Hello guys! I hope you're all healthy and giving and receiving lots of love.

I have a few things to say.

CrazyReader2: Nop. That was definitely not the end. There are approximately six chapters left, and I'll warn you when it ends. ;)

Guest: Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked the action.

Bernardovargas129: I'm so happy you like the development of the characters, I tried really hard to approach the usual AU story in a different and fresher way.

And

HopeandBrownies...WTF Your review literally made me tear up. I read like a thousand times and I still read from time to time to remind me there are awesome people like you who encourage me to keep doing what I like. I really can't express how much your review meant to me...which is why I have decided to dedicate this story to you. You'll be, forevermore, immortalized in the description. Thank you, so so much. Lots of love and good energy...and good luck with your English homework ;).

Remember, I do not own anything from Rick Riordan's Universe. I just do this for fun.

The next update will be next week.

Enjoy!

Chapter 24

"I let you choose where you wanna go on your last day in LA, and you chose The Observatory. Why am I not surprised?"

"You kidding? Of course, I wanted to come. It's a restoration masterpiece." Annabeth said, folding the brochure. "Besides it has a really nice view."

Thalia kept her hands inside her jacket's pockets and said, "Well, yeah. But there are other points, not as touristy, that also have a nice view."

"I am a tourist." They walked through the exit and Annabeth inhaled the slightly warm air outside the facility. "And I saw you pretty immersed in the Black-Holes short film."

She shrugged. "They looked cool."

Annabeth admired the city lights under the purple and orange clouds, as the sun was setting over LA. Her two weeks on the West Coast had flown by, and they had improved Annabeth's mood, enormously. She had partied, rested, and eaten as she hadn't in a long time.

Bianca and Zoë were chatting casually as they took turns in looking through the rusty visors. They had been so nice to Annabeth since she had arrived with Thalia from visiting her dad in San Francisco a few days ago. The Hunters had borrowed time from their daily practices and had taken her, almost every day, to a different part in LA.

"Had fun?" Zoë asked as they got closer.

"Oh yeah. But I think Thalia appreciated it more than I did." Annabeth joked, rearranging her ponytail.

"I'm actually surprised she didn't fall asleep watching that film." Bianca chimed in,

Thalia answered by glaring at them with her electric blue eyes. "At least I was paying attention to the actual content. You were just gawking over the vortex ceilings."

"Vaulted."

"Whatever." She said rolling her eyes, with a small smile. "Can we go eat now?"

They started their trip back to the car, and Annabeth listened contently as the band members talked about their upcoming shows. Thalia had told her that they were experimenting with new rhythms, which meant they would have to organize some auditions to try and find fresh musicians.

"Next Friday we have that gig to inaugurate the new club owned by the Muses," Zoë said, unlocking her sedan. She finally had changed the old Volvo Annabeth had crashed more than a year and a half ago.

"The Muses?" Annabeth asked, sliding into the backseat with Thalia.

"A group of women that practically rule the entertainment industry in this town," Bianca informed her.

"Sounds like a big deal playing in one of their clubs, then."

"It is." Bianca smiled at Annabeth through the rearview. "I wish you could stay a little longer and watch us perform that night."

"Yeah," Zoë supported the idea. "What's the rush anyway? There's nothing else waiting for you in New York. You can even move here and keep an eye on Thalia and her crazy ideas."

Annabeth turned to look at Thalia, who was currently biting her lip in silence. Her friend had already proposed to her the idea of moving to LA and looking for a job there, but she had declined several times.

She cleared her throat. "Sorry, but I have some unfinished business. I still need to go back to my apartment and pick up some stuff…" A shiver spread all over her body, as she remembered she had to clear some of Luke's belongings since Hermes hadn't been able to do it himself. "And I have some pendent issues with my last job. After that…well, it wouldn't be a bad idea to start fresh somewhere else."

"Yeah…" Bianca shrugged. "It just sounds like that city has only given you painful memories. I thought you wouldn't want to go back to that soon."

Annabeth sighed. "Me neither."

HeythereimalinebreakenjoyyourdayHeythereimalinebreakenjoyyourdayHeyth

"You're unusually quiet," Annabeth said as she climbed the stairs behind Thalia. She loved the building where her friend lived. It was a classic short apartment complex, built with the architecture used in the forties. It was old on the outside but classic and fun. On the inside, however, it had been renovated to look modern and minimalistic. Although, thanks to Thalia's mess, sometimes it was hard to find the charm in it.

"It's because I'm thinking."

"About what?"

Thalia got her set of keys out and opened the door to her place. "About you leaving tomorrow."

Annabeth smiled. "Because you're gonna miss me?"

"No…because who in Hades in gonna clean my mess?" They both laughed and entered into the small living room. Annabeth took off her shoes and headed towards the music-study/guest room where she had slept during her visit. She had already made her bags that morning, but there were still some things to pack.

As she played Tetris organizing her last books and sketches, Thalia stood on the doorway and leaned against the frame.

"Careful," Annabeth said after a few minutes passed and her friend didn't say a thing. "If you keep thinking that hard, smoke is gonna come out of your ears."

"What a lame joke."

"You know I'm not good at those."

"Oh, I know." Thalia shifted her weight. "I still don't think it's a good idea."

"What?"

"You, going back to New York. At least, not so soon."

Annabeth sighed. "The sooner I'll go, the sooner I'll be done with it. Besides, I'm not going so I can look for a new job…I just want to live it a little bit differently this time. Bianca was right. I don't have a lot of good memories…and I don't want that to be the only thing left from my years left. Who knows? Maybe I'll start a new hobby, like running in Central Park like everyone does, or even weaving."

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Weaving?"

She shrugged. "Sounds fun. Also, I need to see Piper again. She's been calling me almost daily asking how I am, and she's only gonna stop if she sees me in flesh." She placed her diary on the last spot available. "I'm doing fine, Thalia. I'm writing as the therapist said, and I'm even meeting back with her while I'm over there."

Annabeth closed her bag and placed it next to the other one. She watched the outside garden through the window. "I am going to miss LA, though. It's warm and green, while in New York is still snowing."

Thalia pursed her lips. "Were you saying the truth?"

"About what?"

"That after doing all that stuff, you're gonna look for a new place and start fresh?"

She sighed. "That's the idea."

"Even if the best firms are in New York?"

"Yep." Annabeth crossed her arms. "I guess I'm just tired of swimming against the current and being unhappy while doing it. This time, I'm gonna try and be more resilient and less stubborn. Go with the flow."

Thalia cracked a smile. "Go with the flow? Wow, you've really changed."

"Well, don't get used to it. Knowing me, I'll be tired of living like that in a year and I'll be a work freak again."

Thalia nodded. "Just take care of yourself…and listen to Percy and Piper. They mean well."

"I know…I will."

HeythereimalinebreakenjoyyourdayHeythereimalinebreakenjoyyourdayHeyth

Annabeth waited patiently for her bags to appear on the baggage area. She and another two passengers that were on her same flight were the last ones on belt number five. She kept her hands hidden inside her hoodie's pocket and tried not to make too much fuzz with her runny nose.

She had just arrived in New York, and she already felt like hiding under a bed and just cry everything out. She was hunted by the thought of seeing Luke's ghost after every corner she turned, and sometimes flashes of that night still came back to her mind in slow motion. Her time in the West Coast had been a bubble of protection, but now it's time for her to come back to real life.

Annabeth needed to make the duel. That's why she had decided to return.

Her baggage finally appeared, and she made her way towards the exit after grabbing it. She thought her spirit was prepared to arrive on a cold January night, but as soon as she stepped into the arrivals area, a bone-chilling cold invaded her body and she tried hard not to start shivering.

Annabeth was seriously considering going back to the Check-in counter and buy a ticket back to LA. But then, as she made her way through the crowd of arriving people, Annabeth spotted him near the coffee shop.

Percy hadn't spotted her yet and was still scanning the crowd hoping to catch a glimpse of blond hair. Annabeth took a moment to admire him. He was wearing the Christmas sweater that Sally had gotten him, and his usual black jacket and blue jeans.

Annabeth's heart warmed up just by seeing him, even if their relationship was in a pretty weird stage. Apparently, Percy must have really extremely freaked out by the voicemail Annabeth had left him on Christmas, because, not only he called her every day since the accident like Piper did, but he also texted her frequently asking how she was doing. She appreciated his attention (even if she thought it was a little exaggerated), but their conversations were short and shallow. None spoke about delicate subjects or important decisions, making their interactions somewhat awkward.

Still, she was really happy to see him.

Her phone started ringing, shaking Annabeth's daze off. She frowned realizing it was Percy calling her. She answered it.

"Hey."

"Hey. I saw your flight landed. Are you having any trouble on your way out?"

"Oh, yeah. I just saw this horrible Christmas sweater and it took away my sight."

Annabeth laughed as Percy's expression changed from confusion to frowning, to realization. His head scanned the area again, and this time he found her. He smiled and Annabeth felt fuzzy inside.

"Careful, Wise Girl." He said grabbing a paper trail with two cups from a table next to him and starting to walk towards her. " 'Tis the season for ugly sweaters to run wild."

"It's that the one your mom gave you?" Annabeth asked when he was close enough. They hung up.

"Yep." He said admiring it. "It's a masterpiece in my humble opinion."

They stood in front of each other awkwardly, none knowing what to do. Was she supposed to hug him? Shake his hand?

He cleared his throat. "I, uh, got you some hot chocolate."

Percy handed her one of the paper cups and she was glad to have something to warm up her hands with. She took a sip and it tasted like glory.

"Thanks."

He gave her a small smile before grabbing one of her bags. "Let's go."

They walked in silence towards the parking lot. Annabeth felt nervous at the thought of spending much time with him again. They hadn't had a normal conversation since Australia, and she was sure that so many things had happened to Percy while they had been separated. How long had he been in New York? What exactly had happened with Rachel? Did he like his job in Australia?

After shoving her bags into the trunk, Annabeth took her place on the copilot seat and together started their journey to Percy's place. It wasn't long until they were stuck in the usual traffic, both still in silence. She honestly didn't know how to start a decent conversation with him, that didn't involve any delicate subject. So, she settled for looking at the city landscape, and occasionally drinking from her chocolate.

Percy was the brave one.

He started tapping the steering wheel and asked, "How was LA?"

"Warm and fun." She said. Percy waited for more, but she honestly couldn't think of anything else to say. She blamed her nerves.

"Oh, okay."

He stopped his tapping as the traffic line ahead of them moved a bit. A few minutes passed before a memory came back to Annabeth.

"I went dancing." She blurted out.

His eyes widened. "You did?"

"Yeah…I put in practice some of the things you taught me. But LA guys have a different way to move."

He chuckled sincerely. "Different?"

"I don't know! I just couldn't understand their rhythm." She laughed.

"All guys move differently, Annabeth. You're saying that because I'm the only one you've danced with."

"That's not true," Annabeth said, with a fake offended tone.

Percy smirked. "Okay, so tell me who else have you danced with?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but flashes of his dead body came to her mind, and she closed it again, her smile vanishing. It took Percy a few seconds to realize what had happened.

He closed his eyes and tighten his grip on the steering wheel.

"I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, it's fine." She quickly reassured him. "It's been three weeks. I should start moving on…"

Percy frowned. "I don't think there's an established time to mourn someone, and more if…" he hesitated, before finally saying it. "…you had a traumatic experience with it."

Annabeth said nothing as she continued to stare out the window. He didn't push her and, instead, unlocked his phone and played some soft music on the car's speakers.

"How long have you been in New York?" she asked after a few minutes.

"I arrived three days before Christmas. I wanted to spend the Holidays with my parents and Estelle." Annabeth felt a little hurt that he hadn't told her, but then again, why would he?

She nodded. "And, when are you planning on going back?"

Percy took a deep breath. "Actually, we finished the recollection of data required for the investigation a couple of months ago. So, technically, I can log into the database from any authorized lab in the company, making it unnecessary for me to go back."

"Don't you want to go back?" Annabeth asked, carefully.

He shrugged. "I don't know. We'll see."

She took it as a sign that he wanted to drop the subject. The other thing she wanted to talk about was about what had happened with Rachel in Australia. Were they back together? But, ultimately, she bit her lip and said nothing.

After what seemed like an eternity, Percy finally parked his car on his usual spot on the street.

"One of my neighbors had taken this spot while I was away." He turned off the engine and smiled. "I had to bang on almost every door to figure out whose was it when I came back."

Annabeth smiled. "There are more efficient ways of doing it."

"Yeah, still that's what I did. Now I'm sure almost all my neighbors hate me now."

They got her bags and made them upstairs until they reached Percy's apartment. Annabeth felt a tingling sensation in her stomach, as if only she was returning home after a lot of time and after so many things had changed.

Percy opened the door and Annabeth held her breath.

Nothing had changed. Percy had kept everything in the same place, except everything was a little bit messier, and there was a new addition next to his bed. They stepped inside, and Annabeth felt her heart, warming up. She was back home.

"What's that?" she asked, setting her bags down and pointing at the rectangle full of sheets and pillows on the floor.

Percy walked past her and discretely started to tidy up a little bit, by picking up dirty clothes and empty soda cans. "That? Um, it's an improvised bed. I didn't know if you wanted…well since we are no longer…"

"I get it," Annabeth said, saving him the awkward explanation. She looked towards the kitchen which was, if possible, messier than the room itself. She rolled up her sleeves and said, "I'm gonna clean the kitchen."

Percy's face grew red with embarrassment. "Oh, no. Let me do that. You just got here, and must be exhausted…"

She smiled warmly. "I don't mind, Seaweed Brain. It'll be like in the old days and, frankly, I need some normality right now."

He shook his head but still gave her a small grin. "Only you would find comfort in cleaning."

After cleaning up the studio, Percy went to shower while Annabeth unpacked her stuff and placed it neatly on the empty corner Percy had left for her in the closet.

Annabeth was admiring the boat she had given him a long time ago when she finally heard the bathroom door opening up. She flushed red when he came out with just a towel wrapped around his waist. Australia had really suited him.

He scratched the back of his neck. "I forgot to take my clothes into the bathroom."

"It's okay," Annabeth said, nostalgically remembered how much she liked being naked with him. "It's not like we haven't seen each other like that before."

She grabbed her own clothes before locking herself in the bathroom and taking a moment to calm down. She hated how he still had that effect on her. When she came out wearing her fresh pajamas, Percy was already lying on the improvised bed, looking at the ceiling.

"I don't mind if you sleep on the real bed, Percy. I'm your guest after all." She said, putting her own dirty clothes on the basket.

"You're my guest, Annabeth, which means I should treat you better. It's common etiquette."

She smiled. "And since when do you care so much about that?"

"I'm trying new stuff."

"You're back is gonna be hurting by the end of the week."

"I can handle it."

Annabeth sighed. "What if we take turns? One night on the bed, and one on the floor."

Percy took a deep breath. "Fine. But only because I know how persistent you can be."

Annabeth laughed turning off the lights, and then climbed into the bed, feeling Percy's eyes fixed on her.

"What?" she asked.

"That's a nice shirt."

"Thanks."

Silence. She could feel the gears on his head working.

"Do you still wear mine? For sleeping, I mean."

"I did…but it got messed up by Luke's blood."

"Oh."

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

Silence.

"I bought it in LA, by the way," Annabeth said, not wanting to stop chatting with him.

"The shirt?"

"Yep."

"Then that proves it."

Annabeth frowned. "Proves what?"

"LA was good for you."

"Because of the shirt?"

"Well, not only that. You look better."

She laughed. "Better?"

"Healthier, I mean." He sighed. "Gods, I missed seeing you that way."

"So, you also missed my curves? Like Piper?"

He laughed and Annabeth couldn't help but smile. "Oh, yeah. A lot."

Silence.

"What are your plans now that you're back in New York?" he asked, and she was glad he didn't want to stop talking either.

"I'll still be working on the restaurant by night, and then used the day to just relax and think what I'm going to do next."

"A restaurant? What happened with Arachne?"

She sighed. "Oh, right. You don't know. It's a long story. I'll tell you tomorrow while we are having breakfast, but that also reminds me that I need to start a lawsuit…"

"Okay…"

"And I need to clean up Luke's apartment and give the keys back to the landlord." Gods, she really didn't want to do it.

"I can help you with that, so you don't have to do it alone. But only if you want to."

"That'd be nice. Thank you." She felt her eyelids beginning to close. She had so many things to do, but at that moment she just wanted to rest, and pretend things were back to normal. Before Luke, before Arachne, and before Australia…

"Oh, and Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're back."

…

"Me too,"