My version on Percy and Annabeth's first night together after their reunion. I know they eventually DO get their little 'alone time' moment later on but I was impatient while I was waiting for my nook to start working again.

Rated 'T' for some slightly suggestive themes. I do love me some percabeth!

It was late. It had to be well past midnight by now. Every muscle in my body moaned in protest but I refused to call it a night. This has been the longest, hardest, most demanding day I've had in a while but there was still something I needed to do. Something that couldn't wait until tomorrow.

Trying my best to ignore the hologram of the volleyball court of camp half-blood, I passed as quietly as I could through the insulated halls and doorways below deck the Argo II. 'Door 15… door 15… door 15' Rolled through my head as I scanned each wooden door, determined beyond my energy level until I finally turned the last corner to his room.

Percy.

I just stood there at the entrance for a couple seconds, probably looking like an idiot, but for once my pride didn't pipe up. I didn't care that my stomach was performing Olympic dives in my chest and I didn't care how hard my heart was pounding. I just needed to talk to him.

I raised my fist to knock when the wooden door suddenly opened, Percy standing just on the other side.

"Annabeth!" He said, obviously surprised to see me standing there like a complete fool.

"Percy," I stuttered, not quite sure how to explain my position, "I was- I just... I was just passing through and…" I paused, "I was wondering if you were awake. I wanted to see you."

He beamed. Gods why did he have to have the most perfect smile. "That's funny. I was just going to go see if you were awake too."

I couldn't suppress a chuckle. Not to his hopeful, happy face. He gestured to his cabin and offered me to come inside. I gladly obliged. I took a spot sitting cross-legged in the middle of his stiff, small mattress, as his sits across the side, his back resting against the wall. Both of us tried our best to sit still so as not to creek the rusting springs. He smiled almost apologetically at his noisy bed, as if it was all his fault the ship we brought him on was lacking in amenities.

"'Might not be home sweet half-blood, but it's a heck of a lot better than the other boats we've been on" He offered.

Memories from the princess Andromeda, that old civil war ghost ship, random, skimpy rowboats and more recently, his memories from his travels to Alaska swarm through my mind. He's right. This boat, even in its semi-tattered condition, is much safer than anything else we've encountered. But that didn't stop the small wave of sadness that creeps up. Remembering our old adventures only served to remind me just how long it's been since we've seen each other. Our distant memories have been the only thing keeping me going as of late.

It took me a moment to slip out of my metal ravine before I realized I'd been staring right at Percy for the past who knows how long. He'd been staring right back. His eyes were so much greater than my memories give justice. Not only were they the deep sea green I burned into my memory, I nearly forgot the hint of Caribbean blue that float around his irises.

We both sat there for a moment, drinking each other in. It was a powerful silence, one that reminded me just how close he was to me. I had the sudden urge to touch his hand. It was just resting right on the top of the bed. I wanted to close the space between us. I blamed the silence. I didn't particularly want it to end.

"I've missed you Annabeth," Percy blurted, almost making me jump.

I smiled, "I missed you too, seaweed brain."

He smiled even harder and dipped his head down, almost like he was embarrassed. "You have no idea how good it is to hear you call me that"

"Yeah well you kind of deserve it after you ditched me for a roman toga" I played

"Well you got to admit, the toga does show off my hips." He cocked his pelvis to the side, forming the toga around his midsection.

I laughed, hard. It was so good to have my seaweed brain back. I almost didn't realize before how much of a hole had been placed in my mind. I wasn't the same without my partner. We both knew it.

Our laughter died down and left an almost unresolved chill in the air. We both knew we didn't seek each other out tonight just to have a few laughs. We both needed answers.

"Percy…" I started, "what exactly do you remember about what Hera did to you?"

"You mean my memories? I'm pretty sure they're all back now. Before, back on our trip to Alaska, I started getting bits and pieces back, but I knew there were still chunks missing, you know? I had this, blank spot in my chest where I knew memories were supposed to be. Now, that spot's gone. I have everything back. Which reminds me, how's the camp doing?"

I paused, pondering my answer, "We're holding together. Something big started when you left. We know now that was all Gaea, but at the time things were pretty touch and go for a while. We missed you."

He swallowed, "I know… Annabeth I'm so sorry. For everything. This is all partially my fault, for not being there."

I looked at him incredulously, "What are you on about? How is any of this mess your fault?"

"I don't know…" he stumbled, "just… maybe I could have remembered sooner. Maybe I could have tried harder. I wanted so badly to get back to you. I wanted to get my life back. I felt empty… But then the quest happened, and this roman camp said they needed me and that I had responsibilities here. Everything was just dumped so fast. I feel like I left my camp behind."

"I know the feeling…" I murmured mostly to myself, "but Percy, if it's any consolation, we never stopped looking for you. Even if I wasn't the one leading a search party that time, other stepped up. We never gave up on you." I didn't know why I was saying these things. I just needed him to know what the campers did. I needed him to know that he was never alone in his quest. That he is never alone, even now. "I never gave up on you."

He smiled. He leaned in closer to me, brushing a piece of hair out of my face and slowly cupping my cheek. The action sent little shivers down my body. "I never doubted that I would see you again." He said quietly. His voice was fervent, yet gentle, reassuring, and warm. I moved in closer to his face, and he leaned closer to me. Slowly, ever so slowly, I closed the distance between us.

When our lips met, every defense I had been harboring since his disappearance melted away. I didn't try to contain myself like I had back in the clearing. I just drank in the uncannily sweet taste of salt from his lips, the feel of his hand on my face, the soft tickle of his raven hair against my forehead. For the first time in three months, I could relax. I finally had my Percy back.

I knew this perfect moment couldn't last forever. Quite suddenly, there was a bang as the door was forcibly opened and slammed against the adjacent wall. Percy and I broke apart like a shock had strung between us. I looked to the door to see Leo standing there, night bag in hand, mouth gaping, and face turning redder by the second.

Percy cleared his throat, "Leo…" he acknowledged stiffly.

The poor boy looked terrified, "I-I just… I, uhh. Jason told me to room with you and... uhh. Okay well. I'll just be, uhh going over there, for the rest of my life." He gestured to the room at the end of the hall. The supplies closet. "S-sorry to intrude… uhh, Percy." He bowed, "Annabeth," Another bow. And with his beet cherry face, he darted away, stumbling to close the door behind him.

Percy sighed, a mix between humor and disappointment. "Well that was awkward"

"Yup," I agreed. "That's Leo for you."

"Do you trust them?"

I looked at him. His expression took on a completely different tone. He looked weary, and a little sad. I knew what he meant by the question. Percy needed to be able to trust the people he brought into his life. Percy held loyalty higher than nearly anything else when choosing his friends.

"I don't know yet," I admitted, "Leo seems pretty harmless. Yes, despite what happened today. But Jason… I can't tell. He just seems too perfect. I can't really tell you much about what goes on in his head. You know what I mean? And Piper's cool but she'll side with Jason on every decision. She'd betray us if it meant agreeing with him."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Do you really think this will work?" he said after a small pause.

"What?"

"Working together with the romans? Sure, there are some good people in the bunch, like Hazel and Frank. And their camp is nice. But they're just so different from us. And, from the looks of today, it doesn't seem like they're the listening type either."

"I know where you're coming from. But I feel like our biggest problem's still coming. A little domestic argument's not going to be anything like a war with the giants."

He laughed humorlessly. "That's a comforting thought: having to postpone a civil war to stop an entire world war. And war with the giants isn't our only big problem either."

I looked at him quizzically, "What else is there?"

"Well… there's still that whole thing with your mom. You wanna tell me about that?" His voice was soft and offering.

It still didn't stop the pit in my stomach. I knew this was going to pop up sooner or later. I could admit to feeling cold spells. But I didn't want to tell him what my mother said. Her words still sent horrible waves of fear and sadness through my body. I couldn't think of them without feeling a little sick to my stomach.

I looked Percy's face and for the first time, I saw the lines there. Behind the laugh lines I'd seen since we were twelve, new ones seemed to have sprung between our six-month hiatus. He looked so tired. His mind was burdened with so much. I had this crazy fantasy that now that the great prophesy had been completed, now that everyone, for the most part, made it out alive, we could be happy again. Maybe not have a white-picket, apple pie life, but we could at least train and be normal half-bloods. Now this new great prophesy has been dumped on our shoulders and the responsibilities added tenfold.

Part of me wanted to tell him, to get it off my chest. But I couldn't. I didn't want to add just another burden to worry about. Not tonight, at least. Some things could wait until tomorrow. It's been a long day.

"Another time." I simply said. I lightly kissed his cheek and was pleased to feel him lean into me a little. It was a small gesture of trust in a world of chaos. "It's late."

He nodded reluctantly, giving into human limitations. He kissed me one last time, firmly on my forehead and gave me a little squeeze before walking me out his door.

Nothing big was going to be resolved tonight. There would still be a big world catastrophe in the morning. But there was a part of me, I realized as I made my way to the girl's bunk, that just refused to be sad. I had my Percy back with me. I had found him at last and quenched the monster of constant worry and dread in my gut. I was able to talk with him again. I could see him again. I could feel him again. Not even the blackest cloud that Gaea dared rein could change the way I was feeling right now.

I ignored the 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' and questions from my roommate, Hazel, about what exactly happened behind the 'closed doors of Percy's room' and thankfully fell into my mattress. For the first time in three months, I got a good night's sleep.

Thoughts?

This is just a little quickie but I wanted to write it. Reviews are greatly appreciated! and thanks for reading!