THIS IS A REPOST.

and an apology. I let myself write shit because I felt like I had to pump out a chapter last time. I wrote the original chapter four in under half an hour, didn't edit, and went on an idea that really didn't work with the characters and the direction I wanted to take this story. So I deleted the chapter long ago and I've finally remade it. The first half is essentially the same, its the second half that is drastically different.

Sorry for being a dumb dumb.

Chapter 4

She was wearing his old shirt. The raggy lime green thing with a faded band printed on the front and a few signatures from friends he made at camp eons ago. With a hair tie she had tied off the corner of the fabric so it rode up a bit on her hip and didn't look like a loose bag on slender form.

He forgot he gave it to her. He would never of guessed that she had kept it but she did.

Her golden curls were bound up more or less in a messy bun and her cute little nose was wrinkled as she fought and raggedly shoved a roaring (coughing) lawn mower against the stubby, barely grown out lawn. Odd tufts and scraped up dirt lay in her wake as she prodded and dragged the thing against the ground. It wheels fighting her at every crooked turn.

Percy didn't care about the lawn, or her expression. She was wearing his old shirt. It was such a small thing yet it felt like the world was casting a warm glow against his face. It wasn't that noticeable… right?

"Stupid machine!" She growled before releasing the grip. It's moaning stutter faded slowly as Percy approached with a more or less smug expression.

"Wow, nice job there John Deer." His grin broadened at her withering look. "It's a shame the lawn never had to be mowed in the first place."

"It did." Annabeth grumbled very decidedly with a vicious glare shot in Percy's direction. "The house is going to be staged soon. Everything needs to be perfect."

"Hate to burst your bubble Chase, but you just butchered little baby grassies." Percy smirked as Annabeth's scowl deepened.

"The lawn has to look perfect you Seaweed Brain." Annabeth's face was turning red. "I had to use that… that… satanic electric razor!"

"Can lawn mowers even be Satanic?" Percy pondered out loud.

"Oh trust me." Annabeth seethed. "This device was sold by devils, manufactured by tortured souls and designed by Satan himself. I wouldn't be surprised if it had a horns and pointed tail feature."

"Well it would be suiting. It did a number on your lawn."

"My lawn looks great."

"Your lawn looks like the chainsaw massacre killer had a vendetta against vegetarians."

"It does not!" Annabeth huffed, flipping around to glance at to double check. "Well… it's not that bad."

"Not that bad! You've driven so many grooves into the ground, the ants should be hosting dirt derbies by now! What made you mow the lawn in the first place? It's April!"

Annabeth's defiance slipped into a sheepish sulk as she stared at the ground. "It was in a video… on how to prepare for a house showing."

Percy sighed with a breezy chuckle. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Help me relieve some of this stress?" She offered with a pleading look on her face. "Go to the bar with me tonight?"

Percy's heart flipped as a burning sensation rushed to his cheeks. He tried to swallow but found a lump in his throat.

"Yeah sure! Great! What time?" He burbled as he forced his eyes away. Feeling his heart pound against his chest as he tried desperately to keep calm.

Oh my gods, oh my gods, oh my gods!

Unfortunately, he was failing horribly in the calm department.

Is she asking me on a date? No, no that's not like her. But she's never asked me to bar before. She only ever went with Daniel. Oh my gods!

"I mean, you don't have to go if you don't want to." Annabeth cringed as she seemed to be sensing part of him freaking out. "I know you don't really like to drink much but-"

"NO! I mean YES, no it's totally fine. I'll go. I'll be there. Just say the word and… poof." he finished awkwardly. Rubbing the back of his neck as he felt the blush intensify on his cheeks. Cursing every dumb word that seemed to fall out of his mouth.

"Poof?" Annabeth snorted while looking at him curiously.

"...poof." Percy assured lamely while practically dying from mortification.

You may now crawl under a rock and die, his brain informed him helpfully.

"Okay." Annabeth was rolling with it. "Think you can 'poof' yourself over to Springsteins at seven?"

"Yep." Percy decided to keep his talking to simple words less he be institutionalized for the craziness about to erupt from inside.

"Sweet." Annabeth grinned. "Wear something nice."

Percy nearly choked on his own air as butterflies swarmed his stomach.

Wear something nice! Is this? Did she just? Am I?

"Now I assume you brought your tools to fix the banister you promised to do?" Annabeth peeked over his shoulder to his car parked lopsidedly in front of her house.

"Yes." Percy was barely able to rasp out. A breathless feeling strickening his lungs. "And while I'm at it, I could try and fix your lawn." he added as the idea struck.

"That'd be nice." Annabeth admitted.

Percy was feeling warm all over.

,

O

'

"Tonights on, Will." Annabeth grinned even though Will couldn't see her. The flat edge of the phone was pressed against her ear. "And knowing Percy he'll be perfectly punctual."

"Wonderful." Will was smiling too. She could hear it in his voice. "I'll pop in around 7:15. Y'know, keep things detached so he doesn't suspect anything."

"Oooooh Good idea." Annabeth breathed. "Give it all ye got. Okay?"

"Got it."

,

O

'

Changed a million times, Percy thought nervously. What I'm wearing is fine. It's FINE.

He was trying to convince himself but it didn't seem to be working. It was like phantom cockroaches scuttling over his skin and him swatting at nothing.

He kept seeing himself across the room in the bar's paneled mirrors plating one wall. Honest to heaven he tried to comb his hair but his hair didn't seem to be having any of it. Apparently all he owned was shirts and jeans so it didn't seem like he had much of an option.

He had on his nicest t-shirt, and his nicest pair of jeans. So yeah, he was 'wearing something nice' but truthfully he didn't feel nice. He felt nervous and anxious and nauseous all at the same time. That dreaded sliver of hope flaring and dancing and poking holes into his heart as he tried to keep the rearing disappointment in mind.

Of course he was half an hour early, so he had plenty of time to fret over what she had said. Turning every single little word over in his mind. Trying to determine if there was a deeper meaning that he just hadn't seen the first time.

"Percy?"

Percy was so lost in his mind that he almost fell out of his chair. In surprise his head snapped in the direction of the voice and he came face to face with a darkly attired figure. A bony sort of fellow with hollow yet piercing eyes and a pale complexion contrasting his mop of midnight black hair.

"Nico!" Percy breathed as he stumbled to his feet. Clasping a hand to his shoulder in shock to make sure he was really seeing the man in front of him. "Where have you been?"

"Oh y'know. Here and there." Nico shrugged with a sly smile.

"Here and there! Nico, you've been unreachable for five years!" Percy scoffed as he shook the daft man. His heavy bag clanging with the movement.

"Would you mind yelling that even louder?" Nico hissed while shrugging himself free. "Besides, I don't go by Nico anymore."

"What?" Percy breathed. Searching Nico's eyes to find the joke in them. "Why?"

Nico glanced over his shoulder cautiously before gesturing to the wooden table and chairs located in the corner. "I'll tell ya."

Percy pulled out the chair with a squeal and settled into it decidedly. His eyes fixated on Nico as the guy took a seat, setting his heavy travelling sack down beside him gingerly.

"What do you go by now?"

"Michael Jones." Nico muttered as he knotted his hands together. A tense look in his eyes.

"Uhh dude… That name sucks." Percy deadpanned. "You might as well of called yourself 'white bread'."

"I know." Nico snuffed. "But there are a million Michaels out there. I wanted to blend in."

"Why? Are you in trouble? Do you need help?"

"Yes and No." Nico murmured warily as he glanced behind him again. A conscious look on his face as he scanned for potential eavesdroppers.

The bar was barely full that night so nobody had even wandered close to them. That, and with the low light and soft music they were hardly noticed by even the couple sitting a few meters away.

"My Dad died five years ago Perce."

It took a few hot seconds for that to really sink into Percy. His hair stood on end as he tried no to jump out of his seat.
"What?!" Percy gaped with a hiss. A flare of alarm swiftly rolling over him as the full reality of it struck. "Why didn't anyone tell me?!"

"Because nobody cared." Nico set it out flat. "At least, they didn't care until his will came out. I was sole inheritor of his fortune Perce. His business, his entire stash of gold, all of it."

Percy blanked.

He'd only met his grisly Uncle Hades once when he was in highschool. The year his mom died he had to find his dad so he could sign a paper stating Percy could live on his own.

Not a pleasant time, and certainly one Percy didn't miss. All he remembered about Hades was that he was eternally grumpy and smelled like mothballs. Oh, and was ridiculously rich.

"How did Persephone's family handle that?" Percy cringed. Starting to understand what Nico was facing.

"Not well." Nico scowled bitterly. "Went full gangster on me. Pops wasn't a day in the ground before Persephone's thug brothers cornered me. I've been avoiding them ever since but they're persistent little buggers."

Percy shifted on the chair as a knot of worry found its way into his gut. He found himself glancing back warily now too. Persephone's family was widespread and very connected.

"Can't you get help anywhere? Police or FBI or something?"

"Illegal immigrant, remember?" Nico sighed while shaking his head. "And being deported back to Italy won't stop my 'step family' from finding me. My best bet is to just lay low. They're stupid bastards. They're bound to kill each other off in petty fights and drug overdoses at some point."

"I hope you're not counting on that." Percy uttered under his breath.

"I'm not." Nico assured. "I'm just pointing out that it's a very possible possibility."

"Oh," Percy replied dully. His thoughts ripping around his brain as he just took in Nico. Memories and concerns mixing in a bitter concoction.

At least he looks healthier.

"How's Bianca?" he whispered as he set his hands onto the cool smooth surface of the table.

"Good. She's somewhere in Africa right now. Everyone still thinks she's dead so she hasn't had any problems with the brutes. I was able to send her some money and now she's living the Queen lifestyle she deserves."

"Good." Percy bobbed his head approvingly. Relief and happiness nibbling at his unease as if to soothe it. "I'm glad she's safe."

"So am I." Nico agreed readily with an unreadable expression.

"Now you need to get safe." Percy stated seriously. Locking eyes with his cousin in a somber sort of demand. "Do you need my help?"

"Well… you could take something off my hands… It's why I came to this little town anyways. I'm so relieved to see you were serious when you said you'd never move away from here." Nico started rambling softly as he turned to his sack and rummaged through it like a raccoon picking through trash.

Somberly, Nico picked out a tin box painted with christmas trees, and snowy scenes. Aunt Mary's Deluxe Gingerbread Cookies was printed neatly in red cursive across its top.

"Here." Nico slid it across the table with another wary glance shot around the bar.

Curiosity nipped at the hairs on Percy's neck as he delicately popped the thin lid off with a metallic twang.

Rows of obviously stale gingerbread cookies stared back at him with half melted faces. Their forced smiling expressions seemed to be saying 'kill me'. It reminded Percy of how blessed he was to have such a skilled decorator as Alice. He covered them up again and held back a cringe.

"Uhhh, thanks." Percy forced a smile. "They're uh… really something."

"It's not the cookies you idiot." Nico scoffed, looking just about ready to smack him. "You own a bakery you dingus. I'm not going to give you damn cookies. Its whats under the cookies!"

"Under the cookies?" Percy stared back down at the tortured looking gingerbread men, neatly placed in rows and stacked four high. Between the arm and torso of the second row he could see a grey sheet of paper peeking out and covered in clear plastic.

"It's a cheque." Nico leaned in closer as his voice fell to just above a whisper. "And I need you to cash it as soon as possible. The less money I have on me, the better. Got it?"

"But Nico I can't take any money from-"

"Shut up you idiot. My dad was a billionaire. What I gave you is pennies compared to what I have left. Besides, he was your uncle. He should've given you something." Nico's black eyes were sharp and unblinking. The seriousness in his tone made Percy suspicious as he glanced down at the cookies again.

"How much?" he dared to ask.

"It doesn't matter. It's what you should've gotten-"

"How much?" Percy pressed harder this time. His eyes level with Nico's to show that he wasn't interested in hearing excuses.

Nico sighed in defeat.

"A million."

"A million!" Percy practically choked on the word. "Nico I can't-"

"Shut up!" Nico clapped a hand over Percys mouth. His flighty eyes looked to the wooden countertop of the bar where customers were starting to crowd but no one paid them any attention.

"I wanted to give you fifty million but the stupid bank currently holding my money only lets me distribute a million a month so it will have to do." Nico explained lowly with his eyes still trained on the other people milling around the bar. Some were already drunkenly swaying in there seats to the deep background jazz music.

"Nico, I can't take this." Percy pried his hand off while simultaneously pushing the cookie tin back over the table. "This is your money."

Nico looked like he had seen this coming, but he still sighed weakly. Drawing a pale hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose before he looked at Percy in a very stern way.

"Look Perce, you always talked about having that staple life one day. Settling down, buying a house, marrying, have a few kids. This money can make that life so much better. I mean, wouldn't it be nice to be able to bring the girl of your dreams on an amazing honeymoon? Or buy the perfect family home? Or if you have kids one day, won't they need university funds? Don't think of this money as for yourself. Think of it as a gift for your future family."

It would be nice, Percy couldn't lie. Annabeth had said that she always wanted to go to Greece. She said she hated living in small apartments and close courted townhouses. Besides, if Percy ever had kids even closely resembling himself they'd definitely need the university help.

"See, I can tell you're already thinking of a special girl." Nico's sly smile returned as he pushed the tin box back over the table.

A crimson rush fell over Percy's face and he looked down with a pursed expression. Cursing his cheeks and their livid colourful ways.

"Fine." Percy accepted the box while avoiding Nico's cheeky smile. "But that's it. No more."

"No promises," Nico deadpanned. "You and Bianca are the only two people I have to give money to."

"Lucky us." Percy muttered sarcastically.

"Hey, people would kill to be in your position." Nico huffed. "Literally."

"Yeah…" Percy exhaled with a tinge of regret for his last statement. "I know… I just… I don't want to get used to accepting gifts. My mom taught me to work for everything you have."

"I get it." Nico chortled softly with a sympathetic ring. "Here I am, a billionaire, and I'm still travelling by bus and sleeping in cheap motels. All this money feels like it doesn't belong to me."

"Then why not just give it to your step family?" Percy asked. "If you really don't want it."

"Naw, I'd sooner rather die." Nico's face darkened. "It would just empower them in their shady businesses."

"Charities?" Percy raised an eyebrow. As soon as he said the word he realized how obvious it was. Nico may have not been very empathetic, but any charity with a palpable cause would make him go digging through his wallet. He wanted to make a change in the little ways, and that was his way of contributing.

"Duh." Nico snorted. "I try to find a new one every month. It's a lot of google searching though so I might just start going back and cycling them."

"Smart." Percy approved with a subtle nod as he sat back in his chair.

"So what are you doing in a bar? I thought you never drank."

Percy chuckled and let his eyes wander to the blank ceiling. A light airy feeling expanding in his chest as he remembered why he was there. Immediately, however, it was followed by a violent sense of doom.

"I uh-"

"Whoa, hey! Percy right?" A new voice broke through right beside them and both Nico and Percy seized back in alarm.

Mr. Pizza delivery guy was suddenly standing next to their table, and looking royally confused at the reaction he just caused.

"Calm down guys, just sayin hello."

Nico still looked extraordinarily tense, and Percy didn't blame him.

"Ah…. its you…" Percy breathed.

"Will." Will corrected.

"Right. Will."

"And who's this?" Will smiled at Nico warmly, with that forward friendliness he had the first time Percy met him.

"This is NNnnnnnnnnmmmmmmmichael." Percy corrected before Nico's death glare could paralyze him. "Michael Jones. A friend of mine."

"Oh?" Will raised an eyebrow at well. The twinkle in his eyes seemed to glisten impossibly more as Nico glared at the table in front of him. "Mind if I join you two?"

"I don't see why not." Percy said. Shooting a behave look to Nico as Will dragged up a squeaking chair.

"So, you two know each other long?"

Will was definitely like a big old golden retriever. Happy friendly, and always always happy to see someone he knew. If he had a tail it would be wagging fiercely as he looked between Nico and Percy eagerly.

"Since high school." Nico answered as he grabbed his bag up nonchalantly, and lugged it over his shoulder.

"Whoa, you have all your belongings in there or something?" Will joked with a huge dopey grin.

Nico raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Yeah, something like that."

"You heading out?" Percy asked a little too keenly.

Sure, he looked clingy to Will, but he was worried about his little cousin. He'd met a handful of Persephone's relatives and he was honestly not a fan. There was a reason Bianca was forced to fake her death.

"Yeah," Nico gave him a pursed smile. That I'll be fine look he was always shooting people was plastered to his face. It always gave Percy a sour taste because he knew that things had never been fine for Nico.

"You want to stay over at my place?" Percy asked quietly.

"Nah it's good."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I have a few things I need to do."

"Alright," Percy relented with a shrug. "But you better call me."

"Sure," Nico said nonchalantly. That was the closest Nico ever came to a promise.

As Nico turned to leave, Percy suddenly remembered the cold tin box that was clutched tightly in his fingers.

"And thanks for the…. Cookies!"

He glanced warily at Will as Nico smiled wryly.

"No problem. I'll make you cookies next month too."

"Don't you dare." Percy laughed.

Nico smiled anyways and turned on his heels. Throwing a wave over his shoulder as he left the bar. Percy couldn't help the flutter of nerves well up again at everything that was going on. He was still nervous about Annabeth, but he was even more nervous now for Nico.

The guy came off as tough, but he was as skinny as a toothpick, and had problems asking for help.

"Wait, so how do you know that guy?" Will sounded confused.

.:oOo:.

"But we didn't go to Highschool with a Michael Jones." Annabeth insisted. Clutching the phone even tighter to her ear as if it would juice it of more information.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing anyways.

"Well he said he met him in high school." Will answered.

"That's weird," she muttered.

"What's weirder is that this guy made him cookies and Percy asked him if he wanted to stay over at his place."

"What?!"

"Yeah. Honestly Beth, I think he's taken. Should I duck out?"

She was so confused. Percy was dating someone? Or at least seeing someone? And he didn't tell her? Why? When? How? She just wanted to drive over and break down his door. Make him tell her what was going on. Ask him why the hell he didn't say anything to her.

Well I have been busier. Guilt started rising in her gut. Haven't talked to him as often as I used to. Especially after I was married….

"No." Annabeth answered after a pause. "Keep going after him if you can. See if he opens up to you, and see why he hasn't opened up to me. Could you do that?"

"Of course I can." There was a cocky smile in Will's voice.

Also, this is the start of a buildup for the suggestion DDaughterofAthena put in, so you can thank her for that. Still takin suggestions so fire away! Anything goes essentially.