Heylooooooo guys! How's it been? Sooo this is the chapter you've all been waiting for! Also thank you sooo much for the lovely reviews. I loved reading all of them. Thank you so much for all the support and love you have for this story. I love you guys.I hope I don't disappoint you guys with this chapter. It's kind of short but it's full of Percabeth. ;)
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HAPPY READING EVERYBODY!
I wanna sleep next to you
But that's all I wanna do right now
And I wanna come home to you
But home is just a room full of my safest sounds
Cause you know that I can't trust myself with my 3AM shadow
I'd rather fuel a fantasy than deal with this alone
I wanna sleep next to you
But that's all I wanna do right now
So come over now and talk me down
-(Troye Sivan, Talk me down)
RETROUVAILLE
(n.) The joy of meeting or finding someone again after a long seperation
PRESENT (1 YEAR 7 MONTHS 5 DAYS 16 HOURS 5 MINUTES 40 SECONDS LATER)
I looked into his eyes before he turned away, begging for him to look into mine and see the truth. See that I was blatantly lying to his face and he was believing every word of it. I got to know what true pain feels like. It's when you look into the eyes of someone you love and they look away. It hurts.
He believed me. He believed me. How could he? After all the times I've told him how much I love him he believed me. How could he believe me?
Now that I think about it, I must have been really stupid to let him go like that. They say if you love someone let them go, if they come back they were yours if they don't they never were. I say it's a load of crap, no offense to the person who said that.
If you love someone, you don't just sit back and watch waiting for them to come to you. You fight for them. You fight until you can't anymore. That's true love.
Rachel was right, it wasn't me being selfless or righteous. It was me being a coward. I couldn't handle the fact that things were going okay for once so I just had to go and ruin it. I ruined the best thing that every happened to me.
I was such a coward. It was better to break his heart by leaving,rather than him breaking my heart. I was such a coward!
Now I'm sitting here in my bedroom where I've been holed up for weeks. The bags are ready, I'm leaving tommorow.I'm going to go to the place I've always dreamt of, away from the place that's always haunted my dreams but somehow I'm not happy or excited. Maybe it's not the place but the person I wanted there was what my dream was.
I'm going to tuck this away somewhere no one can find. If someone does find it though (and I'm hoping it's Malcolm) would you please give it to him? You know who I'm talking about.
Percy, if you're reading this...I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I could fill pages with my apology but it still wouldn't be enough. What I did to you is something even a foe wouldn't imagine of doing. I was too weak but that's not an excuse. No excuse will ever be valid.
Percy, I just want you to know that I love you. It was and always will be you. I hate myself for breaking your heart but let's look at it this way, maybe you'll find someone better. Someone who can love you the right way. When you do find that special someone, please don't tell me about it. I'm not going to be cliche and say I'm happy for you guys cause to be honest, I won't be. I couldn't see you with anyone else but myself. I guess I'm selfish that way.
But if you are happy, then that's good Percy. You deserve to be. I'm sorry I gave up on us. I miss us. I think I'll miss you forever.
Gods, I love you so much. I miss you. So much.
It's 1 am and I"m still awake. You're in my head. I think of your eyes and smile. I try to sleep again but you're still in my out of my head, I still can't sleep. I think of your lips. I'm tired of hurting, of crying in the shower so that no one can hear me. All I think about is you, you,you.
I wish I hadn't lost you.
"Percy we're here." Edward said stopping the car just as Percy closed the diary shut. He looked up too see they were parked in front of a homely looking cafe.
"This?" Percy questioned him. "This...cafe?" Edward nodded. "Trust me. She'll be here. Have a little faith on me but man I've gotta tell you this girl was really hard to find. She must have really wanted no one to find her." He joked.
"Wonder why she'd want that." Percy muttered looking at the cafe again. He looked back at Edward and patted his shoulder. "I can't thank you enough Ed. What you've done is-"
"Perce man as much as I would love to hear your heartfelt thanks there's a lady waiting for you in there." He pointed at the cafe. "Go get your girl."
Percy gave him a grin as he got out of the car. He gave Edward a salute before he drove off.
He turned back to the cafe and took a deep breath. "Here goes everything." He muttered to himself as he quickly rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans and walked into the cafe.
The smell of coffee filled his nostrils. His eyes instantly flickered around searched all the blondes around the place. His heart was probably beating a mile a minute. He couldn't see her anywhere? Was she really here? Could Edward have been wrong?
He walked deeper into the cafe from where he could here music coming from. It seemed that a live band was playing.
He immediately stopped in his tracks as his eyes zeroed in on one particular blonde. She was seated at one of the tables, her blonde curls longer than he remembered were in pigtails but some of them were loose around her face. She was scribbling something in a notebook.
Percy took carefull steps towards her and stood beside her for a complete minute. The girl was so engrossed in her work she failed to notice him.
"Apple?" Percy whispered softly but the girl seemed to have heard him as her head immediately jerked upwards at his face.
There was a second of confusion on her face before her eyes widened and the next thing he knew she was launching herself at him. "FISHY!" She screeched in his ear and he laughed, his first hearty laugh for a long time as he caught her in time.
She had grown a little taller and he felt a twang of dissapointment at missing her growing up. He hugged her tight and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Gods I missed you so much."
"I mished you too Fishy." April said pulling back but Percy still held her up in his arms. "Thish much." She said pulling her arms far apart.
He laughed again seeing that her 's' problem hadn't still gone away and now she was missing a tooth in the front making her look even more adorable.
"Mommy wouldn't let me shee you." She said frowning and Percy's smile faltered as well. He set her down on the chair and ruffled her hair.
"Don't worry Apple, now I'm here and you can see me anytime you want." He told her.
"Promish?" She held out out her pink and Percy joined his with hers. "Promise."
"So," Percy started attempting to sit down beside me. "Tell me-"
"Percy?"
He heard a voice echo around the entire place. The music that was playing in the background had stopped and weirdly the people around were glancing at him.
His head turned to the source of the voice and he let out a gasp. He felt like the air had rushed out of his lungs and he couldn't breathe, even though it's not possible because he'd be dead otherwise.
It was like he was falling in love with her all over again. The memories flashed in his mind as he took in her appearance. She hadn't changed a bit. Her mid length blonde hair was the same, she was seated in the middle of the cafe with a guitar in hands and staring at him intently with an emotion he could relate to. He realized she must have been the one singing, the source of the music playing in the background.
How could he have not noticed? He was searching for her when she was right there and now it was like she had eyes only for him the way she was staring at him.
The crowd had returned back to normal although a few were still looking amusedly at the scene. Percy slowly got up but before he could make a move towards her he saw a man walk in with a wide smile on his face.
The man rushed towards her and wrapped her in a hug, her eyes flickered away from Percy and she let out a surprised yelp. The man pulled away and kissed her on the cheek. Annabeth immediately glanced back at Percy but he was already on his way there taking long strides. All he could see was red.
Annabeth pulled away from the guy and looked at him worriedly. His expression must be looking horrible judging by her look. "Percy-"
But before she could say anything else Percy pulled his arm back and threw a punch at the guy standing next to Annabeth.
crack!
"PERCY!" Annabeth yelled . It was after multiple gasps from around him and the look on Annabeth's face that he realised his mistake.
His vision cleared and he saw the man bent over clutching his nose. "Oh god I'm-"
smack!
The last thing he saw before submitting to the blackness was Annabeth's worried face as she held him in her arms.
"...cy?...Percy."
His first instinct was to swat the dream away because he'd woken to it so many times before and it always left him heartbroken in the end. His raised his arm and swiped the dream Annabeth who seemed to be looking down worriedly at him.
"Ow! What was that for?!" She complained rubbing her arm. His eyes shot open and he tried to sit up but Annabeth held him back.
"Sorry." He mumbled. "I thought you weren't real." He muttered but he wasn't sure whether she heard him or not.
Judging from the guilt flashing in her eyes maybe she did. She looked anywhere but him as she helped him lean upright with a pillow behind his back. It was then that he realized he was in a room if sorts.
"Sit down. You took a big hit in the head back there. You're in Cody's room." She said softly. His eyebrows furrowed and he looked at his clenched fists.
"Cody...I didn't mean to hit him." He told her. "Is he your..." He gulped painfully. He didn't know if he wanted to know the truth.
Annabeth quietly pressed an ice pack to his forehead. He tried not to wince. Cody could pack a punch alright. "He's a friend. He let us stay with him."
"What?" He yelled out so loud Annabeth dropped the ice pack.
"Jeez Percy." She muttered and bent over to pick it up while Percy had got out of the bed and started pacing around the room.
"How could you be living with a stranger Annabeth? Especially a man! I thought you were smarter than that. What if he harms April? What if he harms you? Annabeth-" He stopped his rant when he realised she was right in front of him staring at him with a small smile on her face.
"What?" Percy asked her.
"Percy, Cody's gay." Annabeth said chuckling quietly.
Percy felt like a cow, hiw mind working icredibly slow as he processed Annabeth's words. He could feel his face growing hot."Oh."
"I wouldn't stay with another man with wrong intent Percy. Cody's a really nice man he offered me a job in his cafe after we came here. When he saw I was struggling to pay rent he took us in. The first few months were tough but he helped me through it." She explained.
Percy stepped closer to her. "It wouldn't have been that way if you'd stayed." She looked up at him and her eyes were glassy. He took a deep breath as he finally deciphered the emotion in her eyes. It mirrored his own. Longing.
He gently held her arms and then proceeded to place his hands around her neck cupping her face. He could hear her breath hitch. "You missed me didn't you?" He whispered.
"No." She replied but it wasn't immediate. Her breath was shaky against his face and she wouldn't meet eyes with him. He knew she was lying.
And then she looked up at him. It was like a breath of fresh air, he knew every thought every emotion she was feeling just by looking in her eyes. This was familiar territory. This was Annabeth. This was his Annabeth. He knew her better that he knew himself.
"Lie." He flicked her lightly on the nose. "You love me, don't you?" He stepped closer and she gasped when she realised she was in between him and the wall. Percy held his arms against it, caging her.
"N-no." She stuttered looking down. His hands came up to her face again, one at the back of her neck and the other softly stroking her cheek with his thumb.
He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He felt her grip his shirt. He leaned back to find her eyes closed shut. "Do you love me?" He whispered against her skin.
"No..." She whispered uncertainly her eyes still shut. He gently pressed a kiss on one of her eyelids. "Do you love me?"
Her breath was shallow as she shook her head. He leaned forward and kissed her on the underside of her jaw. "Do you love me?"
She finally opened her eyes and a tear made it's way through her cheek. "Yes." She whispered.
That's all it takes for him to wrap his arms around her waist pulling her closer and kissing her. As her lips meet his he is reminded all of a sudden the first time he met her, when he entered the room and saw a pretty but quiet blonde sitting alone reading her way her hair shielded her face, the way she tucked her legs together, the way she bit her lip when she read something interesting. He was a goner from the beginning. He would be damned if he let her go again.
Somewhere in between Annabeth started kissing him back and the kiss turned even more passionate. He touches her cheek to slow the kiss down, and savors every feeling. But before he can even react she pushes him away.
She's breathing heavily and touching her lips looking at him with watery eyes. "W-we shouldn't have-I can't-you-you should go." She stuttered out.
"Annabeth." Percy gives out a tired sigh and steps closer but not close enough. "Why do you always keep pushing away? How can you feel this isn't right?"
"Percy, you should go." She repeated.
"I don't understand. You love me, I love you why can't we be together?" He hears her suck in a sharp breath but he continues. "Stop running away Annabeth. Don't you think it's enough?"
"You should go." She repeated once again and this time Percy clenched his fists.
After a moment of silence he was the first to speak. "Fine." He spoke through gritted teeth. "You're right. I should go. In fact, I'm tired of being the one who's always running after you. I'm tired of feeling like this was always a one sided love." He could see disbelief clear in her eyes but he couldn't let that stop him. "You know what? I'm done." He was lying. He was lying terribly, truth was he couldn't imagine himself ever being done with her. This was his last resort to get a reaction out of her.
He walked towards her until she was against the wall again. She looked at him nervously backing up. "Percy, what are you-"
He caught hold of her hand, holding it in front of their faces. His heart warmed to see that she was still wearing the ring he had given her. He would have taken her in his arms again and kiss the life out of her but that would again lead her to pushing him away.
He held the ring on her finger and started tugging on it. "Percy, no!" Annabeth said trying to pull her hand back but he had a tight grip. Tears fell down her face as he pulled out the ring after a few seconds. He hated doing this to her but she needed it. All she need was a little push.
"He doesn't love me anymore." Annabeth whispered to herself so lightly but Percy heard her and his heart lurched painfully. His mind flashed back to what he'd told her, that he would take back the ring once he'd stopped loving her. He had completely forgotten about it but she remembered it all too well. She did love him. Now all he had to do was wait for her to come to him.
"Have a nice life Annabeth." He whispered and started walking away. His steps were incredibly slow but continuous as he walked away further and further.
He shut his eyes tight hoping she would call him back. Please. Please. She had to call him back. He didn't know what he'd do if she didn't. Come on, Annabeth.
He was close to the door. No. No. Why wasn't she-
"Percy!" A broken voice called and his shoulders sagged with relief. A giant grin plastered onto his face as he turned around. "Thank gods that would have been emba-"
His words were cut off by a pair of lips smashed to his. He went slightly off balance handling her weight as she launched herself at him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist allowing no space between them. She was kissing him like he was her oxygen. He wouldn't have it any other way.
Too quick for his liking she pulled away and was looking at him with watery eyes. "I want to tell you something."
"Okay." He nodded wiping her tears. Before he could protest she was pulling out of his arms and bending down on one knee in front of him. His heart skipped a beat. No way.
She held his hand gently and looked up into his eyes. "You're right. It shouldn't be that way. You shouldn't feel like it's one sided cause it isn't." She looked down biting her lip. "I haven't been completely honest with you." She looked up and Percy took in a deep breath. "I didn't leave because I didn't love you or that I loved Adam. That was all an act. I-I could never love anyone else Percy." She whispered her tears falling to the ground and making a puddle. "I thought of how your life would be without me in it and-and you deserved better Percy. You really did. You didn't deserve a coward like me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She sobs and is shocked to see Percy's crying too.
"You weren't supposed to make that decision Annabeth." Percy whispered and he tried pulling her up but she stopped him."No, wait I have more."
"All my life, I've been running. Hiding. I want to stop now. I don't want to be the person who always does everything right. I don't want to be selfless anymore Percy. If I did anything right in my life it was when I gave my heart to you. So, please-please don't ever feel like I don't love you because I do. I love you so much Percy." She placed a small kiss to his hand. "I never stopped. I love your smile. I love your eyes. I love your voice. I love your laugh. I love your warmth. I love your existence. I just...really love you Percy." She let out a watery laugh and wiped her tears. "So I'm asking you one thing, will you marry me and let me love you for the rest of my life?"
Percy's heart was beating so fast he was afraid it would give out. He had had the idea that he was going to make her his no matter how much convincing it took but here she was kneeling in front of him asking him to marry her.
He bent down and knelt on his knees so they were face to face. He took her hands in his. "Before I answer that question I want us to be completely honest with each other."
Annabeth's eyebrows furrowed. "Okay."
"Okay. Then tell me the truth Annabeth." He told cupping her cheek. She looked at him with confusion. "I just told y-"
"What really made you leave Annabeth?" He asked her and this time realization flickered in her eyes as she looked down. "You know."
"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you even listen to her Annabeth?" Percy questioned with a strained voice. "We could have avoided all of this."
"She's your family Percy."
"So are you." He told her.
"I'm sorry." She said and felt her eyes water again. "No no no please don't start crying again. I hate it when you cry." He told her panicking and that was what made her laugh out loud.
"Well now that that's cleared up...where were we?" Percy smirked at her while she blushed.
"Right." She took in a deep breath. "Get up."
"What?"
"Get up Percy, I wanna do this the right way." Annabeth ordered him and he got up. "I think the right way would be if I was the one kneeling down." He said amusedly.
"Shut up." Annabeth cleared her throat and looked up at him again. "Perseus Jackson, will you marry me?" She took a deep breath waiting for him to say the magic words. He opened his mouth and...started laughing.
"PERCY!" Annabeth yelled annoyed and got up. "Ugh I'm all serious here and you're laughing."
Percy, who was busy clutching his stomach tried to make out words. "I'm sorry Annabeth it's just...you looked so cute...and gods." He laughed out.
Annabeth huffed. "Ugh you're impossible. You know what? Stay here and laugh. I'm never gonna ask you ag-ah!"She yelped as he pulled her closer. She hadn't realized he's stopped laughing.
He leaned forward and pecked her on the nose. When he pulled back she could see his green eyes bright with happiness beaming up at her as he smiled softly. "I would be a fool not to marry you."
WHOOP! They were interrupted as the door burst open and April and Cody stepped in with huge grins on their faces. "About time man!"
"Yesh! Fishy and Mommy together again!" April yelled out and ran towards the both of them hugging their legs. Percy laughed and picked her up ruffling her hair. "And this time it's going to be forever." he promised her.
"Now you can braid my hair again!" April cheered happily. Percy did a fake pout. "Is that all you wanted me for?"
"Percy...what's this?" Annabeth questioned him and he looked at her to notice that she was staring at the side of the diary peeking out from his jacket pocket. Before he could react she snatched it out of his packet and looked at him wide eyed. "You read my diary!" She accused him.
"Uh..uh okay yeah I did." Percy said sheepishly. "Percy! You knew everything!"
"Yeah?" Percy said nervously putting April down and backing away. "PERCY!" Annabeth yelled as she advanced towards him and him in the arm.
"Annabeth! *ow* stop that! *ow* *ow* April not you too!"
"Uh.." Cody stood there rubbing the back of his neck. "So...am I invited to the wedding?"
"Not now Cody!"
So that was probably the sappiest romantic chapter I've ever written. Hope it wasn't too much for you guys. If it was, then I'm sorry I couldn't reach your expectation. If you like it pleeeease review and help me reach 600 reviews! I'll be updating the epilogue soon!
P.S I'm still accepting ideas for the epilogue and bonus chapters so feel free to brainstorm!
Stay tuned! Until next time! - RachelChaseJackson
