Hello everyone. It's me again with a three-shot Percabeth fic. It's a Holiday special :) The first chapter is for Christmas (even though it's late), the second will be on New Year's Eve/New Year, and the third is still undecided. This is loosely based on the movie 'Serendipity' but I got the title from 'Love Actually'. And I own neither movie and the PJO & HoO franchise so dont sue me! Anyways I hope you enjoy!

Part I: Christmas & Coffee Shop

~~O~~

December 25, Christmas

Annabeth got herself comfortable on one of the booths in the coffee shop. Then she spent the rest of the time looking out the glass window to the snowcapped roads and darkening sky. She'd check her watch from time to time and realize not even a minute was passing by, then look back at the serenity outside. Snow was falling continuously outside – dropping silently, gently, and breaking apart upon hitting the ground or anything at all.

Tick tock.

With a heavy sigh, she looked at the watch again.

6:01?

A groan escaped from her lips. She rested her chin on her palm and rolled her eyes impatiently, constantly wondering if the thing was broken. Well, after all, she'd inherited it from her Mom. The gold watch was already old and a little rusty before Annabeth had gotten it.

At this hour, people would probably be inside their homes, celebrating Christmas. Some would be at parties. But Annabeth would be here, stuck in a lonely coffee shop with a creepy, all dressed in black man who was staring at her with a crazy light in his eyes, a few of the staff, an old lady, and some girl with sullen eyes and messy, dark hair.

Some Christmas this is, she thought bitterly.

Well, story of her life. Never did she once have a normal Christmas. Not since she was ten, when her mother died from the freak car accident, her dad was always off to different places because of his work, and she'd shared the apartment with her childhood best friend Thalia after college. She'd seen her dad thrice this year, though. And that was even lucky. Last year, before graduating, she'd never seen her dad at all.

A minute later, her phone rang, playing the song that her best friend had plugged in when Annabeth was in the shower and had forgotten to close the phone. She brought it to her ear and spoke first.

"Hey, Thalia. In case you're wondering, your BFF is actually starving right now, and bored to death. Maybe you can come a little faster? Huh?" she said. A burst of laughter came as a reply. "'S that so funny?" she asked, irritated.

"Okay, sorry, Annie. Geez. You gotta chill. Anyway, I think I'm gonna be late. Stuck in traffic. Probably gonna be there in an hour or so," loud honking could be heard from the other line, and Annabeth heard Thalia yelling, "Did you just spit on my car, you little bast*rd kid, you?!"

When the screaming and yelling had gone (or so Annabeth thought), she caught Thalia's attention again.

"So what do you think will I do for an hour or so in a coffee shop, huh? Do I, one, talk to this creepy loner girl, two, do I help this waiter talk to the old lady, or, three, do I call the police now because this guy in front of me looks like he's gonna jump out at me in the alley later," she asked sarcastically. She could totally picture Thalia rolling her eyes now.

"Whatever, Annie. Just…go eat something or go for a walk…or something. I'll call you when I get there. Oh, oh wait, this kid's spitting on the car again, just –''

And the call ended with a long beep.

Thinking that it was better to eat and go than stay under that creepy guy's gaze, Annabeth got up, grabbing her purse, and walked to the counter. There were a few boxes of cupcakes on display. She spotted one box which seemed to be the only one left of it's kind. She pointed to it.

"Um, can I –''

She was interrupted by a male voice just beside her. "I'd like this one, please." The person said. Annabeth frowned as the lady at the counter prepared the box and handed it to the person. She looked up beside her, and came in eye contact with a guy her age, with hair as dark as the night, and as messy as, dare she say, Thalia Grace's bedroom. He had sea-green eyes and a smile that even this cashier lady could drool on. But Annabeth could tell he was some sort of a troublemaker.

How could she tell?

Well, she'd had a few experiences with their different kind. After all those, she could proudly say that she's an expert at sorting out troublemakers now.

"Um, excuse me, I ordered that first," Annabeth politely said to the guy. He turned to her, and she realized how addicting those green eyes could be.

She attempted less eye contact with this person.

"Uh….did you?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck uncertainly. "Can't you just, uh, order something else?"

She opened her mouth to protest, but the sound of her stomach rumbling badly stopped her. She sighed. "Fine." She slid a few dollars towards the cashier lady. "That one please."

Annabeth set her purse on the counter and took the box of cupcakes from the lady. After counting her change, she walked off and pushed the door open, the cold December air hitting her face as she stepped out.

Still annoyed by the fact that the green-eyed guy got the fancy box first, she'd forgotten that her purse was still on the counter…

Annabeth loved walking on the New York City streets and passing by sidewalk cafes and shops, and looking at books on display through the window. She smiled at the unique image her winter, ankle-length boots made every time she stepped on the snow. She loved the warmth that her knee-length brown coat provided her during winter.

But she was truly, truly, starving. So she skipped all those and ran around, searching for a bench until she found one. It was resting in front of a fountain at the park, snow covering it. Annabeth wiped off the bench with her hand before sitting on it. Then she took a bite on her cupcake.

After a few bites she checked on her watch again. It was almost an hour later so she dug through her purse to get her phone when the realization dawned on her…

She didn't have the phone. Or the purse.

"Dammit," she cursed under her breath. She was about to stand up when someone sat beside her and held up a peach purse in front of her.

Annabeth's eyes immediately narrowed.

"You don't look like the type of person who forgets stuff,"

That voice was eerily familiar.

She glanced sideways, and caught glimpse of sea-green eyes which she was positive belonged to the person she didn't even want to name...well, she didn't know his name but still.

"There's this creepy guy who almost took it, but luckily I was there," he continued.

Oh, so that's why that creep was staring.

Annabeth snatched the purse from the guy, and mumbled, "Luckily, huh."

He raised an eyebrow, "That's your way of saying thank you?" Annabeth didn't reply. The guy grinned. He offered her the box she was fancying on earlier. Annabeth looked up at him, wide-eyed. "You like this, right? I'm sharing it to you." He said, urging her to get a piece.

She hesitated at first, then got one with a strawberry on top.

"Thanks," she muttered. In the corner of her eye she could see the guy smiling. It wasn't that troublemaker smile, but it was a real smile. Like he appreciated little things such as the word thanks. "Can I get a name?" she blurted out all of a sudden.

"Percy," he answered, still smiling. "You?"

"Annabeth,"

"Cool."

"What?"

"I said cool." Percy shrugged nonchalantly. "You've got a cool name."

"Really?" she looked at Percy with a smile. "Then you're the first. Even my dad didn't like my name…"

"Why?"

Annabeth let out a chuckle. "He wanted me to be an 'Alexandra'."

Percy took a bite off his cupcake. "Alexandra is cool. But I think I like Annabeth much better." The comment was all it took for her blood to rise to her cheeks. If this guy wanted to embarrass her then he was succeeding. She just wasn't used to this kind of talk – especially with strangers like Percy.

"Is something wrong?"

She gave him an apologetic look. "No, no. I…um…uh…was thinking about something."

Percy then started a random conversation, and the two talked for another full hour when Annabeth's phone buzzed. Thalia had texted her, implying that she'd arrived. Annabeth stood, dusting off her coat before smiling down at Percy.

"I'm going, my friend and I have got some errands to run," she said. Percy mouthed Oh, and then stood in front of her. He dug through his jean pocket and fished out a dollar.

"Will we meet again?" he asked hopefully.

"Maybe…" Annabeth replied. She noticed how Percy's expression went from hopeful to disappointed. She was disappointed, too. Earlier she wanted Thalia to come faster but now she just wanted another five minutes to talk to Percy. She was comfortable talking to him. She could joke around and be sarcastic without fearing that she'd said something wrong to offend him. Then, all of a sudden, an idea clicked in her mind. She took the one dollar bill from Percy. "May I?" Annabeth asked first. Puzzled, and yet at the same time amused, Percy nodded. Then Annabeth took out a pen and wrote the address of her apartment down on it.

"Um, what are you doing, Annabeth?" Percy asked, standing behind her and trying to see what she was doing. Annabeth quickly folded the bill.

"If you ever find this thing, then we can see each other again," she said. "It's got my address and the initials A and C, so if you see this, you can visit me anytime."

Percy raised an eyebrow, but he answered with amusement and curiosity laced in his voice. "Then it's a game of fate, huh? Okay then, I'm playing." Annabeth grinned and nodded. She put the bill gently on the bench, and walked away, Percy following her.

"Hey, Annabeth, I hope you have a great Christmas," Percy told her as they walked back to the coffee shop. Annabeth's hands were in the pockets of her coat, her lips pursed all the way back. The air around them was getting thicker, snow still rapidly falling on them – the moon had come out but there were no stars. A dreadful, heavy silence settled upon the two, with Annabeth wishing they'd talk more as this could be the last time….

They stopped in front of the coffee shop.

Annabeth turned to Percy, lifting her chin a little to look directly into his eyes.

"Know what?" she said, a smile tugging at her lips. "I already have."

Percy's face broke into an unfathomable grin.

They say in New York, no matter how big the city is, it's actually an incredibly small world to live in. Streets are connected and there's a great chance that two strangers could see each other again. It's a place of coincidences.

But two strangers seeing each other again and again…and again and again…

Well, gods know that the Fates are at work.

Merry Christmas! Or...belated Merry Christmas...or something. I hope to see you in the second part. And if you have time, please drop in a review, too. Enjoy the Holidays! -CodeNameWiseGirl