What are we?

Percy couldn't sleep. He only closed his eyes for an hour before giving up. He sat up straight and rubbed his eyes tiredly, sneaking a glance to Annabeth. She looked so…beautiful, even when she slept. She didn't move, just laid in peace. Percy smiled to himself and pulled out an old family album. He reached for another and cursed himself when the drawer moved. The sound was enough to wake up Annabeth.

"Hey" she said in a low tone, "Can't sleep?"

"No" Percy answered, "Sorry for waking you up"

"I wasn't asleep either. Just closed my eyes" she said and rubbed her eyes a little before climbing on the bed next to Percy.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, obviously polite, before looking in the album. Percy patted the space next to him as Annabeth laid a head on his shoulder. Percy stopped on one of the pages, and Annabeth recognized a young version of Percy and a tall man next to him. They looked identical, almost like twins. They shared the same black hair and green eyes, except that the taller man's wasn't as messy as Percy's.

"Who's that?" Annabeth asked and pointed to the man.

"That's my dad" he said and Annabeth wrapped an arm around him for support.

"You two look like twins" she said with a smile as Percy chuckled.

"We got that a lot. People always thought he was my younger brother."

"He looks really young" Annabeth complimented.

"He does" Percy agreed and laughed.

"What's so funny, Seaweed Brain?"

Percy had the biggest grin on his face as he spoke, "There was one time we were in an elevator and a drunk teenage girl tried hitting on him" he said as Annabeth laughed with him, "Can you imagine yourself, drunk out of your mind, flirting with a 31 year old man?" Annabeth's only response was to laugh.

They flipped through some of the pages, and a few special photos caught Annabeth's eyes.

"Wait!" she said as Percy tried turning the page, "Is that you?" she asked with a smile and pointed to a baby picture of naked Percy in the bathtub. He blushed, "Yes…" he said grimly.

"You're adorable!" she said, "Now I know how you got so cute" she continued and kissed his cheek with a smile.

"I mean, I'm not that cute…" Percy muttered to himself, but Annabeth caught it. She grabbed his face and turned him around so he faces her.

"You're one of the most handsome guys I've ever seen, Percy" Annabeth said honestly. "Really. I think you look great" Percy's only response was to nudge her shoulder.

They flipped through some more pictures until Percy stopped on a special one; Him and his parents, their first family photo in New York. They were sitting in the Reservoir that day, having a picnic on the grass and laughing. Annabeth recognized the spot. The sky was beautifully lit by the sun as its rays bounced off the water. Every detail was so vivid and real. Percy thought back to the moment, small flashbacks running in his head as he shed a tear on the plastic covering. Annabeth looked up to him with a sad look in her eyes, drying another tear. Percy sighed and scratched the back of his neck, never breaking his eyes from the picture.

"It was when we moved here" he started as Annabeth listened intently, "My mom said we should go to the park" he continued and his voice cracked a little, causing him to pause. Annabeth used the moment to analyze the woman in the picture. She had long, brown hair and bright blue eyes, and a huge smile on her face. She truly seemed like one of the happiest people in the world. Annabeth wondered how someone like that can do something as horrific as she did to her son. She turned to Percy and could barely read his face, but she knew he was trying to force the tears back. She judged her words carefully in her head before speaking, not wanting to say the wrong thing.

"I'm sorry, Percy" she said and caressed his cheek.

"It's fine. Don't be" Percy said and shook his head lightly. He tried flipping through the page but found his eyes glued on the image. He covered his face with both his hands, neither unwilling nor able to hold his emotions in any longer. Annabeth took that as a signal to move the album from his knees as she hugged Percy tightly, rocking him back and forth lightly and whispering comforting words in his ear.

"It's okay, Percy…" she started and kissed the top of his head, "It's all okay. Remember what Chris told you, she's gone and she's never going to hurt you again"

Percy curled up in a ball and shivered as Annabeth pulled some blankets over his body and hugged him closer to her. This really broke her heart, more than anything. The boy she adores so much crying and blaming himself for something he couldn't have possibly done. Something horrible and tragic he couldn't have prevented no matter what he tried or did. The fact that he might have to live with a burden like this his entire life was killing her on the inside. He doesn't deserve this.

"Why did this have to happen to you?" she whispered softly to herself as she held Percy, shivering in her arms. "You're such an amazing person. You don't deserve this" she muttered to herself and kissed the top of his head. It took him a few moments to calm down. He unwrapped himself from the blankets slowly as Annabeth kissed his cheek and held him.

"I'm sorry" he apologized.

"Don't be" she assured him, "It's okay" Annabeth was looking intently at him, but Percy just stared forward, an unreadable expression on his face. His eyebrows were slightly scrunched together, like he was deep in thought.

"What's bothering you?" Annabeth asked.

"Nothing" he replied in a hollow voice.

"You're thinking about something. You know you can tell me?"

"I do…it's just…what are we, Annabeth?"

"What?" Annabeth asked, slightly confused. Did Percy…not want her? Did he not like her back?

"I mean…what am I to you?" Percy asked and finally faced her. Annabeth studied his face for a while before speaking.

"I know I have feelings for you, Percy. I mean, I just met you today and we've already kissed." She started and blushed at the memory. "I…I like you Percy. I know I should've said it earlier, but I really, really do." Annabeth said honestly, studying Percy's face again. He wasn't looking at her, but something was bothering him - something deep. He looked in her eyes, a little sad. They were still a shade of red from earlier.

"Why are you so nice to me?" he asked, "Is this because of what I told you?"

Annabeth wanted to cry, she really did. Those bad memories from this morning rushed into her cranium, clouding her thoughts. But she didn't. She leaned forward and kissed Percy. Her hands traveled and nestled in his hair. He wasn't kissing back at first, which made Annabeth feel sick. Her heart felt like a sinking ship, slowly moving down her chest until it crashed. She shed a tear and pulled Percy closer, and he finally did it. He kissed her back. Annabeth's heart picked up speed as his warm lips moved against hers, gently caressing and brushing them. He tasted like the ocean and mint. Percy cupped her cheeks and held her face in place. Annabeth was content with staying there the rest of the night, but she remembered they had to breathe. She looked deeply in Percy's eyes before she spoke.

"I care about you Percy." she started and squeezed his hands, "In the beginning, I thought it was because of your story. These feelings I had…I never felt anything like it before. But after I got to spend time with you I knew it was beyond that. I never had feelings for a guy like the feelings I have for you. And after what happened with…" she paused but Percy nodded in understanding, "Percy, I felt guilty. So, so horribly guilty. And that's when I realized how much I care about you. What I said in school, those weren't just words. I meant them with all my heart. I like you a lot and I would be the happiest girl in the world if you'll be my boyfriend."

She said it. She finally admitted her feelings. Percy looked at her intently, a small smile appearing at the edge of his lips. He was the one to lean forward this time, pressing his lips to hers. She kissed back immediately, pulling her boyfriend closer. There was a new passion in this kiss, even though they didn't do anything new. It felt different. There was more energy, more…life. Was it love?

Percy pulled back and looked in her eyes, "Does that answer your question?"

Annabeth felt like crying again. She let a tear stream down her cheek, but this one wasn't from pain or sadness. This was from happiness, pure bliss.

"It does" she answered.

"It's bizarre" Percy said after a short silence.

"What is?"

"That I have a girlfriend now" he said and the words made Annabeth's toes curl, "A really gorgeous one"

Annabeth pulled him forward and kissed him again. But this time, instead of passion there was a new feeling. A need...a desire for something new. Annabeth opened her mouth and poked Percy's lips with her tongue. She stopped momentarily and looked in his eyes, "May I?"

"Yes you may" Percy answered and let her tongue in his mouth. Annabeth moaned at the contact and pulled Percy closer, kissing him harder. Her hands gripped his hair and kept him in place. They definitely needed to take breaks, but neither wanted to. The two teens sat there, sharing their first kisses as a couple, their tongues dancing with the night.

A/N: Bet you weren't expecting an update huh?

So here's the deal: Since this is my first story (and as mediocre and average as it is, I love the universe) I decided to explore and post extra 'one-shot' chapters of different aspects of the story that I didn't explore, like this one. When I was writing this at first I just had so many ideas that I wasn't really thinking. I wasn't patient. For those who've read from the beginning, I did a lot of updating very quickly, and now that I read the story again I realize I made a mistake. So this is my way of fixing it.

I have this set between chapters 8-9. You can honestly have it wherever you want. Let me know if you want me to post these in chronological order or not, because I know that can confuse people when everything's all messed up.

Thanks for reading, reviewing, and (hopefully) enjoying!