Disclaimer: So this is like the twelfth chapter of this story and I realized that I have yet to put a disclaimer up. Yup, Riordan owns it all, except for my creativity of course. Enjoy…

I wake with a cramp in my neck and stiff joints all around. I wonder briefly why I'm feeling so sore and then remember that I spent the night in the hospital on a chair the size of a bedpan. I roll my neck around, hearing all sorts of cracks, and stretch out my limbs satisfyingly. I look to my right and see Matthew and Bobby sleeping back to back in Matt's hospital bed. They look so peaceful like this. Like they are just kids living out a normal childhood, which in all respect they should be.

I briefly have a flashback to all the shit that went down last night. After leaving a very defeated looking Percy in the office, I rushed over to my old apartment to find Bobby sobbing on the floor. It practically shattered my heart in two seeing him like that. I spent the rest of the night crying, and trying to convince Bobby that Matt would be fine. Convincing Bobby of something that I wasn't even sure of myself turned out to be a harder feat than I thought it would be. I finally got him to go to bed at around twelve o'clock at night. Then he woke up in the middle of the night from a dreadful nightmare, crying insolently, wanting me to take him to see his brother. Who was I to refuse a despondent eleven year old from seeing his cancer-ridden brother? So I took him to the hospital, and after an hour of convincing the head nurse to let us into Matt's room, we finally got in. Matthew was in the same state as Bobby. Call it a twin thing, but I guess Bobby knew something was wrong. In the end, I'm glad we came. Otherwise, Matt would have spent the entire night in a gloomy hospital room depressed beyond belief, and all alone too.

The one thought that kept reoccurring through my mind all night was that I'm a terrible sister. I've been going on with life, moving forward, like nothings even happened. I look upon all my memories of having any fun with disgust. How could I have fun and be care-free at a time like this? A good sister would want to be by her brothers side at all times. A good sister would take care of her other brother because she knows he's going through a hard time. And at that moment one of my deepest insecurity and fear is blossomed into my mind. A good sister would quit school. This way she could fully support the only family that she has left, that is breaking little by little in front of her very own eyes.

My deep thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. Nurse Emma peeks her head into the room, and seeing that I'm wide awake, she steps into the room.

"Good morning. I was just coming in to check on Matthew." She whispers quietly, giving a little smile at the twins sleeping together on the bed. She walks over to my make-shift bed.

Emma is a wonderful nurse. Matthew has seemed to take a liking to her. I've not decided yet if it's to her beautiful looks, or her caring touch. Maybe it's both. She's around my age, being a fairly new nurse. Last night when I was begging the other nurse to let us stay the night, it was Emma who came out and got us into his room. I am so thankful for her. With all the time she's been assigned to Matt, she's gotten to know my family very well. It gives me content, knowing I have her to count on to take care of Matthew when I'm not here.

"Good morning, Emma." I say, rather tiredly.

"You look exhausted and thoroughly depressed." She says, doing a quick once over of my appearance and then putting the back of her hand to my forehead. I guess it's a force of habit for her to do that to anyone who looks remotely sick.

"I feel exhausted and thoroughly depressed." I give out a long, forlorn sigh to emphasis my point.

Emma moves over to all of Matt's health monitors and starts checking each one in turn.

She surprises me by talking all of a sudden. "Whenever I feel like that, I try to name all of the things that I am thankful for."

"That's a very small list, at the moment."

"I wouldn't say that."

"Oh yeah? And why's that?"

"I could name a whole list right now." I open my mouth to counter-attack that argument, but she holds her hand up, indicating for me to be silent.

"For starters, you should be thankful that you have Maggie. I've seen just about a dozen other people in your situation that have to go through this all alone. Be thankful that you found a job, and that Maggie found a job, as quickly as you guys did. Be thankful that Matthew hasn't gone into complete depression, or Bobby for that matter, as most kids would in their situation. Be thankful that you have a scholarship, so that the question of whether or not you have money to keep up with school isn't weighing you down. Be thankful that your family is strong and will get through this." At this point, she's moved in front of me once again, her voice ceasing to a whisper so that only I would here. "And most importantly, be thankful for the fact the Matthew isn't dead." She takes my hand in hers at the end of her spiel. "Have hope, Annabeth. Because that's all that you can do at the moment that will have any chance of helping. And if there's something you can do that will help this situation, I'd think that you'd want to try your hardest to do whatever it is."

I get what she is saying, and I'm thankful for her metaphorical slap in the face.


Maggie came into the hospital around seven o'clock in the morning, once she caught wind of everything that had gone down the night before. She took over the situation for me, saying she'd take care of the boys. And since I was minutes away from passing out from exhaustion, she ordered me to go home and rest. I obliged, but said that I would be back, later.

I am now driving back to my apartment, and I am concluding that my brain is too fuzzy to go into work for the day. Luckily it's a Friday, so I'll take the day off and have the entire weekend to recuperate and get my mind straight again.

I arrive home fifteen minutes later and my legs start to feel like jelly. I really need to go to bed. Fortunately, Thalia is already at work. This means I have the entire apartment to myself, which means it'll be quiet…for once. I quickly change into a sports bra and some loose shorts I have laying around. I lazily look around for a comfy sweatshirt, as it's somewhat cold in my room. I find one I wasn't aware that I own and slip it on. Mmm, comfy.

I practically collapse on my bed, and once my head makes contact with my pillow, I am out.


I awake later to the sound of my doorbell reverberating throughout the apartment. I get out of bed and make my way to the door in a haze, stumbling over a random something or other on the floor. I open the door with my eyes closed, as I'm still half asleep.

"What?" I yell in annoyance to the mysterious person who is disturbing me from the one thing keeping me distracted from everything that's going on in my life at the moment.

"Wow, I expected a warmer welcome to the man who is bringing you alcohol." I know that voice. I open my eyes and my suspicions are correct. Sea-green eyes stare expectantly into mine.

I don't even know what to say to him. My brain is so clouded, it's not even functioning at this point. Here I am standing in baggy clothing, my hair a giant fluff ball, and my makeup from the previous night smeared everywhere on my face, and he looks all delicious in a suit with the top undone and his tie no where in sight.

I turn away from him, leaving the door wide open. I honestly don't know whether to invite him in, or tell him to leave me alone and go away. So instead, I plop down on the couch, trying my very hardest to ignore his presence. I reach for the remote and turn on a random channel, pretending to be immersed in the show that is appearing on the screen. I hear him walk over to the kitchen and set something on the counter.

"So I can see that someone's a little cranky today. Is it that time of the month?"

"I'm really not in the mood for this, Percy. I'm very, very sick." I pretend to cough into my elbow, and give a little sniffle. I highly doubt that will get him off my back.

"I'm not that stupid, Annabeth." I feel the couch shift and I know that he's taken a seat next to me. I see him reach his hand out and I feel him gently brush a wayward curl behind my ear. I begrudgingly turn my head to look him in the eyes. All I see is concern in them. I wince out of his touch and turn away from again. I just can't do this right now. I get up quickly and walk into the kitchen. I need some space from him.

"I like your jacket. It looks good on you." I look back towards him questioningly, only for his suggestive look to catch my eye. Why is he looking at me like that? Oh yes, the jacket. From the morning after that night. I blush at the thought of it. The more this man is suggestive and annoying to me, the more I realize that it's like his defense mechanism.

I mutter a quick thank you and turn to look what he's brought in this mysterious bag of his. When I peek my head into it I see the contents of food. What the hell is he planning?

"So what brings you here? I'd assume that you'd still be at the office." I say, while seating myself on one of the barstools.

"It's like six o'clock at night." I gape at him in shock. It's that late? I slept the entire day away. I must have been really tired.

"But still, you usually stay pretty late."

"Yeah, but I…I usually don't get that much done when you're not there." I see a slight blush creep over his cheeks. Is that the first time I ever saw Percy Jackson blush? Wow. I decide not to tease him about it. I'm feeling a little bit too tired to do much of anything.

"So why didn't you come into work today?"

My heart drops at his question. I know he's going to push and push until he gets an answer that he thinks is remotely truthful. I'm still not ready for anyone to know about it, and I don't think I ever will be. So, making my voice as believable as possible, I tell him something that's not entirely a lie. "I was sick. I told you this already. Sorry, to leave you short-handed." He comes into the kitchen and sits on the chair opposite of mine. I can tell he is still suspicious so I elaborate. After all, elaboration makes a lie. "I had a terrible headache, and I felt exhausted."

"I don't know whether to believe that or not." When was it in my job description to explain my life story to this man? "But I'm not going to push. I can tell how much you're upset because you look like shit, and I don't think I've ever seen you look like shit."

"Gee, thanks." I say sarcastically. I'm not going to feel bad about the way I look. He didn't have to come over and see me like this. It was his choice. Now he's making me more cranky than I already was. "So, what are you doing here?" I try to sound nonchalant but I think he senses the stress in my voice.

"You didn't come into work today, and that's never happened before. I was checking to make sure you weren't dead." He gives me a rare, genuine smile that makes my crappy mood brighten a little. I can tell that he was honestly concerned for my well being. And that makes me both pleased and confused at the same time.

"Surely, a boss isn't supposed to care this much about his assistant." I say looking him straight in the eye so that he knows I'm being serious about this.

"When are you going to get it through your thick, stubborn skull that we are way more than a boss and his assistant?" He says, and I can sense an undertone of exasperation.

His response takes me aback for a second. I wasn't expecting him to say that.

"Now I'm going to make you dinner." I think he's trying to change the subject, but then again I never know with him.

"You like chicken, right?" He asks me, getting up from his chair and journeying over to the stove. He turns the knobs to get it started and then looks in the cabinets for the right sized pan.

"Um, yeah." I say, still suspicious as to why he's in my apartment, making me dinner. I try not to think too hard on the subject. I'm enjoying watching him move around my kitchen. His back is facing me so he doesn't know that I'm staring at him. It's strangely calming me.

"I know you're staring at me." Okay, I take that back.

"Don't flatter yourself." I say bitterly.

"Oh, c'mon. You're eyes were burning a hole in my back."

I roll my eyes at him and walk into the living room. I lay down on the couch and cover myself with a random blanket resting at the end of it. Before I know it, I'm drifting off into unconsciousness once more…


The phone is ringing when I wake. I shoot up so fast from the couch that it grants me with a head rush. I reach over blindly to the phone at the end table by the side of the couch.

"Hello?" My voice sounds way beyond groggy. I'm trying to bear my surroundings.

"Hi, is this Annabeth Chase? Brother of Matthew Chase?"

"Yes, this is her." And suddenly I'm wide awake, all grogginess out of my voice.

"We're sorry to inform you that Matthew has…passed away. We tried everything we could but he just didn't make it. I'm so sorry." I feel my heart rate quickens so much so that I think it's going to burst right out of my chest. My ears begin to ring and pound until I can't hear anything but my own panting breath. Before I know it sobs are escaping my throat, the phone drops to the floor, and then everything goes dark…

"Annabeth! Annabeth!" A desperate cry brings me back to the here and now.

"What?" I ask disoriented beyond belief.

"You were having a nightmare, screaming like crazy. I was so worried." I register who the voice is coming from, it's Percy. In my moment of disorientation and subsiding panic I hug the man in front of me with all I have. As much as I don't want to admit it, I know he'll be able to make all of my demons subside.

Percy rubs my back soothingly and holds onto me with as much need as it'll take to bring me back to the present. He pushes me away momentarily to wipe my tears away with the pads of his thumbs. I hadn't even realized that I was crying.

I find myself leaning towards his lips that are so close to mine, but right as they're about to touch I think better of my actions. I quickly lean back and out of his embrace. I move a good distance away from him on the couch, trying to settle my erratic breathing and get my head straight again.

"I'm…I'm sorry." I mutter quietly.

"What was that nightmare about?" He asks, ignoring my apology.

"I don't know, I can't remember."

"I can tell when you're lying to me. And I know you just did."

"Can you just accept the fact that I don't want to talk about it? Please." Noticing the severity in my voice, he wisely drops the subject with an irritated sigh. "I have to go make a phone call, excuse me." I step into my bedroom, find my cell phone, and make an urgent call to Matt. I let out a breath of relief as the call is finished. I just needed to hear his voice and make sure he was okay. Of course he was, and my imagination just got the better of me once again. I step back into my living room and Percy is already there, waiting for me.

"Come, dinners ready." He takes my hand, and leads me back to the kitchen, helping me onto a barstool. "You seem kind of shaken up. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, yeah it was just a silly nightmare." I assure him. He seems pleased with my answer.

For the first time since I've woken up I notice the delicious smell that has taken over my apartment. "Mmm, it smells wonderful. What did you make again?"

"Grilled chicken marsala with a white wine sauce, mashed potatoes, and green beans." My mouth drops open of its own accord.

Noticing my expression, he asks me questioningly, "What?"

"I didn't know that you knew how to cook."

"I'm full of surprises." He says, while setting two dishes down filled with appetizing food. My mouth waters at the sight of it, and then I grasp the fact that I haven't eaten all day. I'm starving.

As soon as the plate makes contact with the table, I dig in, eating everything in a very unwomanly manner. It tastes even better than it looks. I hear a chuckle from beside me that makes me blush. My less than elegant eating seems to be amusing Percy.

"Sorry, I just realized that I haven't eaten anything all day." I resume my elegant eating.

"I assumed that when I opened the door and saw you, so don't worry, I made extra." Thank goodness.

"I wasn't expecting you to come over. If I had known, I would have dressed up."

"Really?"

"No. If I had known you were coming over, I probably wouldn't have opened the door."

He laughs a loud, care-free laugh. It makes me smile.

"I don't think I have ever met a girl as…honest as you."

"Is that a compliment?" I ask.

"Yes, and from me, that's a big one."

"Wow, a compliment from Percy Jackson. Do you expect me to bow down at your feet now?"

He snorts. "If you did, I would be very, very concerned as to where my Annabeth went."

My Annabeth. Hmm…I could get used to him calling me that. Then again, he probably says that to every girl.

I laugh to cover my growing unease that surfaces. Whenever I laugh, or have a good time with Percy, I feel guilty. One part of me never wants to leave him, and another part wants to focus on my family, twenty-four-seven. Mixed emotions can't even begin to explain what I'm feeling at this moment.

"How is it?" Percy's voice breaks me out of my deep thoughts that plague me incessantly.

"It's amazing, so good." I make an appreciative noise in the back of my throat. "Where'd you learn to cook like this?"

"My mom loves to cook and bake." His eyes take on a reverential look. I can tell that he cares fondly for his mother. "She finally got me to be interested in it when I was around ten years old. And now during Christmas and thanksgiving I usually go over to her house and help her cook."

This is a new side to Percy. "It's a good thing that you have respect for your mother."

"Why?" He asks, noticing the undertone in my voice.

"Because, the way a man treats his mother, is the way he will treat his future girlfriends."

"Any specific reason why you care about that?" I know he's smirking at me.

I blush, and then divert my gaze back to the food that I have shoveled down. "Just making an observation." I quickly change the subject. "What about your father? What's he like?" Uh-oh, wrong question. Percy's entire demeanor changes. He is no longer playful and light. His shoulders tense and he gets a far off, distracted look in his eyes.

"I didn't mean to stick my nose where it doesn't belong. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Would you like more?" More? Oh, food.

"Yes, please." I say, while he takes my plate from in front of me and starts to serve me some more. "So, what about you? What's your family like?" Oh no, the question I always dread to answer. Should I lie? No. I think Percy's had it with my lying for tonight.

"My parents…they're dead." I take a deep, shuttering breath. I hear Percy drop whatever utensil he is using. I hear him mutter a quick "sorry" and then he is by my side again. He's looking at me mournfully. This is what I hate when I tell people…all the pity. I ignore his sympathetic gaze. "It was a car crash. Three years ago."

"So the wound is still fresh?" He asks. This is the last thing I would think he would ask.

"Very." I take another deep breath to calm myself. "I have two little brothers. They're twins. Eleven years old. They were eight when it happened. It nearly broke what was left of my family in two. I was eighteen at the time so I gained full custody of them." I don't know what is moving me to tell Percy things that I haven't even told some of my closest friends, but I do. And once I start, it just comes out like a dam breached.

"My old neighbor, Maggie, she saved us. She still is saving us. She took care of my brothers, she forced me to go to college and move in with Thalia. She's the reason the grief didn't take me over. I owe everything to that woman."

"And now I'm here, still recovering, slowly, but surely." I give a meager smile to show Percy that I'm alright.

"That's a lot you had to take on. I want to say I'm sorry, but I don't think you'd appreciate that very much." He says, matter-of-factly. I shake my head telling him that he's right.

"I think it's amazing that you continued on with your life. Most people don't have the strength to do even that."

"I had a lot of support." It's nice to talk to someone who gets it, for once. I wonder briefly just how he gets it. Most people have to experience what I went through to understand it.

"Knowing you, you're probably being extremely modest right now." He smiles at me. I roll my eyes at him. That's exactly something he would say. But a part of me is glad he hasn't changed his perspective of me.

"I don't think you'd be the same strong, and determined person if you hadn't gone through all of that. Thank you for trusting me by telling me that." His look is accomplished for some reason, and I think it's because he finally got me to put a little bit of faith in him.

"But if you tell anyone what I just told you…" I finish my threat with a fierce glare. He knows what I would do to him and it wouldn't be good.

"I wouldn't betray you like that. And frankly, I'm a little mad that you would think that low of me." I'm surprised at the sudden anger that flares in his beautiful eyes. Suddenly, I wish I could take back my pretentious warning. My stubborn side rears its ugly head and refuses to apologize for it.

His voice is cold when he speaks. "You're amazing, you know that?" It's a sarcastic, rhetorical remark. I look down in shame.

"I get it, you still think I'm not in this for the right intentions. Eventually, you're going to have to let somebody in, Annabeth." His voice is softer now, pleading.

"Because you know it all, right? And it doesn't have to be you that I let in, does it?"

"That's not what I'm saying. No it doesn't have to be me, but I sure would like it if it was. You have so many walls up, and I've made it my personal mission to knock them all down."

I snort. "Good luck with that." This has got to be the most personal conversation I've ever had with Percy.

"Why don't you want it to be me?" He asks, and it's so quiet that I almost don't hear him. I can tell that I've hurt his feelings. He won't look me in the eye.

"It's a mix of different things."

"A mix of what different things?"

"Well, trust issues for starters. A bunch of shit going on in my life right now that I don't need you complicating. And then, there's the fact that you're the ultimate player. Is it really worth it for me to put my trust in you, and then have you crush my heart in the end? I wouldn't be able to handle that, Percy." There, my dilemma is thrown out for him to reflect over.

He lets out a breath I can tell he's been holding in. "That's a big list." He sighs quietly. "I don't want to break your heart, Annabeth. You're different than other girls to me. I've never done this."

"Done what?"

"Tried this hard for a girl." His words make my heart skip a beat. What does this mean? Am I special to him? "I spent a half an hour in the store today deciding what to make you for dinner. I really want this to work between us." I can't bear to hear anymore.

I stand and move closer to him, reaching my hand up to cup his face. My mind is far-off at this point and for once I don't think about what I'm doing or overanalyze it. I just do. My lips find his in an instant and we're kissing, passionately, as if it's our first time again. He moves his hands into my hair, and pulls my head back so that he can kiss me deeper.

I break away from his lips. We're both panting breathlessly. "Again, good luck with that."

"There's your stubbornness again, making a recovery." The lightness in the hair has made a reappearance.

"You'll learn to love my stubbornness."

"I already love it." He says, and slipping his hands down to my waist, he pulls me closer to him. He leans down again, making his intention very clear. I'm only too eager to reply, so I stand on the tip of my toes and smash my lips to his once more.


It's a good two hours later in the evening. Percy and I have made ourselves cozy on the couch, each clutching a wine glass filled with some fancy brand he picked out. My hand is in his and it feels so comfortable and normal. Percy is telling me about the time Silena was briefly his assistant and she tried to call him every Sunday evening to pick out his clothing itinerary for the week.

"Let's just say she didn't last very long."

I laugh, enjoying how relaxed and content Percy makes me feel. This date has been the most fun I've had in awhile. Each second passes by, and I feel myself falling harder and harder for him.

"As much as I don't want to, I have to go." Those words make me sad. I hate that he has to leave. I want him to stay longer for some unknown reason.

"Okay."

"I hope that everything works out with whatever it is that gave you that nightmare before." He knows that I'm not telling him everything, and I'm glad he's not pushing me.

I smile meekly. "Me too."

He raises his wine glass in the air. "Here's to our first date"

I clink my glass with his. "Cheers." I say, while I smile at him and he smiles at me.


A/N: So as someone so graciously pointed out to me in a review, yes, I know, it has been at least two months since I last updated. I get that. And I also get why you guys would be mad at me for that. My life has been a rollercoaster these past few months with school, work, and my dance classes. I am so sorry for not updating, I know how addicted a person can get to a story, it's happened to me a few times. I'm honored that you guys are telling me how much you look forward to my updates and how some of you check for them everyday. That truly means a lot to me as an aspiring writer. I am not abandoning this story, nor will I ever. When I start things, I finish them. I hope you liked this chapter. I tried to make it extra long for my long update wait. Review :*