EDIT: I realized, due to reviewers, that I had mistakenly written in that she had blue eyes when she had gray. I don't know why I did that- probably due to the fact that she had blue in the movie- but ce la vie. It's fixed. ^^

Orokid:What to say about this… Hmm… I was listening to a song (again) and I got an idea (again), so I started to write it out (as usual). Nothing more than the usual with me, I suppose, considering, but I suppose that it's up to you, the awesome reader of my fanfic. This fic, in particular, came from the song "It Takes A Man", sung by Chris Young. There's another version of the song, of course, sung by Aaron Lines, if you're interested in listening.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Percy Jackson and the Olympians, as well as the characters of the aforementioned, are not mine and never will be. This story wasn't written for profit, just fun, and I am not making any money off of it.

Late

Rain trickled against the car window, the engine humming quietly as it sat in the driveway of a quaint home that he had visited often throughout his adolescence. He could recall the first time he had driven to the exact location he was in now, navigating through the dangerous streets of the mortal world behind the wheel of his stepfather's vehicle. Their relationship had been new to him then, strange yet real, a world of infinite possibilities that he wished to see every end to, their feelings old and familiar yet still new and exciting. He was nineteen now, a year since those times, those days of innocence and bewilderment- and while he felt those exhilarating feelings the same as before, their innocence was gone, and adulthood was running quick to catch up to them.

Perhaps too quick, he realized as he silently gripped the steering wheel.

The silence was heavy between them, the air thick with tension as he did his best to wait and listen to what she had to say. She was staring ahead at the street before her home, jaw clenched as she fought within herself to say something, anything. Biting her bottom lip, the young woman lowered her head, staring at anything other than at him, locking her fingers together as she allowed the words leave her lips.

"I'm late."

He felt his shoulders sag as he let her words filter themselves within his mind, staring out to the road like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck. He knew all too well what she meant, having heard them on television shows the nights he had sat beside his mother at home. At the time, he had found amusement in it, laughed at the characters that were portrayed before him on the small screen. Now… it was hard to laugh… speak… And he was finding it hard to breathe as he sat there.

The young woman inhaled deeply, her hands pulling nervously at the simple shirt she wore. He knew that her mind was working in overdrive- the way that it usually had whenever there was a puzzle to solve.

But what she was mentioning had nothing to do with a puzzle- it was something much more than that.

"I won't stop you if you leave." Her words were shaking from her quivering lips, a tear falling from her gray eyes as she closed them in hopes to guard herself from the pain she felt within her heart. "But… I… I would really like it if you stayed." He watched her from the corner of his sea green eyes, her fingers letting go of her own shirt before they slid up and cradled her flat stomach. "I… I'm going to keep it either way."

His attention moved to the windshield before them, trying his hardest to focus upon a single thought instead of the thousands that had formed from the words she had spoken. He could hear himself berating the things they had done, accusing him of holding her back from the dreams she had wanted to reach, hating himself for doing such a thing to the one woman he loved more than life itself. How could he have done it? How could this had happened?

How would she ever find the strength to forgive him for what he was putting her through?

The nineteen year old demi-god lowered his head against the wheel, trying to clear his thoughts from the negativity he held within himself, cursing the world for allowing himself to put her through it all. "I know." He listened as she choked out a laugh, though he could hear the fear within her voice loud and clear. "I know." Her voice held the tears that were in her eyes, and it pained him so to hear it. "It… just doesn't seem real, does it?" It sounded more like a statement than the question she had formed it into, though she did her best to laugh through the emotions she was feeling. All he could think of was how painful it sounded to force herself to say such words.

Silence entered the car once more, the night still as the rain began to pelt itself against the windowpane.

Quiet as a whisper, he heard her: "Please… Please, Percy… don't… hate me." A sob wracked through her body, excruciating to his heart and soul as he listened, hating himself for the dilemma he had caused. "I-" She inhaled deeply, trying to hold back the sobs that moved through her, her words as silent as before. "I love you so much, Percy…"

The young partial god raised his head to look out to the window, trying his hardest to imagine his life from the point they were at to… where ever the future was to lead them. He could feel his heart continue to pound within his chest, painful, aching, knowing all too well of the pain that their love had created. The sea-green eyed nineteen year old watched as his thoughts portrayed themselves before him, letting his mind create images as the seconds ticked by, looking through the pane of glass as though it showed something of the future. Two young adults together, holding a newborn, looking more afraid then and there than to stand before the titan god, Khronos… A child running into it's mother's arms as it's father watched happily mere steps away… Playing ball… Practicing swordplay… And the parents watching proud as their child lived happily amongst others like them.

But how could he promise her such happiness, such hope for a world that might turn to ruin if they weren't careful, when he could barely hold a job that paid more than minimum wage? How would they be able to live if they weren't truly ready to accept another life form into their small world? There were too many costs, too many reasons, too many problems before them now… and all because he had been foolish and young. His words stuck within his throat, caught, and he remained unable to voice his thoughts, his worries, his hopes, his dreams to the one person who probably needed to hear them the most.

Slowly, lovingly, the young demi-god reached over to the young woman he adored, taking gently her hand into his. His fearful ocean colored eyes met her weeping grays, and an understanding passed between them- somehow, someway… they would make it. That was all there was to it.

He could only hope that they would see such happiness within their future as he had in the window of his stepfather's car.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Aphrodite smiled from her throne, gazing upon the couple with eyes that she oddly reserved only for them. She had grown to adore the two children of the gods, known of the future that they could share, of the strife and the joy that was to come- and, despite the resentment that she knew was to come her way soon enough, she knew that only these two were meant, two pieces of one whole, and there was no other way around it.

Gently, her fingers grazed the wine within her cup, the image of Perseus and Annabeth dissipating into the redness of the liquid. A soft smile remained upon her lips as she set the goblet down, closing her eyes as she folded her fingers together. 'You have my blessing, son of Poseidon and daughter of Athena, and may your child bring together your squabbling parents once and for all.'

Opening her eyes, the goddess of love retained her usual smile, knowing, and all too pleased with the things that were to come.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Orokid: So… what did you think of the story? I thought to add Aphrodite at the end, since she did more or less set them up together (the goddess of love sets up everyone, considering), and I like how it turned out. If you have an opinion you wish to express, or words of wisdom, or a pat on the back, leave a comment- I'm all ears.