Percy Jackson and the Blood of Olympus (Alternate Ending)

Part 8

It was Piper that woke him up this time. She was staring at him with a blank expression. She stood there a second longer and then left without saying a word. He stayed in bed, not daring to move. He might be forced to live on Olympus, or he might be killed. Those odds didn't seem favorable. Something his father had said was bothering him too. He'd said that he kept having "monster children". Most cyclops were children of Poseidon, but Percy felt that they weren't what his father was talking about. Maybe all of Poseidon's children turned out like Percy. Maybe they all eventually got too much power.
Percy was jolted out of these thoughts when Nico and Annabeth walked into the room. Well, more like stormed, but whatever. Percy could feel the tense air between his friend and girlfriend and decided that instead of getting in the middle of that, he would just pretend to be asleep.
"Oh, he's still asleep." growled Annabeth.
"Well what do you expect?" Nico asked, "Leo hit him really hard."
"Why don't you just shut up?" Annabeth screamed.
"I was just stating a fact." Nico retorted, "Besides, you were the one who said we needed to sort it out."
"I know what I said, Nico," she said coldly.
"Okay. So what do you want to do now? He's still asleep and I doubt he'll wake up soon."
"I'd like to know what you really said the first time you came in here to see him. What did you really say to calm him down?"
"I told him that there were a lot of people on this ship that cared about him. I told him that you and me loved him, and that it would kill us if he gave up."
"Your feelings for him and my feelings for him are nothing alike!"
"Don't blame me! It's not like he chose me over you. He still loves you and wants to be with you."
"How do I know that? What did you talk about all those times you were alone together, and how did you get him back to the ship when he ran away?"
"I only helped him feel a little more in control of his powers. As for getting him back on the ship, I shadow traveled him before he could protest."
"Why don't I believe you?" Annabeth was getting really mad now.
"I don't know! I've only been telling you the truth."
Annabeth pulled her knife. "You have a bad habit of being our friend one second and betraying us the next. I will never fully trust you."
Percy decided that now might be a good time to intervene. He "woke up" and said in as sleepy a voice as he could muster, "Hey, guys."
They both stared at him.
"Why are you two here?" He asked.
"Annabeth wants us to talk about what's going on."
"Don't make me sound like the bad-guy."
"I'm not trying to make you sound like the bad-guy!"
"Yes, you are!"
"Fine, whatever you say," Nico said sarcastically.
Annabeth must have picked up on it because she then cracked, "That's it!" and tackled him. She started slashing at him with her dagger, and Nico was trying to block as best as he could, but he was still getting cut.
"Annabeth! Stop it." Percy hadn't meant to, but he stopped her with his powers.
"Percy?" Annabeth was struggling against Percy's powers but it was hurting her. Percy let her go.
"Nico? Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he said, trying to stop his bleeding, "I'll be okay."
"Annabeth?" Percy said turning to her, "Are you alright?"
"No, Percy, I am not 'alright'" she responded. "You're using your new power on me, you have been so distant lately, and you're going to choose Nico over me!" She was screaming by the end.
"No, Annabeth." He said, "Nico will always be my friend, and he can help me in ways others can't like a friend. You will always be more than a friend to me though. You are my girlfriend."
Annabeth calmed down slightly. Nico looked a little depressed but nodded. It hurt to see Nico look so sad but this was the truth, they both knew it. Percy walked over and cradled Annabeth in his arms and she started to cry. Nico left, probably to go bandage his wounds from Annabeth.
"Percy, I'm sorry. I've been acting like an idiot."
"You've had every right to act like an idiot, but I think you took it too far attacking Nico like that."
"I know, but it felt good to do it. I feel bad about it now."
"Next time you feel like releasing your anger, be like Octavian and murder a Pillow Pet."
Annabeth laughed at that. "Will do, Percy." That was the first time she'd laughed for days. It made Percy feel good.