A/N: Looks like I've been gone for more than a month. Sorry about that, guys.

Thanks to those who had sent me reviews regarding true love. I think I'm going through a personal crisis - the whole doubt-the-human-race-slash-misanthropist kind of crisis - and most of those who opposed almost got my former beliefs systematically dismantled. And after watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two and rereading the book for the first time around since I was ten, I began to wonder why I even doubted everyone. Why I even doubted myself.

Alright, alright. Too much drama.

Anyways, I'm very very happy to announce that this story, along with Bloody Perks and My December, has been officially nominated for a Verita Award. Damn my ignorance - been here for eight months and I've only discovered the Veritas just now. Thank you for nominating and still having faith in me. Win or lose, I'll try harder on making my very first chapter fic as brilliant as my ability can permit.

Moment of truth. I feel really cheap snagging HP 7.2's movie tagline, but this chapter is dedicated to HP. So sad my childhood is ending.

Special thanks to:

storyteller1425 - for being my awesome(!) beta reader who stuck by me always. I know you're seriously sick of me posting your name and tagging you with the words awesome beta reader, but you really are, and I'd be lying or card-stacking if I wouldn't say so. I hope you're having a heck of a great time for your summer vacation.

BeautifulEscapades18 - for thinking up of a squeeze-in scene for this chapter. Thank you very much for supplying a muse.

Vans321 - who said that he/she nominated this story for a Verita. Thanks so much, Vans!

Of Cuts and Pills

Chapter 21: It All Ends

Rain started falling heavily that day.

Annabeth stared at the smoky glass of her windows. She watched as the drops of water began to fall heavier and heavier, and as the mist began to fog up the view below. She licked her dry, chapped lips and stared into nothing again.

It had been seven months since Luke and Will left. It had been five months since the meteor shower. It had been five months since Thalia left. It had been four months since the Dare family visited Rachel. It had been three months since letters from Annabeth's family stopped coming. It had been three months since Nico last wore dark clothes. It had been three months since Silena, Charles, Clarisse and Cameron left.

It had been twenty-three hours since Percy left.

She dared glance up at the wall clock. Twenty-three hours and thirty-five minutes since Percy left.

Annabeth continued to huddle against the navy blue jacket around her.

~0~

"You're musical."

Annabeth laughed at Percy's tone. "You sound surprised. Like you haven't heard me playing before."

Percy shook his head and watched again, his eyes trailing slightly at how Annabeth's long fingers brushed the piano keys. "Yeah, I know. It's just that – it's just that every time you play, I feel like I'm just hearing your music for the first time."

The music suddenly stopped.

"Was there something I said?" Percy asked, nervous.

"No," Annabeth said. She slowly slid her fingers to her lap. She gazed at the upright for two and a half seconds, and then looked at Percy, her eyes rimmed with red. "You're leaving."

Percy's throat bobbed and stiffened. He clamped his lips and nodded, replying a short "Yes" to her.

"When?" Annabeth asked.

It took a minute before Percy answered. "In a week."

"July 18th. Exactly a month before your birthday?"

"Yeah. It's in the agreement. I'll be turning eighteen. I'm not supposed to be in here when I turn eighteen, unless I'm Thalia's case. Or Silena's or Beckendorf's or Luke's."

"I miss them, Percy."

Percy nodded, frowning. "Yeah. I miss them, too."

"I'll miss you."

Percy's arm snaked around Annabeth's waist, and he kissed her lightly on her hair. "I'll miss you more, Annabeth. But I'll be back before you even know it."

"We've only got a few days left," Annabeth mumbled. "Don't you think it's not fair that we only had a few months together, and we spent the most of it not particularly liking each other?"

She felt Percy's chest rumble with laughter at her remark. "You got me there, Wise Girl. But the last few months were the best I've ever had for a long time, even if we did spend it as an old, arguing couple."

"You're just saying that."

Percy chuckled again. "Oh, right. You're not much of a girl who takes flattery too well." He took her hand in his.

Annabeth stared into his green eyes. She remembered the first time she saw through Percy's eyes. Before, they were depthless and scornful – a reflection of a man who hated the world. She remembered how he used to sneak in bathrooms and smoked pot he smuggled in before, how he refused to do any of Desiree's bidding, how he regarded life as nothing but an endless void.

Now, Percy's eyes had a little bit of everything: happiness, sadness, excitement, dismay. Joy. Love. He wasn't the angry, seventeen year old boy she used to sit with during dinner. And Annabeth finally understood why this would be the best time to finally send Percy to the outside world.

Percy Jackson wasn't only existing anymore. He was finally living.

"D'you want to learn?" Annabeth asked him out of the blue.

"Learn what?" Percy said, whirling his head to face her.

"How to play the piano," she pointed. Annabeth figured that, in the last seven days that they'd be staying together, she might as well teach him something to remember her by instead of giving him some lousy token. She had nothing to give at that moment.

"Playing the piano's hard at first because you have to achieve the peak of your fingers' flexibility, but it'll be great once you get the hang of it. I know you'll be slow in the uptake – " Annabeth was much more comfortable in playfully insulting Percy than associating him with pet names. " – but it'll be fun."

Percy made a mock scowl. "You make it sound really fun." In just a few minutes, the rec room was full of resounding claps and curses and the free flowing music dangling around the air.

~0~

Annabeth found him sitting near the edge of the rooftop a few days later.

"They're all waiting for you, Percy."

Percy shook his head. He didn't want to see anyone, even Annabeth. "I'm not coming down. They'll survive without me."

"It's your own dispatchment party," Annabeth reasoned. "Your last day of reception is today – "

"Do you need to remind me of that again?"

The venom in his tone surprised her. Annabeth unconsciously put a hand to her hips. "Clearly something's going on. You're going to spill – you're not leaving this hospital deranged and angry the same way you came in."

Annoyed, he glared at her. "I'm not angry," Percy spat. Realizing he raised his voice against Annabeth, he sighed tiredly. "I'm just… worried."

"Worried? Worried about what?"

"Coming home," he answered bluntly.

She silently glided next to the empty spot beside him and sat. She tested the air around them for a moment before saying, "You're worried about your mom? About college? About what other people might say about you?"

"Yeah." Percy nodded. Another spot-on assumption from Annabeth, he thought dryly. "It's not really much to fret over, now that you think about it. I'm just worried that, even though I feel okay now, maybe my life's beyond fixing. I don't know where I'm supposed to start again."

"There's always something to start. Try starting with yourself, then with your family… I guess everything just falls next. A penny will almost always land with the head down, Percy. You're gonna figure things out in the future. Just focus on today." Annabeth smiled wryly to herself. She used to worry about inconsequential things in her future before. How wonderful things worked out for her then.

"Venus had a big, blue cake made for you downstairs," she urged. "There's also blue cupcakes, blue spaghetti, blue macaroons, blue cherrilaces – you name it. She knows you love blue food. Travis' and Connor's tongues turned blue around the time they started hitting the blue piña coladas."

Percy fell silent for a few seconds. "I can't believe I'm leaving already."

Annabeth felt like a stone suddenly pounded across her chest. She sighed internally. "Yeah. I can't believe it either."

"I was tempted not to tell you guys that I'm leaving, you know?" Percy flicked the stray leaf that landed on his thigh. He watched the yellow-green leaf sway along the wind. "As soon as I got the letter, I was debating with myself whether to tell you or not. If I didn't, I could have gone off clean or something. No knots. No one would be celebrating with a party for my leaving. If only I did what Thalia did a few months back."

"But you still told us."

"Yeah, I did. Well, maybe that's because I don't like leaving without saying a proper goodbye. I mean, I never gave you a proper 'hello' before."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Maybe?"

"I'm still not sure." Percy shrugged. "Sometimes, I'm wondering how other people did it. Came inside a psychiatric hospital then came out as good as new."

"We'll learn that trick, I guess," Annabeth uttered nonchalantly.

They fell silent again. The weather turned surprisingly cool, even though the sun was at its highest. The birds were all out chirping and flying, squirrels jumping from tree to tree without much care in the world.

Percy cracked a smile. "Tell me you'll miss me again," he nudged her, smirking.

Annabeth tried not to be nonplussed at that. "Well, well. I see you still like being an arrogant ass."

"Well, it feels really, really good to know that at least someone will miss you when you're gone."

"And why think that that someone's gonna be me?"

Percy kissed her on the cheek and chuckled. "Why? Won't you miss me?"

"I will," Annabeth frowned sadly. The thought of him leaving grew more and more excruciating as they talk. "Don't you know that already? I thought I've made it pretty obvious."

"I do." She turned to him and saw that he wasn't smirking this time. He took her hands into his. "It's just nice when you say it out loud sometimes," he continued. "It makes me realize all of this – " he held up their linked hands " – is real."

Annabeth smiled at the fingers intertwined together. His hands felt rough and warm. His eyes were open and welcoming that it made her lips form a sad smile. The breeze started to pick up and Annabeth had to retie her loose ponytail.

"You'll be seeing me off tomorrow." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," Annabeth quipped. "Of course I will."

"Don't cry, alright?" he requested.

Annabeth jutted out her chin. She wasn't sure whether Percy was just making another dumb attempt to show off some bravado or whether he was genuinely asking something from her. "Why?" she questioned.

"I don't want you to waste your tears over me," he replied.

When the silence grew longer, Percy decided to explain further. "I just don't want you crying again like last time. It sucked. I don't like seeing you cry. Promise me you won't cry tomorrow."

"I promise," she said. Surely she wouldn't forsake him his last request.

Percy held up his littlest right finger. "Pinky swear?"

Not realizing it, Annabeth laughed out loud at that. "You always manage to squeeze that in the most serious of times." She shook her head in amusement and held up her pinky and twirled it against his.

"So, are you coming down? People are gonna think I'm hogging you from them. Get your butt off the floor, Jackson. It's time to party."

~0~

"It all ends here, then."

The new threesome all stood before the raven-haired boy, their faces pale and gaunt. None of them had a good night's sleep, apparently. Nico kept on staring at the floor, Rachel kept on sniffing uncontrollably under her Kleenex.

"Uh… I hope you'll have a nice life, Perce," Nico said lamely. It might have sounded rather odd – and probably the worst thing to say at the moment – but all of them were just remotely focused on filling in the gaps between pauses.

It was weird all of a sudden, how things started to change. The scene wasn't any much different from where Luke took his final step away from them, but they all felt like they got submerged in boiling lava, resurfaced, and then got splashed by tons and tons of icy cold water.

Now, Rachel, Nico and Annabeth were the remaining occupants of table three. Now, the world suddenly shifted.

"Thanks," Percy responded just as lamely. "Hope you will, too."

"You'd better not be coming back here more of a piece of shit than before," Rachel spoke up as she pocketed her unused Kleenex. "That'll just be a waste."

Percy grinned. "Have faith in me, Rachel. I'm gonna travel across the world and be named the next big thing – you guys wait and see. I'll send you guys some postcards while I'm at it."

Rachel poked her tongue out and laughed, her voice quivering. Percy hugged her tight and Rachel kissed him on the cheek.

"We'll see you whenever?" Nico asked.

"Of course. I'll be coming back ASAP," Percy chuckled. "And I'll tell your sister how you're doing."

"You won't be running off again, okay? Don't forget us."

"I won't."

They all looked at Annabeth, who didn't utter a single word ever since they gathered around the lobby. Her lips were set in a thin line, her eyes forlorn and tired. Percy took in the grayness of her eyes for what seemed like his last time…

Instinctively, Annabeth abruptly threw her arms around him. She hugged him fiercely, crushing him, taking his breath away. She wanted to hold on to him a little longer, not wanting him to abandon her like this…

"Don't go." Annabeth hugged him tighter, whispering to his ear. "Please… just don't go."

Percy's heart sank. It took a whole lot of him to say, "I'm sorry, Annabeth". He uttered more words back. He caressed her blond hair over and over again. It embarrassed them both – Rachel and Nico were still watching them. But the two got banished to the back of their mind's eye as Annabeth broke apart from him and started shaking hard.

"I just don't want you to leave," Annabeth said as she held back a sob. She knew Percy would have to leave things behind at the door for him to set off, and she would let him, but she never felt how painful it would be until now. "I don't want you to."

"I'm sorry," she croaked. "I – I'm sorry."

"No. Don't be," Percy told her. He took off his jacket and gave it to her. "Take it. Hold on to it until I come back." He watched as she laced her arms around the sleeves of his jacket. His stomach lurched as soon as the guard signaled him his mom was here, as soon as he realized it was time for him to go…

He turned to the others. "Goodbye, guys."

Percy pressed his lips on Annabeth's lightly before finally leaving…

Before finally letting go.

~0~

There were loud knocks at the door.

"It's open," Annabeth called out.

The door swung open loudly, and in came Rachel Elizabeth Dare, her red hair tied up in a messy bun. Her eyes groped at the scene before her and then took a seat next to Annabeth. "Desiree's looking for you," she said.

Annabeth's eyes met with Rachel's. "Tell her I'm coming in a minute."

"You're not going to bail on her?"

"No."

Rachel pursed her lips. "You seem to be taking Percy's departure well."

Annabeth settled for a shrug.

"A little bit too well, if you ask me."

"What is it that you want, Rachel?" Annabeth sighed. Seriously, did Rachel want her to trash and mope around in a post-Percy depression? "There's nothing wrong. I'm doing fine."

"You seem like you're doing fine," Rachel told her. If there was anything she knew, it was that Annabeth was good at concealing what she felt.

"Is that not a good sign?" Annabeth questioned irritably.

"For you, it isn't. I know you, Annabeth. If there's anything you need, anyone you need to talk to, just give us a ring, me and Nico," the redhead said, making a telephone gesture with her fingers. "Remember: we're all in this together. Percy isn't the only one who can help you. We can, too. We're here."

She patted Annabeth's hand. "I'm glad to know that you're doing okay. Just come to us if you need anything. You have to let us help you sometimes. We care about you, Annabeth, alright? Don't forget that."

Annabeth nodded, her heart welling up with rare gratitude. Her eyes went misty as Rachel hugged her tight.

"We miss him, too," Rachel whispered. "He made it in good shape. Whatever path he's in right now, I'm sure he's doing fine."

"I know," Annabeth responded.

Rachel pulled away and gave Annabeth her winning smile. "I hope you guys will hook up after all this mess." The blonde laughed hard at that.

"See ya!" Rachel chirped as she closed the door behind her.

And then the whole room went silent.

Annabeth could still hear the pitter-patter of the morning rain around her, and she then gazed at the wall clock again.

Nine forty-eight.

The staff might have overdone fixing the centralized air-conditioner because the whole room grew chillier by the second. Annabeth found herself knitting the jacket closer to her as the temperature sank.

She heard a slight rustling of paper.

Knowing it came somewhere from her, she rummaged inside Percy's jacket and took out a crinkled piece of stationery from one of its pockets.

There it was, lying innocently on her palm, a letter addressed to her.

She opened it, curiosity getting the best of her. Her heart started pounding loudly, blood rising to her cheeks. She started reading, her free hand sinking at the mattress.

Annabeth,

I'm sorry that I'm writing you a letter. I know I'm not good at it, and I'll probably get a sweeping snap at the face when we meet again, but I don't think I can tell you all I wanted to say without perpetually humiliating myself. Does that count as a valid excuse?

I've never entertained the thought that being in Riverdale would be life-changing. I thought that's just what everybody typically says – false propagandas of some sort. And I never thought I'd get to meet someone like you in this place. And I'm not perfect. I'm not the kind of guy that you'd like (you did say I wasn't your type, right?). I've believed in love changing people, but I never thought that it would apply to me. To us.

Remember what I told you before? The time when I said I don't want you to cry when I leave? It was a spur-of-the-moment kind of request. I just blurted it all out. I didn't want you to waste tears on me – heck, no girl has ever cried over me. But if you would cry, then I guess you'll be the first.

And seeing you cry, that would make it harder for me to leave. I hated to see you cry. And if you break down on the day I leave, I'm not sure if I might be able to get my foot out from the lobby.

So don't. Don't cry, alright?

I want to say that you're the first girl I ever felt something for, but I won't lie. I'm sure I loved Calypso. Before and maybe even until now, I guess, even if she was one of the reasons I ended up in Riverdale. Maybe I should thank her. I wouldn't have met you if I never met her first.

But whatever it is that I have – or had – with Calypso, it never compares to what I have with you now. I can't explain it, and I don't think this is the first time that words failed me.

I'm sorry that I left you. I really truly am.

I know I promised to be with you all the time since Spencer died. I know I shouldn't have done that – I always tend to make promises that I can't keep. But I just want you to know that I want to keep that promise, and I surely will be keeping that promise. Physically, I might not be there for you all the time. I'm sorry. I'll find you. I'll search for you again and again if I have to.

But whenever you start to feel someone with you, someone beside you –

Just think of me.

Because that someone will be me, loving you, wherever you are.

The letter stood crushed between her hands as she hugged it tightly across her chest. And so the trees outside started to rustle, the leaves started to fall off, the winds started to whisper at the glass, the heavens started to pour its tears as Annabeth slowly wept.

The clock suddenly stopped ticking.

It was ten o'clock.

It had been twenty-four hours since Percy left.

Stay put, Wise Girl. I'll always be there. I promise.

I love you.

Percy

A/N: And everything went downhill from there.

Sorry guys. I'm really, really, really sorry. You know, you can always hate me after reading this - throw me the best flame you've got. Hope you still liked the content, though. It took me over a month to decide whether to post this or not, so I hope you'll still consider the time and effort I exerted for chapter twenty-one.

Poll is now officially closed. Here are the results:

Percy and Annabeth - 93

Thalia and Nico - 27

Thalia and Luke - 24

Nico and Rachel - 23

Luke and Annabeth - 3

Rachel and Percy - 2

Thalia and Percy - 2

Rachel and Luke - 1

Nico and Annabeth - 1

Others - 2

Thanks to all those who supported me all the way! I'm really lucky to have such readers. Review, please! CCs and flames are very much appreciated!