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0400 Hours
New York City
Percy's POV

For the past few months, I've been plagued with nightmares. I would have preferred the term night terrors instead because of the vivid images. I can't remember when was the last time I had a good night's sleep. If word got out about my issue, I would be taken off the active duty roster faster than you can say seaweed brain. No one wants to see an armed force member go off the reserve. That doesn't help with our image.

Bad publicity is something that we strive to avoid. Not only for us SEALS but for all branches of the military. We are supposed to be the role models, not to be associated with negativity. We want to be up there with Santa Claus, not down there with comic book villains.

To help me deal with this, Chiron recommended that I go see a therapist which I did. Hera, my therapist, told me that my nightmares were most likely a direct result from my job and it's very common for soldiers like me.

Her recommendation? They should stop on their own. She didn't think I required any kind of prescription to deal with this. I thought she was blowing smoke but who am I to argue with someone who has no less than three degrees from Colombia, NYU and Columbia again.

I sometimes wonder just how smart she is.

I also tried to deal with these nightmares myself but it's hard. I'm used to dealing with monsters that I didn't think was real. Monsters that I remember from the nights I spent reading from a Greek mythology book. Monsters such as the ferocious Minotaur or the Furies or even a gigantic three headed dog who guards the underworld.

Nowadays, my fictional monsters were replaced with faces of people that I've seen on my missions overseas. Faces of my comrades, faces of people who I couldn't save and faces of people who I was sent to silence.

They all come back to me at night, each one of them taking corporal form and grabbing and pulling me backwards as I tried to walk forward. And it's not like it's the same dream every night. The faces might be the same but the location is always different. Sometimes it's in a local village out in the Middle East or in a pitch dark cave as different objects obscures my field of sight.

The nightmares don't last long enough because it usually gets to a point where I'm faced to faced with the barrel of a gun and I can hear the bullet leaving the chamber, making it's way out and that's when I wake up in cold sweat. My heart is racing and as I look around, my senses are going crazy and my right hand goes straight for the knife that I keep under my pillow.

I don't know why but there are times after I wake up that I feel like I'm being watched. Even in the darkness of my room, I can feel my heart pounding, waiting to explode.

This is alsoo why I'm always up at 4 AM. Doesn't matter if I'm on the ship or in my apartment, these nightmares still continue to haunt me.

1200 Hours
Lunch at Casa Loca
Annabeth's POV

I was a nervous wreck the entire morning. I must have changed my outfit a billion times since I left my apartment. Was this skirt to plain? What if this blouse was showing too much cleavage? Should I have straightened my hair instead of having it in curls? Maybe I should have worn heels instead of these black flats.

Ugh, where was Piper when I needed her? Oh that's right; she was flown out to San Jose as a keynote speaker for the launch of her new clothing line.

I knew I shouldn't have spent my time in the office worried about those details but I couldn't help it. Can't a girl just look nice for her best friend slash roommate's cousin? The last time I checked, that's not a crime in New York but it could have also been due to the fact that I met someone who had the most beautiful sea green eyes that I've ever seen. It is almost like being at the ocean yourself.

Memories of last night's events came back once more and it caused me to blush. I'm not usually the type of girl who is constantly searching for her Prince Charming. I firmly believe that if I am meant to meet the man of my dreams, he will come sooner or later. If it is decided by the Fates, then it is meant to be.

My life would have continue as normal except for the fact that fate threw him into my path last night. Just when I wasn't expecting him.

I don't know how else to describe it but it felt like a scene from one of those romantic novels that Thalia keeps under her bed. Not that I read them...

Just don't tell her that I steal them from time to time when I need a good cry.

Percy and I connected almost instantly and I found myself thinking that even though it wasn't a date, it felt like one and I had the best time with him on the balcony but the most interesting part was that he refused to give out any details about himself.

I didn't like that. I'm the type of person who needs to know the answer to everything. I just can't stand not knowing.

I tried to find out more about him but he was more evasive than I was persuasive. Damn those green eyes of his. It also didn't help that he was very cute and easy on the eyes.

God, get a grip on yourself Annabeth. He is just one guy. There are probably hundreds of others like him.

But there isn't. Men like Percy come around once a lifetime.

As soon as the clock struck noon, I left my desk and walked over to the the restaurant that we agreed upon. I may have left earlier than usual to have lunch but being an intern isn't all that's hyped up to be. We are barely given anything of importance to do and I feel more like a glorified secretary than I do an amateur architect.

Like last week, the most important thing that I've done was deliver a bunch of blueprints that my manager did to upper management. I took a sneak peak at it and I laughed. I could have done a better job on this project with my eyes closed but I didn't say anything. As an intern, we are the low man on the totem. Not spoken until spoken to.

Barbaric but I only have to put up with this job until the end of the summer when they do my employee review to see if I have what it takes to come on board full time.

"Annabeth?"

I turned my body in surprise to see Percy already there, sitting by a corner booth where I was originally going to sit.

"Percy?" I asked in return. I wanted to make sure that he was the same guy that I met and not some other Percy Jackson. That would have been mortifying.

He nodded his head and stood up, gesturing for me to take a seat first.

What a gentleman I thought. Nowadays, guys don't even bother to open the car door or even hold the door open. Before Percy, I was confident that chivalry was dead but clearly the art wasn't lost with him.

His mother must have raise him right.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting." I asked. He looked like he just got out of bed with that messy hair of his but I couldn't find anything wrong with it. It was just the perfect amount of messiness to make it look natural. Along with that thin blue sweater which fit him perfectly, I would have mistaken him for a model.

"No that's okay. It's just a habit of mine to get to places early. Better to be early than late you know."

I laughed. "You would make an awesome date then." I felt my cheeks light up the moment those words left my mouth but it wasn't that bad because it was also cute that he blushed as well.

"Well, in that case, you look great." Percy coughed and turned his head, probably to hid that blush of his. "So where are my cousins? I could eat a meal fit for two."

"Why don't we order first? I have to get back to work soon and I'm sure you have better things to do than just sit here with me."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here right now. It would actually be my pleasure to have lunch with you but I do agree that we should order first." Percy replied, his eyes glancing over the menu. "The burger sounds good to me. What about you?"

I agree and within moments, our orders were placed. I took a sip of water and found myself staring at those green eyes of his again. "So , I still don't have an idea of what you do for a living. Don't you know that it's impolite to keep a girl waiting?"

Percy laughed, "If I tell you, it wouldn't be fair to the others who guessed. Why don't you take a guess and I'll tell you if you're getting closer or not."

I pouted but agreed. After last night, I tried to piece together with what little information I had and tried to match it based on Percy's facial expression. It wasn't easy but I was able to confirm that he does have some kind of martial arts training and I saw the way that he carried himself.

Confident. Strong. Humble. Totally not like my last date.

I also noticed the way his eyes hardened whenever Nico or Luke mentioned something about the law. From what I can remember during those long hours that was spent researching this guy, which I have to thank Thalia for by the way, he wasn't a criminal. My gut feeling was telling me that he was in some branch of the military. It kind of makes sense but he didn't fit the typical military stereotype.

"Military?" I guessed. I saw that his eyes widened suddenly before it was replaced with something else. I couldn't place it but when he laughed, I found myself drawn to that instead.

"Is that your final answer Annabeth?" He leaned closer and I could smell the sea on him better. His breath was on my skin and I felt a tingling sensation. I nodded my head slowly and leaned closer, our lips almost touching. "Technically I -"

"God get a room you two." Nico gagged. "There are people trying to have lunch here."

I quickly pulled my head back and glared at the younger man. He was going to die tonight. I pulled my foot back and kicked, feeling satisfied when I saw Nico wince in pain. He wanted to open his mouth but my glare kept it closed.

"Where's Thalia?" I asked, feeling disappointed that the moment was ruined.

"Zeus called her in and that's why I'm here as well. Something's going on and we have an appointment with Zeus and Hades in a few minutes. Not sure why but we'll catch up with you guys later. Just wanted to pop in and tell you guys."

Nico waved as he left the restaurant. It was odd that they're seeing their fathers this late in the day. Usually they just speak to each other over the phone but never face to face.

Percy also had a calculated look in his eyes but when I blinked, it was gone. "So what were you saying before we were interrupted."

He looked away for a second and for the first time, I could see the man behind those eyes. I always found it strange that his eyes, as beautiful as they were, held more secrets than the average person. Almost like if he's seen things that would make me want to run away. It wasn't the look of a young adult but of someone who is much older.

"I'm sorry Annabeth but I afraid that I can't tell you."

"Why...?" I whispered. I reached forward and grabbed his hands but he flinched at the initial contact. That surprised me but I gently held on, rubbing his hand with my thumb. "I'm not afraid Percy... and besides, I probably can't make it out the door before you catch up to me anyway."

Percy chuckled and shook his head. "Truth is Annabeth, I'm a Navy SEAL so technically yes, I am part of the military branch."

My jaw dropped upon hearing his confession. A Navy SEAL? Weren't they just on the news several months ago for something that happened over seas? I stared at Percy with admiration.

"Oh wow Percy. That's very impressive." I replied, surprised by the news and then I smiled. "What is it like? Is it really as hard as they say? Only the best of the best right?"

He sighed and pulled his hands away. With the sudden lost of contact, I looked up and recognized the earlier feeling that I saw before. His eyes flicked between sadness and resentment. "Don't do this Annabeth."

He sounded like he was in pain and I frowned.

"Do what?" I asked, confusion on my face. Did I say something wrong?

"Don't look at me with those eyes!" Percy all but shouted. He clenched his fists up to the point where his knuckles were turning white.

I was left speechless at his outburst. "What the hell are you talking about?" I retorted in anger. "I was just being grateful for things that you do for our country! It's nothing to be ashamed about Percy! It's people like you who have the courage to do the things that most of us won't do. You should be proud of yourself!"

"I don't need those looks from you or anyone else! This is why I don't tell anyone what I do. Once they find out that I'm a SEAL, their outlook on me instantly changes and I could do no wrong. It's so bullshit that I hate it! You think that I do it because I love my country right? That I do it to protect my home?"

I was afraid to answer. His voice sounds so bitter and resentful that I was afraid to know the truth. What happened to you Percy that made you so cynical?

"Well you're wrong! Everyone assumes that just because I'm a SEAL, I automatically do it for my people, for my country, for my home but they can't be any further from the truth. I've never wanted any of this. What exactly is the point of me doing my job when it's not fair that I'm the only one who had to sacrifice everything just to get to where I am? Where is the justice in that?!"

He took a deep breath and shook his head. "I'm sorry Annabeth. It was wrong of me to lash out at you like that but I think I'll take my leave. Tell Thalia and Nico that their cousin suddenly had some abrupt business and had to leave sooner than expected. Maybe I'll look them up next time when I'm back."

Even when he was angry, he's still acting like a gentlemen but it wasn't his words that I was listening to. It was his actions. I could tell that he wasn't really angry at me. He was angry at himself for something.

"Percy, wait. I'm sorry."

I knew I was wrong. I didn't want to admit it but he was right. The moment that he told me he was a SEAL, I instantly regarded him as someone who belongs in a different group than myself and I can see why he hated it. He was tired of people looking at Percy, the heroic SEAL. He wanted people to see him for himself and I just went all fan girl on him.

I groaned and dropped my head to the table, making a loud thump sound as soon as it hit. "So stupid Annabeth. So so stupid." I muttered.

How did I not see it before? I should have known that from the start. I should have known that Percy was different from most guys. Without thinking, I reached out to grab his hand which surprised him.

"Let's start from the beginning okay? Pretend that we didn't get into this booth yet and we'll start from the moment when we entered the restaurant."

I looked up to see him staring down at me with those green eyes of his. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, something that I found to be cute. "I don't know..."

My heart started pounding faster as he hesitated longer. Why don't you just give me a heart attack Percy!

"I'm sorry Annabeth but I can't."

My eyes widened and I found myself at a loss. I was speechless. "...Why not?" I whispered.

Percy shook his head and gently took my hand. He put his finger on my lips and I felt like my cheeks are being lit on fire. If I had a mirror, I was pretty sure I was red as a tomato right now. For some reason, I don't think I mind if he kept that finger on my lips. It took all my willpower to not kiss it.

"I don't think I would be a good influence on you Annabeth. I'm not exactly the ideal person you want to be friends with. I'm abrupt and shy and I don't get along well with people. I spent the last ten minutes looking over at the door, watching people as they enter and leave the premises. That's not normal by any standard. I just don't know how to be friends with anyone..."

The last part Percy whispered hoping that I didn't hear him but I heard it as clear as day. I felt my heart tug when I heard that last part and I gave his hands a little squeeze. They were bigger than mine, only slightly but they were rough, probably from holding and gripping onto his firearm but I didn't mind it. In fact, I like the way it feels.

"You don't get to choose who I can be friends with Percy Jackson." I whispered back, smiling at him when I said it. "I'm stubborn and if you didn't catch on, very damn smart. You would do well to know that about me."

Somehow during our exchange, we weren't aware that our waitress dropped off our food and we would have stayed like that if it wasn't for the loud rumbling that came from Percy's stomach.

We shared a laugh before digging in but his words were etched into my mind, giving me hope that one day, we would be more than just friends but for now, I'll settle for one day at a time, to show him that there's more to life than just being a SEAL.

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