It's been too long.

Usually Annabeth let out all the bad emotions inside of her on a dummy, or sometimes on Leo (if she was really, really annoyed,) but never before she had to bottle up her anger and frustration for such a long and never before did she lose control so much that she ended up throwing all her feelings at the one person she shouldn't burden with them: Percy.

After the words had been spoken and the realization settled inside his head, a heavy silence fell upon them, growing more excruciating to Annabeth by the minute.

She already regretted what she just yelled at her boyfriend, but her pride didn't let her withdraw the angry expression on her face.

Percy had turned away his head as if he was re-thinking his entire life. Probably he wondered if he could dump a girl in the middle of hell or he was asking himself, why he had been so stupid to fall in a pit of endless evil with a girl that couldn't even control her own feelings.

Annabeth readied herself for being yelled at, but nothing came. Instead, Percy just glanced at her and turned away, walking -or rather limping- into the darkness.

If she could have chosen, she would have preferred him attacking her any day.

Because this look... This look took down her pride in less than a second. His eyes had turned from the beautiful, twinkling seagreen into the color of a gorge at the bottom of the ocean. So hopeless and empty with no sign of life in it.

She had broken him. Probably permanently.

Every bit of energy that had been left in her maltreated body disappeared immediately. She wanted to curl up on the stone floor and never get up, but even though he didn't want her help at the moment, she still needed to look out for him. She needed to help him. She had to get him out of here, no matter what.

Percy's figure had disappeared from her view but Annabeth could still hear his feet scrape across the floor. She shook her arms and head trying to focus. She had to put aside everything so she could concentrate.

She was a child of Athena.

With firm steps, she hurried after Percy, not slowing down when she caught up with him.

"Come on, we need to find a safe spot to rest." her voice sounded not quite right and she was sure that Percy caught it but he didn't say anything about it.

In fact, he remained completely silent. He only followed whenever Annabeth made a turn.

The tunnels never ended, sometimes they would grow wider or narrower. One or two times they crossed big open places, but they always stuck the black stone walls so the monsters wouldn't have too many advantages.

An attack didn't happen.

Maybe two or three hours later, Annabeth finally spotted a small niche behind two rocks that would disguise them completely and, hopefully, provide them with enough protection to keep out the big monsters.

She stored the almost empty backpack inside and grabbed one of the blankets they had found in a car's trunk. Percy didn't speak a word. He lay down on the cold floor and turned his back to her, emphasizing that he didn't want to talk.

Annabeth watched him from the corner of her eyes. He had curled up like a battered animal and she felt the overwhelming need to comfort him.

She averted her eyes, not being able to bear the look anymore.

The small gap behind the rocks suddenly seemed even smaller to her. Her lungs felt as if they were running out of oxygen. Something weighed her down. She felt claustrophobic. The guilt was cornering her.

"I need to stretch my legs," she said abruptly and squeezed herself out into the tunnel.

Percy didn't say anything.

The air down here was terrible. It was cold, but not in a refreshing way. More in a freezing-to-death-way of cold. The disgusting smell of monsters was stuck to Annabeth's nose.

She walked down the tunnel, her mind circling around Percy.

How would she be able to go through all this with Percy not even talking to her? How could she keep sane if she has lost her only connection to her old life. Percy was her reminder that there was something to fight for. He was the epitome of everything good in the world: her Dad, Camp Half-Blood, her friends, the smell of strawberries on a Summer's morning. He was connected, inseparable, to her vitality.

So how was she able to go on if she had lost everything already?

She blinked one- just one time- and in the next second, she was smashed against the wall.

The air was forced out of her lungs and she slumped dazed and confused to the ground. She blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears of pain and to get a view of her situation.

She couldn't see the monster but she heard an eagle's cry and the soft thud of paws mixed with scraping of a chicken.

Eagle, paws, scraping, eagle, paws, scraping.

"Griffin!" Annabeth yelled and jumped to her feet while she pulled the dagger from her belt.

The Griffin was standing across from her, its head tilting from one side to the other and its eyes watching her curiously. It took a step towards her and Annabeth lifted her dagger threateningly.

Even though it wasn't the best time for it, Annabeth had to admire the monster. It was one of the most fascinating she had ever faced: Its head and the front was a proud eagle with a big, sharp bill and brown feather that looked soft and smooth. The hindquarters were the one's of a lion. It had big paws, golden fur and a flickering tail. It was just fascinating: the symbol of liberty and the king of the animals mixed into one powerful monster that was, sadly, trying to kill Annabeth any moment now.

Like it had followed her thoughts, the Griffin let out a blood freezing cry and lifted its wings in a sign of threat. A forked tongue peaked from its mouth.

Within a second, the Griffin jumped at Annabeth with full force. She had barely enough time to threw herself to the ground before the monster swept past her.

She rolled to the side, back on her feet and went into combat position while the Griffin orientated itself again. The half-bird half-lion turned back before it lifted into the air with ease letting out another screech.

Seeing that she was clearly in disadvantage, Annabeth had only one plan left.

She ran as fast as she could.

But the Griffin didn't have any problem by keeping up with her. It had an amazing speed and flew even more graceful than any pegasi.

Her feet slammed into the floor and her angle protested painfully when she pushed herself even faster. The Griffin tried to grab her but Annabeth was swift. She avoided its razor sharp claws and ran in a zigzag to make the Griffin dizzy.

But after five minutes of that, she came to the conclusion that the Griffin wouldn't go dizzy. While Annabeth felt herself becoming slower, the monster seemed to be enjoying itself, making flips in mid-air.

She clicked her tongue in annoyance and rolled her eyes.

And, of course, she stumbled over a rock.

Her head slammed against the soil. Her vision blurred.

She rolled onto her back which was a bad idea because in the next moment, the Griffin landed on top of her with its claws sinking into her shoulder blades.

The full weight of the two parted body weighed on Annabeth's chest, cutting off her air passages. She coughed and felt for her dagger but she couldn't find it. Probably it was under the lion's butt sitting on top of her.

Squirming, she tried to escape but nothing would work.

Tears sprang to her eyes.

She wasn't afraid of dying. She just felt horrible dying in the thought that she had let down Percy. She loved him and never wanted to hurt him because of nothing.

The Griffin was picking at her hair carefully like it still had to decide whether it would kill her first or just start eating with her dying in the process. Suddenly it lifted it's head abruptly and Annabeth was sure that this was it, when suddenly something slammed into the Griffin pulling it from her chest.

Gasping for air and squirming on the floor, Annabeth tried to see what has happened when the disgusting smell of sulfur filled her nostrils and she knew that the Griffin had been killed.

Two hands hoisted her up and Annabeth cried out in pain because her head felt as if it was exploding.

"Oh gods, Annabeth." She has never enjoyed hearing his voice so much but the excruciating headache made it hard to concentrate.

Percy put her down on the floor again and carefully turned her to face him. She wished she could see clearly but her sight was still foggy and she couldn't make out more than shapes and shadows.

Tears of pain ran down her face.

"What can I do?" he whispered in a lower voice that didn't hurt so much inside her head. "Please tell me there is something I can do."

Annabeth opened her mouth and an entire new wave of tears made its way from her eyes.

"Don't talk." Percy ordered nervously. "Annabeth, I know it hurts a lot but I have to carry you back to our camp."

She opened her mouth again, but he shushed her already, "You know we can't stay here. Other monsters might be on their way."

He lifted her up tenderly and placed her head on his shoulder so that it wouldn't lull around too much. Annabeth tried not to sob and hoped that she would black out, but before that she pulled herself together for just a moment.

She opened her mouth for the third time and all her pride forgotten, she whispered, "I'm sorry. For everything."

Percy brushed a kiss on her forehead. "I know. It's not the first time you were that charming."

"Oh shut up."

Annabeth's eyes dropped closed but she could literally feel Percy smirking down at her.

Searching for a Beta who checks one-shots like this (probably a little shorter than this one). PM me if you're interested.

OHH and review please?