AN: TheMANation or DerpinDot here, depending on your platform of choice. So this was a hiatus, but we're back now at least. I'm not sure we can promise a solid upload schedule just yet, but we're making it happen, slowly but surely. Still, hopefully you continue enjoying the story going forward, and without further ado, next chap start!

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Even though he'd seen it before, Percy was still shocked by how messy Annabeth's house was. He'd expect it to be neat and tidy, but papers were still messily strewn over all over the place, and there were even some coffee stains on the floor.

Then again, he remembered when he was first hired on and she'd spilled twelve cups of coffee in one morning. Maybe she was secretly clutzy?

Annabeth noticed his preoccupation and wrung her hands nervously. "Sorry the place is such a mess. I wasn't expecting company since, ya know…"

Percy grimaced. "Right," he mumbled. "Sorry about that. I can leave if you want…"

Annabeth quickly raised her hands in a soothing manner. "No, no, please stay. I really could use this, my shoulders are killing me. Just let me get changed first, okay?"

Percy nodded. "Of course, just make sure it's something comfortable." Looking at her oversized tee shirt and sweatpants, he couldn't imagine an outfit much more comfortable, but he chose not to mention that.

"I'll be out in a few minutes. You can sit on the couch, if you want," she said, gesturing towards her messy living room.

"Sure." Percy replied awkwardly. Before she left, Annabeth gave him one last look that he couldn't quite decipher. Brushing aside the news clippings and empty coffee cups, Percy sat.

Looking around, Percy began realizing that while papers and clothes were haphazardly stacked in various places, there was still some form of organization to it. Work papers were stacked in teetering towers on the table next to the sofa, next to an open art book.

Taking a closer look, his eyes widened in surprise.

That young boy wandering the underworld with lightning in his hand was all too familiar. He traced the painting with his fingers while painful memories ached in his chest.

"You could do anything, Percy," Rachel told him.

He shook his head. "No, I couldn't. I'm not smart, I don't have connections, I don't have potential-"

"You have nothing but potential!" she shouted, giving him a shove. "Don't you get it? You can do better in school, you can get any job you want! You could catch lightning in your hand! You could beat death itself!"

Her expression softened. "You can do or have anything you want, Percy. Believe that."

So he did. And then she left him.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Annabeth came around the corner in tastefully casual clothes rather than pajamas.

She wrung her hands together and smiled nervously. Percy chuckled. He had definitely made the right choice coming here. Her voice came out a bit squeaky, which Percy just found more endearing.

"So, where do we start?" she asked.

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"I'm not sure this is very professional," Charlie rumbled. "Or if it's allowed by office policy."

Silena beamed. "Nonsense! It's totally fine. Besides, it's just a little fun. What Annabeth doesn't know won't hurt her."

Charlie frowned. "Debatable. If she finds out, she could hurt us."

Silena shrugged. "Oh, well. Hey, everyone, place your bets here! C'mon, people, this is our only chance since our dearest C-E-O is out!"

Malcolm from Construction Management bent over the notebook and put himself down for 7 months.*did something*

"Oh, puh-leese, Malcolm, honey, you can't be serious." Drew from Interior Design scoffed, looking over his shoulder. "There's no way it would take that long."

"It's perfectly reasonable - and, besides, I know her better than you do." Malcolm said calmly, already walking away. Drew glared at his retreating back, boring holes into his spine.

"So," Silena whispered to Charlie as she watched people write down their guesses, "you gonna participate?"

He shook his head silently. Sighing, Silena sat down on a swivel chair and spun around in it, watching as her co-workers squabble over gods-knows-what.

"Hey, wait!" Lou Ellen - an intern - called out. "Isn't this a little rigged, Silena? After all, you are Ms. Chase's best friend and have an advantage." Murmurs of agreement rose from the crowd.

Silena waved her hand flippantly. "Bethy doesn't tell me that much. No worries."

Everyone stared back at her skeptically.

"Yeah, right, Beauregard."

"If you say so, Silena."

"Fine, fine," Silena huffed. "I won't participate, then, if that's better. But since this was my idea, I at least think I should be in charge of the notebook."

Her coworkers exchanged a look and shrugged in unison. "Sure, why not?"

Conversation resumed almost immediately, chatter filling the air. People lined up to have their turn with the notebook.

"Soooo," Silena whispered to Charlie after a few seconds. "Are you sure you don't want to participate?"

Charlie shook his head in response. "No, I'm fairly certain this is against office policy. I'd rather not get in trouble when I haven't been hired for all too long." He paused. "Um, shouldn't you, as secretary, be discouraging this behavior maybe?"

"Nah," Silena said, kicking off the floor. "I checked. There's nothing that says in the rules that says we can't, so should be fine!"

His eyebrows furrowed. "I don't think Ms. Chase will agree."

Silena grinned. "Maybe not, but she can't argue with me either. I always win and she knows it." A/N: not true. so not true. definitely not true. She glanced at her phone, eyes widening. Pushing through the crowd, she grabbed the notebook and shut it audibly. "Sorry, everyone, I need to leave. Don't worry, I'll keep this little notebook safe for you all~ ta-ta!"

Charlie caught a glimpse of her phone as she rushed away. Percy showed up after all! What do I do?! it read.

Charlie sighed, half-smiling, half-grimacing. Oh, Percy, he thought, what have you gotten yourself into?

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hey, everyone! we're back. sort of. MANation's already covered most of it, I think, but if you didn't read it, our update schedule will still be slower but we're officially off hiatus!

this chapter is a little shorter than usual, but hopefully we'll be able to get back to the standard length. thanks to everyone for sticking with us!