Hiiii! Guess what? I'm eating a blue candy cane! YAYAYAYAY! *cricket cricket* Okay, um, awkward... sorry, it was an inside joke! :) Prepare yourself for yet another depressing one-shot! YAY! REVIEW!

Happy (well, I guess in this case it's sad) Reading!

I walked slowly through the woods. I hated Kronos. I hated prophecies. And I hated Gaea more. But I hated my life the most.

I thought of everyone I had loved. And everyone I had lost. Silena, Thalia, Luke, Travis, Conner, Frank, Leo, so many more, and... Dad.

It hurt to even think about it. Things had finally gotten better between me and my dad, and I didn't even get a chance to say I loved him.

Everything I had to live for had been taken away. Camp Half-Blood was practically in ruins and people worked 24/7 to help rebuild it. I had nothing more to live for. No more reason to live.

Yeah, I know you might me thinking, But what about Percy? But he doesn't even notice me anymore. He's too busy. He hasn't even had time to say he loves me. Yeah, that might seem kind of selfish, but after losing so much, I felt like I had the right to be a little selfish. I just didn't feel like anyone really cared about me anymore. Or loved me.

As I walked farther into the woods, I walked farther away from the campers who were so relentlessly trying to fix camp. I walked farther away from the anguished cries and the tears and everything. I walked farther away from my home... for the last time.

I reached to the heart of the woods. I took in the fallen trees and the wilted grass. I saw the stars above, so dim and barely shining, as though the whole world were grieving. And it should be.

Sunlight would be so out-of-place. Rain should be falling. It would go with everything.

I wanted to run. And run. And run. And run. But I knew that no matter how far I ran, the pain would never go away.

It was now or never.

I grasped my dagger. I silently prayed to my mom. I took in the dull stars, hoping that in just moments, I could be with them. I looked back at my home.

"Good-bye," I whispered softly. "I love you."

I smiled peacefully, knowing that I could see Thalia and Luke and Dad. And everyone. Everyone who had loved me. And everyone I had loved.

I closed my eyes and started to drive the dagger into me, not even caring about the pain that would come with the action.

But before I could do it, a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around me, knocking the dagger out of my hand.

I went crazy.

"LET ME GO! PLEASE! STOP IT!" I screamed, kicking and punching whoever was holding me. But the arms held strong.

"I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE! I HATE THIS!" I tried and tried to get out of the person's grasp.

I went on for about fifteen minutes, my punches becoming weaker and weaker. Tears flowed down my cheeks like a broken dam that had been too full for too long. Finally, pounding the person's chest one more time, I collapsed against him.

Warm hands rubbed soothing circles into my back. I didn't even care who my captor was.

I sobbed into his chest, anguished sobs wracking my body.

"Annabeth..." his voice whispered.

I tensed.

"Annabeth, look at me," he commanded.

I continued to look down. Then, a hand ever so gently tilted my chin up. My eyes locked with his.

"Annabeth, how? How coud you ever even think of doing that? Do you know how much that would kill me? How much you would hurt the camp?"

"Percy," I choked. "Percy, I'm sorry. It hurt so much! It killed me. And everyone was always so busy and I never even got to talk to you after everything. I felt like there was no point in living. I wanted to be... I wanted to be with Dad and everyone else again. I wanted to be with the people who loved me," I choked out.

I saw Percy's sea-green eyes fill with pain. He let out a strangled cry and shook my shoulders firmly.

"No! No, please, you can't think like that! Annabeth, we can't live without you. I can't live without you," he said in a rasping voice.

I hugged him tightly, begging for warmth. For some bit of comfort. And he hugged me back.

"Annabeth, I love you."

And that's what did it. Like the calm inside of the storm, warmth spread through my body. And he kissed me.

It was soft and loving. I felt his warm, soft lips. And I could the love in it. I realized he really did care. That he really did love me.

In the background, I could hear the workers, the cries, and I could feel the pain radiating through the camp. But, being here with Percy, I also felt a small sense of peace work its way into my mind.

"I love you too, Percy," I whispered when we pulled apart.

Sometimes, all it takes is for someone to say, "I love you."

I know it was depressing! But did you like it? I really hope you did! PLEASE tell me in a review! (Even if you're a guest!) See? I even said 'please'! :)

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