One day in late April, Percy's mother, Sally, called camp. Apparently, she needed to speak to me in person, so I received special permission to leave camp. I wasn't sure if Percy would be there, so I dressed nicer than usual in a grey knit sweater top and jeans. My hair was up like it usually was. As usual my hair was pulled back in a pony tail.
Argus, the security chief for Camp Half-Blood, took me to New York, and then I had to find the apartment on my own. I knew the address, but I really didn't know my way around Manhattan. I took the subway and looked at the map. Once I arrived, Ms. Jackson sat me down in the living room while she got some lemonade and cookies. I sat back on the couch and reflected on having a real mother that lived with you every day. It must be nice. The phone rang. There was one on the coffee table.
I picked it up and said into it, "Hello, Jackson residence. To whom may I be speaking?" Sally cracked up. I ignored her.
The person on the other end answered, "Um… This is Paul. To whom may I be speaking?" Annabeth bit her lip. This was Sally's boyfriend.
"This is Annabeth."
He responded, "Ah. Is Sally there?" I bit my lip.
"Yes. Just hold on one second." Before I could say her name, Sally walked over to me and took the phone out of my hands. After a bit of exchange, she hung up. Then she went back into the kitchen and took out a tray of blue chocolate chip cookies and blue lemonade. I stared at it, wondering why the food was blue.
Sally said, "My first husband, Gabe Ugliano, had said that such a thing didn't exist. And ever since, I'd gone out of my way to get blue food." I nodded. "Well, Annabeth, I guess you're wondering why I called you up here." She paused and took a sip of blue lemonade. "I was just wondering, if you could make a promise to me."
I responded, "What's the promise?" Sally bit her lip.
"I was wondering if you could promise me that when the war is going on if you could protect Percy the best you can. And during any quests that the two of you may be going on." I inhaled deeply.
"I will protect your son." I will love your son, said the little voice in my head. At this moment, Percy and Rachel Dare came through the door.
"I told you not to go there, I knew you would get killed!" the redhead yelled at him. Percy rolled his eyes, and then for the first time noticed that I was sitting in his living room, holding a glass of blue lemonade.
I put the said glass down, said, "Thank you, Ms. Jackson. I will." As I tried to leave, Percy grabbed my arm.
"Annabeth, please."
I don't know why I found myself yelling, but I was. "It's just a stupid prophecy line! It doesn't mean anything!" Tears were rolling down my face. He looked more hurt than I had ever seen him.
"It's, - it's not that." I continued to cry helplessly. Suddenly, we were alone. Rachel and Sally mysteriously were gone. I hated that. I needed protection. He sat down on the couch, somehow sitting me down also.
"Please, Percy, just leave it alone!" Percy put his finger on my lips, gesturing to me to be quiet.
"I understand that. I don't want to talk to you about that. I just want to say that even if, if, if Luke gets in the way, I still want to be able to be friends with you. If you can't, well then," Then I put my finger on his lips and kissed him. He looked just as surprised as he was when I kissed him at Mt. Saint Helens. I got up and walked into the kitchen. Ms. Jackson was there talking with Rachel.
Rachel was saying, "… beth and I'm just plain worried about him."
I stood there completely rigid and said coolly, "Are you talking about me?" Rachel looked up and didn't respond. I thanked Sally again and left Percy sitting on the couch, just staring into space. As I left, the little voice whispered in my head again, I will love your son.
I will love your son.