I've decided to update this story and get it finished with by the weekend, just so I can have this story done with and I can start working on the sequel and other stories (Persistence of Memory, Ten Days, and Death is Life). I actually really like this chapter. It's just a thought chapter and about how they are feeling, but I rather like this chapter :D I hope you do too! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO!

Why Does It Hurt So Much?

Watching Annabeth run away from him was one of the hardest things Percy had to experience. He wanted to run after her. He wanted to stop her and just scoop her up in his arms and kiss her and tell her that it wasn't his fault, that he wanted her, not Rachel. He wanted to hold her and forget all about Rachel and the companies and work and everything else. But his legs felt like lead. His stomach had dropped to the warm sidewalk. His chest was tight, and it felt like someone was stabbing his heart.

Swallowing the anguish that he felt, he finally mustered the strength to pick up his feet and he started walking home.

This feeling in the pit of his stomach…he had never felt it before. It was so strong. Percy felt like his insides were being flipped inside out and then being stomped on. His heart felt even worse. It felt like it was being squeezed tighter and tighter until he thought it would explode.

God dammit, he thought. Why the hell am I feeling like this?

The image of Annabeth's hurt expression flashed in his mind. Percy squeezed his eyes shut, trying so hard to erase it from his memory.

I really fucked up, he thought with a long sigh.

When Percy arrived home, he wasn't surprised she was gone. He stared into the silent apartment, the emptiness of it all weighing down on him. He walked over to the counter and found a note.

Percy—I went to Thalia's house. I'll be staying there for a while. You can stay at the apartment.—Annabeth.

Percy stared at the note, reading it over again. He sighed and walked over to the black leather couch, plopping down on it.

He stared up at the cream colored ceiling. He felt like he could seriously cry.

Why was all of this happening to him? Why did Rachel have to come back anyways? She should have known Percy would have moved on (he broke up with her).

Percy buried his head in his hands. Right now, his life was so much more complicated than he wanted it to be.

Why does it hurt this much?

Was it because he had been hurting her so much lately? Was it the look on her face that made him want to rip his heart out whenever he made her upset?

"Are you in love with Annabeth?"

For the first time, Percy didn't try to ignore his dad's question. Instead, he pondered it, and thought for the first time that maybe…just maybe…he was in love with her.

A few days passed and Annabeth was sitting on the couch in Thalia and Luke's apartment, wallowing in sadness and self-pity. She hadn't moved from that spot since she had first crashed on there, only getting up for food and using the bathroom. She was still so upset and shocked that Percy had done that to her. She couldn't believe he had been two-timing her. Whenever she thought of the incident, she became sick to her stomach. She didn't want anything to do with him. She didn't want to marry him. She didn't care that the companies would fall apart. She wouldn't stand being with him knowing that he liked another girl.

But, dammit, she loved him. And that's what she hated about the situation. She wanted to let him go; she wanted to forget about him and move on with her life and actually find a guy that she got along with. But she still latched onto the single hope that maybe, just maybe, he loved her back and it was all just a big misunderstanding.

Why would it be, though? It made perfect sense to Annabeth that Percy would go off with someone else because their marriage was a scam. Sure, they may have been getting along better and they may have kissed and admitted they liked each other, but the fact of the matter was they weren't really getting married. It was all for the benefit of three companies. They weren't supposed to fall in love. There weren't supposed to be any strings attached.

But now there were. Annabeth loved Percy too much to actually let him go. She hated that she loved him. She wanted to hate his guts and be able to move on with her life. But, somehow, he had weaseled his way into her heart, and she couldn't stop caring for him, no matter how hard she tried.

"Annabeth, you need to get out of the house," Thalia announced, standing in front of the depressed girl. "You've been stuck in here for three days. I know what Percy did was a shitty thing, but you need to let it go and move on."

Annabeth glared at her. "Who's side are you on, mine or his?"

"Yours, of course." Thalia sighed and sat down across from her on the coffee table. "Look, as much as I'd like to punch the crap out of that kid, I really don't think this is his fault. I honestly think Rachel forced herself onto him."

Annabeth didn't say anything.

Thalia continued. "Let me ask you this: would Percy intentionally hurt you like this? You may not see it Annabeth, but he feels for you. He cares about you."

Annabeth let that sink in. It was true—she knew Percy wouldn't hurt her like this. But it was so hard to believe that when you saw the man you loved kissing the girl you hated.

"Just…think it over. Luke and I are going out. Did you want to come?"

Annabeth shook her head. "I don't want to ruin the fun."

Thalia just stared at Annabeth and how much she had changed since meeting Percy. She sighed. "Alright then. I guess we'll see you later tonight."

Annabeth listened as the door opened and closed, leaving her alone in the silent apartment.

I've never felt so lonely…

A week passed. Percy was at work, sitting in his old office again, staring wordlessly out the huge window behind his desk. He missed Annabeth like crazy. She was working with Mike again while his dad worked with him here. He hadn't heard from her since the day…

Percy closed his eyes tight, willing himself to forget about the incident. His fists clenched on top of the arm rests. He felt like crap (and he looked like it, too). He hadn't shaved in a while, so he was sporting more stubble than usual. His clothes were rumpled and he truly looked like a hobo. He was tired and drained mentally and physically.

Suddenly, there was a small knock on the door and it opened to reveal his father.

Percy turned in his chair to face Poseidon.

"How are you doing, Percy?" Poseidon asked softly.

"I've been better," Percy sighed.

"Have you talked to her at all?"

"Are you kidding? I wish I could at least see her again."

Poseidon didn't say anything for a while, and Percy started to get suspicious.

"Just please tell me Rachel was the one to start it," Poseidon pleaded.

Percy couldn't believe it. He abruptly stood up. "Do you honestly believe I would go back to Rachel? Do really think I would hurt Annabeth intentionally? Dammit, I care for her too much to do that!" Percy exclaimed, slamming his hands on the desk.

Poseidon didn't even blink at his outburst. "I just wanted to make sure."

"Yeah? Well I'm starting to get sick of people not trusting me."

"You really do care for her?"

Percy glared. "More than I can explain."

"…Do you love her?"

Percy stared at his father. The inevitable question that his father kept asking. Percy thought hard about it.

He would give up his life—his career, his home, his social life—just to be with her. He wanted to marry her so he could wake up every morning and see her, whether she be in a good mood or a bad mood. He wanted to hold her and kiss her everyday. The thought of her being with someone else and not with him made him want to kick a puppy and punch a hole in the wall. He got an ache in his chest whenever he hurt her. He longed to see her when he was away from her for too long. He noticed the little things about her—how she bit her lip when she was trying to work on something difficult. Or how her eyes sparkled when she started talking about something she loved. He enjoyed being with her because she made him feel alive and she kept him on his toes. He liked the way they would have little banters and still be okay with each other.

If all of that didn't scream love, Percy wasn't sure what would.

"Yes," he replied confidently to his father. "I love her."

He finally realizes he loves her! Yay! Now only the final chapter and the epilogue.

Oh yeah and the reason why Rachel's not in this? She got blown to bits with rocket launchers (and various other types of guns), pushed off cliffs, yelled at, beaten to a pulp...

All by YOU, the readers.

:D

So yes, now she undergoing intensive care and major plastic surgery so she can make one last appearance in the next chapter.

HA! Review please! Let's get to 600!

-Akatsuki Child