Epilogue/Prologue

(The end of the epilogue for the last book is basically the prologue so here it is again)

A scream awakens Annabeth from her sleep. She bolts awake and heads immediately to the twins' rooms. She looks in each room but both twelve year olds seem to be sleeping soundly. Annabeth sighs.

Must have been another nightmare. She retreats back to her room and sits on her bed not really able to sleep. Not the she needs to sleep as a goddess. She looks out window at the beautiful city of New Athens and New Rome next to it.

Annabeth had taken on a hard job after the war. Raising Percy's siblings and managing Camp Half-Blood along with Chiron and New Athens on her own.

Things had been restructured once again after the war. Two cities and camps now rest facing each other. With help of the gods Camp Half-Blood's location had grown to accommodate what was needed.

Annabeth stares out at the stars thinking about how bizarre it is Nightmares still plague her even now. Almost ridiculous. Annabeth lays back down glancing at her digital clock. 3:37. She closes her eyes when once again a scream causes her eyes to snap open.

Her dagger materializes in her hand as she steps into the hall. Once again heading toward the children's rooms.

When she arrived both children are groggy looking out of their rooms.

"Would you shut up Max?" Lily groans.

"It wasn't me. You shut up," Max says "I have a math test tomorrow. And I was gonna get up early to study. "

"So do I. But I don't wasting my time to sleep studying."

"Studying is important," Annabeth interrupts. "But if you didn't scream... who-"

Another short scream.

Annabeth motions for the two to stay put and then hurries down the stairs dagger raised. She rounds a corner when she hears another quick scream. She heads out the back door and is notices a figure lying her backyard.

The figure is shaking, thrashing. Pulling against invisible bonds.

Annabeth heads over unsure of what to. The figure- a boy is laying face down. His clothes are a tattered mess. And a pool of gold soaks the grass in the moonlight.

"A god?" She mumbles to herself. She looks at the boy. Black hair and short. If Annabeth had to guess he looked about twelve.

Annabeth drops her dagger and slowly places a hand on his shoulder to turn him over when the boy shoots up looking around wildly. The boy retreats scooting himself backward into the shadow of a tree which looms overhead.

"Don't hurt me," he says in small yet familiar voice. His eyes are squeezed shut and his breathing is labored.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Annabeth says softly. "What's your na-" Annabeth cuts herself off as the boy opens his eyes. They are sea green.

"Annabeth?" He asks quietly. As if he says something any louder she'll disappear.

"P-P-Percy?" Annabeth stutters. He smiles and stands ignoring his pain. Annabeth's eyes widen.

She's not sure if it's a dream or not but she doesn't care. She runs forward and grabs him in a hug shrinking down to her twelve year old self. Tears flowing down her face.

"I'm not letting go of you ever again," she declares in between sobs.

Percy hugs her back tightly. "As long as we're together."