1Disclaimer: I am not Rick Riordan. Therefore, I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Sad face

Authors Note: This can be taken as a sequel to Three Thousand Miles (If you liked the ending of Three Thousand Miles disregard the following chapters).

So Close...Literally

Percy stared anxiously as the clock on the wall. Three...two...one! The bell rang and he and 24 other kids jumped out of their seat and bolted toward the door. It was spring vacation...finally. His head swivelled and looked around him. Hoards of kids were cramming the already tiny hallway making moving in the opposite direction nearly impossible. Nearly impossible for even a half-blood who has fought with a sphinx and lived to tell the tale. Percy pushed and prodded his way through the throng of kids and out the side door onto the doorstep of 245, 57th Street, Manhattan, New York. The sunlight streamed through the clouds bearing down upon them. Hmm... Percy wondered idly, Zeus must be having a bad day. Chuckling to himself he set off down the crowded streets to the small New York apartment.

Waves of nerves and awkwardness rolled off the shoulders of one young blond that sat in the passenger seat of a blue ford fusion. Having come here out of pure hatred (of her step mom), she was basically a ball of raw nerves. I feel so vulnerable, Annabeth thought, it's like not having my knife on me. After getting into a huge fight with her stepmother, Annabeth's father told her it would probably be best if she left and lived at camp again. There was just one problem. The Harpys' were cleaning and she couldn't go back to camp...not yet. She dialed the only friend that would make her feel good, if not ecstatic.

Flashback

Annabeth, succumbing to tears for once ran to her room after the huge confrontation with her step-mom. Not that it could ever replace her real mother. Tears spilled freely onto her smooth face. A soft knock was heard at the door. Her father's. Each person had his or her own knock. The two brothers made a pattern with the knocks. Two long, one short, stuff like that. Her step-mothers was a confident sharp knock asking...no more like demanding to be let into the enclosed space. She wiped away the tears and said in a shaky voice that he could come in.

"Annabeth?"

"Yeah d-dad?" she stammered.

"She didn't mea-"

"Don't tell me she didn't mean it dad!" Ananbeth yelled, now exploding with anger. "She meant every word. Hell, she doesn't even try to have a better relationship with me! I should just leave. I'll set up the plane ride and everything. I'll go stay with -" She was going to say Percy, but after walking away from him at the end of camp that could be a pretty big thing to ask of him. "- Percy. I'll stay with Percy." Yikes, I hope he says I can stay with him. Her dad stared at her with a comprehending look on his face.

"Alright. I'll set up your flight and pay for it. You just worry about packing and the accommodation." He sat up, looked at his girl all grown up and looking just like her mother; Athena. Sighing greatly he walked out of the room into a future still unknown.

After her father had left Annabeth picked up the phone and dialed Percy's phone number. A groggy tired voice spoke on the other end, "Hello?" With a jolt of shear stupidity she glanced over at the clock to see it was about ten o' clock in the morning. Well, duh, she thought, east coast is three hours behind us. Idiot.

"Hello this is Annabeth Ms. Jackson. I was wondering if Percy was around."

"Hi, Annabeth, you can call me Sally. Percy is still sleeping actually. I can go wake him up if you want."

Trying to keep the sulkiness out of her voice she responded, "It's ok Ms. J- Sally."

"Annabeth, is something wrong?" All the grogginess was out of her voice. It sounded...like a mother's voice should sound. Caring, kind, never cruel...

A lie was going to slip out of her mouth but instead Annabeth's mouth said this, "Yes Sally. You see I had this huge fight with my mom and I want to live somewhere else for the rest of the summer and I kinda told IcouldstaywithyouandPercy." She rushed.

"Could you repeat that Annabeth, I didn't quite catch it all."

Taking a deep breath she repeated the last part of her sentence. No more than two seconds had passed since the words had come out of her mouth than Sall's exclaimation hit her ears. "Yes, you can Annabeth! I don't mind and I'm sure Percy will want to see you again."

Yeah just he'll love to see that three bodied guy again once he reforms. "Thank you so much Sally. This means a lot to me. I swear on the River Styx that I will not be -"

"Don't you dare tell me that you will be a problem, Annabeth. Here how about this, Friday, March 17th, I'll pick you up at the John F. Kennedy Airport, is that ok?"

Smiling at her good fortune she replied, "That would be perfect Sally, thank you so much."

"It's no trouble at all, I have work off that week anyway. Do you want me to tell Percy your coming?"

"Let's keep it our secret."

"You got it. Also don't forget to pack some nectar and ambrosia. I'll see you soon Ann. You mind if I call you that?"

"Not at all Sally!" She liked the sound of her new nickname; not that it could ever compare to 'Wise Girl' be any means.

"Bye Ann!"

"Bye Sally!"

The sleek 747 American Airlines plane waited just outside the San Fransico Airport. After a less than tearful goodbye Annabeth stepped on the plane that would bring her the crowded streets of New York City.

Percy crossed the street dodging the beeping Mercedes' and Olympus' as they drove home after their shift. He eventually made it to the apartment her called home. Walking up the flight of stairs he slid the solid metal key in the lock. Surprised to find out the door was already open he went inside. What he found was a real shock to him. Country music was blaring out of the new radio that Paul Blofish had given him on his fifteenth birthday. He followed the sound of girl's laughter to the kitchen were his mom stood with a grey-eyed, blond haired beauty he had been combing the city streets for weeks to find.