Author's Note:

Hello! This is the second to the last chapter! ALL of you are SO amazing!

Don't own anything

Chapter 17 – She is Alive!

Her thoughts were wrong. She told herself she was healed but she was not. After seeing Percy, she needed Silena. She needed to talk to someone. The past kept on haunting her like a nightmare. The wounds were as fresh as ever. She did meet Percy Jackson. But he didn't recognize her. She wanted to scream at him, tell him she's Annabeth Chase but he's different now. He does not even see beyond that beautiful face. So what if she's Annabeth. Past is past. He just let it pass and that's what hurt most. No effort at all. She could not drop at his feet and tell him "Hello! I'm Annabeth Chase". Who knows he's not even interested. He came to her as Sophia Johnson in a professional way to borrow his exact words. They all see her as Sophia Johnson, an artist, except for Paul Blofis but that was different. So, in the morning, before dropping Fred at the vet, she decided to see Silena. But upon stepping up in front of her apartment, she gasped. Right in front of her door was a truck with a billboard on the side, and a blow up photograph of her painting "San Francisco at Dusk". And on the driver's seat was Percy, so fresh, grinning happily at her. She could not help but smile too. She stopped and sat down on the last step of the stair. Percy came down the truck and sat beside her.

"How do you like it?"

"I think you're a scream."

"Yeah, but doesn't it look good? Just think how your other stuff would look and mounted in the medical centre buildings. Wouldn't that be a thrill?" He was a thrill, but she couldn't tell him that.

"Come on, let's go have breakfast and talk." This morning he wasn't taking no for an answer. He had cleared his morning schedule just for her. And she found his determination touching as well as amusing. She just wasn't in the mood for another fight.

"I should say no, but I won't."

"That's better. Can I give you a ride?"

"In that?" She pointed to the truck and started to laugh.

"Sure. Why not?"

So they hopped into the cab of the truck and headed down to Fisherman's Wharf for breakfast. Trucks were a familiar sight there, and no one was going to walk off with a photograph that size.

Surprisingly, it was a very pleasant breakfast. They both put aside the war, at least until the coffee.

"Well, have I convinced you?" He looked very sure of himself as he smiled over his cup.

"No. But I've had a very nice time."

"I suppose I should be grateful for small favours, but that's not my style."

"And what is your style Mr. Jackson? In your own words."

"You mean you're giving me a chance to explain myself?" He was teasing, but there was an edge to his voice. "All right, I'll tell you. I have to admit you're such a great talent. That's why we need your work. Our medical center will be opening in a month's time and we need to finish all these once and for all."

"And…"

"And I think we need you to sign up."

"This breakfast is for my signing up?"

"Yeah. Do I see any other reason? I mean…I have made my point clear since I came to you yesterday Miss Johnson. We wanted your work as a central theme for our lobby…"

She was hurt. Percy! What happened to you? Why are you so insensitive, so callous. Can't you see these eyes? I'm Annabeth! I'm Annabeth!

"Is something wrong Miss Johnson?"

She rolled her eyes and gave him a frown. Why are men so damn stupid!

Annabeth just gave him a stare and finally, he caught her eyes. He blinked as if remembering something. She was waiting for him to say something. Please remember Percy. Please remember. Just a hint…please just a hint that you still want me. I want to know please… but after a while, he shook his head. He looked the other way and offered her another cup of coffee. He's not really interested with her!

"Have I gotten a close yes for an answer?" She shook her head.

Sophia was getting tired of all these. She wanted Percy to see her as a person, capable of caring. She waited for him for two years and now he wouldn't even look at her as a human being. He just saw her as work.

"Are you married Mr Jackson?"

"No. No time at all." How lovely. "There just isn't a room."

"That's weird. You don't have to exchange your life for success. Some people have both."

"Do you?"

"Not entirely. But maybe one day I will. I know it's possible anyway."

"Maybe it is. Maybe, my incentive isn't what it used to be." His eyes grew soft with the words. "My life has changed a great deal in the last few years. I didn't wind up doing any of the things I once planned to. But I've had some damn nice compensation." Like becoming chairman of Jackson Group of Companies, but he was embarrassed to say it.

"I take it you're not married either." Percy said as he watched her sipped her last coffee.

She shook her head. "I had been busy for my gallery show. My life changed too in the last few years."

Percy let out a smile and she marvelled at how good he looked. While taking an admiring look someone entered the door and Percy suddenly stood up. A girl! She was tall, slim with frizzy red hair, emerald green eyes, and in spite of her freckles, looks lovely in an off shoulder dress. Percy seemed happy to see her.

"You always surprise me Rachel! What are you doing here?"

"I told you I'll be with you in San Francisco after a week. Your secretary told me I can find you here."

"Annabelle. She never really gives me a break. Anyway nice to see you." And to Annabeth's surprise she walked over to Percy and gave him a peck on the cheek. Annabeth felt her colour rising! How dare she kiss Percy in front of her! She gave Percy a cold, hard look and he felt uncomfortable. "Rachel, meet Sophia Johnson. Miss Johnson, this is Rachel Elizabeth Dare." Annabeth smiled but it faded after few seconds when she noticed Rachel sticking herself to Percy as if they're inseparable. This girl, she's impossible! Why won't she keep her distance to Percy? As if he was her lover. By the way, isn't he? Oh, this is a mad, mad world!

"Care to join us Rachel? Miss Johnson and I are discussing the decors of the centre."

"Thank you," she said as she sat beside Percy. This made Annabeth decide to gather her things and prepare to go. To give Percy and Rachel some privacy anyway, she felt her presence was not wanted anymore. She had enough of Rachel to make her terribly jealous when suddenly Percy propped up his elbow on the table and ran a hand on his eyebrow. And she noticed a scar. She knew where that scar came from and she wanted to ask him about it. He noticed her staring at him.

"What's that scar?" she asked casually as if just in passing.

"Oh this?" and he ran a hand again on his brow. "Just…well nothing. Some sort of a minor accident with some friends." And this was enough to make Annabeth bring to a boil. A minor accident with some friends? Mister, my whole life changed with that accident! Minor? And with a friend? I thought Percy you loved me? She stood up, got her things and walked away suddenly.

"Hey! Wait please." He stood up and ran to her fast until he was walking beside her. What the heck is wrong with her now? "What did I do? Did I say something wrong?" He was impossible!

"Go away please!" and she brushed his hand away when he tried to stop her."Get off me Mr Jackson. I don't want to talk to you or see you ever!" and she ran as fast as she could. Percy was left wondering. Artists! They have all these mood swings.

"You saw Percy Jackson? Did he come to you? Did he find you?" Sophia found herself sitting in the familiar, comfortable room she had not visited for months. She sat back against the couch and stretched her legs toward the unlit fireplace, as though by habit.

She did not answer. She just closed her eyes and let the silence bring calm and peace to her soul.

"Are you meditating or just falling asleep?" Silena asked her again.

"Sorry. I was just thinking. It's good to see you Silena," and she smiled. Actually, she was surprised how good it felt to be back. There was a feeling of homecoming in just sitting there, an ease about fitting back into an old and happy groove. She had some good moments in that room, as well as some difficult ones.

"First, I would like to tell you how marvellous you look or are you already tired of hearing it?" Silena beamed at the girl, and Sophia laughed.

"I never get tired of hearing it." Only with Silena would she dare to be that honest.

"Now, did Percy find you?"

"Yes, and no. He found Sophia. They all had been hounding me about my work. Jackson Group is doing a medical centre out here, and they seem to want my paintings to enormous proportions as part of the decor."

"That's very flattering, Sophia."

"Who gives a damn? What do I care what he thinks of my work?" But that wasn't entirely true either. She had always basked in the warmth of his praise, and even now there was a certain satisfaction in knowing that she had caught his attention again, with her work. "Anyway, his stepfather was out here a while back, and I told him the same thing I'd been telling them. No. I'm not interested. I won't sell to them. I won't work with them. Period."

"And they've pursued it?"

"Ardently."

"That must feel good. Do any of them realize who you are?"

"Nico didn't but Paul Blofis did. I think that's why he set up the meeting." Annabeth fell silent and stared at her feet. She was a long way away, back in that hotel room, the day she had seen Paul.

"What did it feel like when you saw him?"

"Terrible. It reminded me of everything he'd done to me. I should hate him but I can't. He looked so sick and frail. Silena, he was crying when I said goodbye. He did not say it but he seemed to be sorry for what he did."

"And it made you feel good?"

"Yes. In a way I have forgiven him but it does not make any difference now. The damage was done. Percy does not want me anymore." Annabeth looked up with a sigh. "It made everything complicated."

Silena took a seat beside her. "Percy does not want Sophia. But he may still loved Annabeth. Remember, he sees you as two different people."

"I'm not sure. I guess so."

"Yes. Definitely. He may not be interested with Sophia because he was still buried with Annabeth."

"Then we're back Silena from where we started. If he loved Annabeth, after all these years why didn't he search for me? I had been waiting for him" She said it with a soft, tired sigh. "And then I realized that now, that we met each other again, it's all over for us. All of that was years ago. We're different people now. And the fact is he changed a lot. He looked so hard driven, callous, cold. And he seemed to be interested with a new girl. I saw them. It's terrible! Oh Silena! I need to move on with my new life now."

"Do you not intend to tell him you're Annabeth Chase? With that you will know for sure if he still wants you or not."

"What for? Silena, I'm not Annabeth Chase anymore. Look at me. Nobody recognizes me. How could they accept me as Annabeth Chase when all I am now is Sophia Johnson? Annabeth Chase is gone. And he's not the Percy I knew anymore."

"How do you know?"

"I saw him. He's cold, hard, and impregnable. Oh I don't know, maybe there's something there. But there are a lot of new stuff too."

"Like what?"

"Rejection. Loss. Disappointment. Abandonment, Desertion, Cowardice. Those are the real issues now."

"Are they? Is that how you still feel when you see him?"

"Yes." Her voice was hard again now. "I hate him."

"Then you must still care for him a great deal." Annabeth looked at Silena for long time without speaking. "Annabeth, do you still love him?" She had purposely used the old name.

The girl sighed deeply and let her head fall back against the couch before answering, and when she did, she looked at the ceiling and spoke in a monotone. "Maybe Annabeth still loves him, what little bit of her is left. But Sophia doesn't. I have a new life now. I can't afford to love him anymore." She looked up at Silena with sorrow.

"Why not?"

"Because he doesn't love me. Because that's not real anymore. Because it's useless. I have to let it go now. Totally, completely. I know that. That isn't why I came here today, to cry on your shoulder about still being in love with Percy. But I needed to tell someone how I feel. I can't really go on life like this. A prisoner of the past."

"I'm glad you did come, Sophia. But I'm not sure you can just decide to let something go as simple as that, and have it fall away from you from one moment to another."

"In truth, it fell away from me two years ago, I just didn't let go until now. I told myself I had, but I hadn't. So …" She sat up straight again and looked squarely at Silena. "I'm leaving for the Philippines to attend to some business."

"What kind of business?" Silena was puzzled.

"Letting-go business." She smiled for the first time in an hour. "There are some things I left unfinished back there, some things that Percy and I shared. I've let them stand as a monument to us, because I always thought he'd be back. Now I have to go back there and take care of it."

"Do you really think you're ready to handle that?"

"Yes." She sounded sure of herself.

"Is that what you really want to do?"

"Yes."

"You don't want to tell Percy who you are, or rather who you were, and see what happens?"

Sophia almost shuddered. "Never. That's over. Forever. And besides," she sighed again, and looked down at her hands, "that wouldn't be fair."

"You have to think about being fair to Sophia."

"That's why I'm going to Palawan. But I keep thinking, too, that maybe after this I'll be free to make some kind of real commitment."

It was frightening to hear someone say the words.

"Why do you need to go back to the Philippines when you just can drop it off and let go?"

"Percy always stood between us."

"That's too easy, Sophia. That's a cop out."

"I don't know." She paused for a long time. "I just want to get this trip to the east, and then I'll be free."

"All right, then do that, but come and see me when you get back. Sound okay to you?"

"Very okay." In a way, she was glad to be back. It was a relief.

With that, Silena looked at her watch regretfully and stood up. It had already been an hour and a half. "Will you call for an appointment when you get back?"

"The minute I do."

"All right then, and be good to yourself when you go back there. Don't torment yourself about the past. And if you have any problems, call me."

It was comforting to know that she could do that, and as she left, her mood felt lighter than it had all afternoon.

"Palawan? But why, Sophia? I don't understand." Luke looked tired and irritable as Sophia called him that night. "Why do you need to go there?"

She was packing her clothes and secretly folding her things from the old apartment. Her boxes gathered by Thalia. After her trip to the Philippines, she will look for Thalia and bond with her. What could have happened to her? Will she accept her as Sophia Johnson? It will be a long explanation but she will be fine. Once she freed herself from Percy, she will reconcile with her past.

"I need to attend to some…personal business. Luke, do you still have the key to the apartment?"

"Yes, why?"

"Can you keep an eye on Fred? I will be away for only a day or two. I will fly back to San Francisco as soon as possible."

"Sure. Glad to. One of these days, we will go out together with Moriah. She's a nice girl. You will love her. By the way, I have a meeting with Percy Jackson tomorrow morning."

"Oh…what for?"

"They are convincing me to get a space at their medical centre. I'll try to see the place tomorrow."

"Oh…goodluck! See you when I get back."

And she continued emptying the boxes when an old note dropped off from her favourite book. She picked up the note. Percy's note the first time he gave her flowers. On her first day of work as his personal assistant. She put it on the table and continued packing her things. She was excited to go back to the Philippines. Her flight is still in the afternoon so she still had time to drop at the store and get some things for the beach. It would be nice to get to the sand again and take a walk…alone.

"Really. Dr. Castellan? I'm so glad you like the place. We meant to have all the medical rooms on the second floor but we decided to just have them per department according to specialization. Some sort of a one-stop-shop." Luke and Percy had finished their tour and were almost done.
"Well, good idea. No doubt your medical centre will be one of the top medical centres here in San Francisco. Have you done the deal with Sophia Johnson?"

"I'm afraid no amount of convincing will help her." Percy sounded giving up.

"Would you like to have a last try? I'll be dropping at her apartment and she might still be around. She's going to fly to the east."

"Oh…sure! I would like to see her very much." Yes, he would like to see her. She made it all hard for him these last few days but he meant to pursue her. Not just for her beauty. Not just for her talent. But there's something in her that kept him sleepless during the night. He kept thinking of her every minute of the day. He remembered the last time he felt this way was when he met Annabeth. The feeling was the same. It made him restless. He can't believe he would still fall in love after Annabeth. Maybe it's time to fall in love again.

Her apartment was already empty when they arrived. Luke went straight to Fred who leaped with joy when he saw him. While Percy, he took a look around the place. Paintings and lots of paintings standing against the wall. Then his eyes went suddenly on a piece of paper lying on the table. It seemed familiar. It was his handwriting! Mesmerized, he walked towards it, picked up the note, and got chills all over his body. To Annabeth Chase..Please accept my peace offering. Percy Jackson…the note…his note. Oh my gods! What's this all about? It couldn't be…He felt his knees weakening as truth came whirling on his head. Then, he saw the paintings of Palawan and the beach and the title "Till Death Do Us Part".

"Oh my gods … oh, my gods …" It was all he could say as Luke watched him. "But how? It isn't … oh … why didn't someone tell me? What in …" But he understood now. They had lied to him. She was alive. Different. But alive. No wonder she had hated him. He hadn't even suspected. But he had been haunted by something in her, and in her paintings, all that time. There were tears in his eyes as he turned to look at Luke.

"She's alive? Annabeth is alive?"

Luke stared at Percy in silence studying him who got pale all over with shock. "Yes, that's why I have to bring you here. You deserve to know the truth. "

"They lied to me, Luke. Did you know that? They lied to me. They told me she was dead." His eyes were brimming with tears. "I've spent two years like a dead man, working like a robot, wishing I had died instead of her, and all this time—" For a moment he couldn't go on, and Luke looked away. "And when I saw her this week, I never knew. I… it must have killed her… no wonder she hates me. She does, doesn't she?" Percy sank into a chair, staring at the painting.

"No. She doesn't hate you. She just wants to put it behind her." Percy had just remembered what he'd heard about Sophia having a sponsor, a plastic surgeon. The words suddenly rang in his ears, and it was clear to him now.

"Why did she suddenly disappear? Why didn't she call me? Why didn't she let me know she was alive? And why did they tell me she was dead? Was that her doing, or… or someone else's? And …who paid for her surgery?" His eyes never left Luke's face.

Luke was silent for a moment as if hesitant to speak. "It's not within my liberty to disclose sensitive matters such as these Percy. These things are highly confidential. I hope you do understand."

But he need not disclose it. Every tiny bit of a puzzle fits. Paul asking him to pursue Sophia whatever it takes. Paul asking for forgiveness to him and to Annabeth…now everything makes sense.

"And where is Annabeth? Where's she going?" Oh, he wanted to know. He wanted to know.
"She's going to the Philippines."

Percy looked at him for one moment, and a shadow of a smile flitted through his eyes as he dashed for the door. He stopped, glanced back, and saluted Luke with a full-blown smile. "Thank you." He knew what to do.

Whoo! Totally one of the best chapters! XD I love the last sentence! Hmm... I wonder what will Percy do? Anyway, please vote PP Underground River in Palawan, Philippines! It'll be a great help for the tourism of my country!
GOOD NEWS!
Till Death Do Us Part got a video! Check it out!