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

So now it beings...a crazy scary world. Read, review and enjoy!

Chapter 4

Annabeth sat on the floor in front of her sofa and leaned back. She ran her hands through her hair and tried to clear her mind. It had been a full two weeks since Annabeth kneed Luke in the groin and she was sure that she was going to get out of this ordeal unscathed but the phone calls started yesterday morning. They weren't anything threatening, just some creep doing some crazy, heavy mouth breathing but it was enough to start freaking her out.

She decided that she wasn't going to get any work done right now and began packing away all of the blue prints she had spread across the coffee table.

Annabeth began pacing the living room floor, "What to do? What to do?" When suddenly she was interrupted by a knock on her door. She quickly ran over to the door and peered through the peep hole. A smile spread across her face as she opened the door.

"Hey beautiful," Percy said as he held his arms out for Annabeth to give her a hug.

Annabeth threw herself into his arms a little more forceful than she had planned.

"Hey, what's wrong," He asked as she gently pushed her hair out of her face.

"It's just been a long morning. Work is stressing me out on top of worrying about Luke and I just needed a release," she sighed into his shoulder.

Percy guided her back into the apartment and led her to the sofa where she sat down and patted the spot next to her. Percy sat down and gently draped his arm around her shoulder. He looked down at the coffee table and counted fifteen different blue print tubes on the table and floor. "You know you can call me at any time. You wouldn't be bothering me. And no wonder you are stressed with work!"

Annabeth giggled and sat up. "It's not all mine. Several of the tubes are the current blue prints of an aquarium in Texas. There are four firms across the country trying to get this rebuild. They want to expand and want everything to mimic not only the natural environment for every animal species but they have a special request as well. They want the dolphins to have the typical training pool like you would see at Sea World but they want the holding tank attached to it to open up to the cove behind it so that the dolphins have ocean freedom as well. This is something right up your alley isn't it?"

"I am actually working on that project," Percy said excitedly. "I hope you get this contract! I would love to be able to work with you on this one."

Annabeth beamed at him and leaned back into him again. She felt at ease with him, a warm, soothing calm washing over her. It was almost soothing enough to put her to sleep, but just almost as Percy's pounding heart was distracting her.

"Okay, so I know we aren't dating or anything and we still barely know each other but would you mind meeting the family today," he asked cautiously.

Annabeth looked up at the side of Percy's face and wondered what on earth he was going on about. "What do you mean 'meet the family today'? Are you asking me out on a date to your parents' house?"

Percy chuckled at the thought but said, "No. Actually my sister has a tournament that starts in an hour. Mom and Paul can only stay for the first game and since Thalia is at work, it's my turn to be her cheerleader. I was wondering if you wanted to come keep me company."

Annabeth looked at the pile of work on her coffee table and back at Percy and then back at the work load one more time. 'I don't have to be logical all of the time,' she thought. "A break from work would be nice. Your family won't mind me intruding?"

"Please, mom will just be excited by the fact that I am bringing a friend along instead of sitting there by myself."

"Awe, poor baby," Annabeth said as she teased him.

"Come on then. We need to go," Percy said looking at his watch. "Traffic is going to make this a little bit of a drive."

"You were pretty confident I was going to say yes, weren't you?" A smile graced Annabeth's lips as she slowly stood up and pulled Percy with her. "What would you have done if I said I couldn't go?"

Percy was facing Annabeth, one hand in hers from when she helped pull him to standing. "I would have said okay," Percy admitted sadly.

"Oh," was all Annabeth could managed. She looked down at her feet.

Percy put his free hand under her chin and tilted her head up to look at him. "I am not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do Annabeth. If you want to hang out with me simply because you want to that is fine. I have waited for what feels like a lifetime for you to notice that I was alive and I will continue to wait for you." Percy honestly had no intention of spilling his guts to her at that given moment but what was done was done and there was no turning back now. He wasn't letting her go nor was he going to be the reason she pushed him away if it came to that.

Annabeth looked deep into Percy's sea green eyes, a heavy blush staining her cheeks. Percy had moved his hand from her chin and was playing with the small gray pearl on her necklace, the birthday present he had given her. She moved her face closer to his and then rest her cheek on his and whispered, "Thank you." She lightly kissed his cheek and she realized that it was taking every last bit of energy she had to not touch his lips with hers.

"Come on," she said lightly. "We'd better get going." And with that she pulled him toward the door.

Annabeth sat quietly in the booth as she listened to Alexa give Percy a detailed run down of her entire week. She explained to Annabeth that she usually did that at Sunday dinner but Percy wasn't coming tomorrow and so she had to catch him up on everything in her life.

Annabeth watched the girl carefully. She resembled her mother whereas Percy took after his father. She had long light brown hair that her mother had expertly French braided down the right side and then pulled it back toward the center where it wrapped around a large bun. She had beautiful amber color eyes that seemed to glow with life. She could read every emotion she was sharing with Percy just in her eyes alone. Annabeth had also been banned to the other side of the table because at the current point in time she was not trustworthy enough to actually sit next to Percy in Alexa's presence.

"Can you believe we are on to round three?" Alexa said excitedly to both Annabeth and Percy. She quickly lowered her voice and continued, "My team sucks horribly. They like to make me do all of the work but for some reason today everyone is working together. Hopefully we get out of the tourney in at least third place!"

Percy chuckled and went to ruffle her hair but she knew what was coming and backed away from him. "DON'T. TOUCH. THE. HAIR," she growled at him. "It took mom almost thirty minutes to do this for me."

"I honestly don't know why she would spend so much time doing all of this," Percy exclaimed as he moved his arms all around above her head, "just so you can run around and get all sweaty and gross and slam a ball around on your head," he continued jokingly.

Alexa shot him a dirty look and turned to Annabeth in an attempt to let her brother know she was not pleased with him at that moment. "So, Annabelle right?"

"It's Annabeth actually."

"Sorry. So Annabeth, are you dating my brother? Are you the reason he's not coming to dinner tomorrow night because if so you can just run along now," Alexa said indignantly as she waved her hand at Annabeth.

"Alexa Elizabeth Blofis, that is absolutely none of your business and I swear the rudest thing I have ever heard come out of your little mouth," a familiar voice said from behind Percy.

Annabeth glanced up saw Thalia making her way to the booth. "I mean if they won't even tell me what their status is at the moment then you have no right to know those things," she said as she slid into the booth beside Annabeth.

Percy shook his head. "You owe Annabeth an apology," he said angrily as he pulled the girl out of his lap and dropped her into the booth seat next to him.

"Sorry Annabeth," Alexa whispered.

Annabeth nodded and said, "It's okay." She could tell the girl didn't mean it though as her amber orbs completely gave her away.

An hour later the group left their booth and followed the rest of Alexa's team out of the diner and began to make their way back to the soccer field.

Percy walked up to Annabeth and his hand easily found hers. Their fingers intertwined and both of them smiled as they had become the back of the group.

"I thought you said she would like me?"

Percy laughed and Alexa jerked her head back to see what was going on. Her amber eyes threw imaginary daggers at Annabeth and Percy motioned with a finger for her to turn back around.

"She is being awful clingy today," Percy thought out loud.

"She's not being clingy Percy, she's jealous!"

"No she's not! What does she have to be jealous of," he asked sincerely.

Annabeth shook her head with a smile. "Men, you will always be clueless even when it comes to your siblings. How many girlfriends have you had Percy? I am willing to bet that any you have had you never brought around your sister, am I right?"

Percy just nodded and started at her in disbelief.

"It's not fair to bring someone into a child's life only to have them disappear, especially when they become attached to that someone."

"And how are you such an expert on the topic," he asked as he pulled her closer to him.

"My mom used to do it me. It's a feeling I know all too well," she sighed.

They continued on in silence to the stop light when Annabeth suddenly jumped. She quickly pulled away from Percy and stuck her hand in her back pocket. She pulled out her phone and looked at the caller ID. "Ugh," she growled to herself. "It's my dad. Go ahead and I will catch up in just a few." With a small shove she sent Percy on his way with the rest of the group.

"Hi dad," Annabeth said quietly.

"Hello Annabeth. I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday."

"Thanks dad but you do realize that my birthday was two weeks ago right?"

There was an awkward silence and Mr. Chase responded with, "well happy belated birthday then. So tell me, whose birthday is today then?"

"I don't know dad." A small smiled graced her lips as she shook her head. She looked up and saw Percy waving at her to hurry up. "Look dad, I have to go. I'm at an event with Thalia and her family. I will see you soon. Love you, bye."

Annabeth quickly hung up and shoved the phone back in her pocket and started across the street after she checked all the lights.

Alexa met her halfway and grabbed her left hand. "Come on! We can't be late or I don't get to start!"

Annabeth heard the car before she saw and it never registered that it was aimed right at her and Alexa.

She looked up to see a black Charger making its way straight toward the two of them and it wasn't slowing down.

Thalia and Percy were in the road as well, screaming but their screams weren't registering. The only thing she could concentrate on was the pain. It was everywhere. Her left arm was screaming in agony as were her legs, back and head. Everything was spinning and she couldn't focus. It was loud, so very loud in her head and all she wanted to do was close her eyes and drown out all of the noise and pain.