So, I've had some people that seem to forget why Annabeth is a stripper... Once again, I shall tell you in this chapter. READ CAREFULLY AND DON'T TELL ME I DIDN'T SAY WHY! Just sayin'. I also have decided that the majority of this chapter is a flashback to: Athena and Percy talking. Hope you guys enjoy it. Once again, READ CAREFULLY!
"Athena, I need to talk to you about this…" I said firmly holding me ground.
"Very well Perseus Jackson, we shall talk." She took a seat on her throne and I took a deep breath. As I let it out I thought, "Here we go…"
"I need to talk to you about something Lady Athena." I looked up at her not afraid to look her in the eyes.
Her grey eyes were exactly like Annabeth's. Her gaze was less then friendly though. When Annabeth looked at me it was a look of triumph because she knew she had captured my heart. But, when Athena looked at me it was a look of pure hatred. I knew she didn't fully hate me, but she had a rather large hate for me.
"I know that Perseus." Athena spoke with a regal tone that I knew was much deserved. "The question is: do you have the guts to ask me?"
I don't know; I thought. Sure, it had seemed simple when I had asked her to stay behind, but could I really ask her what I needed to ask? I looked at Athena for a little while longer and then my gaze dropped to my feet. I felt like that unsure twelve year-old boy again. I felt like I didn't know what I wanted from the world. I was almost positive earlier. When I had stood up against the gods I knew exactly how I felt and how I wanted to fix the situation at hand.
"Do you Perseus?" Athena asked a bit more stubbornness to her voice.
I looked up from my feet and looked back into those big grey eyes. She sat tall and proud with her legs crossed right over left. "Yes," I decided.
"So," Athena had sounded just like her daughter for a second when she said that word. "Ask it son of Poseidon."
I took a large breath in holding it a bit before letting it out. "I have a proposition for you Lady Athena where everyone wins."
"How so?" She narrowed her eyes but smiled slightly as if she already knew exactly what I was going to say before I said it.
"I shall please those who have been mentioned at this meeting, including your self Lady Athena." I suck in another deep and focused on the words coming out of my mouth so that I wouldn't make a fool out of myself by stuttering in front of the goddess of wisdom. "With one action I plan to stop the earthquakes and storms of my father. I can cure that worry you have for your daughter's future. And, I can finally please Aphrodite after all these years."
"With what action young hero?" Athena demanded seeming to stop moving completely when she finished the question. Her body slowed all processes and she became a living stone. A frozen piece of time, as all gods were.
"I asked you to stay behind today because I would like to as your permission…" I closed my eyes for a second trying to summon the strength to finally spit the question out. "Athena, I would like your permission to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."
"Isn't that my daughter's decision?" Athena asked shifting in her chair just slightly and freezing once more.
"I know very well Athena that if I continued on with a plan to bind myself to Annabeth without your permission then you will not appreciate the forward actions." I worded my phrases carefully. Using the language I would typically use with my father was inappropriate with Athena, especially when I was asking to marry her daughter.
"You are wise for such a thought Perseus." Athena uncrossed her legs and then re-crossed them leaning the opposite way she had been before. "Now, how is popping the question to my favorite daughter supposed to fix all the things you say?"
"Well, I know to some extent that Aphrodite had enjoyed in the past our coupling. I realize that lately that the world has become a bit more of a game than life." Life is a game for me at least. She nodded as if responding to my thought and I smiled halfheartedly. "Getting her way could solve that to the slightest extent.
"As for my father, he has voiced very clearly to me the reasoning of the storms and disasters." I continued. "He is worried that I will continue the life I have created as a…"
"Man whore," She laughed a little as the words rolled off her tongue.
"Romeo," I changed the word trying to hold back my anger after her small comment. "If I become attached specifically to one being of the opposite sex then maybe, just maybe he may calm down enough to stop the major disasters.
"As for you Athena, I know why you are doing what you're doing." I gave a sly smile and she gave a lopsided smirk. "You are afraid that your daughter will fade, fade into the life of a regular everyday person which you know she is better than." Athena seemed to brighten at my words and she leaned forward listening intently. "I know that too, and I want to help her. If I give her reason to believe there is hope than she can do it. She's strong; I know she can do it. It will give her the push she needs to rise again to her feet Lady Athena.
"This is all I ask for. I want to fix what I left behind five years ago Athena. I love your daughter, and I want to fix the mistakes I have made." I sighed and looked her dead in the eyes. "Will you let me? Can I marry Annabeth Chase?"
Athena sat back in her chair uncrossing her legs and sitting like an empress over her land. "After hearing exactly how you plan on fixing what has gone on in this world. I believe that there is only one thing I can say…" She loosened up and stood from her throne. As she walked my way she shrunk in size until she was the size of a normal human. "I can only say yes to you Perseus Jackson."
"Thank you Athena." I knelt down before her in thanks and she pulled my back to me feet slowly.
"I have watched you for years Perseus. Since my daughter began to go South with her education and moral values I have watched and waited." Athena said going into the monologue that I should have seen coming. "You have become incredibly stupid with some of your choices that have come to women. But, in other ways you have matured to a respectable young man. This, coming to me, proves that you are mature enough for me to tell you this: Perseus, I always hoped that Annabeth would find refuge in you for herself. I may not have shown it in the past, but all those warnings and all those threats… it was because I wanted you to prove yourself. You proved a long time ago that you love my daughter when you didn't run from my constant nagging of motherhood. Her heart belongs to you Perseus. Treat it well."
"Yes ma'am." I breathed. This was awesome! I was getting exactly what I needed. I needed this permission and I knew it would work. I knew that this one everyday action could change the world, my world.
"I'll see you at the wedding Percy." Athena said walking toward an exit portal that led to an outside hallway. "Good luck," She winked at me and then vanished.
I looked around the throne room once more before leaving. It was a good feeling to know that a simple question could change a life. I'd also like to believe that what they say is true: that smart people do ask questions. I just hoped this question was the right questions.
Annabeth was waiting right next to the elevator doors when I came out. She was smiling talking to one of the godlings about the design of their house. Annabeth looked like she was in her element talking about the stuff she loved. She looked like she belonged here, in Olympus. She was royal in my mind, a goddess. Annabeth was a goddess of the best kind. Her golden hair shined in the sun and I just wished to stand by her side and bask in the glow. Yes, she was the goddess of the best kind. She was mine.
"What'd you and mom talk about?" Annabeth asked as the godling walked away.
"You'll find out soon enough…" I assured her and took her hand.
"Fine, don't tell me." She took my other hand and pulled herself in close to me. "But, don't think for a second that I won't find out. After all, you're only a Seaweed Brain…"
Now, we're sitting where we used to always sit. On the side of Half-Blood Hill there is a patch of thick grass that seems greener than the rest, but that is probably just my imagination. There's just something about this spot. It over looks the lake and the volley ball courts. So, when you just sit here and look at those two things you can imagine for as long as you are capable of that you're not the son/daughter of an Olympian Greek god/goddess. You can imagine that you are just at a normal camp.
It doesn't take long for us to get bored though because of ADHD. When Annabeth and I first started coming to this spot we would sit there for five to fifteen minutes. Now, I could sit here for hours on end just looking at the way the lake waters reflected the moonlight. I wasn't sure why my father allowed the moon to reflect on his element, and I really don't care. But, it seems like there would have to be some story behind it, mostly because there is a story behind everything in this world.
Out of my peripheral vision I say Annabeth lie down on her back to stare at the stars. I leaned back as well but ended up resting on my side to face her. She smiled sweetly as I moved closer to her. There was a sweet silence set over this hill. The noise from playing campers and satyrs didn't reach this far. It was like there was a veil of peace.
"What's on your mind?" I wondered trying to get into that wise girl head of hers.
"I'm not sure. I don't try to think of too many things while we're out here." She admitted looking at the sky. Her eyes didn't drift toward me. It was as if she were talking to the stars and the stars alone.
"I know it's not possible for you to not think." I teased kissing her elbow that was out to the side as she rested her hands behind her head. "So, what are you thinking?" I asked again still curious as to what was going on in her head.
"I was thinking about my mother, and how she is worried about me making it somewhere that I can't get anymore…" There was a quaver to her voice and immediately regretted the question.
"Why can't you make it somewhere better?" I asked moving even closer to her.
Annabeth shifted positions so that she was using my stomach as a pillow. "I flunked out of college and I can't get my scholarship back. I don't have the money to pay for it." I was about to say something but she stopped me. "I'm not letting you pay for it."
"What if I pay for it anyway?" I countered.
"You won't." She assured me not even looking at me.
"Why did you flunk out again?" I asked not quite remembering why she wasn't able to get the grades that I knew very well she could achieve.
"You weren't listening to me when I told you my story!" She sounded appalled… or upset? I'm not sure which, but it didn't matter. Annabeth would tell me the story simply because I asked. "I was overwhelmed. I started college early so my Dyslexia hadn't started to subside yet. On top of that, I suffered from losing you at first. Then, not four weeks into the program I received word that my dad had died from a heart attack. It was all too much and I started to fall apart. Then, I just fell.
"Then one of my mortal friends took me to a bar and the owner of a strip club a couple blocks over was there when I started to dance on the tables. I was so drunk that when he offered me a position as one of his girls I agreed." Annabeth seemed to get quieter as she got farther into the demise of her life. "The school revoked my scholarship and I lost everything. So, I went to the club think 'Why not?' I got stuck in the business, and didn't get out until you forced me to quit."
I listened intently until I was positive that she had finished. "I'm sorry…" She sat up and looked at me like I was stupid. "What?" I demanded.
"When we started going out five years ago you never said sorry. You kissed me when I was upset." Annabeth reminded me.
I thought back remembering all the times that she had been worrying about school and her father's depleting health. I hadn't used words to try and make her feel better. I had used shows of affection. "Which one do you like better?" I asked curious as to why she had made a point to mention it.
"I liked when you kissed me…" Her sentence trailed off and I sat up from the grass. She looked at me with a half-smile as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to me. Annabeth was on her knees and I still sat in the grass.
She didn't make any motion to stop me as I brought her lips down to meet mine. I separated just slightly and asked, "Do you feel better now?"
She smiled and responded, "Shut-up and just kiss me." There was no need to argue against her on that. No need what so ever…
The singing button awaits, and that's all I have to say.
Sincerely,
wisegirlindisguise