Percy

Things don't fall the way we wanted

It has been two months since the second titan war. And I still haven't been kicked out of school yet. Though one of the things that could have gotten me was I broke a knife over my finger.

Okay, there are two parts to this story. Because Goode 'prepares you for the future.' They had us pick a practical subject. I picked cooking because it is something I had admired my mum do for years, and I wanted to be more helpful.

In the summer I had a dip in the Styx, it's a river in the underworld. swimming in it can kill you but if you survive, it gives you the curse of Achilles making your body completely invincible apart from one spot, your Achilles heel, it doesn't have to be your heel, mine is a spot on my back.

One day we were chopping meat off the bone with proper cleavers. I missed the chicken and hit my finger. I should have lost it, but because my finger was invincible, the knife just crumpled. Thankfully no one was paying me any attention so I was able to hide that knife in my bag and get a new one.

Okay, one of the things that weren't going well was my thing with Annabeth. We hadn't really done much like yes we had our one month anniversary trip to paris but we that was the only thing we had done, and even that wasn't amazing, we both still smelt like sewage. Since then I hadn't even been sure that I was ready for a proper relationship.

Yes I know, my thing with Rachel was proper but she initiated everything and that was different. Annabeth is like my best friend ever — apart from Grover of course — and I thought maybe if this didn't work I would lose her as a friend.

But that Friday I couldn't stop thinking about her, I was even blanking cooking which is the only lesson I can keep my ADHD under control, and so I decided.

We had a water fountain outside our school that made the perfect mist for a rainbow in the sun. I hung back after school so no one would see me and then I took a drachma out my pocket and threw it into the fountain.

"Oh goddess, accept my offering," as I spoke the rainbow shimmered in the mist. "Annabeth Chase."

I froze, I didn't know where she would be, I forgot when her school ended, but before I could decide on what to say an image appeared.

Annabeth In her bedroom. First thing I noticed, she was wearing her school uniform — which I had never seen her wear before. it was a dark green color with way too many logos for its own good. Then I noticed her dad who was looking down on her sad face. Neither of them spoke, it was the end of a conversation, Fredrick — Annabeth's dad — just nodded and walked out the door.

"Hello," I said quietly so he didn't hear me through the open doorway. She must have not heard me either, because when she turned she jumped so hard she banged her head on the low roof.

"Ow," she said rubbing her head, "how long have you been here."

"Like a minute or two, sorry is this a bad time."

"No, no it's okay, I just had a bad day at school." she lowered her head.

"Monsters or mortals?" I didn't mention her workload because I knew that was rarely the problem.

"Mortals, we don't get monsters in our school," looking up at me. "Apart from the mortals," she muttered. "I would prefer not to talk about it."

"Okay," I waited, not sure how to say what I wanted to, I chose not to procrastinate — for once. "I am just going to say this and you can make fun of me after."

"You know I will seaweed-brain," the corners of her mouth threatened to smile.

I started to speak slowly "I was thinking—"

"Ooo, dangerous," She interrupted.

"about you and me—" I continued ignoring her but getting cut off again.

"Plot twist," she said trying to hold in the air of a laugh which just managed to escape in a small giggle.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile.

"What?" she stood up and closed the door. "you asked for it" she sat back down on her bed.

"I'm quite sure I said you could make fun of me after. As I was saying, I thought we could, you know, maybe have a nice dinner somewhere together. Or I could cook dinner at my place" I was crossing my fingers so hard they were starting to go white.

She waited for like 20 seconds, for me it felt like a year longer than I want to admit, and then she spoke in a confident tone.

"Nah I'm good,"

I pulled a slightly puzzled, sad face.

"I'm just teasing with you, I would love to."

I glared at her — it wasn't funny.

"As long as we go out. Don't get me wrong your parents are really kind. I just would prefer not to get hammered with questions. Like how do they even come up with so many."

I smiled, it was true, they did seem to form questions out of thin air. "So on Sunday?" I asked, getting back on topic. "It would be our anniversary."

"I am coming across that way tonight to chat with an old friend, so how about tomorrow night? I will be at the Salisbury hotel on 57th St."

"Okay," I thought for a moment. "I guess yeah, you wouldn't be able to get back in time for school if we did it on Sunday. I will pick you up at five then. I gotta go, my mum will be looking for me, bye."

"Bye," she said.

I waved my hand through the mist to hang up.

I ran to my car, unlocked it, jumped in and drove straight to my house. Last year all my relatives on my dad's side (Paul, not Poseidon, yet Paul almost has as many relatives) went in together on a second hand Vauxhall Astra for my birthday, it's this really nice retro style.

I got to our apartment, locked my car and ran up the stairs to the third floor. I got into the house and called. "Mum, Paul I need your help."

I realized that that probably wasn't the best thing to say as they ran into the lounge and for about three minutes it was just a blur of 'oh are you alright,' 'we thought a monster had eaten you,' things like that.

"I'm fine, we killed most of the monsters in the summer," I said to stop them talking, I knew most of them have already reformed but it calmed them down.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick," Paul said. If this made them as worried as that, I didn't want to know what they're like when I was out fighting monsters.

"I was just IM-ing Annabeth." I waited for one of them to say something but they both just nodded their heads and stared at me. I began to talk one syllable at a time waiting for one of them to stop me, "and to-mor-row we are gon-na go and have din-ner to-ge-ther," once I had finished their mouths had already open but I quickly added "Wait, please." and they just closed them again.

Calmly my mum began to speak "Okay, that's really nice, what do you want help with."

"I don't know what to do." I frowned slightly until now hanging out with Annabeth had been so… so easy and this whole relationship thing makes everything harder, oh and stupid.

The next day we spent the better part of two hours fussing, in the end, we decided on a tuxedo-ish thing and my mom gave me the rundown on what to do and what not to do. I still wasn't sure but I said goodbye and ran down the stairs, feeling like I was going to explode with every different emotion there is, mainly I was afraid, probably even more than when I was facing the drakon two months ago. I drove down 57th St until I saw a big sign that I could just about read, SALISBURY HOTEL. I parked outside, walked up to the reception and gulped, "Um, excuse me, Sir, I am here to see Annabeth, Annabeth Ch—" I was interrupted.

"Come on seaweed brain let's go," Annabeth said from behind me, she put her card on the reception desk. "Room 212 leaving."

The man just nodded.

We started walking to my car. I didn't feel too overdressed because for once she was wearing a dress. It was a plain dark blue that made her eyes stand out more than ever. I opened the trunk for her case. Stupidly I forgot to close her door for her after I had opened it but she didn't seem to notice.

On the drive, we were both silent for a few moments almost daring each other to speak first. I didn't see a reason not to. "You look really nice, I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress before, well apart from C.C.'s spa but that's not to be talked about."

"Honestly I don't know, it looks nice and all but I don't think it's really me, and I wouldn't say yours is really you either." She pulled a teasingly disgusted face.

"Your right it's not."

"Whose?"

"I would say both of ours." I parked the car, somewhat terribly. "We're here." We got out and I locked the car.

My mum suggested a nice diner that she and Paul went to. I couldn't remember what it was called and there were no dyslexia-friendly signs. When we got in it was pretty empty so we were seated and waitered quickly — I don't think that's a word. I ordered a chicken curry and Annabeth ordered something or other alfredo.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, Annabeth opened her mouth a few times as if to say something but never did.

"so, how is it being the architect for Olympus?"

She sighed, visually happy that I had started a topic and a nice one at that — for her. She blabbered on for about two minutes straight without stopping.

"Take a breath, and I don't speak architection."

She huffed out a laugh through her nose, "Fine, in kelp terms It's been great I have had a huge group of cyclops and other workers to help me." she took her plate from the waiter who had just arrived with our food.

"You mean boss around."

She ignored my comment and just continued. "Olympus looks the best it has ever looked and could probably withstand the whole US army."

"Wow, wise girl I don't think I've seen you be this modest," I said sarcastically as I swallowed some chicken.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay then, after dinner, let's go."

I squinted at her trying to determine whether she was being serious, "so we don't have to be on a quest or anything." I gave her a side-skeptical look.

"I'm the architect there. I can go anytime."

I nodded, still slightly skeptical. (I didn't know it then but we really shouldn't have gone.)

We talked about my cooking class a bit. Then we finished our food, paid the bill and we got back in the car. We continued to talk about random stuff like how many plastic cups and tins Grover eats a day now he is in the council and whether Annabeth will have any new half-siblings. As much as I wanted to I didn't mention her school.

When we arrived at the Empire State building Annabeth made sure I wouldn't say anything until we were in the elevator she 'wanted things to go smoothly'. We got in fine, then she used her dagger to cut a bit of my jacket off and blindfold me with it.

"Don't worry I'll sew it back together," she said.

"That's fine, I didn't like it anyway. Wait, can you sew?"

"Nope," She said innocently.

I chuckled slightly.

I knew we had hit the top when I heard a bing and the doors slide open. I started to walk but Annabeth grabbed me and pulled me back. I ripped off the blindfold and there right in front of me was probably the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen.

Manhattan, no Olympus just good old Manhattan.

Annabeth stepped forward towards the edge and then everything froze. I couldn't move or speak everything was slowed down, but it didn't feel the same as the power of Kronos more like a freeze-frame I could see every move a fly made. I could almost see the wind as it blew. Then I saw a shimmer in the air like the mist so strong it was making something invisible even to demigods. It might have been an undead spirit but I wasn't sure. I had this feeling like I had seen this before just never noticed it because of how quick it was. Then I realized something, it was pushing Annabeth.

I always have a water bottle with me not only because I should be drinking two and a half liters each day, but also I'm the son of Poseidon so water is kind of my power source. I still couldn't move but now I knew what this feeling was, it was Athena she was stopping me from moving. Normally I would have probably just jumped straight for Annabeth and because it's not into the water we both would've gone splat!

Athena would only let me move once I had a plan, but Annabeth was still falling slowly but nonetheless, she was falling. After a few moments of really thinking I thought really hard, Athena goddess of wisdom, I have a plan I can save your daughter. I couldn't speak so that was the best I could do. At that moment I whistled and dived after Annabeth who was speeding up rapidly.

In the air, I grabbed my backpack off pulled it open and grabbed the water bottle. After that, I was next to Annabeth who was unconscious. I grabbed Annabeth's hands and spread myself out trying to make more air resistance. I opened the bottle and poured the water out under us and then I willed the water upwards, nothing happened. Again, nothing. then in the corner of my eye I saw Blackjack and his friend Porkpie. I closed my eyes and with all my strength willed, wanted, hoped — whatever you want to call it — the water to resist the air then I felt a tug in my gut and we slowed down not by much, but it was going to have to be enough. We were getting closer to the floor every second. Everything went black.

(A/N Hi hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sadly I'm not going to be able to have a regular update speed and I will be changing this as I go. This is my first story so please don't be to harsh but I would love any constructive criticism. I do have a strong Idea where this book is going and I am planning on making this a 3 or 4 book series spread across the Riodan verse. Please review favourite and follow and again I hope you enjoyed.

Yay lift hangers . {it's like a cliff hanger but on a lift.}

Yep I'm actually not American yaaay!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series or any of the canon characters from uncle Rick's books.)