Disclaimer: Not mine. Mostly.

They had reached the Doors of Death. A cause for celebration, Percy supposed, only it was a little hard to celebrate with a horde of monsters out for your blood.

Tartarus had stripped away the Death Mist that had been their only means of hiding from monster eyes. Now, they could been seen by the army, and they weren't happy. After all, a number of them had been killed by Percy himself, on his various quests and during the Battle of Manhattan. Now they wanted to return the favour. Percy couldn't say he blamed them, really. He'd be pretty pissed off too, if someone not even a fraction as old as you went and sent you back to hell every decade or so, where you were stuck until you were lucky enough to get a chance to climb out of the pit.

Bob and Damasen were fighting Tartarus, and Percy knew that they could not keep it up for long. Tartarus wasn't even at full strength in that form, but he was still far more powerful than the gods. He was, after all, a primordial. They were in a different league altogether.

Annabeth was by his side, fighting against the monsters that were brave enough to charge. Percy saw that the monsters on his side were preparing to attack. He focused his senses and reached out with his powers. At the monsters' feet, a red vein in the ground burst open, spraying the monsters with liquid fire from the Phlegethon. The firewater might have healed mortals, but it didn't do the monsters any favours. The burst vein healed itself, but nothing was left of the enemy except a row of scorch marks.

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled. "You have to leave! Get in the elevator and go. I can hold the button."

"No!" Annabeth yelled back. "I'm not leaving you here. You deserve to see your family again."

"Annabeth. Even if we both make it out of Tartarus, we won't be together for very long. You know what Akhlys did."

And indeed, Annabeth did know. Akhlys had poisoned Percy. Bob had managed to delay the effects, but the damage was irreversible. Percy would be dead within the week. Not even Apollo himself could save Percy now.

"I won't leave you." Annabeth stubbornly shook her head, all the while dodging the attack of an empousa and striking out with her knife, turning the monster to dust.

"I'm a dead man walking, Annabeth. At least let me make sure that you get to live." Percy begged, absentmindedly killing a couple of hellhounds that got too close.

A loud boom distracted them as Tartarus hit Bob and Damasen in one fell swoop. They landed not far from Percy and Annabeth. Together they wearily staggered upright and made their way over to the two demigods.

"We weakened him." Damasen puffed.

"But it is not enough." Bob huffed.

"Annabeth needs to get in the elevator." Percy said. "Bob, Damasen, you two should go with her."

Damasen stared at Percy. "To do so is to seal your fate, demigod. You will die."

"I'm dying anyway." Percy replied ruthlessly. "My fate is sealed. But yours is not. You deserve to have a life in the world above. I can keep Tartarus and the monsters occupied for twelve minutes while you get out."

"No. I'm not going." Annabeth objected.

"Are you sure, Percy?" Bob asked. Percy nodded once.

"Then we will go." Damasen answered for the both of them.

"Take Annabeth with you." Percy told them. They nodded. Damasen touched his hand to Annabeth's forehead and Annabeth instantly slumped forward into unconsciousness. Bob slung her over his shoulder and they both went into the elevator.

"Bob, Damasen." They looked at Percy with sympathy in their eyes. "If the Olympians try to send you back to Tartarus or punish you in some other way, tell them that as a reward for my part in the Giant war, I want the amnesty that was granted to the peaceful titans at the end of the Titan war to be extended to you two as well. Without you, we would not have survived, and the Doors of Death would still be open."

Damasen nodded, and Bob was crying.

"Bye, guys. Tell Annabeth that I love her for me, would you?" Without waiting for an answer, Percy hit the up button, and continued to hold it.

In his head, Percy was steadily counting down the twelve minutes, though the doors should vanish from Tartarus as soon as they opened in the mortal world, as long as Nico and the others had managed to cut the chains there as well. Percy hoped they had.

Fighting became a blur to Percy. He sustain more injuries than he would have normally, being unable to roll away from an opponent without taking his finger off of the button. Tartarus sat by and watched, apparently content in the knowledge that Percy would die long before the twelve minutes were up.

After what felt like an eternity of fighting, Percy was bone tired. He had sustained numerous and possibly life-threatening wounds, but the pain was a blur to him, something to be ignored. His vision had shrunk, so that all that he could see was what was right in front of him. All Percy was aware of was the fight, and the burning need to keep the up button pressed down. His heart was pounding, and he knew that he wouldn't last much longer. Suddenly, the monsters all backed off, and Tartarus moved forward into Percy's line of sight. He had shrunk down to human size.

"Well done, little hero. I have to admit that I didn't think you would last this long. Eight minutes have passed since you pressed the button to send your little friends to the surface." Tartarus spoke, his voice hollow.

Hope swelled inside Percy. He had lost track of how long it had been a while ago, but eight minutes sounded about right. He only had to hold on for four more minutes.

"I will do you a deal, little demigod." Tartarus said demigod with the same disdain one would associate with insects.

"What deal?" Percy asked. His throat was dry. He needed water. Water. An idea began to form. A stupid, reckless idea that would probably get him killed. But that was okay, so long as it got him killed after Annabeth and the others were out.

"I will not let the monsters attack you for the remaining four minutes."

"Uh, that's great ..." Percy couldn't help but wonder what the catch was.

"So that I can attack you."

"Not so great." Percy muttered. Still, at least it tied in well with his plan. "I accept."

"Wonderful. You will have the honour of being killed by Tartarus personally." Tartarus lumbered forward, swinging his fist.

Percy focused on the ground again, and made the vein explode. Cold water from the river Cocytus engulfed Tartarus for a brief second, making him stagger back, just a bit.

Three minutes fifty seconds. Percy's internal clock told him.

"You think that my own blood can harm me, silly demigod?" Tartarus laughed, or Percy assumed it was laughter, because it sounded something like falling rocks.

Percy was already refocusing, thinking of water, of the sea as he replied to the primordial's jab.

"No." Percy muttered. "I just needed a distraction." The water is within me, he thought.

Three minutes forty seconds remaining. Percy wasn't going to lose track of the time again.

"What do you mean?" If Percy didn't know better, he would have said Tartarus looked uncertain. "Demigod?"

Percy reached inside himself, remembering the waves and the currents, the endless power of the ocean and let it loose in one scream.

He put all his power into that scream, fuelled by his emotions, increasing the power of the blast.

His despair at being forced into a second war, so soon after the first.

His anger at the unfairness of it all, that he and his friends had to fight and risk dying all over again, because the gods couldn't fight.

His love for his family, for Annabeth, for Camp Half-Blood, which motivated him to fight in the first place.

His desire to settle down with Annabeth, have a life with her in New Rome, even if that would now never happen.

His wish to see the gods become better, fairer, so that they would not ignore their children or see enemies where there are none.

But most of all, his hope. His hope that this sacrifice was not in vain, that closing the Doors of Death would help the demigods to win the war. Hope that peace would come to the mythological world, that his friends would be happy again.

A tidal wave, a whirlwind of power exploded out of Percy, just as it did at Mount St Helens, only this time he was in control. Instead of it pushing Percy upwards, as it did before, he stayed still, and the water rushed out. Straight into Tartarus and his horde of monsters.

Most of the monsters died as soon as the water reached them from the sheer force of the explosion. Tartarus himself was pushed back, the waves bearing him far away from Percy.

Three minutes thirty seconds left.

Percy stemmed the flow of water rushing out of him. He needed to pace himself, so that he could stay conscious to hold the button. But it was so hard, all he wanted to do was to sleep in the oceans' embrace.

NO! He forced himself to keep his eyes open, to stay awake. Annabeth's face flashed in front of his eyes. If he let go of the button now, then she wouldn't make it to the mortal world. He didn't know where she would be exactly, but he doubted it would be healthy.

Three minutes fifteen seconds.

His hand started to slip off of the button, but he recovered just in time. He felt tears prick against his eyelids. I can't do this.

The pain of his wounds began to catch up with him, and his arms trembled under the strain. Water still flowed from him, but keeping it up was becoming a struggle. Percy did the only thing he could think of. Father, help me.

Three minutes.

Percy slumped against the Doors. He focused all his attention on the sea, but despite that, the water came more slowly. I've failed.

"Percy?"

Percy's head shot up and he was confused by double vision. He could see Tartarus through the water he was pulling from inside himself, but he could also see another place. His father's throne room in Atlantis.

"Father? But the gods ... Tartarus. I thought -"

The sea god's form flickered briefly to Neptune before settling on Poseidon again.

"Calm down, Percy. It's true that we gods have no power in Tartarus. I don't know how we are talking. What have you done?"

"I -" Percy felt like his chest was filled with cement. "The water ... like Mount St Helens."

Poseidon nodded. "Makes sense. The ocean is a part of you, but it is me. You carry a piece of me in you. When you pulled all that saltwater out of yourself, you gave me a foothold in Tartarus. When you prayed for my help, you created a connection. That's how I am able to talk to you."

Two minutes forty seconds.

"My friends, how are they?" Percy asked slowly.

"Fine. They're fine. The daughter of Pluto and the son of Hephaestus are waiting on the mortal side to help Annabeth. They've cut the chains, so the Doors will move as soon as Annabeth leaves the elevator." He hesitated. "And you'll be stuck in Tartarus."

"That doesn't matter." Percy shifted slightly, and winced in pain. "The Doors of Death must be closed from both sides. The elevator ... someone has to hold the up button on the control panel for twelve minutes, otherwise the people inside won't reach the mortal world. Someone was always going to have to stay behind." He moved so that his father could see his hand pressing the button down.

Two minutes thirty seconds.

"How long till the elevator reaches the mortal world?" Poseidon asked his son.

"Two and a half minutes."

Silence fell between them. Percy distracted himself from his fatigue by studying the people around Poseidon, who he hadn't noticed at first, due to extreme tiredness and general hopelessness. The first was Triton, Poseidon's heir and Percy's half-brother. The second was Poseidon's wife, Amphitrite, and the third was Delphin, Poseidon's advisor.

"I'm sorry." Poseidon broke the silence first.

"Huh?" Percy gaped at his father. He wasn't a quick thinker under normal circumstances, and spending a few days in hell hadn't done anything for his thinking abilities.

"You have had a hard life, harder than most demigods in general, and all of my demigod children. It ... isn't fair to you, or your mother."

"That isn't ... your fault." Percy said slowly. "You did not decide my fate."

Poseidon looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn't say any more.

The water stopped flowing out of him, but he was still submerged. A Cyclops lunged at him from the now-still depths of water, but Percy tiredly made a gesture with his free hand, and the water dashed the monster against the rocks, turning it to dust.

One minute forty-five seconds.

"I can't keep this up." Percy told his father. "I'm not strong enough."

"Yes, brother, you can."

Percy stared at Triton. "Huh?"

"You succeeded in evading thousands of monsters in the middle of hell itself. Giving up now would be folly."

"I know. But I really, really need a rest."

"You don't have to keep it up for long. Just a little while longer. For your friends." Triton said softly.

Percy nodded dumbly, long past exhaustion. "Can I ask you a question, Triton?"

Triton nodded.

"Why try to help me? I thought you hated me."

"It is not your fault you were born, and you have already suffered dearly because of it. Besides, you have survived a place that even the gods fear for several days. That earns you my respect, no matter who your father is."

One minute thirty seconds.

A ghost of a smile crossed Percy's lips. "Thanks." He frowned, struggling to grasp a thought that had arisen at Triton's speech, tiredness clouding his mind.

"Annabeth and I had help though. Bob the Titan - he used to be Iapetus - and Damasen the peaceful giant. They're travelling to the mortal world with Annabeth."

Triton looked alarmed. "Zeus will try to throw them both back into Tartarus."

Percy nodded, then looked at his father. "Will you speak up on their behalf? We would not have been able to close the doors of death without them."

"I will try."

Percy sighed. "Thank you."

One minute fifteen seconds.

Percy's mind moved slowly, sluggishly, latching onto a familiar thought.

"Who will tell my mother when I'm dead?"

"I will." Poseidon said. Percy looked at him, and saw that his eyes were full of tears.

"Why?" Percy questioned. The word was quiet, practically non-existent, but Poseidon still understood.

"Because it is my responsibility. I should have found a way to save you." Poseidon's voice was filled with guilt.

"Not your fault." Percy mumbled. A hellhound shadow-travelled next to him. Percy clumsily swung Riptide and turned it to dust, but the effort nearly made him pass out. His knees buckled, and he lent against the elevator for support.

One minute.

"One minute." Percy muttered deliriously. Focus, Percy. He told himself. Annabeth.

"Annabeth." Percy said. "The gods ... can't interfere in their children's lives. Doesn't say anything about interfering ... in the lives of other gods children. Please, help Annabeth, if you're allowed. Please." He fended off the attacks of one of the empousa, managing to decapitate it more by sheer luck than anything else.

"I will do what I can. It isn't even a fraction of what I owe you" Poseidon promised.

"Thank you. Wait ... what do you mean a fraction of what I owe you?" Percy asked.

Thirty seconds.

Poseidon just looked at Percy, and even in his near-dead state Percy could clearly see the pain and guilt in his eyes. But before Percy could say anything, he was attacked by three monsters at once. Unable to defend himself with Riptide, Percy gathered up the last of his strength and used the seawater to push them away from him.

His head swam and his chest felt like broken glass when he breathed, but he resisted the urge to pass out. There was something he had to say ...

Twenty seconds ...

Percy looked up at his father. He thought of the gods, of the pain it must cause them to see their children die over and over again. He thought of the guilt on his fathers' face and the anger Poseidon would face once Sally knew that her son was dead and Poseidon didn't find a way to save him.

"My fate ..." Percy put all the conviction he had left in him into his words. "Was not your fault."

"Wasn't it?" Poseidon asked bitterly.

"No." Percy took a deep breath before speaking. "You may be responsible for my birth, but everything from there on out was either the work of the fates or my choice. Mine. Not yours. If I truly wanted to get away from all the fighting and the death, then I would've stayed on Calypso's island when I had the chance. But I didn't. My choice." Percy stopped talking, pain overriding his need to tell his father not to blame himself.

"If you'd known what was coming when you were given the choice to stay there -"

"Then maybe I would've chosen differently? Perhaps. But even back then, I knew that it might not end with the great prophecy, and I chose to leave anyway."

Poseidon nodded. "I suppose so."

Five seconds ...

"Five seconds." Percy said.

"I know." Poseidon replied.

Zero.

Behind Percy, the Doors of Death pulsed with power, once, before vanishing. Percy stumbled and fell straight onto his back, his nerves screaming at the relief. Poseidon, Amphitrite and Triton moved around him, so he could still see them.

"Annabeth." Percy mumbled. "Did she make it out?"

Poseidon's eyes went blank for a moment as he checked. "Yes, she did."

"Good." Percy said, and finally allowed his body to relax. "Can you sing?"

"I can." Amphitrite said. "I'll sing for you."

The king and his men, stole the queen from her bed,

Vibrations shook the ground and Tartarus came near. He knelt next to Percy.

And bound her in her bones.

Tartarus raised one massive fist.

The seas be ours, and by the powers, where we will, we'll roam.

He started to bring it down on Percy, but Percy was still holding Riptide. He swung his faithful sword, cutting a long gash in Tartarus's arm. Percy smiled slightly as Tartarus bellowed in rage and ripped the sword from his hold, breaking a couple fingers in the process.

Yo ho, all hands, hoist the colours high,

Tartarus raised his fist again, preparing to end Percy's life.

Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die.

Tartarus brought down his fist. It went straight through Percy, just underneath his ribcage, and snapping his spine. Percy felt the impact, felt the blood and life start to leak out of him, but he kept his eyes on the beautiful carvings on the ceiling of his father's throne room. And as the light left Percy's eyes, all he was aware of was Amphitrite's song.

Yo ho, haul together, hoist the colours high, Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die.

Okay, so this was kind of depressing for the first chapter, but I needed Percy to die so that he could help his friends from beyond the grave, well, kinda anyway. Reviews welcome, ideas taken into consideration if you have something you would like Percy to do or a particular direction for the story. I will update as and when I have ideas, but I will try to update at least once a month.

The song, by the way, is from Pirates of the Caribbean. I kind of nicked the singing idea from Rue's death in The Hunger Games. Oops. But I chose that song in particular because it mentioned the seas being his and also never dying, which kind of ties into Percy's situation quite well, I thought.

Till next time, Shib.