Maybe Mother Doesn't Know Best

A/N: Hey! I'll be honest – I mostly just posted this for an author post of some stuff I need to say but I didn't wanna just leave you with an author note and no story or anything. Sorry it's nto an update but I just got back from this summer program… my brain is dead, sorta. But this is something I was thinking of since I read the first chapter of Mark of Athena.

If you haven't read it, Google it and click the link from the Disney Heroes of Olympus website to read the sneak peek.

Until you've read it, this might be a kind of spoiler. And it'll make a little more sense if you read the first chapter. So yeah.

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO. Since obviously Riordan didn't give away details, I have to make it up why it started and what not.

Read the author's note at the bottom, cause it was kind of the point of this… sorry.

But still…

Hope you enjoy!

Annabeth's POV

I tucked the rolls of blue paper into my bag. I had to take them all out and rearrange so they all fit again. I haven't been able to get onto Olympus for so long, all my blueprints have accumulated and I have to cram them all into my bag. Since I just make them fit, when I add a new one, I often have to rearrange so they can fit.

I slung the bag over my shoulder. Last night, my mother sent me a dream, saying she was going to collect the blueprints from me in the woods, at Zeus's Fist, here at camp.

I started to walk to the woods. As I walked, I tied my hair into a ponytail. There was something else I had to tell her – that Percy and I were dating. Percy and I planned to do it that week we arrived at camp. We were going to tell first his dad, then my mom, together. But then he went and got himself kidnapped. Involuntarily, anyway.

So now, I had to do it on my own, because once I got my Percy back, we wouldn't get the chance. We had a war to fight. Stuff like that typically makes minor setbacks on other plans.

I had already told Poseidon. He didn't seem upset or mad, just a little surprised that with our history of fighting we would be romantically interested in each other. Once he got over it, he congratulated me and told me he hoped everything worked out. I left and that was that.

Now my mother, on the other hand, would be much harder. I wasn't looking forward to it at all, but I knew it had to get doen.

…

I stood at Zeus's Fist and then saw the light. The one that said my mom was here.

I took a deep breath, straightened my spine, and pushed my shoulders back.

"Annabeth," Athena smiled. She was dressed like an Ancient Greek queen, in robes and jewelry.

"Hey, Mom," I forced a smile.

"Let me see," she took the blueprints form my bag and scanned them.

"Very good," she looked at me, "But I sense there is something you want to talk to me about."

I nodded, "Um, yes."

"Well?"

"It's, um, it's about Percy."

Her eyes narrowed, "I knew I shouldn't have trusted that sea spawn. What did he do to my daughter? Did he hurt you? How? Physically? Emotionally? Did he-"

"We're dating."

"What?"

I bit my lip. "We're dating. I'm going out with Percy Jackson."

"Right, the son of my sworn enemy."

"But, but he's… great."

"No! He is evil! He's terrible! He is an awful person! He is rash! He doesn't think! He just acts! How many times has he almost gotten you killed?"

"Don't say that!" Now, she had me worked up, "Percy is amazing! He's loyal-"

"Loyalty that could get you killed because it's his fatal flaw!"

"-And he's really sweet! He always looks out for me! So maybe he makes his mistakes, but we fix them!"

"No, Annabeth, you fix them!"

"He's my best friend! He always listens to me!"

"Does he? When you were upset about Luke he accused you of backing him up and defending him!"

"He was trying for me not to get my feelings hurt!"

"Right, by yelling at you!"

"Stop!" I covered my ears with my hands, "I'm not letting you beat down my boyfriend!"

"Pfft! Boyfriend! Break up with him!"

"No!"

"And why not?"

"Because-" I held it back. If I was supposed to be telling anyone this, it was Percy. But I had to say it. I was sure of it, so I was going to admit it.

"Because I love him."

Her mouth fell open. She looked completely indignant. Then her face went red with rage.

"Annabeth, if you won't break up with him, then I will break you up. Which do you prefer?"

With that, she disappeared.

…

I ran through the woods until I reached the little river that trickled along the rocks. I fell to my knees and the tears started.

She hated him. She hated the person I loved. It seemed like too much to bear. I fell to pieces, crying. I respected my mother and I loved my boyfriend. But she didn't approve of him. What was I supposed to?

Then, I started thinking. If my mom was trying to protect me from some player or liar or other bastard, I guess I could understand. But Percy was so sweet and kind and gentle and… amazing. The only reason my mom didn't like him was because of who his father was.

I dried my eyes. I sat up straight. I wasn't going to let my mother's poor reasoning and judgement keep me from being with Percy. It was my choice who I dated.

I looked into the water. It glistened the way Percy's eyes did. It hurt a little to think of him, but I knew I would get him back.

I brushed my fingertips against the water. Percy had told me how when he was thinking of someone and he was near the water, and they were touching the water, he could sense their presence. That's what I was hoping for when I touched the water and whispered,

"I love you, Percy, no matter what anyone says."

A/N: Yeah, yeah, short and not that great. Sorry, But now down to business.

I have been thinking about getting a beta reader. You know, because I've gotten a few reviews here and there on grammer and stuff. Plus, I could use someone to tell me if what I'm writing is funny, flows nicely, follows the story line, etc.

So, here's the thing. I want to choose a beta who I know can really do a good job. If you would like to be my beta reader, I want a few things:

I want you to have read (and enjoyed) two of my stories, at least, just so you have a feel for my writing style and so I know from your POV what my readers like about my writing. Also, I would rather one of those stories be Untangling Knots, since that's what I need a beta for, and maybe The Awkward Moment, too.

I know it's a requirement for you to have written at least five stories or stories that have totaled a certain amount of words. I want you to send me a link in a review or PM to two of the stories you're most proud of and/or gotten the most positive reviews for. I want to see your grammer skills as well as writing skills.

Your stories can have ratings K-T. I would prefer they be one-shots or stories that aren't too long and must be complete. I would prefer you to have all-real characters, although OCs are ok, if you use only a few. It can be really in any genre as long as it isn't a Tragedy. Angst is ok, though.

Your stories should be in in either Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Hunger Games, or the Kane Chronicles (only the Red Pyramid, though – I haven't finished the series). I would accept others, but you have to let me know beforehand so I can see if I've read the book/series. Also, since I mostly write PJO, I want to know that you like that series.

Your stories should be based on the book and not the movie.

Be original.

That's it.

So yeah, let me know.

R&R!

- Promise