Oh my goodness! I am so excited that you guys like this story. It makes my heart happy. :)

I do not own any of this. Percy Jackson belongs to the beloved Uncle Rick and the storyline goes to the amazing Michelle Do for her play of the same name.

"Grover, would you mind pouring me another? Today's bills need more than one glass to make me feel better."

The bartender grabbed his tumbler and poured another scotch to his best friend sitting across the counter from him.

"She's not improving at all?" Grover asked with concern in his voice.

"No, in fact she's getting worse. The doctors want me to start moving on with my life. They say it's not healthy for me to be pining for something that probably will not happen. They said it in more doctor terms, but it basically means false hope."

"Hey," Grover put a comforting hand on Percy's shoulder. "Rachel is a strong woman, she'll pull through." Grover removed his hand to start drying glasses.

"I'm not so sure anymore. The treatments are getting more expensive and I'm quickly running out of savings to pay for the medicine she needs to recover. I sold my wedding ring just to get to where I am now. I'm barely scraping by as it is." Percy ran a hand through his already disheveled hair and took a drink of the scotch.

"I'm sorry to hear that, maybe I can work the schedule around here, and you can come in and do a few hours?"

"Thanks Grover, but it still wouldn't be enough to bring Rachel out of her coma." Percy sighed dejectedly as he got lost in his thoughts. "Ya know, she use to make me sing to her. Isn't that crazy?"

Grover laughed, "I haven't heard you sing since we were kids. Even then, you only knew Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

Percy smiled for the first time in a long while. "It was before, when she was just sick. She told me that she wanted my voice to be the last thing she heard before she fell asleep every night." Percy stared at the far wall and remembered back to when his wife was conscience, and he would sing to her before going to bed.

Blue skies smilin' at me

Nothin' but blue skies do I see

Bluebirds singin' a song

Nothin' but bluebirds all day long

Never saw the sun shinin' so bright

Never saw the things goin' so right

Noticing the days hurrying by

When you're in love, my how they fly

The last note seemed to float and do exactly as the lyric suggested, fly. Grover looked at him in an expression of awe and respect. "Wow Perce, that was a lot better that Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

Percy shook his head at his friend's humor and sighed. "Yeah, but now I don't need to be singing since I don't have anyone to sing to, or about." He finished the rest of the glass and Grover refilled it as the front door opened with the sound of a bell announcing someone's arrival.

"Two bottles of Aberfeldy, Grover, and go ahead and open one of them to start pouring."

"Hi Mr. Chase, what's the occasion?" Grover pulled the bottles from the back shelf and poured one into a tumbler to hand it to Frederick.

Frederick sat down on the high bar stool next to Percy and leaned his forearms on the bar. "Well, you see, I am mourning the loss of another promising future son-in-law." Frederick knocked back the drink and Grover poured another.

"If you don't mind me asking, sir. What do you mean by a 'promising future son-in-law'?" Grover went back to cleaning glasses while Percy tilted his head to listen in.

"It's my daughter Annabeth," Frederick began. "She's so stubborn. Every time I try to make a match with her, she throws them out without the promise of ever seeing them again. I think tonight was the 50th bachelor she's wounded, emotionally I mean."

"Well, sir, if you don't mind me saying. Perhaps your daughter isn't comfortable with all the attention that these men are giving her?" Percy wanted to feel like he was useful somewhere, and what better place to put your two cents in than at a bar.

"No," Frederick rolled his eyes. "She's one of the most beautiful young women I know. But I am a little biased. She takes after her mother." Mr. Chase reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. "There, you see?" He pulled out a small photo of him and an astounding young lady. "That was taken just weeks ago. Pretty isn't she?"

Pretty had not even begun to describe what she looked like. Breathtaking was a more appropriate word. As soon as Percy saw her, he felt an awfully comforting jolt in his stomach and chest. She had the most beautiful golden hair, with princess curls that would make a model jealous. Her figure was gorgeous and she had an elegant face. But what really captivated him was her eyes. They were a blue, almost like a stormy grey color. They looked as though they could see into your very soul. There was such fire, intelligence, and passion in those eyes that it was easy to believe that 50 men had wanted to woo her.

"My oh my, Mr. Chase. You have one fine filly. It's too bad she doesn't like men." Grover said while he started to wipe off the counters and tables.

"It's not that she doesn't like men. It's just that she doesn't like the men I choose for her." Frederick leaned his head back and let in relax while he closed his eyes.

Percy took the opportunity to know more about this Annabeth. "If you don't mind me asking, sir. But what seems to go wrong during these dates?"

"Well, she seems to hate the fact that all they do is tell her how beautiful she is. I tell you, I will never understand women." Frederick shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Of course she does. Women don't want to hear about how beautiful they are." Percy got up from the stool and started walking around for emphasis. "They already know how beautiful they are. They want to see if we notice the other qualities about them that make them feel special. They want to be loved first by their inward beauty, and then you can shower them with adornment. That is the only true way to make a woman fall in love."

Mr. Chase looked at Percy with a mixture of awe and puzzlement. Never having heard that before, he inquired more. "So what should a man do to get a woman to fall in love with him?"

Percy paced for a few moments with his hand on his chin and the other on his hip. "He must first acknowledge her intelligence and also do sweetly romantic things. Walks in the park, or a surprise picnic are what come to mind. Find a man that is not afraid to be brutally honest with her, but he will not try to change her. Find a man that can accept her for who she is, not what she looks like. With a man like that, I guarantee your daughter will fall in love."

Frederick was again astounded by this man's apparent knowledge of the opposite sex. "Yes, I do see know how that would work. But where would I find such a man?"

Grover perked up his head and eagerly looked in Percy's direction.

"You," Mr. Chase said while also looking at Percy. "You could make my daughter fall in love with you."

Percy was taken aback by this sudden idea of Mr. Chase's. He obviously could not make this mysterious daughter fall in love with him. It had been ages since he had dated and he was, after all, still legally married. Although his wife was in a coma with little chance of making it unless he stumbled upon a huge fortune. "I'm sorry sir, I just cannot do what you are asking of me."

"Oh come now. My daughter is beautiful, and all you have to do is show up at my house and see if she will invite you back. In fact, I will pay you every time you visit my daughter until she falls in love with you." Frederick pulled out a considerable amount of cash and handed it over for Percy to inspect.

Percy looked at the money with apprehension, but also thought about what that money could do for him. Grover was giving him an encouraging look, probably telling him to take the money and not think about the consequences it would bring. "I still can't do it, Mr. Chase."

Percy gave the money back and was heading towards the door when he heard Mr. Chase exclaim "Wait!"

He looked back to see Frederick pulling more money out of his wallet and extending it towards him. "Think of this as being a down payment. And if she invites you back, you will receive twice as much as this per date. What say you?"

Percy stood there for what felt like hours before taking a deep breathe and extending his hand. "Deal."

Blue Skies- A song written by Irving Berlin in 1926. Most famously sung by Ella Fitzgerald.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game- A Tin Pan Alley song written by Albert Von Tilzer and Jack Norworth.

R&R