TW: Mention of Abuse

Disclaimer: I dont own any characters apart from Cecily and the people in the coffee shop, all the others (who are kind of OOC i think) are owned by Rick Riordan!

Enjoy I hope!

Annabeth was awoken by the hushed whispers of the Athena cabin who were occasionally glancing at her every now and again. She blinked a couple of times and wiped her eyes, then checked the time and shrieked- everyone was supposed to be up and at breakfast over an hour ago but she never heard the bell ringing. "Why didn't you wake me!" she yelled at them, which made them jump around guiltily. Looking at them suspiciously she tried to remember what they had been talking about a moment before. A younger sibling stuttered a small explanation which was obviously untrue when she looked at them with her eyebrows raised. She jumped out of bed, "Okay what is it?" They looked at each other hesitantly and decided it wasn't worth her wrath if they kept whatever it was secret any longer. "Percy just said that he wants you to meet him at the beach in 30 minutes…" they shrugged and every single one of them ran out the door. Annabeth took a deep breath, it wasn't the strangest thing that had happened in her life, practically normal to a demigod.

About 25 minutes later, she stepped out of her cabin onto the fresh grass of Camp Halfblood, the only place demigods like her could be safe (apart from the Roman camp). The first thing she noticed was that there was no one around, no one on the climbing walls, sparring, practicing archery, the Apollo kids had left the basketball court and every kid had abandoned the strawberry fields. Her first thought was that in the 25 minutes she had took, an old enemy of the gods had swept in and taken everyone. However she quickly dismissed it because there seemed to be no sign of a struggle. The only thing she could do now is go to the beach and see if Percy was there already. None the less, she raced there quickly and pulled Damasen's knife from her belt.

At first glance, there was nothing at the beach and all she could hear was the waves rolling onto the sand. As she got closer there seemed to be tables or something posted around the beach. "Hello?" She crouched into a fighting stance, ready for an attack.

She jumped as music suddenly blasted out and there were scattered "Surprise" s that rang out from the hundreds of demigods leaping into view. She barely had time to put her knife away (so she didn't stab anyone) before someone barrelled into her, screaming "WISE GIRL!" She kissed her boyfriend passionately until she realised that everyone, even people from camp Jupiter had came, was watching awkwardly. She was so caught up in plans for Olympus, running a cabin and spending time with the people she loved, that it completely slipped her mind that today was her birthday. She saw Percy admiring the powder blue dress she had chosen, it was quite short and frills lined the bottom and top, it was tied around the waist with a simple belt and showed off her neckline, she bought it a few months ago intending to wear it but she never got the opportunity. She laughed and joined the crowd by the ocean, finding that Chiron had allowed her dad to visit as well, her stepmother and half brothers sadly weren't able to make it, but she didn't mind because other than them, most people had showed. "Why are there so many people," she whispered happily to Percy. "Hmm I'm not sure.. its not like your that important, you only helped save the world twice- and more…" he pretended to think, and then mockingly added, "But we both know that I was the actual hero who saved the world!" Annabeth punched him in the shoulder and laughed, because they both knew that was not true at all,she warned him "Be nice.. it is my birthday after all.." He kissed her on the cheek and her was pulled away from her as the endless "Happy Birthday" s and hugs took place.

After most people had finally left her alone to enjoy the party that the seven and a couple of others had arranged, she finally got to have an actual conversation with Percy. "This was sent my Magnus I think," he lifted a medium sized gift up to show her, "and Sadie and Carter sent these," gesturing to a couple of presents at the end of the table. He carried on listing and showing her what she had received from various relatives and friends. "Even the Olympians sent you something!" He said, somewhat Impressed, "but I suppose they had to, you saving the world and all." She nodded, grateful that all these people had taken the time to choose something for her.

She stayed with Percy; dancing, laughing and making fun of Leo embarrassing Calypso on the dance floor. They talked and ate the cake Annabeth had to cut in front of everyone. "What did you wish for?" He whispered in her ear. She slapped him lightly on the wrist, "if I tell you it wont come true.." "Please wise girl?" He did his sad seal eyes that he knew- no he thought- she couldn't resist. She shook her head, "Stop that, its not going to work" and then she playfully folded her arms and turned away. He sighed and was about to counter her with another stupid comment but she was swept away by her father onto the dance floor.

It felt comfortable, she hadn't been as close to her dad when she left Virginia and their relationship was slowly healing. She danced until she couldn't dance for any longer, her feet were going to drop off and she felt sick from all the spinning and twirling.

She ended up sat at a table, enjoying the music and the peace where no one was watching her, alone with her thoughts. She sat like that for a while before she remembered that she hadn't seen Percy since she started dancing with her dad. Then, just like she had summoned him, he popped up in front of her, grinning. "I wanna show you somewhere.. do you wanna get away from the party for a bit?"

"Because no one will notice that," she pointed to her hat that spelled out 'Birthday Girl' "I'm gone..?" Whatever he said next she was still agreeing. "We've already established your not that important." He smirked daringly. She hit him for the millionth time that day and he grabbed her hand and took her away from the party and into his car for a drive.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence as they walked through New York, her leaning into Percy and him squeezing her hand every few minutes.

They arrived at a quiet street somewhere and Percy looked around. "We havent come here so you can murder me have we?" Annabeth broke the silence and Percy laughed, "Gods no, I swear on the Styx I would never!" She raised her eyebrows, "Oh now its binding, you can't do it even if you wanted to, you must really care about me!" He laughed and kissed her on the cheek gently and whispered into her hair, "I do, I really do.."

She leant into the hug and relaxed tiredly, "so where are we going?" She yawned.

He walked down the street a bit further and spread his arms, presenting a coffee shop behind him, announcing proudly, "Welcome to the coffee corner!"

The bell jingled as Percy opened the door and held it for Annabeth, then he led her over to the couch in the corner which was adorned in pillows and blankets which made the whole place feel even cosier and more homely. It was almost empty, a student was sat at the window tapping away at her computer, and old married couple were sat talking together on another table and then only a few other customers were there as well. Percy waved at the girl behind the counter who's smile widened. He sat down and pulled Annabeth closer to him, she pulled her feet up and snuggled into Percy's chest.

The waitress came over, she looked a couple of years older with sparkling amber colored eyes and curly black hair framed her naturally tanned face. "Percy!!" She greeted, "Its been a while since you've been around here, mama has been wondering whether you would ever come back!" She tutted at him.

He stood and hugged her, "You know we would never stop coming here Cecy!" and then he pulled Annabeth up next to him and introduced her, "This is Annabeth, my girlfriend, and this is Cecily, a family friend of ours!" The feeling of jealousy she had initially experienced was washed away when she put my hand out to shake and she pulled her in for a hug. "I thought Percy would never find someone, that scrawny thing.." Annabeth laughed, "I know what you mean there!" as Percy acted hurt.

"Well, what can I get you today?" She pulled a notepad and pen from her pocket and handed Annabeth a small menu from the table. Scanning the writing, she opted for a caramel latte topped with extra cream, which Percy had also decided on. Cecily nodded and spun back to the bar, way too energetically for this late in the evening.

They went back to the way they were sat on the couch, and Annabeth saw the couple looking at them, she heard part of their conversation like "just like us" and "when we were young", she smiled at them and gave a slight wave. She looked up at Percy and decided to ask what she had wanted to ask since they got there, "How did you find this place?" He looked at her in shock and sighed, "I was with my mom when I was younger, about 7 or so, and Gabe was in a particularly bad mood.. mom wanted to run so she packed a bag and got out of there, running through the rain- but we got lost so-" he broke off. "Its okay you don't need to tell me if you don't want to, she comforted, knowing how hard it was for him to speak about Gabe, his abusive ex stepfather. He shook his head and grasped her head, "No.. I want to, so then we came across here, we were wet and tired and didn't know what to do so this was the first place we saw, Cecy and her mum went through something like us with her real dad..and they took care of us, gave us a bed for the night before we went back to Gabe.." Annabeth nodded, understanding, and pressed her face into the crook of his arm.

The mood changed as their drinks came, Percy didn't want to ruin her birthday presumably with his childhood, even though she knew and it was something he could confide in her about. "So, I hope you got me a birthday present..?" Annabeth asked expectingly, but in a joking way of course. Percy face palmed dramatically, "Hmm no.. I don't think I did.. oops.." He raised his eyebrows at her- it was her next move. "How rude! I guess I just wont get you a present this year…" she sighed, "its a shame because I saw this really cool..-" She was interrupted by Percy, "OF COURSE I got you a present.. How could I forget! Theres really no need to be a drama queen-" which earned him another slap.

He reached into his pocket and brung out a small wrapped box, "I remember the first thing I thought when I saw you was that you were a princess, more like a literal goddess, but I never would have thought that you would actually fall in love with me!" He laughs and presses the box into her hands. She carefully pulls the ribbon and tears the paper so she doesn't make too much noise and ruin the peaceful atmosphere. Inside the paper was a box, and she opened it to reveal a necklace nestled into the velvet. Bringing it out, she saw it was silver with an owl and a trident rising behind it. Running her hands over it she felt something, engraved on the back in cursive, she read out "Wise girl and Seaweed brain forever.. This truce ends now.." she gasped, remembering that day clearly. "Percy I-" She started and then flung herself into his arms, "Thank you.." she whispered and then tears rolled down her face, "I love you." He reached for her face and brushed her tears away, "I love you too wise girl."

She stared into his eyes…the owl meets the sea.

He was her best friend. Her soulmate and her other half. They had been through so much together, the good and the bad. He was her rock, her anchor who held everything together and was always there when she needed him most.

She loved him, and she was not afraid.

She was his Wise Girl and he would always be her Seaweed Brain.

The End! Happy Birthday Annabeth!!!

I might come back and change this later because I wrote it in a night and I am probably suffering from serious sleep loss- so if you see a mistake you can point it out I wont mind lol!

I hope you liked it because I didn't really know what to do but Ive been procrastinating it for a couple of days. I forgot it was Leos on the 7th and I realised it was on the 8th so Im sorry my husband!

This actually turned out different to what it was going to be but yeah!

And also Im english so if it is a random mix between american and english please dont judge, like I said, i am tired and i dont know american either.

Anyway thanks for reading!

Bye!

~LamboTheDam