Percy's P.O.V
I was tired of all my moments with Annabeth being interrupted. Our date was missed because of Luke trying to hurt her. Our almost kiss was interrupted by my mom, although she didn't know. I felt like my heart's greatest desire was right in front of me and I was so close to her and yet so far away from her at the same time.
I told my mom that we were going to go for a walk. We grabbed our coats and we set off on the snowy streets of New York in the direction of central park. We walked in a comfortable silence as I built up the courage to say to Annabeth what I wanted to say.
In what felt like, almost no time, we reached central park. I dusted the snow off one of the benches so we could sit down.
"Annabeth" I said at the exact same time she said "Percy."
"Sorry, you go" I said. She smiled and shook her head, no, she wanted me to go first.
"I told myself, I wasn't going to do this. I told myself I would wait." I said sitting on the bench starring at the snow in front of me.
"Wait for what?" She asked me.
"For you to have time, time, to process everything that's happened recently." I confessed and for the first time since we left the apartment I looked into her eyes. Her perfect, stormy grey eyes.
"I like you Annabeth, I think I might actually like you a lot more than I'm ready to admit out loud. When I found you, I was terrified Annabeth terrified, that you wouldn't be okay. That I'd never have the chance to tell you-"
"To tell me what Percy?" She asked but there was a twinkle in her eye like she already knew.
"To tell you, that I want you in my life, permanently." I said.
"Are you proposing?" She said teasingly.
"No," I replied, "At least not yet, but one day, Annabeth Chase, I will."
There was a smile on her face and there wear tears glistening in her eyes. "Annabeth-"
"Percy," she said.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Shut up and kiss me." She said, and I did just that. With a smile on my face, I leaned in at the same time she did. And when her lips met mine, my heart danced in my chest.
When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead on hers. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." I whispered.
"Did you mean it?" She asked. I leant back so I could see her eyes properly.
"What I said?" I asked, "Of course, I meant it." I said confused.
"The permanent thing, how do you know you won't get bored of me? I'm hardly exciting."
"You think you aren't exciting?" I asked, a little taken aback by her statement.
She sighed and scooted away on the bench and looked at the snow. I felt a cold breeze and the loss of the warmth of her being close to me had provided. "All my life I've wanted something permanent, it's why I wanted to be an architect, to build something everlasting and permanent."
"And I have no doubt that you will achieve that." I said but I was still, so confused.
"That's not what I meant." She said, and she looked at me and smiled.
"I don't understand" I confessed. "But I want too." She smiled brightly and I hoped I'd said the right thing.
"This is what I mean." She said. "You turned my whole world upside down from the moment you stepped into the coffee shop."
"I-" She cut me off.
"Let me finish." She said and I nodded. "I don't tell people about my mom. I don't go home and have a good time. I don't have heart to hearts with my dad. I don't put of school work to hang out with people. I don't spend Christmas with other people. I don't let people get to know me. I certainly don't get to know them. I'm a closed book, I'm not exciting, I'm not adventurous, but I'm safe, my heart is safe."
She paused to look at me and she smiled that smile that looked like it could light up the world. She was beautiful, inside and out.
"All of those things are like my unwritten rules. And you got me to break almost every one of them."
I couldn't help myself, "Which haven't I broken?" I asked.
"I'm still not exciting or adventurous." She said.
"I disagree" I said instantly.
Piper's P.O.V
Annabeth missed our morning call. I tried to call her a few times but every time I got her voicemail. I hadn't had a message or update from Percy either and when I had spoken to Jason, he said he'd text Percy, but I still hadn't heard anything.
I wanted to call again but something told me not too. It didn't stop my worry. My worry only subsided when my phone buzzed at lunch and finally it was from Annabeth.
Annabeth: Piper, I'm really sorry I didn't call this morning, I'll call tonight, promise. :)
Piper: Look forward to it. Speak later :)
My worry turned into curiosity the later the clock ticked.
"Stop staring at your phone Piper. She said she would call, and she will." Silena said to me.
"I know, I know" I said. "Gods, I'm getting to be as bad as mom." I complained.
Silena laughed. She'd always been more like mom than me.
"Piper you, and your meddling in love lives, have always been like mom, just because you look more like dad doesn't mean you're not like mom." She said.
Silena was only my half-sister, but we treated each other as if we were full sisters. Mom was married to her dad, but he passed away just after she was born. Mom met dad two years later and less than a year after that I was born, and they were married. I always thought Silena would resent me for that, but she never had.
She's always been the best sister that I could have ever asked for, and dad treated her like she was his too. The only reason I found out the truth was because of a reporter, who was looking for a scoop on our family, had told me. I'd cried a lot that day and Silena comforted me even though everything she thought she knew about her life had just blown up. She promised me that nothing would change, and I promised the same, and nothing has. I was lucky to have her as my sister.
"I know, but it was never mom I wanted to be like, it was you." I confessed.
"Piper," she said tears brimming her eyes. She pulled me in for a hug, "you're the best little sister in the world, you know that?" She asked and I laughed.
"I'm glad you think so" I teased.
"I don't think, I know." She told me seriously.
"Not to interrupt this sisterly moment," Charles, my sweet brother-in-law, who loved Silena more than anything in the world said.
"And yet, you have" Silena said playfully, as she turned to her husband. I had no doubt that she loved him just as much as he loved her.
"Sorry" He said sincerely.
"It's okay, besides Piper's phone is ringing, lets head out." Silena said handing me my phone.
"Have fun" I called before answering my phone. Silena smiled and waved at me.
"Hey Annabeth, how are you?" I answered the phone.
"Hey Piper" my best friend said sounding like she was on cloud nine. "I'm good, how are you?"
"I'm good, but apparently not as good as you are. Talk to me." I said.
"I'm sorry I missed our normal call this morning. My phone died."
"You always charge overnight, how come it died?" I asked but I had a feeling I knew why.
"I slept at Percy's. I didn't have my charger." She said.
"Annabeth you've been sleeping at Percy's for the last three nights. I know I packed your charger. Did you forget to put it on charge?" I teased.
"No Piper, I've been staying with Percy's family. Last night I stayed at Percy's apartment." She told me and a smile broke out on my face. Well that was unexpected.
"Tell me everything." I said excitedly and she laughed.
"Nothing happened Piper, I fell asleep while we were watching a film, I woke up in his bed."
"Annabeth!" I almost screamed down the phone, nothing my ass!
"Piper, he slept on the sofa. He gave his bed up for me." She told me and I found myself instantly disappointed.
"My phone wasn't plugged in so it died, and I couldn't plug it in because Percy got a call from his mom. I can't explain that, because it's his story to tell, but the first opportunity I got to plug it in, I did. And when I had enough charge, I sent a message."
"I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit disappointed in him for being such a gentleman." I said.
"Piper!" She exclaimed and I laughed.
"Come on Annabeth, can't I hope my best friend gets a little over the holiday?" I asked feigning innocence with both knew I didn't have.
"No, you can't. Will you and your exclusive boyfriend be getting some, as you put it, when you're back in a few days?" She said in the same tone I had just used.
"Annabeth!" I said in the same fashion that she had said my name earlier. "Who told you we were exclusive? I wanted to tell you." I whined.
"Percy, Jason texted him. I'm happy for you Piper." She said, I smiled despite wanting to be the one to tell Annabeth, I couldn't be up that Jason had already told Percy. I knew how close they were, and it meant a lot to me that he'd told him already.
"Thanks, he makes me really happy." I confessed.
"I've noticed" She replied.
"Enough about me, tell me why you sound like you're floating." I said.
"I do not sound like I'm floating" she protested.
"Yes, Annabeth, you do. I have never heard you sound like this, ever. What did Percy do?" I practically begged and I think she could tell.
"He gets me, Piper. Like, he really gets me. You know how you tease me that I'm being boring because I want to read?" She asked.
"Yeah, but you know I'm only teasing right? I don't actually think you're boring." I replied and she laughed.
"I know you don't. And neither does Percy. Remember how I wanted to read the other day and you, and Thalia didn't pack my books? I know why and I appreciate you trying to help me spend time with my family and Percy but sometimes, I just need to read."
"Sorry" I said, "What did Percy say about it?" I asked because I hadn't heard how that had resolved itself.
"He found me a book, to read." She told me. 'Of course, he did.' I thought and resisted the urge to roll my eyes. They were practically together but they weren't. I had hoped that they'd get together before Christmas, but with everything going on, I knew that probably wouldn't happen now. I still kind of hoped it would though.
"What book was it?" I asked.
"The Secret Garden" she told me.
"One of your favourites" I noted.
"He didn't know that." She told me. "It was his 8th grade English reading."
"Of course, it was." I said and I did roll my eyes this time. "This is the reason for floating?" I asked.
"No" she giggled. She. Giggled.
"Did you just giggle?" I asked.
"Oh Gods" She said, "I did" she said but she didn't sound bother by it at all. I smiled and relished in the fact that she was so happy that she could giggle.
"Tell me everything" I said immediately, and she did.
I listened intently as she told me about her and Percy having a moment that was interrupted on the sofa at Mrs. Blofis'. That Percy suggested a walk and they went to central park. That he told her in no uncertain terms that he wanted her, he practically asked her to marry him or at least promised that he would one day. I would like to say I didn't scream with joy or start Fan-Girling, but I can't. I was so happy for her.
"Piper, please you're going to burst my ear drum." She scolded me but there was no heat in it, due to how happy Percy had made her. I heard a knock on the other end of the line. "Give me a second Piper" she said and then I heard nothing, and I knew I'd been put on mute. Which probably meant it was Percy knocking on her door, just the thought made me smile.
"I'm back" She said a few moments later sounding just as dreamy as she had when I'd first picked up the phone.
Annabeth's P.O.V
This evening was one of the best nights that I'd had in a long time. Percy and I had had a lovely walk, we'd confessed more or less how we felt, and we'd kissed several times. Every time his lips met mine, butterflies erupted in my stomach.
I'd recounted everything to Piper on the phone, who didn't seem too upset that I'd missed our normal phone call, apparently, I had a good reason. I was glad though. We'd had the same catch up call every time she went home. Although, this year I suspected she was using them more to check up on me than she had in previous years.
Percy had interrupted the phone call briefly and it was the best interruption possible. I felt like a silly giggly school girl, at the thought of having a boyfriend. But I wouldn't change it for the world.
I looked over at the clock, it was 10pm and I couldn't sleep, with all the giddiness in my chest so I decided to pad down the hall back to the living room to see Percy, who also happened to still be awake.
"Percy, can I ask you something?" I whispered, everyone having long since gone to bed, we were the only ones awake.
"Anything, you know that." He replied and I tried to suppress a smile.
"Why is your plush dolphin called Delphin?" I'd wanted to know since Estelle had brought it up at the aquarium yesterday.
"It's embarrassing" he said.
"You can tell me anything." I replied.
"I know, it doesn't stop it being embarrassing." He told me. "When I was little, I'm not sure how old exactly, but younger than Estelle is now, I think. I struggled with the 'o' sound in dolphin, I couldn't say it. So I called it Delphin because it was the closest, I could get." He told me and it was dark, but I could still see the blush that stained his cheeks.
"You called your dolphin, Dolphin?" I asked teasingly.
"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" He asked playfully.
"Nope" I replied, and I popped the P for about the first time in my life. "Good to know you've always been a seaweed brain."
"Would you expect anything less?" He teased.
"Not at all Seaweed Brain, not at all."
I woke up Christmas morning encompassed in Percy's arms on the sofa. I knew it was still early because the apartment was quiet. I took the opportunity to untangle myself from Percy and go back to the room that I should be sleeping in.
"Don't go" Percy whispered, tightening his hold on me.
"Percy, as much as I like this development in our relationship, I don't want my dad's opinion on it. I'll see you in a few hours." I whispered.
"Wise as always" he whispered letting go of me.
"Merry Christmas Seaweed Brain" I whispered and then kissed him chastely on the lips.
"Merry Christmas Wise Girl" he whispered before closing his eyes again.
I took the blanket that he should have been using and placed it over him before tiptoeing down the hall back to my room.
I checked my phone before I plugged it in, it was 4am. I knew Matthew and Bobby would be awake soon, they had like an internal alarm for Christmas Day that was set to 5am every Christmas. Regardless of that, I let myself fall asleep again thinking of my favourite Christmas present who was sleeping in the living room.
The smell of coffee brought me round.
"Merry Christmas Wise Girl" his voice said, "I brought you coffee, with how excited our siblings are, you're going to need it." He chuckled and I groaned.
"What time is it?" I asked, sitting up.
"7am" he told me.
"Merry Christmas Seaweed Brain" I said after taking a sip of coffee.
"Can a boyfriend get a Christmas kiss?" He asked.
"You had a Christmas kiss at 4am" I teased. He pouted and made his eyes as large as they would go, like his sister did when she wanted something. I could see now, where she had learnt that from.
"Fine, but last one until we tell them." I said with absolutely no will power.
"Why do you think I volunteered to wake you up?" He asked me, leaning in.
I playfully rolled my eyes at him and leaned in. Butterflies erupted in my stomach when our lips met, and I didn't think I'd ever get tired of it.
We broke apart and he smiled at me and for the first time I noticed he was wearing his goofy Christmas jumper with Christmas pyjama bottoms.
"Well let's not keep them waiting." I said swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.
"Are you putting your Christmas jumper on?" He asked me.
"Would it make you happy if I did?" I asked.
"Immensely" he replied. I smiled and pulled the Christmas jumper that we'd bought the other day over my head. Like I said absolutely no will power.
"Percy!" Estelle exclaimed and then launched herself at her brother. "Thank you!" She said hugging him tightly. Percy had given her a giant plush dolphin of her own, and she clearly loved it. It made me smile as I watched them.
Percy chuckled "you're welcome Estelle, you just have to name him now."
"Her" Estelle said, and I laughed as did Sally, Paul, Helen and my dad.
"Sorry, you'll have to name her." Percy corrected. Estelle seemed happy and nodded before sitting back where she was before she'd launched herself at Percy.
It was Percy's round of gifts which meant we were all opening gifts from Percy. Estelle had gone first because she was the youngest. The twins were next.
"It's a joint present, I hope that's okay." Percy said handing it to them.
"Thanks Percy" Bobby and Matthew said together. Bobby let Matthew open it, it was a switch game. They both grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "Thanks Percy!" The said again.
"Now you can play the classic game on the newer machine." Percy said, he'd given them Super Mario 3D All Stars which had the game they'd been playing on Percy's old Nintendo 64 all week and two others it would keep them busy this afternoon.
Next was my turn. Percy handed me a neatly wrapped blue present. I carefully opened it. It was a horizontally oriented photograph in a personalised fame. The frame was a neutral wood colour and it had siblings in cursive writing laser printed in the bottom corner. And the picture in the frame was me, Bobby and Matthew all in purple NYU hoodies just after we'd hugged each other goodbye back home. I loved it. I didn't have many photos of us printed and I couldn't wait to put it in my room.
"Percy, I love it. Thank you." I said and I had to try and resist the urge to lean over and kiss him.
"I'm glad" he said smiling at me and I really loved that too. I gave in to the temptation and leaned in and kissed him.
"I thought we were going to wait until we told them to do that again." Percy whispered so only I could hear him.
"You shouldn't have got me such a sentimental gift then." I replied as my dad cleared his throat. I sat back in my place without taking my eyes of Percy.
"So, we were going to tell you after presents, but Annabeth and I are together." Percy said smiling wide and I smiled just as wide before breaking eye contact and looked at my dad. He was smiling as were Sally, Paul and Helen. No one said anything but I suspected they might in a less public setting, later.
Percy laced his fingers through mine. And passed his next gift to Dad and Helen. It was a framed Chase family crest and a brief history of it. "Thank you, Percy," they said.
"I hope it's okay" he said.
"We've been saying for a while we should find out what the Chase family crest looked like. Thank you." My dad said.
"I know just where we can hang it" Helen said smiling.
Percy visibly relaxed next to me.
Percy's next gift was to Paul, he got him a new watch and had had it engraved. I didn't know what it said but it brought tears to Paul's eyes. "Thank you, Percy," he said hoarsely. Percy smiled and nodded, trying not to make a big deal about it, but I could see there were also tears brimming his eyes. I'd ask him later what it said.
Sally was the last one in Percy's round of gifts and I knew he'd done that on purpose.
Percy's P.O.V
Mom loved the gift I picked for her. They were glass blown napkin rings with different sliver animal heads and tails on. She'd seen them about a month and a half ago and loved them but decided they were too pricey to get for herself. Mom's was easily the most expensive gift I had bought but I didn't care. She was worth every cent and she deserved a treat too.
They were a set of 15 in total and I'd mixed and matched the animals, so they were all different.
"Percy, you shouldn't have" she said.
"I wanted too" I said smiling.
"They're beautiful, thank you" she hugged me tightly and we moved on to the next round of gifts. They were from Annabeth.
She'd got her dad a book on Sopwith camels that he'd apparently been looking for, for ages, he loved it. She got Helen a spa day, she looked thrilled too.
She bought the twins each a set of documentaries which they seemed thrilled with, it must be a Chase thing, though I knew better than to voice that out loud.
"I actually have kind of a second gift for you two. Well it's actually a bit more of an I owe you. I suppose." She said handing them a folded price of paper.
"I thought, because I can't make Easter this year, with it being my final year, that I'd come home for the first two weeks of summer, if that's alright with Dad and Helen." She paused and looked at them, both nodded. She smiled and continued. "I thought this might be something we could do together."
"Swimming with dolphins really?!" Bobby asked.
"Awesome" Matthew said as Annabeth nodded.
"Percy you're coming too, right?" Bobby asked me, the twins had grown very fond of me and I of them, over the past few days.
I knew the thought hadn't occurred to her because of my fear of flying, that looked like something I was going to have to do a whole lot more work on now. She looked a silent question at me.
"I'll have to see whether I can or not, with work, and it'll also depend on my fear of flying." I confessed.
"You're afraid of flying?" Mr Chase asked, and I nodded. Annabeth squeezed my hand and kissed my cheek. I could tell Mr. Chase was surprised at my fear, but he didn't say anything more on the matter.
The round of presents continued, Estelle got a set of Disney princess books and I just knew I'd be reading one of them for her before bed tonight.
Annabeth had given mom and Paul a gift certificate for a meal for two.
"I thought Percy and I could watch Estelle one night and you could enjoy a meal out." She said.
"It's wonderful thank you Annabeth." My mom said smiling. Paul had a smile on his face too as he nodded in agreement with my mom's thanks.
I went last and I had to say I was really curious as to what she had given me. Annabeth had gifted me a build-on brick mug, which essentially was a Lego mug that you could build on. One of the first things Annabeth and I bonded over was our enjoyment of Lego. I loved that she reminded me of that now.
"I love it thank you" I said giving her a chaste kiss. She smiled brightly at me when I pulled away.
The rest of gift opening passed quickly, and everyone seemed to enjoy the gifts they'd received. Mom kept popping out in between presents to check on dinner. It smelled amazing!
11am rolled around and Thalia and Jason arrived, closely followed by Hazel and Nico. Introductions were made, Thalia already knew everyone, everyone else was new to Annabeth's family. Nico was the only new face to Annabeth having been in LA for the last semester. It was nice that he was home.
Thalia teased Annabeth and I, that she knew we'd end up together before we did, as did Jason. Hazel congratulated us and told us that it was about time. Nico was the only one slightly out of the loop due to his absence, but he said he was happy for us all the same.
Dinner was fantastic, as always, and the afternoon was really relaxed. It was the perfect finish to Christmas.
Thalia's P.O.V
I couldn't believe, he'd actually gone through with it, with no persuasion from anyone else, that it was the right path. He just knew and he acted upon it and I was beyond thrilled for them both. Even if it was a little like my sister dating my cousin.
I gave him the standard 'break her heart and I'll break you' speech. But I knew he wouldn't. He was far too in love and loyal for that. They were happy, so happy it almost radiated off them. It was hard not to be happy in their presence. Even Nico, our moody little cousin managed a smile at a few jokes while in their presence. They were infectious and it was disgustingly beautiful.
Christmas dinner was a loud and ruckus affair, more so than usual and I loved it.
My favourite part was when Paul asked Percy how he had met Annabeth and as he started to explain he'd been told that that wasn't the case. The look of confusion on both of their faces when Sally asked, "they were seven weren't they Frederick?" was priceless.
"Yes, that sounds about right" Annabeth's dad said.
"What?" Annabeth asked.
"It's funny that you don't remember really." Sally added "you weren't on the best of terms at seven."
Looking at how loved up they were now it was hard to think that there was a time where they didn't get along.
"Ah yes the great sandbox incident of 2000" Frederick agreed.
"This sounds like a story I have to hear" I said grinning.
"It was when you lived in Virginia, we'd driven down for the week one summer." Aunt Sally said. "I took Percy to the local park one morning to play and your dad had had the same idea for you, Annabeth."
"Percy was already in the sandbox, just digging and you always loved the sandbox, you could build sandcastles better than any other seven year old I'd ever seen. For a while you sat and played in the sandbox separately." Frederick said.
"Eventually you started to play together and that inevitably that's when it started to go wrong. You had a solid castle going and agreed to add a moat at Percy's request. There was a water spring in the park and Percy went to get a bucket of water." Sally continued.
"The bucket was so full, and Percy managed to get it back to the sandbox with minimal spillage. It was quite impressive really." Frederick said. And I knew this was where it was going to go wrong, and I loved it.
"Some of the spades, that you were both using, had made an interesting path for Percy to walk through, to get the water to you. Unfortunately, Percy was concentrating on not spilling the water rather than on what was on the floor in front of him. He tripped over, was it the blue spade Frederick?" Aunt Sally asked.
"I honestly can't remember" Frederick answered. "But tripped Percy did, and the water from the bucket went all over you and Percy landed on the castle."
"Needless to say an argument ensued as to whose fault it was. Percy's for not looking where he was going. Annabeth's for putting the spade in the way." Aunt Sally said an amused smile donning her face as the rest of us laughed.
"That was you?!" Percy and Annabeth said at the same time.
"Sally and I had to separate you and take you both to get cleaned up. You didn't see each other again until the coffee shop and Sally and I only put it together the other day." Frederick said once the laughter died down.
"I can't believe you destroyed my sand castle and soaked me and then told me it was my fault." Annabeth said but there was no heat in it, she was teasing Percy. I'd never seen her like this, it was really great to see.
"Well apparently you caused it by leaving a spade in my path." Percy teased back and then stuck his hand out "truce?" He asked.
"Oh no, you owe me a sandcastle" Annabeth replied teasingly.
"Moat and all" Percy teased back, and it was like they're forgotten we were all there.
"Moat and all" she confirmed smiling.
"Deal" he said before giving her a kiss. It was disgustingly romantic really. But I was glad they were happy.
Jason and I returned home with our customary plate of leftovers from Aunt Sally's. The afternoon had been great, but we were both, now, totally zonked. I had an extra morning shift at the clinic, I hadn't originally been down to work, but my Boss had been snowed in with her family and asked if I could cover. And Jason was surprising Piper by picking her up at the airport.
We settled in for a night of junk food snacks and rubbish tv and it was exactly the way we wanted it. A perfect end to a perfect day.
Ψ
~Author's Note~
Hi all, happy bank holiday Monday! If it isn't a bank holiday for you apologies! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know!
WiseGrl14 – Thank you for your review, I'm glad you loved the last chapter, I hope you liked this one just as much! Let me know!
Merendinoemiliano – Thank you for your review, I hope you liked this chapter too, please let me know!
Going Dark – Thank you for your review, I'm glad you liked the last chapter. It was something I wanted to include, I think Annabeth is a very caring soul and to think that she could have caused her crush any pain at all I think would way heavily on her considering how close they are. I hope you liked this chapter too, please let me know!
TheProudPearl24 – Thank you for your review, I'm glad you liked the last chapter! You didn't come across as rude, I promise, I enjoy having the chance to discuss your feedback with you, it's half the fun of writing stories like these. Poor Percy indeed, I'll be circling back to it later in the story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter please let me know!
SarcasmRocks – Thank you for your review, I'm so glad you loved the chapter and the story. I'm glad you didn't see the plot twist coming and that I still have the ability to surprise you, since you do seem to have guessed a few of my plot lines but I won't confess to which they are :). I hope you enjoyed this chapter please let me know!
Insanedreamer7905 – Thank you for your review, I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Your words flatter me, thank you. I hope you also enjoyed this chapter please let me know!
Sranupama2005 – Thank you for your review, I'm glad you liked the chapter. I understand why you thought the way you did, and I will be circling back around to it later in the story and I hope you stay with me to the end. I hope you liked this chapter, please let me know!
Happy ready all! Stay Safe! :)