Welcome Back to the Dark Side! So I spent forever on this story! I was up until 2:30 last night writing it. So you had better enjoy it! Now this chapter takes place two months later in October.

Quote of the Chapter: A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty-Unknown

Disclaimer: Look back at the last chapter

Chapter 3

Percy

I placed my briefcase on the table groaning at the fact that I still had a stack of tests to grade. I just had to stop putting them off. It was bad enough I had just assigned an essay. So soon enough I would have to grade that too. I just had to grade the tests tonight. Thankfully the phone had begun to ring so I could just stop thinking about the fact of grading these tests.

"Hello?" I said as I answered the phone.

"Hey. So what are you doing tonight?" Was what the voice on the other line answered but I knew that voice anywhere.

"Annabeth, I can't do anything tonight. I have a stack of ungraded tests on my dining room table that have my name on them. I also have to pick up Evie from my mom's. So Annabeth, I am booked." I said as I pulled a can of Spaghettios out of the pantry.

"I have an idea. How about I help you grade your tests and you pick me up and we can go and get your daughter because I want to meet Evie and your mom. Every time you talk about her you make her sound like a goddess."

"Annabeth, if you help me with my tests you would be my life saver. So I think it's a plan I pick you up in fifteenth."

"See you soon." She replied and then hung up the phone.

So I picked up the dreaded tests my lucky grading pen, which I seemed to call Riptide, and my car keys.

As I began to reach my car I began to think of what my mom and Evie would think of Annabeth. My mom liked a lot of my girlfriends, Evie didn't. Of all my girlfriends Evie didn't like a single one. The only friend that I have that she likes that is a girl is Rachel and that isn't surprising.

Rachel was Evie's first art teacher. She was so patient with her and taught her all the right techniques. Well for a four year old. Now that she's five her pictures are starting to look like actual things though they lack structure and form. They are still amazing for a five year old. Rachel says that one day she'll be better than her.

I just hope she likes her. My mom says that if Evie likes the girl then she is one that I will live my life with. Yet that girl hasn't come yet.

I was so lost in thought that I hadn't even realized that I had just missed the turn for her apartment. So I did a little back track and when I arrived at the apartment building I saw her sitting on the steps reading a book. She was smiling at something she was reading but she didn't seem to notice me.

I quickly honked my horn. She looked up and her smile broke into a grin. She walked up the passenger side door and stepped in. I leaned over to peck her on the cheek.

"Hey so are you ready to meet them?" I asked as I pulled the car away from the car and started to drive away from apartment building.

"Yeah. I am a little nervous but not much. It has already been two months. I truly think that this should've happened a long time ago." She replied.

"I'm glad we waited a while." I stated.

"Why? Is it your mom? Step-dad? Do you think they'll hate me?" She asked now completely nervous.

"It's not them. My mom will love you the second you walk through the door and my step-dad will think you're awesome. It's Evie. She has never liked any of my girlfriends. They only friend who's a girl she actually likes of mine is Rachel. You've met her and know why. I just didn't want her to make this relationship end so early like it did others. She is kind of scary when she wants to be." I confessed

"So what do I say to win her approval?"

"Be yourself. She hates phonies." I said as I pulled up to my mom's building.

"Percy now I'm scared to go in. I think I may need a good luck kiss." She said with a smirk as we got out of the car.

"I think I can make that happen." I whispered in her and then leaned in for the kiss. Okay maybe the kiss turned into a few minute make out session but I pulled away first remembering the purpose that they were actually there for. Not making out outside his mom's apartment building.

"Annabeth, I think we should go in now." I whispered in her ear but she didn't seem to hear me because she pulled me in again. After another moment I pulled away again.

"Annabeth, we need to go in."

"Fine." She mumbled

"And fix your hair. My mom will know we were making out with your hair looking like that." She looked at her hair in the car side mirror and began straightening it out.

"Well yours needs some work too." So I joined her at the mirror. Boy was she right. Mine was far worse than hers. So began to tidy it up and make it much more presentable.

"Okay, let's go up." I said finishing the job of fixing my hair.

"So now I get to see if this relationship takes a turn for the best or a turn for the worst. Yipee." She said sarcastically.

"Oh don't be like that. They'll love you." I reassured her as I hit the floor number 5 on the elevator console and the door closed.

"Percy, it's just that you have made my life whole again. I don't know what I would do without you in my life."

"Annabeth you don't have to be worried about me leaving you. Evie not liking you will just make it harder but nothing will ever make me leave you ever. Except for maybe an impending alien apocalypse."

"Well then I have nothing to worry about then." With that the elevator doors dinged and opened. We both walked out of the elevator hand in hand heading towards his parents apartment. I pulled out my key and unlocked and opened the door.

"Hey mom!" I called into the apartment.

"DADDYYYY!" Evie called running into my arms.

"Hey pumpkin how are you doing?" I asked. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Annabeth standing in the doorframe looking at the scene. She was smiling as if that was what she wanted.

"Good daddy but who is she?" I knew evading the question would make things worse so I just decided to answer it.

"That's Annabeth. I've been dating her for a while now, sweet pea." I answered

"She's very pretty daddy. She reminds me of Sleeping Beauty from my movie." She responded. I saw Annabeth blush. I know she's happy that at the moment Evie likes her. But I could tell by her nervous expression she was still afraid that she would immediately hate her.

"So A-n-n-a-b-e-t-h do you play Barbies?" Evie said carefully spelling out her name as if making sure not to mess it up. And she asked her to play Barbies. She never did that. "Grandma got me a new Sleeping Beauty Barbie and I think you should be her since you look like her."

"Sure I play Barbies." Annabeth answered

"Okay. Then let's go!" She said dragging Annabeth away towards the living room. I walked towards the kitchen dropping my tests on the table as I passed.

My mom was standing at that stove stirring a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup, since it was Evie's favorite.

"You spoil her too much. You do know that right?"

"Percy, that is my job as a grandparent. My job is to spoil. I have already worked enough to last a lifetime. All I do now is write best selling novels and spoil my granddaughter. Anyway I do the spoiling for both Paul and I. He just isn't here enough when she's here to spoil her so I do it for the both of us." My mom argued

"Fine. You win. Speaking of Paul. Where is he?" I asked

"He had some meeting or something. So he'll be late. So I'm guessing you brought another keeper?"

"Well apparently yes. Evie actually likes her. They're playing Barbies." I said.

"No way. Evie never likes any of your dates." She said completely and utterly shocked

"Yep. Apparently she likes girls that look like Sleeping Beauty."

"So you really like this girl." She said

"Mom, Annabeth is amazing. She likes all the things people hate about me. She doesn't mind that I have a kid. She isn't fake. Mom, I know it's only two months but I think I love her." I confessed. I guess I really was in love with her.

"Does she have any baggage?"

"There is one thing."

"What is it."

"She was in the army. She saw some pretty horrific things. The nights that she spends alone she is tormented by nightmares. Sometimes she breaks down. That's how I met her. She was sobbing and screaming in central park. I was there and gave her a shoulder to lean on." I didn't notice it but tears had filled my eyes and were threatening to spill over the edge but I held myself together.

"She doesn't look like she was in the army. Let alone breaks downs and cry's." My mom said as she looked at Annabeth smiling and laughing as she played with the Barbies that lay about floor in the living room.

"You're right but people aren't always what they seem." I bitterly replied I as began to remember what Evie's mom did to me 5 years ago. It just makes me so mad but I have to just let it go and go on with the life I was living. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have my little Evelyn Claire Jackson. So I guess I should be thanking her but what she put us through doesn't allow us to give her a thank you.

"So mom do you want to meet her?" I asked

"I thought you would never ask." She replied. So I led her to the living room where they were playing. As we neared the living room I saw that they were remaking my least favorite movie and her favorite movie, Sleeping Beauty. They had her barbie house wrapped in string for the thrones and a plastic dragon as Maleficent.

"So now you have to put her in the bed because she falls asleep for a long time in the movie." Evie told her

"Okay, so now what do I do?" She questioned. I chuckled at how she was taking orders from a five year old. But she shot me a dirty look quickly before turning back to my daughter.

"You wait. Now I come out and kill the dragon and knock down the vines." She pulled out the only Ken doll of the pile and hit the plastic dragon down and picked up a pair of scissors and cut down all the string vines. "Now I kiss Aurora." She picked up Aurora and handed her to Annabeth and then Evie lifted Ken to her face and made them kiss. It was quite strange to see.

"Hey Evie do you think we can steal your Aurora for a little bit?"I asked

"Sure!" She said handing me the Barbie doll. "Now we can play Cinderella. You look like her too!"

"Sweet Pea, I meant Annabeth." Her face fell as I said this.

"Oh, sure but I get to come too." She said.

"Fine. I think we can work with that." I said helping Annabeth up off of the ground leading her to the kitchen where the soup had finished.

I got four bowls out of the cupboard and began ladling.

"So I'm Sally don't call me Mrs. Jackson. It makes me feel old." She introduced

"Well I think I can deal with that, Sally." She replied winking

"So, Annabeth, You joined the army?" Annabeth looked at me skeptically. "Oh Percy told me. I was just wondering why you joined." She asked

"Ummm I think that I felt that I had something to prove. I felt that I didn't prove myself enough in high school." She replied

"Do you have any family in New York?" She inquired again

"I really don't know where they are. My mom flew the coop when I was born and I lived with my aunt most of high school except for Senior year when I lived with my dad and when I enlisted he kind of shunned me so now I have no idea where he is." She answered as she ladled the soup bowls. First handing Evie one and then me and then my mom. Then finally ladling one for herself. When she sat at the table she didn't sit next Evie she sat next to me. Immediately Evie moved next to her.

"Looks like you have a fan, Annabeth." I whispered to her.

"Well at least she doesn't hate me." She whispered back. I chuckled remembering our conversation in the car and just how worried she was.

"Daddy, can me and Anniebeth make Shrinky Dinks after dinner? Please." Evie begged knowing that we wouldn't be staying at grandma's house over night.

"Yes I think it will be alright." I said knowing I would be alone grading my tests.

"Yes!" She said not even finishing her soup and dragging Annabeth behind her. Annabeth gave me a sympathetic smile before they rounded the corner to her playroom.

"Percy, I think you daughter is stealing your girlfriend." She said with a smirk

"You may be right but at least she hasn't bit her like she did to Alana." I said laughing remembering the time my two-year-old daughter bit the leg of my girlfriend. She had caught her with a set of sticky fingers.

"Well at least I still had my good silverware at the end of the night." She said

"So mom I'm going to grade some tests and when their Shrinky Dinks are done we should get going okay." I stated

"Sounds like a plan to me." She replied as she picked up the bowls left behind by the Shrinky Dink lover.

After about ten tests their Shrinky Dinks were done. Annabeth had made a gorgeous little owl and Evie made Aurora's crown, which she put on a string and gave to "Aurora".

"Thanks for dinner mom!" I called out to her from the hallway as I helped Evie into shoes and coat.

"Any time. Annabeth, you're welcome back anytime." She called back

"Thanks!" Annabeth called to my mom

"Come on. Evie is already falling asleep." I said to Annabeth.

When we reached my car Evie was already asleep. Slightly drooling on my shoulder. So I quietly buckled her into her car seat and sat down into the drivers seat. And breathed out. Annabeth sat down beside me and did the same.

"Well you did the impossible. She actually likes you." I said to her

"Yeah well that what I do. The impossible. So sorry about the tests we can finish them at you're apartment if you want." She said

"Or we could have a glass of wine because it's a Friday."

"I like your idea better."

"So do I"

So what did you think? Please review and tell me!

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