Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or the song "You Belong With Me"

Pushing a lose curl out of my face, I unlocked the front door with a flick of my wrist and pushed it open, letting the late afternoon sunshine stream into the entryway.

"Ajax," I said, surprised to find Piper and Jason's son unannounced on my doorstep on what had otherwise been a typical Tuesday night.

"Hey, Mrs. Jackson," he said nervously. "Could I come in?

"Of course," I said, smiling, and stepped back to let him in. "Ruby isn't home, you know."

"Yeah, I know," said AJ, walking with me towards the kitchen. "I was wondering if could just hang out here for a while."

"You know you're welcome anytime," I replied, looking fondly at my godson. "You're family."

"Thanks Mrs. J," he said, nodding at me as we entered the kitchen and he sank down at a barstool. I noticed he seemed tired, dark circles resting under his electric blue eyes.

"You okay, kiddo?" I asked, motherly intuition on full alert. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine," he said quickly, avoiding my gaze. His mouth twisted into an unhappy grimace, and I realized I hadn't seen his smile in a while.

"I know you better than that, AJ. What's wrong, honey?" He sighed heavily.

"Eh, kind of everything," said AJ, tracing the grain of the granite countertop with a finger. A junior in high school, he was a year older than Ruby, though you would have never guessed they way those two got on.

"Like what?" I said, going to the fridge to fix him a snack.

"Well, dads on me for football scholarships," he started, though I knew this wasn't what was bothering him.

"What else?" I said, rummaging through the crisper.

"I have an English test Friday," he said lamely.

"I see," I said, still not buying it.

"And my work schedule is busy," he mumbled, this time not even trying to sound convincing. Snack forgotten, I shut the fridge and walked over to his perch at the counter. He anxiously played with the hole in his worn out jeans.

"What's really eating you, Ajax?"

He looked at me for a moment, his eyes calculating. Finally sighing he said, "Its my girlfriend."

"Ahh," I said, putting on a grim face. "And her name is..."

"Maisie," said AJ, his expression sour.

"And the problem is...?"

"Ugh, she's just so full of drama, you know? I'm tired of it. And she's always texting me or calling me or-"

Brrrrrrring!

"Speak of the devil," Ajax said darkly, pulling out his cell phone that was currently emitting an awful high pitched noise. "Do you mind if I..."

"No," I said, waving a hand and walking to the other side of the kitchen to give him privacy.

"Er, hello?" said AJ apprehensively, phone held to his ear.

Immediately, I could hear the loud and obnoxious chatter of a teenage girl, apparently irate at something, Gods know what. She went off for an incredible amount of time without break. When at last the monologue paused, Ajax tried to edge in.

"Maisie, I was kidding-"

AJ was cut off, once again attacked by relentless, single-sided conversation. Trying not to laugh at poor AJ's expense, I turned to see Ruby waltz into the kitchen, unaware of Ajax or the battle he was fighting.

"Hey mom, I'm home! Listen, I know you told me to get more cat food, but they were all out of the Seafood Delight that Minerva likes so I got Oceanside Scampi inste-"

Ruby's speech came to a complete halt upon spotting AJ, who just smiled half heartedly as the incessant babble continued to flow from his cellular device. As AJ looked away, Ruby's face darkened considerably. Percy and I had vaguely wondered about Ruby's feelings for Ajax, and her actions of the late had only reinforced our suspicions.

AJ frowned. "Yeah, okay. I'll call you at nine. Yes I know, I won't forget. Yeah. Okay. Bye." He hung up the phone with a look of relief, and turned to face us once more while he shoved his phone in his pocket.

"Sorry about that. Hey, Rubs," he said, smiling. Ruby smiled back though she continued to look rather troubled.

"What was that all about?"

"Oh, nothing. Maisie."

"Maisie," repeated Ruby, looking faintly disgusted.

"Remember when I made fun of her for how she eats ice cream?" asked Ajax, looking bashful.

"You called her a food-deprived cow," supplied Ruby. I turned my head so they couldn't see me grin; I had vivid memories of calling a certain red head a cow.

"Eh, yes I think that's what I said," admitted AJ guiltily. "Anyway, she didn't think it was very funny."

"She doesn't get your humor like I do," said Ruby, shrugging nonchalantly, though she looked quite pleased with herself.

"Well, Ajax," I said, reentering the conversation. "You're welcome to stay for dinner."

"Thanks, I will," he said with a smile.

"Hey!" Ruby said suddenly, perking up. "Do you want to go to town?"

"Sure," Ajax said, grinning. "Is that okay with you, Mrs. J?"

"Go for it," I laughed, turning to the fridge once more. "Dinner's at six!"

Dinners in my household were always an ordeal. Percy was either lovingly antagonizing the children (making jokes, pulling braids, ect.) or grading papers while we ate. Harper, who had just turned thirteen, was usually studying her piano or oboe music at the table and would command the twins every two seconds to quiet down. Helena, age eight, often told long and winded stories that had no actual point and made little sense, and Troy's new thing was random battle cries.

I usually just sat back with a glass if wine and tried to keep the peace at maximum and food fights at minimum.

My favorite part of meals were Ruby's stories. Ruby, who had been telling stories to her younger siblings all her life, had developed a real knack for it, making even the most mundane event an exciting, fast-paced tale. Tonight, however, she was silent as she moodily pushed her pasta around her plate. Her attitude most likely had to do with the empty place setting next to her.

"So, why didn't AJ come?" I asked, spearing a roasted mushroom with my fork.

"Maisie," said Ruby darkly, stabbing at her own dinner. Harper made a face, not bothering to look up from her oboe etude.

"Who?" asked Percy around a mouthful of chicken, having the decency to look guilty when I glared at him for talking with his mouth open.

"Dad! Mouth closed!" chastised Troy, feeling accomplished for out-mannering his father.

"Sorry, Troy. You're absolutely right," said Percy, swallowing and taking a sip of water. "Anyway. Who's Maisie?"

"It's in F major!" Said Harper suddenly, slapping the table. "That makes much more sense... F minor... what was I thinking?"

"Anyway..." I said as Harper scribbled furiously on her sheet music. "Maisie is AJ's girlfriend," I informed Percy, and he raised his eyebrows at me.

"Ahh," he said.

"Who wants to hear a story about a lonely watermelon?" asked Helena cheerfully.

"Maybe later, honey," I said, spooning green beans onto her plate. So what happened, Ruby?" I asked again.

"Well we were just like, walking the streets and stuff and we decided to go to the park. And we were having a good time, laughing on the bench and all of the sudden, Maisie shows up!" Ruby rolled her eyes and took a bite. "She comes screeching up in her fancy convertible and she snaps her fingers at him, like he was her dog or something!" I helped myself to another spoonful of pasta while Ruby worked herself up. "And I look at him and laugh, because its just so ridiculous and I'm expecting him to laugh too, but he got up and got into her car!" Harper patted her sympathetically. "And then," Ruby said, fuming now. "She pulls him into a lip lock, and they're kissing for forever!" He threw her hands up. "So rude! And then she just floors it and they go flying out of there. And Ajax didn't even give an explanation or anything!" She huffed back into her chair, crossing her arms.

"Well," said Helena after a moment, quite matter-of-factly. "This being in love business sounds horrible. I'll never like a boy."

"What?" spluttered Ruby indignantly, looking shocked and slightly embarrassed. "I do not like- love- I- AJ-"

"Hormones," muttered Percy, wincing when I kicked him under the table.

"Ruby and Ajax, sittin' in a tree, K-I-"

"Troy," I reprimanded.

"All right, dinners over," I said, trying to give Ruby a chance to escape. My family clambered to their feet as I downed the last of my wine. Massaging my temples, I watched as Ruby made a mad dash out of the dining room. Harper followed close behind her; no doubt she knew Ruby's secret. Those two were close than the Stoll brothers. Deciding that as I mother I needed to go talk to Ruby, I sought to get the rest of my brood out of the house.

"Percy, why don't you take the kids out for a while?"

Percy looked at me in surprise. "How come?"

"Because," I said, sighing. "I think I've got a girl talk that needs to be had."

"Oh, and I can't be part of this?" Percy asked, folding his arms. "As her father, I think I should be there for Ruby in this time of teenage trouble." My husband puffed his chest out importantly.

"Honey, do you really want to talk about boys with your sixteen year old daughter?" I watched realization come over Percy's face.

"You know, I think I'll take the kids out for ice cream..." he mumbled.

"Sounds good," I said, patting Percy on the arm. "Okay, kids! Daddy's taking you to The Creamery!"

"Yay!"

Five minutes later, Harper had been fetched and she, Percy, and the twins went out on a frozen treat excursion. I climbed the stairs to Ruby's room and knocked on her door, straightening my cream sweater.

"Come in," called a miserable voice. I walked into Ruby's room, finding her curled up on her bed listening to her iPod.

"Dexy's Midnight Runners?" I said in surprise, not expecting Ruby to be listening to such an old band.

"Yeah," said Ruby. "Maisie doesn't like them," she added as an afterthought.

"Ah, I," I said, smiling.

"So, tonight was a train wreck, huh?" stated Ruby bluntly, pausing her music.

"Ruby..." I said softly, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable. "You don't have to tell me anything about tonight or whatever... But I just want to let you know that if you ever want to talk about it, you can tell me. Trust me, I've been there too."

"What are you talking about, mom?" Ruby hopped off her bed, agitated. "You were pretty and smart and good at fighting. Everyone loved you, including dad."

"Your dad and I weren't always happy and in love either, Ruby. These things take time and-"

"Oh please, you guys were dating at sixteen. You've always been happily in love and all that." Ruby's shoulders slumped. "Ajax and I won't ever be like that."

"Oh, honey..." I said. "Would it help more to bitch about Maisie or talk about your feelings?"

Ruby looked up at me in surprise. "Did you just swear?"

"Uh, maybe..." I said. "Does that make me a bad parent?"

Ruby grinned at me. "You're the coolest mom, ever."

"Thanks," I said, flopping onto her bed. "I know. So lets have out with it then; what's everything you can't stand about her? Just let it all out."

"She doesn't understand him!" Ruby sighed, frustrated. "And she's a horrible person and just everything she does just irks me, and-"

"Isn't it funny," I interjected, cutting her off mid-rant. "How once you start hating someone, you just despise everything they do?"

Ruby looked at me in surprise. "I didn't know you hate people."

I laughed. "I don't! Not anymore."

"Who'd you hate?" my daughter asked, eyes lit up with curiously.

Uh, I hated our close family friend Rachel Elizabeth Dare, commonly known to you as 'Auntie Rachel'.

"Nobody," I said as innocently as possible.

"Right..."

"Anyway, back to your problems," I said hurriedly. "If this girl is so dreadful, why is Ajax with her?"

Ruby scowled. "Because, she's cheer captain and runs around in short skirts and high heels, where as I wear t-shirts and sneakers." I nodded, understanding perfectly what it was like to be the plain best friend next to the exciting girl.

"What's this girl look like, anyway?" I asked curiously. Ruby pulled out her phone and flipped to Facebook, where we found a picture of a bikini-clad Maisie Charlet with her arms thrown around Ajax. The girl, though undoubtedly pretty, looked snobby and promiscuous.

"Ugh, what's he doing with a girl like that?" I asked, to which Ruby could only dejectedly shrug.

"When we were in the park today," my daughter said, twisting a black lock of hair around a dainty finger. "I kept thinking to myself, 'Hey, isn't this easy?' I just feel so happy and natural around him, and he's really happy with me too! He just can't see that I'm the one who understands him. I'm the one whose been here all along!" Ruby looked close to tears. "He belongs with me."

I let silence consume the conversation, sitting there with my daughter.

"You asked who I hated," I said quietly, not quite believing what I was about to admit.

"Who?"

"...Rachel," I said, rather abashed to be talking about it after all these years.

"Rachel who?" Ruby asked, frowning.

"You know..." I said, twiddling my thumbs. "Rachel Dare." Ruby stared at me for a moment, then promptly burst into laughter.

"You were jealous of an oracle sworn off men forever?" Ruby howled.

"Hey! I didn't laugh at your problems!" I protested. "And she wasn't sworn off men at the time, either!" Ruby stopped laughing then, realizing that I had truly housed feelings of animosity towards this girl.

"So did she like, hang around you and dad or what?"

"Oh noooo, your father adored her," I said, and Ruby looked horrified.

"No!" she said, eyes wide, not quite believing her ears. "Daddy liked her?"

"Oh yeah," I said, nodding."Well, perhaps adored is exaggerating, but he certainly dotted on her, sang her praises. Gods, I hated her. She was so fun and exciting with her paint spattered jeans and exotic red hair..." I stopped, shaking my head. "In my free time I would plot her death."

"Mom! You tried killing Auntie Rachel?!"

"No! I just thought about it. But really," I said, suddenly concerned. "Don't try to murder Maisie." Despite her good nature, Ruby was wicked with a battle axe.

"I won't," Ruby promised, though she looked a little deflated.

"Oh, don't worry, honey," I said, wrapping my arms around my daughter. "If it's meant to be, it'll be. You really can't force it on him, you know. You just have to be a good friend, and when Maisie and AJ break up, he'll come run in to you. Patience, my dear," I said, pecking her on the cheek. "So, how about I take you out for ice cream?"

"Is your and dads solution to everything ice cream?" Ruby asked, rolling her eyes.

"Pretty much," I admitted. "It's what the instructor at one of our parenting classes said, though I think he might have been joking."

"Probably," said Ruby. "Well, I think I'm going to bed now, Momma," she mumbled, giving me a hug.

"Hang in there, honey," I said. I got up and headed for the door, blowing Ruby a kiss on my way out.

In the middle of the night as I rolled over in bed and snuggled up next to Percy, I heard the squeal of tires as someone pulled up to our house.

"Wha' dat?" asked Percy sleepily, sitting up.

"Someone's just drove up," I said, swinging my legs out of bed and creeping up to the window. Peeling the curtains back, I saw none other than Ajax, making his way across my lawn to the back door.

"It's AJ, I whispered, and watched in surprise as Ruby swung open te door, admitting him into the house.

"Really?" said Percy in surprise, no longer tired.

"Yeah, Ruby just let him in the house."

My husband and I exchanged glances, each of us questioning the best parenting move.

"Is it bad if we don't go kick him out?" asked Percy. "I mean, I'd love if he dated Ruby."

"You would?" I asked incredulously, shocked.

"Well, yeah, have you seen some of the punks at Ruby's school? Ajax is much better than any of them."

"Well..." I said, "I don't think it's bad if we let him stay... as long as we stand at the top of the stairs and monitor their conversation."

"Oh, bull shit, Annabeth. You just want to hear what they're saying."

"Yeah, well, so do you!" I said defensively.

Percy looked at me.

"Well... I suppose it's only good parenting," he said.

"That's what I thought," I told him, heading for the door. "Come on, Seaweed Brain."

Percy and I creeped across the top of the staircase, careful to not hit any squeaky boards in the floor. As we approached the railing, voices floated up to where we stood.

"Ajax what happened?" asked Ruby worriedly, her voice high and anxious.

"I caught Maisie cheating on me-" AJ's voice broke, about to cry.

"Oh, Ajax..." said Ruby, and I could picture her wrapping her arms around Ajax's muscular torso. "It's okay, you don't want to date that ice cream-scarfing cow anyway." Despite being in tears, Ajax laughed. Percy and I were forced to leap back from the railing as the pair sat on the bottom step.

"So... You've broken up?" asked Ruby, and I thought she did a decent job of sounding concerned rather than hopeful.

"Yeah," he said glumly, and Percy and I silently high-fived. "I can't believe that I wasted all that time worshiping her."

"You deserve better than her, Ajax," said Ruby. He was silent for a while, before he said softly,

"Thanks Ruby." He paused. "You deserve someone good too."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

It was quiet once more. Then,

"Hey, Ruby?" asked AJ. "Are you doing to that dance tomorrow?"

Percy and I both raised our eyebrows.

Was he asking?

"Oh, I dunno..." said Ruby. "I mean, I bought a dress, but..." she trailed off. "I never go, I mean, I never get asked-"

"You should come with me. As a friend," he added quickly.

"Oh! Uh... sure," said Ruby casually, though I knew how she excited she really was.

"Uh, cool," said AJ, standing up. "Well, I should be going. So, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah," said Ruby.

"Yeah," said Ajax.

"Good."

"Good."

"See you."

"See you."

Ajax had one foot out the door when he whipped around, facing Ruby. "Hey Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being here for me."

Ruby smiled. "No problem."

Ajax grinned and moved to leave again, only to whip around once more. "Hey Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"You know your parents are standing at the top of the stairs, right?"

Well, shit.

"You know, we were a lot stealthier when we were teenagers saving the world," mumbled Percy.

"Yeah, well, we were stalking monsters, not our daughter," I grumbled. "Come on, lets gather what little dignity we've got left and go to bed."

Though, in the end it was Ruby who had the least dignity when she woke the entire house, screaming, dancing, and squealing about how she was going to the fall dance with Ajax.

Percy and I just high-fived again, this time not bothering to be silent.

Yay! PLEASE REVIEW PLEASE REVIEW! Or PM me or fax or follow or favorite or send a carrier pigeon because I freaking love you and I want to be your friend and Internet snuggle with you.