Annabeth rubbed her neck from the soreness of the plane seat and yawned, stumbling out of the hallway crowded with people in fancy suits and blackberrys pressed to their ears. She looked for the hanging sign that said something close to Come get your bags here! After finding it and grabbing her luggage, and bumping into many angry CEO's, Annabeth managed to get to the waiting area, and started searching for her long lost friend. Heads of clean cut shaves, tight buns, fiery red haired assistants, but no rebellious short black hair.
"Annie!" Someone called to my left. "Annabeth! Its you!" Annabeth turned around to see a beautiful young women with long black hair, the same heavy eyeliner and a small child holding her hand. She looked into tear filling electric blue eyes and broke into a wide smile.
"Thalia!" The blonde ran to her friend and threw her arms around her. Thalia smelled like cinnamon and guitar wood, and her hair slipped into Annabeth's fingers.
"My gods Thalia! You are so beautiful!" Thalia laughed and shrugged.
"I'm married! And I would like it to stay that way." She said. The little girl at Thalias side tugged on Annabeth's sleeve. Annabeth kneeled down and grinned.
"And who are you, sweetheart?" She asked. The little girl glanced away shyly and twisted her body gently back and forth, making her flower print dress coil at her knees, then coil at the other side.
"My name Annabeth Rosaleen Castellan." The girl said. Annabeth gasped and put a hand over her mouth.
I'm losing my bonkers. Annabeth thought to herself. I lost my ears in afghanistan. This cannot be true.
She looked up to her friend to silently ask if this was for real. Thalia nodded and smiled sadly.
"I was pregnant with her when you messaged me and said you might not survive the drop you were assigned to. Then Rose- her nickname- came out 3 days later, and I felt that I should honor you for saving my life by naming my child after you."
Annabeth got up and hugged her friend once more. "Love you sister from another mister." She said.
"Love you too stupid head." Thalia replied. "Now lets go. Luke is dying to see you."
LINE BREAK
When Annabeth and Thalia got home, Luke burst through the door and swooped Annabeth into a hug. They went inside and got hot cocoa for the kids and for Annabeth. Luke and Thalia sat down next to her and listened to all her stories of the military. Then it was seven o'clock, and Thalia grinned evily.
"You know Annabeth….." She started. "We still have to go to the club today."
Annabeth frowned. "The strobe lights and people might trigger my PSTD." She said unsurely.
Thalia waved it off. "Come on Annabeth! Its vetrens night!"
What a coincidence, Annabeth thought.
"Besides." Her friend continued. `The girls will be there!"
Annabeth tapped her chin. It wouldn't be bad to see her best friends…
"Alright." Annabeth relented. "Whatever."
Thalia squeeled and ran off to her room.
LINE BREAK
Apparently, Annabeth had to wear her uniform to the club to get free admission and a "Shoutout". Thalia insisted she wear it so that men would know how brave women can be, but Annabeth thought it was just so that she could get in free.
Annabeth looked at herself in the mirror and sighed and she tugged on her badges. She had almost all of them, and she was honored. Being the highest rank she could be in the Marine Corps, she took pride in her action. In her soldiers. Annabeth twisted her cap ever so slightly so it was at the perfect angle, and checked to see her shiny black shoes. Her blue pants with a red stripe on the outside were neatly pressed, and she knew her former trainer from so long ago would be proud. Annabeth pressed a hand to her concealed gun on her rib cage and walked out of the room.
When Thalia saw her, she smiled and looped her arm in Annabeth's.
"You look dangerous, Annie" Thalia said. Annabeth rolled her eyes and rubbed her white gloved hands together.
"Lets go party." She exclaimed, and Thalia gave a whoop of laughter as the walked out the door.
The club was packed. After managing to shove their way past, Thalia and Annabeth sat down in a booth with all their friends. They all gave Annabeth a hug and started to talk about their lives.
It made Annabeth depressed, knowing that all her friends got married and had children, and she was too busy shooting and stabbing people, and giving commands. But Annabeth put on a smile and listened to everyone, and asked questions and laughed.
"All-l-l right everyone!" A man on the stage in front of them said. "Tonight is Veterans night, as you all know. Now, we have someone special here tonight folks. Someone we would never expected to come here. But, she did, and she will get great appreciation. Here today is the General - the highest rank- of the Marine Corps." Shout of excitement and joy erupted from the crowd. Annabeth had a bad feeling about this.
"General Chase of the Marines, please stand up!" Annabeth slowly stood. Her friends screamed in pride, as did the whole club. Annabeth decided to rile them up some more, so she put her hand on her brow in a stiff salute.
The crowd went wild.
"Thank you for protecting this country." The man said. Annabeth gave a curt nod and sat back down.
The rest of the night went smoothly. Annabeth visited with her friends and then sat down at the bar and ordered some shots. She remembered the game her and her squad used to play with liquor when they were camped out besides an enemy's fortress.
Annabeth shook the thoughts away and gulped down the burning liquid. She was on her third shot when a man sat down next to her. He was in uniform also, but he was in the navy, and his shoulder patch rank was Captain. He looked at her and then at her shot glass.
"I'll have what the General is drinking." He called to the waitress. Annabeth studied this handsome man, and something clicked in her head.
"I saved your life." She said. The man glanced at her and nodded.
"On the coast of Greece, when we were battling the Taliban." Annabeth scrunched her eyebrows in concentration. "Captain Jackson. Yes. I remember. Well, how could I forget? You almost lost a leg and arm."
Captain Jackson laughed and drowned the shot. "Yes, General. You indeed saved my life, and my limbs."
Annabeth nodded grimly and went back to her drink. "Yeah." She muttered softly. There was a long silence until Captain Jackson spoke up.
"I'm very honored." He said.
"For what?"
"For being able to sit next to you. And you remembered my name."
"Would you like me to forget it?" Annabeth said firmly, trying to imply what he was saying was a waste of time. She already heard it all.
"No, oh god no." He said. "But my names Percy."
"Percy." Annabeth mused while rolling her glass on its bottom in circles. "Short for Perseus. Its of Greek origin."
Percy was shocked. "You know that?"
"I am full blood Greek, Perseus Jackson."
"And you fight for a different country?"
"As do you."
Percy shrugged. "You have a point, General."
"I always do."
"And I do not doubt that." Percy said.
Annabeth stopped drinking and just sat there. Hunched over and tired, she rubbed her face and slid off the stool.
"Till we meet again, Captain." She walked away to her friends.
LINE BREAK
It was Saturday morning. Annabeth was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper. The Latest, most important, absolutely urgent headline was "Did Kim Kardashian really get a butt implant?" Annabeth sighed and tossed the paper away.
"I've got to get ready." She muttered. 30 minutes later, she was dressed in a black peacoat, a gray scarf that matched her eyes, dark blue jeans and gray uggs to protect her from the snow that had come last night. Grabbing the keys to her black hummer, she stepped into the cold air of the outside and drove to the house of Rachel Dare.
When she arrived to the victorian styled house, she turned of the engine and pulled the wrapped box from the back seat and walked to the front door. She knocked and waited.
A minute later, the wood slid aside to show a woman with wild red hair and paint covered clothes. She hopped up and down and hugged the General.
"Oh Anna! Your back!" Rachel said. Annabeth laughed and patted her friends back. "Well, I knew that, but its just… oh my."
"Is Malcom still sleeping?" Annabeth asked.
Rachel rolled her eyes. "Its six o'clock in the morning. That kid sleeps in till ten on the weekends. But I understand. I'm actually glad he sleeps. Hes been studying harder than ever since you left. He wants to make you proud."
"That sounds like him." Annabeth slowly and carefully stretched up the stairs to Malcolm's room. Opening the door, she slid in and tiptoed to his bed and gently sat on it. With one hand, Annabeth still held the present, and with the other, she stroked Malcolms silky black hair.
"Mal." She said softly. "Mal, wake up." The young boy stirred and opened his eyes. His beautiful gray irises met hers, and they widened.
"Mom!" He exclaimed. They embraced each other as Malcolm cried into his mothers shoulder.
"Hello Mal." Annabeth whispered.
"What are you doing here?" Malcolm asked. "I mean, I love having you here, but what about the Marines?"
"I'm on leave for as long as I want unless a war pardons in the time i'm gone." Annabeth handed her son the box and smiled. "Open it."
Malcolm ripped off the wrapping paper and gasped when he saw the newest star gazing 3000 telescope instructions. "But wheres the actual thing?"
"In the house that we will be living in together." Annabeth laughed as Malcolm whooped in joy. "And." She continued. "Since its your 16th birthday tomorrow, I got you something for that."
"What is it?"
"Well, I've bombarded with car talk whenever you webcam me, so I got you that Jeep you wanted so you would quit annoying me with that."
"Nice joke mom." Malcolm rolled his eyes. Annabeth shrugged and took the keys out from her pocket. A tag on it said Malcolms Jeep.
"No way!" Malcolm believed her now.
"Yep. Lets get going okay?" Malcolm followed his mom out of his room and said goodbye to Rachel then hopped into the car. Annabeth drove to Thalias house first to get her suitcase and let her friend visit with her son. Then they went to the mall to get some ice cream.
"So." Annabeth started as she scooped some cotton candy. "Hows school?"
Malcolm grinned. "4.0"
"I'm very proud Mal. Do you have a girlfriend yet?"
Malcolm blushed on his high cheek bones. "Yeah." he said very quietly. " Her names Reyna."
"Oh yeah? What's she like?"
"Well, shes-" He was interrupted by a little girl tripping next to us.
"Pearl!" A man shouted. "Are you okay?" Annabeth looked up to see Percy Jackson helping up a girl seemed to be 12 years old.
"I'm so sorry." Percy said. Then he glanced at me and his eyes widened. "G-General Chase! I- I uh shes.. well.. um-"
"Is she okay?" I asked softly. Percy nodded and wiped his hands on his jeans.
"Yeah. Pearls okay. Thank you for asking General Chase."
"Call me Annabeth, Percy."
"Annabeth. Thats a beautiful name."
"Thank you."
"Your welcome." Percy noticed Malcolms ice cream. "I love that flavor! Cookie dough is the best."
Malcolm smiled. "Indeed."
"This is my son, Malcolm Chase." Annabeth informed.
Percy smirked. "The same smartness and vocabulary I simply cannot understand as his mother. This is Pearl, my daughter. Clumsy little thing. Well, I must be going. It was nice talking to you Annabeth. Goodbye Malcolm." Percy started to walk away when Annabeth called out to him.
"Wait! Percy! Would you like to have dinner tomorrow?"
Percy nodded with gentle smile. "I would be honored."
Hope you enjoyed the chapter!