a/n: you guys are all so awesome, for real. Thanks so much for the reviews. Special thanks to percabethalways for leaving me a very kind pm!
Also, thank you always to my great beta, cRawr.

disclaimer: no ownership.

Picture Frames

"This is ridiculous," Percy laughed, but the expression didn't meet his eyes. "I would never date you."

"Sure," Annabeth verbally agreed, silently disputing him with a look he didn't notice. "But the fact is rendered null as the press seems to believe we are."

Percy's fingers tore through his dark hair and his head leaned back against the seat of the taxi cab. Since climbing into the cab and driving three-fourths of the way to Percy's apartment, Annabeth had already found four other semi reputable news outlets that had picked up the story.

"Most women would be ecstatic, you know," Percy informed her with a tone bordering less on smug and more on tired, "to date someone like me."

"I think we've established I'm not most women," Annabeth replied sharply, clearly scanning his ice cream covered body with narrowed eyes. "And," she continued as they turned the corner to Percy's apartment, "as a business woman, I would really appreciate it if my name stayed out of the tabloids."

"I'm not sure that's possible," Percy told her honestly. She shot him a glare and he rolled his eyes but formed a response nonetheless. "I'm a public figure," he explained. "If you are seen with me, there is bound to be rumors."

"I simply won't be seen with you then," Annabeth told him matter of factly as the cab came to a halt. Percy took a deep breath, briefly wondering if a car ride with his receptionist really would have been more pleasant.

No, he decided with a tired shake of his head and watched as Annabeth paid the cabbie and exited the vehicle.

Annabeth stared up at Percy's building and felt an odd wave of recollection faintly wash over her as she took in the tall construction. She continued to gaze at the building for an embarrassing amount of time before realizing exactly why she remembered it. The blonde felt a shudder flutter through her spine at the memory and couldn't decide whether or not the resultant feeling was pleasant.

"Are you gonna stand there like a ditz all day," Percy quipped snidely, breaking Annabeth from her internal musing, "or just for the next few hours because - "

"Shut up, Jackson," Annabeth commanded before forcefully striding through the front doors of his apartment building.

Percy followed, waving and smiling to his doorman as they passed him. Arthur, in return, granted him a smug grin and the coy movement of his eyebrows. Percy's expression vanished at the sight, remembering the night he and his business partner had entered this very building drunk off their asses.

"Jackson!" Annabeth hissed, getting the attention of Percy who had been lingering awkwardly near the entrance, watching the front desk with an odd look in his eye.

"Coming," he scowled, dipping his head down so his dark fringe tangled with his brows.

They both stepped into the elevator as it sounded and Percy attempted to ignore the questioning looks directed his way courtesy of his curious doorman.

"The mere notion is completely laughable as we work together," Percy remarked when the metal doors slide closed.

"What are you talking about?" Annabeth asked, eyeing him out of her peripherals as if he'd lost his mind.

"I'm continuing our conversation," Percy informed her. He leaned forward and pressed the pocket of his wallet to the sensor attached to the button panel, permitting them access to the penthouse. "Your solution to the article was to no be seen with me anymore," he recapped with condescension, shooting a spark of unimaginable fury through his companion. "I'm telling you that's not possible as we work together and will be forced to continue to interact for at least a few more months."

Annabeth felt a sneer scratching at her throat but bit her tongue and remained silent for the rest of the elevator ride.

"Wait here," Percy told her when they crossed the threshold into his apartment. He walked off in the direction of his bedroom. "Don't snoop!" he yelled loudly as he went, making Annabeth jump slightly.

The blonde sent a withering look of disdain his way before approaching the kitchen island directly in front of her and sitting down at one of the stools. She tilted her head as she thoughtfully eyed the pictures that lined the small fireplace in his sofa.

"I'm gonna shower," Percy called, his voice muffled by the door. "Don't touch my shit!" Annabeth nodded but remained otherwise silent. Choosing to ignore his direction, she slowly stood up and, covertly glancing towards Percy's bedroom, approached his living space.

Atop the unlit fireplace were several picture frames of a beautiful woman. Her hair was raven like Percy's. Annabeth picked up the frame and carefully ran her fingers along the thin glass separating her from the true photo and lightly traced the woman's wide smile.

The blonde averted her eyes, continuing down the line. The following frame held four photos appeared to have been taken years earlier. In the first still shot, the dark haired woman was standing next to a young looking Percy. They were both wearing bathing suits and were standing at a beach, in front of, what Annabeth assumed was the ocean.

In the second photo of the set, the dark haired woman was hugging Percy tightly. Her eyes were half closed, she appeared to be laughing. Percy's eyes, though narrowed as well, held a mischievous glint she now knew well.

In the third photo, Percy appeared to have just pushed the woman into the ocean. She was wearing a surprised expression and desperately reaching around her for something to hold on to. Percy's sharp jaw was wide as he appeared to be laughing at her expense.

The fourth photo fit perfectly. It looked like the dark haired woman had either pulled Percy in with her or he had jumped voluntarily in after her. They were both in the shallow sandy waters of the ocean and had their heads thrown back laughing. Observing the stream of photos, Annabeth noted, was a bit like watching a movie about Percy's childhood. She felt a funny twinge her chest and decided to carry on, ignoring it like she did most feelings.

Annabeth moved onto the next photo. In it, she observed the same woman with her arm wrapped around Percy who was wearing a red graduation robe. The dark-haired woman, whom she had gathered was his mother, looked slightly older; small crinkles touched the corners of her eyes and lips, forming the ever smiling expression she seemed to wear quite often.

Annabeth found herself smiling involuntarily at the blatant pride swimming in Percy's mother's lovely eyes. She bit her lip as the twinge in her chest grew so strong it was almost painful. She felt a sudden tear roll down her cheek and it surprised her as she couldn't remember her eyes burning. She used her free hand and quickly wiped it away, uncomfortable as she was not quite sure why it had appeared it in the first place.

"I told you not to touch my stuff!" Percy's voice suddenly boomed from behind her. Annabeth jumped at the blaring sound. As she did, she lost her grip on the framed picture of Percy and his mother, and it tumbled onto the floor with a clatter.

Percy rushed forward and carefully picked up the face down photo, almost forgetting to keep hold of the towel at his waist. He flipped it over and assessed the damage, allowing a sigh of relief as he concluded it was not even scratched. He set it back where it belonged and smiled at the memory of the day he graduated high school. He felt his anger slowly bubbling up again at the thought of possibly losing the photo commemorating that special moment.

"What the hell, Chase?!" Percy turned towards her, his face hot as his rage piqued. He fury quickly turned to surprise, however, when he saw her red eyes. "Are… you okay?" he asked, the question was surprisingly difficult to roll off the tongue, but once it was lingering in the air between them, Percy couldn't say the feeling was unpleasant.

"I'm fine," Annabeth told him quickly, too quickly. "Why did you come out?" she inquired, eyeing his attire or lack thereof. "You aren't dressed," she noted, her tone taking a cold edge. "I thought that was the entire reason for coming here."

"I thought you might be going through my stuff," Percy told her honestly. He narrowed his eyes slightly and gave her a once over. "Sit there," he pointed to the couch behind her when his eyes returned to hers. "You can read those if you want," he shifted his index finger to show her the small stack of books beside on the coffee table beside the black sofa. "I'm going to finish changing."

Annabeth nodded silently and followed his instruction, sitting down where he had directed. He eyed her oddly one last time before retreating back to his room.

When the door was shut behind him he walked towards his dresser and thoughtlessly picked out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He dropped his towel and slipped them on as he reflected on his prior interaction.

The expression on Annabeth's face when he'd turned to her was one he'd never come close to seeing. She appeared to have cracked, looking completely and utterly vulnerable - it had surprised him, to say the least - then, a second later, she was back to her normal bitchy self, the only trace of her earlier expression the faint redness bleeding into the white of her eyes.

He shook off the persisting feeling of… he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It felt like something between sympathy and guilt, but that was ridiculous as he had absolutely nothing to feel guilty for and the blonde she-devil had done nothing to deserve his sympathy.

-00000000000000000000-

In the living room, Annabeth was finding herself positively confused by the variety of books on Percy's coffee table. The first of the stack was titled Complete Puppy & Dog Care, followed by The Art of Racing in the Rain, then Form and Beauty on the Ocean, next came Forensic Architecture: Violence at the Threshold of Detectability, and finally Seasick: Ocean Change and the Extinction of Life on Earth.

Annabeth, having read a few of the books herself, was mystified by the wide selection of works that seemed to hold no relation to one and other. She picked up the first book, about dog care, and flipped through the first few pages, honestly curious. Piper had been pressing her to get a puppy and Annabeth had continuously denied her. The book wasn't making her overturn that decision, it appeared training a puppy was a lot more work than it seemed.

She had just finished the first chapter when Percy stepped out of his room, fully dressed for a change. He eyed the book in her hands with mild interest.

"Interested?" he asked, nodding towards the adorable photo of a golden retriever on the cover.

"No," Annabeth shook her head before closing the book and returning it to its spot on the coffee table. "What are you wearing?" she questioned, her gray analytical eyes scanning his attire with a displeased look.

"Clothing," Percy told her, looking as if he didn't understand what was wrong with his outfit.

"Aren't we going back to work?" Annabeth inquired, standing up from the couch and placing both her hands on her hips.

"No," Percy said and laughed at her obvious disdain. "It's too late." He pointed to the clock on his kitchen counter. "It's almost five."

"So?" Annabeth demanded, a taking a step towards him.

"So the work day will end by the time we get to the office," Percy told her, his lips curling unpleasantly at her apparent lack of understanding.

"Gods, you are such an underachiever!" Annabeth exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air to illustrate her frustration. "Did you know that?"

"Well, pardon me," Percy countered, "but I'd rather be a happy underachiever than an unhappy, swotty overachiever who overworks herself and doesn't understand balance."

"We have work to do, Jackson!" Annabeth cried; she would never understand her business partner's lack of drive. "Do you even care about your father's company?"

"Of course, I care," Percy returned sharpy, his tone breaking branches. "But I also care about my own well being."

"I'm perfectly healthy, I assure you." Annabeth crossed her arms across her chest and thought for a moment, forming a workable agreement in her head. "What if we don't work on structural architecture?" she offered slowly, cautiously picking her every word. "We can focus on the interior design element."

"Okay, I accept on one condition," Percy said after a long pause. "I'm ordering Chinese food."

"You're incorrigible," Annabeth scoffed, though not unkindly, and rolled her eyes. The green eyed man smiled minutely at the slight change in intonation, but caught himself and quickly put a stop to the irregularity.

"Let's get to work."

-00000000000000000000-

Annabeth lowered her head and set her chin down on Percy's dining room table. She gazed out at the stack of papers sitting in front of her and tried not to feel intimidated by how much work there was to do. She rubbed her eyes roughly, pressing until she saw stars.

"You alright?" Percy questioned absently from across the table where he was tackling a pdf document on his computer.

Annabeth opened her eyes and looked up at him, presenting the demeanor expected of her. "I'm fine," she assured him, picking up her pen again and reading through the faxes. She felt a fuzzy weariness muddle her senses, diverting her focus to the empty Chinese food cartons on the kitchen counter.

They were a distractingly bright color. It appeared the originally white containers had been colored blue with a sharpie. When Annabeth had asked why they looked like that, Percy had informed her the owner had a crush on his mother. The blonde, though confused, chose to resume her work instead of inquiring in regards to the odd reasoning.

Now, however, that fatigue was disarranging her mind, the question seemed to permeate. "Why would he do that?" she blurted out without realizing she was thinking out loud.

"Hmm?" Percy hummed from across the table, raising his eyes to meet hers.

"Can I make some coffee?" she asked, realizing the mistake her mind had made in her addled state.

"I can make it," Percy told her, and Annabeth was bemused by the casual manner with which he offered the favor.

Annabeth watched with hazy eyes as he finished typing his sentence and stood up to prepare the drink. She was temporarily fascinated by the way he moved, so at ease. She supposed that was how people were meant to feel in their homes. A small dull pain surfaced in her chest at the thought, but it was quickly silenced when her phone began to ring.

Annabeth jumped at the sudden sound and sighed, knowing there were only two people who would call this late, Piper and her mother; the prior had already texted to secure her roommate's location and safety, therefore it could only be the latter.

"I have to take this," Annabeth informed Percy without glancing up.

"You can use my room if you want," he suggested. That made her look up.

What, she mouthed, stunned at that he would allow her into his private space. Maybe his head is hazy too, she mused.

"It's the only private spot in the house," Percy shrugged. Annabeth nodded and accepted the offer, quickly entering his bedroom and closing the door behind her.

"Hello?" she answered the phone on the fourth ring, barely catching the call.

"Annabeth," her mother's sharp voice came through the device. "Where are you right now?"

"At Per - Jackson's apartment," Annabeth said, hoping her mother hadn't realized her mistake. She'd never made it before. Why now? Why did it have to happen when she was speaking to the most temperamental woman she knew.

"And what are you doing at Perseus's apartment?" her mother inquired, the accusation blatant in her curt tone.

"Working," Annabeth responded honestly.

"Well, I must say I'm very disappointed." The words were a sharp shard of ice to the blonde's heart. "I would have thought my daughter would know how to conduct herself in public."

"What are you talking about?" Annabeth desperately questioned.

"The article, you halfwit!" Athena hissed and her daughter felt her hands begin to tremble, her breaths becoming uneven. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

"I didn't - " Annabeth tried to explain that it was all lies, but her mother was a step in front of her.

"I know you two aren't dating, Annabeth," her mother sneered. "You're not that stupid." Annabeth let out a sigh of relief, but it was only met with increasingly angry Athena. "You're just stupid enough to go to his apartment afterward. Do you know what the tabloids would say if they found out?" The blonde's eyes widened, she hadn't thought of that. "It doesn't matter because I paid off the photographer who had been staked outside Jackson's apartment."

"I didn't realize - " Annabeth attempted to apologize, but her mother cut her off again.

"I won't support this behavior," Athena warned, spitting the spiteful words. "If you continue to act with a complete disregard for my company and my image I will be forced to take away all that I have so generously offered you. Don't forget for one second that it is I who control your future! I pay for your apartment, your utilities, I have funded your life, and I swear to you I will singlehandedly destroy it if you fuck this up."

"Mother," Annabeth managed, the lump in her throat barely allowing her to speak, "please no. I'm sorry. What can I do to fix this?"

"I simply need you to do your job," her mother's voice was suddenly sickly sweet; it sent a cold shudder through her body.

"I'm working as hard as I can," Annabeth sputtered. "Just this morning you told me my presentation was good."

"No," the blonde heard her mother laugh softly on the other line and closed her eyes, suppressing a second chill threatening to break her. "That's not your job. We've been over this, honey, your job is to find information on Jackson's finances."

Annabeth was prepared to tell her mother what she'd found earlier today on Luke's computer, but when she parted her lips, nothing but silence escaped her.

"I'll be at the gala tomorrow night," Athena informed her daughter. "I expect to see the elegant and charming daughter I know, see that she attends." The blonde barely had time to register the statement before her mother hung up, leaving her a shaking mess, sitting on Percy's bed, wishing she could go back in time.

a/n: percabeth in the next chapter. love is lingering in the air.

c ya in 4ish days