Author Note: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. So I woke up at three in the morning last night and got the idea to make a one-shot with Sally Jackson and Poseidon. My original idea was to set it when Poseidon is leaving Sally, but after talking with my friend (HannahBananaMcKenzie), she gave me the idea to set it when they meet. I'm still practicing writing romance, so please bear with me and if you think my writing can be improved, tell me your thoughts. However, do so in a CONTRUCTIVE way-don't just flame me if you don't like it. Anyways, enjoy!

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POSEIDON

Poseidon stood in the shallow surf at Montauk, a frown on his face. The sea was flat and gray, reflecting his mood. He was, of course, known for being a moody god, and half the time even he couldn't figure out why he was so ill-tempered. Like now. He was in such a bad mood, he'd left his undersea palace to sulk on the beach, watching the ocean without any interest at all.

Poseidon swore under his breath. What was wrong with him and this foul mood he was in?

Maybe I'm bored, he mused. He let out a breath and ran a hand through his black hair. Who says immortality is easy?

He paced for a while, grumbling under his breath. Was it really because he was bored? No...that wasn't quite right. It wasn't as if he was a moody god just because of boredom. So what was it?

Trying to figure it out, he walked down the beach, eyes down. He was so preoccupied with the problem of his current mood that he ran into a young woman strolling down the beach.

Startled, he nearly swore out loud, but at the sight of the woman, he words stuck in his throat.

She was beautiful.

SALLY

Sally Jackson loved the beach at Montauk. Sure, the water was cold and gray, but it was lovely to her. And since it wasn't a sunny beach where you could actually swim, there usually wasn't anyone there. It was nice having the place to herself-it gave her time and space to think.

She especially needed a place where she could be alone when dwelling on the rough years she'd had in her life. Being orphaned and having to leave school to take care of her uncle (who ended up passing away) hadn't left her with pleasant memories. The beach was the one place that made her feel better. It was a calming, pretty place-to her, at least.

She walked barefoot down the beach, looking out at the gray sea. She was thinking of the bad times, sure, but she still felt calm, thanks to this special place.

Sally was looking at the water so intently, she didn't see the man walking in her path until she collided with him. Shocked, she stumbled back a few steps, cheeks burning with embarrasment.

"Sorry..." she said, looking up at him. Her voice faded as she got a good look at him.

He was, undoubtedly, the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen. He was tall and fit, with black hair and sea green eyes. His skin was a tan, like he spent a lot of time in the sun. The man's hands were scarred, but it only seemed to add to his looks, at least to Sally.

"Who are you?" the man asked, looking as stunned as she.

POSEIDON

He couldn't believe his eyes. He never expected to see someone else here, let alone a lovely woman like her. She had red hair pulled back into a simple ponytail, and her eyes...they were a beautiful color. They were the exact color of the ocean Poseidon ruled. She was blushing, probably from humiliation that they'd run into each other.

Recovering from his stupor, Poseidon cleared his throat and said, "I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." A pause, then, "Are you okay?"

Her blush deepened. "Oh, I'm fine," she said nervously. "I was...distracted."

He smiled, the first genuine smile he'd made in a while. "I know the feeling."

Why are you talking to her? he thought. Remember the pact? No affairs with mortals! You can't like her! Poseidon scowled inwardly, shushing this line of thought. It couldn't hurt to chat for a few minutes, could it?

"I don't think I've ever seen you around here before," he said casually."Come here often?" As soon as he said this, he mentally smacked himself. He really was rusty at talking to pretty women. Well, it shouldn't matter. It's not like you're going to start seeing her, right?

At the moment, he didn't care about the pact.

SALLY

Was he flirting with her? It certainly seemed that way. "Come here often?". That was definately a pick-up line!

Sally finally found her voice. "Oh, yes," she said, in response to his question. "I love this beach. What about you?"

Oh, dear, what am I getting myself into? she thought frantically. She struggled to remain calm, but was finding it difficult to do so.

"What's your name?" he asked. He frowned. "Am I scaring you?" he asked. He sounded genuinely concerned.

"Oh...no," she said. "You're not." She smiled. "My name is Sally." She was careful not to give the handsome stranger her last name, even though it was a fairly common one. She didn't know him, after all. "And yours?"

He hesitated for a moment (Strange, thought Sally), then said, "Poseidon."

She put her head to one side. "Poseidon...like the sea god?" she asked. "That's an unusual name."

He looked at her for a long moment. Sally was sure she'd offended him, but he simply nodded and said, "Yes, like the sea god." His eyes twinkled like he was sharing an inside joke with her.

Sally wasn't sure why, but the good-humored look in Poseidon's eyes made her relax. There was just something about him that was absolutely charming. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but he made her feel like she'd known him longer than she really had.

Imagine that, she thought, Meeting a man on the beach, one this good-looking and charming. What if he asks me out?

Sally surprised herself by deciding she didn't care. Maybe there was a such thing as love at first sight. And if he did ask her out...she would happily accept and see what the future brought. If this wasn't love at first sight Sally didn't know what was.

POSEIDON

Poseidon walked down the beach with Sally. While they chatted, he mentally debated whether he should keep seeing her. On one hand, there was the pact. He'd sworn on the River Styx, no more demigod children (Amphitrite was happy to hear about that-and his wife was something else to consider). Still...dating a mortal woman wasn't against the pact, was it?

But what if you have a kid with her? he thought.

Finally, Poseidon decided that he was done debating the issue. He liked her. Just by talking to her, the clouds of gloom in his mind lifted. He felt better than he had in a long time. At the moment, he couldn't care less about the stupid pact. All that mattered was this amazing woman he'd run into on the beach.

"Would you...like to go out some time?" he asked Sally, before he could change his mind.

Thunder rumbled ominously overhead, but Poseidon passed it off as coincedince. His brother wouldn't know about Sally. And if he did...who cared? Zeus had broken the pact, too. If Poseidon wanted to spend more time with Sally, who would stop him? Not Zeus.

She looked up at him and smiled. "I'd like that."

SALLY

She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this happy. Poseidon seemed like a special man, someone she'd like to get to know better. The smile Poseidon gave her when she accepted his request gave her such a warm feeling of happiness that she was glad she'd run into him...literally.

"There's just one thing you need to know," Poseidon said slowly.

"And what's that?" asked Sally.

"This has to be our secret," he said seriously. "My family...they wouldn't approve. They can't know about you."

At first, Sally was shocked and, honestly, saddened by this. But her attraction to Poseidon made her say, "I understand."

He gave her that wonderful smile again. "Thank you. I must go now. I'll see you soon."

Poseidon started walking back down the beach. "Goodbye!" called Sally.

He turned and waved at her, then continued on his way.

Sally turned toward the sea, feeling like she was about to explode from joy. Never had she expected to meet someone special on the beach. And their running into each other, and the attraction she immediately felt to him (which he must have felt as well) made it seem like something out of a romantic movie.

She couldn't wait to see the mysterious Poseidon again.

POSEIDON

The dark mood lifted from his mind, Poseidon walked with his head held high. He was happy to have met Sally, though he knew he really shouldn't get involved with her.

It's like we're Romeo and Juliet, except without the family feud, Poseidon mused. The thought actually amused him.

He looked at the sea and wasn't surprised to find that the flat, dreary look to it had changed. Small, gentle waves flowed on the surface, and the gray color was a bit more blue. It was more beautiful, and certainly matched his mood, just as the flat, gray look of it before reflected his state of mind before he met Sally.

I guess you could call this fate, he thought. And you can't argue with fate!

With that as the last argument in favor of seeing Sally again, he returned to his home in high spirit. Let his wife wonder at why he was suddenly happy. He'd find an excuse for the sudden change of heart, and one to excuse him to see Sally.

For the first time in a long time, the god of the sea was happy.

...

Please review. Yes, I know, it's horribly sappy, but with this couple, I felt there was a need for sappiness. Especially given the mood of the story. If you have any suggestions, contructive criticism is always welcome. Hope you liked it! :D