Rick Riordan owns everything.

Chapter 10: Confrontation

Percy stared awake at the ceiling late into the night overthinking everything. He had gone through a plethora of scenarios for the coming day.

Option one: He could follow her lead from yesterday and ask her on a proper date and she could completely mood swing again ending even angrier with him than before.

Option two: Percy could ask her on a date and she could say yes and then it could go very well.

Option three: They could just ignore what had happened and go back to the casual business partner zone.

Out of all of the options, Percy knew which one he wanted the most, but given his luck and their history… Percy wasn't too optimistic. But the more he thought about it, he developed an even better plan and he fell asleep smiling, happier than he had been in a long time.

The Next Morning

Annabeth waltzed into the lobby and Percy could barely keep his mouth closed. Something was different today. It took Percy a while to realize what it was, but when it finally came to him, he was even more confidant with his plan.

She was smiling.

The smile actually got wider when Beckendorf cornered her and started shooting questions about our engagement at her. Even though she couldn't answer most of them, he could tell that the subject was no longer uncomfortable for her to talk about; she just skillfully led the conversation back to topics that were safe. That's when he decided to come out of the place he had been sitting behind a plant waiting for her to arrive.

"Beckendorf, you wouldn't be trying to scare her away, now would you?"

Annabeth's head snapped up startled and she gave him a cute little tentative smile. Percy loved the way that she was usually so confidant in herself but this unsure Annabeth was a nice change of pace.

Beckendorf smirked at him, "Just making sure that she was good enough for you, Perce. As Silena always says…"

"Wait," Annabeth interrupted snapping her attention away from Percy, "Silena Beaureguard, perhaps?"

He looked at her cautiously, "Yes, how do you know my girlfriend?"

Annabeth's eyes threatened to pop out of her head, "She works for me."

"Hold on! Annabeth Chase, now I know why your name rings a bell! She's your secretary! But wait, she always complains about how you are perpetually single and refuse to let her set you up with anyone."

Percy's stomached plummeted, these were dangerous waters they were sailing into. Right as he was about to change the topic Annabeth came up with a solution brilliantly, "Don't get me wrong, I love the girl to death, but she has a tendency to meddle with other peoples relationships so I didn't want to tell her and risk messing things up."

Beckendorf, knowing his girlfriend's antics, nodded understandingly but then seemed to stop mid-nod, "But she was complaining just last night that she had to order you a pet fish to keep at the office because you claimed you didn't need a man!"

Instead of balking, like Percy was doing, Annabeth laughed out loud, "She actually bought one? That was a joke!"

"But why would she still order one if you and Percy are engaged?"

Percy, who by this point felt like he was watching a tennis match instead of a conversation that could affect his entire life, was curious to find out this answer as well.

Shaking her head thoughtfully, "I guess I haven't told anyone at my office yet."

If Percy thought his stomach had dropped before, it was nothing compared to this. It seemed to be resting next to his knees, but this time instead of it falling because of worry, it was because of disappointment.

He was too upset to ask why she hadn't announced it yet, so he was glad when Beckendorf did.

She smiled amused by the look that was on Percy's face, "I suppose that I have been spending most of my time here since it happened, and when I do go there, I spend time crunching numbers and drafting at my desk behind soundproof walls."

Annabeth watched as Percy's mouth perked up at the corners but was soon bombarded with questions about the soundproof walls by Beckendorf. She explain, slightly embarrassed, about her ADHD and how easily she would get distracted by the other projects that the firm was working on.

When Beckendorf took a breath to ask more questions, Percy jumped in and saved her, "Annabeth, the construction manager should be in any minute to discuss starting work on Wednesday."

"Right!" she exclaimed thankfully. She turned to Beckendorf and smiled conspiratorially, "Don't tell Silena anything about Percy yet, we are going to head over to my office to surprise her later today."

He grinned back and made the motion of zipping his lips shut when Percy quipped, "We are?"

Annabeth shot him an exasperated look, "We decided it last night, remember?"

Slowly catching on he tried to make up for it, "Right, love."

Blushing lightly she waved to Beckendorf and got into the elevator with Percy hot on her tail. As soon as the doors closed he started, "When were you going to tell me we were headed to your office?"

"I wasn't planning on it until he brought up Silena. I figured that if I didn't tell her soon, he would. Then she would be upset with me and sulk for days and I don't have time to deal with an upset assistant!"

The rest of the ride was quiet and Annabeth could tell that Percy was nervous but she pushed it off on having to confront her coworkers. She was still reeling from his pet name. Sure, it had been damage control, but it had made her heart flutter uncontrollably. Stop feeling like this! You are a strong levelheaded girl; you don't get flustered by boys… well men.

Shaking herself mentally she became aware of Percy grabbing her hand as the elevator doors opened. Annabeth only dared one glance at him as they made their way to the opposite side of the building to his office, he was still nervous.

Annabeth didn't know it yet, but she was about to find out why.