See? I didn't wait as long this time!

ems101: Thank you for your very sweet review and suggestions! Unfortunately, I have tried the whole "set aside a time to do some writing" and it doesn't seem to work for me - maybe because my schedule is kind of irregular? I don't know. Anyway, in response to your question, I'd guess we're about a third of the way through this story. I don't really know though; I've cut off a huge section from the end, just because I didn't really have enough ideas for it and this entire thing is much bigger than I was expecting it to be. I thought it would be like 8 chapters total, a short story, so it has kind of spiralled a lot. Believe me, I have not been including the number of 'outsider' scenes as my brain tells me I should. I am trying to keep them in the background, unless I feel they contribute to the plot, I just want to make sure it feels like Annabeth has a life outside everything else.

fangirl101: Thank you for reviewing!

Seriously though, thank you to all of you guys who are reviewing, favouriting and following. You guys are amazing! And to those who don't, I still want to say thank you for taking the time to read my little story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Enjoy!

Annabeth had spent a while placating OwenSawyer. His earlier texts had been happy, a continuation of their banter. They had slowly become progressively more concerned, finally turning to anger:

WHY aren't you answering?

I KNOW you're there reading these, you're just ignoring me, playing with me like all the other girls, aren't you?

I never thought you'd be a little bitch like they were.

Admittedly, those last few hurt, but she had cast those feelings aside and replied to him immediately, saying she was fine in response to his previous worried messages. The immediate response was calm, if a little relieved, as if nothing had happened. Once Annabeth had explained she was just chatting to her friends (omitting the fact that they were male friends, as she didn't think he would be best pleased with that) and he had extracted a promise that she wouldn't stop talking to him again so suddenly without saying goodbye, she added that she had read those last few messages and there was no need to be insecure.

OwenSawyer: What do you mean?

AnnabethChase: Your last few messages were kind of angry, talking about other girls etc. I guessed that you were a bit insecure about our relationship, thinking that I was like them. I can understand why you are; anyone can be anyone on the Internet these days, and I have felt the same way myself, but I just thought that I should say that you don't need to worry. We're in this together.

Which was mostly true. She was aware that if he knew about her burgeoning relationship with Percy, he would not be best pleased to say the least, but she hadn't quite decided what to do about that yet. Neither she and Percy, nor she and Owen were actually in a relationship at that point, although both were certainly moving that way. She would make her choice when things became more definite, she had decided.

OwenSawyer: Oh, sweetheart, thank you. That's a lovely thing to say.

OwenSawyer: Of course I feel the same way.

AnnabethChase: Of course.

At which point Thalia had tried to steal her phone again and demanded her attention. Very careful to say goodbye and receive his response (a pouty face), Annabeth turned to face the inquisition about Percy.

...

Throughout the rest of the week, Percy had smiled at her a few times in the hallways, often tracing a finger along her shoulders or catching one of her fingers with his, as well as distracting her from her physics lessons - which, come to think of it, reminded her that she should concoct a way to distract him from distracting her. Other than that, he had kept himself to himself.

Until, of course, Thursday came around again.

In the morning had been the girls free period together once again, giving them a chance to catch up properly without any unwelcome (or welcome) intruders.

"Boy am I glad to have an hour's break from work," Rachel huffed.

"Me too. It's getting towards the half-way point of term, so all my English teachers keep setting practise essays to be ready to do coursework, then asking me to rewrite them, because "they're fantastic" but they don't quite match the mark scheme," Silena sighed. Katie nodded in agreement.

"Well, at least all your work can be done at home, so you have a break during some free periods," Rachel reminded. "My art work can only be done in the art room. It feels like I haven't seen you guys in forever!"

Annabeth kept quiet. Her subjects - Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Psychology - weren't all that time consuming at the moment, but she didn't think it would be best to mention it. Thalia was in a similar situation. Instead, they quietly sympathised with their friends.

Thalia tried to brighten the mood. "Well aren't we cheery today? Rachel said she's barely seen us; does anyone have anything significant to say about their last two weeks?"

After a moment of silence, Katie hesitantly spoken up. "I think I've found what course I'd like to do at university." The others made encouraging noises. "I found this biology course that later specialises in environmental studies and its applications. I could get a degree and then go back to help on my parents farm, hopefully with some new ideas that we could use to change our farming methods and maybe even make our products more unique, more profitable while being environmentally friendly." The others looked at her, then proceeded to question her. After a few minutes, the conversation petered out again.

"Actually," Silena started tentatively, "I have something to announce." All the girls turned to her with interest. "As of Tuesday, I am now Charlie's girlfriend."

Rachel hugged Silena with a small squeal, while the others smiled and murmured their congratulations. After it had all died down a bit, Thalia pointed sternly at the blushing blonde, "Don't forget us now that you're part of a couple, huh? And make sure he knows that if he hurts you, he'll have to answer to us." Silena nodded solemnly. "Well then... I suppose I'll allow it."

"You'll allow it?" Silena exclaimed incredulously. "As if you have any say the matter."

"Hey, sisters before misters. If the sisters say no, the mister's got to go," Thalia said sagely.

Silena rolled her eyes. "So, that's me with a boyfriend, Rachel..."

"There's a cute guy in my art class who keeps coming over to compliment my work, and I can't tell whether he's trying to steal my ideas or flirt. I'll let you know how that goes."

"Okay... Katie, you're still single, aren't you? And Annabeth, you're still awaiting your handsome prince to come and fall in love with you before he takes your first kiss?"

Well, technically that was still true, she hadn't had her first kiss. Percy might have kissed her on the neck a few times, or on her hands, but he'd never kissed her on the lips. That's what a first kiss was, wasn't it? Sue her for wanting to keep it for a guy who she actually felt liked her for who she was, rather than handing it out to just anyone. Although, Percy did seem to be quite sweet, even genuine...

"Right, Annabeth?"

"Yeah, something like that," she admitted.

"Phew, I thought something massive had happened that you hadn't told us about then." Annabeth felt a twinge of guilt for not telling them about Percy, but then remembered Thalia's reaction to just a casual conversation between them, and knew it was better to keep their relationship, whatever it was, to herself. "Okay then, that just leaves Thalia, who-"

"Doesn't need a man to make my life complete. I'm happy as I am with you guys. You're better than any boyfriend!"

"Aww! You're so sweet!" At that, the girls piled in on top of Thalia, hugging each other.

"Okay, you can get off now," Thalia's muffled voice came through. "It's bloody hot under here."

...

4 pm.

The doors opened on the bus, letting the pile of school kids tumble out into the cold, autumnal air before driving away. Each separating out to head to their respective homes, Annabeth, Percy, Bobby and Matthew stood at the edge of the park.

"Right, well, you seemed to enjoy it last time, so here you are." Percy dug a football out of his bag. Annabeth blushed, remembering her words last week, that he should bring it if he wanted more alone time with her. "Go warm yourself up by kicking a ball around. But," he paused, "you have to be ready to leave when your sister says it's time to go, okay? No complaints." He raised his eyebrows at the twins and they nodded. He flicked the ball into Bobby's hands. "Go on, be off with you then."

The two older children watched them go for a minute, racing off down the path. "Oh, to have energy like that, that could just be wasted by running around a field," Annabeth sighed wistfully.

"Hey, if I remember rightly, you used to be pretty good yourself. At running, I mean."

She blushed. He remembered? "Yeah, I didn't do terribly at cross country races, and I was never picked last for activities on sports day, thank goodness, but I never had that much energy." They started to wander along the path.

"I was the opposite," Percy scratched his neck, embarrassed. "I had all the energy, but I was so clumsy I always ended up tripping myself up in races. No-one ever wanted me on their team." He shook his head, a slightly puzzled look flitting across his face. "Sorry, you didn't need to know that." He smirked. "I'm not like that anymore. Ever since I grew, I was a bit less clumsy and a lot better suited to basketball. Anyway, even if I do fall over, my team-mates make sure they're never near me, so all I take out are the opposing team."

Annabeth laughed. "That's harsh!"

"That's tactics."

She laughed again, nodding. Taking a deep breath, she boldly slipped her hand into his. He gave no sign of noticing, other than that he squeezed her hand gently. They walked on for a few moments in silence, dragging their feet through the fallen leaves and watching the few tendrils of cold, harsh sunlight that seeped through the cloud cover, filter through thinning branches.

As she saw the end of the tree lined path in the distance, Annabeth realised they had walked for a few minutes without doing anything, wasting the small amount of private time they had together. Quickly, she tried to rack her brains for some conversation topic, but all she could come up with was things that were too personal to ask this early on. Instead she shivered. "Wow, that's a cold wind."

He looked down at her, her t-shirt hidden under her scarf, coat and jumper, and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, it is. Would have thought you would have been warm under all those layers though."

Damn! And she thought all those rom-coms Silena had made them all watch had finally come in handy! According to the movies, when a girl made any indication she was cold, the guy she liked always gave her his coat. Why did she have to be so practical and already be more wrapped up than he was?

Suddenly, he spoke again. "Although your hand is very cold. I suppose it's my duty as a gentleman to warm you up." She only had time to raise her eyebrows in surprise at his sudden turnaround before he was tugging her (quite strongly, too) off the path and into the trees. She stumbled along behind him, trying to keep up without tripping over his feet or anything hidden under the leaf litter. She had no idea what he was doing, or looking for, but after a moment he seemed to find it.

Halting abruptly, he swung her around using her forward momentum, twirling her as he did so, so that, if Annabeth had known what he was doing, it would have looked like a beautifully executed dance move. As it was, she had no clue what he was up to, so she promptly fell over her own feet, falling heavily on her left arm against a nearby tree.

"Sorry! Are you okay?" She nodded, although she could feel her arm was throbbing. She moved and winced as her weight shifted against the tree. She was pretty sure she was going to get one hell of a bruise. "You're not, don't tell me that you are. Here, let me have a look."

"What, and you're a doctor, are you?" she asked with no bite in her voice, but he had already started to unbutton her coat. Adjusting herself so her back lay against the tree instead, she watched him silently. He was completely engrossed in slowly unbuttoning her coat, green eyes fixed on her body. She shivered.

As he finally, gently, pulled it open, he pulled her scarf from around her neck. She opened her mouth to question him - why did he need to take her scarf off to check her arm? - but he just looked her in the eyes, smiled with dancing eyes, and shook his head. She closed her mouth again and pushed off the tree, trying to shrug out of her coat while brushing her arm as little possible, with little success.

Percy returned, apparently from hanging her scarf on a nearby branch, and helped her ease the coat from her shoulders, then her jumper, which then hung next to her scarf. "Now, let's have a look." He bent down to examine her arm, face close enough that she could feel his warm breath on her rapidly cooling skin. She shifted uncomfortably, and he placed a hand on her lower arm to hold her steady. Slowly he eased his hand up to where it had impacted the tree, strumming his thumb over the injured skin lightly.

Annabeth winced. He stopped immediately, apologising quietly. He straightened, letting his hand fall to encircle her wrist, then gently lifted it, first up, then to the side. "What's the prognosis then, doc?" she joked.

"Oh, I think you'll live. No broken bones, although you may get a nasty bruise."

"And how do you recommend I medicate that?"

His eyes flickered. "Well... how about I kiss it better?" Annabeth paused, then nodded. He lifted her arm up once more, gently touching his lips to the reddened area, before gently laying it on his shoulder. Then, after a moment of eye contact, he lowered his forehead to her shoulder, letting his breath sweep across her chest. "You have a lovely collarbone," he remarked conversationally.

"Um, thanks?" she replied breathily. At that, he raised his head and began to lay teasing kisses along said collarbone. Nudging her backwards, he followed her as she leant back onto the tree that had injured her initially. "Percy? I think you might have - oh! - become confused as to where I'm hurt," she said hesitantly. He had started to inch his way up her neck, finding a particularly sweet spot and had tugged on the skin there with his teeth.

"Oh, I know where it is," he murmured between kisses. "I just thought I should warm you up like I said I would. A gentlemen always keeps his word."

She hummed as he continued, lifting her other hand to cradle his head, letting her own drop to rest against the cold tree trunk behind her. "Well okay, but no more bruises, hm? Mmmm... just, don't give me hickey."

He chuckled lowly, his mouth just below her ear. Percy lifted his head a fraction, and whispered, "I think it's a bit late for that. Just as well you have a scarf, huh?"

She huffed and hit his shoulder, but said nothing, letting him get back to what he was so good at. Instead, she ran her fingers through his hair, before one hand slipped around the front to undo the top button of his coat. Slowly loosening the tight fitting jacket, she swiftly slipped her cool hands to rest directly against the warm skin of his neck. He jumped, almost head-butting her, and sprang back. He gave her a look.

"What?" she asked innocently. "I'm just trying to warm up."

"See if I ever try to do anything nice for you again," he muttered mulishly, before pretending to walk off. Grabbing the back of his coat, she dragged him back to her, so he whirled to face her again, batting her hands away. Annabeth winced as his hand came into contact with tender skin. "Oh, sorry. I'm dangerous to be around today."

She shook her head, pulling him closer to her tree. He looked at her, slightly confused as to what she was trying to achieve. After a deep breath, she nodded to herself and tugged him closer once again, leaning down a little 'til her lips touched his skin.

It was Percy's turn to shiver. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to be doing (she hadn't exactly done this before) so she began by lightly dabbing kisses along the small part of his collarbone that she could reach under his coat. Leaving her right hand on his shoulder, she held his jaw lightly with her left, guiding it up and away from her with little nudges and caresses. After a minute she became bolder, sucking gently at the base of his throat, earning her a quiet groan that rumbled deep in his chest.

Although he seemed to be perfectly content to stand still, leaning against her very slightly to stay close, his hands moved constantly, resting on her hips after his initial surprise wore off. As she continued her careful ministrations, he began to lightly brush her sides, occasionally slipping around her back in order to attempt to pull her off the tree that they were both leaning on and closer to him. She could tell when he particularly liked something when his hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Finally, Annabeth worked up the courage to try something she had heard some of the other girls discussing; very tentatively, she scraped her teeth along his skin before giving him a gentle nip on the column of his neck. His hands clenched at her back, so she did it again. He chuckled lowly. "Okay, that's enough of that - I don't have a scarf to hide any hickeys you might give me." He drew away slightly, leaving his face hovering just above hers. "Who would have known? I should've, it's always the quiet ones." She quirked an eyebrow, confused. "Oh, don't worry," his voice deepened, "I like my playthings to be feisty. Now, let's see how you kiss..."

What?

She shoved him away, hands on either shoulder, just as his lips were finally about to touch hers. He stumbled, then frowned. "What the hell?"

"I think that's my line! What did you just say?" she spat.

Percy looked even more confused now. "Now, let's see how you kiss?"

"No, before that."

He frowned, silent for a moment, before understanding dawned on his face. "Oh, I see, you're like that! You don't like to be called 'my plaything' because you don't want to belong to me. I apologise, you can be my fellow and equal playmate, yeah? Just here to have a bit of fun with a new friend." He started to move back towards her.

Annabeth was silent, astonishment clearly plastered across her face, rigidly resting against the tree that had become her anchor. Both his charming smile and his steps towards her faltered. In low tones, looking at the floor, Annabeth said, "Have a bit of fun?"

She lifted her eyes and found his. "Just a bit of fun?" This time it was louder, her voice catching slightly.

"Annabeth..." He reached for her, but she darted to the side, eyes wide like a wild animal. He could see anger, hurt, confusion, whirling in her eyes. He stalked slowly towards her. "Come on Annabeth..."

"No." Her voice was hoarse, as though she had been shouting rather than whispering. "No. Stay away from me." Her hands held up in front of her, she backed away as he chased her. He halted. "I don't want you anywhere near me. I'm going to get my stuff-" she gestured over her shoulder "-and go."

He stood still, knees slightly bent as though he was going to leap into action and chase after her. They stared one another down as she slowly backed away from him, towards where her clothes hung on the branch, never breaking eye contact. Suddenly, his eyes flicked to the scenery behind her.

"No, Annabeth, stop, you'll-" He didn't finish his sentence, knowing that by the time he did it would be too late. Instead, he dashed over to her, where she was about to trip over a bush situated just behind her. Unfortunately, his sudden movement caused her to panic, trying to escape his clutches. In her panic, she began to trip over her own feet and Percy arrived just in time to be caught be her flailing hands, carried over by her falling body weight and his own forward momentum. The only saving grace was that their fall was slightly cushioned by the springy, if spiky, bush.

Um, sorry?

Sorry that wasn't the fluffy update that you were probably all expecting. It's going to be angsty for a while from here on out. If you have any questions, please review or PM me with them, I will try and explain (if it won't be in the next chapter or if I deem it to be not too spoilery, that is!).

I hope your day is better than Annabeth's, and I hope I didn't make you too angry! xx