Chapter 9

I dug my heels into the dirt, stopping myself mid-swing. The air was too chilly, biting my face and sending shivers down my back. Percy, who either didn't notice or didn't care, and I was guessing the latter, was swinging so high into the air he was making the swing set rock, threatening to tip over.

"You're crazy," I called to him. "The cold air doesn't bother you?"

"Nope." He slowed to a stop beside me. "I'm used to the weather in New York."

I shook my head. "I lived in Virginia most of my life, so New York took a pretty good while to get used to."

Percy smirked. "But you love it here now, huh?"

I bumped his shoulder, making my swing bump his. "Maybe."

He laughed. "Yeah, I missed it too. Traveling with my dad was great, but I missed this place. Hanging out with Thalia and Jason, my mom..."

"Oh yeah, how's the baby?"

Percy made a face. "Rotten. Spoiled rotten to the core. She's going to be Daddy's little princess, I can tell."

I burst out laughing. "Aw, that bad, huh?"

"I'm pretty sure no one noticed me leave. They were all too busy cooing over her."

"So that's why you had to escape."

Percy grinned, but then his expression turned serious. "What about you? Are you okay?"

We both swung in silence for a while, while I decided how to answer.

"it's complicated," I finally said. "Luke, he..."

Percy looked at me. "Something is wrong with him."

I leaned my head against the chain. "You were right." I sighed. "I hope you're happy."

"That doesn't make me happy."

We sat in silence for a minute longer. I sighed again. I'd come here to escape my thoughts, and here I was, fighting with Percy in zero degree weather for something that wasn't even his fault.

"Percy...I'm sorry. I just wish I knew what was going on with him. He hasn't seemed like himself since he got here." I told him everything that happened at the restaurant. I hadn't realized how much stress I'd been shouldering until the words were flowing out of my mouth. When I was finished, I felt a whole lot better.

Percy stared forward, watching a couple and their baby across the street. The dad lifted the baby up in the air and nuzzled her face, making the baby giggle.

"So what now?" he asked. "Are you going to confront him?"

I shook my head, sighing again. I was sighing a lot today. "I'm going to do the opposite, no matter how hard it is. I'm going to step back and give him space. I know Luke. He'll tell me...eventually. I know he will."

"What if he doesn't?" Percy asked. "What if he just suddenly leaves?"

"He won't," I responded.

"You seem pretty unsure."

I stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you may not know it, but I'm willing to bet I know you a lot better than you think. You can't just stand by and watch. its not you. You like to jump in, solve the riddle. If there's a problem, you like to figure out what it is."

I sat in silence, stunned. It wasn't wrong, that was definitely me. I just couldn't believe Percy knew that about me. I peeked at him out of the corner of my eye. He definitely seemed the same since we were twelve. Goofy, clumsy, pain in the butt. But reliable. He always had my back when I needed him. He was also more observant than I gave him credit for.

I took his hand. He looked slightly surprised, but his fingers wrapped around mine. I squeezed his hand. "I don't know what's going to happen with Luke, but promise you'll stay by my side. Kay, Seaweed Brain?"

Percy grinned. "Seaweed Brain?"

"Hey, it's the first thing that popped into my head. Shut up."

Percy laughed. "Okay then...Wise Girl."

"Wise Girl?"

"It's better than the first thing that popped into my head."

I made a face. "Why, what was the first thing?"

"Owl Head."

"Oh my God, I'm going to kill you."

We both cracked up. We spent thirty more minutes thinking of some more creative names to call each other, some that probably shouldn't be said in public, before Percy's phone rang. His mom was calling to find out where he went, so we left the park and headed back to his car. Thanks to insurance the Prius was back up and running. Paul had let him drive it again under the promise to stay away from trees.

Percy held the door open for me, then slid into the driver's seat. The couple across the street were gone; the cold wind was picking up fast. If we'd stayed on the swings any longer we would have been frozen to the seats.

I was dreading going home, but I didn't have to worry too much. What should have been a regular thirty minute drive turned into a good hour due to the snow. Percy was driving carefully to avoid sliding off the road, and I was glad. I did not need any more stitches in my head.

When we arrived home, Luke's car was in the driveway. So was my mom's. I swallowed. "Want to come inside?"

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Are you really dreading going in that much? We can go back to my place if you want."

I shook my head, glancing out the window. The air outside swirled, the snow suddenly coming down much harder than it had ten minutes ago. I couldn't even hardly see. "Percy, you can't drive in this. Come inside and wait it out with me. Call your mom and let her know you're safe."

Percy glanced out the window. "Yeah, one car crash is enough for one year."

We left the car and ran for the house. I quickly rammed my key into the lock and opened the door. My face felt like it was going to fall off.

We paused for a moment. I could hear voices coming from the kitchen. Percy and I glanced at each other. He smiled that annoyingly cute half smirk and shrugged, gesturing for me to lead the way. I took a deep breath. With Percy beside me I felt a whole lot more confident. I could do this.

We rounded the corner into the kitchen. My mom and Luke were sitting on the kitchen barstools. Malcolm and dad were standing behind the counter. Everyone turned we entered. My mom's eyes flashed for a second with surprise, then her face settled into a mask of polite warmth at a houseguest.

Luke looked miserable and tired, but when he saw Percy, something else crossed his expression that I couldn't place. Anger? Jealousy?

"Percy," my dad started. "Nice to see you."

"You too, Mr. Chase."

"Frederick, please. Mr. Chase makes me sound so old-"

"What the heck is going on?" I cut across dad, facing Luke. "And don't say nothing. What happened today wasn't nothing."

Luke was deathly pale, without an ounce of color in his face. "I have to leave New York. I thought I'd left them behind in Conneticut, but they're here. They found me."

"Who found you?" my mother demanded. "Luke, if you're in some sort of trouble we can go to the police-"

"No!" Luke helped. "Not the police. They won't help. I'd rather-"

"The only reason you won't go to the police is because it involves drugs. doesn't it?" I said flatly. "Am I right? Because then you'd get busted, too."

Dad gasped, turning to Luke. "Luke, is this true?"

Mom gripped Luke's arm tightly. "Luke?"

My hands balled into fists. I didn't even know why I was so angry, but I was. Out of anyone in the world, Luke...

"What do you owe them? Drugs? Money?"

"Both," Luke muttered. "But it's not what you think."

"Then explain," Mom ordered. I noticed Malcolm and Percy were being quiet, listening to the confrontation. I immediately felt bad. I'd dragged Percy into the middle of this drama, making him stand here and listen to us. I slightly turned, ready to ask if he wanted to just hang out in my room, but Percy gave a tiny jerk of the head. He lightly brushed my shoulder. Go on, he seemed to say.

"I-I can't get into details. The less you know the better, but...the truth is that I'm starting to show early signs of schizophrenia. Like my mother. I bought something that I thought would help delay the process, but it didn't. Now I owe the guys for crap that didnt even work, so they're after me."

I stared at my oldest childhood friend, as if for the first time. Suddenly it were as if I were looking at a stranger. "So your only solution is to keep running?" I said quietly. "What will you do, keep running for the rest of your life?"

"Not forever, no." Luke shook his head. "I'm not just leaving the state, I'm leaving the country. I know it seems a bit overboard, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life in fear. Especially since I don't know how much time I'll have before...you know..."

An image came to my head then, of May Castellan in an asylum, wrapped in a straight jacket so that she couldn't hurt herself or others. I couldn't imagine Luke the same way, I just couldn't. It was impossible to bear.

"I've already got it worked out," Luke continued. "I'm leaving very early in the morning. And Annabeth-" He looked me dead in the eye. "This will probably be the last time we ever see each other. if I contact you or anyone you love I'm putting you all at risk. Do you understand?"

"I-" I couldn't speak. My mouth tasted like copper.

Luke's blue eyes studied me. Gorgeous blue, like sapphire. I wanted to keep that color in my memory forever. "Annabeth, tell me you understand."

Suddenly I was very much aware of Percy standing beside me. His shoulder was still pressed against mine. Whatever happened now, or whatever happened in my future, Luke wouldn't be a part of it. Would Percy?

Everyone was silent, waiting for me to respond.

"I understand," I said quietly.

Luke nodded. He slowly raised himself from his chair and held his arms out. Taking a deep breath, I moved away from Percy and stepped into his arms. He was so familiar, and yet at the same time a stranger. He still smelled like soap from his last shower. We held each other for a few minutes, not speaking.

Then I stepped back, and didn't stop until I felt Percy's chest against my back. He gently wrapped a hand around mine. "Good bye, Luke," whispered. Before I could stop them, tears escaped my eyes.

"Don't cry for me," Luke told me. "Be happy for me. Live for me. Go to college, get married, have five kids. Just please be happy." His voice dropped down to a whisper. "Just do that for me, and I'll be okay. Were still family, you and me. I promise."

I smiled. "I know."

Luke turned toward my parents and brother. "By the time you wake up, I'll be gone. So I just wanted to say that-" his voice cracked. "That I'm glad I got to call you my family. It means more to me than you'll ever know."

Mom wrapped her arms tight around Luke and kissed his cheek. "You'll always have a home here, dear. Remember that."

Luke in turn gave both my dad and brother extra long hugs. Then he turned to Percy.

"Take care of her," was all he said. Percy nodded.

"Well..." Luke glanced at the staircase. "I have a long day tomorrow. I should go to sleep." All of us stood there for a moment, marveling at the fact that we would never see Luke again. Luke raised a hand. "Good night."

"Good night, Luke." Mom was crying. Malcolm wrapped an arm around her shoulders. I think this was the first time I've seen Dad cry.

Good bye, old friend.

...

"Percy?"

"Hmm?"

Percy rolled onto his back. He'd taken the couch. Mom had insisted in extra blankets and pillows, so Percy was barely visible in his cocoon. It looked super comfortable. I, however, hadn't slept all night. It was three o' clock in the morning. I'd stayed up for hours listening for movement. When I crept downstairs and peeked out the frost covered window, Luke's car was gone.

Percy peeked one eye open, then sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Hey, you okay?" he asked gently, seeing my expression.

In response I sat beside him and buried my face in his chest. Fair to say, his shirt got ruined.

"I didn't think so." He wrapped his arms around me and we lay there, letting me cry myself to sleep while he gently rubbed my back.