Hi! I know it was a one-shot, but then inspiration came to me and voila: here it is!

This is Paul, and his view on things

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson & The Olympians

Paul had had enough of her wife crying.

He had been supportive when Percy had disappeared for eight months, of course never leaving her side and kissing her head when she sobbed.

But then, Annabeth had warned them 'We know where he is'. Since then, she had visited at least once a week, and always, Paul could feel she was distant, as if she needed Percy so desperately that she couldn't imagine life without him.

Finally, they had got an Iris Message from Chiron. The boat had parted, and Percy would soon be on his way to Greece.

Sally had cried with relief, and Paul had shed one tear or two. Even thought he hated to admit it, he had grown fond of his stepson, the hyperactive demigod who eat blue food and had more girl trouble that any teenager.

Then, the news came from Hazel, a cute demigod who was apparently Percy's friend. He was alive, and with them.

Sally hugged Paul so tightly that he thought he was going to squeeze the life out of him.

From then and on, they had been more normal every day that week. Sally was now as she always was, laughing and being completely happy all the time, trying to make it up for Paul.

The day that Paul thought he was going to get used to this, Piper, a beautiful teenager, Iris Messaged.

"Ann-Ann-Annnabeth –" she choked, and sobbed, and Sally and Paul looked at her anxiously "She –she was going to fall. To Tartarus." They both jumped. After Paul and Sally had heard of Percy's disappearance, they had memorized all the myths that included bad things for demigod. They knew Tartarus. "And Percy grabbed her hand." Silence "But-but-but it was too much. Annabeth was going to-to fall" tears streamed down her face "And she told Percy to…let go"

Even thought it wasn't said, the married couple knew what was going next. Sally still had hope in her eyes, but Paul put his arm around her.

"And he didn't. He fell with-with her."

Sally started crying, and Paul too. Piper, the pretty girl, joined them, and, soon, a blonde guy took her away and ended the message.

Paul comforted his wife as best as he could, but he could already feel her breaking.

…

After Tartarus.

When Percy came to see them, Annabeth was at his side.

Percy had bruises and cuts all over his body, and Annabeth's beautiful blonde hair was grey-ish.

"Hello Mom, Paul" Percy said, and Sally ran to hug him.

When she did, Paul noticed something, like an expression crossing Annabeth's face: hostility. As if she was ready to attack her and kill her for touching her boyfriend.

Percy hugged her mother, but didn't let go of Annabeth, and Sally cried with happiness.

Sally invited them for dinner, and then to stay for the night.

Before going to bed, they talked a bit.

"So… Annabeth, how's your dad?" Sally said

Annabeth smiled weakly "Good. They cried a lot when they saw us."

She said 'us' as if it was permanent, as if she had no intention of letting him go soon.

"Percy" Paul said "how's Mrs. O'Leary?"

Percy laughed, and Annabeth snuggled closer to him. Sally didn't comment, but you could see the sadness in her eyes. She had lost her son to another woman.

"She's good. Licked us up when we arrived."

There it was again. Like there was only one person. Like there was no I or me anymore. It was we or us.

…

When they went to sleep, Paul heard the screaming.

It was Percy, and he was loud and angry.

He was shouting things that were mostly 'Don't touch her!' or 'Please, let her leave! Kill me!'

He was also sleep walking, brandishing his sword and breaking everything in his way, eyes closed.

Sally screamed, and Paul tried to close the door, but Percy was destroying the apartment.

Then they saw Annabeth.

The young demigod ducked and jumped so that the sword wouldn't hit her, and then she kissed Percy on the lips.

As they watched, Percy kissed back, dropped the sword, and sobbed broken heartedly. Annabeth pulled away, and Paul saw that Percy's eyes were still closed. Annabeth sobbed too, and Paul began to see how deep their fear was.

Sally stood up and advanced, but before she glanced briefly at Paul. The look said 'I'm sorry'.

She touched Percy's shoulder, and he fell to the floor.

Annabeth nodded at her, and picked him out.

Paul ran to help her, and they carried him to his room. Sally stayed behind and went to sleep.

"Is this every night?" Paul asked softly when he thought Sally couldn't hear them.

Annabeth nodded "It was getting better, so Percy asked me to sleep in the other bed. But I guess it's still not stopping."

Paul smiled at her "It will, some day. You're the best influence he'll ever have. Don't worry."

Annabeth managed a smile "He'd better not die."

Together, they put him in bed, and Annabeth sang to him till he was asleep.

…

It was the day Hazel was born that Paul cried.

He and Sally raced to the hospital, completely ignoring the red lights that could stop them, and they hurried to get to their hospital room.

They found them looking at the baby girl, Annabeth was on the hospital bed, and Percy was standing at her side. Sally sobbed while she whispered "I'm a grandma."

Percy looked up from her daughter's face, and Paul could only be fascinated by how he was almost over Tartarus at twenty-nine.

"Hi, Mom, Hazel wanted to see you"

Annabeth smiled widely, and Paul could see the happiness in her face. It was almost impossible to believe that this was the scared demigod who had went to hell and back. Almost impossible to believe she had been the one to cry when their thirteen-year old friend, Hazel Levesque, had been forced to return to the Underworld.

"Hello Paul, Hazel wants to see you, too" she said, and Paul could swear that baby Hazel looked at him expectantly.

He moved over, and saw that Sally was already taking her in her arms. Paul got a good look at her. She had a wisp of blonde hair, like Annabeth's, and also the kind of intelligent look on her face. She had her father's green eyes, which made her look the most beautiful creature on earth, and also, Paul saw that she had the kind smile which Sally always used.

So, when he saw the couple smile at him, he didn't felt like a stepdad or stepgrandfather. He felt like family.

…

Paul was sleeping when Hazel woke him up. He thought, with sixty-nine years old, he could sleep a bit longer, now couldn't he?

But when he saw the twelve-year old's face, he woke up.

Hazel Jackson was crying, her sea-green eyes shedding tears as fast as Paul had seen.

She looked down, and Paul could see her blonde hair falling all over her face.

"They're dead. Both of them"

Realization struck Paul, and he quickly comforted the orphan, who was sobbing.

"Sssh, Hazel, I'm here. They loved each other, they will go to Elysium."

Hazel shook her head "Why did both had to die?" she whispered

Paul shook his head, too "Don't say both. They were two halves of the same person."

Bwaaaaaaa! Why did they have to die? Oh right, I wrote the story. Hoped you liked it.

PLZ REVIEW!

-ChocolateIsMyDoom