Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate that :D

Thanks again to Clara Fonteyn and Stolen Silent Stars for beta-ing!

Disclaimer: I (sadly) do not own PJO!

Annabeth is Not Happy

Annabeth Chase was not having a good morning. Her hair was a mess and her white, button-up shirt wasn't tucked in, but that was the last thing on her mind. Right now, she just wanted to get to work on time. She ran down the street as fast as she could in her black, three-inch stilettos and black, knee-length pencil skirt. Her gold, leather bag full of all her stuff—both work-related and not—was hanging from her elbow, swinging around to hit her side, along with anyone who dared to walk by her.

Upon arriving, she quickly opened the door to Swanson Architectural Company and ran inside. She ran to the elevator, but on it was a sign that read, "Out of Order."

"Oh, you are kidding me!" she shouted, alarming many of the other workers who were straggling in the lobby. They watched as the frazzled young woman yanked the door to the stairs open and disappeared behind it.

Annabeth grimaced as she looked up to see the stairs winding all the way up. She had to get to the fifteenth floor. Fifteen flights of stairs…

"Oh, God…what did I do to deserve this?" she groaned as she started her journey. It was one thing to climb stars, but to ascend them with stilettos and a pencil skirt? That was something totally different.

After having to stop a couple times to catch her breath, Annabeth finally made it to the fifteenth floor. She wrenched open the door and hurried to her boss' office.

"I'm here!" she announced as she piled in with all the grace of a hippo. She collapsed on one of the white leather chairs across from her boss' his desk, her hair even messier than before and her shirt askew.

Mike sighed. "You're late, Annabeth."

"I know. I'm sorry," she said, fixing her appearance while she tried to catch her breath.

"No, it's ok. Let's just get to work."

Annabeth nodded and stood up. She started to take out some blueprints from her bag, but Mike stopped her.

"Uh, you won't be needing those today…" he started slowly, a bit of uncertainty lacing his words.

Annabeth blinked, thoroughly confused. "Why not?"

Mike swallowed. He was a bit afraid to tell Annabeth the news. She was an all-around nice girl, but she had a hell of a temper. "Y-you may want to sit down. I have something to tell you."

Now Annabeth was worried. Still clutching the blueprints tightly in her hands, she slowly sat down on the edge of the chair. "What's going on?"

Mike cleared his throat and straightened his tie—a nervous habit of his. "You are aware of the current state of your father's company, yes?"

Annabeth nodded grimly. "Of course."

"Well…I may have found a way to save it."

"Really?" she asked in amazement. "That's great! How?"

He took a deep breath. "Are you familiar with Overseas Inc.?"

Annabeth's brow furrowed in thought. "Uh…no. I've never heard of them."

"Well, when I was in Europe, I played a game of poker with the owner, and he bet his company in one of the rounds—"

"What an idiot," Annabeth murmured. Mike ignored her and continued.

"—and he lost. However, I struck up a deal with him that would save both his company and your father's…"

She waited for him to continue but he never did. "…So?" she prompted. "What was the deal?"

This was where he hesitated. He could just chicken out and say it was something else, but he couldn't do that. He would get in trouble if he did.

"Well, uh, t-that's the thing…um…the only agreement they would, er…agree on…was if you..." He mumbled the last part.

"What was that?" Annabeth asked, leaning closer.

Mike took another breath. "If you ma…"

"One more time?" She leaned in even closer.

"If you marry their son!"

Annabeth fell forward from both shock and leaning forward too much. She squeaked and grabbed onto the desk. She peered up at Mike on her knees from behind the desk. She opened her mouth to say something—anything—but she couldn't. She just sat there, looking like a fish, trying to process what he just said. Finally, she swallowed and slowly stood up.

"Marry…his…son…" She shook her head. "Why would I do that? I don't even know him! No, I'm not doing it."

"W-well you see…he, uh…already…agreed…" he swallowed. His voice had gotten smaller with each passing second, and with each passing moment her expression became more and more furious.

"WHAT?"

"H-he's really a n-nice guy! Honest! I-I met him myself!"

Smoke was practically pouring from her ears as she demanded, "Humor me and tell me whether or not I'm correct: you made a deal with some man, from some company, that I would marry his son just so he could keep his company?"

"A-and so your father would keep his," Mike added in, which probably wasn't the right thing to say.

"Ugh!" she yelled, throwing her hands up. "I can't believe this! There's got to be another way!"

Mike shook his head. "I'm sorry. There isn't."

Apparently, that wasn't the right answer. She glared harshly at him. "This is your fault, you know that?" Mike just looked sheepish as he glanced at anything but her. "I can't believe I'm engaged to someone I don't even know!"

"Uh, well, you'll know him today…"

Her eyes narrowed. "What was that?"

"He'll be coming here today to m-meet you…"

"AHH!"

Percy ran a hand through his hair as he pulled his dad—dressed in a nice suit this time—into Swanson Architectural Company where he would be meeting not only Mike, but his new fiancée Annabeth as well. The two took the elevator—the one that wasn't broken down—to the fifteenth floor and walked into Mike's office.

"You ready to meet her?" Poseidon asked his son.

Percy sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be."

The two suddenly heard yelling coming from inside, along with a thump like something being thrown. The father and son exchanged glances. Poseidon snorted. "Good luck, son." And he swiftly pushed the doors open.

Poseidon and Percy filed in, Poseidon with a grin on his face and Percy with an expression that said 'I-really-don't-want-to-be-here-right-now.' However, he did find the scene before him slightly amusing: Mike, cowering behind his desk, as a petite woman stood glaring over him. Percy took in the woman, and his heart stuttered.

She had beautiful, golden, wavy hair that stopped a little past her shoulders. Her eyes were a stormy gray. And that body! She was definitely a looker, and she had amazing legs.

Suddenly, her head turned to glare at the two intruders. Percy blinked. He found himself slightly frightened just by her murderous stare.

"Ah! Percy! Poseidon! So glad you could make it," Mike quickly said, standing up. Annabeth continued to glare at them as she crossed her arms.

"Percy, I'd like you to meet Annabeth, your, uh…fiancée."

Percy looked over at Annabeth and put on his best smile, but she just continued to glare at him.

"Uh…hey…" Percy said stupidly, slightly deterred by her hostility.

"Hi," she replied bluntly, not even caring to use her manners. Percy narrowed his eyes. So it was going to be like that, huh? Fine. Two could play at that game.

"Let's give these two kiddies some time to get to know each other," Poseidon suggested, hurriedly pulling Mike outside before the tension suffocated them.

The newly engaged couple stood in silence and stared each other down. Finally, Annabeth put her hands on her hips.

"All right. Listen to me, and listen good. I don't like you," she said flatly. Percy crossed his arms, waiting for what else she had to say. "I don't like the fact that we're getting married. The only reason I'm doing this is to save my father's company. I don't care about you, your company, or even your father."

Poseidon and Mike, who had been listening through the door, winced.

"Ouch, man," Poseidon said.

Percy narrowed his eyes and glared at her. "Likewise."

Annabeth huffed. "Fair enough." She started to walk to the door. "Now, if you excuse me, I have work to do."

She tried to walk around Percy, but Percy stepped in front of her, effectively blocking her path of exit. He was a little ticked off with her. What right did she have to just write him off like that?

Annabeth blinked up at him incredulously and went to step around him, but he just stepped in front of her again.

She huffed. "What the hell are you doing?" she asked rudely.

"Stopping you because you're being a total jerk right now," Percy replied with a fake smile and a sarcastic tone.

"I'm being a jerk?" she asked incredulously. "I think you're the one who's being a jerk!"

"How am I being a jerk?"

"You won't let me leave!"

"Because you just decided to leave after you barely said two words to me!"

"If your head wasn't filled with kelp you would have heard me say that I don't want anything to do with you!"

The two were now nose to nose, glaring at each other. Percy's jaw was locked tight. His eyes were hard with anger and dislike towards this girl. His hands were clenched tightly at his side. Annabeth, despite being a head shorter than him, even in heels, glared back at him fiercely. Her narrow face was set in an angry scowl while her hands grasped her hips. It was clear that neither was going to back down.

Suddenly, Poseidon and Mike burst in.

"Hey! Let's have some lunch!"

Oh jeez. Mike and Poseidon. So Percy and Annabeth meet and fight already...oh dear. Not good.

Thanks for reading and review please!

-Akatsuki Child

(Edited April 2012)