Hey everybody!

HOLY MOLY! This story got... 1000 REVIEWS! YEEEEEEEP! I think you can tell how happy I am since I'm using caps.

Wow. I can't believe this story is ending. Did you know that I published this one year from today? I thought it would be cool to end it on the day it was published.

I have something important to say before we get on with the chapter. You guys are amazing! I absolutely have no idea where I would be if it wasn't for your support and all the reviews saying how wonderful this story is. I'm so lucky to have fans like you :)

One day, if I ever get a book published, I am putting a shout-out to my fans on FanFiction! If none of you didn't like my story... like I said earlier, I wouldn't know where I would be. I love you all! :D

Now, without further ado, I present to you... the final chapter of The Stranger Within.

ANNABETH'S POV:

The gunshot echoed through the air, and the boss collapsed against the ground. Percy was kneeling on his knee a few feet behind him, holding the gun in his right hand. He glanced down at the boss and then back at me. Our eyes met across the lot. My hands were shaking violently as I pushed myself off the ground and walked over to where Percy stood. He threw down the gun.

"Percy..." I mumbled. He stepped closer to me and wrapped his arms around me tightly. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I held him closely.

He was still here. He was still here. Thank God.

"It's all over," Percy whispered in my ear. His voice was raspy; his breath was hot against my skin, and that just made me tighten my hold on him.

I nodded, burying my face into his shoulder. "I-I know. Are you okay?"

"My ribs are- ahhh," he moaned, releasing me and clutching his stomach. I carefully helped him lay down on the ground to see how badly he was hurt. Adrenaline must have rushed through him when our plan was in action.

I lifted his shirt and examined his wounds, seeing the dark bruising. I'm no doctor, but I could easily tell his ribs were broken. I pressed the tip of my index finger against the top of his bruising to see how he would react and Percy winced. I released his shirt and ran my fingers through his hair. He tried to smile, but the side of his face was all bruised up. His bottom lip was busted, his right eye was all black and blue, but I thought he still looked handsome.

"Call 9-1-1. Get an ambulance while you're at it," Percy ordered. I took out of my phone and dialed the number. "I won't be able to walk." He clutched the bottom of my shirt. His head was propped against my torso. Sweat drenched his forehead.

After explaining the short story to the police, they said an ambulance was on their way and we would be taken care of. Percy was shaking violently. I held him in my arms, pressing my cheek against the top of his head. I couldn't lose him. Not now. Not after everything that happened. I kept my hand in his as we waited for the ambulance. Percy buried the side of his face in my shirt, shaking. I didn't stop the tears from shedding. A few minutes later, I heard wails in the distance.

"Annabeth-"

I brushed his bangs out of his face. "Percy, you're gonna be okay."

"I'm sorry about earlier."

I shook my head. "The fight? I've already forgiven you, doofus."

"Good," he said with an attempt of a smile. "Um, Annabeth, about the proposal-"

"What?" I asked wondering if he was taking it back.

"I-"

He was caught off by the ambulance and police arriving. The bright lights from the police cars blinded me and I buried my face in Percy's hair. He gripped my hand tightly. The police walked over and checked the three bodies. Two of them were dead- the boss being one of them, the other was knocked out.

The doctors scrambled out of the back of the ambulance. They asked politely if I could allow them to take Percy out of my arms. I nodded, not trusting my voice. I watched them as they hoisted Percy out of my hold and off the ground, carefully and onto a gurney. The doctors stripped him of his shirt, applying many wires to his chest. The police needed my statement so when I turned to walk towards the police, everything that happened tonight hit me like an erupting volcano.

And I passed out.

AT THE HOSTIPAL

My eyes slowly opened and the first thing I saw was a white ceiling. My eyes darted around the room and I could easily recognize that this was a hostipal room. I noticed the familiar figures of my family. Melanie was the only one awake and she sat on the couch, reading an article in the magazine. I saw a cup full of water sitting on my bedside and I reached out, trying to get it.

"Oh, Annabeth!" Melanie gasped. She threw the magazine down and raced over to the edge of the hostipal bed. I was so shocked by her reaction that it took me a minute to recover from the bone-crushing hug she was giving me. "Oh, I'm sorry!"

She handed me the cup of water and after drowning it, I looked around to see if there was a familiar gang leader around. My voice was rough when I spoke. "Where's Percy?"

"He's in the next room," Melanie answered with a smile.

"Thank goodness," I breathed. In the condition I last saw him in, I was so worried about them. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, and I shifted underneath the blankets. My brothers started to stir but they stayed asleep. "So you know what happened?"

"Yes. The police officers told us what you told them over the phone." Melanie sat down on an empty part of the hostipal bed. "How long has this been going on?"

I closed my eyes and re-opened them. "How long has what been going on?"

She looked at me with an expression that read 'you know what I'm talking about'. I raised an eyebrow. "Annabeth, how long have you and Percy been in a relationship?"

"How'd you-"

"The police also said that you two were holding onto each other for dear life," she said and then added a smirk. "Plus, the first thing you said when you woke up is, 'Where's Percy?'"

I glanced down at the sheets. "For a couple of weeks. It started the end of November."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

I lifted my head and looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you kidding? All you guys ever talk about is how much you hate Percy. Do you really think I would tell you that I'm dating him?"

"He hurt you, Annabeth-" Melanie started to protest but I cut her off.

"He's apologized. He's apologized for everything that he has done to me. Percy isn't who you think he is," I told her.

She nodded, but I could tell she was still questioning the situation.

"Melanie, Percy loves me. He wants to-" I took a deep breath before continuing. Should I be telling her this? "He wants to marry me."

She looked shocked. It took her a few seconds to reply. "What?"

"When the boss kidnapped us, Percy proposed."

"Did you answer him?"

"No. I didn't have time because the boss decided to interfere."

Melanie glanced over at my father sleeping on the couch. She asked a question that I've been asking myself. "What do you want to do?"

I looked at my left hand and imagined a ring resting on my finger. After all that happened between us, the good and the bad, I still loved him. There was no one that I wanted to be with. Percy has caused me a great deal amount of pain- making fun of me, not stopping certain rumors from spreading, disappearing on me, and just not being there for me whenever I needed him. However, Percy has brought a lot of happiness into my life. He has always been there.

I know what my answer is.

PERCY'S POV:

The light was bright when I woke up and I was not expecting to be tackled into a bear bug the minute I did. My mom cried my name and wrapped me in a hug, burying her head in my chest. I could feel tears on my bare skin. I raised one of my hand and patted her on the back. I winced slightly from her grip. She must have heard me because she instantly let me go and sat next to me, keeping her hand locked in mine.

"Hey mom," I whispered. I could barely recognize my voice. She handed me a cup of water and I took it, passing the cup back to her for more after finishing it. She laughed and answered my request.

I laid my head back down on the pillow, looking at the white ceiling. It was so plain in a hostipal. "Percy, I'm sorry," my mother said in the silence.

I returned my attention back onto her. "What?"

"I should have told you about Paul. Maybe if I told you, this wouldn't have happened or-"

"Mom, it wasn't your fault. The boss had been planning that. He's been tracking our every move. That's the reason we went to North Carolina," I explained running my thumb across her knuckles.

"Honey-"

"It wasn't your fault," I whispered. "Don't blame yourself."

My mom shook her head. "The reason you even went out was because of me."

"Mom, stop!" I begged.

Tears started to appear. "Percy... I'm just so, so sorry."

"I'm not mad anymore."

She shot me a look even with watering eyes. "Yes, you are. You're upset because I didn't tell you."

"How else would you expect me to react? I mean, I just got back from being gone for three weeks and when I come home, you're giggling with some guy!" I looked down at the sheets and swallowed the lump in my throat. I looked back up at her and bit my lip. "Mom... it's been you and me for four years. I was only six years old when Dad died. Ever since then, I took on the role of being 'the man of the house'. And then after Tyson died, I joined the gang to make sure we would be okay."

"Percy, I know there's another reason on why you joined the gang. It wasn't just to make sure we we were okay." My expression must have gave it away. "What's the real reason?"

My eyes locked with hers. "It should have been me."

A tear streamed down her cheek. "What do you mean by that?"

"It should have been me, Mom!" I yelled. She gripped my hand. "I'm the one who sent him out. I'm the one who told him to go! It was supposed to be me to go to the store. It was supposed to be me! Not him!" My ribs started to bother me, but the guilt had returned so I barely acknowledge it.

She stood from where she sat and came over to me, guiding my head to rest against her chest. I started to cry, feeling the exact same way when I told Annabeth. My mom was crying, but she was mostly comforting me. She ran her fingers through my hair, whispering words like she did when I was a child.

"Percy... it wasn't your fault. His death was not your fault," she pressed a kiss to my head and pushed me a little back to look at my face. "I promise you it wasn't your fault."

"It still hurts," I said.

"Of course it does. You've been holding this guilt in since you were fourteen. Yes, it's going to hurt thinking about how he died, but if you keep thinking you're the one that sent him out... it's going to hurt even worse. Percy, I know Tyson does not blame you."

"How do you know?"

She smiled. "Tyson loved you. He looked up to you. You were his hero. I mean, whenever you were with your friends, all he would do was talk about you and how he wanted to be like you someday." She ran her fingers through my hair. "Do you want him to look down at you, and see you being someone you're not, blaming yourself for his death?"

I shook my head, swallowing some sips of water. "No."

"Then let it go. Don't carry the guilt throughout your entire life, Percy, and start a new life. Get out of the gang. Get married. Have kids," my mom added the married part with a smile. I knew what she was hinting at. "And if it ever comes back, just think about the good. Remember the snowball fights and the weird-looking snowmen. Remember playing hide-n-seek with Nico and Thalia. Remember the time you guys got kicked out of the mall when Tyson tried to pee in the fountain."

I laughed, but stopped from the shooting pain in my ribs. "That was embarrassing."

"How do you think I felt? I had to pick him up out of the water."

I rolled my eyes. "He never got to eat cookies from the cookie store from biting the plastic cookie on the billboard."

"I still don't know how he thought that was an actual cookie."

I grinned. "We made tons of memories."

"Indeed you did," she laughed.

The room became silent. Something entered my mind. "Mom, do you like Paul?"

My mom smiled. "He's very sweet and funny. He's a teacher at a local college, and knows how to cook. He actually promised me that he would cook for me next time I came over-"

"So you like him?"

She nodded. "Yes. I haven't been this happy since your father."

I took a deep breath. "How about after I get out of the hostipal, we invite him over for dinner?"

Her face brightened. "Really?"

"Yeah," I said grinning.

My mom shed another tear. "Thank you, Percy."

I reached over and grabbed her hand. "You're welcome, Mom." We shared a hug but the pain started to kick in so I had to pull away. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "Now, is there anyway you can get me some food? I'm hungry."

"Of course you are."

THE NEXT DAY

There was a knock on the door and instantly a smile appeared on my face. Annabeth was leaning against the doorframe, wearing jeans and a hoodie- a normal look for her, but she never looked more beautiful. My mom, who happened to be sitting on the couch, stood up from her seat and said she was going to get some snacks. Annabeth walked into the room and sat down on my hostipal bed.

"Hey babe," I said taking her hand hostage.

Annabeth smiled, brushing my bangs out of my face. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Eh," I mumbled. "I have medication to help with the pain."

She nodded, her eyes locking with mine. "What'd the doctor say about your ribs?"

"He said I had a few broken ribs and the rest are bruised, and a few minor injuries. I have to take it easy for a little while," I said rubbing my thumb over her knuckles.

"It could have been a lot worse," Annabeth whispered resting a hand on my stomach. I placed mine on top of hers. "I'm just thankful that you're still alive."

I tightened my hold on her other hand. "I was determined to keep you safe." I saw her mouth start to form like she was about to start a sentence, but I beat her to it. "I know, I know. You're not a damsel in distress."

Annabeth laughed. "I even took on the boss."

"I'm scared of you now," I teased winking at her.

She smirked. "You should."

A moment of silence took over the room. "Hey, Perce?"

"Hmm?"

Annabeth bit her lip. "Melanie knows about our relationship. She may be telling my dad at this very moment. Maybe not, but she knows."

I stiffened. "What'd she say?"

"She seemed cautious at first, but I explained to her that you were different and that you apologized for what you done. She took it... well, surprisingly, she took it calmly."

"Wow," was the only word I could say.

"Are you and your mom okay?"

I grinned. "Yeah. We made up. I even suggested we invite Paul over for dinner."

"I'm guessing he's the guy she was on a date with."

I nodded then I realized something unusual. "Is this our first normal conversation?"

"I think it is," Annabeth laughed and squeezed my hand. "Anyway, I got my discharge papers today so I'm going home. I just wanted to come in and check on you."

"I should be out of the hostipal by tomorrow morning," I said.

She smiled. "I'll come by your apartment tomorrow afternoon after school."

"Oh boy!"

Annabeth shrugged. "We have to go back sometime."

"If anyone bothers you, talk to Beckendorf or Nico. They'll make sure no one asks you about the situation or asks about me and you."

"I'll keep that in mind. Rachel's going to kill me from keeping this from her."

"She's not the only one. Imagine all the girl's hearts being broken because you took New York's hottest gang leader," I said quoting some of the lines the girl's say.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I'll break it to them easily."

I grinned. She raised an eyebrow and I just shook my head. "Well, take lots of notes for me, Wise Girl. I'm gonna need them," I teased. "I love you."

"I love you too." Annabeth pressed a quick kiss to my lips and I frowned when she pulled away. She just laughed at my expression. "I gotta go, Seaweed Brain." She stood from the bed and walked to the door, but before she left the room, she turned around and looked at me.

"What's on your mind, Anna?"

Annabeth smiled. "Don't forget the ring in your dresser drawer."

And with that, Annabeth walked out of the room, leaving me grinning like an idiot.

TOMORROW AFTERNOON

I rubbed my eyes with sleep and slid from underneath the sheets, being careful of my injuries. I have to wear a bandage wrapped around my torso for a few weeks. It was for extra protection. My ribs are badly bruised due to all the kicks and being thrown around by the bosses men. I exited my room to hear chatter coming from the kitchen. I trailed through the hallway and into the living room to see Annabeth sitting at the kitchen table, talking with my mom.

"The zombie lives," Annabeth laughed when she saw me.

I shot her a dirty look. "Did school get out early or somethin'?" I asked glancing at the clock on the TV stand. It was eleven. I ran my fingers through my hair as I entered the kitchen.

"Melanie told me I didn't have to go to school," she answered shrugging. "After everything that happened the other night, she thought I could use an extra day off. I agreed and came over here."

I nodded and not even thinking twice about it, sat down on her lap and took a bite of her toast. She flicked me on the arm. "Wha'?" I inquired with my mouth full of her food. "You're comfy," I muttered grabbing her glass of water and taking a few sips.

"Who gave you permission to eat my food and drink my water?" Annabeth asked with a serious tone.

I took another bite of her toast and smirked. "My house. My food."

My mom just laughed at our behavior. "Percy, get off your girlfriend's lap and stop eating her food."

"But Mommy!" I whined purposely acting like a child to aggravate the both of them.

She shot me a look. "Don't you dare pull that card on me, mister."

"Yes ma'am," I murmured. "I'm still comfy though."

"It's fine, Sally. He barely weighs anything. You need more muscle, Jackson," Annabeth said grasping my bare forearms. I turned my head and she crinkled her nose. "Yeah, not enough biceps."

I snorted. "Who gave you permission to touch me? And by the way, I do have enough muscles. I do weight-lifting with Beck and wrestling with some of the guys."

"Hmm, I have to disagree."

"Oh, shut it, Chase. You're just jealous."

She laughed. "Of what? You being a baby bird?"

I drunk some more of her water. "I'll let you win this argument but only because I'm tired and I'm afraid you're gonna hit me."

"You should be afraid of me, but I'm not going to hit you when you're already injured. I just wait until you're healed," Annabeth laughed when I smacked her on the leg. She rested her head against my back. "Speaking of which, how's the ribs?"

"Fine," I grumbled. The pain was starting to kick in from being asleep for hours. "Mom, where's my medication?"

She pointed to the counter closest to the fridge. "Over there."

I stood from Annabeth's lap and walked over to the counter, grabbing the few pills and opening the fridge, grabbing a Sprite from the top shelf. I threw the pills in my mouth and swallowed them with a few sips of soda. Annabeth stood up from the chair and I followed her into the living room. We sat down on the couch, turning on the TV as we did. She took the blanket off the back of the couch and spread it across our laps. My fingers stayed intertwined with hers as we watched the random TV show. During the commercial, my eyes glanced over at Annabeth and she seemed interested in something else so I took the chance to look at her.

Annabeth was wearing old jeans that were a lighter shade than her others, and a brown colored jacket covering her shirt. She was pulling on the loose thread of the blanket as her grey eyes stayed glued to the television. Her curly blonde hair was pulled into a messy bun with a few strands slipping out of the rubber band. Her tan skin seemed to glow from the sun shining through the kitchen window.

Every girl that I've dated, none of it was real to me. I wasn't dating any of them for the 'experience of love' which Grover calls it, it was mostly for the part. Calypso was the only one I actually considered of us becoming something more, but at that time it was way, way into the future. When I was younger, Annabeth was the only girl who would actually speak to me. I used to get tongue-tied in front of girls. After middle school, it got easier but when I entered high school, I suddenly became a ladie's man. Girls just threw themselves at me and I dated them just because.

Everything changed when Annabeth and I got the project in Math class.

"Percy?" Annabeth's voice broke into my thoughts. I blinked a few times before meeting her eyes. "Were you staring at me?"

I smirked. "No."

"So you decided to zone out on my face?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

I grinned. "Sadly."

"Percy," my mom said interrupting our playful banter. I looked over at her and she was sliding her arms into the sleeves of her jacket. "I have to run to the bank and I'm meeting Paul for a lunch date. I'll probably be back by two. I'm trusting you guys."

"Don't worry, Sally. He doesn't try anything. If he tries to, I'll put him in his place," Annabeth reassured her.

My mom pointed at me. "I'm trusting you. Don't burn down my house. Money's in the cookie jar if you guys want to order something. Love you."

"Love you too!" I called as she went out the door. I heard him lock the deadbolt from the outside and I turned my attention to the TV again.

Annabeth ran her fingers through my hair. "You're such a Mama's boy."

"It's been me and her for years," I said switching to channel to channel. "I'm the only thing she has left."

"Maybe her and this Paul guy will get serious," she nudged me in the shoulder with her elbow.

I glanced in her direction. "Maybe."

Annabeth grabbed the remote that was resting on my thigh and turned the TV's volume up. I lifted an eyebrow at her actions. "Am I being too loud for you?"

"Kind of," she stuck her tongue out.

"Well, I'm so sorry, dearest."

She scowled at me. "I hate pet-names."

"I've called you 'babe' a few times and you didn't seem to mind that," I pointed out.

Annabeth shrugged. "It's not horrible. There are worse names guys can call their girlfriend's."

"Like what?" I asked taking the remote back.

"I'm not saying. You're probably going to use them."

I leaned my head against the back of the couch. "Which ones am I allowed to use?"

"Babe seems to be your favorite," Annabeth sighed and propped her sock-covered feet on the coffee table, crossing her arms across her chest. "There are a few that are sweet with other couples, but most of them are really cheesy or they just seem weird to say."

"Hey sweetie," I said remembering that Grover sometimes calls Juniper that. "Eh, not my type. Uhhh... baby, cutie, love, darling. Hmm, swawty!"

Annabeth laughed so hard she snorted. "Noo!" She said covering her mouth with her hand. "Uh-huh, that's just too weird."

I nodded, agreeing with her. "So, babe wins?"

"Babe wins the terms of endearment contest," she said with a smile.

I must have made a face because she laughed again. "That's a weird contest."

"Well, I'm not your typical girl. Call me baby or cutie and I'll just smack you across the head," Annabeth said fixing the blanket that covered us.

"That sounds like you," I pressed the power button on the remote and the TV screen turned black.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're independent. You don't like guys flirting with you and whenever they do, you always put them in their place. You're not like other girls," I explained taking a hold of her hand and pressing a small kiss against her knuckles.

Annabeth smiled. "I like being different."

"I like it too," I grinned. Suddenly a thought entered my mind and my grin got wider. Annabeth looked confused. I stood up from the couch carefully and held out my hand. "Can I show you something?"

She bit her lip and slid her hand into mine. "Sure."

We traveled to my bedroom and I told her to stop at the doorway. She raised her eyebrows, but I just shook my head and asked her to close her eyes. She did, and I turned around, heading towards my dresser drawer. I opened it and grabbed the small box from inside. I slid the box open to glance at the ring inside. It was simple yet beautiful. There was a small diamond in the middle with a silver band. It was my mom's.

I walked over to Annabeth and guided her to my bed. We sat down as I fumbled with the box in my hand. She seemed anxious by the way she wiped her hands on her jeans and was messing with the zipper of her jacket. I cleared my throat. She took that as the signal to open her eyes. She gasped when she saw the box in the palm of my hand.

"Percy..." she mumbled.

I locked eyes with hers. "Annabeth Chase, there is no other girl I want to spend the rest of my life with. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" I asked a grin spreading across my face as the words escaped my mouth.

Annabeth reached over and took the box out of my hand, opening it slowly. She admired the ring inside before looking back up at me and smiling. "Yes."

I leaned over and Annabeth met me in the middle. I raised my hand and cupped the side of her face, kissing her again. She smiled against my lips. We pulled away and I rested my forehead on hers. I pulled on one of the curls that escaped her bun.

"I love you," I whispered meaning every word.

Annabeth smiled. "I love you too."

And with that, we kissed once more before returning to the living room and turning on a movie. We sat with our hands intertwined and I moved her hand a little bit to see her ring glint in the sunlight.

THIRD'S PERSON POV:

Santiago stood at the desk, tons of photos laying before him. He capped the red marker again and laid it back on the surface. He sat down and twirled the gun in his hands before laying it down. He was staring at the pictures of the murder scene. The boss lying dead on the ground.

Santiago growled and stood up, grabbing the gun and shoving it into its holder. He shut the small table lamp off and turned to walk out of the room. He grabbed the item the guard was holding and looked at the photo. It was a picture of Percy Jackson; the next target.

"Thanks," Santiago grumbled passing by the guard and trailing down the hallway.

The guard grunted in response. Santiago looked at the photo once more before crumbling it underneath his strong grip. He was not happy. Fury boiled in his veins.

Santiago wanted revenge.

He wanted revenge on Percy Jackson.

TO BE CONTINUED...

IN THE SEQUEL:

Lovely Vengeance:

Eight months after the events in The Stranger Within, Percy and Annabeth decide to get married. Everything seems to get even better when Annabeth realizes she's pregnant. However, Santiago, who wants revenge, is planning an attack against the former gang leader for eliminating the boss. And when he finds out about the pregnancy, he adds a new target: Annabeth.

SOOOOOOOO... what do you think? Does it sound interesting? Boring?

Was the ending something you expected or did it surprise you?

A BIG THANK YOU to my mom who gave me the title for this story and ideas for some chapters. Another thank you to my wonderful fans who have supported me throughout this story and others! I love you all! :D

NEWS: The sequel will be out in the new year :) A Troubled Boy with Green Eyes is still on hold on, but I'm going to try my best to write the last two chapters and finish it. There may be another new story coming out after Green Eyes is finished.

I'm thinking about re-writing Pain. What do you think about that?

Well, ladies and gentlemen... I hope you enjoyed the last chapter of The Stranger Within.

-HunterofArtemis32