And I have returned! I Maisy am back! Now I have spent FOREVER on this chapter. I gave up 4 study halls a couple hours at home and then the last hour and a half working on this chapter. Anyway enjoy!

Quote of the Chapter: "Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book." John Green

Disclaimer: I will only own Percy Jackson when a pig with angel wings grafted to its back flies over to my house and makes me Eggs Benedict with crispy bacon,golden brown toast with jam and freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast


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Annabeth

3 years Later

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"EVELYNN JACKSON! HURRY UP!" I yelled down the hall while I finished the eggs.

"I'm coming!" She called from down the hall. She finally came walking down the hall when I put the eggs on her plate. When I saw her I couldn't help but be wowed at least a little bit.

"Going all out this year I see." I told her smiling.

"Yeah Dad helped me dye my hair to make me EXTRA festive this year." I smiled even more admiring her outfit even more. She was wearing her green Capris that she could actually wear this year because it was actually warm enough. Then she had on a light green cami and a sparkly dark green top. You could tell her hair was down with Percy's help because it was down sloppily. The green streaks however did compliment the nine year old's outfit quite well. Lastly she wore a headband with a little leprechauns' hat on top of it.

"Well the streaks do make the outfit kind of pop. Do you think?" An unknown voice said from behind me as two arms snaked around my waist.

"Yes. I have to agree with you on this tiny bit of fashion this time. But Evie don't take fashion advice from him it's scary." I said and I actually got a loud laugh from Evie.

"Hey! I'm not that bad!"

"Yeah you are Dad! Remember three weeks ago when you said I should wear my striped shirt and my polka dot skirt."

"Or when you told me that plaid pants looked nice!" I said laughing.

"Because they did! But if you can't take a compliment then I can stop making them!" He said frustrated.

"Hey I appreciate the compliment ok." I told him then kissing him. He immediately turned his to deepen the kiss but then someone behind us said something.

"Ok come on! I can handle a little kiss but keep the PDA to a minimum." She said clearly annoyed but she continued to eat her eggs, smiling.

"If you don't like the PDA then why are you smirking." I asked

"You know I don't even know!" She said as she finished her eggs and walked over to her bag and put on her coat and then slung the bag over her shoulder. "I have to go Jack is waiting for me down stairs."

"Have a great day sweetie." Percy called to her while taking out some bread.

Once she left Percy's mood immediately changed. It was as if he put on a happy face for his daughter and now that she was gone he didn't want to act anymore.

"What?" I asked him because his completely bipolar mood swing scared me quite a bit.

"I sent in an application for a job as an intern for a marine biology center in Hawaii." He replied still staring at his toast but not continuing to butter it. To say the least I was surprised. Percy was an English teacher and he loved it but every once in a while while doing the bills he would scowl and say he should being doing better than this for his daughter and me. It would take me at least 15 minutes to convince him that his doing just fine. Often this method including kissing, hugging and other things that couples tend to do.

"Really? But you love your job Percy why would you want to completely change the direction of your life. Were doing perfectly fine."

"Annabeth I was fired. This is my last year as a teacher."

"What?! Why? You're an amazing teacher the kids love you!" I exclaimed showing that I clearly cared about his situation.

"I know I'm an amazing teacher and the kids know I'm a great teacher. Even the teachers know but the superintendent doesn't and I am the newest teacher so I got the can first. I mean the teacher all the kids hate has been here the longest and they won't cut him because every year you have been here is like one extra year or insurance." He replied as he continued to talk the reality of the situation began to sink in. All the outbursts about the bills and him feeling he wasn't good enough for his daughter. It all made sense. But how long has he been sitting on this and not telling me.

"Percy, how long have you known about this and not told me?" I asked but in my gut I already knew the answer.

"September." He said again looking away, obviously ashamed of lying to me this long.

"What! Percy why didn't you just tell me about it!" I told him my voice rising. I was scared that I would completely lose it and get angry but I knew I couldn't. Percy was clearly already upset and didn't want to do that to him anymore.

"Because I knew this would happen!" He yelled and then sat down losing it. "Annabeth I was afraid that if you knew then you would leave so I waited till I knew I could have a job."

It hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn't exactly know what to do. This would change our lives forever and I wasn't sure if I could handle that. It was then that I exploded.

"HOW COULD YOU?! OF ALL JOBS TO GET WHY THERE! PERCY THINK ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER! HER LIFE IS HERE! YOU WOULD BE RIPPING THAT AWAY FROM HER!" Once I said it I regretted it. I could see the tears in his eyes but he knew what I had said was true. However it wasn't true about just Evie. I think I was also talking about myself. My life was here and leaving might possibly take away my security and safety that I finally felt that I had back after not having it for so long.

"Annabeth, I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry." He said in that quiet voice, the voice that seemed to dig right into my core and made ME want to cry.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled." I said pulling my boyfriend into a hug. I breathed in his scent and sighed, feeling almost all of the hatred I had moments ago begin to melt away. After what seemed like an eternity he broke the silence.

"Annabeth, there's something you need to know." I was immediately concerned. Again he used that quiet tone but this time it was full of shame. "I applied for this job as an intern because it was good pay but it was also because the job only lasted for a year. I choose it so you and Evie wouldn't have to leave." For a few moments I didn't know what he was saying. His words hadn't absorbed. But when they did I was full of shock.

"Percy! Really of all the stupid things you could have done you do this!" I screamed he tried to calm me down by putting his hands on my shoulders but I was on a roll. I couldn't be stopped. "I understand you don't want your daughter to leave her friends but she also wants to see her FATHER when she wakes up in the morning!" Then it hit me. Evie might actually be okay with it. I know he'd be back on holidays and her birthday but what about him scaring all my nightmares away. He was my dreamcatcher and I don't know if I could sleep without him.

"Annabeth, I know she'll be fine. Evie's a strong girl." He calmly said to me trying to pull me into another hug but I was too angry. I pushed him away.

"I get that she'll be fine with just me but what about me, Percy!" I yelled but before he could say anything I was out the front door already running to the elevator. When I reached the elevator I slammed my hand on the button pushing it several times before the doors opened. I stepped inside and waited for the doors to close but then I saw Percy walk out our door and look at the elevator. He saw me. He started to walk towards me then started to run but I pushed the close doors button and as he got to the doors they were already closed. I sighed out deeply.

When the doors dinged again they opened to reveal the peaceful looking lobby. I walked out into the lobby and then onto the street. I turned left and began walking with the hordes of people towards central park. After about ten minutes I reached the park and headed to the jogging path. Once another 10 minutes of walking had passed I reached my final destination.

Our spot, the spot under the maple tree by the lake. The jogging path was a couple feet from the spot but that never seemed to bother us when we had our previous picnics here.

I casually walked up to the tree and sat down and leaned back on the tree. I began to think of the times when Percy wasn't in my life. When I was as far as I could go in my dark side.

Flash Back (a memory NOT an episode)

I stood there looking in the mirror at my reflection. I looked horrible. My eyes were puffy and red from crying because no one cared. My hair was a blonde rats nest, My breath stunk and I looked exhausted.

I stood there staring and sobbing at the mess I was while cupping them in my hand. The things that could make all of the go away. I cried even harder. I slowly reached for the cup by the facet. The small voice in my head telling me exactly what I didn't want to here.

You'll never be good enough. You remember Lacy? She was right about you. You were never good enough to even have a crush on that guy back in high school. You will never be good enough for anyone. You're a coward for running away only to make things worse. Kyle died because of you. Phoebe lost her love because of you. You only screw things up.

I turned the faucet, crying even harder, knowing that this horrible voice that has managed to get into my head was right. I was a coward and ran away from my problems only make the lives of others suffer because of me. I looked down at the pills just about to raise them to my lips when I heard the door open. I thought I locked the door but then I remembered I gave a key to my neighbor, Michelle, last week to feed my cat.

"Annabeth." She called. Concern embedded deep in her voice. She must've heard me crying and gotten worried. "Are you alright? Annabeth?" I decided to quickly raise the pills to my lips and just when they touched my lips the door burst open.

"ANNABETH! STOP!" She rushed to me and swatted the pills out of my hand and onto the floor. I fell to the floor clawing the ground for the pills but to arms were around my waist and pulling me back.

"Annabeth it will be okay. Shhh…." She told me softly as she pulled me into her chest. It seemed so weird this fifty-year-old woman was holding a sobbing 28 year old in her arms. But it was exactly what I needed. I needed to feel close to someone. For a moment the evil voice was silent.

After what seemed like an eternity she finally spoke. "Pack a few things for a night. I want you to spend a few nights at my place ok?"

"Why?" I asked quietly. My voice sounded weak and shakily. That was me. To Michelle it must've sounded terrible.

"Because I don't trust you here alone. That's why." I got up and headed to the closet and pulled out a suitcase. I went over to my bed and set it down. I sat down on the bed and began to wonder what would've happened if she hadn't heard me. I'd be lying on bathroom floor dead.

You should've done it. You're weak. You can't even follow through with the simplest things. You're pathetic. You-

"No! I am not. People do care. Michelle cared enough to check on me and saved my life. If people didn't care then how am I still alive?" I said only audible to me but the voice heard me. It shut up.

End of Flashback

I smiled thinking of how far I had come from then. That was when I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I still hadn't reached the end of the tunnel but I knew I was definitely closer. I guess I just kind of lost it because I felt that Percy was the reason I finally moving out of this dark side but that wasn't true. All he did was show me which direction the light was coming from. I didn't need him by my side the whole time.

I got up and brushed the dirt off my pants and started to walk home with my decision made.


WOW! 2205 words! that's a new best for me I think!

ATTENTION ATTENTION! I am going to bring in Evie's mom soon and I want her to be made by my fans. So if you have a name, an image of what she should look like and personality then PM or review my story with ideas. I may even pick your ideas!

Sincerely Yours

Maisy