DISCLAIMER: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
As she sobbed into my chest, my trembling fingers daringly continued to lightly comb through her messy blond curls. My clueless brain had not even the slightest idea what to do. The girl's crying seemed endless, and I was too enveloped in thoughts about her to notice anything around me. Even the strange hallway light ceased to intrigue me. I only thought about her. The almost intimidating eyes, my hand running through her soft blond hair, the lemon scent that wafted up to me which further relaxed my tense posture and most of all the hot tears dripping onto my chest and stomach were all I could think about. Each drop filled me with a sort of sadness which made me ache and hold onto her just a little bit tighter.
As her figure trembled she slowly inhaled then exhaled, and the breath on my torso sent a shiver down my spine.
"Are you alright?" I asked finally, whispering into her soft curls. Her fingernails seemed to dig into my back as she nodded slightly, taking another shaky breath. I shivered again, and this time she looked up at me. Her puffy red eyes looked up into mine then slowly raked down my body.
"You do not live here."
I was surprised to find that her voice was commanding and confident, as Athena's was. This was obviously her daughter, but I didn't think my father ever mentioned her having a daughter; hell, I didn't even think she was married.
She stared back up at my eyes, waiting patiently for an answer.
"I moved in today. Are you by any chance related to Athena?" I asked in the most pleasant voice possible. Despite the fact she had been crying earlier, my curiosity overtook my sympathy. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I began to question whether or not I had made a good decision at the moment.
Her eyes were once again filled with more tears as she buried her face in me again and stifled a sob. Nodding slowly, she took another deep breath and pressed her cheek against my chest. "I am Annabeth. Athena is my mother."
I nodded, stoking her hair again. Athena's genes were definitely in her, yet there was something else. There was growing warmth, a subtle sense of happiness that drew me closer to her, not away. She pulled away from me and stood straight, bringing her to full height which was up to about my nose. Earlier she seemed to be a short young girl, probably because of her posture while crying.
"I'm Percy. I'll be living here for a while."
A small smile formed on her face, making me smile too. "I will have a friend," she said, wrapping her arms around me once more. She sent a chill down my spine, smiling up at me as a child would.
And surprisingly, it made me happy.
I woke the next morning to the sunlight streaming through the windows. Shifting in my comfortable blankets, I decided I'd rather stay in bed instead of getting up and facing Athena again. I pulled my pillow over my head to block the light, but soon my growling stomach forced me to get out.
Pulling a shirt over my head and yawning, I stretched and began slowly dragging myself through the halls and down the stairs, where I shuffled into the dining room. It was empty. I blinked a couple times and looked around, but I soon realized there wasn't anybody here. A wave of unfamiliarity washed over me, and I remembered where I was. What time is it? I wondered. Am I early? Like hell that would happen… No, I must be late. I probably missed breakfast and-
"Mr. Jackson?" a polite voice greeted me. She smiled, her warm eyes shining brightly in the morning light. "The Mistress is waiting for you outside. Breakfast is always in the gazebo unless the weather calls for eating inside. Lunch and dinner are eaten here," she explained quickly but softly, gesturing towards the grand dining table. "You're not late, but the Mistress has been getting a bit…irritated, I suppose. It's over that way," she guided, waving a hand over to the double doors leading to the back garden. Her voice began picking up even more as she continued. "Make a left at the fountain and-"
"Lacy!" a stern voice called, making the girl jump back and clamp her mouth shut. She looked at her shoes as another woman rushed up to her. Is she mad at her for talking to me? I wondered, stepping closer and putting a hand on the woman's shoulder to stop her.
"I'm sorry if I did anything, I was only asking for help. Whatever this is, it's my fault so I'm sorry."
She turned around to look at me, and I found myself stepping back to give her room. Her eyes soften and she swallowed, but I wasn't going to take chances.
"I apologize, Mr. Jackson. Yes, take a left at the fountain and keep walking until you see the marble steps that lead down to the gazebo. There are others outside to help you if you still need any guidance," she said, her voice smooth and enticing. "Mistress Athena prefers that you not speak to those working in the household. Though if you need help questions are permitted, but please try not to encourage unneeded conversation for we will be the ones punished. I care about the others who work here, so it's crucial that you follow the rules."
My mouth stayed open for probably a second too long before I shut it. I coughed. "Yes, of course, I'm sorry-"
"I'm Silena. As you now know, this is Lacy. Now if you will excuse us," she bowed politely and Lacy followed suit.
The walk to the gazebo was longer than I'd expected, through pathways between lush grass and trimmed rose bushes and over a small wooden bridge that kept you from falling into a koi pond. It was actually enjoyable, with the crisp air in my lungs and the faint sweet smell of roses and the amusing statues to look at on the way. Finally I reached the fountain and saw the pathways on either side. Taking the left, I strolled on until I saw a large white gazebo. Like Silena had said, there were marble steps leading down to it.
Athena was sitting in the shade waiting, sipping tea silently. There hadn't been anyone else around on my walk here, but I thought they would all be at the gazebo. The only one there was Athena though.
"Do you prefer tea or coffee in the morning?" she asked as I sat down in one of the other four chairs available. The gazebo was pentagonal and completely white, as if it was freshly painted this morning. Vines had grown onto it, weaving in and out and around just enough to add to the beauty of the place. I found myself lost in the scene that Athena repeated the question twice more before I answered.
"Coffee," I said, and before I knew it someone walked up behind me and poured the hot drink into my cup. I let it sit there for a bit with the steam rising before gently lifting it and sipping it, as to not make a sound.
I felt Athena's eyes on me and I looked up to find the corners of her lips tugging upward. "You drink in a more feminine way than I expected. Why is that?" Heat rose to my cheeks and I shrugged, hoping we could change the topic soon. Or better yet we could eat in silence.
Soon the breakfast omelets arrived, and I actually planned to eat the food this time when a thought occurred to me.
"Is Annabeth going to join us?"
Athena dropped her fork and it landed with a light plink onto her plate. I swallowed my growing fear and didn't look away as her eyes dug into mine.
"You've made a mistake, Percy."
A/N: Well I updated within this millennium so that should count for something yes? I'll proofread later; I just finished this so I decided to post it. I really don't have much to say about this chapter, which is slightly unusual because after such a long period of not updating I usually would have something to say. So I hope you liked the chapter, and review with some of your thoughts!