Disclaimer : I do not own Percy Jackson, or any of the content published from Rick Riordan.

Please bear with me and all of the detail. I really need to set up Percy and Annabeth's friendship in these first three (maybe four if I don't change things up again) chapters. Things will pick up pace shortly, I promise! If you see any mistakes or anything of that nature please leave a review to let me know so that I can fix them.

Chapter 2

Percy quickly led Annabeth back to the table so that they could gather their things but instantly wished that they could have just left without stopping.

Annabeth let go of his hand and moved to her barstool to gather her belongings when suddenly she was being pulled into Luke's lap. She looked at the table and realized that Luke had nearly finished off the shots in the few minutes they were out on the dance floor.

"Luke, would you please let me go?"

Annabeth for the most part was calm while she asked him but she had a feeling that this situation was about to get very ugly if she couldn't control it properly.

Luke tried to look at her but she could tell that he was completely hammered. His eyes had a slightly hazy look to them and she was suddenly scared by his gaze when he was finally able to focus on her eyes. It was almost as if his drunken gaze lusted after every last inch of her.

Annabeth glanced at Percy out of the corner of her eye and she could that he was unsure of how to handle the situation. She moved toward Luke's knees but he pulled her even closer into his lap.

Suddenly Luke's mouth was on hers and she instantly tried to pull away but was stopped by Luke's hands. One was pressing on her head and the other small of her back. She placed both hands on his chest pushed as hard as she could but he only held her tighter.

Annabeth quickly analyzed her situation and realized she was the perfect height to knee him in the groin since he had shifted forward in the chair and set her feet back on the ground. She figured this was going to be the only way to get him off of her not to mention the fact that he actually deserved what was coming to him. While this probably wasn't the proper way to deal with a creep in public but she had no choice.

Annabeth quickly repositioned her lower half and pulled her knee up hard and then pushed away from him again one more time.

Annabeth fell back hard into Percy's arms, nearly taking both of them to the ground as Luke fell forward. Luke was on the ground in front of the bar stool trying to get a breath back into his lungs but wasn't having much luck.

"Hey guys! What on earth is going on over here," Thalia asked as she dropped down next to Luke.

"I simply wanted my things and he pulled me in his lap and kissed me even after I asked him to stop," Annabeth replied flatly as Percy helped her back up.

The tequila mixed with beer was lingering on her lips and it disgusted her. She quickly grabbed a napkin off the table and tried to wipe her mouth off. "Ugh, that is never going to come off," she whispered to herself.

Percy quickly stepped over the fallen Luke and grabbed Annabeth's things for her and then went back to her side. "Here, take these and let's get out of here. I would rather leave Thalia with him than have to deal with his wrath once he can breathe again."

Annabeth quickly threw the strap to her purse over her shoulder and went to Thalia. "Thanks for the gift and trying tonight Thals. This mess on the floor though, not something I want to deal with. I'm headed out."

Thalia stood back up and stared blankly at her best friend. "Sorry," was all she could get out.

Annabeth leaned in for a hug and then quickly pulled away. She grabbed Percy's hand on more time and the two started out of the club.

"I can't believe he did that! I mean, seriously, what guy just grabs a girl who has no interest in him and just kisses her?"

"You know Percy, normally it's the girls complaining about this sort of thing . . . not the other way around," Annabeth replied with a slight smile as he maneuvered the two of them quickly out of the club.

Once out of the club and on the sidewalk, Percy finally stopped. "I am sorry. I was raised better than that and I know Luke was as well. I know he was drunk but what he did was not excusable."

Percy was practically fuming and Annabeth suddenly couldn't concentrate on what he was saying anymore. His eyes still seemed to be swirling and she chalked it up to adrenaline and what little alcohol she had managed to choke down tonight.

"Annabeth!" Percy said loud enough to turn heads of the people several feet away from them. "Are you listening?"

"Sorry. I was lost in thought for a minute," she said as she let her blonde curls fall in a curtain to hide her embarrassment.

"I said, you are going to have to watch your back now. I don't trust Luke. He's been known to do some pretty stupid things and he fully believes that his money will get him out of any predicament and thus far in life it has."

Annabeth frowned slightly and looked up at Percy. "I know. I only pray he has had too much to drink and can't remember what the hell happened in the morning." Annabeth looked down at her feet and then back at Percy.

"Well . . . do you still want to have some fun?" Percy asked her, wondering what she could possibly be thinking about that had her so far away from him at the moment.

"Oh, you don't think that excitement was fun enough? Because, I mean, I can take you back in and we can go for round number two! Only this time it's your turn to kiss him," Annabeth exclaimed a little too enthusiastically.

Percy's eyes crinkled in the corner and a small smile graced his lips. "Not. Funny."

"I thought it was," Annabeth said mostly to herself.

"Come on," Percy said as he stuck his hand out for Annabeth to take. "Would you like me to walk you to your car?"

"Ummm . . . yours please. I came with Thalia."

"Not a problem."

Percy quietly led Annabeth to his car, stealing glances of her along the way. She was absolutely beautiful in his eyes. Her blonde hair fell in soft curls just past her shoulders, her stormy gray eyes would sneak a peek at him from time to time and he would find a small blush hit his cheeks but he didn't care.

Percy suddenly stopped and pressed a button on his car remote. The Jeep Liberty next to him beeped and he quickly opened the passenger door for Annabeth. "Your carriage awaits my lady," he said while taking a slight bow and leading her into the car.

Annabeth laughed lightly and bopped him on the back of the head on her way into the car. "You are such a dork," she replied with a giggle.

"Glad to be of service," Percy laughed back at her. He quickly ran around the car and jumped in the driver's seat.

The two road in silence the ten minutes back to Annabeth's apartment and she quickly looked at Percy with worry in her eyes.

"I thought you said nothing Talia-esque!"

Percy laughed out loud and then looked at Annabeth seriously. "1. The fact that you think I am like that hurts my feelings Annabeth." Percy pouted at her but cut her off before she could start in on him. "B. You aren't going to be very comfortable in that get up where we are going so I thought you might want to change. 3. Well . . . I don't have a three but I wouldn't mind changing as well," Percy said as he leaned into the back seat and grabbed a gym bag from the floorboard behind Annabeth.

Annabeth blushed deeply when Percy had told her she had hurt his feelings but quickly realized that he was only messing with her. He was going to give her a run for her money at this rate and it was going to drive her insane but in a good way, or so she hoped.

"So are you going to tell me what we are doing or do I just have to hope I throw on the right outfit?"

"Jeans, shirt, tennis shoes. Comfortable Annabeth. We are going for casual and comfortable." Percy quickly climbed out of the car and ran around to open Annabeth's door for her.

"You know I can do that on my own," Annabeth said as she crawled out of the car.

"Yes but a lady should never have to open the door herself when there is a gentleman around." Percy smiled sheepishly at her as he said that last comment and Annabeth stared intently into his sea green eyes as they walked to the garage elevator.

"I really can't tell if you are being serious with me or if you are messing with me Jackson!"

"I am actually being serious now. My mother raised me to be a complete gentleman around any woman, whether I liked her or not."

The pair stood in silence for a few minutes and then the ding of the elevator interrupted their silence. The doors opened and Percy held his arm out to let Annabeth know that she was to enter first.

Annabeth wasn't sure what to make of Percy. He wasn't like the average guy roaming around the city. As she entered the elevator she quickly rounded the doors and hit the 5 button to head up to her apartment.

Percy slowly stepped in after and then stood next to her. He was just far enough away that he wasn't touching her but just close enough to feel his heat. Annabeth was now stealing glances of him out of the corner of her eye. She suddenly wanted to bury her hands in his dark, disheveled hair. 'Keep it together girl! You barely know this man and you are ready to jump him . . . knock it off you idiot,' she was screaming at herself. The only thing that Annabeth currently knew was that she needed out of that elevator. Never in her life had she ever had a connection with someone like that and it was beginning to scare her.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened and she was never so glad to see her door looking at her from across the hall.

Percy once again held his arm out for her and she was off with him trailing behind her. She quickly pulled her keys out of her purse and shoved them in the lock and then walked in, hitting a switch on the wall to her left as she threw her things on a small stand by the door.

"Welcome to casa de Annabeth. Sorry it's a mess. I've been busy and well, she's been neglected a bit." Annabeth walked forward through the small foyer which then opened up to her living room. "The guest bathroom is down that hall and first door on the right," Annabeth said as she pointed to the right.

Percy nodded and marched headed off to the bathroom to change his clothes.

Annabeth headed the other direction to her bedroom and threw herself down on the bed. 'Oh my God, I need a cold shower!'

She decided lying there with her head buried in her pillow was a better idea, there was no time for a shower. After about a minute she jumped up and ran to her closet. "Hmmm . . . comfortable, comfortable," she repeated as she dug through her piles of clothes. Jeans were not a biggie, the problem was a shirt. She wanted to listen to him yet at the same time she wanted to impress him and finally she just growled at herself and went with a V-neck, three quarter length sleeve T-shirt. "And, I am off," She said to herself as she grabbed an elastic band off her nightstand.

Percy was already changed and waiting for her by the sofa.

"I didn't keep you long did I?"

Percy shook his head no with a smile. "Not at all."

Percy liked Annabeth much better like this. Nothing fancy, just simple and beautiful. He watched as she flipped her head over and gathered all of her hair together and wrapped an elastic band around it. A few curls didn't make it into the pony tail and framed her face.

Percy needed out of her apartment before he did something he was going to regret. "Let's go! We won't get to do a whole lot due to the time but it will still be fun, I promise!"