I'm sure that fics revolving this photo exist because so many Tumblr posts and fanart exist. I felt as if I had to write one of my own because it was a reason SoM is one of my favourite books in the series (and BewareTheFandom kept on sending me said posts).

Disclaimers - I don't own these characters. Some snippets were inspired by Tumblr posts and fanart.

Chapter One: Annabeth Emails a Photo

At Camp Half-Blood, the older demigods and counsellors would always tell them to do something that scares them because it scares them. While training, they always exerted themselves to find the limit of their courage. The only difference is that at Camp, everyone was talking about going on quests, exploding other campers during games, and battling monsters. They never associated that wisdom with sending Percy Jackson an email.

"It's just a photo, Annabeth," her dad says, standing by the door of their hotel room. He was waiting for her to finish so they could go on a museum tour. His tone implies they're already late but she knows they're not.

Annabeth looks up from her father's laptop to give him a face. Just an email? How dare he? He doesn't get it. It wasn't just a photo. Her father didn't go to Camp so he doesn't understand how much pressure she's in. Besides, he can wait. The tour doesn't start for another fifteen minutes and it'll only take them five to walk there and still make their way to the front. She won't miss it since it's a moment with her father and information … her stepmother and step-siblings opted for some water park instead. Annabeth didn't care since it's not like they'd miss each other. Gods, she was relieved they weren't coming.

"Just meet me in the lobby," her father says, closing the door.

Annabeth is relieved to see him gone, especially when the door locks. It puts her more at ease to pick a photo without him staring through her peripheral vision. He would've gotten bothered with her scrolling through the photos they took because she's on her tenth round of leafing through them.

For once in her life, she has never been so focused … and it's hard for her to do.

She can't pick anything from that set of photos since her stepmother took those. Percy wouldn't know she took them unless she told him which she wouldn't, but the thought of her knowing she sent that doesn't sit well with her.

Annabeth clicks on a photo that she thinks will be fine but when it enlarges, she regrets it. She's standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial but there's a kid blocking her - she means the Memorial. She's sending Percy a photo of the Memorial but did she have to be in it? With that reasoning, she technically didn't have to be there but she wanted to.

She had to be in the picture rather than some snotty children on leashes, just so he'd know it was from her and that she was having fun. It was a chance to keep in touch with him since their quest last summer. Demigods haven't warranted technology use since it attracts monsters but either way, she wanted to check up on him, keep in touch, make sure he's still alive.

Friends do that.

Her stepmother thinks Annabeth has a crush on him. Ridiculous. She doesn't have a crush on Seaweed Brain. Nonsense. Why would she? It's as if her stepmother never sent a photo to anyone before. What does that woman know?

But she had to make sure she looked nice in the photo. The Lincoln Memorial doesn't matter since it doesn't have to worry about having curls in its face or blinking. It looks beautiful in every photo. And she had to make sure it wasn't a photo with her step-siblings or one her stepmother took. Percy wouldn't know about the latter but Annabeth would and it would pester her.

"This one!" Annabeth exclaims, opening a new email and attaching the photo.

Her blonde curls tamed and pulled back in its orange bandana. She was wearing jeans and her denim jacket over her bright orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt. The outfit she wore for most of her vacation in Washington but Percy doesn't need to know that. Her smile isn't forced. She looks content with the Memorial.

It's perfect.

But then she realizes she has to write a message in the email. No training session could've prepared her for an email to Percy Jackson. Annabeth looks at the keyboard and all the letters jumble together. Even if she wasn't dyslexic, she thinks all the letters would've piled into a clump. She can't sit through writing a letter and she knows Percy doesn't have the attention span to read through one. But she doesn't want it to sound sappy and give away that she misses him and can't wait to see him again.

She has to leave in five minutes so she decides to make the message short since Percy isn't built for reading or focusing. She hopes she didn't make a typo or else she'd never hear the end of it from him … but at least that would mean he responded.

Hey Seaweed Brain,

Check out this cool place.

Annabeth.

Sent.

Nailed it.

The next chapter will be up on September 13th.