A shout out to my wonderful beta-reader, greekgreek25! She is an amazing writer, and the one who gave me the original idea for this story. Go read her stuff! WOOHOO!

Also, I wanted to give you a little information regarding my updating schedule. I will try to update periodically throughout the week, but most times you will get chapters on the weekend. And if I'm not updating, please review and tell me so! Sometimes I forget to upload, and need a little reminder :) Thanks!

I'm still not Rick Riordan. Yeah.


LAST CHAPTER:
Annabeth slowly turned to face her new wedding-planning-partner. She gasped. It couldn't be. Not after all those years... Wavy, unruly black hair. A bright, joking smile slowly fading from his face. And eyes as green as the sea itself. "Perseus Jackson," she hissed.

A disconcerted frown captured his face. "Annabeth Chase. So we meet again.

Jason shifted his weight awkwardly, looking between the two. Annabeth was still glaring at Percy, and Percy was still frowning in her direction. "So... I, uh, guess you guys know each other already. So no need for introductions, I guess..." he trailed off, frantically looking at Piper for help.

Piper looked from Annabeth's face to Percy's, and back to Annabeth's. "Is this Percy the Percy?" she asked cautiously.

"Yes, Piper," she smiled forcedly, as Percy's brow furrowed in confusion. "May I speak with you privately?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure... Jason, just stay here with Percy. We shouldn't take too long," Piper laughed nervously as Annabeth grabbed her arm.

Once the boys were out of earshot, Piper squealed."Percy is the Percy who broke your heart!?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "We were sixteen. And he didn't break my heart, Piper. The only thing broken was his nose."

"Right... I almost forgot that you punched him."

"He deserved it after that comment he made. He basically said the kiss didn't mean anything."

"So you're saying that he DID break your heart! And don't try to deny it, because you totally care that he didn't care." Annabeth didn't respond, and Piper gasped. "Wait. Oh my gods... He was your first kiss, wasn't he? And you still haven't kissed anyone since then... Oh, Annie." she cried, holding her hand to her mouth. "That's terrible. First kisses are supposed to be magical. Especially when they're with someone you truly love, and you and Percy..."

Annabeth lifted her head up high, blinking away a barely perceptible tear, and ignored Piper's final statement. "It was magical, at least up until the comment, which was rather hurtful. So it wasn't a total loss. But I am over him now. That happened eight years ago. Water under the bridge, am I right?" she laughed half-heartedly, more for her own sake than Piper's. "You know what? Jason must be wondering where we are. We should go back now."

"Annie, are you sure that you're okay with working with... him? After all, I could just hire a wedding planner..."

Annabeth tucked a stray curl behind her ear and fixed her blazer. A cold edge glinted in her eyes."No. I was simply shocked by his presence after all of these years. I can make an effort not to kill him for the sake of your wedding. I am perfectly fine with having a completely professional relationship with my... Never mind. Come on, Piper. Jason's waiting." Piper watched sadly as her friend turned on her heel and walked confidently out the door. If there was one thing she knew, it was that her best friend was still in love with Percy Jackson. So in love that it had turned to hate, but love nonetheless. And something would have to be done with the situation if Piper McLean had anything to do about it. Which she totally did.

Piper and Annabeth walked into the front hall, Annabeth wearing a tight smile. She walked up to Percy quickly, and shook his hand a little harder than necessary. "It's a pleasure to be working with you, Mr. Jackson."

A curious semi-smile danced across Percy's face. "The pleasure's all mine, I'm sure." Annabeth pulled her hand back quickly, her eyes darting around the room. An odd, familiar feeling bubbled up in her gut when their hands had touched, but she pushed it down. She refused to remember the old, barely mature sixteen year old with sea green eyes who had stolen her heart. This was a new colleague. She was starting again. I've just met him, she tried to convince herself. I don't remember him at all. I didn't pine over him for years. Because that would be ridiculous. Annabeth felt like crying for the first time since the night Percy had kissed her.

"You're looking at me funny," Percy said, inching away from Annabeth. "Are you going to punch me again?"

"She punched you successfully?" asked Jason incredulously.

"Twice," Percy and Annabeth said at the same time. Annabeth's head snapped towards Percy for a moment, shocked, then she turned away to quickly gain her composure, putting on a neutral face. Just as if it hadn't bothered her one bit. Which it hadn't, Annabeth tried to tell herself. It really didn't matter at all. But if she had looked over at Percy in that instant, she would have seen the same flash of conflicting emotions in her mind reflected in Percy's eyes. Annabeth faked a cheerful smile and then faced Piper and Jason. "Well, I have to be going now. Don't do anything you'll regret, Jason. Remember that Mr. McLean is always watching you, and has no qualms about hiring assassins to kill people who don't treat Piper right. I think I'm actually on his list of contacts, because I'd totally kill you if you harmed Piper," she smiled sweetly. "Pipes, I'll call you later, okay? And... Mr. Jackson," she nodded curtly.

"Mrs. Chase," he replied, his face hardening.

"It's Ms. Chase. I'm not married," Annabeth corrected, flinching slightly. She could have sworn that she saw a wave of relief in Percy's eyes as she turned to leave.

"Ms. Chase," he whispered after her fading figure.

"You've got it bad, buddy," Jason clapped his friend on the back. "Good luck with her." Piper's eyes narrowed at Percy, whose eyes were still focused where Annabeth had walked off.

Piper pasted a smile on her face as Jason walked off."Hey, Percy!"she called. "Can I talk to you about something? In private?"

Percy's eyebrows furrowed together. "Private?"

"Yeah. Jason doesn't need to hear this. It's about Annabeth."

"Private it is, then. Lead the way," he replied, giving a mock bow of chivalry.

When they arrived in the center of the garden, Piper laughed. "You know chivalry is dead, right?"

"Whatever could you mean, madam?" Percy said jokingly. "But seriously. What did you want to tell me about Annabeth?" His face was filled with concern.

"Listen here, bud," Piper said, any former trace of friendliness absent from her tone. "You hurt my friend once. You better not do it again. Or I swear to the gods I'll kill you myself. You understand me?"

Percy gulped as Piper waved her finger dangerously near to his face. "I understand," he nodded nervously.

"Good. That's all." Piper relaxed a bit, examining his expression. "She still cares about you, you know." Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she started back to the mansion, leaving Percy standing in the middle of the garden, with a look of disbelief on his face.

Back at her apartment, Annabeth was pulling on an old t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants to make dinner in. She meandered into the kitchen in her socks, and pulled out a microwaveable macaroni and cheese bowl and some ice cream. Annabeth thought that she deserved some pampering after the shock of seeing Percy again. Eight years, she thought to herself as she watched her pasta revolve in the microwave. After eight years, Percy Jackson just shows up out of the blue?! Ridiculous, she chastised herself as she brought her dinner. She was being ridiculous. She didn't care about him anymore. I hate him, she decided. I will not fall in love with him again. I never loved him anyways, right? His reappearance simply reignited her hatred for him. Annabeth leaned back in her old leather arm chair, turning her television on to the History Channel. Despite her convictions of hatred, a little voice in the back of her head squeaked something about true love. Annabeth ignored it. You know what. I don't need an excuse for pampering myself a little, she thought to herself. I can have a little ice cream and watch the History Channel whenever I want, whether stupid Percy Jackson shows up in my life or not. She smiled to herself as the historians on the screen started to describe the architecture of the Parthenon, her favorite building in existence. But even as she tried to focus on her favorite show, she started to think of Percy again. Could he be thinking of me right now? Outside she heard the faint sound of wedding bells ringing at a nearby church, floating by on a breeze.

Five blocks down from Annabeth's apartment building, Percy was listening to the same merry chiming. He was walking down the street, thinking of Annabeth. "I wish that Annabeth was thinking of me right now. I know I'm thinking of her," he muttered to himself softly. Overhead, the sound of wedding bells continued softly as the sun set on the brightly lit skyline of New York City.