Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Thank you to all who reviewed! Everyone is wondering what the heck is going on. Hope this chapter answers some questions (but will probably raise more).

A Twisted Tale of Cinderella

Chapter 6

Percy sipped wine while he waited in his father's study. When Beckendorf was here earlier today, he relayed word that Poseidon would be late tonight. Percy had offered to meet up with his father but Beckendorf said Poseidon insisted that he stay home and keep an eye on Annabeth. Just perfect. Percy was her babysitter now.

Her face flashed in his mind and he tightened his jaw when he remembered how frightened she looked when he opened the door. She avoided his eyes but he knew she had been crying. And when he took her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him, a wave of electricity shot into him. Then she had the nerve to put her hands on him and try to break free. There was still some fight in her, even with him spending the past week trying to break her. Percy wanted to grin because he admired that about her but told her to leave before he locked her in again. But when she ran from him… picking up the side of her skirt so she could go faster and her hair flowing behind her… His urge to smile faded and he was ashamed that a small part of him felt guilty about locking her in the old wine cellar.

But it had to be done. She deserved it.

Beckendorf had delivered awful news earlier that day. His close friend told him how their latest shipment of ammunition had been stolen. Again. This was the third time this month. It couldn't keep happening. The Atlanteans, Percy and his family and friends, were already at a disadvantage because they didn't have enough people. And now they were coming up short on weaponry.

Percy felt his side, just under his jacket and his left arm, where a gun was strapped to him. The handle was cold and sleek. And there was nothing Percy wanted to do more than point it at Annabeth's head, right between those big gray eyes, and pull the trigger. He hated her, he told himself, hated her so much that it took all his strength not to bash her head in with the lamp earlier. Maybe light her pretty face on fire so she wouldn't be pretty anymore. Never mind the awful dread that rushed up his spine when he saw her eyes start to water. He couldn't allow himself to feel sorry for this woman, this Olympian.

The creek of door snapped Percy out of his thoughts and Poseidon walked in carrying his black blazer. His hair wasn't as neat as it had been when he left earlier that day.

Poseidon took a seat at the desk opposite Percy. He looked briefly at his son before closing his eyes and rubbing his temples with two fingers of each hand.

Percy poured his father a cup of wine. "Don't worry, Father. I punished her accordingly."

Poseidon slammed his fist on the desk, making the wine glasses tremble. "I don't want to hear about how you tortured an innocent girl."

Percy's eyes narrowed and he felt his body shake in anger. All his previous musing on Annabeth's beauty and sadness and his own guilt melted away in an instant. "She isn't innocent! There's no way that little bitch has no idea who we are or who she is. We should have had her killed long ago as payback for what they did to us."

"My informants report that she is completely ignorant. She has no idea we're Atlanteans. And even if she did, she doesn't know the Atlanteans and Olympians are at war." Poseidon swore to his son.

But Percy wasn't in the mood to be rational or understanding. How can that woman suddenly run away from home and Poseidon just happened to stumble upon her one day. For the first time since he learned about her, Percy wondered what would make Annabeth run away. Though he didn't dwell on it long because he gave her a background her preferred to believe. She didn't really run away. She had to have been planted there for Poseidon to find. And Annabeth's scared puppy persona was just a front to get the Atlanteans to let their guard down. She had even tried to get into his office. Annabeth was a spy for the Olympians and Percy was going to smoke her out.

"She needs to die." Percy said suddenly. Poseidon choked on the wine he was tasting.

"Don't be a fool, Percy." Poseidon cautioned. "You know how frantically Zeus's men were searching for her. They even left a majority of their supply lines completely unattended, just waiting for us to sabotage them. We ransacked four of their trains full of all kinds of weapons they were planning to use against us. This girl must mean a lot to them if they dropped everything just to look for her."

Zeus Olympian… Percy wanted to spit in his face. That old coot has no idea what he got himself into by threatening Atlanteans. He did have the advantage back then, what with more manpower, more relatives to help him, and more money. But things are different now. Percy had Zeus's granddaughter in his grasp and Percy would never let go of her.

Percy remembered his father first telling him and his older brothers of her existence. His father's informants and spies, usually and most probably Connor and Travis Stoll, reported that Olympian guards appeared to be too busy to properly guard their trains and safe houses. It appeared as if they were looking for someone. They traveled in small groups to survey towns and never stayed in one place for too long.

That's when Triton sent his men to capture one of them. The man Triton cornered was young and scared. He must have been a new recruit, desperate to get his slice of glory by running with the Olympian lot. He was hung upside down by his ankles and whenever he refused to answer a question, Chrysaor came in and submerged the captive's head in a bucket of cold water and held him there for alternating periods of time, for a few seconds or a minute and sometimes more. The captive started talking very quickly. It was a shame Chrysaor shot his brains out as soon as the captive said something about finding a girl. They could have gotten more information on the girl. Poseidon had put the pieces together and figured out it must have been a relative of theirs to warrant such urgency. And as soon as Poseidon laid eyes on her, he knew she was Zeus's granddaughter.

"I still don't understand why you're giving her so much of our money, Father. We need as much money as possible if we're going to come out of this alive."

"Which is exactly why you're courting Rachel and Calypso. Rachel's father is easy to manipulate. Calypso's father, Atlas, hasn't always been the most cooperative. But they're two of our biggest investors. They've been are reluctant to do business with us since our one of our ships crashed into port last summer because of the Olympians' meddling. But if you could just manipulate those girls enough, soon they'll be begging their fathers to stay in league with us. And if not, well, they are next in line to take over their families' respective companies, so we'll just have to install them as head sooner than their fathers think."

Usually Percy enjoyed discussing hostile takeovers but he couldn't focus on Rachel and Calypso when Annabeth was on his mind.

"That still doesn't answer my question. That little wretch could run off any moment and there's no way she's coming back when she already has so much money."

Poseidon shook his head; a small smile on his face was mostly obscured by his mustache and beard. "Percy, you still have a lot to learn. Of course I'm not going to just give her so much without taking precautions. We have spies everywhere. If she does decide to leave, we'll forcibly bring her back and detain her. But if she manages to evade us somehow and cashes any check I gave her, I'll know the moment she hands that check over and exactly where she is."

Percy exhaled in annoyance, still not satisfied.

"Father, I hate her. I don't want to be around her." Percy decided to keep any daydreams he's had about Annabeth's hips or dress to himself. "I don't know why you gave her to me. Can't I just pass her off to Chrysaor? He seems to fancy her."

Chrysaor was the last person Percy wanted looking after Annabeth. But Chrysaor was sly. He could disguise an insult as a complement and be out the door before Percy realized he was made a fool of. Perhaps if Chrysaor took custody of Annabeth, he could torture her without her realizing it and Percy wouldn't feel so awful about administering the torture himself.

"No. Chrysaor won't be here for much longer. He'll be traveling to oversee our operations."

"Then have him take her with him. I can't stand to have that woman near me, especially in my own home."

"Percy, you need to be rational. Annabeth is innocent. The only crime she is guilty of is being born into Zeus's family. She knows nothing of their activities nor ours."

"How can you be sure?"

"You've seen her eyes. She's terrified."

Percy thought back to when he grabbed Annabeth's chin.

"And true Olympians do not get terrified." Poseidon continued. "She's obviously been raised separately from them because I found her not far from one of their alleged safe houses. She was right under their noses and they didn't even know."

Percy lowered his eyes from his father to his wine, swirling the drink around the glass a few times. Perhaps Poseidon was right. Maybe Annabeth was ignorant of everything. He never caught her going through his desk, not that she was even allowed in his office. Even when he saw her trying to get in, she didn't look upset that she couldn't enter. She was probably trying to do her job and clean. And he would have known if she tried to mail any letters out. She could have discovered a lot about their activities but she hasn't tried at all. But that still didn't stop him from hating her.

Percy changed the subject. "How did the investigation go?"

"Trail went cold." Poseidon explained. "Which isn't unusual for Olympians, those cunning bastards. But it still wasn't their usual mode of operations. Most times they would take the whole ship with them and leave the crew stranded out in the sea for us to find. Sooner or later we'd find the ship abandoned in some cove. This time, they only took the supplies and they killed everyone aboard. They've never done this before."

"Then could it be the Asphodels' doing?"

Hades was the head of the Asphodel family and was another rival of Poseidon's. Percy didn't hate Hades or his family as much as he hated the Olympians. He couldn't even remember why there was such bad blood between Asphodels and Atlanteans but he didn't care. That old geezer Hades would pay just like the Olympians would. Percy just had to figure out how. He had something of value to Zeus – Annabeth – but he had next to nothing on Hades.

"No, I don't think so." Poseidon responded. "They've been keeping to themselves and quietly operating their cemeteries and funeral services."

Percy shivered when he remembered how the Asphodels would rob the graves of the people they buried and sold their goods on the black market. Sometimes they would go as far as to sell the corpses.

"We still haven't been able to find any of their alleged gold mines but then again, we've only been able to send a few men to look. Though I'm not very worried about them. Asphodels more or less don't bother us anymore and keep to themselves down in Louisiana." Poseidon stopped to take another sip of wine. "Even when they was actively working against us, they never had the audacity to do anything like this. And don't have the manpower to pull this off even now. Hades is sneaky while only Zeus is this bold."

"We've had Zeus's precious little princess for a week already." Percy spat. Annabeth was, in a way, the Olympian princess since she was Zeus's granddaughter. She certainly looked the part with her golden curls, rosy cheeks and long lashes, Percy thought but stopped himself before the corner of his mouth could lift. "Do you think they know we have her and this is retaliation?"

Poseidon put down his drink. "No. If she means as much to them as we think and if they know we have her, they wouldn't risk us hurting her. And when I brought Annabeth here, I made sure we weren't followed. So either they don't know we have her or this wasn't them."

"Are they still looking for her?"

"Travis Stoll's reports say the Olympians have reinforced their defenses lately but that could be because of our recent sieges. They've learned from their mistakes and aren't as transparent as before. Instead of having most of their forces look for her, they could only have a small group search. But there are no signs that they are still searching or have stopped their search."

Poseidon scooted his chair back and searched in his desk drawer for a pen and started writing, showing that he was done talking for now. Percy watched him for a bit while he thought.

Things haven't always been this way. In fact, if Percy remembered correctly, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon's families used to be close allies and business partners, friends even. An Olympian-Ashpodel-Atlantean alliance, so to speak.

Percy recalled two girls he used to play with when he was about six years old. But he couldn't recall their names. Perhaps his mind blocked out their names because he hated them so.

One girl was at least two years older than him. Her hair was as black as night, like his own. But her eyes had been the color of the summer sky. She liked to push Percy into the ground whenever she didn't get her way.

The other girl was a little younger than Percy and much quieter. She had rich olive skin with thick dark hair and eyes to match. Whenever she was left alone with him, she would say how she would rather play with her baby brother and sister or with the blue-eyed girl than with Percy.

It wasn't so bad. Percy couldn't remember a time when he felt safer than when the alliance was still in tact. He was happy back in those times.

And then there was the day everything went to hell. It wasn't long ago, only five years have past since then. Percy was 17-years-old and he remembered holding onto his mother as gunshots went off everywhere around them. Everyone else next to him him was yelling and pulling out their own pistols to return fire. But to Percy, everything seemed to slow down and quiet. His mother didn't move and didn't speak. She didn't smile or laugh or even breathe. All she did was bleed.

The Olympians would pay. He didn't care what he had to do, but he would get revenge.

Though consumed with rage, Percy's mind wondered off to Annabeth again like it has been doing since she got here. Even when their families were civil with each other, Percy wondered why he hadn't met Annabeth during that time. His father did speculate that she was raised separately from the other Olympians, but why?

It was too late at night for Percy to think too hard. There were only two things he wanted to happen that night: either go to sleep or march down to that woman's room and demand answers. His father had made it clear that the latter would not be happening anytime soon so Percy decided it was time for bed.

Annabeth ran as fast as her feet would take her. But it wasn't fast enough. They were right behind her. She could hear the gallop of their horses and most of all she could hear their laughs. They were gaining on her and her legs were already tired. She took a chance to look back over her shoulder.

Matthew and Bobby were on horseback chasing after her. The next thing she knew they were on either side of her and both men reached out to grab her when she screamed.

Her skull hit the headboard and she woke up in a cold sweat. Her chest heaved as she looked around her. It was just a dream. That recurring nightmare…She hugged her pillow while she caught her breath.

From the light in her room, it was early morning. Where was her clock? She looked around and found it on the floor. Oh, no. She missed her alarm. She should have been up earlier to bring Percy his breakfast.

Annabeth threw off her blanket and got ready as fast as she coul and raced down the stairs to the kitchens to whip up a quick breakfast. The door to Percy's room was wide open so Annabeth didn't bother knocking after she climbed the stairs with his breakfast. Percy wasn't in bed but she saw steam coming from the door of the bathroom.

Annabeth was about to walk out of the room when Percy emerged from the bathroom. He only wore a white towel around his waist and was patting his hair dry with another. Annabeth pretended she hadn't seen him and headed to the door.

"Wait." Percy called to her.

She turned around to see him sit at the table still clad in only a towel and begin to eat. After he swallowed his first bite, he looked up at her. It was the same look he gave her the night before: his wolf stare. Annabeth closed her eyes and bowed her head, staying like that so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"Some of my friends will be visiting this afternoon." Percy said. "Prepare the dining room for me and four of my guests."

"Yes, sir." Annabeth said to the ground.

"And come sundown, Rachel and Calypso will be visiting. Have them wait in the lounge while you inform me they've arrived."

"Yes, sir."

"Now get out."

When Annabeth got downstairs, it seemed everyone else was already aware of Percy's little get together. The kitchen staff was prepping vegetables. The redhead maid, Nancy was her name, was mopping the dining room floor and Medusa was picking out a table setting and centerpiece. Annabeth didn't know where the other three butlers were, but she assumed they were attending to their masters, either Poseidon, Triton or Chrysaor.

Annabeth met Mrs. O'Leary in the kitchens when she went to eat her own breakfast. She shared some left over sausage from Percy's breakfast with the dog.

"Wanna help me with my chores, my darling?" Annabeth cooed while she washed her hands. Mrs. O'Leary wagged her tail and followed Annabeth into the hallway.

"Hello there." Annabeth turned to see Chrysaor, Percy's second older brother. He was just as handsome as Percy, maybe even more so with his tanner skin and golden eyes and a neatly trimmed beard.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced yet." Chrysaor smiled and walked closer.

Mrs. O'Leary stepped in front of Annabeth and started growling at him. Chrysaor tried to push the dog out of the way so he could stand closer to Annabeth, but Mrs. O'Leary snappled her jaws at his hand.

Annabeth grabbed Mrs. O'Leary by the collar and kept her at bay while Chrysaor examined his hand for injuries. Mrs. O'Leary settled for low growling while Annabeth held her back.

Annabeth knew Percy wouldn't want her speaking to Chrysaor. Percy didn't like it when she spoke at all, really. But she knew Percy didn't like his brother.

"What's wrong? Can't speak?" Chrysaor called to her. He squeezed the hand Mrs. O'Leary bit in a tight fist.

He reminded her of some of the men who wouldn't leave her alone at the diner she used to work at. They'd have a seat and would rarely order anything. They just liked to look at her. Some of them even followed her around the building and tried to make conversation with her even after she insisted that she needed to focus on work. But they'd just respond by offering to take her out at night and buy her dinner. When she'd say no, they only came back the next day and asked again. Some of them became violent when she refused them again. They'd throw their drinks over her or push their dishes off the table and refuse to pay their bill. Grover would try to calm them down but they shoved him out of the way to get closer to Annabeth. Only Juniper seemed to scare them away with her fury. But neither Grover nor Juniper was here to defend her now. Only Mrs. O'Leary, and Annabeth didn't want Mrs. O'Leary to chomp off anyone's hand.

"I'm Annabeth." She said. Her hands were tight on Mrs. O'Leary's collar.

Chrysaor laughed. "I know. I'm Chrysaor."

Annabeth nodded and bowed then started to walk away while guiding the dog.

"Hey, wait! Don't go yet." He jogged to get in front of Annabeth and blocked her path. Mrs. O'Leary's growls grew in volume but Chrysaor ignored them. "We haven't even gotten to know each other yet."

"I'm sorry, sir. But Mr. Jackson," she knew Chrysaor's last name wasn't Jackson, "wanted me to prepare for the arrival of his guests."

"Mr. Jackson." Chrysaor mocked. "He's really got you well trained, huh? The other servants he had were nothing like you. Percy always fired them within a week's time. But he hasn't fired you yet." He looked at her up and down. "I wonder why." The smirk he gave her made Annabeth think he knew exactly why but was keeping that information to himself.

"I really must go." She walked around him.

"Aw, so soon? I was just about to tell you something important." That made Annabeth stop in her tracks. Maybe Percy told Chrysaor to relay information to her. "You see her over there?" He nodded his head towards the dining room. Annabeth saw Nancy there. She had finished mopping and was helping Medusa with the tablecloth. "She hates you."

Annabeth was surprised to hear that. "I never–"

"Oh, I know, sweetheart. You never did anything to her. But in a way, you kind of did. You're Percy's personal caretaker. You draw his baths, bring him his meals, wash his laundry, and you get to be with him all day long. Meanwhile she's stuck taking orders from my mother."

"I still don't understand. Why would she hate me for doing my job?"

"Because she wants to serve him. She wants to be with him as much as possible."

"Oh, dear." Annabeth shook her head to get the image out of her mind. Rachel and Calypso weren't the only girls Percy had been with, which didn't surprise her. After all, Percy was very good looking. No doubt he could get anyone into his bed. But his own employee? The man obviously had no morals and not a shred of honor.

"Has he ever…?" Chrysaor began.

"No!" Annabeth cleared her throat. "No. He hasn't."

"Good. You just let me know if he ever crosses the line and I'll straighten him out right away. How's that sound, Annabeth?"

Mrs. O'Leary tried to lunge at him when he tried to put his hand on Annabeth's shoulder but she didn't fight Annabeth when she held the dog back and Chrysaor withdrew his hand.

Gods, what is wrong with this dog? Did Percy train her to attack his brother? That doesn't seem to far-fetched.

Percy and Chrysaor may be brothers, but it seemed Chrysaor was in good character. Annabeth smiled at him and nodded.

"What are you telling her?"

Annabeth turned to see Triton glaring at Chrysaor. Apparently he had been listening in to their conversation.

"I'm just warning her. You know how our little brother is, Triton."

"You know as well as I do that Percy has never shared a bed with that woman." Triton frowned and he looked towards Annabeth. "Don't be so quick to trust him. He's the one that's slept with her. Not Percy."

Chrysaor crossed his arms and tilted his head in confusion. "Who would have thought that you'd be the one to defend our little brother? The little brother that you hate so much?"

"That doesn't mean I'll stand idly by and watch while you try to trick this girl into opening her legs for you."

Annabeth gasped and distanced herself from Chrysaor. Maybe she should have trusted Mrs. O'Leary's judgment.

"You're never any fun." Chrysaor spat at Triton and retreated up the stairs.

Triton was about to walk away when Annabeth finally spoke up.

"Thank you, sir. Mr. Triton." She said and finally let go of Mrs. O'Leary's collar. The beast licked Annabeth's hand as if apologizing for her earlier behavior.

Triton looked back at her. His long hair was loose on his shoulders. "Triton is fine."

"Thank you, Triton."

"Just don't allow yourself to be deceived by him so easily. Chrysaor was obviously trying to turn you against Percy, making you think you can't trust anyone but him."

"Now I understand." Annabeth said. But she thought that Chrysaor didn't need to turn her against Percy. Not when Percy already turned her against him himself. "Thanks to you."

Triton grunted in response and went on his way out the main door.

Annabeth leaned down next to Mrs. O'Leary and scratched behind her ears. "And I should have listened to you. I'm sorry." She made a mental note to stay as far away from Chrysaor as possible. He was perhaps just as horrible as Percy.

Percy came down the stairs adjusting his tie. He was wearing a white and black-stripped dress shirt with black trousers and black shoes. It was only going to be a few of his friends. He didn't need to look good at all. But Rachel and Calypso would be here tonight and they liked it when Percy dressed nice.

He walked into the dining room to make sure everything was in order. Medusa and Annabeth were finished setting the table and were putting out the glasses when Percy looked at Annabeth. She was wearing her regular uniform, which Percy had always been inclined towards, especially on her. He liked the way the skirt hugged her waist and how even with a wide skirt, he could still imagine the silhouette of her hips. The neckline showcased her collarbone well and if only it were a little lower...

But Percy realized what he was thinking and chased the thoughts away.

"You aren't going to be wearing that, are you?" He wrinkled his nose in disgust at Annabeth.

In all honesty, Percy told himself, there was nothing wrong with what she was wearing. All the other servant girls in the past wore those same clothes but this was different. If Percy liked how she filled out her uniform, no doubt Leo would spend the whole lunch drooling over her.

Annabeth looked down at her clothing. She smoothed out her top over her stomach and waist and Percy swallowed as he watched her hands graze over her body. She didn't seem to find anything wrong with what she was wearing so she looked back up towards Percy to get a clue of what she should do next. When she looked up at him Percy almost laughed. Some of her hair had fallen loose of their tie and framed her face but what almost made Percy laugh was a big dash of flour across Annabeth's nose that ran down her left cheek. Part of him wanted to lift his hand to her face and dust off the flour for her but he restrained himself and covered up his smile with a cough into his fist.

"Medusa, please find her more appropriate clothing." He said and Medusa led Annabeth out of the dining room.

That was close. With her big eyes looking up at him and her pink cheeks like she was blushing and that dash of flour on her face, Percy thought she looked even cuter than Mrs. O'Leary as a puppy. And even worse, he almost smiled at her. Not a grin, not a smirk, but a genuine smile.

He ran his hand through his hair and chastised himself. He was not supposed to think she was cute, even if she was undeniably adorable. The thought wasn't supposed to cross his mind. Percy wasn't supposed to find her attractive, even if she was the most gorgeous person to walk through these halls. No, she was from Zeus's family. That lot was disgusting and evil and Annabeth was supposed to fit in with his idea of them. She was not supposed to prance around here looking cute in her uniform.

The doorbell rang followed by knocks that were so loud and obnoxious Percy just knew his guests had arrived and which one of them was knocking.

Medusa was rushing to the door when Percy arrived but he dismissed her. He was perfectly capable of opening a door himself.

Leo Valdez barged in as soon as Percy unlocked the door. He was short, energetic, and above all, annoying. But he was damn good with engines and mechanics and Percy and Poseidon recognized his worth.

"Hey, man!" Leo hugged Percy and patted his back. Percy didn't return the gesture and only tried to push him off. But Leo gave him one last squeeze before letting go and heading to the dining room.

The next person to walk in was Leo's half brother, Charles Beckendorf, but everyone called him Beckendorf even though Charles was easier to say. Beckendorf's father, Hephaestus, wasn't actually related to them. But Poseidon considered him a brother even more than he did a business partner. Hephastus and his children, like all of Percy's friends, were in a way honorary Atlanteans.

Beckendorf offered Percy his hand and Percy took it before bringing his friend into a hug and clapping him on his back.

"Hey!" Leo said from the hallway entrance. But Percy laughed. Being mean to Leo was how Percy showed his love for him. And he had a feeling Leo knew that.

"You doing okay?" Beckendorf asked. He experienced first hand how Percy reacted to the bad news yesterday. Or maybe second hand. Beckendorf was only present for Percy's swearing. Annabeth was one Percy locked in a dark room. So she was the one who experienced Percy's reaction first hand.

"Yeah, I'm fine now."

Beckendorf pursed his lips to the side. He knew Percy was lying but didn't press the issue. Beckendorf was hounding him with questions about Mrs. O'Leary's barking and Annabeth's distant cries for help yesterday. He was probably still curious about what happened.

Frank Zhang stepped in next, with Hazel holding onto his arm right beside him. Frank was almost as large as Beckendorf and probably just as strong but while Beckendorf's face was chiseled and manly, Frank's cheeks were round and child-like.

"It's been a while." Frank said and shook Percy's hand. Frank didn't have the Atlantean last name, but he was a distant relative. Though he was quickly making a name for himself by becoming the head of Atlantean security. He and Percy got along so famously, Percy considered him more of a brother than his actual brothers.

"Hello, Percy!" Hazel got on her toes in an attempt to kiss Percy's cheek but she was too small so Percy leaned down for her.

Hazel was petite although she was almost just as tall as Leo now. She had lovely dark skin, golden eyes with long lashes, and thick curly hair. It was no mystery of why Frank and Leo used to be such intense rivals for her affections. She assisted Percy and Poseidon in breeding and training their race horses. She was currently looking after their champion horse, Arion.

They all took their seats at the table. Frank, ever the gentleman, held out the chair for Hazel. Percy was about to speak when Annabeth walked in carrying a tray with their soups. She was dressed similar to Medusa. Her black gown had long sleeves and a turtle neck collar. She wore a white, frilly apron over it that Percy was sure would have looked much more appealing on a shorter dress or perhaps no dress at all – dammit – he said to himself. Annabeth's outfit was unflattering on her and if it was possible, ugly.

Annabeth herself seemed to have similar thoughts as she looked just as uncomfortable as the first day she arrived here. But that wasn't saying much. Annabeth always looked uncomfortable, especially when Percy was near her. Her hair was pulled back in a high bun that didn't let any strands fall loose and there wasn't a hint of flour left on her face.

Annabeth's hands were unsteady when she placed the soups down in front of each person and were so shaky by the time she got to Percy that she spilt a little over the sides. She didn't bother greeting her master's guests before she retreated out of the dining room. Everyone watched her leave in silence.

Leo turned to Percy and pointed in the direction Annabeth exited. "Was that her?"

Percy was silent but he nodded. He didn't want her coming back in when he complained about how he hated having her around and how much he hated her family. As far as he knew, she knew nothing about whom she was related to and Percy thought it best to keep it that way.

"She's cute!"

"Shut it." Percy said to Leo and dipped his spoon into the bowl. He was already struggling to suppress his own attraction to her, not that he was attracted to her, mind you, and he didn't need Leo voicing the exact words Percy himself thought mere moments earlier.

They all ate with minimal conversation. This was supposed to be a fun gathering to unwind but having Annabeth serve them complicated things and just reminded everyone why they were stressed. At least Percy, Beckendorf, Frank, and Hazel thought so. But Leo didn't seem to feel the tension whenever Annabeth walked into the room to serve the next course or pour more wine.

"I'm Leo." He said to her when she brought their salads.

Annabeth didn't say anything.

"What's your name?"

Annabeth looked towards Percy and he frowned at her. Again, Annabeth didn't say anything and she left without saying a word.

"What the hell is your problem?" Percy rounded on Leo. "Maids are supposed to be seen not heard. Actually, I don't think they're supposed to be seen either if she's going to be wearing that hideous dress again." Medusa looked perfectly normal in that dress. But Annabeth didn't belong in that dress at all.

"I'm just trying to be polite." Leo said and stabbed a tomato with his fork.

Hazel and Frank exchanged smiles.

"I thought you were after Calypso?" Hazel joked.

"Yeah, I've moved on. She's too enamored with this guy," he gestured his thumb towards Percy, "to even consider giving me a chance. But this one doesn't seem to like you that much, Perce."

"That's an understatement." Beckendorf frowned at Percy.

"I think I'll just pour a little Valdez charm on her." Leo smiled towards the kitchen and straightened out his collar.

"Can you please not say things like that. It sounds gross and I'm trying to eat." Frank scrunched his nose.

Leo ignored him and got up from his chair. "Would you please excuse me? Need a john." He said but headed in the opposite direction from where the nearest restroom was located.

Percy clenched his teeth. Leo knew damn well the restroom wasn't that way. He was going towards the kitchen.

"Calm down, Percy, you know how Leo gets." Hazel said when she saw Percy's tight jaw. But Percy didn't listen to her and just waited for Leo to come back while everyone else ate.

Everyone finished their salads except for Leo because he wasn't there and Percy who was too busy brooding. Medusa cleared the table and when Annabeth came back into the room carrying three plates of the main course, Leo trailed behind her carrying another tray. He said something that made Annabeth laugh.

Percy's eyes widened when he heard it. Was he dreaming? Annabeth never laughed. She never laughed or smiled or did anything remotely joyous. Except maybe walk up the stairs while her skirt hugged her bottom and swung at her knees… But that was a blissful experience for Percy, not her.

Percy cursed under his breath when he caught himself yet again thinking like that.

Leo helped Annabeth serve and even went back into the kitchen with her to put away the tray. Leo returned by himself a few minutes later. He was smiling and he glanced back over his shoulder to see if Annabeth had followed him but she hadn't. So he took his seat and began eating as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Annabeth returned a few minutes later to refilled their waters.

Leo beamed at her appearance. "Next time I come over, I'll tell you about the time I fixed the engine of Charlie Chaplin's car."

Percy watched Annabeth give Leo a radiant smile. And it made Percy frown.

"So where are you from, Annabeth?" Leo asked when she was refilling his cup.

This time, Annabeth didn't look to Percy for permission to speak.

"I'm from Virginia." She said and moved on to fill Beckendorf's cup.

"What's it like there? Would you ever want to go back?"

"More wine!" Percy commanded, already tired of hearing them converse. Annabeth rushed back to the table in the corner of the room and came back with a new bottle of wine. She started with Hazel's glass, then moved on to Frank's. Percy scowled at her the whole time and even with her eyes diverted she must have felt his stare on her because by the time she finished filling Frank's cup and got to Percy's, her arms were shaking and she could hardly keep the bottle steady.

"Are you all right?" Beckendorf asked her. Annabeth turned her head in his direction and her arms jerked, pouring wine over Percy's sleeve.

"You idiot!" Percy snarled and snatched the bottle away from her.

"I'm sorry!" Annabeth whimpered and backed away from him.

Percy flicked his wrist to get some droplets from soaking into his shirt. "Don't just stand there! Do something!" He shouted at her. Annabeth grabbed a napkin and carefully dabbed Percy's sleeve. But it didn't really do anything. The shirt was already ruined.

"Percy, calm down. It's just a shirt." Beckendorf said.

But Percy ignored him. He snatched his arm away from Annabeth and began unbuttoning his shirt. Annabeth bit her lip and closed her eyes. Her lips started to quiver despite her biting and she started sniffling. Percy's frown deepened. He didn't want to see her cry. He removed his shirt and threw it at Annabeth so it covered her face. Then Percy stomped up to his room.

When he returned wearing a fresh shirt, Annabeth was gone and their plates were cleared. All that was left on the table was the floral centerpiece, their water and wine glasses and a plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies. Percy snatched one and devoured it then took another one. He was about to bite into his third cookie when he noticed his friends glaring at him.

"What?"

"The poor thing is terrified of you." Frank said. "She started crying when you left. Medusa took her back to her room so she could regain her composure."

Percy lowered the cookie from his mouth. She was crying? Yes, that's just what Percy wanted. But it didn't give him the satisfaction he thought it would. But he couldn't let them know that.

"So? I'm her boss. She's supposed to be afraid of me."

"Have you struck her?" Hazel asked bluntly. Her eyes bore into him, expressing her disapproval.

"No!" Percy proclaimed. Hazel had always had faith in Percy before. And frankly, he was shocked at how quick she was to accuse him of such a thing. He would never hit Annabeth, which he found rather strange considering how much he loathed her.

"But you've done other things to make her fear you." Beckendorf spoke up. The look in his eyes made Percy think he was implying about yesterday's incident.

Percy didn't answer and continued munching on the cookies. They were warm and moist and took him back to when he was a kid and his mother baked cookies for him after he came back after a whole day of playing outside. But he couldn't enjoy the happy memories that the cookies unearthed while his friends were glaring daggers at him.

He didn't want to tell them about how he almost murdered Annabeth as soon as he learned who she was. He was afraid of what they might think of him if they knew he locked her in an old wine cellar and left her there for eight hours.

Percy looked at his friend's faces one by one. And he stopped when he got to Beckendorf. He couldn't believe even Beckendorf didn't understand Percy's hatred of Annabeth.

"You all are acting like my treatment towards her is undeserved."

"That's because it is." Leo said.

Percy lost his temper then. First his father and now his friends, he couldn't take it.

"Have you all lost your damn minds?" He shouted. Annabeth was all the way in the servants' quarters but even if she could hear his outburst, he didn't care in the moment. "She's a fucking Olympian! Do you remember what they've done to us?" Percy turned towards Leo. "They almost killed you last year by throwing you off a moving train! You're lucky to have only gotten away with a broken leg."

Leo forced his face to remain neutral but Percy could tell that he was reliving that moment in his head because his brow was stressed and his mouth quivered. Hazel cringed, most likely remembering Leo's screams when they found him.

"They set your fucking house on fire, Frank! What if you or Hazel had been in there?" Percy asked. Frank and Hazel grabbed each other's hands under the table and Hazel shut her eyes tightly.

"Silena." Percy said to Beckendorf quietly. But Beckendorf refused to look at Percy. "Silena is dead because of the Olympians."

Everyone was silently waiting for Beckendorf to answer.

"Silena was an Olympian. And she knew I worked with Atlanteans. But she loved me anyway." Beckendorf finally said. He still didn't meet Percy's eyes because he was staring at his pocket watch where he kept a picture of Silena. They were supposed to get married and move to California to get away from all of this.

"I think…" Beckendorf began to say but he stopped short to gaze at Silena's smiling face a while longer. Then he closed his watch and looked up at Percy. "I think Silena would have liked her."

Percy narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Liked who?"

"Annabeth. I think Silena would have wanted to be her friend. And I don't think she would want you to hurt Annabeth." With that, Beckendorf took a cookie off the platter and let himself out.

Percy sat in silence with those who remained. But Leo followed his brother's lead, snatched a cookie and left. Frank and Hazel did the same a while later after finishing their wine. And Percy finished the rest of the cookies himself. Whomever made these cookies deserved a raise.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a review and I'll have the next chapter out as soon as possible. You can find me on tumblr at annazonabeth where previews of new chapters will be posted.

Percy sure is feeling conflicted. But its okay. You can be immensely attracted to someone you despise, right? Good luck with that, Percy.

So do you have a guess as to who the two girls that Percy used to have play dates with?

By the way, no one is an Olympian, Asphodel, or Atlantean unless I specify. Once we get more into the story and introduce more characters, I'll probably post a list of members of each family and their allies.