Disclaimer: I don't own the PJO characters

Chapter Thirteen

Annabeth woke up to the sound of her brothers banging on the door. She lay still for a moment, cursing the sun. Percy was gone from next to her. She must've fallen asleep at some point and he left for his lamp. Another bang at her door. Annabeth lugged herself out of bed.

Her dad poked his head inside. "I have to go now. And don't forget you're alone today and you can order in dinner. Got it?"

Annabeth groggily rubbed her eyes. "Alone? Wait what?"

"I told you a couple days ago, remember? I'm off to a conference nearby," he said slowly, exasperated. "And Helen is taking the boys for a soccer tournament in the same place. We'll be back early tomorrow morning but you're stuck with dinner on your own then tonight."

"Oh. Yeah, you did tell me."

The first thing Annabeth did was call Leo and ask him if he could pick her up. He made some dumb, crude joke and promised he would be there in half an hour. Once her family had left, Annabeth took Jason and Percy's lamps down to the living room to leave them there. Percy loved the living room but because there was always someone there, he could never stay there for long. At least now, Percy and Jason had all day on their own.

Annabeth sulked her day through the school day then. Rachel wasn't at school that day which made her restless: after hearing Percy singing the same song last night, she was wary of Rachel.

Thalia, on the other hand, was at school. Annabeth was tempted to ask Thalia where Rachel was but she decided against it. There was no point pondering on about it: it was a song and that was all it was.

After school, Leo and Annabeth were supposed to hang out at the mechanics store but Leo's dad refused to pick them up after school. They resorted to walking all the way back to Annabeth's home with Leo carrying both backpacks and Annabeth hobbling along on one crutch.

"Three days," Leo was complaining a car whizzed by them. "I've been begging her for three days."

"She's not going to give you a higher grade for this semester. You're dead already."

Leo scowled. "She's a fucking hawk, you know? I hate her."

"At least this is the first class you've had with her. I've had her for biology for the past three years and she's never given me an A. Always at a B no matter what I do."

"That's a first to hear from you. I thought this recent test in biology was the only one you messed up on."

Annabeth shrugged.

"I have to tell you something by the way," Leo said. He rolled his shoulders backwards. "I think I might've finally figured out a way to convince Thalia to come with me to the Christmas Ball."

Annabeth sighed.

"It's my fashion sense," Leo said, pleased. "I had my suspicions but I get it now. She wants a guy in a suit. I'm coming to school in a suit on Monday."

"Oh my gods, I can't be seen with you."

"Maybe I'll get Hazel to help me with my suit selection."

"You have only one suit."

He mulled it over. "Yeah, actually. I didn't realise."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Speaking of Hazel, do you know what you're going to make your second wish?"

"I don't want to make one right now. Especially after hearing that girl, Crystal, who got robbed the day after she made all her wishes. But I have a feeling the next one I make will do with my dad."

"Is something wrong with him?"

"No," Leo bit his lip. His body slumped. "A little bit. We have a year and a half and a bit before we leave for university. Ever since my mom died, it's been just my dad and I. He's already getting impatient knowing that I'll be leaving soon and I know it's going to get worse from here. Maybe I'll do something before I leave so he won't feel lonely."

"I never knew you felt that way."

"But what is a wish going to do, right?" Leo scoffed. "I've realised ever since I got Hazel, genies are kind of useless."

Annabeth went quiet.

"Hazel fixed my teeth, sure. But she keeps saying no to everything else. She says all my wish ideas are out of her ability. It confuses me. Should I be mad that Hazel can't grant me wishes or am I supposed to feel bad because she's in chains?"

"There have to be restrictions on wishes, Leo. If everyone was able to run free with whatever wishes they want, humans would destroy itself."

"Isn't that basically what the genies are like? They basically grant themselves wishes and they have an infinite number of wishes. Maybe that's why they're chained up. Give them all that freedom, they'll tear each other apart. I suppose that's the natural way of things anyway. I love Hazel, though. She's a literal angel. She makes me feel so bad about even things like littering."

Annabeth's grip tightened around her single crutch. She wasn't sure to what extent she agreed with that statement. Instead, she kept walking. Someone past by them and Leo whipped around, craning his neck to get a better look. He gave her a pout when she glared at him.

"I thought I knew her from school," Leo protested.

"Uh-huh. Okay."

"Have you noticed, by the way, that Luke hasn't shown up to school for almost a month and a half? He's in one of my classes and my teacher is beyond annoyed at his absence."

Annabeth shrugged. "I was more curious about Rachel. You won't believe what happened last night. Rachel sings that weird song about landing the sun on the moon, right? Last night, Percy tried to sing me asleep and he sang the exact same song. He said his grandma wrote the song and no one else knew it. It gave me the chills."

"Annabeth, I told you to stop with all the genie stuff."

"I have," she insisted, the lie rolling off her tongue. She refused to tell Leo about her encounter with Luke yesterday. "All Percy and I talk about now is… what wishes I can make and when I should make them. He's a friend. That's all. I'm not helping him escape the lamp."

Leo didn't answer, giving her a look somewhere in the middle of guilt and utter exasperation. She wasn't sure which one it was more of.

Within seconds, Annabeth house was looming in front of them and Annabeth dug out her house key to open it. Before she opened the door, she spun around, beaming at Leo. "I want to show you something."

"Yeah?"

Annabeth dropped her crutch on the ground, feet shakily planted on the pavement by her front door. She took several steps before throwing herself against the door. She whirled around with a grin. "I can walk!"

Leo whooped loudly. "Finally! Now we can go paint balling." He looked ridiculous with his own bag on his back, Annabeth's on his stomach, and his hands in the air.

"Not yet. I can only go a few steps before my knees decide they want to die."

"That's a few more than zero steps. I'm proud of you. You'll be up and running around soon," Leo bent down to grab her crutch from the ground and held it out to her. He pushed open the door and Annabeth stumbled through after him.

Annabeth pointed at the stairs. "I'm going to go put my stuff away. I'll be back down in a few minutes."

It was getting easier to go up the stairs everyday. Whatever curse the genie in the trap put on her, she could feel it fading. Annabeth pushed against the door, dropping her bag on the ground. She made her way to the window sill, drawing open the curtains she accidentally left closed in the morning.

Through her window was a line of trees between her and her neighbour's home. She could see the light on in their kitchen downstairs where an unruly man was hunting through the cupboards. Her neighbour's dog was crossing over into her family's plot again. It was wandering through the line of trees, skipping through the bushes lining their fence, with its tongue hanging free. Annabeth watched as the dog scampered up to the corner of the plot. It curled into itself all of a sudden, letting out a loud bark she could hear through the closed window. The dog turned on its hind legs and ran back to the neighbour's front door.

Annabeth spotted what scared the dog away and her blood turned to ice.

Someone stood in the corner of the plot, where the line of trees met the fence near the back of her home. It was a woman with broad shoulders and long brown hair braided down her back. She was clearly shorter than Annabeth, gazing into a window on the first floor of Annabeth's home. The woman wore a long, silk gown-like dress that stopped at her ankles to reveal bare feet. It was red in color that contrasted greatly with the woman's pale skin. Annabeth knew, she didn't need to see the woman's aura like Percy did to identify genies and humans. Annabeth knew the woman was a genie.

The woman lifted her head and met Annabeth's. Her eyes were a piercing brown. There wasn't an ounce of warmth in them.

Annabeth backed away from the window, her heart hammering. She wrapped her arms around her torso, and focused on counting down from ten to slow her breathing down. A wave of terror undulated through her. Luke had probably sent someone to watch her day and night. She was stupid to have not expected that.

"Annie!"

Annabeth swallowed, pushing herself off the bed and stumbling to her door. She saw herself red-faced in the mirror before stepping out of the room. "Leo?"

"You got a dog! You didn't tell me! It's so cute and fluffy; it looks like a ball!"

Annabeth's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She glanced back in her room and scanned the area before it dawned on her. Leo was talking about Blackjack. She completely forgot that she left Percy and Jason's lamps downstairs. That's why the curtains were closed: Annabeth usually left them open for Percy and Jason to have sunlight.

Without another thought to stop her, Annabeth ran down the stairs. Her running was more like crawling and standing before falling and back to crawling. She threw her weight against the living room door where she saw Leo on the couch, cuddling with Blackjack. Annabeth hadn't seen Blackjack since she was in Percy's lamp… over two months ago now.

"So I've realised it's a he," Leo said, his face half buried in Blackjack's fur. The poor dog's eyes were bugging out in fear. "When did you get him? And why, for hell's sake, did you not tell me?"

Annabeth's mouth stayed half-way open.

"He's so damn fluffy," Leo went on, purring to Blackjack. "What's his name?"

"He's my… aunt's dog who I am watching for the weekend," Annabeth trailed off. Blackjack was here, out and about, but where were Percy and Jason? She left their lamps on the dining table but now they were no where to be seen. With a start, Annabeth realised there were absolutely no chains on Blackjack. This whole time, Blackjack had been roaming free.

Leo stood, cradling Blackjack like a baby. Blackjack, however, looked like he wanted to die. "Well, I'm spending the weekend over then. Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?"

Annabeth stayed rooted to the spot, bewildered, as Leo made his way across the living room and towards the kitchen. Once he was out of sight, Annabeth went to the dining table, searching the tabletop for her two familiar genie lamps. She wanted to pull her hair out. Where the hell were they? Did someone take them? Annabeth remembered the woman standing outside her window. Did the woman break into her home while she was at school?

"Annie!"

"What is it, Leo? I'm doing something."

"I didn't you had a cousin over!"

Annabeth's eyes widened. She made her way to the kitchen area where she saw Jason frozen over a bowl full of flour. Leo stood in the doorway of the kitchen, petting Blackjack and grinning like a maniac. Jason had a smudge of flour on his forehead and his face was flushed but he looked good-natured.

"Cousin?" Annabeth asked, giving Jason a pointed look. Percy was nowhere in sight.

Jason forced a smile. "You must be Leo. Annabeth has mentioned you before."

"Has she now?" Leo smirked. "I am worth mentioning, yes."

"What are you doing?" Annabeth asked, eyes flickering over the ingredients on the kitchen counter.

"Cake baking," Jason said. "Apparently humans eat cakes when they want to celebrate someone's birthday. Today it is Blackjack's birthday." He paused, panic visible on his face. "Because I am a great human as much as the dog Blackjack. Aristotle once assumed dogs were… um… different versions of humans."

Leo sent Annabeth an amused quirk of the eyebrows. "Okay, dude. I'm not into all that philosophy stuff, but sure." He took a moment to bury his face in Blackjack's fur.

While Leo was looking away, Annabeth mouthed to Jason, "What the hell?"

Jason gave her a help-me look instead.

"I'm Leo."

Jason went cross-eyed. "I'm… Jonathan."

Percy appeared behind Jason, looking frazzled. Annabeth's eyes widened when she saw both their lamps on the ground next to the fridge. Percy dumped a giant book on the kitchen countertop. "I conjured this. I finally fixed all the paintings that Blackjack destroyed. That dog keeps me on my toes." He spotted Leo holding Blackjack. "Hey! That's my baby!"

Leo's eyes shot open and he squeaked when Percy lunged across Jason to snatch Blackjack back. Percy glared at Leo, petting Blackjack who wanted nothing more to run back into the living room.

"Well you showed up out of nowhere," Leo crossed his arms. "Another cousin?"

"Cousin?" Percy scoffed.

Annabeth made a throat slitting motion behind Leo but to her demise, Percy wasn't looking at her. Jason looked like he wanted to faint.

Percy set Blackjack on the ground and he darted through Annabeth's legs and disappeared in the living room. "I'm not her cousin, thank you very much. If we were cousins, I'd share the same genes as Annabeth, which I'd much rather not."

Annabeth scowled. "Asshat."

"Not cousin?" Leo glanced at Annabeth. "Let me guess. Your actual cousin, Jonathan, is gay and now this dude is his boyfriend."

Percy looked scandalised. "Who's Jonathan?"

"Your boyfriend? He's standing right behind you."

Annabeth buried her face in her hand. This was going terribly. Jason looked downright terrified.

"What? No, that's my friend Jason."

Leo's eyes crinkled. "I thought he was a Jonathan. Who are you then?"

"I'm a Percy."

"Okay, that's a familiar name. Definitely heard that one before," Leo halted. His eyes widened, his gaze flickering to the ground where the obvious smoke trails from Jason and Percy led directly to the lamps. He whirled around, facing Annabeth, before backing away and disappearing into the living room.

"Great," Annabeth hissed. "Thanks, Percy. We were actually convincing him that you guys were my human cousins."

Percy was poker-faced. "Whatever."

"Not everyone is flexible with the rules, Percy. Leo doesn't completely put his faith in the rules but he follows them. He's scared to know the authorities might find out I'm breaking them. Besides, he treats his genie right. It's not like Frank and Jason."

Annabeth hobbled back to where Leo was unzipping his backpack in the living room. She grabbed his arm and pulled him down on the couch before he could walk out the door. "Leo. I'm sorry."

"You didn't listen to me about breaking the rules," Leo scowled. "Okay. I've stopped trying. But I refuse to break the rules anymore. I'm all for fun and games, hell, I'm the king of pranks at school. When it comes to our lives, I'm not ready to play. I don't have a death wish. Shit, I should never have let you steal Jason's lamp. It was the biggest mistake I ever made. I thought it was harmless. I was never more wrong. When you saw me talking to Jason, why didn't you stop me? You should've pulled me aside instead of just standing there."

"Leo, no one is going to know. Please. Just meet them once, they're both really sweet. You've already seen them anyway. What's the harm talking to them?"

Leo shut his eyes, forcing air out of his nose. Annabeth could hear his heart beating loudly, even from where she sat on the couch with her knee digging into his thigh. For a moment, Annabeth thought she had convinced him but Leo stood up again, zipping his backpack shut. "Don't call me this weekend."

"Leo," Annabeth begged. "Leo, I'm sorry. It was a mistake." She remained frozen on the couch, watching as her best friend kicked the door open and left.

Annabeth crumbled right there. She wasn't crying but her eyes burned as she buried her face in one of the cushions on the couch. Ever since she told Leo about helping Percy out of his lamp, their relationship had been strained. She was doing the right thing. Percy was a glorified slave and she was fighting back against that injustice by helping free him, despite the danger involved with Luke and the woman standing just outside her window. Why couldn't Leo see that? What was stopping him from understanding?

"Annabeth?"

Annabeth gritted her teeth.

"Annabeth?"

She stood, crossing to the kitchen where Jason and Percy were. Jason gave her an apologetic look. He motioned towards Percy who was scowling at the window. Percy barely met Annabeth's gaze before returning to the window.

"I'm sorry, Annabeth," Jason said. "But my bigger worry right now is whether Leo is going to tell someone. We need to… eradicate him."

Annabeth's mouth filled with something metallic. "He won't tell anyone. How dare you jump to the idea of killing him?"

"I'm just saying, a dead man will take his secrets to the grave. The authorities cannot, under any circumstances, know that we are breaking the rules. I don't think you understand what will happen to Percy and I, even you, if the authorities found out."

"No," Annabeth seethed. "You touch my best friend and I'll kill you myself. Besides, Leo already knows everything. Who do you think helped me steal Frank's lamp? I may not have told him details about Luke or about the way you two are getting your memories back, but he already knows I've broken more than a few rules."

"You told him?"

Jason made some sound of a cat getting strangled. "Leo needs to die. It's the genie way. No mercy. We should be heading towards him right now."

"This isn't your genie world," Annabeth shot back. "You're in my world. I don't care about your dumb genie way. Leo is my best friend and neither of you are going to hurt him. Not that you can even do that if I toss your lamps in the closet and leave you there."

Jason gave Percy an exasperated look. It was the first time Annabeth was seeing him express any other emotion other than happy and rigid. In a poof of flour, he disappeared into his lamp and left Percy with Annabeth.

"This isn't our world," Percy muttered, glaring at the ceiling. "But our world is leaking into yours. I know you have really different morals that we do, but for genies, the world is merciless. Back in my genie school, I've seen my teacher murdering a student because the student played a prank of them that made the teacher look bad. You saw the genie in the trap and the way Luke was ready to slit your throat. Do you know we're being watched?"

Annabeth scowled. "I know. I saw the woman from my bedroom window."

Percy snapped his fingers, and Annabeth felt the air her rush. She stretched her arm out on instinct and jumped on shaky legs when she connected with solidified air.

"What is this?"

"I had to," Percy said. "I don't want Jason listening in. You shouldn't have told him that Leo knows everything."

"Because now he wants to kill Leo? Wonderful."

Percy shook his head. "You can't tell Jason anything, okay? You can't trust Jason. You can't talk to Jason about anything new you find out about what's happening Luke or anything. Even the rundown I gave Jason about meeting Luke yesterday barely skimmed the surface."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes. "He's your best friend."

"Friend," Percy said. "But that's all. No more telling Leo what's happening. With Luke and this genie watching us, we're only falling deeper into this mess and to survive it, you can't trust anyone. No one is your friend. Not even Jason who will kill you without a second thought."

"Who do I trust then?"

"Me. I mean, we're a team in this, aren't we?"

Annabeth hugged her midriff. She wondered how many genies or humans have said the same thing about Percy. Percy was a genie who grew up the same way as Jason. She wasn't completely sure trusting Percy was the right way to go either. "I just lost my best friend. All I want right now is to go out there and tell him sorry. I don't want to be standing here hearing about something I can easily figure out on my own anyway. In fact, I'm leaving right now. Leo will understand. I know he will."

Percy grabbed her wrist, grabbing her by the waist and hoisting her up on the kitchen counter. Annabeth froze. She was sitting directly in the view of a gap in the curtain and wall where she could see the woman standing outside staring at her. Her hands automatically clenched, and she took fistfuls of Percy's shirt to keep herself from moving. The woman outside lifted her head higher. As if she were standing right in front of Annabeth, the woman smiled lightly.

There was no way Annabeth could leave the house alone. The woman should've at least tried to hide herself, but she was standing in plain view, completely unnerved. She holed into herself. Annabeth wanted nothing to do with the whole genie mess but clearly, she let herself delve too far into it to leave anytime soon.

Erm... sorry it's late? At least I updated right :( Little hint for what comes next though: It's all about Rachel who has actually ended up as one of my fav characters in this story haha. And a sneak peek, in Chapter 15, you'll finally learn about everything that's happening! Can you guess what it is before chap. 15?

as always, thank you so much for all the support :). Someone was against Frank being a meanie and haha I totally get that. Frank isn't my fav character and I needed to stick someone under the bus but I promise he'll go through a character arc to get him somewhere nicer.

bless me with a hundred reviews, will you? :D