But I Often See You As Something More

by SamIsEternallyTired

As a lot of years passed by, Percy and Annabeth remained as friends. But what they don't notice are some suppressed feelings. Will these feelings remain suppressed just as how they remained to be friends for years?

16. You Are My Sunshine

A/N: I am deeply and truly sorry for the seven month wait for me to update. Well, long story short, I graduated with honors as rank 6 of my class and got in to the most prestigious university or college in my country. To make it up to you guys, this chapter has 20, 800 plus words. :)

I will be very busy but I'll try my best to update regularly. Don't give up on me cause I have so much going for this story.

If you want to help me, if you have any complains, questions, suggestions or if you just want to talk, message me. I'll reply. :D

Enjoy! :)

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Chapter 16 – You Are My Sunshine

Annabeth's POV

I felt as if an invisible force hit me. I stepped back and I felt my knees unbuckle. My eyes started to tear up and I told my father that I'll jump on the next flight to San Francisco.

"Is everything alright, Wise Girl?" Percy asked me once again.

I turned around and faced him. I already had tears streaming down my face as I clutched my phone in one hand. Percy ran over to me and supported me upright, which was a good thing because I was probably going to fall down. I hugged him and buried my face in his chest. He rubbed his hand on my back, comforting me. I wasn't sobbing or wailing because my grandma has a chance of dying. I was just crying quietly before I willed myself to stop. Crying won't change the fact that my grandma was in the hospital right now.

He pulled away after a while, "Are you feeling better?"

"I messed up your shirt." I noted.

"I don't care about my shirt." He bent down enough so he can look at me in the eyes, "Are you better now?"

I nodded and smiled sadly at him, "Yeah, I am. Thank you."

"Do you want to talk about it…or later after dinner?" He asked me.

"Later, please?" I bit my lip.

He took a good look at me for a few seconds and then wiped away my tears with his thumbs. He brought me closer to kiss my forehead and then walked us back to the kitchen.

Mr. and Mrs. Blofis looked at me with questioning eyes but quickly looked down to their plates. I looked at Percy and he just gave me a comforting look. I had a feeling that he showed them a face that said that I didn't want to talk about it. I sat down and slowly ate my dinner. They continued talking about something that I didn't bother to know about. Percy placed his hand on my back, occasionally rubbing my back to further comfort me.

I realized that I might've put their moods down because of my sudden silence. I pulled myself together and showed them a happy smiling face. They smiled back at me and happily continued our dinner. I became more active during the dinner and joined their conversations. Percy still kept his hand on my back.

After dinner, I excused myself once again and went to Percy's room. I went out the window and stayed at the fire exit. The summer air wasn't that chilly but it was cold enough for me to wrap the cardigan tighter around my body. I took a deep shaky breath and brought out my phone from my pocket. I was about to call an airline to book a ticket but I remembered Thalia's gift. I could use the roundtrip ticket to San Francisco. Thank you, Thalia.

"Hey. I knew you would be here." Someone said behind me after a few minutes.

I tore my eyes away from the cityscape of Manhattan and turned around only to see Percy giving me a comforting smile while carrying a blanket. I smiled at his effort when he wrapped the blanket around me. Percy knew how much I loved hanging out by the fire exit. He knows that whenever I'm here, I try to clear my thoughts. He put his arm on shoulders and brought me closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and I felt myself shiver involuntarily.

"Are you going to talk about it? I'm awfully concerned because I assume that you are going to San Francisco tomorrow." He said.

I took another deep breath, "Grandma is in the hospital right now and Dad says she has a 50/50 chance of living."

I felt Percy's sharp intake of breath. He tightened his grip on me. His reaction was rather expected. He and my grandma have a special relationship. They were always very close. Whenever I visit my grandma or vice versa, Percy always ends up in the picture. It's as if my grandma was his grandma as well. Sometimes, it would seem as if she was his best friend, not me.

Both of us didn't say anything for a while.

"I should bring you home so you can pack your things." He said.

I nodded and he brought be back inside the apartment. Both of us said goodbye and good night to his mom and stepfather. We left their apartment and he drove us back to my building. Throughout the ride, we didn't say anything. Probably still shocked by the news we just heard. When the car stopped in front of my building, I was still looking out the window, staring off into space. Percy held my hand and gave it a squeeze. I looked at him and he gave me a comforting smile.

"Do you want me to go with you?" He asked me and I shook my head. "Are you sure you can be all by yourself right now?"

I smiled at him and nodded. He took good look at me and sighed. He brought me closer to him and gave me a kiss on the forehead. He let me go and I thanked him for the night before I got out of the car. Karl was smiling at me as I went in the building. I smiled back at him and continued walking to the elevator. I pressed the button of my floor and waited until the short ride was over. I went to my door as the elevator opened. I got my keys and unlocked the door, steeling myself for the Rottweiler that was bound to run towards me. No doubt Onion ran towards me as I opened the door.

I played with him for a while before closing the door. I did my chores like feeding my dog and cleaning after him. Once I was done, I went up to my room and lied down on the bed. I called my dad to check on my grandma's condition in the hospital. He said that she was fine. She was sleeping right now and she just ate her dinner. I told my father that I'm going home tomorrow and asked him if he wanted anything from New York City.

"I just need you to be here." He said.

"I am going there tomorrow." I laughed.

"Is Percy coming as well? You always travel with him."

"He didn't say anything about going with me but I know that he's affected as well. He's probably really busy in the hospital."

"Oh, your grandma was looking for the both of you a while ago. Tell him that. Maybe it would change his mind."

"I will. Anyway, I better get packing, Dad. I'll call you before the flight. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie."

I hung up and got up from the bed. I grabbed my travelling bag from the top of my closet and started packing up. I grabbed tons of clothes and stuffed them in my bag. As I packed up, I was calling my mom. Once she answered, I told her that I wouldn't be going to work for a couple of days. She said that she already knew the reason why. Apparently, Dad already called her and told her about my grandmother. Mom always knew that I was really attached to my grandma. So she allowed me not to go to work for a couple of days and I could stay there for as long as I should. I thanked her and then hung up. When I was done, I looked at my bed and saw Onion lying down. I don't know why but something was telling me that he was sad.

I lied down beside him and said, "Are you going to miss me?"

He whimpered and I just laughed at him. I gave him a kiss on the head and got up. I got ready for bed and called Percy as I went in the bathroom. I put him on loudspeaker and placed my phone on top of the bathroom counter.

"Hey, Wise Girl." Percy answered as I tied my hair into a messy ponytail.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain." I instantly smiled.

"How are you? Do you need me to be there?"

"I'm fine. I just need someone to talk to." I said as I started to get ready for a quick shower.

"So, how's your grandma?" He asked me.

"My dad said that she was asleep when I called him a couple minutes ago. She just ate her dinner. She's doing fine, I guess."

"Good. Why did they bring her to the hospital anyway? What's her sickness?"

"I have no idea too but I'm going to find out tomorrow when I go to San Francisco. Aren't you going?"

"I still have to check with the hospital tomorrow. I'll try my best to visit your grandmother. Don't worry."

"You better go. Dad said that grandma was looking for the both of us. You can't break her poor old heart by staying here in Manhattan because of work. Look who's the workaholic now!" I teased.

"Ha-ha. So you're teasing me with my own joke now, huh?"

I laughed and said, "Oh, I'm sorry for what happened a while ago at your parents. I shouldn't have clammed up all of the sudden. I probably made them feel sad."

"No, it's fine. I would've done the same thing if I were in your situation. But don't worry, they still love you."

I smiled and we continued talking for what felt like an hour. We talked about anything that came into our minds. It was as if we didn't spend the whole day together. Rachel's name didn't come up in our conversation and I didn't really bother anymore. For the whole duration of our call, I was just inside the bathroom, doing whatever I could do like pluck and shape my eyebrows, shave, plan which hairstyle I would use for tomorrow, and more.

"I should let you get some rest. You still have a flight tomorrow." He said.

"I could just sleep on the airplane, you know." I stated. "But if you're going to the hospital, I guess I better get going."

"Sorry, Wise Girl. I still have to check if I could get a leave to join you in San Francisco."

"Okay, okay." I smiled. "I hope you do get a leave. Well, good luck for tomorrow. Good night."

"Thank you. Have a safe flight tomorrow. Tell them I said hi. Good night, Wise Girl."

I hung up and then left the bathroom. I went back up to my room and lied down on my bed. I might not have Percy as my fiancé or we're not romantically involved…anymore… but at least I have my best friend back.

We're going to be alright.

I woke up only to find out that it was already morning. I grabbed my phone off the night table and groaned when I found out that I only had limited time to get ready. I got out of the bed, grabbed my towel, and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

A couple minutes later, I walked out of the bathroom with the towel tightly wrapped around my body. I went up to my room and changed into my clothes. I wore a blue mullet dress, a belt, and sandals. I don't usually wear dresses but my grandma likes it when I do. I brushed through my hair a couple of times and left it that way. I got my travelling bag and headed downstairs. Onion was lying down in front of the door and I cussed. How could I forget about him?

I called Nico as I refilled my dog's food and water bowls. I also got to clean up after Onion before Nico finally picked up his phone.

"Hello, cousin-in-law." He greeted me.

"Shut up. Your cousin isn't getting married to me, in case you have forgotten."

"That doesn't mean I have to stop calling you that."

"Quit it." I said and laughed. "Anyway, I have a little favor to ask from you."

"What is it?"

"Can you watch over my dog for a couple of days?"

"Why not let Percy do it? Where would you be going anyway?"

"Percy can't. I'm going to San Francisco and I'll be staying there for quite some time. My grandma is confined in the hospital."

"Oh, is Percy going with you?" Nico asked me.

"I'm afraid not."

"Well, that's unlike him. He always goes wherever you go."

"He might if the hospital allows him to get a leave. So can you watch over my dog? It's just a couple of days."

"I'm sorry. I can't. We have another new murder case and we might be working on it for nights and days. I might forget to go there to take care of your dog."

"I – fine. I'll ask Thalia."

"Have a safe flight then."

I thanked him before I hung up. I looked at Onion and he didn't move away from the door despite the fact that there was dog food on his food bowl. I sighed and then tried to call Thalia but before I could press the call button, my phone rang. I looked at the caller I.D. and my eyebrows immediately scrunched up.

"Mrs. Blofis? Is everything alright?" I asked as I answered the call.

"Yes, of course. I just called to check up on you and also because Percy asked me if I could watch over Onion while you're away."

"Oh, he did that? I'm still at home. Are you sure you're alright with it, Mrs. Blofis?"

"Of course! Why shouldn't I be?"

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Blofis! Thank you. I hope Onion wouldn't be too much of a handful for you."

"He wouldn't be. He's going to be fine, Annabeth. Don't worry."

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Blofis."

"You're welcome. Now, have a safe flight."

She hung up on me and then I called Percy. He answered after the first ring, which was rather normal.

"Hey, Wise Girl." He said with a clear smile in his voice.

"You asked your mom to watch over my dog while I'm away?"

"Yeah, she has already done that before and she enjoys watching over Onion. So it's fine." He calmly said.

"But your mom?! I could've just asked either one of your cousins."

"Annabeth, you don't think that I already asked my cousins before asking my own mom to watch Onion? You don't think that I feel bad for adding extra responsibilities to Mom's already existing ones?"

I didn't say anything for a while and then sighed, "I'm...you know deep down I'm thankful for what you did, Percy."

I heard him sigh as well, "Yeah, I know. It's alright."

"Did you tell them why I was leaving for San Francisco?"

"I didn't say a single word to them since you didn't say it was fine to."

I smiled, "Thank you, Seaweed Brain. I prefer having the people around me not know my problems."

"I know. I've been with you for more than two decades. I know how you think, act, and work."

I laughed, "Yeah, you do."

I looked at the time and started to get ready, "Hey, Seaweed Brain, I'll call you later. I have to get going."

"Of course. Okay, okay, well, have a safe flight. Tell them that I said hi."

"I will. Good luck with getting a leave. Just call me if I'll be seeing you in San Francisco."

"Okay. Be careful. I miss you."

I smiled, "I miss you more."

"Well, I miss you most."

"Fine, you win this round." I said.

He laughed and said his goodbye before hanging up. I sighed and placed my phone in my bag. I took a quick look in my bag to make sure that I had my ticket and I did. Then I called Onion but he didn't stand up. He was still lying down on the floor, blocking my way to the door. He just looked at me with those sad eyes of his. I went over to him and crouched down to kiss the top of his head. He whimpered and I sighed. I hate it when I have to leave him.

"I'll be back after a couple of days. But don't worry; Percy's mom is going to watch over you while I'm away." I told my dog even if the idea of talking to a dog was weird.

He still looked at me and I could just tell that he was judging me. I laughed at myself for thinking my dog would understand what I am saying. I tried to get him to stand up and move away and eventually, I did. I had my things out in the hall and looked back at Onion. He didn't go out of the loft and he didn't even try. He just stood there, looking at me. I gave him a sad smile and gave him one last kiss on his head. I closed the door and locked it.

I went down to the lobby and was greeted by Karl's questioning eyes. I told him that I would be away for a couple of days. He nodded but didn't say anything else. He got me a cab and wished me a safe travel to wherever I am going. I smiled at him and said goodbye as I got in the cab. I told the cab driver to bring me to the airport. I looked at my two-way pager and got a message from Percy. He was asking me where I am right now. I laughed and replied to him. I wasn't surprised when he immediately replied. We talked for a while until he said that he had to attend to a patient. I smiled and put the pager back in my bag.

I paid the cab driver and thanked him after he helped me with my bag. I went straight to the check-in counter and got my ticket. I checked-in my bag and I went to the departure area. I waited for the plane to arrive and for the passengers to be called. But apparently, the flight was delayed. I got my laptop and turned it on. I checked my mail and got a couple from some sites that I have subscribed to and some from Luke.

I immediately felt bad because I haven't done my part of the promise. I barely sent Luke any mails. It's probably because of what happened between Percy and me. I mean, I might slip like I would end up writing something like, "Oh, wow Rome looks wonderful! I wish I could be with you but I'd feel bad throughout the whole trip. Why? Because I might have made out with Percy more than once."

I shook my head and looked at the screen of my laptop. I clicked his e-mail and smiled when I saw that he had attached pictures of him, visiting tourist spots. I looked through those and read the message. Same old, same old. He was telling me that he wished that I was there along with him because the trip would me so much better if I was. He told me what he had done there and how long they stayed there. At the end of the e-mail, he told me that he missed me and he loved me. I stared at the screen once again and then clicked reply. I wrote back to him, apologizing if I was missing in action for quite some time. I told him that I was really busy here with work and if only I was given a chance to be with him right now, I would gladly take it. I said that I was buried in paperwork and clients just came in and out of the office. I told him that I was actually in the airport right now, just waiting for my delayed flight to San Francisco, and that I was going there because of what happened to my grandmother. At the end of my reply I said that I missed him so much and I love him too.

I quickly sent the e-mail and closed the internet browser. I was about to turn off my laptop when something popped up. It was from Skype. Apparently, Percy caught me online and he was calling me. I instantly smiled and answered it. He had scrunched up eyebrows as his face appeared on the screen.

"You got the airplane with Wi-Fi?" He asked me.

"Well, hello to you too!" I laughed. "Nah, the flight is delayed so here I am, still at the airport."

"Oh, okay. I thought you got the plane with Wi-Fi because that would be so awesome."

"I know right." I said, excitedly.

He laughed and said, "So, have you eaten your breakfast?"

"I haven't gotten my cup of coffee."

"That isn't breakfast." He said with a straight face.

"Fine, no. No breakfast for me yet."

"Go get something to eat while you wait for the flight."

"No, I'm fine. I'll eat on the plane."

"Those are only small snacks. You need pancakes, toast, or what."

"No, seriously, I'm fine, Seaweed Brain."

"I'll pay for your breakfast. Just eat something." He insisted.

"Fine, fine. Alright. I'll go buy a doughnut if you insist." I rolled my eyes. "But you're paying for it, okay?"

"Yes, I will."

"You're doing this to make me fat aren't you? You just can't accept the fact that your best friend is thinner than you." I laughed.

Percy made a face and told me to just buy my doughnut. I threatened him that I'll buy a whole box and he just told me to go. I closed my laptop and bought a box of doughnuts. A box of doughnuts is the least I could bring them. I went back to my spot and opened my laptop. Percy was still online and I called him this time. He answered and I smiled.

"I got a box of doughnuts." I said.

"I know. So you can give it to your family."

"Why...do you know me so well?"

"More than two decades with you is to be blamed." He smiled.

"Anyways, you don't have to pay for it. I got it."

"No, I insist."

"To be honest, I feel like I'm the reason why you're going to be bankrupted soon so think again." I said as I got a doughnut out of the box.

"No, I told you to buy something to eat. So I'm paying."

"But you didn't tell me to get a whole box of doughnuts. Plus you aren't the one who's eating it." I said as I bit the doughnut.

We started arguing about the payment, mocked each other, which eventually led to laughing. I still haven't finished my doughnut when Percy said that he needed to go. He quickly went offline and I just shrugged. Being a doctor is really busy. And how can you blame him? He's a well-known doctor. I turned off my laptop and finished my treat. Luckily the plane already arrived and we were already boarding. I got my bag and box of doughnuts and headed for the gate. Since there were a lot of people, it took longer than usual to board the plane. Once I finally got seated, I was about to turn off my phone when it rang.

"Annabeth Chase." I said as I answered the call.

"Hey, Wise Girl, have a safe flight." A smile was clear in his voice.

"Thanks, Seaweed Brain. Good luck on your leave."

"Thanks. Oh, hey, I have to get going." He said in a rush.

"Why are you always running out on me? Am I that annoying and talkative?" I asked him and then realization hit me. "Oh yeah, I have to get going too. I'm on the plane right now and we're still boarding. Do you have a patient to attend to?"

"Yeah, I do. I'm outside the operating room right now and I just called to wish you a safe flight."

"You didn't tell me you were going to operate on someone in a few seconds. Go! Go in! Good luck. Save his or her life for me, okay?"

He chuckled, "Okay. Goodbye. I miss you."

He hung up before I could say anything, which was a good thing because if he didn't, I would still talk.

I slowly shook my head and chuckled. I buckled on my seatbelt and then turned my phone off. I couldn't help but feel touched at the fact that Percy called to wish me a safe flight just a couple seconds away from operating on someone. My thoughts wandered off as I waited for the crew to close the door.

Did he ever call Rachel for a petty reminder before he goes in the operating room?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I tried my best to permanently erase that thought. And as I did this, I looked at the people who were entering the plane. Maybe I knew someone who is on the flight as well. But with no such luck, I knew no one.

A couple minutes later, a flight attendant closed the door and the plane slowly moved away from to airport building and towards the runway. Then we took off.

I'll be back soon, New York City.

I ate the snacks that the airline provided and also got a doughnut from the box that I was bringing to San Francisco. I worked the whole duration of the flight. I listened to the music in my iPod as I read and reviewed my clients' files which I have encoded on my laptop. I made a lot of footnotes at the end of every page of each document. I also had printed documents, which I also read, reviewed, and noted. Once I was done skimming and scanning through each file, I decided to catch on my sleep.

I felt myself slowly stirring up, which was a good thing because I could feel the plane slowly descending. I slowly opened my eyes, took a deep breath, and stretched. My eyes adjusted to the sudden light as I looked around. I fixed my things and started to fix myself. I lightly brushed my hair, sprayed on a bit of perfume, and reapplied my lip balm.

Soon enough, we were back on the ground. People started to get their baggage and we went out the plane as soon as a plane attendant opened the door. We went to the arrival area and got what we checked in. I got out the building and got a cab. I told the driver the address of the hospital and paid him once I got there. I carried my travelling bag up to the floor where my grandma is staying at and I started to get anxious.

How is she doing? Why is she in the hospital in the first place? Did she slip? Is she diagnosed with a sickness? Is she going to be alright?

I got out the elevator and headed to the room. I was steeling myself for what I would see. I knocked on the door and opened it slowly. I saw my grandma with staring out the window even if the television was on and my dad sitting beside her, looking straight at me. A smile instantly spread over his face and he stood up to greet me. He hugged me as tight as he can and looked at my grandma. She was still looking out the window.

"Mom, I have a surprise for you." My dad said as he held my hand, bringing me closer to her.

"Oh, dear, with my condition I don't think I can handle any surprises anymore." She said in a raspy voice, still looking out the window.

"Hi, grandma. How are you?" I said.

She looked at me with a huge smile on her face. Her eyes twinkled with delight and her toothy grin made me smile as well. Her white hair was tied up into a bun and wrinkles appeared on the corner of her eyes. Her skin was paler than usual and she looked so sick and frail.

"Annabeth, come here and give me a hug." She said.

I willingly went over to her. I sat on her bed and reached out to give her a hug. Her hold on me wasn't as tight as before and her arms and fingers were slim. As I hugged her, her body was thinner than before. I missed her so much that I ended up crying. She rubbed and patted my back to comfort me. I soon pulled away from her and wiped my tears away.

"Why are you crying? You aren't used to seeing me here or seeing me like this?" She asked me as she wiped some of my tears away.

"I just missed you so much, Grandma." I said.

"Well, I missed you too, sweetie." She said and then kissed my cheek. "Look at you. So beautiful and grown up!"

I smiled and gave her one more hug before standing up from the bed. My dad was instantly beside her and held her hand. He was asking her if she was alright or if she was feeling some pain or what. My grandma dismissively waved her hand at him. I scrunched up my eyebrows and asked my dad if I could talk to him outside.

"Dad, what's grandma's sickness? Did she slip? Does she have a sickness or what?" I asked once we were out the room.

"Annabeth, she needs to have a heart transplant."

I scrunched my eyebrows and said, "She can get it, right? Percy performed a heart transplant on one of his patients. He got better. So grandma can too!"

"Annabeth, I'm afraid that those are two different cases."

"How come? Wait, you are planning to let her have a surgery, right?" I stared at Dad straight in the eyes.

"I'm afraid not." He said, almost inaudible.

"Why not, Dad? Are the doctors here not good enough to handle Grandma? I bet Percy can do this! As a matter of fact, I'll go call him and ask him if he can do it by himself!"

"Annabeth, no." My dad said and placed his hands on my shoulders. "Your grandmother is too old for the surgery. I'm afraid she's too sick and frail that she might not handle the surgery."

I just stared at my dad. I didn't consider this factor. Of course my grandma is old but is she really that old that she can't handle the surgery?

"Did all the doctors say that?" I asked, almost whispering.

My dad slowly nodded his head and looked at the floor.

"Maybe...Percy can…" I trailed off.

My dad shook his head and looked back up at me, "No, Annabeth, even your grandma decided that she would just wait."

"Even you can't talk her into having the surgery?"

"Yeah, she already made up her mind."

I tightly closed my eyes and looked away from my dad. I was starting to cry again and my dad just hugged me tightly. He rubbed his hand up and down my back to soothe me and once I was done, I just stayed in his embrace.

"We better go back in. Your grandma might be looking for us." He said.

I nodded and he brought us back in the room. I couldn't look at my grandma straight in the eye because I didn't want her to notice my probably bloodshot eyes and worry. I sat down on one of the seats that were away from the hospital bed. My father carefully sat down on the bed, asking how my grandma was feeling. She said that she was feeling fine and just asked for a glass of water. My dad immediately stood up and got what she was asking for.

"How about you, Annabeth? Do you want a cup of coffee, tea, or what?" My dad asked as he gave my grandma her glass of water.

"A cup of coffee –"

"Fredrick! How could you allow Annabeth drink something with so much caffeine? Give her a cup of hot chocolate!" She scolded my father and looked at me. "Would you like some marshmallows with that, honey?"

"Mom, maybe you forgot the fact that Annabeth is already a grown up and she is in the legal age to drink coffee." I saw my dad roll his eyes as he happily mocked my grandma.

"That would be lovely, Grandma, but I would settle with a sachet of instant coffee." I smiled at her.

"Are you sure that your body could handle that much caffeine intake, honey?"

"Yes, Grandma."

My grandma finally gave up and Dad made my cup of coffee. I thanked him as he gave it to me and blew to make it colder so I can drink it. The taste of instant coffee was nowhere near the taste of the black coffee that I drank regularly. I slowly sipped my coffee and occasionally traced the rim of the mug with my fingertips.

"Annabeth, why don't you sit beside me?" My grandma called me.

I smiled and got up from my seat. I went over to her and stood beside her. She held my hand but her grasp was weak. She told me to sit down on her bed and I couldn't say no. When I sat down on the bed with my dad just sitting beside the bed, I got a very good look on my dad. His eyes were tired and he had dark circles under his eyes. Wrinkles would show up when he smiled and he had probably a couple days old of stubble. His hair has grown longer than last time. I could tell that this situation was really tiring my dad and I couldn't blame him.

"Tell me about your work in New York City." She smiled weakly.

"I'm doing fine. I have a lot of clients going in and out of the office and they are all satisfied."

"Are you winning all your cases?" My dad asked, joining the conversation.

"Not all but most of my clients' cases."

"How's your mom doing? Is she alright with you stealing all her clients?" My grandma chuckled.

"She alright. I think she has plans of retiring soon so I can take care of our family law firm all by myself." I smiled at them.

They started asking about how my life was in New York City, if I was eating properly, if I was comfortable there, how Onion was, how my friends were, and more. And once the topic was about my friends, my grandma refused to talk about anything else except Percy. I told you, my grandmother had a special connection with my best friend.

As I talked about how Percy and I are, my grandmother's eyes were twinkling with delight and joy. Her smile was wide and sometimes she would laugh with pure happiness. She even had her hands curled up into fists and placed near her collarbones. Wrinkles showed up on the corners of her eyes and with her smile…it seemed like nothing could make it go away. Yeah, except when I started talking about Percy's engagement.

"Percy's getting married?" She asked me with a smile.

"Yeah, to his long-time girlfriend, Rachel." I said with a faint smile but I couldn't help but feel rather let down but happy at the same time.

My grandmother's smile slowly disappeared, "Oh…when are they planning to get married?"

"Sometime this summer. That's okay, Percy didn't forget about me." I said to at least make my grandmother smile once again. "He made me his best woman."

"His best what?" My grandma smiled once again.

"I believe Annabeth just said his best woman." My dad said and started laughing.

"At least I'm still part of the wedding." I defended myself and started laughing as well.

"The person who's the best man or woman should be the most important or closest friend of the groom right?" My dad said.

"Looks like you mean a lot to him." Grandma smiled at me.

"So much that he would do anything to just have me beside him at all times." I smiled as I whispered this.

My grandma placed her hand on mine and smiled faintly at me.

After a couple more minutes of talking about Percy and me, my grandma decided to take a nap. I helped her get comfortable on the hospital bed and then moved back to the cushioned couch. Once she was asleep, my dad turned to me and asked me all about my stay in San Francisco. I told him that I would be staying as long as I need to be here and I have yet to look for a place to stay. Dad told me to stay at his house and that I am always welcomed there. I asked him how my stepmom and half brothers are doing and he said that they are doing fine. He told me that I should stay in the hospital for a while because they would be visiting on the afternoon, after Matt and Bobby's school and my stepmom's work.

I decided to walk around the hospital and look at the doctors and see if I have come across their names because of Percy. But before I left the room, my dad and I ate a doughnut each. I promised my dad that I would be back and then placed a kiss on his cheek and on my sleeping grandma's forehead. I went down the hall and looked at the names of the doctors that were placed by the door. Almost all of them were unfamiliar to me. Yeah, sure, maybe that's because Percy and I live on the other side of the continent and all. But doesn't he go to different conferences and meet different doctors?

I went around the hospital and checked the facilities. I found out that the hospital had a place that was glassed and had plants everywhere. It was like a room where the patients could do their hobbies. There were bookshelves, chessboards, easels, and more. The roof was also glass so the sun was shining brightly into the room. I continued walking around after spending quite some time in that hobby room. The cafeteria wasn't that big like the one in the hospital where Percy works at. The food that they were serving looked good. I constantly looked at my phone as I gave myself a tour around the establishment but I would still have that sad sigh when I placed it back in my pocket. Percy wasn't calling me or messaging me. I mean, even my two-way pager wasn't beeping. Maybe he has that consecutive surgeries or maybe it was his shift in the emergency room right now so he was busy. But it was just unlike him to not contact me for this long.

It was around six in the evening when I went back to the room. My grandmother was already awake and she was just reading a book that I swear have seen her read before. She looked up at me as I closed the door and smiled at me. My dad was nowhere to be found, probably in the bathroom. I smiled back and sat down on the bed. She closed the book and placed it on the table beside the bed. She held my hand once again and smiled.

"So tell me how things are between you and your boyfriend. I know a girl like you can never be single for too long." She said and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

"You mean Luke. Luke and I are fine. He's off flying around the world because that's his work, a pilot. Don't worry, he sends me e-mail and pictures of places he has been in." I smiled at her.

"Well, I hope he treats you well!"

"He visits me in New York City every time he's there."

My grandma looked at my left hand, which she was holding. She examined it for a couple seconds and I realized that I was still wearing the friendship ring that Percy gave me on my ring finger.

"Looks like Luke isn't your boyfriend anymore. I didn't know you were married!" She said, suddenly alert.

"Oh, no, Grandma. I'm not yet married." I laughed. "That ring was given to me by Percy. It's our friendship ring. He gave it to me when it was our anniversary."

My grandma smiled again and slowly nodded her head. She continued asking me about Luke, how we met, and all. A couple minutes later, my dad came out of the bathroom. It looked like he took a shower already. He sat down on the chair that was beside the hospital bed and joined in the conversation.

"Knock, knock."

I looked at the door and saw my stepmom's head. She had a smile on her face that got wider when she saw me. I smiled back at her.

"Come in!" My grandma said and gestured her to enter the room.

My stepmom went in and two teenage boys followed her in. My smile got wider because the one of the boys looked up and saw me. He had a shocked expression and elbowed the other boy, telling him to look up as well. Now the both of them had surprised expressions.

"Hi, boys." I greeted them.

They came running towards me and gave me tight hugs. I laughed and so did my grandma, father, and stepmom. They released me a couple seconds later and moved away. I got off the bed and gave both of them proper hugs.

"Oh, how I missed the both of you." I said after I gave them hugs.

I looked at the seventeen year olds and smiled, "Look at how old you guys are!"

"Us? Old? You're older, oldie." Bobby told me while Matt snickered.

I just rolled my eyes and let it go. Matt and Bobby then greeted our grandma by kissing her cheek. I greeted my stepmother on the other hand and gave her a hug. I was going to sit on the couch but my grandma called me so I can sit on the bed once again. I couldn't say no so I sat down, facing her. When everyone settled down, they started interrogating me.

"Did you bring us anything from the other side of the continent?" Bobby asked.

"Oh look who knows Geography!" I playfully teased and he just stuck his tongue out at me. "I only brought home some doughnuts that I bought from the airport. Dad didn't really give me time to go shopping."

"New Yorker doughnuts!" Matt enthusiastically exclaimed, making me roll my eyes.

The twins got doughnuts and so did my dad and stepmom. My grandma couldn't eat something like doughnuts minding her condition. My stepmom and the twins asked me questions like how long I will be staying in San Francisco, where I will be staying, and a question that made all the pairs of eyes look at me: Where's Percy?

To be honest, I didn't know too. It has been hours since I last communicated with Percy. I didn't want to call him because I might be disturbing him or what.

I shook my head and then shrugged. I told them that he was still in New York City because he is really busy with work. I quickly reassured them and told them that if he only had spare time, he'd go here without even thinking about it.

A couple minutes later, someone who worked for the hospital went in the room to give my grandma's dinner. I got off the bed and my dad fixed her table. I sat down on the couch along with the boys and they continued playing twenty questions with me. They asked me the questions that made sense and some that would seem like the stupidest questions to be asked on the face of the Earth.

My stomach grumbled a couple minutes into the interrogation. I looked around and realized that it was that loud because everyone was looking at me once again. I smiled nervously and shrugged.

"Why don't you go down and buy something for you to eat, sweetie?" My dad said.

"No, it's fine. I could just eat some more doughnuts." I smiled at him, reassuring him.

"You can munch on the fruits that your brothers gave me yesterday." My grandma offered.

"No, those fruits are for you, Grandma. Seriously, a cup of coffee and a couple doughnuts would set my stomach back to normal."

"You haven't eaten a decent meal the whole day, Annabeth. Now, here, take some money and buy yourself a complete meal." Dad said and gave me a couple bills. "If you don't, I'm calling Percy and I will tell him."

I stood up and grabbed the money. I don't need another nagging session from Percy. I smiled and rolled my eyes as I slowly shook my head. I left the room and headed to the cafeteria. Did I really look that unhealthy that my dad was ready to throw a fit and used my best friend as a threat?

I ordered and paid for my dinner. I sat down on a random table, all by myself. As I ate my dinner, which consisted fruits, I couldn't help but constantly look down at my phone and two-way pager. Not a single word from Percy ever since the moment I was about to turn off my phone because the plane was about to fly. I was starting to get nervous and anxious. Did something happen to Percy?

I got myself a tall cup of pure brewed coffee before heading back upstairs. I decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator because I just needed a while to be alone. I was still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my grandma was dying soon and nobody wanted to do anything about it. I realized that I my coffee was starting to get lukewarm so I took a big gulp and went back to the room.

When I got in, people seemed weirdly quiet and occupied with things. My grandma went back to reading her book. My dad was watching the evening news along with my stepmom. Matt was reading what I assume is a textbook and Bobby was doing something on his laptop. My eyebrows scrunched up and I took another big gulp from my coffee. Something was up. I can feel it. I heard a door open behind me and I immediately assumed that it was a hospital staff but realized that he didn't have manners.

"Hey, Wise Girl."

I turned around and saw Percy entering the room. I just stared at him and no words came out of my mouth. I placed my cup of coffee, calmly walked up to him, and then gave him a hug, a very tight one. He chuckled and then hugged me just as tight. He then lifted me off the ground. I wanted to take that opportunity to wrap my legs around his waist but then there were other people in the room. So I just ended up nestling my head on his neck.

It took us minutes to pull ourselves together and pull away from each other. My arms started to hurt from how tight I held on to Percy but that didn't make my hold on him any less tight. He didn't put me down either. When we were good, he finally put me down and we pulled away from each other.

"Where were you? You didn't call me or send me messages. I got so worried about you. You didn't even tell me that you were going here." I said in one breath.

Percy just smiled at me and placed a kiss on the top of my head. It was weird how my anger quickly disappeared.

"My plane landed around thirty minutes ago and I went straight here. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It was rather a rush decision. Once the head granted my leave, I left the hospital and went back home to pack my things. On my way back to the apartment, I tried to book a ticket to the next flight. And, well, here I am."

"How about Raisin? With whom did you leave her with?" I asked him.

"Mom was more than happy to take her in." He smiled.

"Okay, okay." I said, took a deep breath, and then punched his arm. "Just don't you dare make me this worried about you again."

He just chuckled, as if my punch didn't hurt, and kissed my cheek, "Well, I missed you too, Wise Girl."

"Where were you from?" I asked him again, grabbed my tall cup of lukewarm coffee, and took another gulp.

"I went around the hospital hoping that I'd run into you." He shrugged.

My eyebrows scrunched up, "How did you know that I was walking around the hospital?"

"They told me." He said and then smiled at my family members. "I went up here the moment I got here. We talked for a while and they told me that you bought yourself dinner. I excused myself and went to the cafeteria but you weren't there. I looked for you and when I gave up, I went back here and here you are."

"Where are your things?" I asked and looked around the room before noticing another bag which was beside mine. "Oh, okay."

"Come here, Percy and Annabeth. Sit with me." Grandma called us.

I looked at her and she had a huge smile on her face. I looked back at Percy and we stared at each other for a couple seconds. We smiled at each other, shrugged, and then followed Grandma. We sat down on the foot of the hospital bed, beside each other.

"Aw, it was like yesterday when you were kids as young as ten or so. And now, look at you! All grown up and working." She mused.

"Percy here is planning to start a family." I teased and elbowed Percy playfully.

"Yes, yes, might as well call me Mr. Groom-To-Be." He said and talked to Grandma. "But don't worry; Annabeth will be on the altar with me when I get married."

My grandmother looked at me and I just nodded. She nodded, "So I heard."

I looked over to Percy and smiled at him. He smiled back at me and the both of us gave my grandmother toothy grins.

"So," My grandma started, "tell me about your work in New York City that you love so much that you almost didn't visit me."

I sighed in relief when it was Percy's turn to be under the spotlight. My grandma asked him questions and soon enough, my other family members joined in and interviewed him. My dad and stepmother were interested in Percy's job. My grandmother was interested in his personal affairs and relationships: with me, his fiancée, family, and friends. And, well, my brothers were asking about what he did with his past time. I was just there, sitting, and listening to what Percy replies.

"It may not be my business but I heard a while ago that you left...Raisin with your mom." My grandma started.

"Who's Raisin?" Bobby asked. "Is she your daughter?"

I chuckled and took a sip from my glass of water. If only they knew she was a dog.

"Raisin is an ugly name for a daughter. I won't be surprised if she'd hate you. But, wait, does that mean that you banged your fiancée?" Matt asked.

I was so surprised that I choked on water and then started coughing like a mad man. Bobby and Matt high-fived each other and Percy just rubbed my back to soothe me. My stepmother scolded them and my dad and grandmother just rolled their eyes. Once I started clearing my throat, Percy replied to Matt's question.

"Raisin is the name of the pug that Annabeth gave me on our anniversary. I called her Raisin because her face reminded me of one."

"What's with you and naming your pets after food? Annabeth called the dog you gave her Onion. Onion and Raisin. What? Are you guys always that hungry?"

"We...honestly don't know why." Percy laughed.

"So, where will you be staying, darling?" My grandma smiled.

Percy and I replied simultaneously.

"I could get a room in a hotel, an inn, or something." Percy said.

I said, "I have no idea yet but Dad offered to let me stay at their place."

Percy and I looked at each other with scrunched up eyebrows and started quarrelling. It was rather shallow but we were fighting about who my grandma was talking to. We started to mock each other, stick our tongues out, and make ugly faces at each other until my grandmother called our attention and told us to stop. We listened to her but we gave each other stink eyes.

"You do know that she was talking to me, her granddaughter, right?" I looked over to Percy and asked him while giving a mean look.

"You do know that she was talking to me, her illegitimate grandson, right?"

I tried my best to keep my facial expression as mean as I can look like but I couldn't help my laughter. I laughed and so did my family.

"Oh, Seaweed Brain." I sighed once I stopped laughing.

We continued talking but soon enough my grandma called it a night. My brothers also started yawning so my stepmother brought them home. Percy had an emergency call. He excused himself and left the room to answer the call. So, it was back to me and my father left in the room. I brought back the topic about my brothers and started asking my father how their studies are going and how their grades were. He said that they were doing fine. Matt finally made his way to the top three and Bobby was still part of the top three in their year.

"I won't be surprised if Bobby is going to be valedictorian and Matt's going to be salutatorian." Dad said.

"Wow." I mused. "Did they join any clubs, varsities, or organizations in school?"

"Bobby joined the debate club and swimming varsity while Matt joined the school newspaper and basketball varsity. Both of them have positions on the student government and they also have a band."

"Band? Gods, why are they so perfect?" I pretended to swoon over them.

"Bobby plays the drums and Matt plays the guitar."

"I am amazed by those twins." I smiled. "But do they have any girlfriends that I should be aware of?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"But with their good looks, talents, and brains, no doubt that girls would be fawning and swooning over them." I laughed.

"Matt and Bobby are planning to follow your footsteps and go to Harvard as soon as they graduate."

"I hope they do pass. I'd gladly take them under my wing. I could always visit them and vice versa. What are they planning to take up?"

"Both of them are planning to take up Law."

I laughed, "They really are planning to follow my footsteps."

"I think when you left San Francisco, they found you an inspiration."

I smiled, "I should look for dorms where they could stay at."

I heard the door open and I looked at who it was. Percy just smiled when he saw me looking at him. I smiled back at him and asked how his phone call went. He said that everything was fine and there was nothing to worry about. He sat down beside me on the sofa and placed his hand on my knee. My father smiled at us and excused himself.

"I wonder when the last time Dad went home." I sighed as I sat back.

"He looks really tired." Percy pointed out.

"I think I could watch over Grandma for tonight to at least let Dad get a good night's rest."

"I'm staying with you."

I looked at him and smiled, "Of course you will."

"So, will you finally tell me what Grandma is in for?" He asked me and held my hand.

I stared straight into his eyes, "How many times do I have to tell you that she is my grandmother and you're just the self-proclaimed illegitimate grandson?"

He rolled his eyes and then I laughed.

"Well, uhm, she needs to have a heart transplant." I said, looking down at our intertwined fingers.

"Oh! That's easy!" He said enthusiastically and then scrunched his eyebrows. "Why didn't she have one yet? Is she still waiting for a donor?"

"I'm afraid that she wouldn't be having that transplant."

"What? Why? Are the doctors here rookies and can't perform a simple transplant? If they can't, then I can do it myself!" He said.

"Shh, you'll wake Grandma up." I quickly scolded him.

"I'm sorry; it's just a stupid reason not to operate on her."

"It's just that Grandma is too old and she might not handle the surgery anymore." I reasoned with him.

"I have seen older people have that surgery and they have lived on for years. Why in the world won't Grandma handle it? She is a fighter, I know so!"

"She even decided it herself that she wouldn't get the surgery. She said that she'd just…wait…" I trailed off.

"What? Isn't there anything we can do? Like talk her out of waiting and convince her that she can have the transplant? I mean, you're the lawyer. You can persuade and convince her. I can supply you with the correct facts since I have done this tons of times."

"You know how Grandma is. Once she makes up her mind, nothing in the whole world can ever change her mind."

Percy sadly looked down at our hands and sighed, "So…we're just going to wait?"

I nodded and choked back the tears that were threatening to fall. I heard a sniffle from Percy and I just thought to myself. Grandma really means a lot to him. I let go of his hand and gave him a hug. He hugged me back and then let go a couple seconds later.

"You'll just have to accept her decision." I whispered.

"It's just…why won't she think about it before fully saying no?"

"Maybe she already did. Maybe even before she got confined here. She knows what she's doing."

He sighed once again and kept quiet.

"If we'd go into battle over this, I'd be on your side." I whispered. "I want her to have that transplant and live longer. But you'll never know, maybe Grandma would live longer than expected."

"I really hope so."

I smiled at him and kissed his cheek. He smiled at me and we both heard the door open. I saw my dad exit the bathroom, wearing his pajamas pants and one of his old college shirts.

"Hey, Dad, looks like your college shirts sill fit you." I smiled at Dad.

He laughed, "I'm just as fit as I was back in college. Okay, maybe I became fatter but hey, my shirt still fits."

"Where are you going to sleep tonight, Dad?" I asked.

"I'm going to sleep on the sofa." He said as he placed his used clothes in the closet. "How about you guys? Did you finally decide on where you're going to sleep tonight? You can stay at home. Same goes for you, Percy."

"Why don't you change your clothes, Dad, and go home to have a good night's rest?" Percy smiled as he offered. "Annabeth and I will watch over Grandma for you."

"But you might not know - "

I cut my Dad off and said, "Dad, it's alright. Percy's a doctor, remember? I already told him about Grandma."

"Are you sure that you can watch over her?"

"Of course, Dad." I smiled sweetly at him. "What? Do you have separation anxiety, Dad?"

My dad laughed and then thanked us. He got his clothes from the closet and went back in the bathroom. A couple minutes later, he was wearing what he was a while ago. He got his bag, which I assumed was filled with his used clothes, and went over to Grandma. He placed a kiss on her forehead. He went over to us, kissed the top of my head, and shook Percy's hand. He thanked us once more and then left the room.

"Thank you for everything." I smiled at Percy once we were all alone with my sleeping grandmother.

"Don't mention it." He said and brought me closer to him.

I nuzzled closer to him and sighed. The silence that followed was comforting. The moment would seem like a perfect time to fall asleep but the amount of coffee I drank for today kept me wide awake. My hands were wrapped around his abdomen and his steady breathing comforted me.

"My brothers seem perfect." I said almost inaudibly.

"What?" Percy asked with a smile clear in his voice.

"Dad told me that Bobby is in the debate club and swimming varsity. He is one of the top three in their class. He has a position in their student government and has a band."

"Wow...how about Matt?"

"Matt is part of the school newspaper and the basketball varsity. He finally made his way into the top three. He also has a position in the student government and is part of the band as well."

"They aren't the same little boys who obsess over those Mythomagic cards and figurines." He laughed and I laughed as well.

"Dad says that they're planning to take up Law in Harvard as soon as they graduate." I said, smiling.

"Well, it sounds like they're trying to follow someone."

I smiled wider, "I know. Dad says so too."

"But they're not as perfect as you."

I felt myself blush but I quickly scolded myself for reacting that way, "Me? Perfect? Pfft, no."

"I mean, look. You have a great family. You graduated high school as the batch's valedictorian. You have starred in so many ballet recitals and shows. You have won tons of contests in Math, Science, Spelling, dancing, and so much more. You got into Harvard. You graduated Law as summa cum laude. Countless people are dying to have you as their lawyer. You are very successful right now. What more can you ask for?"

I kept quiet and Percy continued, "And lastly, you have me as your best friend."

I laughed and then my grandmother stirred in her sleep, causing Percy and I to suddenly be alert. We sat up and looked at her until she found a spot she was comfortable in. We both let out a sigh of relief and then relaxed. We reclined once again and then went back to our position. We continued talking until we started to yawn. Percy let me use the bathroom first and I quickly got ready for bed. I tied my hair into a messy ponytail and took a shower. I changed my dress for pajama pants and a college shirt. Huh, wearing college shirts to bed must run in the family.

"It's your turn." I said as I left the bathroom.

Percy was hanging his head and he didn't budge. I smiled and went over to him. I sat down beside him and gently shook him. He slowly straightened up and blinked a couple times. He had a groggy expression on his face which made him look adorable.

"It's your turn." I said once again before kissing his cheek and fixing my things.

I stuffed my used clothes in my travelling bag and then heard Percy stand up from the sofa. He got his clothes from his bag and readied himself for bed.

As he got ready, I retrieved my comfy socks and wore them. I got the pillow and blanket that my father used which were stowed away in the closet. I readied the couch and waited for Percy to finish. It was probably already five in the morning and the sun was slowly rising. I looked out the window and saw people starting their days: having their daily jog, exiting their houses to grab the daily newspaper, and more. I could feel my eyes slowly drooping when the door opened. I turned around and saw Percy wearing an old college shirt as well.

"Huh, I guess wearing old college shirts to bed must run in the family." He noted.

I looked at him with a straight face, "Excuse you, this is my family, not yours."

"When are you finally going to accept me into your family?"

I laughed, "Chill, we already accept you as part of the family."

He chuckled and placed his used clothes in his bag. He got a sweatshirt and threw it my direction. I easily caught it and gave him a questioning look.

"You wear that. I know you easily get cold." He said.

"But it's summer."

"That's why the hospital turned on the air conditioner to make the patients more comfortable."

I considered, shrugged, and wore it anyway.

"If your professors in Harvard would see you right now, oh, they would call you a traitor." He chuckled.

"What? Why?" I looked down at the sweatshirt that he gave me, realized that the word Stanford was written in all caps, and then just chuckled.

Percy sat down on the couch, beside me, "So how will we do this?"

"Hmm, you sleep on the couch while I sleep on a seat..." I trailed off.

"No, you sleep on the couch; I'll sleep on a seat."

"No, you sleep on the couch; I can sleep on the seat. I mean, you're the guest here. My presence here is mandatory."

He was about to argue back but then he must have realized that when he would, we would end up not sleeping at all or the both of us would both end up sleeping on the seat or the floor. He sighed and lied down on the couch while I turned off the light in the room.

"Well, at least get the blanket." He said and handed me the blanket.

"No, you take it. I already have your sweatshirt and my socks."

He sighed once again and then got comfortable on the couch. I made myself comfortable on the seat, crossed my arms, and propped my feet on another chair. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was on the verge of falling asleep when Percy called me.

"Hey, Annabeth."

"Yeah?" I whispered almost inaudibly.

"We can sleep together." He paused. "I mean, we both can fit on the couch."

I looked at him and saw him lifting the blanket to show me the space. The couch looked so inviting and comfortable and I just gave in. I stood up from the chair and went over to Percy. I lied down beside him and I instantly felt like a sardine in a can. Percy chuckled, wrapped his arms around me, and then turned us around so I was on top of him. We were face to face and his minty fresh breath greeted me as he asked me if I was comfortable. I smiled at him and then placed my head on his chest. I felt his arms tighten around me and the kiss that he placed on top of my head. Everything seemed comfortable after that. We were underneath a woolly blanket. Percy's arms were wrapped securely around my abdomen. His steady breathing and the beeps from the patient monitor were slowly lulling me to sleep.

"Good night, Seaweed Brain." I smiled as I whispered.

"Sweet dreams, Wise Girl."

I heard footsteps and I reluctantly opened an eye to see who it was. I saw a person dressed in scrubs, holding a clipboard, and walking around the room.

I heard my grandmother say, "Don't they look adorable?"

The nurse chuckled and said, "Are they your children?"

"Oh, no. They're my granddaughter and her best friend."

"Well, I will be back in a few hours to check up on you." The nurse said before leaving the room.

I blinked a couple times and looked up at my grandmother. She had a huge smile on her face as she appreciated what she was seeing.

"Good morning, Grandma." I smiled as I greeted her.

She greeted me back and then I felt Percy stir in his sleep. I took a deep breath and realized that Percy and I were still in the same position. I slowly unwrapped his arms.

"Hey," He whispered, "where are you going?"

"Wake up, Seaweed Brain." I said and then he just tightened his hold on me. "Grandma is already awake."

He took a deep breath, let go of me, and greeted my grandma. I playfully rolled off of him and then went over to Grandma.

"How are you feeling, Grandma?" I asked her.

"Oh, I'm fine. Quit worrying about me."

I smiled at her, "How many nurses have visited you?"

"She's the second one."

"What time did you wake up?"

"I think it was around seven."

I looked at the clock and realized that it was still nine. I yawned and said, "Percy and I slept around five."

"Why don't you catch up on your sleep? I can handle myself while you sleep."

"Are you sure, Grandma?"

"Yes. And I have the nurse's button here."

I smiled at her and kissed her forehead before I flopped down on the couch. Percy and I sat down beside each other and I placed my head on his shoulder. He placed his arm on my shoulders. He wrapped the blanket around us and we went back to sleep.

I took a deep breath before slowly opening my eyes. I blinked a couple times before looking around the room. My grandma was reading her book once again and my father was nowhere to be found. I noticed that Percy's arm was still draped on my shoulders and he was still fast asleep. I moved closer to him and wrapped my arms around his body. Since my position was rather awkward, I swung my legs over so my legs were on top of his lap. I still had my head on his shoulder and then I tried to go back to sleep. I felt Percy take a deep breath and then he wrapped his arms around me as well. He's known for his need to hug things when he sleeps.

As much as I wanted to go back to sleep, I couldn't. I was already wide awake but I decided to stay right there and just close my eyes. A couple minutes later, I straightened up and tried to get up. Once I was successful, I placed a kiss on Percy's head before checking up on my grandmother. She was fine although she's starting to get tired of the atmosphere in the hospital. I told her that I'd think of something to cheer her up and she smiled at me.

"Wait, didn't you go to Harvard?" She asked me as I made my way to the bathroom.

I turned around and said, "Yeah. What made you ask, Grandma?"

"Does Percy own that?" She asked, pointing to the sweatshirt that I was wearing.

I laughed, "Yeah, he made me borrow because he knows how I easily get cold."

She smiled wider at me. I went to the bathroom and then started the day. For today, I wore a short jumpsuit that ended probably around a couple inches above the half of my thigh. It was color gray and had a sweetheart neckline. The straps were not too thin, not too thick. When I zipped it up, the jumpsuit tightened around my body. I placed a black leather belt through the belt loops to make what I was wearing look better. I exited the bathroom and saw that Percy was already awake. He was sitting at the foot of Grandma's bed and was talking to her.

"I see that you're awake, Seaweed Brain." I said as I placed my clothes back in my travelling bag.

"Hey, Wise Girl." He replied. "And may I ask where you are going?"

"I thought of bringing Grandma along as I go around San Francisco and visit and catch up with my friends here."

"Wait, let me check her vitals if she's allowed to leave the hospital." He said and got off the bed to check the clipboard hanging from the end of the bed.

I looked at Grandma and she looked delighted at the fact that she might get to leave the hospital today. I wore my oxford shoes and sat down beside her. A couple minutes later, Percy said that Grandma was allowed to leave. He just needed to confirm with Grandma's doctor after he gets ready. He got a fresh set of clothes before entering the bathroom.

"Well, looks like you get to leave the room for the day, Grandma." I smiled at her.

"Oh, thank you, Annabeth. But where are you planning to bring me?" She asked.

"I could bring you to Alcatraz, take you on a bay cruise, or take a walk around Golden Gate Park." I smiled wider at her.

"Oh that all sounds so lovely." She smiled back at me.

While we waited for Percy, I brushed through my hair as it dried and my grandma offered to braid my hair. I willingly agreed and positioned myself in front of her. I felt her frail fingers slowly, carefully, and skillfully fix my hair. Her slim fingers brushed through my locks of hair as she braids my curly hair. After a while, she asked for a hair tie. I gave her one and she tied my hair. With that, she was done braiding my hair into a fish tail braid. I thanked her and then stood up from the bed. I touched my hair and smiled widely at her. I thanked her once again and then fixed my bag.

"It's been a while since I last saw your hair not in a bun." Percy commented as he stowed his things. "It looks good on you."

"Thanks. Grandma did this." I said and smiled her way. "Oh, did you already check with Grandma's doctor?"

"I'm going to visit the nurse's station right now."

"I'm coming with you." I said and excused myself from Grandma before I went with Percy.

We walked to the station, hand in hand. As we walked, we discussed where we could bring Grandma. We came up with the same thing. Bring her to the park; take a bay cruise, or an Alcatraz tour. He asked the nurses for the doctor's details as we got to the station. I have to say I was impressed because he easily charmed the nurses. To the extent that if he asked for criminal records, they'd gladly and willingly give it to him.

"You know, you can easily woo women." I said as we walked back to the room.

"So I have been told." He smirked at me.

"I can still hear their swoons and sighs." I rolled my eyes.

He laughed and placed his arm over my shoulders. "I better call this doctor and hopefully, Grandma's hopes won't be put down."

"Oh, that reminds me! I haven't called Dad about it."

I quickly got my phone out and called him. He answered after a couple of rings, "Yes, Annabeth?"

"Hey, Dad, I was wondering if we could take Grandma out for today."

"'Take Grandma out'? What are you -"

I quickly cut him and said, "Percy is calling her doctor right now to see if she can handle being out of the hospital. Also, Percy is a doctor who has handled a lot of cases like this before. Grandma's vitals are fine and if you're still rather hesitant, then why don't you come along and join us."

Dad was quiet for a couple seconds before he agreed to let us bring Grandma out of the hospital. I thanked him before hanging up on him. I looked at Percy and he was still on the phone. A few seconds later, he said good bye and hung up. He looked at me and gave me two thumbs up. I smiled at him and we excitedly walked back to the room.

"Grandma!" I called as we entered the room.

"Looks like we're heading out!" Percy continued my announcement, making him earn a stink eye from me.

I looked at the hospital bed and realized that my grandmother was already dressed up and all. I laughed and grabbed my bag from the couch. A couple last minute touch ups, we headed out along with Grandma. Percy hailed a cab and we decided to take a bay cruise and a stroll around the park. The tour in Alcatraz would be lovely but a tour would last for half a day and it was already around three in the afternoon.

We got in the cab and headed to the pier where the cruise is. I just stared out the window as we passed by buildings that would ring a bell as I stared at them. It felt so good to be back here. I missed everything about San Francisco. Old memories of me living in this wonderful city have bombarded my mind and I couldn't help smiling happily to myself. When we passed by a building, I mused at it.

"I missed this." I said almost inaudibly.

"I think we're going to stop here." Percy said and got the driver's attention. "Hey, we're going to stop over here."

The cabbie stopped the taxi and then Percy paid for the fare. We got out the cab and I was still staring at the building, smiling like an idiot at the memories that this building has brought back to me. Percy brought us in the building and my grandma went along as well, knowing what was happening. Percy pushed through the door and pulled me along.

I can remember myself running here and quickly changing my clothes so I can catch up with the practice or warm up. I would remember struggling with wearing my leotards or pulling my tights away from my body because it was really hugging my body. My shoes' material was so thin that it was as if I was walking on the floor, barefoot. There were long ribbons that I could wound up my thigh and the tip of my shoes had a block of wood that would help me turn without hurting my toes. I could feel my tutu rise up as I would execute turns.

"Do my eyes deceive me or is that Annabeth Chase I see?"

I turned towards where the voice came from and saw a man slowly walking towards me. His eyebrows were scrunched up and as he neared me, a smile started to appear on his face. He looked like he was in his late twenties, like Percy and me. His hair was messy and he looked like he didn't have that much sleep. I smiled back at him and ran towards him. I gave him a hug which he reciprocated.

"Malcolm! It's so good to see you again." I said as I placed my chin on his shoulder.

"It's so good to see our prima ballerina back in here." He replied as he let go of me.

"You look like you haven't gotten that much sleep. Do you have a production or something coming up soon?" I asked him as I scrutinized his face.

"Yeah, we're doing Swan Lake once again."

"Oh, I remember starring in that back then." I smiled at him. "And you were my prince! You were always my partner."

He laughed and noticed who I was with. He quickly went over to Percy and Grandma. He shook Grandma's and Percy's hand.

"Malcolm, it's been a while." Percy said as they shook hands.

"Yes, it has been." He smiled. "I remember you always being with Annabeth here."

"Yeah, but you were always with her on the stage." Percy said. "You know, I always envied you."

"What?" Malcolm laughed. "How could you be jealous of me?"

"You were always paired up with her in productions or recitals. I mean, always."

I felt myself blush as I walked back towards them. I held on to Percy's hand and smiled at Malcolm.

"So, may I ask what brought you here today?" Malcolm said as he led us to the stage where dancers were practicing.

"We were on our way to the pier actually." I started. "As we passed the building, Percy brought me in because he knows that this place had given me so many memories. And well, here we are."

"Wait; aren't you based in New York City? Along with Percy?"

"Ah, yes. Percy and I flew out here since Grandma got confined in the hospital. She needs a heart transplant but she refuses to have one even if Percy is more than willing to do it. So now, we're bringing her around San Francisco since she is starting to get sick of the atmosphere in the hospital."

Malcolm looked back at Grandma and said, "I hope you're feeling fine, Mrs. Chase."

"Oh, I'm more than fine, sweetie." She smiled.

Malcolm brought me up on the stage, making me part hands with Percy because he and Grandma decided to sit at the front row. The dancers were practicing and the instructor smiled at them contentedly.

"Hey, guys, take ten." Malcolm announced.

The dancers sighed and went to the sides to sit down on the floor and rest. Malcolm talked to the instructor for a couple seconds and she looked at me with disbelief clear on her face. I smiled back at her because she was the very same instructor who taught Malcolm and me when we were younger. Although Mrs. Lovett's youthful glow was no longer there. Despite the wrinkles she had on the corner of her eyes, she still had the same slim ballerina figure. Almost all of the dancers stared at me in amazement. Well, Mrs. Lovett must've mentioned me a lot. We shared a hug and then she asked me the same questions that Malcolm already asked except for one: Do you still dance?

"I don't. I get so busy in New York City with my job that I don't have any free time to do other things. But when there are times, I just bring out my shoes and dance at home."

"We're doing Swan Lake again." She stated.

"So I heard." I smiled.

"I remember choosing you as the lead. Same with Malcolm." She smiled back at me. "Why don't we see if you still got the moves?"

"Oh, I couldn't. I'm not wearing the proper attire and I don't have the shoes."

"Julieta," Mrs. Lovett called one of the dancers, "get Annabeth a pair of shoes. Size eight please."

"I don't know how you choreographed it."

"We're using the same song so you can dance the old dance moves that I taught you." She insisted.

I looked around and saw all the dancers had hopeful looks. Malcolm and Mrs. Lovett were nodding at me. Percy, who sat on the front row along with Grandma, was smiling encouragingly at me.

I sighed and smiled at Mrs. Lovett, "I might be a little rusty."

She smiled widely at me and went over to the guy who was seated behind the piano. She probably told him what song to play. A dancer came up to me and gave me the ballet shoes. I quickly wore the shoes and stretched. Thank the gods I decided to wear a jumpsuit today. I would let out faint groans as I stretched because it has been a really long time since I stretched that way.

I looked over at Mrs. Lovett and said, "Ready."

The man started playing and the familiar song that made me close my eyes, smile, and sway. Before I knew it, I was dancing along with the piano piece. I danced as if it wasn't years since I last did. The old dance moves just came out of nowhere and filled my mind. I closed my eyes and just let my body go and flow with the music. I could still remember the night we performed Swan Lake. I had to constantly change from a white costume to a black one. Yes, Malcolm played as the prince.

I tried to be as graceful as I was back when I was younger. I jumped, tiptoed, and spun. If the song slowed its tempo, I my steps would slow down as well. As the song came to its end, the beats sped up and I did the signature turn, which was just swiftly turning and turning until the song ended. Once it did, I stopped turning and posed that made me feel and look like a swan.

I looked at the seats as I breathed fastly. Percy was already on his feet, clapping vigorously with a huge smile on his face. He has always been my number one fan ever since the beginning of my dancing career. I could remember Percy always being the first one to stand up and clap for me and be the last one to sit down and stop cheering every time I would end my piece. He was also the loudest one to cheer for me, louder than my parents or other family members. You could hear his voice other the others or was it because for me, his voice drowned out the others. If he wasn't in the crowd then he would be backstage. He would greet me with another huge smile and a hug and say something like, "That was amazing, Wise Girl!" Bottom line is he is always the first one to cheer for me.

I turned around and looked at the people on the stage. The dancers were gawking and had amazed looks on their faces while Malcolm and Mrs. Lovett had knowing smiles and looks on their faces.

"I missed this." I whispered to myself.

We chatted quickly after I changed my shoes. Malcolm and Mrs. Lovett invited me to watch the production which I agreed to go to as long as I can bring Percy and my family. Malcolm invited me to dinner so we could catch up and I smiled and accepted.

We left the theatre and I was exhilarated. Since we missed the last cruise, we decided to go to Golden Gate Park and take Grandma on a stroll. The huge park had tons of people visiting it. Some had picnic baskets, lying down on a blanket on the grass. Some were strolling as well, eating different food from the food carts. Some were biking and having fun. Although Grandma walked rather slowly, we still found ways to have fun. Percy, Grandma, and I played I Spy. Sometime later, Percy gave me a piggy back ride as we walked around. We actually found what we carved on a tree when we were younger: Annabeth + Percy = Percabeth. When Grandma got tired, she sat down on a bench. Percy put me down and we lied down on the grass beside the bench.

"I never knew that I'd miss so many things." I said. "I haven't been communicating with my friends here for such a long time."

"Well, you should go around as much as you can while you're still here." Percy said.

"I should but I can't since Grandma's condition is always haunting me. No offense to Grandma."

"None taken." She said, making Percy and I laugh.

"So, what do we do tomorrow?" Percy asked.

"Well, we could go on the bay cruise since we missed it today." I suggested. "I'm sure Grandma would love it."

"Oh, Wise Girl, you were great a while ago." Percy stated.

"Oh thank you, Seaweed Brain." I said. "But I was rather rusty, you know."

"You're great, just like before." Grandma joined in.

I laughed, "The feeling of dancing once again felt so good. It makes me wonder why I didn't just drop out of Law school and pursue my dancing career. I could be a famous dancer right now!"

Percy and Grandma laughed as well. We stayed there until the sun went down. I could feel that Grandma was just happy to breathe fresh air again and see the sunset not through her hospital window. Once the sun was down, we left the park and headed back to the hospital.

As we entered the room, four pairs of eyes looked up and stared at us. Percy and I helped Grandma get on the hospital bed and then we sat down on the sofa along with Matt and Bobby. Dad still had eye bags but he looked rather well rested than before. My stepmother looked like something was bothering her even if she plastered a smile on her face. It's probably a problem at work. Bobby had his earphones on while holding a yellow legal pad. He would occasionally play a catchy beat while bobbing his head along with it. Since droplets of water would end up on my arm, I could infer that he was just from swimming practice. Matt on the other hand was busy typing something on his laptop. I looked over at what he was doing and found out that he was proofreading articles about school events the same time writing an article on another event. I looked over at what Bobby was doing and smiled because he was writing arguments for a debate.

"So, where did you bring your grandma today?" Dad asked me after he checked up Grandma.

"We brought her to Annabeth's old ballet school and then we strolled around Golden Gate Park, Dad." Percy answered.

I scrunched my eyebrows and then looked at Percy, "Dad?"

He looked at me and smiled, "Well, yeah."

I raised my eyebrow at him but then let it go and shrugged.

"Oh, you went to see Mrs. Lovett? How was it?" Dad smiled at me.

My grandmother, Percy, and I talked about how well our day went. I talked about Malcolm and Mrs. Lovett. I also informed them that I'll be having dinner with Malcolm soon and I was invited to watch the production.

"They're doing Swan Lake again?" Dad asked. "Weren't you the lead before?"

I smiled at Dad because I was happy that he remembered, "Yeah."

"Can we watch as well?"

"Of course. He said I could bring my family."

"Wonderful!" Dad smiled.

When someone knocked, we all knew that it was a hospital personnel, bringing my grandmother's dinner. Dad quickly fixed my grandma's table and my stepmother started cutting up fruits to go with my grandmother's dinner. While Grandma had her dinner, I talked with the boys. I tried to help Bobby with his upcoming debate and Matt with his article. All this was happening while Percy gently massaged my hand and occasionally joins the conversation. The grown-ups watched the evening news. Soon, my brothers started to yawn and my stepmother brought them home. Percy and I convinced my dad to go home with them tonight again and spent the night at the hospital.

We just talked with each other while having tea before we went to bed. We slept like how we did last night, which was fine. I wore the same outfit and so did Percy. I lied down on top of him, under the woolly blanket.

"So, what will we do tomorrow, Wise Girl?" He asked while he played with my hair.

"We could finally take that cruise." I said. "Are Grandma's vitals still good?"

"Yeah, I checked it before going to bed. She seems fine." He replied. "I'll check it again tomorrow to be sure."

"Don't forget to call her doctor to be really sure."

He stopped twirling my hair and said, "You don't trust me?"

I lifted my head from his chest and looked at him, "Really?"

He just smiled and continued twirling a lock of my hair. I rolled my eyes and placed my head on his chest once again. I listened to his heartbeat and smiled. Sleep was starting to get to me and I could feel my eyelids slowly drooping.

"Good night, Seaweed Brain." I mumbled and took a deep breath.

"Sweet dreams, Wise Girl."

The patient monitor and Percy's heartbeat slowly lulled me to sleep. As I was on the verge of falling asleep, I felt Percy's lips gently brush the top of my head.

The following days were fun and memorable.

On Wednesday morning, Percy and I woke up late once again. We decided to take the afternoon cruise to Tiburon because most of my grandmother's friends stay there. I ended up bringing out my laptop, envelopes, and folders out to get some work done. Percy cleared Grandma for today. Four o'clock, we left the hospital and went to the pier to get on the cruise. My grandma happily got together with her friends and they spent hours just talking and catching up, which left Percy and me to roam around Tiburon. Sometimes, I would bump into some old friends of mine there and caught up as well. We took the last cruise back to San Francisco and went straight back to the hospital, where we got the usual interrogation from my father. The twins were nowhere to be found because Dad said that they had a band practice. My stepmother looked restless so I coaxed her to go home early and to bring Dad along. The couch was yet again slept on by Percy and me and a kiss from Percy was placed on top of my head.

On Thursday, Percy and I had a special day planned for Grandma. We got up early, finally, and got ready. Percy called Grandma's doctor again and got his approval to let her leave the hospital. He checked her vitals one last time and then we were off to go on a whole day tour of Alcatraz that Percy and I availed yesterday. Alcatraz once had a functioning federal prison from 1933 until 1963. In 1972, it became a national recreation area. Alcatraz is home to the abandoned prison, the site of the oldest operating lighthouse on the west coast of the United States, and early military fortifications. We took the whole day to tour around the whole island, especially the old prison and light house. Percy and I carefully escorted my grandma. When it was around five o'clock, we boarded the boat and went back to Pier 33. We headed straight to the hospital to get ready because Malcolm's Swan Lake production is premiering tonight. I wore a beautiful coral dress that was up to my ankles and nude colored heels. An ensemble that Silena would approve. Grandma and Percy got dressed as well and so did my dad, stepmother, and half brothers. We went to the dance theatre and were given front row seats.

Throughout the performance, I held on to Percy's hand and smiled. The show was remarkable and the memories that flooded my mind were making me ecstatic. When the performance was done, they called on Mrs. Lovett and Malcolm. They smiled and bowed as the audience applauded for them. I was surprised when they called me up on stage as well. Percy smiled encouragingly at me and escorted me to the stairs that led up to the stage. I smiled and waved at the people who clapped their hands for me. I looked at the crowd and my eyes zeroed on my number one fan: Percy. He had a huge smile and clapped as if there was no tomorrow. I got back to the seats and my family and I just waited until everyone left so we could personally congratulate Mrs. Lovett and Malcolm. They came out of the backstage and we congratulated them for the amazing show. We talked for a while until Mrs. Lovett called it a night and headed home. My stepmother had to bring my half brothers home because they had a big test to study for tomorrow. Percy and I convinced my dad to go home as well. Malcolm invited me to dinner but I declined, saying I had to watch over my grandmother.

"Why don't I bring Grandma back to the hospital and watch over her?" Percy offered. "You get the night off and enjoy."

"Are you sure?" I said as I held his arm and looked him in the eyes with scrunched up eyebrows.

"Yeah," He smiled, "Grandma and I will be fine for a few hours without you."

I smiled back at him, "Thank you, Seaweed Brain."

"You enjoy your night, okay?" He said and then kissed my forehead before leaving me with Malcolm. "You take care of her."

I heard the door close and then Malcolm looked at me, "Why do I feel like I should've withdrawn my invitation?"

"What?"

"It seems like I'm tearing the both of you apart. That goodbye between the both of you had enough drama to have a production about it."

I laughed and then we left the theatre. Malcolm brought me to his car and we went to the restaurant where he already made reservations for the night. It looks like he has outdone himself for the restaurant was one of the finest one in San Francisco.

"So, how are things in your family?" He took a sip from his glass of water after we got seated and ordered. "How's your grandmother by the way?"

"We're all good." I smiled at him. "Grandma's alright as well."

"Tell me about your life on New York City."

"Well, I'm a defense lawyer at the law firm that my mother owns. I live in a loft on the upper east side of Manhattan. My building is just walking distance from Central Park which is good because that's where I walk my Rottweiler, Onion. I normally run in the morning. I have a group of high school friends who I hang out with everyday. That group consists of a columnist for Vogue, a journalist and columnist for New York Times, two detectives, a medical examiner, and a doctor."

"Wow. You've really worked your behind off." He said, amazed.

"How about you?" I took a sip from my glass of water. "How has San Francisco been treating you? Good, I hope."

He chuckled and said, "I have stuck to dancing. I actually went to New York City to attend Julliard. After auditioning and performing in some Broadway productions, I realized that I could do better than dancing as a back-up dancer or being a main character once in a blue moon. I went back to San Francisco and here I am, producing shows. Fortunately, they sell out."

"You know we should just ditch our jobs and audition for So You Think You Can Dance or join Dancing with the Stars."

We both laughed and our orders finally arrived. We smiled at each other before we started eating.

"Any significant others?" I asked before taking a bite of my steak and then laughed, "Don't tell me that you're fancying Mrs. Lovett."

He chuckled, chewed and thought about it for a while before swallowing and answering, "You caught me red handed. Mrs. Lovett is the reason why I went back here." He joked, making me laugh more. "But yeah, I have a girlfriend and I'm planning to propose to her soon."

I nodded, "Wow. Good luck! She's a very lucky woman. Tell me more about her."

"We went to Julliard together but we didn't notice each other back then. It was when we were auditioned for a Broadway show and got casted. I happened to be her love interest and it blossomed from there."

"Oh, she dances too?"

"She can dance but her forte is singing."

"A singer. But you aren't exactly good in singing. And trust me, I heard you sing before. How did you play your role? Did you get voice lessons?" I laughed.

"Actually, my character was mute."

I pursed my lips, holding back my laughter and trying to make my giggles sound like coughs.

He looked at me, "You can laugh all you want."

I just shook my head and contained myself, "No thank you. That would be rude." I took a deep breath to make the laughter go away, "So where is she right now? Shouldn't you be having dinner with her and not me?"

"She's in New York City. She has a Broadway show right now."

I nodded.

"How about you? Boyfriend, fiancé, or…" Malcolm's eyes zeroed on my ring and then he smirked at me, "husband?"

"A boyfriend." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You do know that a ring on the left ring finger means you're either engaged or married, right?"

"Yeah, I knew that."

"You're not off the hook. Tell me about your boyfriend."

I smiled, "He's a pilot. We met when we were college. He travels around the world and he just sends me e-mails from time to time. Whenever he's in New York City, he stays with me and showers me with gifts from different countries."

"I see. But don't tell me that there is nothing happening between you and best friend Percy Jackson." His smirk resembled that of the Cheshire cat's. "I can see chemistry between two people and between you and Percy, ooh, it's really strong."

"Shut up. He's getting married soon this summer to his long term girlfriend so don't bother."

"Tell me what his fiancée does." He smiled.

"She's an art critique who gets invited to the tons of famous art exhibits."

"Ah, absentee partners. That's just the perfect opportunity to get together."

As much as I felt remorseful over the subject, I denied with everything I had.

"More than two decades of being best friends is a perfect foundation for your relationship with him. Are you sure there's nothing between the both of you? It's like I can feel unresolved tension between you guys."

The whole night was just filled with chats about us but Malcolm would tease me to Percy from time to time. After dinner, he brought me back to the hospital. We figured that my grandmother would be asleep by then so he let me go in the room by myself. He said that we should get together again soon and I agreed. With a hug, I parted from him and went in the room.

My grandma was asleep and Percy was still awake. He said that he stayed up, waiting for me to come back. I kissed his forehead before getting ready for bed. We slept the same way on the couch. He kissed the top of my head before saying good night.

On Friday, we woke up late again which was rather fine because we didn't have any plans for my grandma. I tried to get some work done, bringing out my laptop, envelopes, and folders. By eleven o' clock, Percy and I decided to bring Grandma around the hospital. We got her on a wheelchair and pushed her around the establishment. Sometimes, we would run while pushing her, which would make her laugh but then we figured it might do something with her heart so never mind. We brought her back to the room for her lunch and then wheeled her to the recreation area after. Percy and I played chess for some time. My grandma decided she wanted to be placed in front of the easel so she can paint something. She loves painting. Later, she challenged Percy to play chess with her. Soon, we brought her back to her room and on our way there, nurses would stop and say, "Hi, Doctor Jackson" with added flirty waves, hair flips, and winks. I sighed and rolled my eyes but deep down I seethed with annoyance and I don't even know why.

As we got back to the room, my dad was already there, reading the newspaper. Percy and I got Grandma back on the bed and sat down on the couch. I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost four. I told Dad that I wanted to visit the twins' school, also known as my old school before I moved to New York City. He gave us his car keys and told us not to get in trouble. Percy and I said goodbye to my grandma and placed a kiss on the top of her head before we left.

Percy drove us to our old school. We went to grade school together there before Mother and I and his family moved to New York City to start high school there. I wanted to visit the school to see how much it changed and to ask about how my brothers are doing.

My eyes widened because the school looked better. They expanded and now it looks like they have a football field. Percy and I walked around and eventually bumped into one of the twins.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Bobby asked us as he read the paper he was holding on to.

"Your sister and I wanted to check out our old school and see how you guys are performing in school." Percy answered.

"What are you reviewing there?" I asked and pointed to the paper. "Don't tell me it's a test where you got an F."

He looked up and scoffed, "As if."

"Well, what is it?"

"It's my arguments for the debate later." He said. "Oh, thank you for helping me with my arguments the other night. We won that debate."

"You want me to scan or check your arguments for your debate?" I offered.

"Uhm, sure." He said and gave me the paper.

"So where's Matt?" Percy asked and then mussed Bobby's hair.

"He has basketball varsity training." Bobby said, trying to fix his hair.

"And I suppose that you are going to meet up with your debate team?"

He nodded and looked over to me as if saying, "Are you done?" I read the last sentence and then gave back the paper.

"You have really good arguments but I think your last one seems to contradict your other statements. Better revise that or else the other team would use it against you." I smiled.

"Okay, okay." He smiled back. "Thanks. I'll see you later." He said then walked away from us.

I looked at Percy and then shrugged. "I'd like to debate with him soon. I think he actually has a fighting chance against me."

Percy laughed, put his arm on my shoulders, and we continued walking around the school. None of the teachers here were familiar. No surprise if all the teachers we had retired. The school now had a swimming pool, football field, a bigger library, better laboratory equipments, and more. I called my stepmother to inform her that Percy and I would be the one to pick up the boys and bring them to the hospital. While waiting for the boys, we resulted to sitting on the floor, facing each other, and talking about the time we were in grade school.

An hour later, we heard people walking towards the exit. I saw Bobby and Matt along with other boys. Percy and I stood up and I smiled as they saw me. The twins went over to us and introduced their friends and apparently their band members.

"What are you guys still doing here?" Bobby asked us.

"We're supposed to fetch you. We already told your mother and so here we are." I smiled.

Matt groaned, "I forgot to tell her that we had band practice tonight."

"Oh…uhm, well, okay then. We'll just get going and hope you get home safely." I said. "I'll be the one who'll deal with your mom. So, have fun."

"Hey, guys, why don't we just cancel our practice. We can do it tomorrow, right?" Bobby asked his friends.

They had their lips in tight lines but they agreed. Bobby and Matt thanked them and then we left the school.

"They only agreed with the cancellation because they wouldn't want to disappoint such a beautiful lady." Percy whispered to me on our way out, making me blush and laugh.

"Do you guys need to go home before we head to the hospital?" I asked them as we left the school's parking lot.

"Yeah, I need to get a couple of things." Bobby said.

"So, how was your basketball training, Matt?" I smiled at him.

"It's all good. Tiring." He shrugged.

Percy drove us home, surprising me because he still knew the way to my old house. The twins got out of the car and went in the house. Percy and I went in as well. I got a good look around and saw that they renovated a couple rooms. I excitedly went to my room with Percy in tow and a side comment from one of the twins.

"Don't you dare do anything PG-18 in there!" One of them called out.

I rolled my eyes and called back, "Bite me!"

I got to my room and smiled. They changed my room into a guest room but most of my things were still there. I looked around and nostalgia hit me. Percy ended up having to bring me out of the room because the twins were already calling for us and I just wanted to stay in the room and stare at the room that was once mine.

"Your grandmother spent the whole afternoon in the recreation area. When you left, she asked me to bring her back there." Dad said as the twins, Percy, and I sat down on the couch.

"At least she's getting a different atmosphere." I smiled at Grandma.

Grandma's dinner arrived. Percy and I offered to buy some more fruits for Grandma from the cafeteria. The twins asked us to buy them dinner as well. I asked my dad and stepmom if they wanted anything before deciding to just buy everyone dinner from the hospital cafeteria. We went to the cafeteria and got dinner. We brought back servings of spaghetti, fried chicken, spring rolls, salad, steamed vegetables, and fresh fruits for them. We were having a great time telling stories as we ate.

"So how did the debate go, Bobby?" I asked.

He smiled at me, "We won."

"Congratulations!" I clapped for him.

"Couldn't have done it without you."

I smiled, "We should have a debate. I think that you actually have a fighting chance against me."

"I can't say no to a challenge, sister."

I smirked at him, "You sure? You might end up crying, brother."

Bobby and I got everyone else in the room to judge our debate. Our topic was "Education is the only factor that will make a country progress". I got pro while he had con. We were relaxed when we debated then it turned into a heated argument. Once it was done, we looked at the judges and asked who won according to them. I got three votes against Bobby's two votes. I smiled triumphantly at him and we shook hands.

"You are really good at debating. For a high school student, you have a lot of things to say about that issue." I praised him.

We continued eating. I asked Bobby and Matt about their college plans and Dad was right. They're planning to go to Harvard and just stay at a dorm. We were talking about that until Matt pointed something out.

"Oh! Try following Lady and the Tramp!" He said. "You guys have the pasta."

I looked at our plate and laughed. I gave in to make everyone happy and looked for the longest spaghetti noodle. Percy participated full heartedly. We shared the noodle until we were probably two and a half inches away from each other. I realized what was going to happen and started panicking. I clearly did not think this through. I stared at Percy with wide eyes for a couple seconds until he bit the noodle and then quickly kissed my cheek, narrowly missing my lips. My family members laughed and cooed over us, making me blush as red as a tomato. I moved away from Percy and exhaled the breath that I didn't realize I was holding.

After dinner, Grandma asked if she could go to the recreational area of the hospital because she really wanted to finish her painting. We obliged and brought her there. We all decided to accompany her and just hang out there. The twins brought out there Mythomagic cards and challenged Percy and me. So that was what Bobby needed to get back at home: their stack of Mythomagic cards and collection of figurines. My grandmother painted, my father and stepmother played chess, and the twins, Percy and I played Mythomagic.

Soon enough my grandmother called it a night and asked us to bring her back to her room. My stepmother brought the twins back home. Dad told us that it was our turn to sleep on a decent and right bed. He told Percy and me to go home and get a good night's rest.

I kissed my grandma's head before leaving and so did Percy after he checked her vitals. We walked hand in hand on our way to the parking lot. Percy drove us home. As we arrived home, I got ready for bed. I was fixing the guest room and called Percy as he passed by the room on his way out of the bathroom.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain." I called. "Where are you going to sleep?"

"On the couch, why?" He said as he stood by my doorway.

"The bed is big enough to fit the both of us." I said.

"What are you proposing?" He smirked.

"That you sleep with me tonight." I said too quickly. I realized what I said and threw a pillow at his direction, laughing.

"Are you sure?" Percy asked, still chuckling.

"Of course. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."

"Okay, just let me get my things."

That night, Percy and I slept side by side. It reminded me of our sleepovers in New York City, which will stop soon enough because he was going to get married. We talked and talked until we got sleepy.

We were facing one another and I said, "Good night, Seaweed Brain."

"Sweet dreams, Wise Girl." He smiled at me and kissed my forehead.

I turned around so my back was to him. In a couple minutes, I felt his arms wrapping around my waist. He brought me closer to him and then spooned me. I just smiled and shook my head. He is really known to hug things when he sleeps.

I woke up and blinked a couple of times, adjusting my eyes to the light. I turned around and saw a peaceful looking Percy who was still asleep. His arms were wrapped around my waist. I smiled and kissed his forehead before unwrapping myself from his embrace and getting out of bed. The clock said that it was only eight in the morning. I found this opportunity to have a morning jog. I quickly changed my clothes and then left the house. I jogged around the subdivision and once I was contented with my jog, I walked back home.

"Good morning, Wise Girl." Percy said as he came out of the bathroom. "Looks like you started the day early. How was your run?"

"Good morning, Seaweed Brain." I said. "It was good. It feels good to run again."

"You should have woke me up so I could go with you." He pouted at me.

"But you looked so peaceful. So no. And I figured that you needed sleep." I smiled at him and went in the bathroom to shower.

For today, I wore a loose sleeveless blouse which I tucked in, shorts, and a cardigan. Before Percy and I left for the hospital, we went to different rooms to check on the twins. I went to Bobby's room and slowly shook him.

"Hey, Bobby. Percy and I are going to the hospital; do you want to come along?" I asked him.

He groaned before asking what time it was. I answered him and then told me he'll stop by later. Well, that's a no. I left his room and was greeted by Percy who was exiting Matt's room as well.

"Is Matt coming?" I asked him.

"He said he'll be ready in a few."

While waiting for my half brother, Percy and I stayed at the living room and resulted to playing thumb wrestling.

"When will you be going home?" I asked. "I bet tons of people are already looking for you."

"The head gave me two weeks at most."

"Wow, that's long."

He had his thumb under mine for more than three seconds and then smirked at me. "Two out of three." I said.

"So, how's Rachel?" I brought up.

He seemed stunned by the subject because his thumb became rather limp, making it easy to beat him. One more game and one of us will be the winner.

"She's fine. She's in New York City right now."

"Is it fine with her that you're here with me?"

"Of course. She's always fine when I'm with you and she's working herself up with the wedding, so it's alright."

I nodded, "How are things going on with the wedding?"

"She's handling everything but I think I can say that everything seems fine." He shrugged.

"When will I be having my fitting though?" I asked. "Rachel's not contacting me or anything."

"Soon, I suppose. I'll ask her about it."

"How did your father take the news that you were going to get married soon?" I smiled.

"He reacted the same way as Mom."

I remembered how his mom reacted when he told the news. She was so happy because she thought that I was the fiancée.

"Hey, guys, let's go." Matt called our attention as he got to the bottom of the stairs.

Percy looked at him and I took that opportunity to beat him.

"That was unfair!" He protested.

"Make up all your excuses. Bottom line is I won." I said and stuck my tongue out at him.

He rolled his eyes but chuckled.

"Bobby's not coming?" Matt asked us once we were out of the garage.

"Seems like he wanted to catch up on his sleep." I said. "He'll visit later though. Don't worry."

We were about to leave when we saw Bobby trying to call our attention by waving at us from his window. We ended up sitting on the yard talking as we waited for him to get ready.

"What made you change your mind?" I asked as we got in the car.

"I have a weird feeling that something's going to happen today." He said.

I shrugged, "So what are you guys up to today?"

"We have band practice later."

"Oh yeah, you want us to bring you there?" I offered.

"No thanks. Maybe their girlfriends would get suspicious when they know that you're around." Matt joked.

Percy looked over to me, "Told you."

I laughed and shook my head, "How about you guys? Any girlfriends I should know about?"

They both replied simultaneously, "Nope."

We didn't bother tackling that subject anymore. Percy parked the car and the twins whined that they were hungry and they didn't have breakfast. I offered to buy them breakfast and they told me that they wanted Quiznos. I remembered seeing a shop a couple blocks away so I agreed to buy them their sandwiches. They thanked me and continued to go up to my grandma's room.

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Percy asked me as he locked the car.

"Sure, it's not that far. We can see if there are any food trucks." I smiled at him.

We started walking when Percy's phone rang. He told me that my dad was calling him to check Grandma's vitals and that I should just go ahead. I told him that we should just go together so I can check up on her as well. He insisted that I go buy the twins' breakfast and it's just going to be a mere check up. He walked back to the hospital and I continued walking to the shop.

I ordered everyone sandwiches with drinks to go along. I was already carrying bags of orders and a cup of good black coffee, which I bought from a food truck on my way back. I was standing in front of the doors of the hospital, about to enter, when my phone rang.

"Annabeth Chase." I answered.

"Wise Girl, you better hurry." Percy said on the other line.

"Are you guys that hungry?" I joked.

"No, Grandma's dying."

I was in the state of shock. It caused me to drop my coffee. I didn't care about the mess I made or if there were splatters of hot coffee on my legs. I pushed through the doors, on the verge of tears, and ran to the room. The elevator was taking long so I decided to take the stairs. As I got to the floor, I continued running and opened the door, still carrying the bags of food.

Everyone looked up at me. Most of them had tearstained faces and were around Grandma's hospital bed. Percy went over to me and gave me a hug. I could tell that he was keeping it in, trying to keep his cool, but he was on the verge of crying as well. He hugged me for a while but I couldn't hug him back because I was still carrying the bags of food and I still couldn't believe that it was really happening. I placed the bags on the floor and moved closer to the bed, holding Percy's hand.

My father was sitting beside my grandmother, on the bed. He was holding her hand and he was just telling her that everything would be alright and okay. Matt and Bobby were both standing by the foot of the bed, tears streaming down their faces. Percy and I stood beside her bed, opposite where my father was. Percy had his arm on my shoulders and moved me closer to him. My grandmother looked around. Her eyes were sad but she was just smiling at us.

"Everything will be alright, Mom." My dad said, grasping her hand.

The beeps from the patient monitor were slowing down and the intervals became longer as time passes.

Grandma looked at Percy and me and smiled. She touched my hand and I could see that she was proud.

She reached out and caressed my face, "I am so proud of you. Be happy and always be yourself, sweetie. I love you so much, Annabeth."

She would have to take deep breaths between saying a couple words. That pushed me. Tears started to fall.

She smiled, hushed me, and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, "Everything is going to be alright, dear."

Grandma looked away from me a proceeded to Percy. She caressed his face as well and smiled.

"You better watch over and take care of my Annabeth. I know that you'll always be there for her…even if you are already married. You make her a better person." She told Percy between deep breaths.

Percy put his hand over hers and nodded, "I promise I will."

Grandma smiled at him and then looked over to the twins. She smiled and nodded at them. I assumed she already told them what she wanted to say a while ago. She looked back at my father who was already tearing up.

"Why don't you sing me that song," She took a deep breath, "I sang to you when you were younger?" She smiled at him.

Dad nodded and started singing even though his voice shook and quivered, "You are my sunshine…" Pause. "My only sunshine…"

With a smile on her face, Grandma closed her eyes and continued listening to my Dad sing a song that will be the last song that she will ever hear.

The patient monitor's beeps have gone softer and softer until it was replaced by a very long one.

Dad's voice was rusty and hoarse with all the emotions and tears started streaming down his face, "You make me happy…" His voice cracked making him pause. "…when skies are gray…"

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A/N: Thanks for reading! :)

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Question of the Chapter: Have you gone to Alcatraz or do you want to go there? :)