Athena and the father of Annabeth

"Freddie let's go to my house after class today man!"

"No, not today," Fred said to his buddy Greg, who Fred thought was still as immature as when they were 11 when they would light firecrackers in trash bins.

"You always say not today, one day you're going to wake up and lose all your freedom. I'm tellin' yah to live a little. You need a girl friend at least," Greg said giving him a nudge and grin.

"I can't, I have a midterm paper to finish."

"Dude, class just started last week. That paper isn't due for 5 more weeks."

Fred ignored Greg and headed to his next class. He was in his senior year in high school and was hoping to be accepted into the History undergraduate program at Harvard University with a full scholarship. And that goal would never be reached if he didn't get not only all A's but maintain a good relationship with all his teachers so they could write him good recommendation letters. That what happens when you were born in a family that can't afford to send you off to school.

"Whatever man, see yah later!" Greg yelled down the hall as Fred continued to his next class.

His history class was about the Roman and Greek warfare, something that Fred already knew a lot about and was hoping to show off his skills in front of the teacher. He sat down in the front row next to a Japanese girl and a girl he had never seen before that had long black hair and startling grey eyes.

The teacher began discussing Rome and one of the earlier battles after Julius Caesar's death.

"Can anyone tell me who became emperor after Caesar's death?" Mr. Bloomberg asked.

Fred raised his hand in synch with the new girl.

"Fred?" his teacher motioned to him.

Smiling cockily Fred answered, "Julius Caesar's adopted son Octavian."

Mr. Bloomberg nodded and Fred's heart filled with pride. He may be a nerd who knew things that most teenagers didn't care to learn but he was proud of himself. The girl next to him raised an eyebrow at him and Fred just gave her a shrug. If the new kid was going to want to compete he was ready.

Fred found himself in the same class with the new girl, whose name was Athena, for the rest of the day. As he had noted earlier she was definitely smart, probably even smarter than him. Fred made it his goal to always surpass her; something that he discovered was beyond challenging if not impossible.

"You're really trying hard to outdo me," Athena said to him one day bluntly as they sat in math class waiting for the teacher to begin.

"I really need to do well, it's nothing personal."

Athena stared at him intensely with those sharp grey eyes before replying, "I can help you."

"I-I don't need your help!" Fred stuttered. He knew he was poor and accepted it, he didn't like to be considered a charity case.

"I'm not trying to pity you. I'm merely offering you help. I have connections at Harvard that could get you in without you having to pay a dime. They'll even pay for your luxury items. If you are wise you will accept my offer. I do not offer it to just anyone."

By this point Fred was trying to wrap his head around how she knew he was applying to Harvard. Before Fred could respond to her offer the teacher had already begun class. Fred spent the remainder of math half paying attention as he debated about seeking her aid. He had come to appreciate Athena over the past few weeks – she was intelligent, witty and genuinely fun to buck heads with.

"I'll accept your offer," he said to her once class was over.

Athena nodded and smiled warmly at him. Fred suddenly noticed how pretty she looked before quickly brushing those thoughts aside.

"You focus on your classes and I'll get you into Harvard," Athena said firmly. Fred agreed to the deal, he didn't know what the connections Athena had but he was willing to trust her.

The next months of class leading up to the dreaded college admissions had Fred beyond nervous. Athena stopped showing up to class shortly after their deal had been made but Fred was reassured after a visit one day that she was still going to help him. Still, he had to juggle all of his AP classes with chess club and then his time in the ROTC. By the time he submitted his college application he was exhausted and could only pray that he got in and got the scholarship that he desperately needed.

When the day his letter was supposed to come he found Athena again. She smiled at him brightly and handed him a large envelope.

"Open it," Athena said with her grey eyes shining.

Fred tore it open and was shocked to find not only a large brochure about his acceptance into the history program, but a statement from the school that agreed to cover all the expenses he would have for college. There was even a hand written statement from the president of the college congratulating him.

Before Fred could get out the words to thank Athena he grabbed a hold of her and hugged her close to him tightly. When he pulled away awkwardly after realizing what he was doing he noticed her cheeks were slightly red.

"Sorry," Fred muttered now embarrassed, "And thanks for helping me. I really owe you."

Athena shook her head, "I only helped you because you deserve it. It'd be a waste if a guy like you couldn't go to college."

As Fred prepared for college in the coming months while maintaining his grades he did relax a bit. He spent more time with Greg and even Athena would drop by. Fred didn't even know where she lived and when he would ask she'd just say, "Around."

When college began Fred wanted to prove that he deserved the extravagant scholarship and refocused all his attention back to school. Whenever he felt overwhelmed with the material he would call Athena and she would somehow always come no matter the time. With her guidance he managed to finish his undergraduate and his master's program in 4 years.

During that time he'd come to take great pride in his friendship with Athena. At times he questioned what she was to him. She didn't seem like she wanted a romantic relationship – all the times he would hint at going on a date together she'd just rephrase it to spending "friendly" time together. However Fred still took into consideration of her feelings and even asked at one point if she was okay with him dating a girl from one of his classes.

Athena never minded and only seemed to be the same guiding friend since he was in high school. It wasn't until a few weeks into his doctorate program when he opened his door to a weird guy in a toga holding a sleeping newborn baby wrapped in a pink blanket that he discovered what he meant to Athena.

The man who turned out to be a god explained who Athena really was and how she had blessed him with their child, the baby girl in the blanket. When the god handed the still shocked Fred the bundle for the first time in a long time, he didn't know what to do. He barely knew how to hold a baby. Plus he still wasn't sure if this was Greg's idea of a joke.

He was just about to call Athena when she suddenly appeared before him, and by that he literally meant pixelating as if she were a hologram in front of him. He almost dropped the little girl in his arms at the sight earning him a frown from the real life Greek god.

"You – are not – possible!" Fred sputtered out trying to force himself to believe what he was saying.

Athena gazed at him intently with those familiar piercing grey eyes that he had once told her in a drunken stupor that they were cold but beautiful.

"Yet here I am," her gaze never wavering.

"So it's true. This is our child even though we never… You know?"

"Yes, she is my gift for you, a gift of my love for you."

Frederic was having trouble understanding. She admitted that she loved him and is giving her a daughter as a reward? It made no sense to Fred and after begging for Athena to take the baby girl back to no avail he seceded and called his mother for child rearing advice.

When Annabeth opened her eyes for the first time revealing the same startling cold but beautiful grey eyes as her mother and grasped his finger tightly Fred fell in love even though he knew he was in for a challenging future.

AN:/ Sorry for posting this before Sally/Poseidon but I've been to busy to work on that and this was already finished. And I didn't want to keep you guys waiting.

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