Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Speak Now

I am not the kind of girl to be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion

Annabeth was hunched in a ball on the window seat, forcing back tears as she stared at the droplets of rain hitting the pane. Unconsciously tracing patterns on the cold glass, she tried to put her jumbled thoughts in working order.

Annabeth Chase never cried. She was one of the best and smartest warriors at the camp. She was proud, just, and the slightest bit arrogant. She never cracked under pressure and had helped save the world twice. In all her life, she had broken down exactly twice. Once when Thalia died and once when Percy went missing.

When they still were...

No.

She would not think about it. She wouldn't.

Percy's broken face, her cold words of goodbye, the wind whistling through her hair, the roar of the waves in the distance, his outstretched arm as she walked away not looking back, all floated in sharp flashes through her mind.

There was no doubt about it. She was the biggest fool in the world. But Gordon had been so charming, so understanding, so.. well everything. He had comforted her when Percy was gone and stuck with her during the year while Percy was in New York as his family lived in San Francisco too. His words had swept her of her feet and she had caved.

She broke up with her soul mate for Gordon and he had dumped her after six months of toying with her. She refused to crawl back to Percy and had stayed in the background as he started to date Allessia Belle, daughter of Aphrodite.

Oh, how she had wanted to strangle Allessia then. How she wanted to beg Percy to take her back. Her stupid pride wouldn't let her. Never would Annabeth Chase crawl back to someone.

But you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl

That was five years ago. She had convinced herself she was over it and had constructed some semblance of a life to hide behind. She had gotten a degree in architecture and a steady job. But, underneath it all, the heartache was till there. The slight emptiness in her soul was always apparent, though she attempted to disguise it by burying herself in her workload.

Her reality had fallen apart just five hours ago, when Rachel Elizabeth Dare burst into her apartment. Her frizzy curls in a disarray, she had yanked Annabeth's had almost out of its socket and had told her that Percy was about to be married to Allessia Belle.

She had managed to summon up the last remnants of her calm and asked for some time alone.

She knew that Percy was marrying wrong. How could Allessia, vain, girly Allessia, handle his recklessness? How could Percy marry someone like that? How could he?

I sneak in and see your friends and her snotty little family all dressed in pastel

She had woken up Rachel and let her know she was going. They had managed to find a last minute plane ride to New York. The whole way, Annabeth clutched the armrests, guilt and shame gripping her heart. Suppose Percy truly was in love with Allessia, suppose he would dismiss her as an annoyance. Suppose...

After throwing on a shimmery grey dress and pinning her hair up hastily, she had rushed to the building where the vows would be exchanged.

She saw Nico strolling past, smiling blissfully at a blue eyed girl he was leading by the arm. Outside, in the blooming garden, Grover and Juniper had their heads together. In the entrance hall, she could see Thalia, who had evidently persuaded Artemis to let her come to the wedding, talking animatedly to Chiron who was nodding gravely in his wheelchair form.

With a slight jolt, she saw Allessia's family. Her father and stepmother, both looking haughtily at the scene before them, and her stepsister, her nose turned up at the festivities, all dressed in the finest in wedding apparel.

And she is yelling at a bridesmaid, somewhere back inside a room in a gown shaped like a pastry

And there was Allessia, dressed in a gown fairly quivering with diamonds, lace, and bows. Her outfit was topped with a golden tiara studded with precious gems on her elaborately curled brown hair. She looked absolutely glamorous and at the height of fashion.

The whole thing made Annabeth feel sick.

Allessia, face twisted with fury, was screaming at a cowering bridesmaid in a dark supply room. With a final threat, she composed her features into a sweet smile and, throwing the door open, rustled out.

This is surely not what you thought it would be

Annabeth, staring in disbelief and disgust, knew that Percy couldn't have known about this. He could never marry her if he knew.

I lose myself in a daydream, where I stand and say:

Don't say yes

Run away now

I'll meet you

When I'm out of the church

At the backdoor

Don't wait or say a single vow

You need to hear me now and they said Speak Now

Staring the simpering form of the girl Percy was about to marry, she was suddenly assailed by doubt. She knew Percy could never love with someone like that, but how on earth could she convince him?

How on earth could she hope to compete with that devastating beauty, that glittering form? She looked down at her dress. It had seemed pretty in the morning, in her crazed frenzy to get to Percy, but now seemed incredibly shabby and old fashioned.

How could Percy ever pick her over the fashion model he was getting ready to exchange his vows with?

Fond gestures are exchanged and the organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march

Startled by a light tap on her arm, she looks up to see Rachel's worried face. Nodding toward the main hall, Rachel hissed that the wedding was about to begin.

Swallowing back the fear which had gripped her suddenly, Annabeth straightened her back and composed her face.

"Let's go," she whispered eyes defiant.

The first strains of the organ reached her ears, spelling out the familiar tune which had joined so many couples before. To Annabeth's ears, the traditional march sounded like a funeral.

What they would play when someone, incalculably precious to at least one mourner, passed into the Underworld to await judgment.

And I am hiding in the curtains

It seems that I was uninvited by your lovely bride to be

She slips into her seat beside Rachel, apprehensive that someone would recognize her. Technically, she wasn't a guest and could be kicked out at any second.

After all, the only reason she could get in without an invite was that Rachel had bribed the doorman.

She floats down the aisle like a pageant queen

But I know you wish it was me, you wish it was me

Dontcha?

Annabeth watched as Allessia glided down the aisle, barely disguising a smug smirk. Annabeth clenched her fists as Percy's supermodel fiancée floated toward him, slowly and delicately. Her face was lathered in makeup, almost over the top. She was wearing silver eye shadow, light pink lipstick, lined with silver. Her face molded by the hands of skilled makeup artists.

None of it was natural. Everything about Allessia was fake, completely and utterly fake. From the tip of her elaborately curled head to the lab created diamond slippers she wore.

For an insane moment, Annabeth wanted to rip that princess disguise out and show everyone the real Allessia. Regaining control of herself, she leaned back slightly in her seat and folded her hands firmly in her lap.

Rachel, noticing the sudden tenseness in her posture, gave her a quizzical look. Annabeth just shook her head slightly. After giving her a final worried glance, Rachel leaned back.

She must be imagining it, but something flickered in Percy's face as he watched beruffled bride step toward him, a smug expression on her snooty face. He doesn't- he doesn't look completely happy. Maybe, just maybe he didn't want Allessia?

{Skip Chorus}

I hear the preacher say, Speak Now or forever hold your peace

There's the silence, there's my last chance

I stand up with shaky hands all eyes on me

Annabeth knew it was her last chance as the preacher, a tall, slightly balding man, boomed out the words, her last lifeline to grasp at. This was it. She had exactly five seconds to decide. If he didn't love her, if he laughed at her, she would have done it all only to face public humiliation. And Oh! What if he did love Allessia after all?

Then Annabeth felt a gentle touch on her upper arm. Rachel's eyes bored into her and she gave her head a small nod.

"Follow your heart."

Clenching her hands and letting all her fear out, Annabeth stood up.

Horrified looks from everyone in the room, but I'm only looking at you.

I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion, but you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl

So don't say yes

Run away now

I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the backdoor

Don't wait or say a single vow

You need to hear me out and they said Speak Now

Immediately, a hundred eyes zoomed in on Annabeth's pale face as she rose out of her seat. There was pure horror in so many faces, that she wished she could laugh and say it was some big twisted joke.

But, if there was one thing that was certain of Annabeth Chase, it was that she never backed down. Annabeth had made her choice and she would follow through.

Eyes connecting with Percy, all the ideas, all the speeches, that she had formulated in her brain crept away. She didn't remember a single word.

Focusing on Percy's shell shocked gaze, she began to talk.

"Percy, I'm sorry. I should have said that to you so many years ago. I didn't deserve you. I never did. I don't know what possessed me to give you up, and I've regretted it every moment.

Percy, you know me. I was your best friend. You know I would never barge in a wedding like this without a reason. Please Percy, listen to me. I never say please nor do I beg. But I'm begging now. Percy, she's not right for you. She never was. Listen, just this once.

I- I'm sorry for barging in. I truly am. But I had to tell you this," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

And you say, let's run away now

I'll meet you when I'm out of my tux at the backdoor

Baby, I didn't say my vows

So glad you were around

When they said, Speak Now

With dawning fear at the silence that greeted her outburst, Annabeth suddenly ducked her head and prepared to escape.

"Wait," a single word escaped Percy's still frozen lips.

When Annabeth looked at him, he knew.

"Annabeth, thank you. I agree, you should have apologized a long time ago. You also owe me a huge explanation for all this. But, y'know, don't think we can all discuss this better over a cup of coffee at Starbucks?" He smiled teasingly.

With joy ballooning in her heart, she whispered, "Really?"

"Yes really. Now c'mon. They close at six today."

Laughing with wonder and relief, they walked out the door, hand in hand; Allessia's screams and the muttering that filled the hall after the scene.

I never thought Rachel was a bad person. In fact, I quite like her. I always thought she'd support Percabeth. Please be kind, constructive criticism is appreciated.

Lily