A/N: Okay, once again, I'd like to thank AnnabethIsTheBest and CAM, who have been two of my most faithful reviewers, and have had something good to say about almost every chapter. It's reviewers like y'all that make me get my butt outta bed and update! I Love you guys!

DISCLAIMER: I may not be Rick, but I'm actually his long-lost daughter in hiding, 'cause I'm unlegit, and am in next in line for ownage. Sorry, Mrs. Riordan! JK.

PERCY POV:

I woke up four hours later with heavy eyelids, and a hollow stomach. And no, it wasn't just because I'd slept in and missed breakfast. Well, maybe a little of that, but most was how weird Annabeth had been acting last night…I had to talk to her about it.

After I got a shower, and fresh clothes and everything, I headed down to the fighting arena. I don't know why, but I had a feeling she'd be down there.

I jogged my way to the arena, passing several campers that had been coming from the direction I was headed. Most of them were bruised and cut, or were at least limping. The gave me looks of pity, as if knowing I was next.

I gulped. I had a pretty good idea how they had gotten like that.

ANNABETH POV:

My hands were bleeding, from the resistance I had on my knife. But I didn't care.

Sweat was running down my face, getting in my eyes. But I didn't care.

My muscles were sore and stiff from two straight hours of intense practice. But I. Didn't. Care.

It had become a habit for me, I guess. Whenever I got upset, or just needed to think, I'd come to the arena, and train, dismembering any poor suckers who came in the arena while I was there.

Anyway, I was at the arena, hacking and slashing at some poor dummy. Well…it wasn't really a dummy anymore, I had reduced it to a few pieces of cloth left and straw spilling out.

I spun around, ready to deliver the final blow to end his straw-dummy life, when a sword blocked me. I spat out a curse in ancient Greek, and turned to the walking dead man. When I saw who it was, my breath stopped.

PERCY POV:

I stared at her, straight in the eyes. She had sweat running down her face, and her blonde hair was stuck to her face. Her chest was rising up and down, her mouth wide open, panting.

Nonetheless, her eyes still remained the same.

"Percy…" She breathed. So far so good. I had thought she would kebob me as soon as she saw me. I'd received more than one injury over the years from Annabeth when she was having one of her moods.

"Hey." I said, not breaking eye contact. She jerked her knife down, cleaning it with a rag from her pocket.

"What do you want?" She asked rather stiffly.

"Well…I mean…I kinda got the impression that you weren't in the best of moods." She glared at me.

"So what?"

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to talk about it." I said, now grabbing her wrist, forcing her to look in my eyes. She just yanked her arms away.

I looked at her, genuinely hurt and worried. She looked up at me, and her eyes filled with regret. She took a deep breath.

"Percy. I'm sorry. It's just…I'm having conflicting emotions…and I don't know what I want."

"Tell me, I'll help you figure it out." I begged. She took another deep breath.

"I appreciate it Perce, but this is something I can work out on my own."

"That doesn't mean you have to." I told her. She looked near tears. "Annabeth," I sighed. I went forward to hold her, but she backed away. "Why are you pushing me away? Why don't you want to talk?"

She was definitely crying now. It broke my heart to see her like that, Annabeth, who was always so brave and tough. But I was hurting too.

I went forward again, and this time she let me wrap my arms around her. I sat my chin atop her head and she cried into my neck. I felt a tear drop from my own face. I shushed her and comfortingly rubbed her back. After awhile she extracted herself from my arms. She wiped the tears from her eyes and gave me a teary smile.

"Thanks, Percy. I needed that. I'm sorry you had to see that." She said, looking at her feet.

"Annabeth, its fine. Really." I gave her a half-smile. She sorrowfully shook her head.

"No, Percy. It's not fine. It's just…all these changes…I need time to think. I need space." She looked down again, backing away. I felt like the earth had stopped spinning. There was that empty feeling in your stomach, like when you drive down a hill, and feel like you left your stomach at the top. My mouth went dry. Please don't tell me she means…

"Wh-what are you saying, Annabeth?" I asked, really scared now.

"I'm saying…I don't know. I don't know what I'm saying. I…I need to go." She said, running out of the arena. I looked after her, shocked at what had just happened. Not a second later, I jumped into action. No way was I gonna let her go.

ANNABETH POV:

I ran, fast as I could, tears now flowing freely down my face. Percy was so wonderful. How could he still want me? I wanted to be with him so bad, but…I didn't know if I was ready for commitment. But…did he really still love me?

I tried not to think about it as I ran towards the beach. Our beach. That only made me cry harder. Why did I come here?

I continued to run down the beach, no destination in mind. Then, I heard a voice.

"Annabeth!" I ran faster. He came after me. I couldn't let him reach me, then he'd eventually convince me to reconsider. Not that that wasn't the very thing I wanted to do…no, Annabeth. You'd just get hurt.

I had started to loose stamina and slow down. I felt a grip on my hand yank me back. I turned around. There was Percy, in all his gorgeous, heroic glory, panting.

More tears flowed down my cheeks. "Why?" I yelled through my tears. "Why did you come after me? Why do you still want me? I'm just a stupid daughter of Athena who has commitment issues because everyone I've ever loved has betrayed me in some way. Why did you run after me?" I cried. He still had a firm grip on my wrist. She looked at me as if it should be obvious.

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, GODSDARNNIT! And I will never do anything to hurt you!" He yelled me. before I could respond, he grabbed my face, and kissed me.

Okay, I know this is a sad chapter, I almost cried while writing it, but im really proud of this chapter. Not sure how many more chapters imam do…but ill prob write another fanfic after im done with this one.