"I don't want to change my last name." Annabeth's confession came out in a rush, nervous uncertainty swarming her stomach. She knew Percy's mother had kept her last name through both her marriages, so Percy wasn't unused to the idea, but still. He'd been conditioned to a society that taught him to expect certain things, and she really, really didn't want him to take it the wrong way. The last thing she felt like tonight was fighting.

It wasn't something they'd ever brought up before, and truthfully, she had no idea how he'd take it. He was a progressive, open minded person who believed in women's rights and all the important things, and he'd also been her best friend since the age of twelve, when she'd begun calling him (and anyone else she knew) out on any remark or action she found sexist. Still, it wasn't like he was some perfect feminist. He was still such a guy.

Percy cocked his head toward her, his face illuminated by passing streetlights as he drove. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, reaching to turn down the radio. "I didn't realize that we met yesterday and I had no idea who I was marrying."

Annabeth's mouth dropped open in laughter, but he continued, offering her his hand to shake.

"Hi, I'm Percy. I like really dumb, short, unattractive brunettes who don't know what to do with a knife or a book and want me to order them around all the time…"

She hit his arm, still laughing, trying to get him to stop, but he was on a role now.

"Basically, I'm just looking for someone to own, you know? Someone to take my first and last name, do my laundry, make me breakfast every morning…'Mrs. Percy Jackson.' That has a nice ring, right?"

"I'm going to make you crash this car!" She finally got out, trying to be serious. She felt…well, elated. How had she found him?

She leaned over onto his shoulder, going soft and quiet. "You're not surprised?"

He glanced down at her, eyes amused but more serious. "No, Wise Girl. I'm not surprised you plan to remain who you are."

She yawned, nestling her head on his shoulder, feeling more happy than she'd perhaps ever felt. "Who am I?" She asked sleepily. She was straight up fishing now, but he always gave in to her.

His hand that wasn't on the wheel came around and rested in her hair, rubbing his thumb slowly up and down. "A tall…blonde…smart…really fucking sexy feminist." He listed as he drove. "A beautiful, powerful demigod who's always known what she wanted. A brilliant architect." He kissed the top of her head. "My favorite person in the whole world."

She smiled contentedly, and then couldn't stop for several miles, turning her face into his arm so he could feel it in the dark.

Finally, she brought up the other thing on her mind. "What about…"

She hesitated, taking his hand in both of hers and tracing the lines on his palm. "…when we have babies?"

He hesitated too, switching on the windshield wipers as rain began to drum against the car.

"I was wondering about that," he admitted finally.

"Why didn't you bring it up?"

"I don't know…but Estelle and I both have different last names. It feels kind of weird, I guess."

"Well, our kids won't."

He glanced at her. "I hope not, especially since Estelle and I are from different dads…"

She shrugged. "I mean, don't get too comfortable, Jackson."

She threaded her fingers through his. "So, what do you want to do?"

"What do you want to do?"

She shrugged, squeezing his knee. "Chase it is, I guess."

He made a face at her. "Seriously though, Jackson-Chase doesn't sound that bad for them. Chase-Jackson. Whatever."

She considered. "When you put our names together like that, it kind of just sounds like we're teaming up to fight crime."

He said nothing, but just looked at her, waiting for what she'd said to sink in.

"Which…has been our whole lives! Okay, whatever, I'm tired," she said defensively, stifling another yawn.

She extended her left hand in front of her, tilting it to catch the light for the billionth time in the last week. "You know, no one can believe you picked out the ring yourself." The sapphire winked back from its vintage white gold setting. "It's just so…unique. So me. Or, I don't know, so us."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "I guess they weren't the ones receiving extremely subtle hints for the last two years. And give me some credit! We established that we didn't actually meet yesterday, right?"

Annabeth grinned, pushing herself up to kiss him on the neck. "I didn't say I was surprised, Seaweed Brain."

They'd arrived at their tiny rented college house. The short driveway was shaded by trees – which sometimes felt like the best part of the deal.

Annabeth unbuckled her seatbelt as Percy turned off the car. She leaned further into him, kissing his jaw, then down his neck. "Leave the heat on," she whispered.

He leaned back, quickly reclining his seat as she climbed on top of him, straddling him in the steamy confines of the car. "You have a lot of demands tonight," he noted, watching her without any arguments as she started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Mmmhmm." She got through the buttons and sighed in contentment as she ran her hands all over his leanly muscled, glorious body. "And I have one more. Throughout our marriage, I get to be on top whenever I want to be."

Percy didn't sound even close to arguing. "Whatever makes you happy, Wise Girl."