AN: Hey guys, it's good to be writing again, and I think I will be returning to my first story sooner or later, so don't worry about that. This is an idea that's been floating around in my head for a while, and I think I'll find a way to make it Percy/Zoe, since it's obvious from this first chapter that Percabeth isn't going to happen in this story. The title is based off some ideas I've had on where this story could eventually go, but it's still a work in progress, so it's very possible that it could change. Follow and/or favorite this story to keep an eye on it as it grows. I hope you like it!

Chapter 1: Betrayal

"Where . . . where is the spot?" Annabeth asked quietly. Percy knew he wasn't supposed to tell anyone, but this was Annabeth. If he couldn't trust her, he couldn't trust anyone.

"The small of my back," he said, and guided her hand to the one spot that kept him anchored to the mortal world: where she kept him anchored to the mortal world. His body shivered at her touch and he realized how important Annabeth was to him. He was all but invincible and she had still managed to save his life.

"Are you okay, Percy?" she asked, and he realized that he had been staring. He shook his head and laughed.

"No, I am not okay; not as long as you're still injured." He squeezed her hand reassuringly and brushed a few strands of hair off her face. "Go to sleep, Annabeth," he said gently, and she closed her eyes.

Percy stood over a prostrate figure in the throne room of Olympus. He looked down into the golden eyes of Luke, still possessed by Kronos, and stabbed down onto his chest, hoping to get a lucky strike on his vulnerable spot. Kronos caught the blade with his hand and ripped it out of Percy's grasp. Kronos kicked Percy in the chest, breaking several ribs. Kronos got to his feet and slashed at Percy, who was still on the ground, but Annabeth jumped between them and caught the blow with the hilt of her knife.

Annabeth's eyes were wet with tears but there was a steely look of determination in her eyes. "Luke, please. Your mother saw your fate. I know what she saw. You have to trust me."

"Service to Kronos!" Luke roared. "This is my fate!" With those words, he struck her in the face with his free hand, knocking her across the room and slamming her into the wall of the throne room. She coughed up some blood and dropped her dagger on the ground.

"You're holding him back even now. Luke, please listen to me" she begged, showing her unarmed hands. The look of determination in her eyes was gone, replaced by a look of extreme sorrow. "I love you, Luke," she whispered, as Kronos stepped toward her

"Annabeth!" he gasped, but it wasn't Kronos' voice, it was Luke's. He staggered forward and dropped to his knees in front of her. His grip on his sword loosened and Percy came up behind him and knocked it out of his hand. Immediately, Luke's expression changed from surprised to enraged as he turned around to look at Percy. Percy swept Kronos' legs out from under him and stood over him, groaning with pain from his broken ribs.

Luke trembled for a moment before he regained control of his body and stayed on the ground. He clenched his teeth as he unlatched the side straps of his armor, and pointed to a spot on the left side of his chest. Percy's eyes widened as he realized what Luke was showing him, and he raised his sword to destroy Kronos.

Annabeth looked on in shock, not realizing the significance of what was happening until Percy was ready to stab Luke. "Percy, NO!" she shouted, trying to stagger to her feet, her mind still foggy from the trauma to her head and the

Percy looked at her, his normally bright green eyes clouded and darkened with sorrow, and he said something so quietly, Annabeth could barely hear him: I'm so sorry. With that, he turned back toward Luke, and Annabeth, in her desperation, scooped up her dagger, staggered to her feet, and did the one thing that could stop Percy from killing Luke: she drove her knife through his vulnerable spot in the small of his back.

Percy arched his back in agony and let out an ear-piercing scream before he slumped to the floor, blood pouring out of his back. Annabeth took a step back and her eyes widened as her hysteria dissipated. "Oh, gods, what have I done?" she murmured as her eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled with barely-contained emotion. She fell to her knees and her bloody knife clattered to the ground next to Luke.

Luke reached his arm out slowly, and wrapped his hand around the handle of Annabeth's knife. "I love you too, Annabeth," he whispered, and drove her knife into his chest. He cried out in pain, and his eyes glowed like twin furnaces. An aura of golden light surrounded him, growing brighter and brighter, before the essence of Kronos left him in an explosive blast, knocking Annabeth off her feet.

Percy saw the blast of light and the destruction of Kronos with half-opened eyes. The last thing his eyes saw before he closed them for the last time was the throne room doors being blown off their hinges as the Olympians stormed inside in full war regalia, expecting a battle. What they found instead was Annabeth kneeling over the broken and bloody body of Luke, sobbing at the loss of the man she loved, and the guilt that she had just killed her best friend.

AN: That's all for now, but more will be coming shortly! If you liked it, leave a review saying why, and if you didn't like it, leave a review saying why. I want all the feedback I can get! I have some ideas of where I want this to go, but most of it is completely flexible, so I would LOVE to hear your opinions and ideas about where this should go next! I want Chaos to pop up pretty soon, but, again, my heart isn't completely set on anything. Review away with anything you want to tell me; I can't wait to hear what you have to say!