his fault.

He couldn't get her glossy look out of his head, the way her grey eyes, once stormy and beautiful, were glazed and unseeing.

So, when he was deemed okay by the Apollo campers, Percy was allowed to fight again. And his guilt fueled him. He sliced through every monster ten feet away from him, he stormed to the Empire State Building, and the very first thing he did was convince his father to go help the other Olympians.

Then, after a long battle, Luke was in the Empire State Building. Thalia, Grover, and Percy all stormed into the council room, hands clutching weapons, ready.

Ethan Nakamura attacked Percy, and Percy saw the same eye that he had seen when Annabeth had been stabbed. Ethan. Ethan had killed her.

Ignoring Grover's talk about not harming the demigods that he'd heard before, Percy let out a battle cry and stabbed Ethan straight through the gut. The boy looked shocked, his eyes wide as he stumbled backwards.

"Percy!" Grover screamed, fear in his gaze, "Why'd you kill him?"

"He killed her." Percy's voice shook with rage, Grover looked him in the eyes, "He killed Annabeth."

Ethan lay on the floor, dying, and Kronos stepped over him, eyes gold. It didn't take long for the Titan to be killed, as there were three enraged people, two of them powerful demigods, against him.

Soon, Luke lay on the ground, taking his last breaths.

"Annabeth..." He gasped, looking around. He met eyes with Percy, "Where is she?"

Percy didn't blink. "Dead." He responded, his voice devoid of any emotion. Luke lay his head back on the ground, a single tear running down his cheek.

Thalia closed her eyes as all life left him.