Okay…Hey everyone. Um, Happy New Years? I know we're more than four months into 2017, but it's never too late right? You know what, let's not even mention the word 'late' cause I am terribly late at updating. Anyways, ENJOY! I'M BACK!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series Rick Riordon does.

Annabeth's POV

Bianca looked at me impressed as the printer buzzed with life. Her dark bangs fell over her eyes and her sleeves were pulled up to her elbows.

"Okay, I am officially jealous now!" She says heaving out an exhausted sigh. I give her a small nervous smile as I sit down in my black leather chair…my chair.

"I appreciate your help." I thank her, she continues to shake her head in disbelief.

"You know dang well that I didn't help in the least bit. I'd been trying to make that thing work for about twenty minutes before you came." She exclaimed referring to the printer.

I shrug my shoulders uncomfortably. "It was nothing. All I did was press the red button."

She cocked her head at me before her eyes drifted to the items on my desk.

"Woah! Mr. Hermes must really like you."

I glance down at the cookie basket and the flowers on my desk. I let out a real smile forcing myself to relax just the tiniest bit. The scent of the cookies and flowers seemed to brighten up the big office, easing some of my nerves.

"He seems really nice."

"He is," Bianca agrees nodding her head, before giving me a small pout. "But I didn't get a cookie basket!"

I shrug my shoulders giving her an apologetic smile. Not knowing what to say I soon turn my attention to the papers on my desk. My heart swelled with nervousness and excitement. My first day wasn't going as bad as I thought it would be and everyone seemed at least a little friendly, but the day was no where near over.

With one last wish of good luck Bianca left leaving me to my work. My nerves drastically decreased as she left the room and I couldn't help but kick myself for not being friendlier. Where was my charm?

Sighing I started my first assignment. Looking through the rule book. The fifty paged rule book. Yay.

I spent the next hour trying not to bang my head on the desk as I read through boring requirements. I did my best to pay attention, promising not to touch one cookie until I was at least ten pages in. It was a little too late when I noticed the pages weren't numbered having already went through half the requirements before realizing page ten had passed a long time ago.

I was so focused that I didn't hear the sound of my office door opening or the heavy footsteps making their way to me. It was only when the person cleared their throat did I become aware of their presence.

I let out a small yelp as I jumped in my seat. My heart froze when I saw who it was. My eyes widened and I dropped the chocolate chip cookie in my hand.

"What are you doing here?"

He frowned his grey eyes slightly twitching like they always did when we were kids. He cropped his, once almost shoulder length, blonde hair and the serious look to his eyes made me think of the time he would imitate dad.

"What do you mean 'what am I doing here'? I already told you we needed to talk." Malcolm spoke, but I was too focused on his diplomatic tone to really pay attention to the meaning behind the words.

"I heard you had a concussion." He said after an awkward pause. He sat down in one of my chairs waiting for me to respond. He crossed his legs as he sat and I nodded my head, still in shock. I thought you were supposed to feel happy when your brother visits you.

He bobbed his head up and down a little too much, an odd quirk he's had since we were little and as much as I hate to admit it, I'm relieved that some things haven't changed.

"How are you?" Malcolm asks a small amount of concern slipping through his business persona.

I stare at him before reality catches up with me. A bitter chuckle escapes me and he waits for me to finish shifting uncomfortably. I cock my head at him.

"Oh I'm fine. My mother's just blackmailing me and my backstabbing brother who hasn't contacted me in years is sitting in my office acting as if nothing's changed. Yeah I'm perfectly fine."

He raises an eyebrow at my tone. My hands that rested safely underneath the table were shaking on my lap, but there was no way I was letting him know that.

"I'm trying to help you." He said defensively.

"Well you're trying a few years too late. You can't just waltz into my office and decide that you want to play big brother again. It doesn't work that way."

"I don't have to be here. I could just walk out now." He threatened and I pretend to turn my focus back to the papers on my desk.

"You've done it before. It can't be that hard."

A pregnant silence follows. My eyes scan over the papers 'thoughtfully' as his eyes stay glued on me. I take deep breaths in hoping to stop the adrenaline coursing through my veins, but I can't relax. I feel the tenseness of my shoulders and the sweat on my palms. He looks away from me with a passive expression on his face.

"Mom is planning something and it's not good. She's trying to use you to-"

"To get information about Hermes' company." I finished, rolling my eyes. "Yeah she told me."

"No, that's what she wants you to think. You can't tell her anything Annabeth, okay? Not a single thing."

"I have no choice."

"Yes you do." He insisted, but I shook my head putting down the papers.

"No I don't! She's gonna-"

"Hurt lover boy, I know!" He rolled his eyes and I glared at him.

"His name is Percy and I'm not putting his family in danger. I won't risk it-"

"Yes you will. Percy and his mom will be fine!" Malcom waved off.

"You're so selfish." I exclaim in disbelief. "How can you even say something like that?"

"I'm worried about you Annabeth! Not Percy or his mother!"

I stood up from my chair and walked across the desk. The sound of my heels against the floor was the only sound as I headed towards the door. But I wasn't leaving.

"I think it's time for you to go." I finally said. I leaned against the door, holding it open.

"Annabe-"

"If you don't leave, I'm going to call security."

A tense silence fell on us. I didn't budge from my position at the door as he was probably expecting me to. Instead I stood my ground, patiently waiting for him to leave my office. It took awhile for him to realize that I was serious, but once he did he scoffed.

"Wow." He said bitterly. "So this is the thanks I get for trying to help you? You throw me out of your office?"

I don't reply and he gets up from his seat. He continues to talk as he walks towards me.

"All for some boy you met a few days ago. Yeah those are some really high standards you got there Annabeth."

I made it a point to slam the door in his face extra hard after that last dig. Even though the only thing separating us was the wooden door it felt like he was finally gone. Like Malcom was a million miles away rather than a few steps. Either way I was grateful for the distance. The conversation was exhausting and I'm pretty another few years without seeing him wouldn't be bad at all.

I sat back down feeling big and small at the same time. I had stood up for myself, but at what cost. I mean as much as I hate to admit it I don't know what I'm doing. I'm blindly following my mom's orders and I'm dating the son of one of her biggest rivals.

Trying to distract myself I take out my phone, and speaking of Percy, I saw a message from him. A small smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I direct my mind elsewhere.

We need to talk.

The text was plain and simple, yet sent apart of me crashing down. My smile instantly fell as I began to worry. Why was he being so serious? Did I do something wrong? Is he going to break up with me?

Anxious I text back, R u ok?

I wait for him to respond. I flip back open the large rule book, trying to get back on task.

Percy's POV

I stare at the text, unsure of how to reply. I probably shouldn't have sent the text in the first place. Maybe I should've just left things alone?

"Percy!" My mom called and I snapped my head up. Her lips were in a firm, straight line and his arms were crossed. I tossed the phone to the other side of the couch, giving her sheepish smile, before standing to my feet.

"This is your third break in one hour Perce. Do I have to confiscate your phone, cause I'm not packing all these things by myself-"

"N-No, I'm coming! I'll be right out, just five more minutes." I pleaded. She gave me a hard stare as she leaned against my doorway and I sighed.

"Fine." I grumbled, getting up from my bed. She gave me a bright smile in return before rushing to pack more things. We had went out about two hours ago after my father left, to get moving boxes. Apparently my father was going to buy us 'any and everything we needed' and majority of our things were going to charity.

I walked out in the hallway just in time to see her folding a familiar, florescent blouse. I frown as she stuffs it into the donation box.

"Hey," I say walking over to the box. "Why are you giving this one away? I thought you really liked the blouse and you don't have any others."

My mom shrugged her shoulders, the happy grin still on her face. She brushed some hair out of her face, before adding another shirt in.

"Trust me honey, there'll be many more blouses to come!" She gushed.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay…"

"Oh didn't I tell you? Poseidon offered me a job. It was before you two spoke and we still need to discuss the details, but…great things are about to happen!"

"What about your writing?" I ask and her glow seems to brighten.

"He wants me to write a book about him. An autobiography on his life and how he became the business man he is today. God, it's like everything is falling into place! Right Perce?"

"Yeah, things are falling alright!" I reply bitterly. All the way to hell, I thought. My mom pauses what she's doing, taking in my expression. The happiness in her face seems to almost seep out of her immediately, like dust in a vacuum cleaner. I was the vacuum cleaner.

"What's wrong?" She asks turning her back to the several brown boxes loitering our living room. I wish I could've swallowed up my words and steal back the stupid comment.

"Nothing!" I say nonchalantly, yet she continues to pry in her motherly way, following me out the room and into the kitchen.

"It's not nothing." She says determined. "Look I know this move is really sudden and I know it seems crazy to just pick up and move. Believe me Perce, I get it. But this is for-"

"For the best." I finish. "Yeah I know and like I said I'm fine, but let's stop for a moment and think."

"Okay…" She drags out before sitting at the table. "Let's think."

"I'm serious mom. I'm about to go from seeing my father once a year, if I'm lucky, to seeing him everyday. And you're about to start working for him. Don't you think this all is a little much?"

"I think it's sudden, but it's nothing we can't handle! Okay now, thinking time's up, back to packing mister!"

In an instant she was back in the living room and I blinked. I think she's officially delirious from excitement. It's almost as if she's high and has no comprehension of what's really going on. I lean against the counter, sighing. What was I going to do with her?

I hear loud chimes coming from my bedroom and I dash to my phone. I see her name appear on the screen for a brief moment before I answer.

"Annabeth?"

"Hey." She answers, but my the slight quiver in her voice I could tell she was nervous.

"Hey…" I say slowly closing my door, careful not to make any sounds. "How's work?"

"Good." She sighs and I could see her now, gnawing at her bottom lip.

"Doesn't sound too good." I comment as I shuffle through stuff on my dresser. She gives me a nervous laugh.

"It's great, I promise. Now what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh I ju-" I pause for a second as my hand aimlessly touches something foreign. Gripping the item in my hand I look down to see what it is. It's a small black cube with a few rings circling in the center. I don't remember ever buying the weird object or anybody giving it to me. I frown at the thing before shrugging my shoulders. I chuck it at the wall, dismissing it for a large oddly shaped pebble. The sound that it makes as it crashes against the wall and the things that come out of it quickly dismiss that theory.

I walk to the other side of the room and bend down. The thing was broken in pieces, but it definitely wasn't a rock. Wires laid in a bundle on the floor and as I moved them around I saw a small circle lens laying near it. It was a camera.

"Hello?" Annabeth called through the phone. "You still there Percy?"

"Um, yeah…yeah I'm still here." I said as my mind raced a thousand miles per hour. I thought of all the people who'd been in my room this week. A lot of people came into the apartment, but mom doesn't let anyone inside my room unless they're family or friends. Calyspo, Silena, Beckendorf, Juniper, Grover, Leo...and Annabeth. My father's words form today and his weariness of Annabeth came to mind. We don't know if she's a threat or not...

"Is everything okay? You've gone all quiet on me." She asks and I shake my head, feeling like a confused fool.

"Sorry, something just fell on the floor." I answer vaguely.

"Oh." She replies and I give her a fake laugh of reassurance.

"Yeah just a stupid picture frame, but about that text I sent you, it wasn't anything important. Just wanted to know when our next study session would be." I lie.

"Okay. That's a relief! I thought it was something serious, like bad serious. We can plan something maybe this Wednesday? If that works with you?"

"Yeah." I say distracted by my own thoughts. "That'll work."

"You okay Percy? You sound a little weird is there anything else you need to talk to me about?"

I stare at the broken camera on the floor with my guard up.

"No. Nothing at all."

Dang! That was one mighty fine chapter, if I do say so myself! I will update sooner and check out my other stories while you are here! Don't forget to follow, fav and review! PERCABETH IS BEAUTIFUL!

See ya!