AUTHOR'S NOTE: OM FREAKEN GGGG! THANK YOU SO MUCH for 8600+ views, 160+ Reviews (AHHH!) and letting me reach 40 favorites! Ya'll are SO amazing! I know I say this in every author's note and you guys are tired of hearing it but I love you guys and PLEASE keep this up! Please review any suggestions, comments, or ideas you may have! Or PM me anytime any day! To help you think here are some virtual cookies ;) (::) (::)

So yeah, Happy reading and please review at the bottom!

PS: I am SO sorry for the delay for this chapter. Usually I update every 2 days but I think I'm going to have to start updating every 4 days. I'm really sorry :(

Annabeth's POV

Percy Jackson's gaze locked on mine.

Damn it! If the stranger found me talking-or even just looking at him, I would put us both in danger.

I ripped my glance away from his, hurting me more than it should. I started running as fast as I could away from there, straining my brain, telling it to keep moving my legs.

But Percy was faster. He grabbed me from behind on my waist, making me jump.

"Leave me alone!" I screamed, trying to get away from his grip.

He pulled me into his warmth, forcing me to look into those pained, smoldering eyes. "Annabeth." He whispered. "I don't understand. You are doing this unwillingly. Why?"

He could read through anything. He could read through me; read through the once unbreakable barrier I used to have all these years. He was the only one who could puncture it, the only one who could see beyond what I had put off.

"You don't need to know!" I said, struggling to get out of his stone hard grip. It was so tight my wrists started to hurt. He wouldn't let me go.

"Yes I do! You say you don't need anyone, that you don't need anything, but you need me!" Percy said harshly, raising his voice.

"Why!?" I spat, finally getting him to release me, taking a step back with tears streaming down my face. "Why do you care?"

"Because I love you!" He concluded, screaming so loud that the words echoed through the whole forest.

I shook my head, trying to control the tears flowing out of my eyes.

"Don't."

"How do you expect me to just get over it? To pretend that I never met you? That's what you want?" He demanded, looking at me with pure hatred.

I nodded, stiffly.

He took a step toward me, and I took a step back, until my back hit the tree.

I thought of the first time we had our first kiss.

Here we go with the dance again...

He put his arms on either sides of me. "You changed me Annabeth. I was empty before I met you. I didn't know what life was about, what it was for. I care. I care now, for the first time in 2 years. I finally have something to care about. And yeah, maybe I did screw around with other girls before, but only to get rid of the pain that kills me everyday inside. None of them were like you. You are my everything." Percy said, pronouncing each word carefully, those emerald eyes burning into mine.

I erupted into tears, falling onto the ground. "I-I can't...I don't know h-how to..." I tried explaining, but my mouth malfunctioned; knowing that if I spoke, he would suffer for it.

Percy ran over to me, putting his arm around my shoulders. "What? What is it?" He asked eagerly, wanting to help.

I looked into his eyes, imagining a life without them. Without his loving embrace. Without his melodic voice. Without him.

"I'm sorry, Percy. I can't tell you."

He scowled, and furrowed his eyebrows, like he was thinking hard about something.

Suddenly, the phone rang, invading the still atmosphere. It vibrated ominously, and the eerie blue light stood out in the evening sky.

I need you to meet me again. ~Anonymous.

I stared at it wide-eyed, terrified that this day had come again. I knew eventually that I would have to face the stranger again for myself, but I didn't expect it to be anytime soon.

Before I could reach my phone, Percy had already taken it, scrolling through our messages.

Good job Chase. I didn't think you would have the guts to do that. ~ Anonymous.

Leave me the hell alone. I did what you wanted. Percy is gone. ~Annabeth

Feisty now, are we? See you around...Wise Girl. ~ Anonymous.

His teeth were clenched, and he looked like he could murder anyone who got too close to him.

"Who. Is. He?" He asked, through his closed teeth.

"I-I don't know..." I stammered, looking up at him innocently. I felt like a little girl again, getting in trouble by the teacher, trying to explain something she had accused you of.

Percy slammed my phone against a tree, shattering it to pieces. I closed my eyes at the sound, wincing slightly.

"Who the fuck does he think he is to tell you to do that?" He screamed, his voice cracking.

I stood up and ran over to him before he did anything rash.

"Percy. Look at me." I said, resting my hand on his arm.

He pushed it off, and started walking the other direction. He couldn't leave now. He couldn't just get up and walk out of my life. I wouldn't let him.

I turn him around and crashed my lips onto his, holding on to his ocean-like scent.

Percy put his hands in my hair, tangling it tightly while releasing me, breathing heavily.

We rested on each other's forehead, closing our eyes, never wanting to let go.

"He can hurt me all he wants. I will never stay away from you." He breathed, staring at me so hard that I could see my own ashy eyes reflected off of his.

Right then, I believed him. I wanted him with me, forever and always. I wanted to be selfish, wanting to keep him all to myself. So badly that I would risk both our lives. But I knew better.

With one foot, without looking at his face again, I ran, going to meet the person who started this all.

It was night when he ordered me to meet him in the cemetery, next to my mother's grave. But at least I felt comforted. My Mother was here with me, in a way.

He appeared out of nowhere, with that same sleek, black cloak, like he did the first day I met him.

"Nice to see you came, Chase." He said smug.

"Like I had a choice?" I said bitterly.

He chuckled and said, "That's true, actually."

I rolled my eyes, making myself seem a lot braver than I really was on the inside.

"I didn't come here to fight. I came to apologize."

"Isn't it a little late for an apology?" I spat.

"If you knew the true story, you wouldn't think I was the bad guy after all."

"Oh really?" I challenged. "So if I knew who you were I wouldn't think you were the bad guy after all." I said, in a statement, not a question.

"Yes, you would." The person said, their electrifying blue eyes got sad, as if they were asking for help.

I was stunned when I saw them like this. I always saw hatred, revenge, and anger. I never saw this side, so innocent, so familiar.

When I realized who it was it was too late to run. He had pulled off his hood.

Jason Jackson stood in front of me, his blond hair blowing in the light breeze that blew through the menacing cemetery.

"No. No, no, no, no!" I said, backing away slowly, my hands trying to press onto a solid object, afraid that I was going to fall. But there was nothing there, nothing besides him.

"Annabeth, let me explain." Jason said, trying to touch my hand.

"Don't touch me!" I shrieked, jerking myself away.

"Listen to me," He said softly, "You don't know the whole story. You know that Percy killed Mason right?"

My eyes narrowed.

"Mason drowned. Percy didn't kill anyone!" I said, raising my voice.

He chuckled without any traces of humor. "Is that what he told you?"

I nodded.

"What he didn't tell you is that he saved Mason. He saved him and couldn't watch him die. He couldn't stand to see his little brother in so much pain that he stabbed Mason himself, right through the heart." He said low, his eyes vicious.

"And I was there. I saw him put the knife through his heart myself."

My mouth opened and closed, and I was completely bewildered. I couldn't believe what I was hearing right now. Percy wouldn't have ever done that. He loved Mason. He wouldn't ever do that. Would he?

I took a deep breath, still trying to take everything in.

"You're lying." I said, my tone uncertain.

"You know it's true. So why hide it?" Jason asked, looking at me with those eyes that have haunted me every night since that day.

He took a couple steps toward me and tucked my hair in front of my face behind my ear.

"But this wasn't fake." He explained, shaking his head. "I will admit, I only pretended at first. But then I got pulled in. By your personality, your thoughts...you don't know much it killed me to see you hurt. But I had to do it. I had to make Percy suffer." He said cruelly.

I didn't understand why but I felt sorrow, sympathy for Jason. I wanted to help him. I wanted to stop the suffering, because I knew how it felt.

He leaned in, and I stopped breathing, letting out a sharp gasp.

Jason stopped halfway, and whispered, "Just tell me to stop."

As soon as he pressed his lips onto mine, it was too late.

Percy was staring at me where Mason was buried, across the cemetery, with glassy eyes. He turned around and started walking out slowly, is hands shove deep in his pockets, not looking back once.

I felt like the air was knocked out of me. I felt as if there were fire burning under my skin, and I couldn't put the flames out. I felt as if I were falling through the clouds, hurling towards the Earth, and there was no one to catch me.

Looking at Jason's torn face, I knew he knew about me and Percy, too.

Not knowing what to do, I did what I always did best-I ran.

I ran all the way home, getting in right before curfew at 9:30.

Matt was already passed out on a couch with a beer bottle in his hand. He had lipstick stains all over his face, so I assumed he had met a girl at the bar.

I felt like regurgitating. I couldn't believe he would forget about mom like that.

I hurried up the stairs and closed the door tightly. I heard something hit my window and I saw Percy sitting on a stool, with my guitar on his lap.

"Percy what are you..." I began to ask.

"Shhh..." He interrupted. "You don't need to say anything."

He strummed lightly, playing the melody I've heard him hum to me to lull me to sleep. That familiar tune I could never get out of my mind.

Same bed, but it feels just a little bit bigger now
Our song on the radio, but it don't sound the same
When our friends talk about you all that it does is just tear me down
Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name
And it all just sound like uh, uh, uh

Hmmm too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers and held your hand
Should have gave you all my hours when I had the chance
Take you to every party cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby is dancing, but she's dancing with another man.

('When I was Your man' By: Bruno Mars)

His smooth voice finished the last sentence, bringing tears to my eyes.

He handed me my guitar; our windows were close together enough.

"That's another thing you did for me." He whispered. "You made me remember how much I loved to sing." Percy told me, a wry smile on his face.

"It wasn't me who..." I faltered, my voice cracking helplessly.

"I just wanted to let you know that whoever you choose...I just hope you'll be happy" Percy murmured.

He closed the window with a click, leaving in me in my cold, isolated room, to make the hardest decision of my life.

LOL sorry for the HORRIBLE cliff hanger guys! And again, I'm really sorry about the delay. I've been having a tough week :/

So yeah, thanks and please make my day by hitting that boss review button at the bottom :D (boss... LOL!)

I
I
I
I
I
V