Setting: This story is set after BOTL, and TLO hasn't happened.

Disclaimer: I do not own and never WILL own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Although I wish I did. :( However, I DO own my iPod which I have been jamming out to until inspiration for this one-shot hit me. :)

Title: Realizations

Author: xMalloryXHeartsxLoganXLermanx

Summary: There are many mysteries to life. Many things left unsaid, unthought. But the thoughts that do make their way into a certain Seaweed Brain's mixed-up head, are very important thoughts indeed.

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Throughout my life, I have realized many things about myself. I've realized my favorite color's blue; I've realized electronic devices really confuse me; but, most importantly, I've realized that I love chocolate milk with a burning passion.

No. Just kidding.

Actually, the most important thing I've realized is.. that I love Annabeth Chase, in every sense of the word.

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"Beautiful, huh?"

I turned around to see Annabeth behind me. She was staring out at the ocean, her eyes reflecting the waves.

I dug my toes into the sand when she sat down beside me.

"Very beautiful." I replied.

What she didn't know was that I really wanted to say that about her. Sure the sea is beautiful but nothing could compare to her blonde princess curls and stormy gray eyes.

She looked at me and smiled. "So what've you been up to, Seaweed Brain?"

I shrugged. "Nothing much. Almost died yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that.." I trailed off.

She laughed, a sound I loved to hear. She hadn't laughed much lately. I knew she had been worrying about Luke every day and every night. She hardly ever practice battled with me anymore. All she did was stay cooped up in her cabin with Daedalus's laptop.

Then, I went off to school in the fall and she stayed at camp. Probably still doing the exact same thing she did the whole summer. Laying in her bed, reading architecture books, worrying about Luke, studying Daedalus's notes, over-analyzing everything, worrying about Luke..

This is the first time I'd seen her since arriving at Camp Half-Blood yesterday. She hadn't came out to greet me or anything. So I don't visit her at all.

There was an awkward silence between us. I dug a tiny hole in the sand with my index finger.

Annabeth sighed.

"Percy, don't be like this."

I froze. What? What am I being like? What about her? She's the one being so.. so.. I don't know. I don't know what she's being.

"Don't be like what?" I asked.

She smiled. "Don't be such a Seaweed Brain."

I smiled back. "I will only stop being a Seaweed Brain if you stop being a Wise Girl."

"Weeeeeell, then I guess you'll just have to learn to live with disappointment.."

"Weeeeelll, then I guess you'll just have to learn to live with being wet."

"What?"

I splashed her. She stared at me in shock.

"Percy. Jackson," she said through clenched teeth, "You did not just-"

I splashed her again.

"You are going to pay for that!"

I grinned, and ran for all I was worth.

Finally, I made it to the canoe lake, Annabeth barely a foot behind me.

I didn't stop running. I jumped straight into the lake, and Annabeth halted at the edge. I felt quite satisfied with myself. It was a nice feeling.

"Get out of the water, Percy!"

I smirked. "Nah, I don't think I will. The water is safe.. and it's not safe up there while you're angry."

Annabeth tried to keep a straight face. It didn't work, of course. She laughed at me.

"I won't hurt you, I promise. Just get out of the water, Seaweed Brain. I really need to talk to you."

I smiled. "Okay.. Wise Girl."

I stepped out of the water and walked over to the pier where Annabeth was waiting for me.

"Yes?" I said as I sat down next to her, our legs dangling off the edge.

She took a deep breath. "I know you're angry at me, Percy. If I were you, I would be too. But I think I'm on to something. Some way you can beat Luk-" She corrected herself, "Kronos."

I knit my eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"The Styx."

"Huh?" Only later, did I realize how stupid of me that was. I should've known what she was talking about.

"If you bathed in the River Styx, you would become invincible!"

"Uh, yeah, about that, Annabeth.. that's actually what I was planning on doing.."

"..What?"

"Well, on my birthday, Nico came and he proposed the same idea. At first I didn't really want to.. but, I finally agreed to it."

She looked down. "So, I basically wasted my whole summer.. and fall, and winter, and spring, didn't I?"

I laughed. "Yeah, you did. But I'm glad-" I stopped. What was I glad about? I was glad she had spent her time at camp thinking of ways for me to fight Kronos. But I knew what I was really glad about. I was glad she had been worrying about me, and not Luke.

"You're glad about what?"

"Uhh.."

Annabeth pursed her lips. "Y'know, Percy. I feel kind of stupid, right now."

"What do you mean?"

She hesitated. "I basically just admitted to you that the only thing I've been thinking about this whole time at camp was.. you. And you don't even care."

I couldn't believe what she was saying.

"What? Of course I care! In fact, I was about to say-"

She looked at me. "What? You were about to say what?"

I looked at my sneakers. "That I was glad you were worrying about me and not Luke."

Things suddenly became very awkward again.

I leaned back on my hands and flinched when I accidentally placed my hand on top of hers. I blushed and pulled away.

But then Annabeth did what I didn't expect, she put her hand on top of mine.

"Percy.. don't take this the wrong way, okay?"

Uh-oh.

"But, you're an idiot."

What?

She laughed, I guess at my expression, and bumped my shoulder playfully.

"I mean, you're not seeing what's right in front of you!"

I stared at her, confused.

"You mean.. the lake?"

She rolled her eyes. "Gods, you are so obtuse!"

"Annabeth.. I don't even know what that means."

She smiled and turned her body towards me. She pulled out a letter. A letter that I had sent her while she was at camp and I was at Goode.

She smiled again and read to me out loud what I'd wrote.

Dear Wise Girl,

I've missed you. Like, way too much. And then I got mad when I realized we never got to go to the movies because of Rachel.

I'm sorry about that, by the way.

So, um, you haven't been IM'ing me lately, like you said you would. I was wondering what was wrong. But I'm probably worrying over nothing. You're just busy.

But, I wanted to say I'm sorry.

I know you're probably wondering what I'm saying sorry about.. Well, you'll find out when I get to camp. I'll tell you then. See you soon.

Love, Percy

She looked at me. "Care to tell me now?"

I blushed. "I was saying sorry for all those times I talked about Luke. I know they made you mad. And I felt stupid writing it in a letter, so... you were right."

"I usually am. But about what this time?"

I smiled. "I am a coward. I put off saying sorry about Luke until camp."

"Well, it's okay Percy because I'm not a coward."

"What?"

And that's when she kissed me. Suddenly, I didn't care about Luke. I didn't care about Kronos. I didn't care about the prophecy. I didn't care about anything except that Annabeth's lips were on mine and they fit perfectly.

Throughout my life, I have realized many things about myself. I've realized my favorite color's blue; I've realized electronic devices really confuse me; but, most importantly, I've realized that I love chocolate milk with a burning passion.

No. Just kidding.

Actually, the most important thing I've realized is.. that I love Annabeth Chase, in every sense of the word.

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A/N: Hey! I haven't died! Hehehe.:)

Please, review! It would make my day. Seriously. That would be the HIGHLIGHT of my day. :)

Thanks much!

~MHLL