Chapter 9: A True Friend Reaches For Your Hand But Touches Your Heart

A/N: Hello! I was gonna wait a little longer to post, but then I thought, what the heck? Thank you for your reviews, Alert/Favorite subscriptions, etc. Wow, it feels good to be back. Okay, to clear up some confusion, yes, this is a Percabeth story. I mean, I know I've got a lot going on with Luke and Annabeth, and believe me, Percy's going to have a mess of his own to deal with, but in the end, I don't think it's too big a spoiler to say this is a Percabeth story.

Alright, I think that's all I have to say, so…

Hope you enjoy!

Annabeth's POV

"I know, I know. Yeah, I'll be home for dinner. Olay. Sure. Oh my goodness, Helen, I'm not six! I know!"

I hung up. Malcolm looked over from his desk.

"Everything alright?"

I sighed. It was another lazy Friday afternoon at Malcolm's house. Today, Helen was having someone over for dinner. She had made a friend at the nail salon and invited her over to meet the family. I was expected to be home for dinner tonight – no excuses. This was the fifth time she'd called me. She also reminded me to stop by the bakery and pick up a cake. She was after me like I was a little kid.

"Helen doesn't trust me to remember anything."

Malcolm shrugged. "Well, you forget to go home on time sometimes, and this dinner is really important to her. She just wants to make sure you'll be home."

"But does she have to be on top of me about everything?"

"She's just looking out for you."

"She needs to stop pretending to be my mom."
Malcolm looked away. "At least you have someone."

I looked at him, and he heaved a sigh.

"Annabeth, have you ever lived without someone to be a mother figure to you?"

"Helen isn't a mother figure to me."

"Just answer my question!"

His anger took me by surprise. Malcolm was a very calm person. But I answered truthfully.

"Only a few months, from when my mom left to when Helen showed up."

He looked over at me. "I lived thirteen years with just my dad. Do you know how hard that is? I mean, he's great, but…" He looked away.

"You don't have to tell me."

"My dad told me that my mom only stayed a year after I was born, so I never really got to meet her. Then, when I was eight, suddenly, she was there again. I got to meet her. And the next three years were the best of my life. I had a family – a normal family, like all the kids at school, with a mom and a dad, and I was hoping for a little brother or sister. But then those three years ended and she left again. Just like that. I haven't seen her since."

He paused. He turned away, but I saw him brush away a tear. I gently put a hand on his. He turned to me. His eye were so full of pain, I had to hug him.

"M-maybe if I'd never met her… well, I was used to living without a mom. So if she had never come, I might've been okay. But she did come. I got to know what it's like to live with my mom. And then she left me again. It's horrible."

Malcolm looked at me.

"Annabeth, will you do me a favor?"

""Of course, anything."

"I can't make you love Helen. No one can force that – not even you. But… appreciate her. Appreciate everything she does for you. She means well, and I think that's worth a thank you every now and then."

I thought about his request. He had a point. I've been very rebellious. My mom left me, but that wasn't Helen's fault, so she didn't deserve my bitterness. My dad, despite the nasty fight before the divorce, had the right to be happy.

"Will you do it?"

"Definitely. Thanks, Malcolm."

Thank you, too, Annabeth, for being a true friend."

"You're very welcome. Now, I should get going."

Dinner went smoothly. Afterwards, I went to my room to work on a project for school, but I couldn't concentrate. It wasn't just the ADHD, though. I couldn't stop thinking about Malcolm. What his mother had done to him was awful. She'd teased him, in a way; leaving, coming back, disappearing again.

There was a knock on my door.

"Come in."

"Annabeth?" Helen peered in.

I felt slightly annoyed, but I remembered what I'd told Malcolm and shoved the feeling down.

"Hey, Helen. What is it?" I kept my voice as pleasant as possible.

"You seemed a little upset at dinner. Is everything alright? Did something happen at Malcolm's"

I hesitated, then motioned for her to come in. She seemed surprised, but sat on my bed.

"Malcolm told me about his mom." I told Helen what Malcolm told me.

"Oh, dear, that is awfully upsetting."

"Helen?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry." "

"For what?"

"For… everything." I swallowed. Apologizing wasn't easy for me. Dad says I have Mom's pride. "I'm sorry for being so rude to you and treating you so poorly. I honestly didn't meant to, I just.."

"Oh, Annabeth. You don't have to apologize. I know how you feel. I had a stepmom, too, you know."

"Really?"

"Yes. And I was awful to her. But I was mad at my father for leaving my mother, and I took it out on her. I assume that's what you're doing, so no hard feelings. I know."

"It still isn't excusable."

She smiled. "I think I can let it slide."

I smiled back, but it faded. "It's just…"

"What is it?"

"Well, my parents had a nasty divorce. It wasn't just that they decided to split up. They had some bad fights. And the worst is, they did it when they thought I wasn't listening, but I heard their argument, right before they divorced."

I told her about that night.

"Please don't tell my dad – he doesn't know that I know."

Helen pursed her lips. "I won't, but maybe you should talk to him about this. He should know that he really did hurt you, fighting so bad, and that it wasn't very smart of him to start dating so soon after."

I wiped my eyes.

"Annabeth, just know that I'm not trying to replace your mother, because I never could. My stepmom tried very hard, and she certainly never succeeded. But I want us to be friends; I want you to confide in me like you could a mother. Do you think we can do that?"

"I think that can be arranged."

She hugged me. It was a new sensation, hugging Helen.

"Great."

"Thanks, Helen."

"For?"

"For being a true friend."

A/N: Awwwww. Short, yes, but very important. That part about Malcolm's mom? That's very important later. It'll matter. The Helen thing… honestly, I just needed a little more to fill the chapter, but, it is important in the sense that Annabeth is sorting out her feelings (the story's called Untangling Knots – all the knots aren't necessarily just romantic.)

So, yeah. That's all for now, folks! (Haha, who remembers Porky Pig?)

R&R!