So, here's an update.

Percy

Outside, I heard voices approaching the room. They stopped right in front of the door.

"Annabeth," I whispered, drawing her attention away from Malcolm. She had tears brimming in her eyes. "I think someone's outside," I told her.

The harsh beep of a key card being rejected made Annabeth leap to her feet and grab my wrist. She dragged me into the small bathroom of the private room and closed the door almost all the way just in time for the nurse to reenter. We watched him through a small crack in the door as he readjusted the pillows under Malcolm's leg. Annabeth had one hand on my back. I looked up at her and couldn't help but feel my heart pick up a bit. She looked tired and grimy and disgruntled, but at the same time, with that wonderful mix of emotions on her face and swirling in her stormy eyes—sadness, joy, concern—she'd never looked better.

The nurse left after a few minutes and I let out a sigh of relief. Before I could say anything, Annabeth was back outside, holding Malcolm's hand and brushing his hair off his face. I stood quietly for another few minutes.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," I said softly. "But we should probably go." She didn't move. I took one of her hands and squeezed it gently, pulling her back into reality. She blinked and looked at me, a sad smile flickering on her face.

After doing a quick check out into the hall, we returned to the waiting room. As she sat down, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. It was Travis Stoll.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked.

"Percy Jackson, you are going to swim so many laps your arms are gonna fall off!" Coach Hedge screamed. I winced and turned the phone's in-call volume down as he proceeded to lecture me. After about a full minute of listening to him, I cut in.

"Look, I'll do whatever you want, ok? I needed to go and…" I blushed, looking at Annabeth. "I had to see her." There was silence on the end of the line.

"You're one lucky son of a sea god, kid. I pushed practice back one day to say good job for the meet. Be there tomorrow after school. Or else."

"I will, thanks Coach." I hung up and sat beside Annabeth with a sigh. I checked my phone messages and saw one blinking from Rachel. I ignored it and shoved my phone back into my pocket.

Annabeth cleared her throat. "So, you needed to see me, huh?" she asked. I looked at her, an awkward sheepish smile pulling at the corners of my lips.

"Whatever," I mumbled. She laughed. It was so nice to hear her laugh. My face broke out into a huge smile and I looked off down the hall, mostly because I knew if I looked at her my face may have caught on fire, if that gives any idea of how deeply my face was burning.

Then she kissed me.

It was just a short, quick, peck on the cheek, but it took me entirely off guard. I looked at her in disbelief and saw she had turned red too. I smiled slightly. She met my gaze, then rolled her eyes at me. A silence hung between us, not necessarily uncomfortable, but with a hint of anticipation.

We sat together on that hospital couch for a long time. I felt a warm spreading throughout me each time she smiled. All of a sudden, I felt like a layer between us had been pulled away. When I took her hand, she willingly laced her fingers through my own. We stayed like that until her mom came back.

"Annabeth, who—Oh, Percy," her mom said. Annabeth shied away from me immediately. We both stood up, suddenly self conscious of our closeness and aware that the nurse had been filing papers at the desk for however long.

"Hi," I said, waving slightly. Her gaze was cold, piercing, and unwavering. I tried to smile, but I think I just grimaced.

"So, just… working on your project, I presume?" she said, staring straight at me. I remembered her conversation from when she had given me a ride home and turned red instantly.

"Mom," Annabeth said, agitatedly. They looked at each other with identical expressions full of agitation and intensity, fire shooting back and forth between them in a silent conversation.

"I… Should I go?" I asked.

"I'll walk you out," Annabeth muttered. She gave her mother a final defiant look, then took my hand and pulled me out of the room. Once we were out of sight, she let go of my hand, like I had expected her to.

"Sorry about that," she said. "My mom is… she's just being protective of me because… um…" Annabeth paused for a moment, grimacing.

"Bad past experience?" I guessed hesitantly. She looked at me with a defensive glare that melted away in an instance. Without a word, she took my hand again. I felt my heart speed up. She pulled me right next to her and readjusted her hand so our fingers were laced together.

"Let's go somewhere," I said softly, squeezing her hand. She frowned, confused, but didn't protest when I led her outside and we hopped into my car.

Annabeth

Percy and I drove down the street and away from the hospital. I watched as it disappeared in the distance.

"Where are we going?" I asked. His eyes fixed on the road ahead, Percy smiled slightly and took my head again. I felt warmth spread through my entire body. There was no denying it any longer. I liked Percy Jackson.

"Down to the beach," he said. I raised an eyebrow.

"What's at the beach?"

He shrugged. "Nothing in particular. It's just a place to get away, you know?" I looked at our hands curled together in between the seats.

When we pulled up in the beach parking lot, Percy hopped out of the car. I followed his lead and we walked down to the picnic bench that sat in the shade of a large tree. Percy kicked his shoes off and stuffed his toes in the sand.

"When I was little, my dad would take me out here and we'd just sit together for hours," he told me, a relaxed smile on his face. That's exactly what Percy and I did. Part of the time we talked, part of the time we just sat there, quietly enjoying the others company.

"Hey, Wise Girl," he said after a few of the quiet minutes.

"Yeah, Seaweed Brain?" I countered. He laughed and rolled his eyes. I felt pretty satisfied with that nickname. I wondered briefly if it would stick.

"Can I ask you a question? And you have to respond honestly," he said, tensing up a little

I nodded. "Go ahead."

Percy paused for a second, then asked "Did you and Luke ever… date… or anything?" he asked. Instinctively, I looked for a way to change the subject. I felt the anticipation in the air. I wish I was invisible, I thought, running a hand through my hair.

I contemplated my answer. Should I tell him the truth? Maybe just part of it. Or I should lie about the whole thing instead.

"We… kind of… had a thing at camp. It was stupid though," I said, trying to brush over the topic quickly. "My turn," I said before he could get a word in edgewise. "Did you and Rachel ever date?"

Percy turned a bit pink, but laughed it off. "No, we're just friends," he said, shrugging and picking at some paint that was peeling off the wood beside where he sat. "I think some people at the school kind of always just expected it to happen," he added thoughtfully. He looked as if he was about to say more, but a soft ringing cut him off. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"Hello? Hey, Mom. Yeah, I'm ok. It is? Sorry, I didn't— No, sorry. I… Mom, I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I swear. Yeah. I'm… I'm with Annabeth. Yeah. She's okay." Aside to me, he said "Mom says hey". I nodded in reply. "Yeah. I'll head home soon. Half an hour? Ok. See you then. Need anything? Milk, got it. I'll see you soon. Bye. Ok. Sorry. Bye."

He hung up and sighed, then looked at me. "Did you know it's almost six? I sure didn't," he said, dusting off his feet and putting his shoes back on.

Percy drove me back to the hospital, as per my request, and pulled up in front.

"Thanks for this, Percy. It felt good to get away from all this for a bit," I told him earnestly.

"It's no problem," he smiled. "Do you think you'll be back in school any time soon?"

"Maybe? I don't know," I sighed and shrugged half-heartedly. He nodded understandingly.

"Well… call me," he said. "If-if you need anything, I mean," he added quickly, clearing his throat. I laughed at him slightly.

One of the hospital security guards rapped on the window. "Can't park here, buddy," he said through the glass. Percy held a thumbs up out to him and he left, tipping his hat at us.

"I'll see you soon," Percy said. I unbuckled my seatbelt and went to get out of the car. He chuckled slightly. "And, Wise Girl, if Luke tries calling, tell him to back off." His soft laughter died down when he saw my face; stern with a slight bit of poison in the glare for extra measure, so he knew that wasn't joke territory.

"Sorry, bad joke. Don't… don't hit me?" he said nervously, trying to smile.

"You're such a Seaweed Brain," I muttered.

Then I kissed him.

SO MUCH FLUFF IN THIS CHAPTER I ALMOST CHOKED