A/N: Here is the epilogue. Thank you to everyone who tagged along until now. Hope you enjoy this chapter because I enjoyed writing this one. There is nothing more enjoyable than portraying Percabeth fluff!
I just want to take one more moment to thank all the 1000+ people who viewed my first fanfic—boosting my confidence. I also thank the ones who followed and who put the story on alert. Thanks to the reviews too. I see you and appreciate you all, every single one of you. Others, don't forget to review if you like this; it would mean so much to hear what you think.
Disclaimer: PJO and HOO belong to Rick Riordan
After 5 years. (May)
"Wise Girl." I whispered into her ear. She groaned. "Come on, it's time to wake up. You don't want to be late, do you?"
"Shut up. You kept me up late at night yesterday. Let me sleep."
"If I recall correctly, you voluntarily stayed up and even begged me not to stop."
She chuckled. "Don't start with your innuendos this early in the morning."
"Then wake up. I already have a cup of coffee ready for you."
"You're the best boyfriend ever."
I hoped to be more. "I know. Come on now, get that ass out of the bed." I kissed her forehead and got up into the kitchen.
I handed her the cup just before she came out, draped in a satin robe, looking like my fantasy. Well, she really was.
"Thanks." She said and I shrugged.
"So, what are your plans today?" I asked her.
She frowned. "Nothing special. Just have to visit some sites, that's it."
"Would you be able to come home early, though?"
"What's with the 20 questions this morning!"
"You sure as hell are grumpy for someone who got it last night."
"Seaweed Brain!" She blushed. Oh, her blush never got old. Everyday it was still as beautiful as it was 10 years ago, when I met her.
"Just answer me."
"Well, yeah. What do you want to do?"
"I want to take you somewhere."
"Can't you wait till the weekend, Perce."
"Today is Friday." I pointed out and gave her the puppy eyes she could never resist.
"No fair, Seaweed Brain." She glared.
"All's fair in love and war."
"Oh yeah," She got up, placing the cup on the counter and grabbed the washcloth that was there. "I'll show you war."
Before I could react, she started swatting me with the towel. "Annabeth, stop!" I ran around the house. It wasn't hurting at all but I decided to humor her. "It is hurting."
"Yeah, don't kid me." She glared as she raised the towel again. Only this time, I turned around swiftly and caught the towel between my hands and pulling it out of hers.
"What do you want to say now, huh?" I stepped towards her and she took a step back.
"That I love you." She smiled.
"That innocent smile isn't going to fool me, Wise Girl. I know you better than anyone."
"I mean, that is true, but still. You won't hurt your girlfriend, right?"
"Hmm…" I drawled. "Let's see." I smirked and raised the towel. She squealed, anticipating a playful swat of the towel but instead I held it in both of my hands and slung it over her shoulders, down to her waist; pulling her flush against my chest.
"Let me go!" She protested.
"Why would I ever do that? Nope."
"Let me go, Perseus or I'll—"
"You'll what?" I pulled her closer. "Don't act like you're not liking it Wise Girl."
"I am not." She persisted.
"Oh yeah? The blush on your cheeks is saying otherwise." I pointed out and smirked. "Even your eyes are flitting to my lips every now and then."
She grumbled. "If you want me to come home early, you'll have to let me get dressed and go to work."
"Aww come on, Annie." I teased and she snarled at 'Annie'. "At least give me a kiss."
Her resolve seemed to break at that and she melted in my arms. I dropped the towel but kept one hand at her waist while I cupped her cheek with the other and placed my lips on hers. Her hands went to my neck as she held on tight to me. I kissed her slowly and languidly before letting her go, very reluctantly.
"Now you can get ready." I told her. She smiled at me and went into the bathroom.
I looked at her back as she went. She was so beautiful. She was every one of my fantasy and my dream come true. She was my forever. She had grown into a stunning woman. So much so that there were days I wanted to just keep her inside, away from all the other men. But that was just irrationally possessive. She was the most intelligent, caring, loving and gorgeous woman I'd ever met. She was everything.
At the age of 22, she was already making a name for her in the architecture industry. She was currently interning at an architecting firm who picked her up as soon as we graduated. I was so fucking proud of her. She was a complete professional and amazing at what she did. Even though it bored me to sleep, there was nothing more amazing than watching her talk on and on about various buildings. It was a different kind of love to see my love's eyes glint.
As for me, I was the same goofy Seaweed Brain. Of course, I had put on some muscle and my shoulders had broadened. I had also grown taller much to Annabeth's distaste though I knew she secretly loved it. She would never admit it though. Gods, every one of my thought was about her. I shook my head.
I graduated in Marine Biology and I now worked as a biologist in the research department of a firm that was into protecting the ocean and controlling the pollution. It was a really nice cause and the pay was good too. Apparently, they were in dire need of a marine biologist since their last one quit to pursue teaching and I was the best option available. I also worked as a swimming instructor and surfing instructor on weekends and one weekday. That was my hobby—being connected to the water in any which was possible.
"Percy…" Annabeth's voice fell on my ears, breaking my chain of thoughts.
"Hmm?"
"I'm done. You wanna go?" She said, referring to the bathroom. She was fully dressed in a blue skirt and black formal shirt which was tucked in it. Gods…was she trying to kill me?
"Yeah." I said. Only then I noticed that she had her bag with her too and she was ready to leave. "You're leaving immediately right? I'll say goodbye to you and then go for a shower." I walked into the kitchen and pulled out a box. "Here."
"What's this?"
"Your lunch. I woke up early and made Chicken Sandwiches for you."
"You did?" She looked surprised.
I ran a hand through my hair. "It's not the first time I've done it."
"But still. What's with you today? Taking me out somewhere and now lunch. What is going on in that seaweed brain?"
"Nothing. I just want to show you how much I love you, I guess."
"You've done it time and again for the entirety of 5 years, Percy. You waited for me. You made me fall in love with you in mere months after we started dating. You were patient with me, you showed me what love was and you…you were just perfect. You still are." She came over to me and hugged me.
I inhaled the scent of her hair as I hugged her hard. Gods, home wasn't always a place, was it? "You deserve so much more than I could ever give you." I whispered.
"Now stop being mushy. You're going to make me cry."
"Way to ruin a romantic moment, Wise Girl. But fine. I'll keep the romantic stuff till the evening."
"Okay." She smiled and pulled back.
"Now, be home till about 5." She frowned. "Come on, you never take a holiday anyway and your boss loves me so tell her I asked. So, pretty please?" I pouted. I had met Annabeth's boss when I had surprised her on a site she was working on. We had gotten along instantly.
"Okay, okay. Now let me go." She laughed.
"Fine." I grumbled.
"Bye."
"Bye Annabeth." I bid her goodbye and closed the door behind her.
Now I could get to work. And by that, I didn't mean going to the laboratory. I had other plans I needed to work out today. And those other plans were proposing Annabeth.
Yes. I was going to pop the question.
And no, I hadn't decided this date long ago.
Yesterday night, when she was sleeping peacefully in my arms, I couldn't help but stare at her beautiful and restful face. While looking at her I realized that we were made for each other—like two pieces of a puzzle. We had moved in together in our apartment almost 1 and a half year ago. I had known already that there would be no one for me other than her but the thought of marriage hadn't crossed my mind. Yep, there was a reason Annabeth called me 'Seaweed Brain'. But just looking at her, her face on my chest and her hand on my stomach; she just felt so…right, like she belonged there. That was when I decided that I wanted to marry her.
Until I let that thought sink in, I thought that I should have done that years ago. Why were we always so late for everything in our relationship! I chuckled. I decided that I didn't want to wait any longer so while she slept, I started plotting in my head. I wanted the best for my girl so I was going to propose to her somewhere meaningful.
Things had worked out so perfectly. I didn't remember the date me and Annabeth had met but it was around May end. The present month going on was also May and the end was near. I had it set in my mind that I was going to propose to her, exactly where I spent my first night talking with her when I was 12—on the beach of Long Islands.
But I couldn't do that alone. So, I had planned on using some help. With that help, I hoped I could finish before 5. I quickly made a list of the things I had to do before 5pm today. Why did I decide to plan all this at the 11th hour! No, no, Percy, you can do it. The voice in my head spoke and I focused on it, making the dam(n) list. (A/N: Hahah see what I did there? I just couldn't resist doing that right now)
But first things first, I needed to take a shower. I got into the bathroom and stripped my clothes. I started the shower and let all the hot water pour over me. For the first time today, I felt like I had a clear mind. The water always helped me clear my head and center myself.
The three most important things I had to do today were that I needed someone to set things up at the beach, I needed to get a ring, and the part that terrified me the most—I had to call Annabeth's father.
He was still a sore spot for Annabeth but they were trying to mend their relationship for about 10 months now. They met once in two weeks at our home or in some restaurant. I was really happy that she had taken this step. Because after all, he was her father. They had improved their relationship to quite some extent that I felt the need to ask for his permission before I could ask for his daughter's hand. He was quite a good man if you broke down through his tough exterior and calculating eyes. He had admitted to Annabeth that he deeply regretted what he did to her time and again but he was just too full of himself and his grief to understand what kind of toll it was taking on her mental health. He was too caught up in himself, his new family and his scars from Annabeth's mom that he didn't realize the thought behind Annabeth fleeing on the streets.
He told my Wise Girl openly, that every time he looked at her, all he saw was a reminder of his and her mom's futile relationship which was doomed even before it started. He could see the reminder of her mom in the gray eyes and the wise words. That is what led to the resentment. I could somewhat understand but I also knew that it was a bit fucked up. Because no matter what happened, I would never hate my child. Because if it was the only reminder I had of my other half, I would cherish it and love it unconditionally.
But I hoped to raise my kids with my other half beside me. The thought of losing Annabeth terrified me because if she ever left, I was going to go right after her either to bring her back or to be with her because this life just didn't work without her. Because she was it. As the water cascaded down my back and through my hair, all the memories of when I first met her to when I used to long for her to when I met her again and till now flashed through my eyes. They were just a snippet of my entire life in front of me. Now would just be the beginning of a whole new era for the both of us.
There were times when I would just stare in her eyes and pray to the holy powers for bringing her back to me. I was certain that it was a play of fate and nothing else. We were fated together. All that longing, dreams and crying had to lead up to something but this life was just beyond my wildest imaginations and I was utterly grateful for it.
But among all the countless memories I had with Annabeth faded next to the one where she told me she loved me for the first time. It was when I had woken up to see Annabeth standing in the window of my old bedroom, looking out. It had been almost 3-4 months since we had started dating. She was staying over the night at the time…
"Wise Girl…" I called to her as I realized she was no longer in my arms and her side of the bed was cold.
No reply came. I sat up immediately. Where was she? I looked around to see her, in my shirt, staring outside the window and looking at the stars. I got up and went to her. She was yet to know that I was behind her.
"Wise Girl." I whispered in her ear and slid my arms around her waist from behind. She snuggled into me but stayed silent. Normally, I didn't mind the silence between us because it was companionable. But this one, it was stretching and tiring.
"What's wrong?" I asked her.
"Nothing."
"Don't lie to me, Annabeth. Tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing, Percy. Just couldn't sleep."
"You were sleeping earlier." I pointed out.
"I was, yes. But then I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."
"Are you alright? What were you doing looking out?"
"Just…thinking about stuff."
"What kind of stuff?" I asked and she turned around in my arms and hugged me.
"Just things." She buried her head in my chest and I inhaled the scent of her hair. "The past."
"You're scaring me, Wise Girl. What is wrong?"
"I just…was just thinking about what would happen if you ever left me." She whispered.
Where was this insecurity stemming from? "That is never going to happen. Never, Annabeth. Why would you think that I would leave you?" I asked but no answer came. She just stayed silent and hugging me tighter as if I was really going to push her away and leave. "Tell me." I persisted.
"Because everyone else does." She said, pain lacing her voice.
"What?"
"Because everyone else leaves me. My mom, she left me for her own selfish reasons. I never knew her but still, she was my mom! I was the only one to hear her heartbeat from inside. I had a connection I couldn't fathom. Then there was my father. He hated me, still does and I don't know why. Helen hates me too. And Luke…he treated me like a piece of shit and then left me alone when I needed him the most." She sniffled and broke my heart. I hated to see her cry. "Everyone…every single person who I want to stay, they just fail me, they leave me. And where am I left after all that?"
"I'm never going to leave you, Annabeth. Your mom had her reasons, yes. And I know it doesn't justify her actions but if she would have stayed, she would have known how amazing her own daughter is—headstrong, beautiful, determined and wise. I don't know why your father hated you Annabeth but I don't really think he hates you. No one is capable to hate their own child, its not just humanly possible. He does care for you but maybe he has a weird way of showing it." She opened her mouth to protest but I cut her off.
"Wise Girl, I know I don't know him and I'm not defending him either. I'm not asking you to forgive him. I'm just asking you to let go because not letting go is only going to hold you down and nothing else. If he really loves you, he'll come around. As for Helen, do you really care what she thinks about you? Would it matter to you?" She shook her head. "That's what I thought. Luke was a pathetic excuse of a human being who failed to understand what an amazing girl you are. You're so loveable, Annabeth. You're caring, patient, fun and strong willed. He didn't have enough brains to get that. He didn't know what he was losing but I'm glad he did." I said and she started sobbing in my chest, sending splinters into my heart which throbbed with pain for her.
"Shh, Annabeth. It's okay. I'm here and I'm not leaving." I caressed her hair and held her tight. She sobbed for a while and I just kept whispering words of love in her ears. Finally, she stopped crying.
"Percy I—" She paused and a sob broke through. She controlled the further ones. My wise girl was so strong. "I pulled myself back together and stood up with my head up after what Dad and Luke treated me. It was hard, really hard but still manageable. Every thought about them hurt me but I could handle it. From then on, I thought that every person I loved only ended up just leaving me." She sighed in pain. "But Percy, if you were ever to leave me, getting myself back together from that fall won't be hard. It would be impossible. And every thought of you wouldn't hurt me. It would break me, beyond repair."
"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not leaving, Annabeth. I'm never in a million years going to leave you. Because leaving you would just be like leaving a part of me behind, a part I would be incomplete and broken without. I'm nothing without you Annabeth and I'm not going anywhere."
She looked up into my eyes, scouring and searching them. I let myself be vulnerable too as I tried to convey with my eyes how much she meant to me and how much I loved her. My eyes were the only medium because words weren't enough.
"Don't you not realize what a work of art you are? You are the living proof that God exists, Annabeth." I whispered reverently and I meant every fucking word.
She kept looking into my eyes for who knows how long. It could have been seconds, minutes, or years, I didn't care. After she found whatever she was searching in her eyes, she lifted her hand up gently and placed it on my cheek. I instinctively leaned into it.
"Percy?" She whispered.
"Hmm?"
"I believe you."
My shoulders sagged in relief. "You do?" She nodded at me. Thank the Gods! I pulled her to me again and engulfed her in my arms. After a moment, she tugged at my hand. "Yes?" I pulled back and looked at her questioningly. She smiled at me, a full-blown Annabeth smile that almost blinded me.
"I love you, Seaweed Brain." She whispered.
I smiled at the memory of the best day in my entire life till date as I rehashed it. Well, that best day was about to change. If…she said yes. I knew she loved me, but knowing her, I could never, to this date, predict what she was going to say or do when the decision lay in her hands. Oh gods, I was royally fucked.
I chuckled at myself as I got out of the shower with a towel round my waist. I went inside our bedroom and pulled up a pair of boxers and shorts, forgoing the shirt. I ran my fingers through my hair trying to tame them but to no avail. I just let them be and sat down on the bed.
I picked up my phone from the nightstand and checked what time it was. It was just 8:30am. I couldn't just get out of the house right now to get Annabeth's ring. It was still much too early. After giving it a thought, I decided to get through some work papers and have a chicken sandwich I made for myself while making them for Annabeth. I grabbed the papers from my desk in our bedroom and made my way to the kitchen.
The next 2 hours of mine went by pleasantly—working. My work didn't just feel work. It was such a dear subject to me that I just loved doing it. Yes, my dyslexia and ADHD made it hard sometimes to read or work continuously but me and Wise Girl helped each other out with this and it got better with years and years of exercises and practice.
After I was done, I got up from the kitchen counter and placed my dish in the sink. I went inside the bedroom again to place my papers and to grab my phone to now start the main agenda for today. Once the phone was in my hands, I called the best man I could think of for this job. I called Grover. He picked up on the last ring.
"Hey, Percy." He said, sounding a bit breathless.
"Hey, G-Man! Did I interrupt ya in something?" I smirked.
Grover was in a relationship with a girl named Juniper and they had just moved in together. She was really a fun girl and we often went on dinners together. Even Annabeth enjoyed spending time with her. Grover and Juniper had met through work. She was working for the client Grover was handling for his next project. Grover was now an environmentalist. I still couldn't believe it. Many a times we too had crossed paths when he was working on any Ocean Project.
"No, dude." He laughed. "I ran back from the shower because I heard you call."
"How did you know it was me?"
"I've set another ringtone for you."
"Aww, now that's just adorable."
"Fuck off, man and tell me why'd you call so early in the morning. I'd much rather be in bed with—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Listen, I got to ask a favor from you."
"Name it." He said without missing a beat. I smiled.
"I'm proposing to Annabeth."
"Took you long enough." He sighed deliberately. "What do you want me to do?"
"Is there any chance you and Juniper could get away from work today?"
"I can manage that. I don't know about Juniper."
"That's alright. I'll call Jason too if she's not there because you won't be able to do everything on your own and I won't be able to help you either as all of it is a surprise."
"Cool. What have you planned?"
"I want to propose to her on the beach of Long Island; the beach where we spent the last night at camp talking. I'll send you the location. Now, as to what you have to do…" I started telling him how I wanted things to be set up there and how I was going to go about doing this whole thing.
"Wow, Jackson." He said when I was finished telling him. "You're really going to give all the Hollywood proposals a run for their money, huh?"
"Nothing but the best for her, man. Now, can you do it?"
"Of course, I can." He said I heard some shuffling in the background. "But I don't think Juniper's getting a holiday."
"It's alright. I'll call Jason and let him know. If not him, Piper can surely help. She'll be free."
"Okay. Let me know."
"Yeah, bye G." I hung up and dialed Jason immediately.
I told him everything I told Grover earlier. Thankfully, he was able to call in to work and Piper would also be helping. They both were finally together. Grover said it took me long enough to propose to Annabeth but fuck! Jason and Piper got together just this year! They both didn't do anything about their crush in high school and both went to separate states in college. But now, they both were working in NYC and they met coincidentally this year. They'd been dating since.
Piper was now running a beauty channel on YouTube and was also working on releasing her own beauty products chain. Jason was a fucking Aerospace Engineer. Everyone was surprised at that. He had studied so much the past 4 years that he did it quickly. Nerd. But no one could beat Annabeth in that department.
Now that was out of the way, I decided to dress up and go find a ring for her. I got into the bedroom and changed into a white shirt and ripped jeans. Shoving my phone down in the back-pocket, I grabbed my keys from the nightstand and set my foot outside the door.
I drove down to the local jewelry store. Yes, I was at first planning to go to Tiffany's but later decided against it. Because I knew that Annabeth would love something unique and thoughtful, not something incredibly expensive. She loved gifts but she didn't like it when they were too expensive. The last thing I wanted her to say when I was down on one knee was 'Damn it Percy, couldn't you bring something less expensive!'.
I reached the jewelry store in about 10 minutes. Once I entered the store, I went straight for the rings section. With the help of an attendant, I scoured for the rings that would suit my wise girl but I didn't find any. I decided to keep looking. I saw through the catalogues but didn't discover anything that screamed Annabeth's name. The attendant then started showing me rings which were in the cabinets below. After looking at a few, I found one that caught my eye.
It was silver plated and it was elegant and it screamed Annabeth. It immediately enticed me. It had an intricate design of lines filled with princess cut diamonds that led up to a lotus flower in the middle which had a circular diamond embedded in it. It was the lotus that sealed the deal for me because that flower was a symbol of purity and enlightenment. Moreover, it was one of the flowers which took birth in the dirtiest of waters only to rise as one of the most beautiful things—indicating that no matter the roots of it, it had the power to be beautiful among everything.
That's what Annabeth was—beauty incarnate.
"Do you like that one, Sir?" The attendant asked me.
"I do, yes. Can I see it?"
"Sure, sir." He removed it from his side and placed it in front of me.
I picked it up and inspected it with my hands. It looked so beautiful and I imagined it around Annabeth's ring finger. The vision in my mind was perfect. "I think I'll have this one." I smiled at the ring fondly.
"Amazing choice, Sir." He told me. "That would be $1700.00"
"That's alright." Something I could easily afford.
At 22, I was pretty financially stable in my life. Since I had been working through college as a swimming instructor and surfer, those earnings went to my savings as I didn't spend much. The only large amount I had spent was the apartment me and Annabeth shared. But it was on lease so it was no problem.
With my 2 part-time jobs, a permanent job and Annabeth's job, we both were going to earn over a hundred thousand dollars a year from this year. When Annabeth had told me that this was our total, I hadn't believed her at all. She later explained that my part time jobs played a major role since I was doing them for about 4 years and I was pretty established in that department. Okay Percy, stop thinking about that shit, no one wants to hear that.
The attendant finally rang me up and I paid the money through my credit card. Once he was done, I took the bag and set out again to my car. Once I was again heading back to the apartment, I called Grover through the in-car phone.
"What's up?" He said, once he picked up.
"Hey, man. I just brought a ring for her. Listen, I forgot something on the phone today."
"Yeah?"
"I'm transferring some money into your account. Use it for today."
"What the fuck, Percy?" He said angrily.
"What?"
"If you transfer even one dime into my account, I'll kill you before you can propose to your girl."
"Why?" I asked, totally confused.
"I'm not taking your money."
"Again, why? I'm proposing to her, I should pay."
"Yeah but you're not. This is mine, Juniper, Jason and Piper's engagement gift to you both so shut up and accept it." He said. Just as I was about to open my mouth to protest, he started again. "Don't you dare protest. I'm not gonna take any of your bullshit."
I sighed. "Fine. But then I have to ask you another thing I forgot."
"Percy…"
"Fuck, man! Listen to me first. "Will you be my best man?" I asked him.
I could practically hear him smile through the phone. "Of course, Percy."
"Thank you."
"Anything for you, man." He said. "But damn man, you've raised the standards so high! Juniper is gushing over you so much right now for your romance. You better help me when I get down on one knee."
I laughed. "Sure. I'm not doing much, you know. If I could, I'd give the whole world to her."
"I know. Now, I need to do some work before I get in touch with Jason and start setting things up."
"Okay man. Bye." I hung up.
I knew he, Jason and piper would take care of everything. That was a given. With piper there, I didn't think they would have much of a problem. Piper was a born romantic, like me. Annabeth on the other hand was practical. But I knew, a little romance now and then made her feel special and that was what I'd vowed to do for the rest of my life.
I was back in my apartment in about 10 more minutes and was almost buzzing with excitement. I just couldn't wait and time wasn't passing fast enough. My ADHD wasn't helping at all. I decided to have an early lunch and ordered some Pizza. But there was still time to pass before the Pizza came.
Shit. I was yet to call Fredrick Chase. Maybe I should do that now, on an empty stomach. Doesn't make sense at all, Percy! But calling him right now was a good idea. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and dialed him. I waited nervously for him to pick up the call. After a couple of rings, he picked it up.
"Percy?" He asked.
"Yes." I said, my voice high pitched and quaky. I cleared my throat. "Yes, its me."
"What's the matter? Is there something wrong? Is Annabeth fine?"
"Yes, she is." A part of me that still resented him for treating Annabeth like he did was thinking why did he care. But I shouldn't think like that. He was changing for the good and I should give him the benefit of doubt. "She is at work right now."
"Oh, good." He sighed in relief. "So why did you call?"
"I…ugh…I just wanted to ask you something." I bit my lip.
"Go on. I'm listening."
I took a deep breath. Why the fuck was I so nervous. Just go for it. "I wanted to ask your daughter's hand in marriage." I said. "Your permission."
There was silence on the other end for a while. "Hello?" I asked, wondering of the call had gotten disconnected.
"Yes, I'm there." He paused. "You want to propose to my daughter?"
"I do, yes. I love her more than anything in the world. She's everything."
"I don't doubt that. I've seen the way you look at her." He chuckled and my nervousness slowly dissipated. "I didn't even expect you to ask me. That's not how young kids now a days, do they?"
"I wanted to do it right." I shrugged.
"That's what I liked."
"So, would you please give me your permission to ask your daughter to marry me?" I asked hopefully.
"Yes." He said and I smiled. "But remember Jackson, if even a hair on her body is hurt, I'm coming to hunt you down." He said in a low voice. "I'm not going to let it go."
"I would expect nothing less from you, Fredrick. I would never hurt Annabeth. Because hurting her would be killing me."
"I know." He sighed. "You have my permission. When are you going to ask her?"
"Today evening."
"Does she have any idea?"
I chuckled. "No. Everything is a surprise. With the help of some friends, I've got everything under hand and hopefully nothing would go wrong."
"It won't. Now, I have to let you go. I have a meeting."
"Sure." I said and he hung up.
I fell on the couch, totally relieved. I had expected more harsh words from him. But I was glad it didn't turn out as I had expected. I smile again. I had the permission to marry Annabeth! If she said yes… Of course, she would. Wouldn't she?
The doorbell rang and I got up to accept the Pizza from the delivery guy. I paid him his money and then perched on a barstool by the kitchen counter to have lunch. Lunch was quiet and alone. But hopefully, after some months, lunch and dinner would be alongside my wife. I took a bite of pizza and started counting the hours till I could see my Wise Girl again.
A/N: Okay, so I know this is incomplete but I just didn't want it to be very long. So, I split the epilogue into two parts. I wanted to write the whole process Percy goes through to proposing to her. The next part of the Epilogue would be up in about 3-4 more days! Stay tuned.