A/N JUNE 2019: Despite not updating this fic in damn near a decade, I am leaving this up as an archive. In an effort to clean out this old account, I am removing the old authors notes. I have mostly stopped using , and have switched to AO3 (link on my author page), so if you'd like to read any of my newer fics, please go there.I couldn't let them die.

Luke and Annabeth were the closest thing to family that I had. No matter what it took to make them safe, I would do it. Even if that meant dying myself, I would.

At least, that's what I kept telling myself as the three hellhounds circled me, taking bites out of my arms and legs. My sword hung limp in my hand as blood and rain water ran down the blade. My shield, Aegis, was growing heavier and heavier by the second. I had very few hopes that Grover could get Luke and Annabeth to safety and have enough time to get help for me. I was going to die here all alone.

Suddenly, one of the hounds lunged, and I was too tired and too slow to raise Aegis. The hound latched onto my shoulder and neck. I heard the bone crack, and felt even more of my blood pouring out of my body.

Everything was going fuzzy. My head was light, and I barely even noticed that I was laying on the ground, the rain falling on face, running over my wounds. The water burned. Everything hurt. I wasn't sure if I was crying or if it was just the rain.

Right before I slipped away, I sent a prayer up to the one person who might help me, the person who gave me the life that was ending far too soon.

Father, please help me, I thought at the sky, hoping he would hear me.

The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was a flash of lightning that lit up the sky like the sun, telling me that he was watching.

It made me feel better about dying.