Percy didn't know whether to be impressed that Casper was so smart, or freaked that he had found out. He decided on both, and threw some rapid heartbeats into the mix. He exhaled, slowly, staring at the boy across from him. His head was tucked into his chest, and his arms wrapped around his head, as if trying to block out the sudden chain of events. His curls, delicate and golden, swept in his pale face, and his body, curled as it was, trembled, as if the boy had been physically assaulted.

"Casper," Percy said finally, reaching a tentative hand out. "Look, I didn't know about you, I just found out myself yesterday. I would never want to hurt—"

"You left her." Casper interrupted, lifting his head, his face blotchy and pink. "You just left my mom to raise me, alone! You…. you buttface!"

Percy stared at him, mouth agape. Casper's voice rattled with as much emotion as a seven year old could have, and it cracked with fear, hate, anger.

"What, did you just decide she wasn't good enough for you? That I wasn't good enough for you? Did you even love her?"

"Yeah, of course I did! And, had I known about you, I would never want to be apart from you! You have to understand, your mom broke up with me! I had no idea!"

"If you loved her so much, then why did you leave? You're supposed to stick together, through thick and thin, and always fight for the ones you love!" Casper said, reciting a common theme from the novels he had read. "You didn't even think to ask why, or to…to, I don't know, keep in touch?"

"I..uh…um." Percy stuttered, unable to form words. And it was then that he realized how selfish he had been. He had made it all about him. What had he done wrong, why did she leave him, how could she do this to him? Everything, things that could've been double sided, had been made to revolve around him. He felt sick.

If he had just stopped to ask, to care, then it would've all been different. No! He was making it about himself again! He cursed himself mentally as the boy slumped back into his seat, staring at the table with a hard-core determination.

Percy's heart broke as he thought of Annabeth, alone, scared, and wanting only to protect the ones she loved. And how he had crushed her, running out like some self centered animal and never looking back. She had given him all the signs, she had practically told him, for Gods' sake!

Because of me, because of one night, her life was scarred. She didn't get to have a youth, because I had been selfish. Gods, how he hated himself right now. Until then, he had harbored resentment at himself for messing it up, and, deeper down, at Annabeth. Now, he realized, it wasn't because of just him, but it wasn't because of just her, either. He had done wrong, and had left her alone in a time of need. And she had, in one way or another, done the same. It was at this time that Percy Jackson came to the fifth stage of grief: Acceptance. He accepted what had happened. He understood it, equipped with the insight of the problem. But then, as he looked down, registering the brokenhearted face of the boy, the walls of acceptance, sturdy and bearing, cracked, and emotion flooded through him, bringing him back to a state of depression and anger.

In his figuring out the roots of the problem, he had attempted to understand what could not be understood. He had attempted to predict the unpredictable, to forgive the unforgivable. And all this made his head spin. He could have know everything, and still be an idiot. He knew nothing for sure. The only thing he did know, however, was that this boy, his son, needed him right now, needed someone to help him and to tell him it would be all right. But, He thought, his eyes darkening, Am I even the right person to do that? What if he doesn't want me?

"Casper," Percy began, staring, with all sincerity, into Casper's identical eyes, "You're right. What I did was wrong. I shouldn't have run. I…I was weak. But you have to listen to me, and listen close. It's not going to happen again. If I have any say in it, then you'll be seeing me around for the rest of your life, whether you like it or not. I can't make up for seven years of not being there, but I can certainly start from here. Because, let me tell you this right now, I'm not going anywhere." He finished confidently, leaning back against the booth and looking the boy in the eye.

Casper, jaw still clenched, thought this over for a moment, and one could see the gears working in his head. Finally, and silently, he nodded, slowly, but surely.

"You're not just gonna hafta win me over. That part's gonna be easy." Casper said finally, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "My mom, though, that's gonna be hard. You better start trying."

Percy's eyes narrowed, not with apprehension, but with respect, sincerity. His arms crossed, he tilted his head forward, glancing at the table, with its many grease spots and nicks, and looked up again, staring Casper straight in the eye.

They remained like that, for a solid moment, the energy flowing between them. Narrowed green eyes met narrowed green eyes.

Then, Percy cracked a small, accepting smile, nodding his head slowly.

"Yeah, I better get started." Percy agreed, echoing the sentiments.

A/N: Special thanks to Envelope123, who foresaw this chapter! Thanks for your ideas and enthusiasm! Also, thanks to Percabrh1fanforever, for giving me tips to get over writer's block! Thanks again for reading, don't forget to review and tell me what you think!