With careful, elegant fingers, she swept a swatch of fabric off of the table next to her. She had already seen so many, in different colors, patterns, fabrics, and styles. None of which had seemed right for use in her wedding dress. Suddenly, a tuft of delicate lace caught her eye, and she held a sweep of cream-colored lace to her face, matching it to her skin tone. Annabeth smiled, glancing to her right as she did.

"What do you think, Penny?" She asked the gurgling baby. "I believe this is the one!"

The baby cooed in response, lifting a foot in her little, chubby hand, and bringing it to her mouth. Annabeth smiled, turning back to the mirror and studying her reflection.

Her loose linen pants were chic enough to be acceptable to wear in public, her sweater a security item, her blonde hair swept from her face in a bouncing ponytail. It was a perfectly plain outfit—one that wouldn't stand out in a crowd.

Yet, the look on her face topped it all off. The smile wasn't forced, the crinkles around the eyes were genuine, and the dimples in her cheeks were the real deal. She was happy.

She glanced over at the flower arrangement that had just been received that morning. A bouquet sent by Billy to congratulate them on their engagement. The card was worded carefully, the note short and precise. It showed the inner conflicts of a man who wanted to be a friend and a brother at the same time. It was the letter of a man in deep inner struggle.

Annabeth sighed, dropping the card and moving her way over to the baby, who she scooped up in one fell swoop. Penny giggled, flapping her hands and burying her face into her mother's shoulder.

Annabeth worked her way over to the window, where she could observe Cate and Jack run around the yard with their new yellow lab puppy. Their giggles and barks permeated the walls of the house, mixing with the late afternoon sun to create a soothing atmosphere.

Percy ran with them, tossing little Jack a foam football and petting the dog's belly furiously. He glanced up, catching her eye in the window, and the two shared a smile before both children tackled him.

Annabeth laughed, turning away and walking towards the door to join them. She paused to turn off the television set in the living room, freezing in her tracks as she caught sight of what was on the screen.

"…And can you believe, Bob, that just a year ago today President Masterson was slain? It was the talk of the nation, an act that truly ushered in a new—"

She turned away from the set, taking a deep breath. Of course, the thought had sat in the back of her mind all day, festering like a rotten sore. She hadn't wanted to think about it, alas, everywhere she looked, she was drawn in yet again.

What would Julian say about all this? Her marrying another man? Raising his children with this other man? Moving on? She swallowed a lump in her throat as she wondered.

He had always told her to do what she wanted, hadn't he? Had always encouraged her painting and cooking? Had always wanted her to be happy, even if he couldn't make it happen himself? He had, she decided. He wasn't a perfect man, but his heart, one might say, was in the right place.

And then there was Percy, with his sweet, mischievous green eyes, his dimpled, cocky grin, and his thick thatch of black hair that hung just so over his forehead. Percy, with the strong arms that anchored her, and the voice of reason in the back of her mind. She loved him. She truly did.

She glanced down at the baby, remembering her date of birth, recalling the tears in Percy's eyes, as if she had been his own. She remembered his joy, as he held the infant, his eyes widening as he feared that he would drop her.

Annabeth chuckled to herself, crossing the room and watching out the window again as the children buried Percy in a large pile of leaves, the only remainder of him being the top of his head. She laughed.

Percy peeked his head out from the pile, grinning at her and waving her over with the beckoning of his hand.

"Come on in, the water's fine!" He laughed, patting the leaves beside him as the kids laughed at the corny joke.

Annabeth forgot the television; slipping outside and laughing as she received a warm, if not somewhat crunchy hug and kiss from her fiancé.

Penny sat in the leaves, crunching them up in her small fists and waving them in the air in spastic motions as she giggled. Jack chased Cate around the yard with a stick he had found, the dog trailing in his footsteps. Percy and Annabeth sat in the leaves, kissing each other and grinning away, as if they were teenagers.

All the while, the forgotten television set played, in memoriam, one of President Masterson's speeches. His most memorable one, politicians and historians alike agreed.

"In this time of uncertainty and fear, it is important that we, the American people, hold values close to our heart that the founding fathers held close to theirs. We must recall the strength of the American nation, the pride that we hold when we pledge our allegiance, and the words of the Declaration that have founded the country we now call 'home.' We retain the freedom of life, the freedom of liberty, and, above all, the pursuit of happiness; the right to fulfill our dreams of doing what is right, and what is most important to us. This. I. Believe…"

Annabeth heard these words in a low murmur from inside, sighing into Percy's neck with a bittersweet smile. She held Percy closer, breathing in the crisp scent of fallen leaves as she closed her eyes and pursued her happiness.