La dee da…anyway. Chapter Seventeen…I'm pretty sure. Yes. That's what my planner says. Granted, it's not very reliable, so maybe not, but it's better than nothing, at least, I think so.

Reader12859: Yes. Something I also ask myself rather often…that's not really concerning or anything, though, so it will be fine. I don't ever keep it a secret, I let people know it's ending usually five or so chapters in advance…though I've only completed two stories ever, so not that that's really something to say with absolute, um, certainty. Yes. Why would they be better than you? Yeah, poor Annabeth. She wouldn't have gone if Piper didn't guilt trip her! Though really, Annabeth should have guilt tripped Piper. *shrugs* Ah well. Yes. Percabeth development is here!
Fluff in one-shots is okay, fluff in stories is okay too, but yes, character development is a big thing that sometimes gets overlooked, and some people don't want to write it. I don't really know why, as I've never thought of myself as a good fluff writer so when I do write fluff, I never really think it's that good. I'm better at writing angst. That's what I tell myself. *as she looks through a rather angsty one-shot about Percabeth, and is writing another angsty one-shot about Percabeth, and overall writes a lot of angst over fluff, even in a mostly lighthearted and happy Percabeth story* Yeah, I think I write a little too much angst…
So I don't really know why. I like curious people though. Unfortunately, curiosity kills the cat, and I am a cat, and I don't really want to die.
Thanks! Not sure if it was really that great. I think that's my self deprecation. It'll leave never.
I like fonts. *cough* if ThatGirlWithaCat is reading this, which she probably is, COMIC SANS IS THE BEST! *cough* I actually read a book about fonts and what they say about you depending on which one you choose.
Fonts are fun, and I'm crazy.

We'll blatantly ignore the fact that that review response took up a half a Microsoft Word Doc page, and proceed to the story, because there is only one review!

Wait, there's four now.

FeedTheAnimals: Thank you. I have put a lot of work into this, and I'm glad you can see that.

Guest: Yes, Jaxon is a jerk. Thanks!
Guest: I mean, I suppose. Piper's trying to do what she thinks is right, and even though it sorta isn't a lot of the time she is trying.

Also, we hit fifty followers! Thank you to everyone who clicked that little button. And the people who favorited. And basically everyone. You're all amazing. We also hit 75 reviews and thank you to everyone who reviews. I love reviews. Again. You're all amazing.

Annabeth's POV:

Annabeth closed the door quietly behind her as she slipped out of the apartment altogether, going for a morning run. She'd found recently that morning runs helped to clear her rather unfortunately tumultuous head, and that was a good thing, after all, school was starting rather soon and it would do no good for her to lose grades on, especially on what had given her the tumultuous head.

Most recently, the aforementioned tumultuous head had been a little too obsessed with one Perseus Jackson. That had to change. Why? Because he was Percy Jackson.

What did I do that for? Annabeth thought to herself as she slipped out the door minutes after Percy Jackson had done the same exact ? It wasn't like there was a shortage of guys- far from it in fact- but Annabeth couldn't pull herself away, and it scared her. I probably should sort some things in my head out before I go and do something stupid again, she thought to herself. That would probably be best.

Annabeth kept walking, past the park where a little misunderstanding had occurred the night before, alone with her thoughts. Okay, so I think I already established ten minutes ago that there were some lingering feelings for Percy.Well. No duh. Annabeth stopped in the middle of the street, narrowly avoiding a car and wincing at the honk. She purposely avoided the gazes of the many appalled pedestrians. Well, it's obviously just leftover feelings. So if I just avoid Percy, they'll go away. Annabeth was satisfied with this answer for two seconds.

But I don't want to avoid Percy. Annabeth thought. Well, you'll just have to deal.

Her brain could be mean sometimes.

Annabeth walked out of her apartment- three days after the Seven's dinner thing in said apartment. It was early in the morning, but Annabeth wanted to go for a jog, and school started tomorrow- meaning that she wouldn't have time to go for early morning jogs anymore after this. So she was taking advantage of an early morning not spent scrambling to get to lecture halls while it lasted.

Of course, had she anticipated what she was going to run into on her early morning jog, she would have rolled over and just fallen asleep again instead of getting up to run.

Annabeth hadn't even really started jogging when it happened. Or rather, when 'he' happened. She was easing into a light jog, when- "Hey, Annabeth?"- she almost tripped. Or rather, she tripped, and caught herself before she actually fell down, so really, she didn't actually trip she just almost did, which was better, and turned, stopping in her tracks at the familiar voice catching her off guard.

"Oh, hi Percy…" if she'd known she was going to meet Percy Jackson every time she just wanted a little break this Winter Break, she would have gone to New York. Unfortunately, she hadn't gone to New York, so she was here, trapped, with Percy Jackson, in her sports bra and workout pants, which weren't exactly the best thing to be seen by your ex boyfriend in. Percy was avoiding staring at any part of her that wasn't her eyes, she could see that, and it was something she was thankful for but wished he didn't have to do at all. She wasn't sure if that meant she'd rather not be wearing what she was wearing or rather have him able to stare at something that wasn't just her gray eyes. "What are you doing here?" she asked after a moment. Why me, Fates, weren't all the quests enough.

"What are you doing here?" he answered, or rather asked, back. "I thought you'd still be asleep? Or did school just start- no, you wouldn't be…" he trailed off awkwardly. The barrier still unbroken.

Annabeth felt cold under his gaze, drowning. She shouldn't have been, and yet she was. She used to drown in his gaze, but it had been a good drowning, she was in warm waters and she was safe, she knew that as long as he was there, she wouldn't be lost to the depths of the sea, but now, she could feel the water compressing around her, dragging her deeper into Percy's green eyes.

He wasn't there anymore. Annabeth remembered the dream she'd had when she had been unconscious- that she could hear Piper, but she couldn't find her, she was in a thick fluid and unable to get out, she could barely breathe- ever since that day, she'd stayed away from pools and such, even though she never really went to pools and such anyway. Athena and Poseidon were eternally at odds, and without her and Percy, it was more so. Annabeth didn't want to take any chances to make any gods angry at her for breaking their son's heart or something, if that had even happened.

"I just went out for a jog," she said uncertainly. "I didn't think there'd be anyone else I knew up at this hour…also outside…what are you doing here?" Percy looked a little bit frazzled at seeing her and ran his hand along the back of his neck.

"I…also…just went out for a jog, ten minutes ago, because I also didn't think that anyone else that I knew would be getting up so early in the morning." He gave her a rueful smile. "But here we are." Annabeth tried to smile back but her lips wouldn't move. "Well, since we're here now…" Percy hesitated and afterwards Annabeth knew exactly why, "would you like to jog with me?" Annabeth froze up for a moment.

"Isn't that a thing couples do?" Percy paused for a moment and shrugged.

"I mean, I guess couples go on jogs together…does that mean friends can't go on jogs together?" Annabeth felt like she'd been punched in the guts. Friends. Friends. He considers us friends? Annabeth bit her tongue to keep the words from slipping out, but it didn't work and they did so anyway.

"We aren't friends." Three words was all it took to make the plaintive look on Percy's face slip into a lot sort of rejected one, and Annabeth immediately felt bad. "But sure." His face brightened slightly but Annabeth's three-word remark had brought back the barrier, the awkward silences that Annabeth had dreaded and lived out every day since Perseus Jackson knocked on the door of her apartment weeks ago, and that she wouldn't stop reliving

Annabeth started walking, leaving Percy to chase after her like he hadn't before.

He didn't try. Annabeth didn't really blame him, but at the same time she did, because that was what she had thought would happen, what most people probably would have thought would happen, and maybe in an alternate universe it would have happened, but it hadn't happened her and that had made all the difference and not in the good difference people might've thought.

Percy caught up to her fairly quickly. Endurance had been something she had lost some of, whether it was through anorexia, or just not being able to be as active as before due to studying.

"So, uh," Annabeth noted the nervousness in his voice then, "erm, how have…how have you been?" that made her pause- not physically, she kept moving, but considered the question. It was a question that seemed pretty normal, at least to her, for an ex on good terms with their ex to ask, but were she and Percy on good terms? She thought so…but she wasn't sure. On her part? She could talk with Percy. It was awkward. She was trying to block out the voices in her head, but they kept coming back. As she considered the question and glanced at him, for only a second, the voice flashed in her head.

I could fall for you all over again.

The statement was true enough to shock her. "I- I…I've been alright." She forced herself to say something, to block out that little voice. "How have you been…since It." She didn't realize she was putting the lightest emphasis on the last word, because it was such a big thing, didn't realize how much she wanted him not to be doing so well.

Percy ran his hand across the back of his neck again. "I…it's been rough." His voice cracked. "And, ah, I'm not sure if it's been bad for you, but it's been different…and maybe not in a good way." Annabeth bit her lip. Something was in order here, and she was not going to like saying it.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly. Percy looked at her, surprised, and she rushed through it, unsure of what really, she could say, unsure of what to say. "I…it was my fault, and it hurt you and that wasn't fair to you because I think I overreacted…and I'm sorry." His eyes softened.

"Annabeth." She refused to look at him. "Annabeth, it's okay. Really." The tension barrier seemed to be dissolving at a quick rate, and Annabeth almost relaxed into the easy friendship she'd shared with Percy Jackson before his sixteenth birthday- a little jealous, a little envious, a little bit in love, but his friend. Maybe that was all she needed to be.