Hello readers of awesomeness! Well, first off- I have to say I'm sorry. I haven't been updating lately, and I know that for some of you guys it's like 'JUST MAKE THE CHAPTER ALREADY!' but for me… I've been working on getting a style of writing straight. If you haven't noticed, over the past year I've gotten to be a better writer, but to be honest… I take all of that criticism from the reviews, and that's what makes me better… and for that I thank you guys. Now, I think it's time to get the show on the road!

~GoGreen52

PS: if you haven't read Stranded yet, do it! It just came out!

Chapter 15 - Murder

-Annabeth POV-

Percy and I walked into the beach house, and I looked at everything in awe. It was amazing. And I was only looking at the entrance area… but it was still amazing.

"I'll show you around… but I already have a feeling that Thalia and Nico found the game room. And knowing them, that'll cause a whole new round of their relationship story; date, fight, make up, date, fight-"

I cut him off, "Yeah I know."

"Well, that makes my job much easier. Okay, just follow me while I show you around."

"I'm not stupid you know."

"Agreed."

Percy waited for me to take my flip flops off, then motioned for me to follow him. He lead me through a small hallway, showing me the kitchen. It had granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances. The cubords had been stained, giving a nice neat look to the whole kitchen's style.

There were three lights, green, blue, and red, were all hanging from the ceiling, shining on the island table. The seats looked like something you'd see in a regular modern kitchen- a circular stool with one thick leg down the middle. It had a wide base at the end for support.

All in all, the kitchen was huge. And I loved it.

"I think I could be here all day," I admitted, and Percy just laughed. "What?"

"You should see the rest of the house," he told me, taking my hand and leading me elsewhere. We walked into a little room that I noticed was attached to the kitchen by a doorway that could have used two doors… but there was none, making it feel more open.

Inside, I noticed that there was a dining room, a ten seated dining table, stained like the kitchen, and the chairs were white, shaped oddly, yet really cool and fun.

I sighed, looking at Percy. "Show me more." He smiled at me, and pulled me to the next stop, and I noticed that we were moving around in a circle, giving the two hallways . I noticed a room straight forward, I was prepared to go there, but instead he stopped, making me run right into him.

"I'm doing the leading, remember?" he joked. "Come on."

We walked into the room, and I gasped when I saw what it was- I library. "This place is more like a mansion than a beach house. "

"What do you expect? I own the place. Everything back when I didn't really know you… was more about me. As much as I hate to admit it, you changed me Annabeth."

I looked at him, shell shocked at what he just said. But wait… "What do you mean, hate to admit?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at him. I think he knew he was going to get into some pretty deep trouble when he decided to speak.

"Well… I just wish I'd known how much of I jerk I was before I met you. Because, you saw that jerk, and I want you to know me, for me. And this," he gestured to himself, "Is me. And that," he gestured to a picture of him from an album cover, "Is not me."

"Then who is it?" I asked, curious of what the answer may be. I want to know what he felt when he took all of those photos, dated all of those girls, made millions of hits.

"That's who my agent turned me into. That's who my father would look at, scoff at, and turn away from. That was me."

Percy had his voice raised, eyes big. He was several feet away from me, as if he were a virus, and if he touched me, or even came within a few feet of me, I would catch it too.

"Don't you see? I'm a real jerk. My father would hate me for how I turned my back on my mom like I did. I screwed up! My father probably looked down on me, glaring at what his son had turned into!" I closed my eyes, afraid at what he was going to do next. The look in his eyes… that was the look I saw every time I opened one of those photos of him in a fight at one of those clubs. A sick, tormented anger.

"You wanna know something Percy?" I asked, my voice almost as loud as his. he shouldn't be beating himself up like this… and there was no excuse, considering his father, right now is looking down on him with pride… well, maybe not right now, but now in general.

"What?"

"I thought you were a real jerk since I heard about you on your first talk show! I will admit that I liked your songs… but then I learned who you were, and I immediately hated it. Seriously, I thought you needed to get a grip on reality, and figure out some other way to get that ego out of you! And now… you have."

Percy's eyes filled with something I thought was gone. That… ego that he always used to have was there.

"You thought I was a jerk, huh?" he asked, eyes blazing with fury.

"I thought that. It doesn't mean I still think that Percy. And right now… that look in your eyes reminds me of those album covers. The one you pointed to. The one you said you weren't. Right now… I'm starting to think that ego inside will never leave."

His eyes immediately changed to the ones I knew and was familiar with. But now they were filled with not ego, but they showed me he knew what just happened. He knew what I meant by having a huge ego. And about me not knowing him anymore. He knew.

"Annabeth… I'm sorry," he told me, walking up to me. He looked down into eyes, and wrapped his arms around my neck, "I guess I was just too wallowed up in my self- pity that I forgot about the ones who truly matter to me… you matter to me."

He pulled me in for a kiss, but it only lasted about five seconds before he pulled apart. "We have to finish that tour…"

I nodded, and smiled up to him, "You matter to me too, seaweed brain."

He smiled, and a brightness that I loved so much filled his eyes again. I hope that I never have to re-see that ego Percy again.

Percy let me look around, admiring the library. It was more like a study, since it had a desk with a globe, lap top, and a note pad on it. I noticed that a lot of my favorites were in the library though- from Pride and Prejudice to Architecture 101, it had them all.

I knew he was waiting for my consent to leave, so I walked up to him, and gave a small smile, remembering how he was watching in amusement to all of my constant running around, looking at book after book. To be honest, I thought he would be impatient, but I guess me talking to myself kept the kelp head entertained.

"Ready?" he asked, and I nodded. He led me to the room I was going to head to before he brought me to the study.

I walked in, and saw the familiar set up. There was a simple couch, two chairs, and a flat screen TV. The couch was a lime green, and the two chairs were a black… modern. There was a coffee table in the middle of the room, breaking the rules and being a glass, not stained table with black supporter legs.

I knew I would see Thalia and Nico making out in this room, so I made a mental note to avoid it. I nodded at Percy, signaling that I was ready to go. He smiled, and took my hand. "I'm starting to like this tour guide thing… I get to hold your hand a lot more than usual."

"I thought you gave yourself permission to hold my hand awhile back?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow at him in surprise. I thought boys would keep this stuff in their heads to use later on…

"Yes I did…" His eyes widened, and I laughed. See? It's like the fight never happened.

"Okay, on with the tour." I think I saw Percy sigh in relief, but I really can pin him for that one. I would do that too.

He led me up the stairs, and I saw in awe all of the rooms. It was kind of like a hotel floor, but you could see the entry way from downstairs, but from this angle, they couldn't see you. Smart. I was going to keep this in mind.

He pointed out all the rooms, 13 of them, and told me what was what. I smiled when I saw three of the rooms claimed, and I knew Percy and I were not sharing a room. At least, not tonight…

I took a glimpse at all of the open rooms, and settled with the one that had silver walls, a king sized bed with purple sheets, and a book case against far wall with a purple armchair a few feet away from it. There was a nice black dresser on the other side with black rimmed mirror above it, and from the instant I saw it I knew I loved it.

Percy helped me bring my bags in, and I made sure that I was the one who unpacked everything… you know, some things might not be the best for him to see right now…

"I'll just go on and work on my new room. I'll meet you in the kitchen at 6 for some pizza," Percy told me, and I nodded, smiling at him. He nodded in assent and left the room. Great. Now I got it all for myself.

I looked at the time on my cell phone. 5:34. I have time.

Carefully, I took all of my clothes and put them in the drawers. It took me five minutes to put everything in the drawers. What can I say? I'm a light packer.

I took out my laptop, full of all my designs for architecture that I never really thought of presenting to get a job. But… I know my mom wanted the best for me, and I know she is now looking down on me… smiling, and I can just see the challenge, calculating every detail of my plans in her eyes.

"Don't be afraid to try something new and think outside the box, Annabeth. Have a little faith in what you believe could be possible."

I smiled, remembering how she would look at me with my same grey eyes and tell me that. Every night before I went to sleep… before… it happened.

I remember her death like it was just yesterday, I saw it with my own eyes;

-Flashback-
Mommy was bringing me to the store to get some ice cream so I could make a sundae for my friend, Malcolm, on his birthday.

"Come on sweetheart! We need to get a move on!" my mom called, and I saw her walk towards me. She looked really pretty in her clothes… her curly hair reminded me of a princesses. Daddy calls me his little princess because I have her curls.

"Okay mommy."

She took my hand and walked with me to the car. It was blue and shiny… I like shiny things. My mommy's earrings were like those birds that you see at night! Oh! And they were shiny too! She looked really pretty when she wore those ones.

"Annabeth, what kind of ice cream does your friend like?" Mommy asked me, smiling at me through the mirror thingy.

"CHOCOLATE!"

"Chocolate ice cream it is."

She drove to the store that she calls 'rainbow', but I never really see a rainbow there.

She picked me up out of the car seat, and we walked to the entrance. From there, we walked to the ice cream isle, full of all of my favorite kinds!

"Annabeth, where do you think the chocolate is?" my mommy asked, but I didn't have time to answer before there was a big BOOM that went off. My mom flew to the ground and covered me up.

"EVERYONE TO THE CHECKOUT CENTER NOW!" someone yelled. He sounded very mean, but my mommy stood up with me anyways.

She carried me to the food, and hid me behind it. "Annabeth. Stay here. Do not move."

My mommy sounded so scary, and I did what she said. She walked away, and went right to the check out place where we buy the ice cream. But I had a bad feeling in my tummy, and went to figure out why mommy left.

All of the sudden, there was another BOOM and then another.

I followed the sound, wanting to see why someone was lighting fireworks in Rainbow.

I saw red on the floor. It looked like red milk. But I saw people laying there, a hole in their heads… mommy was one of them. Her golden hair, like a princesses, was stained with red. I looked at the only man standing.

He had hair like mommy's- gold. He had blue eyes, and a dark line going across his face. It was scary. He looked at me, and I ran away and hid behind some clothes. Later I heard sirens, and knew the police were here, and it was safe. Mommy told me all about police and safe sirens.

-End Flashback-

Tears went down my face. If only I knew what was happening. They never caught the killer… and I have a feeling he knows that I saw him… I hope he thinks I forgot. But who would think someone forgot something that tragic?

I sighed, laying down on the floor. The tears where dripping freely from my eyes.

I was only five years old when I witnessed my mother's murder.