A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! Though I'm asking you all one question - happy ending or sad ending? I've got both planned out either way (I don't mind which one I write)

So please let me know - thank you!

All characters belong to Rick Riordan!

Chapter 9

Percy

"What's for dinner?"

I grinned and passed her a steaming hot bowl. "Macaroni Cheese."

She stared at it and then looked curiously out of the window, where the gentle colours of the sunset lit up the horizon. I followed her gaze and saw a dark shape against the glass...

"Oh god, Paparazzi," I brushed a hand through my hair in frustration and closed the curtains hurriedly.

They still hadn't given up following him – since last week's 'scandal'; the press made it a lot more dramatic than it needed to be.

"Are they the people who followed us to school?" Ebony asked; her mouth full of pasta.

"Yeah, just ignore them. They'll get bored eventually."

She nodded and her eyes flickered to a picture on the kitchen wall. A picture of Annabeth and me – on our holiday to Allonby beach, both of us were holding ice creams and grinning like lunatics at the camera. I should probably take it down; the picture caused me more pain than joy. When was the last time I had seen Annabeth look so happy? So carefree?

"Why did she leave us, Daddy?" Ebony said, for what must've been the hundredth time this week. "Doesn't she love me?"

"Ebony, don't ever think that she doesn't love you," I replied quietly, knowing that I could be truthful about that. "If you want someone to blame, blame everything on me. I sent her away."

Her eyebrows creased in confusion and a glimmer of hurt flashed across her eyes. "Why? Don't you love her?"

"Yes..." I looked down at my bowl, feeling suddenly self conscious. "But it's complicated."

"Why?"

"Because...I-I can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

My mobile rang suddenly, sharp and piercing into the eerie silence. "Sorry – I just need to take this call."

I pressed 'answer'. "Hello?"

"Percy hey, it's Jason. I've got great news for you. You know, months ago, you auditioned for the piano part in an orchestra?"

A smile crept up on my face. "Did I get in?"

"Yes! They accepted you – it'll be a permanent job but I'm sure we can fit in all of your separate concerts and gigs in between."

"That's amazing...I can't believe I got in – "

"Oh come on Percy. It's not surprising, you've been playing the piano since day 1, you're world famous and a true ladies man – "

I laughed, making Ebony look at me suspiciously. "One thing though...if it's a permanent job, won't I have to move to London?"

"Yeah – but that's ok, you've already got a house down there, haven't you?"

"I know but Ebony has just started school...I don't want to force her to leave if she doesn't want to."

"Ok, I'll leave you to think about it – but you've got until the end of November to move."

"Thanks Jase. Wow, this is incredible."

"Yeah, but you do know who the s – actually it doesn't matter. I'll see you in a while."

"Bye."

I disconnected and put the phone back on the table, a grin on my face.

"Who was that?"

"My manager..." I started slowly, although I could still feel the excitement running through my veins. "He gave me an offer for a job in London."

"We're moving to London? Can we go on the London Eye?" she said, a smile stretching across her cheeks.

"Of course...but if we go...we're never coming back to this house. Are you sure you want to go?"

Ebony nodded vigorously. "Yes! Will we meet mummy there?"

Actually I hadn't thought of that...wait, what if Annabeth is in...

"I can't promise you but - "

"But can we try to find her? I miss her already."

"You've only seen her once," I pointed out.

She looked at the picture on the wall again with a longing look in her eyes, which strangely reminded me of Annabeth. Don't think like that, Percy.

"I've seen her many times in photos – that's enough to make me miss her."

"Ebony, I'm sorry..."

"Why? What for?"

I felt like I was talking to another adult, instead of an innocent four year old. "I..." but my words were already lost.

"Do you think that you'll ever smile like that again?" she pointed to the picture. "Because I've never seen you smile like that before."

Oh. Who am I fooling?

"If you marry mummy, will you be happy again?"

"I am happy," I tried to say but it felt like a lie. How could I be happy without her?

Ebony shook her head. "You're not happy and one day you're going to marry mummy because that's what people do when they love each other."

XXX

London, 15th November.

"Hey Jason, what's up?"

"A lot," he said quickly, handing me a gigantic stack of music books. "These are the pieces you're playing, I'm sure you'll have no problem learning them."

"There's like 50 pieces here."

Jason shrugged. "Long concert, I suppose. How's Ebony getting on?"

"She's fine. I've just enrolled her in a school, she says it's ok but everyone sucks up to her because I'm her Dad."

"Tricky, huh," he said, scratching his chin. "Your first rehearsal with the orchestra is next week – Monday, 10 o'clock. You know where it is?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I also need you on Tuesday; I'm planning a concert in Italy for you. How many new compositions do you have?"

"About five, is that ok?"

He frowned and studied his folder carefully. "I think we can fit in 3 more."

"No problem, I'll see you on Tuesday then?"

"Yeah, I'll ring you the details."

I shut the door and took the music into the wooden beamed piano room. I sat on the stool, wondering vaguely what to do.

Pulling my coat on, I stepped out into the rush of cold air. Ebony's school isn't far from here, so we would walk down together. Leaving my car outside, I took a side road into the city. Two violinists were busking in a large cobblestone square, with chairs and tables around where tourists and citizens chatted and laughed.

A group of girls stared at me as I walked past, and then burst into a series of giggles. I was used to it though, and I was pretty certain that I was being followed by paparazzi.

"Hello sir, are you Percy Jackson?" a tall man in a trench coat asked me, a large camera in his hands and a group of matching people behind him.

I pushed past and ignored them.

"Hey sir! Can you tell us about your affair with Annabeth Chase? Have you known her before? Is she the mother of your daughter? Can – "

"Hey, leave him alone," a new voice said sharply.

Strangely enough the paparazzi retreated, leaving me alone with a blond haired man with pale blue eyes and a lean figure.

"Thanks for stepping in."

"No problem," he replied cheerily. "I was just going to meet my girlfriend at a café down the road, care to join us?"

I checked my watch. Quarter to three. "Sure, although I can't stay for long – I've got to pick my daughter up from school."

"That's fine," he said with a smile. "The name's Luke, by the way."

"Percy Jackson," though he probably already knew that. "It's nice to meet you, Luke."

"You too, it's not every day I meet the most famous pianist in the world...pretty cool, huh?"

"I suppose so..."

Luke seemed nice – open and friendly. I felt good to have an actual conversation with somebody, one without sadness and emotions – just like two people getting to know each other for the first time. He looked like a stereo typical surfer boy, maybe the sort of guy who was never short of girls. Though I could tell that he was a good person.

He gestured to a small yet neat coffee shop, with metallic tables and chairs outside underneath a porch. A tall girl with long honey blonde curls stood outside, as if waiting for somebody...

Annabeth?

Luke ran up to her with a wide grin.

Run away, run away. Don't look at them. This can't be possible...

They kissed each other and held it for about two seconds, before breaking apart and smiling at each other. I should've known that a beauty like Annabeth wouldn't be single...I should've expected it or anticipated it.

Sighing, I stayed where I was, checking my watch again to see the time. Ten to three. School finishes at half past and it's only around the corner from here.

"Hey, Percy. This is my girlfriend Annabeth – Annabeth this is Percy, like the Percy Jackson, crazy isn't it?"

Annabeth turned and looked at me, her smile suddenly faded momentarily. We shook hands awkwardly, like we've never seen each other before.

"It's...uh...nice to meet you."

I lowered my gaze quickly. "You too...look, I must be going, I've got to pick my daughter up from school."

"You have a daughter?" Annabeth said innocently. "Oh yeah, I remember – the newspapers keep going on about it."

Luke snorted. "Stupid gossip – doesn't anyone understand the meaning of 'privacy'? That's exactly why I don't read newspapers."

At least he hadn't seen the picture of Annabeth walking into my house...that would be bad.

"I'm sorry, but I must go – "

"No wait," Annabeth interrupted quickly, her stormy grey eyes were wide and almost desperate. "Can't you stay and chat for a little while?"

My head hurt, I thought that she hated me now – ever since I told her the 'reason'. But no, I was wrong again. That's one of the reasons I love her.

"Ok, just for ten minutes and then I really have to go."

A smile broke onto her face – a true genuine smile, one that held so much hope and warmth, it made my heart skip.

She's going out with this guy...don't get distracted, don't get distracted...

"Shall I get drinks? What do you guys want?" Luke stood up from the metal table and looked down at us expectantly.

"Cappuccino is good."

Annabeth scanned the menu and smiled lightly at him. "I'll have a latte, thanks."

Luke nodded and hurried over to the counter, leaving me in the sudden gaze of Annabeth's calculating grey eyes.

"What are you doing here in London?" she hissed, getting straight to the point, keeping her voice low so that Luke couldn't hear.

I studied the table, avoiding her glare. "I got a job in an orchestra here – "

I heard a stifled gasp and stared up, my eyes finding hers. "What?"

"Who's the conductor?"

I racked my brains, trying to think of the name...it was something strange. "Chiron Brunner, I think. Yeah that's him."

Annabeth stiffened and she slumped back into her seat with a sigh. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm not – is there a problem?"

A dark look crossed her face. "Look, you can't accept the job. Go back to Manchester before..."

"Before what?" I leaned forwards with a raised eyebrow. "And I'm not quitting my job."

"Well, I guess I'll have to," she muttered, looking anywhere but me.

"You...you play in the orchestra?"

"The soloist."

"Wow, that's great, Annabeth," I said, but she didn't return my smile. "I mean, it's a brilliant orchestra and you deserve being the soloist and...Oh..."

I get it now. Of course she doesn't want me in the orchestra – of course she doesn't want to be anywhere near me.

"Yeah," she bitterly said. "I don't need you ruining my life again."

A sharp blow, a sharp pain. The guilt...pain, suffering. I looked away, not wanting her to see the hurt in my eyes, because she was right – I ruined her life completely. I shouldn't make the same mistake.

The only thing I could do...

"Let me make it up to you," I persisted. "I'm sorry for everything I said last week. I still lo – "

"Don't say it," she snapped. "Don't say it because what is ever going to become of it? Nothing, huh?"

"It's the truth."

But my own voice sounded so small and pathetic to my ears.

"I know."

"You know?"

She gave me the tiniest smile imaginable but somehow it still made me want to lean forwards and...Don't think like that Percy.

"Yeah, I know, but what good is it too me?" she whispered. "Plus...True love is hard to fake."

"Are you calling me a bad actor?"

She laughed, for what felt like the first time in forever. "No...Well, yes but that doesn't matter."

I grinned and pulled something out of my pocket. I'm not sure how it got there in the first place, but I knew that this was the right time to give it to her.

"What's this?"

"Open it."

She took the slightly crumpled and yellowed piece of manuscript and with tentative fingers, she opened it out.

"Percy..."

"The violin part to our composition, remember?"

There was a new light sparkling in her eyes – just like every time she leaned up and kissed me, I always saw that same light.

I coughed awkwardly and stuffed my hands in my pockets. "Ebony would love to see you again; maybe you can come round one day."

"I'd love to..." she trailed off, blushing. "I'm sorry about leaving in such a rush last week, I didn't get to say goodbye to Ebony – "

"No really, it's fine, don't beat yourself up about it," I assured her. I took one of her hands, making her jump slightly, both of us feeling the same warmth that surrounded us. "It's my fault – I shouldn't have..."

"Shouldn't have what?"

I shouldn't have lied to you.

"It doesn't matter, anyway, when will you be free to come over?"

"Tomorrow's ok."

"Tomorrow it is, then."