Chapter 22: Blush Away

Disclaimer: Yes yes… it's not own by someone with initials of AAZ but rather RR….. I hate you disclaimer… now go away!

Some of you guys asked for a clearer picture of the covers: I did upload them into my blog, (without spaces)
agent astro zombie . blog spot . com

REVIEWS:
Dude 702:I agree it would be a tragic end for Percy… and maybe with Annabeth if I ever decide for Lukabeth to go out…*still thinking* ehh it'll work out somehow XD haha I'm glad even the worlds great and awesome dude love this chapter of mine :D

Pregnantnun227: Haha foul language is okay, it's a positive thing though, but yeah Thalico in secret of course. Hoping you guys would catch the mini Percabeth, (kinda), but cool your girlfriend is named Annabeth? Curly blond hair and all that! And she's violent too! That's cool! Well HI ANNABETH! Haha well I wish you luck with your girlfriend then!

Bjob196: haha good luck with trying to gag, I've been in your position before… it's pretty awkward. I'm glad that this was the best chapter, but yeah I agree except for that bit of Percy and Rachel… I'll try to fix that XD and (caps too) ALL AMERICAN REJECTS! THEIR SONGS ARE GREAT! AND THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT STILL LISTEN TO THEM! Oh yeah one question: is your friend Pregnantnun277 cause he has a girlfriend Annabeth and you have a friend with a girlfriend Annabeth…. Just wondering :D

Percy's POV:

"You got everything right?" I asked Annabeth one last time before I decided to start the car.

"Quit nagging Percy and just drive… I need to lie down a bit," She quickly pulled down the seat in my car and laid her head down. "Now quit staring at me like I'm a patient and just drive," Annabeth commanded with her eyes closed.

I cleared my throat and quickly looked away. 'If only she knew I was actually looking at her because she was not my sister…' I thought glumly.

I was halfway home when I heard a little content sigh from my right side. I couldn't help but turn my head slightly to look at her peaceful figure. Just as I was about to make a turn I heard my phone ringing. Plugging the earphones into my ear I answered the phone quietly making sure to not wake Annabeth up. "Hello?"

"Percy are you free today?" A familiar voice said into the phone.

I instantly felt guilty, I had been so worried about Annabeth that I completely forgotten about Rachel, but for some reason I don't really want to be leaving Annabeth alone at this moment.

"I'm really sorry Rachel… I can't today. Annabeth she just got out of the hospital and I'm still-"

I heard a sigh of disappointment on the other line, "Is she okay now?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, actually she's asleep right now," I said with a slight smile as I glanced over at Annabeth. I was tempted to tell Rachel that Annabeth was not my sister… I mean… she's my girlfriend now, but for some reason I didn't. I knew I couldn't trust Rachel yet… she needs to earn back the trust. I know that I wasn't doing a very good job of giving her that chance with me always hanging out with my so-called sister. "Rachel… I'm really sorry about not spending time with you, it's just-"

"I totally understand," Rachel quickly intervened. "I guess this is karma's way of giving me my punishment. With me putting you off before… now I guess it's your turn."

For some reason, when Rachel said that I felt guilty. I didn't want to be the bad guy or anything like that. "I'm-"

"Percy, I understand." Rachel interrupted. "Well, I'll be hanging up then-"

"Rachel wait, how about I take you on a proper date tomorrow?" I blurted out through my guilt of delaying my relationship with Rachel.

I could tell her mood brightened up a bit more because as she answered I was able to detect the happiness in her voice, "I would love to," Rachel answered. "Pick me up tomorrow then?"

I couldn't help but felt a heavy burden lifted off my shoulder, glad that Rachel was no longer disappointed, "Okay, send me your address later?"

"Sure, and Percy… there's also something I've been meaning to tell you." Rachel began her voice filled with mysteriousness.

"Huh? What is it?" I asked as I turned off the engine to my car.

"It's better if I tell you in person," Rachel answered. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

Before I could ask her what she meant, Rachel hung up and I was left feeling more curious than ever, but knew that I couldn't do anything about it. Sighing I got out of my car and walked over to Annabeth side to wake her up. "Annabeth?" I said silently as I crouched down near her face to wake her up.

"Annabeth, we're home." I said again.

She barely stirred in her sleep before turning her face towards mine.

I was taken back, a bit alarmed at the close distance between our faces. I couldn't help but studied her a bit, alarmed at why I never realized she wasn't my sister before. Her blond curls were beautiful, I'll admit but they were nothing like my untamed messy black hair. Unintentionally, I reached out my hand and brushed a strand of her curls away from the front of her face. I have to admit, despite the fact that she didn't have my dashing black hair (kidding) she does look rather pretty. I cleared my throat trying to focus on the matter at hand.

"Annabeth wake up." I shook her lightly. I sighed, knowing that she's probably too tired to wake up, and quickly towered over her body to unlock her seatbelt. "This is the second time you've made me carry you," I grumbled as I picked her up and kicked the car door closed. After minutes of fumbling with my keys, I finally manage to get the door open and carried Annabeth up to her room. Carefully I laid her down and pulled the blanket over her.

Just like the first time I ever carried her into her bedroom, I couldn't help but steal a glance at her. For some reason I felt myself just staring at her… no longer as my sister but now as a stranger. After hearing she's no longer my sister… I shook my head and quietly walked out of the room and went into the kitchen to call up Grover, "Hey Grover, do you, by any chance, know how to make soup?" I asked him.

"You're cooking?" Grover asked his voice filled with surprise. "I thought you can't cook."

"Apparently so…" I mumbled. I have no idea why I'm even being this nice to Annabeth since she pretty much lied to me.

"What's the soup for?" Grover asked.

I struggled to get the bowl out from the cupboard and answered him, "Annabeth. The doctor said she should be eating some light food so…"

"Why not buy some soup outside?" Grover advised.

"The closest place is almost half an hour away…" I mumbled not really wanting to leave Annabeth alone.

I heard Grover sighed on the other side. "Okay… then listen carefully." After giving a varied amount of instructions, he finally stopped and I was currently waiting for the rice to heat up.

"By the way, don't forget about my wedding next week," Grover reminded me.

I manage a slight smile, "How could I forget?"

There was a silent on the other line before Grover talked again. "I heard from Nico that you and Rachel are back together… is that…?"

"True? Yeah,"

"But… why are you…? I mean, I feel sorry for Rachel and all that, but…" Grover trailed off.

I started cutting the carrots and placing them into the soup. "Honestly I don't know what had exactly happened. I was just… maybe by impulse?"

"What's important is if you like her or not." Grover mumbled on the other line. "You were pretty mad when she left you, and then Annabeth came and you are starting to get over her… "Grover paused. "Just forget I said anything, but don't forget about waiting before you put in the carrots." With that my friend hung up.

I mentally cursed looking at the carrots floating around in the uncooked rice. "Oh shit!" I yelped as I reached in to get out the carrots before feeling a burn on my fingers. I quickly got my voice down to a low volume and decided to go for another try. After several attempts of making an edible bowl of soup I finally succeeded.

Before I could go to Annabeth's room to wake her up I heard a familiar voice behind me, "Ugh… Why didn't you wake me up?"

I turned around to meet with Annabeth's blond hair tangled in a mess, and her eyes looked rather tired. "Oh you're awake." I realized.

"You didn't answer my question." Annabeth groaned rubbing her head a bit.

"Maybe because you'll wake up looking like that." I pointed at her tired expression. Annabeth opened her mouth to protest but it was quickly replaced by a yawn. "See what I mean… you're suppose to rest." I told her. "But since you're awake… I made some soup, it'll probably help if you eat some."

"You made it?" Annabeth asked looking up at me with her eyes wide in surprise.

"Gee… you guys should give me more credit for my cooking…" I mumbled. "But here you go, a home-cooked bowl of soup." I picked up two bowls and placed it on the table. "Please enjoy!" I said cheerfully.

"Thanks," Annabeth smiled lightly as she took a sip of the soup before spiting it back out. "Did you even cook the rice?" Annabeth asked as scooped the soup into her spoon and look at it.

"It's edib- " I stopped trying to take a bite of the soup. "Oh… I see what you mean…" I said shyly.

"I think we should just eat some of the instant soup you have the cupboard." Annabeth cracked a smile at my embarrassed expression. "But thanks for trying to be so caring,"

"Now that is something I can make!" I grinned jumping up from my chair and grabbing two bowls of instant soup popping them into the microwave. "You should go up and sleep a bit more, you still look pretty tired."

"I am fine," Annabeth replied stubbornly. "I swear if I spend another minute in bed my brain will explode. "

"I'm surprised it hasn't exploded yet," I shot back as if it was a reflex.

"It's like you're trained to contradict everything I say," Annabeth sighed in fake frustration.

"Fine then… since I'm not allowed to make you go to sleep, how about we watch a movie?" I asked her walking over towards my DVD player. "How do you feel about Finding Nemo?" I asked her.

Annabeth turned her chair around to look at me, "Really Percy?"

"What? I'm a sucker for the classics!" I defended myself.

"Fine," Annabeth sighed and made her way over to the couch.

"Wait here ma'am let me get you the food." I grinned putting the DVD into the player. I grab the two bowls of instant soup and placed it on the living room table.

We were halfway through the movie when I felt a slight weight on my right shoulder. I turned my head over to meet up with a rush of a sweet honey smell that I soon realize came from the strands of blond curls that was rested on my shoulder.

"Saw the whole thing, dude. First you were all like 'whoa!' and we were like 'whoa', and you were like 'whoa..."

"Yeah… definitely 'whoa'." I mumbled quietly to myself.

I kept my eyes on the screen watching the movie until I felt my eyes drooping over and soon I was off in dreamland.

Annabeth's POV:

I wrapped my arms around a pillow and snuggled closer towards the source of warmth on my left side. I felt an arm being placed over my waist and someone breathing right next to me… wait what? I shifted my weight towards the sound of the snore, feeling a sudden movement to my left. Cautiously I opened my eyes to meet with the sleeping face of the one and only Percy Jackson… with a little drool coming from the corner of his mouth.

Then as if the fates hated me… the guy right in front of me opened his eyes. My gray eyes met with his sea-green ones… Forgetting that I am supposed to pretend to be his sister, my face started heating up and my heart seems to beat faster and faster. His face seems to heat up just at the sight of my face... but I'm pretty sure my face wasn't so much better.

"Why are you-?" Percy began then looked at his arms around my waist.

I looked down at his hands draped across my waist, then at my hands over my so called 'pillow', and finally at the close distance between our faces.

Then all hell broke loose as I kicked him off the couch.

"Woah wh- OUCH!" Percy cried in pain as his foot hit the base of the table.

Instantly I felt guilty, I had been so startled to find Percy next to me that I just pushed him off by pure instincts. "A-are you okay?" I stuttered as I got off the couch to help him up. "I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't have to kick so hard…" Percy mumbled as he slowly stood up and rolled his shoulders back. Then stopped and look straight at me as if something had clicked in his brain. "Y-you're… wait, why the hell were you hugging-?"

I tried to keep my blush under control. "We must've fallen asleep when we were watching the movie." I decided.

"But- oh…" Percy came to realization as he nervously ruffled with his already messy black hair. "But… uhh… we're umm…" Percy cleared his throat. "You should go…err… wash up or something," Percy said with a rather unsure expression on his face.

I hesitated before answering, "I'll uhh… go wash up first then." I managed to say without stuttering.

As I made my way towards the bathroom, I heard Percy mumbled, "Well… that was… rather awkward…"

Before I could decipher what he meant by that, I turned around to see him shaking his head and heading towards the kitchen. Finally after the spending the longest time ever washing my face, I took up the courage to finally walk into the kitchen to find two bowls of cereal already out.

And with that began our most awkward morning together… it was almost as if Percy was just as flustered as I am. Though… he thinks that we're siblings… why would he be flustered? I shook my head and tried to make a not so awkward conversation with him.

"You drool in your sleep." I quickly blurted out before I could stop myself.

"Yeah… wait what?" His face etched into one of confusion. "I do not drool!" He quickly defended himself.

"Uh-huh… what's that watery substance hanging from the corners of your mouth?" I teased him.

Subconsciously he reached towards his mouth as if feeling for anything… then realizing his mistakes, "Stop confusing me!"

I couldn't help but laugh, momentarily forgetting about our little nap together. "It's just too fun! But seriously you did drool."

Percy was about to answer when he suddenly heard a beep on his cell phone. "Oh damn! I forgot!" He quickly sent a text back to the cell phone.

"Forgot what?" I asked him obviously confused.

"I'm supposed to pick up Rachel…" He said in a rather frustrated tone.

"Then go pick her up." I told him, feeling a pang of disappointment building up.

For a moment Percy looked almost troubled. "Are you sure you're okay alone?" He asked me.

"I told you… I'm perfectly fine!" I tried to tell him. "You need to stop worrying."

"I'm just really worried even if you're going to get hurt again…" He said with a slight guilty expression, like he's blaming himself.

"Since you are slightly paranoid about me being here alone… how about dropping me over at Thalia's then?" I offered finishing the last bits of my cereal.

Percy stood up to get my bowl and placed them in the dishwasher. "The crazy temperamental photographer?"

"That's her," I said smiling slightly.

Percy let out a sigh, "I seriously don't get how you could get along with her…" Percy groaned as he seemed to somewhat rubbed the side of his face as if in pain. "And her punches hurts too…"

"Punches?" I asked obviously confused. I remember Piper telling me that Percy and Thalia got into a slight quarrel… but I never recall her telling me that fists were exchanged.

"Just a thought… but you might want to go up and change, I'll be leaving in fifteen minutes."

~PAGEBREAK~

"You guys… fell asleep on the couch?" Thalia said incredulously. "Together…?" I hesitantly nodded, ever since Percy dropped me off with his flustered expression Thalia's been questioning me. It was almost as if she knew something that I didn't. Thalia quickly mumbled to herself something and I was able to only catch a few words, "-making a move on her now- he knows- fucking pervert-"

"What?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Ignore me…" Thalia grumbled. "You sure you still don't want to move in to live with me?"

"I'm fine… if I do… Percy will just get suspicious."

"As if!" Thalia scoffed. I tilted my head to the side as if wondering what she meant by that. "I told you to ignore me! Still you fell asleep with practically a stranger!"

"He's not a stranger and it was purely an innocent nap." I convinced her… or more like tried to convince myself.

"Not the point…"

"Thals… he thinks that we're siblings, I'll bet you he's even more weird out than me."

"Weird out my ass!" Thalia exclaimed. "He didn't give out any sort of weird impression to you?"

"Weird impression…" I trailed off remembering the blush on his face, the way he hugged me… it was comfortable and I actually like-… I felt my face heating up.

"You're blushing." Thalia groaned.

"I am not!" I argued.

"You're a lot of thing Annabeth… but blushing is just not you… you can't seriously be falling for that Kelp Head…?"

I let that thought hang in the air for a moment, "What- No! We're siblings! You and Piper… both of you need to stop assuming things!"

"Oh… so Piper thinks like me too…" Thalia grinned evilly then regained her serious face, "Seriously though Annabeth… did he really not say anything to you?"

"Should he?" I asked back then realized that Thalia probably knows something I don't. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing," Thalia said convincingly. "Anyways… since you're here and good as new… how about I take you on a tour around New York?"

"Thalia… I've been here for at least a couple months now… I'm pretty sure I know the place."

"Not the best place! Come along little girl, let me show you the true beauty of New York." With that Thalia pulled me along towards her car. "First stop… the best burger place in town." With that she readied up her engine and drove into the driveway.

Percy's POV: (I was about to stop there… but since you guys are awesome readers… how about a little bit more?)

"You're late," Rachel grinned as she hopped into my car.

"Sorry stayed up late watching Finding Nemo with Annabeth… she used my arm as a pillow." I mumbled, then realizing my mistake. "I swear nothing happened between us! We were just watching a movie and then fell asleep!" I hurried to fix my mistake.

Rachel laughed, "Percy… she's your sister I don't think it's even possible."

I mentally took back a curse as I dug myself into a deeper load of trouble, "About that… she's not actually… my erm… sister." I grimaced, but I know that Rachel would understand… probably?

"What are you talking about?"

"I- I just found out as well!" I quickly said.

"Wait then why-" Rachel began finally noting that I was being serious.

"Honestly… I have no idea, but I actually like having her living with me, and well she helped me a lot." I rushed through my words trying to get Rachel to understand.

"Percy it's fine."

"You don't get it, I promise nothing is going on between us… but then I don't want her to leave and she still thinks that I think that we're siblings so- wait did you say it's fine?"

Rachel nodded. "She still thinks of you as a sibling anyways. Seeing how flustered you are… I doubt you would be cheating on me anytime soon."

"Actually… I haven't told her that I knew that she knows that we're not siblings." I trailed off.

Rachel looked at me with a confused expression before interpreting my words. "I'm surprised you didn't tell her… "Her face looked grim with disappointment.

"I don't know… I don't want her to get scared and like leave… I mean, I'm kind of used to having an annoying sister around." I explained.

"When did you find out then?" Rachel asked thoroughly curious.

"A week ago." I answered shortly.

"You must really care about her then." Rachel decided as I looked at her with a confused expression. "Even though you knew she wasn't your sister… you still stayed with her at the hospital."

"Rachel that's nothing… I would've done the same for anyone." I tried to tell her.

"Not all twenty-four hours of the seven days. In addition, you also found out that she lied to you…" Rachel sighed. "Well she did help you with so much things… and seem to absolutely show no interest in you." Rachel smiled slightly.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously… not that I'm disappointed… but you know… just curious.

"During Grover's and Juniper's wedding photo shoot, I talked to Annabeth a bit, and I was kind of suspicious when she made a face when we started describing you." Rachel laughed. "I'm not too worried about Annabeth falling for you."

"You're thinking way too low of me Rachel," I pouted and started my car.

~PaGeBrEaK~

"How was the movie?" I asked her as we took a little night stroll.

Rachel shrugged, "It was actually pretty good." She answered her eyes seem to be rather distracted.

"Okay… what is it you want to talk to me about?" I stopped, looking straight at her.

Rachel sighed, "You noticed?"

"Considering that you're always looking the other way… yes I noticed."

Rachel let a slight smile escape her lips, "I was just thinking about what you asked before I left." She began, her eyes blazing in the dark night.

"When… I proposed to you?" I asked abruptly.

"Well… if the offer is still up… my answer is yes Percy,"

DUN DUN DUN! Well… what do you guys think Percy should say? Hmm… got a little Percabeth in there! But ehh… some Prachel as well…. FINDING NEMO! I LOVE THAT MOVIE!

Okay that aside… hmm…

CHALLENGE: REVIEW AND TELL ME WHO SAID THAT LINE FROM FINDING NEMO AND THALIA WILL GIVE YOU A PERSONAL TOUR OF NEW YORK! AND PERHAPS EVEN CAMP HALF BLOOD!

Thalia: No I will not!

Me: They'll buy you burgers!

Thalia: …. *thinking*…. Fine… but they better bring a wallet full of money!

Me: okay then… Thalia why don't you give the readers a song?

Thalia: *stops rant and think a bit* 21 Guns by Green Day

Me: Do you really like Green Days that much?

Thalia: Rick Riordan said that I do….

Me: WELL NOW YOU KNOW THALIA LIKES GREEN DAY! SO REVIEW AND YOU'LL GET A PERSONAL TOUR FROM MS. THALIA GRACE

Thalia: ENOUGH WITH THE LAST NAME BEFORE I KILL YOU AND- *continues on with a rant of tortures for AAZ*

Me: LATER GUYS!

Agent Astro Zombie OUT!