Date nights always went one of two ways: either one of them couldn't make it or a monster attacked before they finished. Very rarely did they ever have a successful date.

Nevertheless, Percy was not one to be scared off by a few measly monsters, so they continued to plan date nights and make sure they had enough medical supplies on standby just in case. Tonight was one such night.

"Dessert?" Percy nudged the menu towards Annabeth, though he knew she had already decided what she wanted. 

"You're pushing our luck," Annabeth warned, pursing her lips. Just like she had a minute ago, she glanced over her shoulder and scanned the restaurant.

"Annabeth, we're okay," Percy murmured. He reached across the table and took her hand. "We've made it this far. Even Medusa is nice enough to let us have dessert before―"

And okay, so it was definitely his fault that a cyclops came crashing into the restaurant at that very moment. However, he was not going to take the blame for the hellhound and empousa that followed it.

Springing up from their seats, Annabeth and Percy split off in separate directions. Annabeth moved towards the empousa while Percy took care of the cyclops.

Whether it was his recent meal making him sluggish or simply a lack of preparation, Percy had difficulty finding a weak spot on the cyclops. Each swing of his sword was blocked and he soon found himself backed up into a corner. 

He ducked as the cyclops swung his bat over his head and looked for an opening to strike. It shouldn't have taken half as long as it did, but when he finally found the right moment, he lunged forward and buried Riptide in the monster's shoulder.

As the cyclops melted away, Percy was pulled out of his personal victory by a scream.

"Annabeth," he gasped, whirling around to find her.

On the other side of the restaurant, Annabeth was struggling to hold back the hellhound. To her right, the empousa limped forward, leaking gold from an injured leg and hissing angrily.

"Hey!"

The empousa wasn't easily distracted. She merely glanced at Percy before continuing towards Annabeth.

Percy was pretty sure he had never moved so fast in his life. One moment, he was standing over the dusty remains of a cyclops and the next, he was slicing the empousa's head clean off her shoulders. A second later, the hellhound dissolved under his sword as well and Annabeth collapsed.

"Annabeth!" Percy dropped down beside her. "Where are you hurt? What happened?"

With a gasp, Annabeth removed a hand from her side to reveal a deep claw mark.

"'ell'ound," she murmured, covering the wound back up.

"Holy―shit. Fu―okay."

Percy was panicking.

Even though she groaned, Percy picked Annabeth up and sprinted out of the restaurant. They hadn't originally intended to drive to the restaurant, but Percy was suddenly glad they had. Spending the night at Camp had been an impromptu decision but if they hadn't made it, Percy would be running a lot further than two blocks to the car garage.

"We're going to Camp," he murmured, laying Annabeth in the backseat carefully.

"Good plan," she groaned. 

Slamming the door shut, Percy jumped into the driver's seat and sped off in the direction of Camp Halfblood.

It always took a while to drive to Camp, but it seemed to take longer with Annabeth bleeding out in the back. By the time he stopped the car just down the hill, Annabeth was shaking.

"Hey," he whispered, picking her up carefully, "you're gonna be okay."

Annabeth only groaned in response.

Percy stumbled and tripped all the way up the hill, but he made broke through the barrier just as Nico appeared in the shadows.

"Will's waiting for you," he said, eyeing Annabeth. "You should probably hurry."

Percy tried not to think about what that meant, but it was hard when Annabeth's breathing was shaky and Nico was fidgeting beside him. There was only one reason why Nico would be worried about Annabeth. And it was the same reason why he would have told Will to wait for them before they ever showed up.

"Here, Percy."

Arriving at the Big House was a bit of a blur and not just because tears started filling Percy's eyes. Will seemed to appear out of nowhere and when Percy blinked, Annabeth was no longer in his arms. Nico tugged him around the corner and although Percy was pretty sure he fought him, they ended up outside on the Big House steps.

"Is she okay?" Percy murmured.

"She's better," Nico replied just as quietly.

Five minutes later, Percy asked again.

"Yeah, she's good," Nico promised.

It was reassuring, but not enough. Every few minutes, Percy whispered the same question and every time, Nico assured him Annabeth was doing better. When Will finally―finally!―came out to join them, Percy jumped to his feet.

"She'll be okay," Will promised. "She'll need to stay here tonight, but you can go―"

Percy didn't wait for him to finish. He pushed past Will and ran through the Big House until he came to a stop beside Annabeth's bed. To his surprise, she was awake.

"You look worried," she teased, but Percy couldn't find it in himself to even smile. She was pale and there was a large bandage covering the left side of her abdomen.

"You―" His voice cracked and he dropped onto the bed beside her.

"I'm okay," Annabeth whispered, tugging him down to lie beside her. "It's just a scratch."

Percy scowled and opened his mouth to argue, but Annabeth kissed him before he could.

"Just lay with me, alright?" she whispered.

Nodding, Percy curled around her as closely as he dared and buried his face in her hair. When Will found them together a few minutes later, he said nothing.