Hey everybody! Sorry I'm a day late, or a week late really since I didn't update last week. The Christmas season is always SUPER busy for me, so yeah. Hopefully I will be updating more often, especially after the New Year!

So I have a proposition for ya'll: I'm going to be introducing at three new characters soon, Jason, Piper, and Calypso. (If there are other characters you want me to add besides those three, then please leave a review telling me which ones!) Anyway, Piper will be a Native American girl, but what should Jason and Calypso be? Should Jason be a Patriot or Loyalist? What about Calypso? What should their occupations be? if you don't care or like it any way, then I'll just make up something, but I love hearing from ya'll! :)

Okay, done with the long AN. Onto the story! Please read, review, and enjoy!

-June 8th, 1774 -

"How do you do it?" Percy asked her wonderingly.

Annabeth shrugged. "I got used to it, after a while. My mother always makes me ride sidesaddle, and Hermes tolerates the saddle."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, sidesaddle looks like torture."

Annabeth grinned good-naturedly. "It is."

They rode quietly for a while after that, the warm sun beating down on their shoulders as the dust stirred by the horses' hooves danced in the rays before settling back down to rest. The scent of fresh grass breezed by, mixed with the smell of hay and cows grazing in the nearby fields.

Annabeth was still a bit shaken after the events of the morning. She had surprised even herself by breaking down like that after Luke had given them the cold shoulder – she so rarely showed her emotions to anyone, let alone Percy, the cause of her distress. And yet she had still sobbed openly in front of him. Really, she hadn't been able to stop even if she had wanted to. Luke was like her older brother, and feeling like he had shoved her aside in stupid jealousy over her friendship with Percy – well, it hurt, to be honest. She hadn't even thought of the two young men clashing heads, but then again she hadn't had any reason to think they would until now.

It didn't help that she was yet again nervous for this afternoon. This would be her first time meeting with the major with actual information to feed him. She had met with Paul Revere a few days before, and he had given her some trivial information to tell the major. Apparently, the minute men, an assembly of untrained farmers and merchants who had begun to train in case the British soldiers would not leave, had been previously training in a field outside the Neck. Now, a new group would begin training on the Boston Common, right in the view of the British soldiers quartering there. Revere had decided to start out slow, but by giving him some real information that wouldn't harm the Observers, Annabeth would be hopefully given more information from the major later on as his trust in her grew.

Annabeth shuddered as she thought of the minute men again. The group of bumbling farmers, merchants, and former sailors were the worst shots she had ever seen. Some of the farmers, at least, had experience hunting, but the merchants and sailors were still trying to understand how to work the old muskets. The few guns the group had obtained had were old and awkward, especially compared to the British army's well-oiled muskets and bayonets. They were dedicated, though, Annabeth had to give them that, but their efforts were futile in the wake of the well-trained, well-supplied redcoats.

Percy broke into her thoughts with that awkward grin of his again. She had noticed his frequent glances the past few days, the ones he had thought he had hidden well but really were as plain as day. "I obtained your package."

Annabeth turned to him sharply. "You did? That quickly?"

He grinned, looking pleased with himself. "Indeed." Digging in his large saddlebag, he produced a fine pistol and leaned over to hand it to her. Annabeth took it, marveling at the work of art. She knew Percy had gone out of his way to get it for her, and whether just to please her, protect her, or even just save himself from her when she was angry, she was grateful. She ran her thumb over the handle; the wood was dark and smooth, the metal shiny.

"Thank you, Percy," she told him softly, smiling.

His own grin widened and his voice was rough when he answered, "You're very welcome."

"Is it loaded?" she asked, feeling uncomfortable under his open gaze. Percy was a friend. Nothing more.

"What? Oh. No, 'tis not. Here," he said, seemingly startled out of his reverie and digging through his saddlebag once again. He handed her a small leather pouch. "There is some shot and powder in there. You can load it, but I would not use it often, since shot and powder are coming by hard now."

Annabeth nodded, smirking. "I shall hide it in my handbag." She gestured toward the lacy little thing that normally contained only handkerchiefs and perhaps some silver. "The bag looks like it will fit perfectly, and the pistol will hide under a petticoat."

He laughed. "Everyone thinks you're such a perfect lady, and you have a gun in your dress and a powder bag in your purse. I must say, you're a bit terrifying, Annabeth."

She pretended to simper. "Do you think so?"

Their laughter was interrupted by a slight rise in the road revealing the British camp. The feeling of unease in Annabeth's stomach grew into a knot of worry. What if the major found out? What if something went wrong? Her life and maybe Percy's as well would forfeit.

The guards saluted Percy. "Officer Jackson, sir," one said. Percy nodded back, his glare looking harder than he had probably meant, since the guards' gazes again lingered on Annabeth. She sent a slight incline of her head their way and began to make her way through the tents.

They reached the major's tent quickly enough, and Annabeth dismounted easily while Percy spoke with the red-coated soldiers outside. They immediately nodded and let them in. Apparently, their visit was anticipated by more than the major.

Annabeth stepped inside, letting her eyes again adjust to the immediate loss of light. The major, his desk lit by single lamp flickering in the dim light, looked up as they came in.

"Ah, Miss Chase and Officer Jackson. Good day," he said, rising from his seat. "Do you have any news today?"

"As I said yesterday, Major, Annabeth met with the Observers last night, but she has not yet told me what she learned," Percy said. Annabeth tried not to show her surprise that he had met with the Major already and she didn't know – after all, he was an officer, and he had left the house early yesterday afternoon and hadn't returned until after Annabeth left for the meeting.

"Yes sir, I do have some news. 'Tis slight, but as much as I could get for now," Annabeth said, surprised how easily the lies fell from her lips now. Was that what she had become – a liar, a deceiver? No, she was only doing this to help others, not herself. And part of it was true – there wasn't a huge amount going on in the Observers now anyway. "The group of minute men who have been training beyond the Neck will now be training others – a group of merchants, I believe – in the Boston square."

The major nodded thoughtfully. "That is helpful to know – some soldiers had already reported that the group had not met in their usual spot today, but I did not know the reason." He looked toward Percy expectantly. "Have you learned anything since yesterday? I know 'tis a bit much to ask for only the span of a day, but…"

"Yes sir, I actually do," Percy said, and again Annabeth hid her surprise. "I met also with Governor Hutchinson. He received a message from the king himself a few days ago – he is to return to England and be replaced by General Gage by the end of the year."

The mayor nodded again, looking interested. "I shall have to inquire about that. Thank you, Officer Jackson, Miss Chase." He nodded in dismissal. "I will send my messenger boy when I have need of you again. If you need to tell me something in the future, simply send me a message through Officer Valdez, who is quartering with you, I believe?" He looked to them in confirmation, and they both nodded. "He returns to camp almost every day, so if there is a message from either of you, I shall be sure to receive it." Major Pitcairn dipped his head again before dipping his quill in the ink bottle and scratching away on the parchment in front of him.

"Good day, major," Annabeth said politely and exited the tent. As the sun hit her face, she wondered how in the world the major could stay cooped up in the tent all day – the glorious breeze and sun were almost impossible to resist.

They both mounted their horses and trotted through the maze of tents and cooking fires and horses to the road. The guards let them out, and they were out in the open again.

"Why didn't you tell me you had met with the Major yesterday? Or the governor, for that matter?" Annabeth demanded as soon as the camp had faded from earshot.

Percy's shoulders seemed to deflate a bit. "I am sorry, Annabeth. I would have told you, but it just never came up, and you had to leave for the Observer meeting, and I just couldn't find the time."

Annabeth huffed. "We are partners, for both sides, Percy. We have to tell each other everything."

He nodded, his green gaze bright and shining, and Annabeth again felt uncomfortable with the way he looked at her. He wasn't looking at her like she was an object, like the guards and other soldiers had been, but the way he was gazing at her was almost worse, in her mind – like he cared about her, and she refused to let that happen. Not after what had happened in her own family. People only cared until they tired of the game, and then they left.

She had to admit to herself, maybe she caught herself gazing at the young officer when his back was turned. How his sea-green eyes would catch the light and glint with flecks of blue, how he wore his inky hair short and choppily, right above his ears, instead of a long, tidy ponytail like most men. He made her laugh more than she had ever before she met him, even with the dangerous business of being a double spy. He had taught her and guided her and helped her, even when there was absolutely nothing in it for him.

If Annabeth was completely honest with herself, she wanted to let herself fall for him. To court him, get married, have children, grow old – together. She had only known him for a few months, but after spending almost every day with him and getting to know him as well as she knew Luke and Thalia, her best friends she had known for years, then maybe she could. Maybe they could love each other as more than good friends and fellow spies.

But her mother had said she loved her father, too. And look where that had gone.

She realized Percy was still looking at her, his eyes soft, to answer her snapped reply. Annabeth almost couldn't bear it, letting him grow closer like this. She didn't want him to get close enough to hurt her, but he already had. He had walked into her life, and no matter how he left it – through death or other circumstances – she would never be the same.

"For you, Annabeth, I would tell you anything."

And that's all for today! The story will be getting a lot more interesting pretty soon, but all these are kind of filler chaps to make the rest of the story make sense and also build Annabeth's and Percy's relationship.

Please review! :)

WM