Hey, guys. Guess what? It's update time :D

I think this is going to be the next-to-last chapter plus an epilogue. (I already have a crazy idea for that one but I'm still not quite sure whether I should write that or better not xD)

Enough with my A/N.

Enjoy this chapter ^^

"Rachel? Hi. I need to talk," Percy said through the phone.

"Hey, Perce. You don't sound very excited," his friend Rachel Elizabeth Dare from San Francisco answered.

"Nah, guess not..."

"Tell me what happened. And - Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"Merry Christmas."

He smiled. "Merry Christmas, Rachel."

"So, what do you wanna talk about?"

"You first. You asked if I wanted to talk."

"Oh, it's nothing... I was bored and, well..."

"Rachel...!"

"Really, it's not important," she insisted. But Percy knew her well enough to know that something was bothering her. And as her friend he would try to help her.

"Yes, it is. Otherwise you wouldn't have said it."

She finally gave in and sighed. "Okay, it's my dad. He promised he would be here this year. Instead, he only sent me my present via mail and called for, like, two minutes. He got me a necklace that probably was more expensive than all his three limos together. You know, he probably thought I would forget about him being away on Christmas again."

Percy had only met her dad once. He was always busy since he was CEO of his own company, Dare Enterprises. He would make Rachel loads of expensive gifts in order to please her but obviously didn't get the message that he couldn't just buy his daughter.

"Well, he's a moron. He doesn't know what he's missing. Is your mom at home?" Mrs. Dare, being her husband's second in command, had a lot to do either but usually she was at home around Christmas, Rachel's birthday or other 'important' family days.

"She was until about one hour ago. She went to some Christmas party in Oregon, I think dad is there as well."

"And what are you doing now?"

"Putting the necklace in one of his shoes. I hope his foot will remind him that having a daughter isn't all about buying her expensive, stupid jewelry," she said grimly. "But enough from me. Where does the shoe pinch?"

Percy couldn't help grinning. "I don't have any necklaces in my shoe, Dare."

She laughed and asked, "So what's on your mind, then, Jackson?"

"Remember when I told you about Annabeth?"

"Are you serious?" He could practically feel her rolling her eyes. "You wouldn't stop talking about her. Sometimes it was really annoying."

"Oops," he said and felt heat rising to his cheeks, "sorry."

"Don't be. It's kinda sweet, though. I wish I had someone who cares about me like that."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Oh, come on! Everybody who has a functioning brain can see what she means to you. Did you guys fight or something?"

"Well, yeah... I said some pretty dumb things."

"What else is new?"

"No, I'm serious. Like, really dumb things."

"Tell me," she demanded. And he told her about the last few days, about all the times he'd been with Annabeth. Told her about the party he found her at, told her about the fire, about her unusual behavior, the almost-kiss and last but not least their fight this afternoon.

"Okay, to sum it up," she finally said after a minute of thinking, "you used to be in love with her. You moved to Frisco. You tried to get over her - and we won't talk about that awkward party at Leo's now - and told her you did but you actually didn't. You came back to New York. You met her again and apparently she's the one with the feelings now but doesn't know you still-"

"Hold on, hold on, hold on," Percy interrupted her, "what makes you think Annabeth has feelings for me?"

"Come on, you guys almost kissed!"

"So what? ... Wait..."

"Yes, banana-brain. She. Likes. You. And it's not only the thing with the mistletoe. I heard the two of you talking over the phone speaker, I heard how she talks to you, how she says your name."

"But... what about that guy she says she has a crush on now?"

"Ugh, Percy! It's you, idiot!"

"How– how do you know?"

"Because I'm a girl! Girls just know stuff like that. Ask Piper, she will tell you the same. And besides, it's logic. Consider everything I just told you and combine it with the facts you know about that guy."

"Well, he was at that party... Umm..."

"Okay, forget it. Just talk to her, like, immediately!"

"But what if it's not me? She will know I lied to her and it will be so awkward and I won't be able to talk to her again and-"

"PERCY JACKSON, YOU COWARD! You. Will. Talk. To. Her. Got it?!"

Percy inhaled deeply. "Okay. I'm no coward! I will do it."

"Sweet," Rachel said, "call me what happened, will you?"

"Sure."

"Well then... good luck!"

"Thanks. And I'm sorry your family sucks."

"It's okay. What do I have friends for?"

He smiled, said a final goodbye and hung up.

His heart was pounding as he dialed Annabeth's number. All he had to do was ask her if they could meet at the park. Everything next he'll figure out after.

Toot.

Toot.

Toot.

Toot-toot-toot-toot-toot-toot-toot.

...

The line was busy.

"Thalia, I'm such a dork!"

"Why?" Thalia Grace asked.

Annabeth hesitated before answering, "Can we meet somewhere, please? I don't wanna talk on the phone and I really have to get out of here, my dad and his new fiancee are getting on my nerves."

"Sure, you can come over. My mom's off to the airport, picking up my brother and dad. They're going to eat at some restaurant so it'll take them some time to come back."

"Okay," Annabeth said and was on her way to her best friend's house before her father or Stephanie could even notice.

Thalia opened the door, let Annabeth in and they sat down on the couch in the living room.

"So, first of all," Annabeth started, "why aren't you with your family? I know you're not quite good with your mom but your brother and father are coming all the way from San Francisco to see you."

When Annabeth had learned about Thalia's younger brother Jason going to Percy's new school the two boys already had become friends. Thalia was one year older than Jason (and Percy and Annabeth) and in her last year of high school. Her parents were divorced since Jason's been two years old. Their dad had moved with him to San Francisco and Thalia had to stay with her mom in New York which she absolutely wasn't happy about. Her mother and she didn't get along very well since Mrs. Grace was a drinker and Thalia never got over the loss of her brother who she was only able to see a few times a year, like on Christmas or birthdays.

Thalia sighed. "I had a fight with mom. I found some new Vodka bottles behind the fridge although she promised to quit hiding alcohol in our flat. Besides, Jason and I are going to meet up with Percy and spend time at the park or so."

With the mention of Percy Annabeth's expression changed and of course Thalia noticed.

"Okay, tell me what happened," she said and Annabeth told the other girl everything.

"I knew it!" Thalia grinned and threw her arms up, gaining a glare from her friend. "What?! You're my best friend, of course I noticed you have a crush! You wouldn't stop talking about Kelp head and when you broke up with Luke it became even worse."

Annabeth's face softened. "Whatever... I totally screwed it up. And to top it all, my dad and Stephanie are going to get married and have a child."

Thalia nodded. She knew about Annabeth's relationship with Stephanie.

Annabeth put her hands over her face. "What am I gonna do now, Thals?"

"Tell him." Annabeth looked up. "Tell him about your feelings."

Annabeth frowned. It was so easy but simultaneously so hard since she was afraid of his reaction. Would he be relieved because he still had feelings for her? Would he find it awkward because he didn't?

"Annabeth," Thalia said with a strict face, "you will call him and ask him to meet you and say it! It's not that hard!"

"Well, you haven't done it yet so you don't know how hard it is!"

The two girls had a stare-down until Annabeth gave in. Thalia's bright blue eyes always seemed as if they wanted to give her an electrical shock any second.

"Okay, I'll do it," she said, making Thalia smirk. "But not now." Thalia's face fell again.

"What, why?", she wanted to know.

"I have to prepare what I'm saying. I have to make a plan..."

"No, Annie."

"Do not call me Annie!"

"See," Thalia went on, totally ignoring Annabeth's comment, "love isn't about plans. Even I know that. In a relationship you have to be spontaneous. You cannot plan feelings and emotions, you know."

"I know that. But... All my life I was making plans and it went well like that."

"Even in your relationship with Luke?"

Annabeth blinked. Luke and she would always plan their dates, plan when they had to be where. With Percy it had never been like that. Even in the state of being just friends she never had to plan anything, actually. Sometimes Percy would just come over or vice-versa and neither of them cared if it was planned. She could always say what she wanted, she didn't have to evaluate anything.

"Somehow, to be honest... But Percy is different. Don't ask me why but we kinda have this... thing, you know?"

Thalia grinned again. "See? I told you so. Why are you still afraid? Call him!"

Annabeth smiled and hugged her. "What would I do without you?"

...

Later, when Annabeth was at Stephanie's again (still had problems calling it her home) she stared at her phone. She had to press one button. It was just that easy. She was no coward. She could do it.

But she failed.

The next six days Percy wanted to call her. He really did. But everytime his finger went down to that one little button on his phone he quit. There was this feeling in his stomach that would pull at his heart and he had to admit he was afraid. He was indeed a coward, like Rachel said.

One time when he was at the park with Thalia and Jason Thalia would shoot him a look and ask him if he had spoken with Annabeth lately, and when he said no she would look at him funny and go on talking to Jason as if nothing happened.

On December 30th Jason invited him to celebrate New Year's Eve with Thalia and him since their dad would spend the night with their mom at home to prevent her from drinking all night, and the siblings wanted to go out.

Sally and Paul already had a date and Paul's mother wanted to be with some friends – which Percy saw as some old women sitting in the living room having a tea party while chatting about the latest gossip in their house or neighborhood until midnight – and Percy hadn't had a plan at all for that night and was glad about Jason's call.

Little did he know Thalia had invited Annabeth too.

Yup, another cliffhanger. I love them and can totally understand why Rick likes to tease us with them. :D But don't worry, you won't have to wait a year for an update :P

...

Please review. Let off steam. Tell me what you liked/disliked. Constructive criticism appreciated. BLUE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! :D

No, honestly. Only when you review I can improve my writing (language-wise, grammar-wise and plot-wise)!

See you guys next chapter :)