Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I know, I know, I haven't updated in forever. I suck. But in my defense, it was Christmas, and then I went out of town for a while. During that time, I had no access to my computer. But now I do so here's your chapter!

You guys are so awesome!

Leo's P.O.V

Anni stood in the doorway, eyes wide with shock and her mouth hanging open a little. One hand was still on the door, the other at her side. She was wearing slightly cleaner clothes since the last time he had seen her: blue jeans a little ripped at the knees and a denim jacket missing most of its buttons. Under the jacket she was wearing a too-big purple T-shirt. Her hair was still in a ponytail, though it had clearly been washed recently. She had gotten taller over the last two years: probably five two instead of five foot. He could still see her knife in her pocket.

"Leo?"

Anni's voice was soft, slightly rough, and solidified in Leo's mind that he was not hallucinating.

"Anni?"

The word seemed to leave his mouth with no permission whatsoever from his brain.

Anni's eyes grew exponentially wider… before suddenly narrowing in anger.

He felt the punch land on his chest before he saw it.

"You ASSHOLE!" Anni yelled, stepping closer to him. Her next punch caught him across the face. Leo yelled and fell, landing on his back in the middle of the hallway. Anni went after him, her knees on the ground on either side of his ribs, and punched him again, on the other side of his face.

"I thought you were dead!" Anni yelled, pulling her arm back for another punch. "Dammit, Leo!"

Sudden anger flared to life in Leo's gut. He blocked the punch with his arm and shot his other fist forward, hitting Anni in the stomach. She huffed, the air knocked out of her, and fell backward. Leo shoved her off of him and rolled to his feet.

"I thought YOU were dead!" he yelled at her, his next punch clipping her chin as she rose. "You left and I never saw you again!"

Anni let out a screech of derisive laughter.

"I left!? You pushed me on that damn train, Leo!" She swung again. Leo jumped back, barely avoiding a hit to his ribs. Anni was still yelling. "I went to California and I waited and waited, right where we said we would meet! I waited for six months! You never showed up!"

Leo swung again. Anni dodged and lunged, tackling him.

Yelling obscenities, they wrestled on the floor, hitting and kicking for a little longer before Anni pinned his wrists against the carpet. She hovered over him for a second, glaring, before all the anger seemed to leave her as suddenly as it had come.

"Fuck." She whispered. "I missed you, Leo."

She stood up and pulled him to his feet before pulling him into the tightest hug she had ever given him. Leo, suddenly not angry either, wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back, just as tight.

"I missed you too." He whispered against her hair.

She was thin and bony under her clothes. She smelled like the musty hallway, French fries, chlorine, and moldy sheets. There was still the hint of stale cigarettes beneath it all. And once again, he swore he could feel a wet spot growing on his shoulder, where Anni's face was pressed. He felt her hand gather a fistful of the fabric of his jacket, and feeling that small gesture had a few tears falling down his face.

That is until a throat cleared behind him.

General P.O.V

The demigods had been very freaked out when Anni had appeared, very much alive, in the doorway from the stairwell. They had been concerned when she had attacked Leo and the two were fighting. And now they were confused… and still very freaked out.

"What's going on?"

Percy asked the question on everyone's mind.

Anni pulled away from Leo and raised her eyebrow.

"And you are?"

Riley, still sitting by the wall, quietly got up and left.

"I'm Percy."

Anni's eyes traveled slowly over each of the seven, her expression bored, her eyes analyzing. She took in the new clothes, the clean hair, the lean, healthy looks of all of them, and raised an eyebrow at Leo.

"You have some explaining to do."

…

Leo gave her the mortal's version: that he had been taken to the Wilderness School after being caught in New Mexico, where he had met everyone currently with him, and they had been going to school there for a couple years before deciding to run and ending up here. Anni watched him for a second after the whole narrative was over, then slowly nodded.

"Should've known you'd pull something like that, dumbass." She said affectionately, tousling his hair.

She explained that after waiting in California and realizing Leo must be dead, she had left. She had found the friends her aunt had told her about all those years ago, but hadn't stayed long. "They were dicks, Leo, honestly. Everything had to be all precise. Perfect. Well, I ain't perfect, so I ran." She had stolen enough money from them for a bus ticket back to Houston, but had fallen asleep and missed the stop, waking up in Tennessee, and had gone on from there. She had left quickly when a police officer had begun chasing her after recognizing her face from MISSING posters, jumping on another bus and ending up in Boston, Massachusetts. She had stayed there for a few months before jumping on a train, ending up back in Houston.

"I got a job now." She told Leo, straightening up slightly with pride. "It doesn't pay much, but I can get food and a brush and stuff like that, so I look and smell a little less homeless."

She worked at a local pool, in the concession stand. "I can sneak y'all in there for showers tomorrow, before you leave." She said casually. At Leo's startled look, she shrugged. "Just assuming. No one wants to stay in this shithole for more than one night."

"Now." Anni stood up and brushed off her jeans. "Anyone hungry? I'm starved. Let's eat."

…

They ended up walking around the same park the Argo 2 was in, though the demigods were careful to steer far away from that particular corner of the park. Other than that, they walked and talked to each other, keeping their voices low. Anni and Leo were walking close together a little ahead of the others, talking so softly the others couldn't hear a word.

Maybe that was a good thing, as the current topic of interest was Anni and Leo.

Hazel, Piper, Annabeth marveled at the odds of them meeting like that. Percy and Jason were having an intense discussion on what the two were talking about. Frank was just walking, eyes fixed on Anni and Leo up ahead, lost in his own thoughts.

It was Frank that noticed the change.

"Guys." He said softly. They all looked at him, then up towards Leo and Anni.

Leo was standing stock-still and tense in the middle of the path, Anni next to him with her hand on his arm as though she had stopped him. Both were staring a little to the left of them with expressions of fear and absolute horror on their faces. The others followed their gazes.

Jogging along, not noticing them, was a tall, statuesque woman, her long black hair pulled up into a bouncing ponytail and her perfect body encased in a pair of yoga pants with a neon pink sports bra and running shoes.

"Teresa." The whispered word left eight throats.

Anni gripped Leo's arm and pulled, her voice low and frantic. "Leowehavetogowehavetogorightnow."

Leo stood where he was, breathing heavily and eyes wide and unblinking. He was starting to shake.

Anni was shaking too, her 'flight' instinct kicking in. "Leoletsgobeforesheseesus."

Suddenly, Annabeth marched up and grasped Leo's shoulder.

"Don't worry." She said softly. "It's okay."

And she marched over to Teresa, gray eyes stormy and even her blonde curls trembling with anger.

Leo let out a terrified squeak. Anni was gripping his arm so hard her fingers would probably leave bruises. The other demigods watched Annabeth, stony-faced.

Annabeth stretched her lips into a fake smile and tapped Teresa's shoulder. "Excuse me?"

The woman glanced at her.

"Are you Teresa Brewer?"

The woman looked confused, but nodded.

Annabeth didn't say anything else. Her expression hardened into something that would send a full- grown Minotaur running for Mommy.

Her punch came out of nowhere and landed square on Teresa's perfect nose. There was a crunching sound and bright red blood splattered across Teresa's cheekbones and forehead. Some landed in her hair.

Teresa screamed and staggered backwards, her hand coming up to cover her nose as she stared at Annabeth. "What the…"

She didn't get a chance to finish. Annabeth's next punch hit her eye, which instantly swelled. Another punch caught her in the stomach. A kick nearly dislocated her knee and sent Teresa falling to the ground. Then Annabeth set upon her, slapping and scratching and punching and pulling hair, before calmly standing up and wiping blood from her cheek.

She reached down and buried her hand into Teresa's long black hair, which was falling out of its ponytail, twisting her fingers into it before pulling sharply. Teresa whimpered as Annabeth pulled her face up to the same level as hers.

"Go to the police." Annabeth whispered. "Go turn yourself in for what you've been doing to your foster kids. If you don't, I'll know. I'll come back. And believe me, you'll be wishing for this beating then."

She shoved Teresa back to the ground and aimed a kick at her ribs. "Go."

Teresa was off, staggering away from Annabeth, sobbing and trying to stop her nose from bleeding.

Annabeth turned and came back to the others. "Let's go."

Everyone was staring at her wide-eyed.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Leo suddenly pulled away from Anni and threw his arms around Annabeth, whispering "thankyouthankyouthankyou" into her shoulder. Annabeth hugged him back and noticed, over Leo's shoulder, that Anni was standing there, tears in her own eyes and a grin spreading across her face. Anni marched over and lightly punched Annabeth's shoulder.

"Leo." She said quietly, grinning. "Your friends are fucking awesome."

…

Later that night, back at the apartment building, Leo snuck out when everyone was asleep and went up to the roof. Anni was sitting there, legs dangling over the edge. She glanced back at him and grinned, nodding in greeting, before leaning into his side as he sat down. Leo slung his arm over her shoulders, still barely able to understand the reality of the solid, comforting presence against his side.

They sat like that for a while before Anni spoke.

"That story you told me was complete bullshit."

Leo shrugged. "So was the one you told me. At least partly."

Anni grinned up at him. "Nah, it was the truth. Just left out a few things."

Leo rolled his eyes. There was comfortable silence before Anni spoke up again.

"You gonna tell me the truth?"

Leo looked down at her. "Why don't you tell me the truth first?"

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

NO REGRETS!

Next chapter I'll explain everything about Anni. EVERYTHING. Any questions, leave them in reviews, and I shall answer them! Love you guys!