Disclaimer- Yeah, I know. I don't own Percy Jackson. :/

*Takes place when Luke comes and visits Annabeth in San Francisco, before BOTL.*

APOV

Life was never normal, was it? Especially not for a demigod. But I thought I could use a break…its been pretty rough for me. I mean, I had JUST been kidnapped by a monster. Just recovered from holding the SKY over my head for weeks. Seeing Luke again. Fighting Atlas. Seeing Luke.

Why do I feel like this? He. Betrayed. Me. He betrayed Thalia, Percy, everyone. I thought, maybe, seeing Thalia back again might make him change his mind. But instead, he tried to change HERS. Not that it worked.

So, I had just gotten back from all that, and was trying to have a normal life with my normal family in 'Frisco, when HE has to come by and ruin it all.

My parents had taken Matthew out for a haircut, leaving me alone with Bobby, my other stepbrother.

I was sitting on the couch, reading a novel, when Bobby came running up to me.

"Annabeeeetthhh! Annaaabeethh!" he shouted.

I sighed and placed my novel on the coffee table. "What is it, Bobby?" I asked wearily.

"There's a guy with blond hair to see you! Says he wants to talk to ya!" he said, eyes wide. "He your boyfriend, Annabeth?"

"No Bobby, I don't have a boyfriend." But I smiled, my thoughts drifting off to Percy. I pushed myself off the couch, and headed towards the door, wondering who it could be. Not for one, single second did I think the person at the door would be-

"LUKE?" I exclaimed, backing away from the door in surprise. I fingered the handle of my knife, which was attached to my belt. "Bobby, go up to your room," I murmured, not taking my eyes off Luke.

Normally, Bobby would've protested, but seeing the look on my face, I guess he decided it was best not to argue. Taking another curious glance at Luke, he headed up the stairs.

"What are you doing here, Luke? You have the nerve to show up here, after what you did? I should kill you right now!" I shouted angrily. Then I noticed what was above his head.

"Please, Annabeth. Just hear me out. I come under the flag of truce. Just give me five minutes, please!" he said desperately.

I sighed and relaxed my stance. "Fine," I muttered, glaring at the ground. "Make it quick."

He looked at me expectantly, like he was expecting me to let him in. Yeah, right. I glared at him, crossing my arms over my chest, not moving from the door.

He looked at me, and I could see the blind fear in his eyes. "Annabeth…I can't do this anymore. I can't serve Kronos. Its…its killing me, Annabeth."

"So, you've changed your mind? You'll help us fight him?" I asked, hopefully.

His expression darkened. "That's not why I came here. I haven't come to surrender to your precious gods. They deserve to be destroyed Annabeth, and you're a fool not to see it. But I want no part in this war. Please, Annabeth, lets run away. It'll be just like old times! You, me…Thalia. We'll find her. We'll get her! We're family, aren't we?"

Family. Just what I've been longing for. I had one here, and at Camp Half- blood, with Chiron, and Selena, and…and Percy…

No. I can't let myself get caught up in what he says. He tried to kill you, Annabeth. And Thalia too! Its probably a trick! ,I thought.

"Luke..family means- its a promise to stick together… no matter what. And you haven't really kept that up, have you? You tried to kill Thalia. Thalia, Luke! How could you do that?"

"Don't talk to me about that! Do you think I wanted to?" he snarled.

"I don't know, Luke! I really don't know who you are anymore! You turned this way because of what you think the gods did to her, but don't you see? They saved her! They brought her back!"

"I brought her back! I let you guys get the golden fleece, so she would come back to life! The gods had nothing to do with it."

"Oh, really? If you care about her, about us so much, why don't you surrender to us? We'll protect you, Luke. Your father-"

"Don't. Don't you dare mention my father, Annabeth," He growled. "I have no reason to be grateful to him, or any of those treacherous Olympians."

"Then go! You betrayed us, Luke. I'm never, NEVER going to forget that. You betrayed me, Percy, Thalia…how could you? I trusted you, Luke! I looked up to you! You…you were my hero!" I screamed, angrily wiping my tears.

"You don't get it, Annabeth! The gods are using you! All of you! Just like Kronos is using me."

I stopped short. "What?"

Luke took advantage of my temporary lapse of anger, and rushed to tell me the rest. "Kronos was just using me Annabeth. All this time. I've been nothing more than a tool, in the grand scheme of things. He's going to use me like a stepping stone, Annabeth, to become more powerful. I can't let that happen."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"I-I can't tell you. I swore on the River Styx." he said, frustrated.

My anger returned. "Oh, right. Of course. You swore to Kronos, didn't you? Well, I don't care how he uses you, Luke, because you deserve it. There's no way in hell I'm coming with you. No way in hell."

"Oh, yeah? Well, you might as well fight me here, right now, then! It's the only chance you're going to get! After that, I'll be gone, Annabeth! Gone!" he shouted, fists clenched.

"You keep saying that, Luke! What the hell do you mean?" I shouted.

"Wow, Annabeth. For a child of Athena, you're pretty dumb," he sneered. "Figure it out for yourself when I'm gone... forever. There's no going back, Annabeth. Now are you coming, or not?"

For the first time since he arrived, I actually thought about it. As tempting as it sounded, I knew I couldn't. Going with him would be turning my back on my mother, the rest of the gods, the camp…and Percy. I gulped. What would Percy think about all this?

"N-no, Luke. I'm sorry. But I can't just leave. Maybe you should have considered your loyalties before. But whatever it is that's made you this desperate, you should have thought about it before," I replied.

Luke just stared at me for a long time, eyes burning into mine. "Its because of Jackson, isn't it?" he growled. "You've actually begun to care for him, haven't you?"

"N-no!" I blushed. "I mean, yes, he's my friend, Luke! But its for the good of everyone! How could you imagine a peaceful world which Kronos is controlling?"

"Whatever, Annabeth. I guess I was wrong. I thought you actually cared. I thought we were family…you, me, Thalia. Then Jackson comes along and-" He sighed. "Percy is a fool, Annabeth. He doesn't know what he's doing. I can't believe he is the hero of the Great Prophecy."

"Stop it, Luke," I said, suddenly angry again. "If you are here just to insult Percy, then leave. He's ten times the person you'll ever be. He's my friend. And once upon a time, you were, too. I already gave you my answer. I'm not coming. And, by the way, neither will Thalia."

His eyes seemed to flare when I mentioned her name. "Fine," he muttered. "Bye, Annabeth. Just remember, next time you see me, I won't be under this flag. And I won't hesitate to kill you." With that, he went down the drive way, and disappeared.

I just stood, staring at the spot where he was just moments before. I went in and shut the door, locking it.

Just when I thought all the drama was finally over, turns out it wasn't.

"Hello, Annabeth."

I whipped around to see a two-headed god standing in my living room, smiling gleefully.

"But you're…you're-" I stammered.

"I'm Janus," the voices said in unison. "God of Endings. Beginnings. Choices. Everyone has choices, Daughter of Athena. What's yours?"

"What? A choice between what?" I asked nervously.

"Ah-but you already know, Annabeth. Not a choice between what, but who," one of the faces said eagerly. "Who's yours? Percy…or Luke?"

I glared at them. Him. It. "I don't care about Luke anymore!"

"But your heart says otherwise, young demigod."

I gaped. I couldn't still care about Luke. Not after what just happened.

But I did. And I cared about Percy, too. What Luke said about family…how I used to look up to him...its still there.

"Maybe we can torment you with your indecision later, young demigod. Makes things more exciting!" the second face exclaimed.

"We'll be back!" they promised, vanishing.

In a daze, I stumbled up the stairs and headed to my room. Closing the door, I collapsed on my bed and started crying.

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