Annabeth Chase hesitantly stepped into the seemingly vacant New York apartment, flowers in one hand and cupcakes in the other. The spare key Percy had made just for her (because his other key had miraculously disappeared) hung on her owl-dotted lanyard; a gift from a begrudging Frederick when the man finally accepted that his daughter was determined to date a real, living and breathing boy.

"Percy?"

Annabeth brushed her hair behind her ear, taking in the home before her. The living room was clean and tidy (she had no doubt that Sally had fought Percy and Paul for it to appear that way) and the kitchenette that attached off to the right of the living room almost sparked with left over traces of soap and cleaning products. The leftover smell of Sally's cooking made Annabeth's stomach grumble. When was the last time she had a homemade dish instead of heated up meals or pizza?

"Hello?"

Percy had told her to meet him at Noon, and it was ten past. She briefly wondered if he was hurt, but quickly dismissed the idea. Grover would know if he was in trouble and she would have been contacted already.

She kicked off her shoes after a second thought and neatly lined them up near the door before venturing into the apartment. Picture frames were scattered about end tables and the shelf above the TV. The couch looked comfy and soft although Annabeth could spot several stains and patches. The carpet beneath her feet was springy and nice compared to her father's cold-tiled floors.

Annabeth had never been in Percy's home before. She paused at a picture on the wall. It was of Percy and Sally on a beach. Annabeth knew it was taken quite a few years ago—Percy's messy head of hair barely reached Sally's waist. They were facing away from the photographer; admiring the sunset whilst ankle deep in waves.

Annabeth felt a small smile appear on her face. Percy had never been secretive about his life before her but he never shared much willingly. She rather enjoyed seeing where he grew up and who he was as a child.

"Hey!"

Annabeth whirled around, almost dropping the flowers in surprise.

A scruffy, fat man that reeked of beer and smoke stood in the kitchen and glared at her with beady eyes. How such a beefy person had managed to creep up on Annabeth was beyond her.

"Yeh lost, girlie?" he sneered.

Annabeth shook her head. "This is the Jackson residence, right?"

His face twisted into an ugly snarl and he spat onto the shiny counter top.

"Yeah."

Annabeth frowned and ignored the strong urge to take a shower. "Then I'm not lost." She took in his dirty, dumpy appearance and wondered if he might be the one in the wrong place. "May I ask what business you have here?"

The man chuckled darkly and leaned against the counter. "Unfinished business."

"Er..." was her brilliant reply. She was starting to wonder that he was a monster in disguise. This wouldn't be the first encounter or experience that something like this has happened to her, although it was only usually with Percy because of his alluring scent.

He noticed her glancing at the door and slapped his hand on the table's surface, causing her to jump. "Yeh goin' somewhere now? Ain't polite to walk in here and leave again."

Annabeth shook her head. After a second of debate, she crossed to the kitchen and laid down her cupcakes and flowers. She rather have her hands free, she told herself as she grimaced at the pungent smell that radiated off of him.

"Yeh the little twit's friend or somethin'?" the man sneered as he took in the blue frosted dessert.

"Girlfriend, actually."

His mouth dropped open, displaying a lovely row of yellow teeth. Annabeth had to look away. "No..." he scoffed and shook his head. "There ain't anyone like yeh who'd wanna mix up with him."

Annabeth didn't know if she should've been insulted or not, or feel insulted for Percy. "What are you?" she said instead.

"Huh?"

"In relation to the Jackson's. Who are you to Percy and Sally?" Annabeth was expecting him to say "their greatest nightmare" or "something they've never seen before" or some weird words monsters spewed before they'd attack Percy. What she didn't expected was to hear him say: "Husband."

A beat of silence.

Then: "Her—hus—you—Sally's husband?" Annabeth sputtered. Comprehension dawned on her. "Gabe. You're Gabe."

He rolled his eyes.

Annabeth realized how complicated this situation truly was. This was the mortal who tormented Percy's life as a child—who Percy still wouldn't speak of now. Annabeth had thought (they all had) that chapter of their life was turned and over. Sally had remarried Paul and they were happily living together with Percy. This complicated everything.

And where did Gabe even come from? If she recalled correctly; Sally was just about to file for a divorce six years ago, only to find him gone and without a trace before they could legally go before a judge. She'd figured he was being his cheap worthless self and didn't want to have to pay his part.

Oh gods, what would Sally's reaction be? Percy was very vague in details but it was clear that Gabe hadn't treated her respectfully at all.

Annabeth couldn't kick him out (despite her strongest wishes) since this wasn't her home to kick him out of, but she didn't think it was appropriate for him to stay.

"She's remarried." The words left Annabeth's mouth before she could stop them. It wasn't her news to tell but it escaped her nevertheless. On the other hand, it wasn't really news. Sally had been Mrs. Blofis née Jackson for a year.

Gave squinted his already small eyes (making them even narrower, if possible) at her. Then he chortled. "Since when?"

"A year ago."

Gabe threw his head back and cackled. "I don't believe you."

"Why would I lie? I don't know you; how could telling such a lie benefit me even the slightest?"

"Because," he said—now gasping for breath, "She wants me to pay for her damn clothes and food and this apartment she wanted me to buy her." Ding ding ding. "That ain't happenin'!"

"I assure you, she doesn't want your money." Annabeth played with the key on her neck. "She's happily married to a man named Paul."

Gabe shook his beefy neck. "That ain't possible. I left last night." Last night? Was he illusional? "I was drinkin' beer and playin' cards with the boys, then I'm in some dark, filthy place, and then I'm back here again."

Annabeth didn't know if she should believe him or not. This honestly sounded like the work of the gods or an ancient, powerful being.

"You didn't leave last night," Annabeth said slowly as she inched towards the hallway. If she remembered correctly, Percy had a spare sword in his bedroom just in case of emergencies. "You left six years ago. Sally's remarried, Percy's graduating and he, Sally and Paul all live here now."

"NO." He pushed off of the counter and stormed over to Annabeth. He looked rather spooked, as if he was considering Annabeth's words for the truth, and that clearly frightened him. And people fueled by fear are by far more dangerous than any monster Percy could ever tell her about. "He put yeh up to this, didn't he?"

Annabeth shook her head, her mouth suddenly dry. She'd just realized that a demigod's sword would do nothing to him, a mortal, who couldn't be hurt by celestial bronze.

"Where are they?"

"I don't know," she said.

"YES YEH DO!" he shouted, causing her to jump. "I bet yeh do. I bet yer supposed to be a distraction or somethin'. Ain't that right?"

"Sir," Annabeth began. "I have to ask you t—"

"Yeh know what I hate," he seethed. "I hate the little dumb skull—hated him since I met him. I hate loosing at a card game—but I never loose. And I hate liars—like yerself."

Annabeth heard a door slam but she was too busy glaring a hole into Gabe's soul. "Don't call him that," she snapped. "As far as I can see, he isn't the one a few tweaks shy of stupid. He isn't the one who abused an innocent woman or her twelve-year-old son. He isn't the one who abandoned this said woman and son, which fortunately worked out for the better. Good riddance!"

Annabeth spotted something small and silver clenched in his hand. She reached over and ripped a key—the spare Percy had "lost"—out of his fingers. "And this doesn't belong to you. Neither does this apartment. Not anymore. Get out."

She did anticipate the throw before she even saw him curling his fingers. But she could only watch, frozen, as the fist came hurling towards her. What she didn't anticipate was suddenly being yanked back by her shirt. Annabeth stumbled over her feet but a pair of arms were there to steady her. She caught a glimpse of a school ring with the letters AHS engraved in silver.

Before she could blink, Percy had bounded past her and then Gabe was the one on the receiving end of a blow. She needn't see Percy's face to know he was fuming—his tensed shoulders and heaving chest told her all that she needed to know. He punched Gabe again using his hand with the ring, sending the older man to the ground. Percy kicked him in the side and began to throw blow upon blow.

"Percy!" Annabeth cried when she realized he wasn't letting up. She did think that Gabe deserved getting the crap being beaten out of him but she was afraid what the consequences might be for Percy if he killed his ex-stepfather (which seemed to be the way things were headed).

"Don't you ever touch her," Percy snarled and punched him in the face again. "Don't talk to her, don't even look at her!"

Annabeth seriously doubted Gabe would be doing any of these things in a long time, judging by the purpleness and bloodiness of his face.

"Percy!" She stepped forward and hesitantly placed her hand on his shoulder. He whirled around with a fierce look in his eyes and for a split, shameful second, she was afraid he would turn on her. He would never, she scolded herself. She stared at him, seeing years of pent up emotions swirling in his eyes. "Stop."

Percy kicked Gabe one last time and then allowed Annabeth to pull him into a hug. She could feel him trembling as they clung to each other. She didn't know who was holding the other tighter. It didn't matter.

Annabeth finally pulled away and took in his appearance. He wore jeans, a t-shirt that was now rumpled and bloodied and a denim jacket.

"Are you okay?"

Percy chuckled darkly and grasped her hands. His bloody knuckles stood out frighteningly in contrast to her whitening ones. "I should be asking you."

Annabeth took a deep breath. "Yeah. I'm sorry—"

"Sorry?!" Percy looked appalled. "Sorry for what?"

"—that... that this day didn't go as we planned." They were supposed to meet Sally and Paul for an early dinner after looking into collage applications and hanging around the apartment.

Percy shook his head and kicked Gabe's ankle in disgust, earning them a little groan and a swear.

"He should be the one apologizing," Percy sneered. "Scumbag."

"Curse all of you," Gabe said as he clutched his black eye.

"Shut up." Percy said lightly, a sliver of madness that sent chills down Annabeth's spine still visible in his eyes.

"She said it would be easy," Gabe moaned. He heaved himself to a sitting position, blood pouring out of his mouth. "Just walk in—gave me a key—do what you wanna..."

"Wait, who?" Annabeth exclaimed.

"What?" Percy looked confused.

"You were put up to this? By whom?"

Gabe only moaned again.

Percy made to go at him another time but Annabeth forcefully held him back. He opened his mouth, ready to demand that she let go—but he must have seen something on her face for he decided to remain silent. "Let's go," he said instead. "Grab my extra sword. It's under my bed." He heaved Gabe off the floor with a lot of grunting and swearing and pushed him towards the door.

"But—" Annabeth began as she watched her boyfriend shove Gabe into the hallway outside.

"Annabeth!" Percy snapped. "We're leaving. Now."

Annabeth clamped her mouth shut. Percy had never snapped at her unless they were fighting. She silently went into the first room she found. Luckily, it so happened to be Percy's. She grabbed the sword and an extra shirt for him and was back in the living room in matter of minutes. Percy was scrubbing the rug free of blood with an old dish towel. When he saw her, he stood up and handed Annabeth her shoes. She slide them onto her feet and passed him the shirt. He slipped it over his head and quickly sprawled a note to his parents, she guessed.

A small part of Annabeth was resentful of Percy. Her father and stepmother could care less of her location or her wellbeing. But she was happy that he had wonderful family to fall back on—that they both could fall back on.

Annabeth threw the bloody dish towel in the trash and rinsed her hands in the sink. Percy surprised her by sneaking up behind her and hugging her to his chest. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he mumbled into her hair. For some reason Percy had always been fascinated with her hair, even when they were childhood friends and before they started dating.

Now Annabeth would had been insulted and made a remark about not treating her equally because she was younger than he, a girl, a mortal and she didn't have as much experience with Greek monsters as he did—but she assumed the apology was for her as much as it was for himself, so she decided to let it go.

"Don't worry about it," she whispered. She guided his hands beneath the faucet, letting the water magically heal his knuckles. He spun her around and pressed her back into the counter. Kissing him was always one of her favorite pastime's and she was always happy to partake in it and oblige when his hormones kicked in. Somehow she was sitting onto the counter top a few moments later, lips tender and swollen from the harsh attack from Percy.

Annabeth pulled away as she tried to catch her breath, attempting to comprehend and process everything that had happened in the past twenty minutes. Percy leaned his forehead against hers and they breathed in and out in tandem. It would have been a sweet moment, if not for the pressing matters at hand.

Percy seemed to read her mind; he grabbed her hand, kissed the top of her head and pulled her out of the apartment.