Hey lovelies! So, this chapter has a warning. Major fluff. I don't know if it's really my best chapter, or maybe the 'romance' is going a little too fast between Percy and Annabeth, but please tell me what you think in your reviews! Also, I want to say thanks to all of you who gave me those wonderful kind reviews. So here we go!

Thanks to:

DragonClan

Jedi1 (I especially liked the suggestion on Luke getting beat up by Thalia xD)

Chazaq

Sora Loves Rain

andyjk18

sportsfanforever2 (Thanks Matthew, love you xD)

Lily Ryann (Your review was soooo sweet! It made my day. Thank you so much!)

Amygoobs

SeaBreeze Daughter of Poseidon

Thanks to all of you! Your reviews are so kind and I love hearing them! By the way, Alexis, my bestest friend in the world since kindergarten, says hi! She's in our pen name, because we own this account together, and our IG account as well. She doesn't write much though, I'm more of the writing type, and she's afraid to show people her work. She says she isn't a good writer, but trust me, she is. Maybe sometime soon, she'll post one of her stories!

Disclaimer: Percy Jackson is owned by Rick Riordan, not me. Puh-lease, I'm not THAT great of a writer!

- Blair

Chapter 3

Annabeth's POV

By the time we pull into Percy's driveway, which might I say is freaking gigantic, it's pouring rain outside. Through the sheets of rain I could see a house the size of a mansion looming over us. There's a four car garage, a large garden in the front with bushes and flowers, and land stretched out all around like a green blanket. The front of the house is brick, and there's two nice columns on the beginning porch, in front of the door. Percy stops in front of the garage and turns off the car.

"On the count of three, we sprint to the house, okay?" he asks, a smile playing across his face.

"M'kay."

"One... Two... Three!" he shouts, and we open our car doors and sprint out into the pouring rain. We make it to the porch within seconds, my hair already soaked and I'm shivering like a leaf in autumn wind.

The porch is large and wraps around the side of the house, and I become jealous. He's rich. And I'm stuck in a small house that can barely fit the five of us. Actually, it can't fit the five of us, and yet, we make it happen. Meanwhile, Percy has more than enough. He unlocks the door and steps in, holding it open for me. I walk in, pain bursting through my side with every step. He closes the door behind me and I look around. There's a giant swirling staircase that leads upstairs to my right, and a huge living room to my left, complete with spotless furniture and crisp white carpeting. There's a wide, cherry hardwood floor hallway that leads into some other rooms in front of me, and a chandelier that sparkles and lights up the space hangs above me.

"Wow," I breathe.

"I know," Percy says warily from behind me. "It's too much for me and my mom, but it's what we have. I don't need it though."

"Only you and your mom live here?" I ask, astounded.

"Well, there's Paul, my stepfather, but he's always at the school, he's an English teacher at Goode. Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's basically just me and my mom."

"Oh... But, if your stepfather is an English teacher, how do you have all this?"

Percy lets out a laugh, and I blush, realizing my question was rude. "My real father. He lives in Los Angeles. He left before I was born, but he provides all these things for my mom and I. He's got a good business as a marine biologist. He has his own company."

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

"Don't worry about it, it wasn't rude. Come on, the kitchen's over here. I bet my mom made blue cookies."

"Blue cookies?"

"Heh, yeah. It's this thing my mom and I have had since I was a baby... My ex-stepfather said that blue food didn't exist, so my mom always made me blue food. Blue waffles, blue cookies, blue everything. It was like our own little rebellion against him. He's gone now, thankfully. He used to hit my mom, and he was always drunk. Sometimes he hit me. We finally are free from him though, and my mom really likes Paul. They're married now. She's super happy with him, and if she's happy, I am too. And besides, Paul's pretty cool anyways, so I don't mind."

"That's sweet. I mean, about Paul and your mom. Not about your ex-stepfather," I say quickly, and I realize just how many problems Percy has. A father that left before he was born, an ex-stepfather who hit him and his mom, and a new stepfather, including more luxuries than he really needs or wants. It must be hard to transition so much the way he does.

Percy laughs. "Yeah, I know. The blue food is just a tradition we stuck with now."

I laugh too. "That's sort of weird."

He shrugs and leads me into the kitchen, and I swear it's my dream kitchen. Big, with tons of space, gleaming counters, everything you could ask for. There's a steaming plate of blue cookies on the island in the middle of the kitchen, and Percy picks one up, handing it to me. "Try it."

I do, and it's probably one of the best things I have ever tasted. It melts on your tongue, soft and sugary, with a hint of cinnamon. "Mmm.."

Percy laughs. "I agree." He picks one up himself and stuff it in his mouth, finishing it in one bite. What a boy.

"So where's your mom?"

"She's out today. She had some errands to run I guess. It's just us."

He shrugs like me being alone with him in this huge house is no big deal, but I feel anxiety creeping up on me again. If the was me and Luke, things would turn out really bad. In more ways than one.

I must have made a face to show my anxiety, because Percy quickly adds, "Don't worry though. I won't do anything to you. I promise."

I feel heat rise in my cheeks and I know I'm blushing. I can see him blush a little bit too, but maybe that's my imagination.

"I didn't say you would," I argue.

"But you were thinking it," he retorts.

"I wasn't thinking about you, I was thinking about how this would turn out if it was Luke here with me instead of you."

"Exactly. I'm not like Luke."

"I know that."

Percy sighs a little and walks over to the dining room table. He throws his backpack on the table and sits down on a chair, motioning for me to sit. I walk over and put my backpack on the floor next to my chair, and I sit down. Percy takes out a notebook and pen from his backpack, so I do the same.

"So, I guess I just ask you questions about yourself?" he asks.

I nod.

"Okay, so um... What's your full name?"

I let out a laugh. "Annabeth Athena Chase."

"Why Athena?" Percy asks as he scribbles down my name.

"My mom's name was Athena. Her mom was into Greek mythology I guess."

"Do you live with your mom?"

And there's that question. That sensitive subject. I take in a jagged breath. "No, she died giving birth to me. That's why my dad gave me the middle name Athena. In remembrance of her. She had always wanted to have a daughter named Annabeth, so he gave me that name. Basically, my entire name is linked to her."

Percy looks at me with sympathy. "Sorry, I didn't-"

"I don't care. I don't like sympathy. I'm tired of sympathy."

Percy shuts his mouth and asks after a few seconds, "So who do you live with?"

"My dad, stepmom, and my twin little brothers."

Percy writes this down. "What are their names?"

"My dad is Frederick, my stepmom Susan, and my twin brothers are Matthew and Bobby."

"Are your brothers your half-brothers?"

"Yes, they're half. They're my stepmom and my dad's kids."

"How old are they?"

"Seven."

"That's cool... Um, what's your favorite color?"

"Grey."

"Like your eyes?"

"Yep. I don't know why I like it, I guess it's calming to me."

"What do you like to do in your free time?"

"Read... I like taking walks, and photography is cool. I love architecture."

"Do you have a job?"

"I babysit and I have a waitressing job at a restaurant downtown."

"Who do you hang out with?"

"Piper, she's like a sister to me, then there's her boyfriend Jason. I sometimes hang out with him, and then there's Jason's best friend Leo. It's our little group."

"And your boy- never mind."

I feel my face heat up again and my eyes sting, so I look down at my notebook, which is blurry. I rub at my eyes and feel hot tears against my fingers. Stop it, Annabeth. Stop being a baby. I accidentally drop my pen when I put my hand back down, and it rolls across the floor. I get up to retrieve it, and as I bend down, I feel cold air against my hip as my sweatshirt and tank top slide up.

"God, Annabeth," Percy says, and I straighten up quickly.

"What?"

"Your hip," he says, pointing. I Look down and see only a sliver of the wound Luke gave yesterday on my hip. I know that it snakes up my side, but Percy doesn't need to know that.

"It's fine, it doesn't hurt," I say, about to pull my sweatshirt back down. Percy gets up quickly and stops me from pulling it down, staring at the little bit of bluish-black bruise.

"That's why you were in a lot of pain," he says, his hand gripping onto my arm. I recoil at the contact.

He starts to slide my shirt up my side, revealing more of the bruise, but I stop him by grabbing onto his wrist with my other hand.

"Stop it!" I say shakily, tears already slipping down my cheeks, making everything blurry.

"Annabeth, just let me see," he says.

"No, no, you can't see! Just stop! Please!" I start crying, coughs escaping my lips as I plead. "Please stop, don't-"

"I could help, I have-"

"No you can't! You can't help it! It'll go away, just leave it alone!" I try to push him away, but he holds onto me.

"Annabeth, please just calm down. I promise I won't hurt you," he whispers soothing and he turns me so I face him. "I promise."

I continue coughing as I weep, and each cough sends pain through my side, into my chest. "Y-you promise?"

"Of course."

I let go of his wrist and leave my arms at my sides, my hands clasped in front of me. He holds onto one of my arms as he begins sliding my sweatshirt and my tank to back up my side, and I yelp in pain. More of the bruise is revealed as he lifts up my clothing all the way to the top of my stomach.

"How big is it?" he mumbles to himself. "Annabeth, just take your sweatshirt off."

"No," I say, pulling away from him successfully.

"Please, Annabeth, I just need to see it all." He doesn't move towards me, just leaves the decision up to me, if I can trust him or not. In a way, I feel like I can, but I'm afraid.

But I slip my sweatshirt off anyway, leaving myself in just my tank top, my bra straps showing my shoulders along with my tank top straps. My tank top still covers my bruise, and he looks at me, and I know what he's asking. But I can't do that, I can't feel like I feel with Luke, bare and open. So why do I obey? I have a choice. And I make it, but it's the choice I didn't want to make. But at the same time, I do want to make it, because for some reason, I believe Percy can help. So I do it anyway. I slip my tank top off carefully, holding it out in front of me, so I'm just in my bra.

Why in the world would I show Percy, who I've only really talked to for about a day, my bruises, leave myself open for him? My flat stomach is showing, my new bruise is showing, all the marks and scars from previous wounds Luke has given me are visible, my collarbone is bare. And this guy that I hate can see all of it. Or do I even really hate him at all?

He takes a step back, obviously showing he won't touch me unless I want him to, which in one way, I do, and in another way, I don't. He looks at my side from a distance, seeing the full, dark, swollen and tender bruise. It runs from just below my bra down my side and ends at my hip. I start to cry again, and I don't know why. Maybe because it hurts, maybe because I'm upset at what Luke's doing to me, maybe because I want Percy to help me and yet he's standing so far away.

"Say something," I plead. The silence is eating me alive.

"I don't know what to say."

"So I'm just going to stand here and feel open and bare, and all you're going to do is stare?" I snap.

"I'm trying to figure out what to do, but I don't want to make you feel awkward or hurt you."

"I think it's more awkward that I'm just standing here in my bra."

"Well I don't really know what to do."

"So you can't help?"

"Well, I can, but I don't know how."

"Just do something!"

Percy takes a deep breath and walks closer to me, and I leave my arm crossed along my stomach so my bruise is open. He hasn't stared anywhere but at my bruise, and I'm grateful for that, because Luke would stare at other places, like at my chest, and he wouldn't just stare, he would touch. But Percy doesn't seem interested about that. He bends down by my wound, sitting on his knees, and I feel his warm breaths against my side, sending chills through me.

He brushes his fingers along my side, and pain prickles through it. I wince. He puts one hand on the small of my back to keep me steady, and I feel the heat from his palm against my skin. I shiver, partly from his touch, partly from the cold air wrapped around me. Hopefully he doesn't notice. If he does, he doesn't show it, he just stares at my bruise carefully, and he looks like he's thinking real hard about what to do next.

He hesitates, then leans his forehead lightly against my side, which in a way hurts, but I don't care, because butterflies are fluttering around in my stomach. He brushes his lips softly along my bruise, his eyes closed, and electricity surges through me, just like the morning when he passed me those notes and our fingers brushed, or when he kissed my wrist in the car. But this I guarantee is about a million times better.

And I make up my choice right then and there. I don't hate Percy Jackson. I probably never did. My feelings were just hidden behind Luke's actions. And I hate Luke. Luke is the problem, Percy never was. I'll have to thank Mr. Brunner for pairing him up with me for this project as one of the things we did together. That thought makes me want to laugh.

Percy's other hand now rests on my flat stomach, holding himself and I steady as he just leans on my bruise cautiously, every few seconds kissing it lightly. Each and every brush of his lips make me feel like I'm floating, like I just want to drop into his arms and never have to worry again. The pain is subsiding, but I guess that's probably because I'm so giddy about what he's doing. It's working though.

His hands are strong and warm, and I feel safe when he touches me, like he can protect me from everyone and everything. I drop my sweatshirt and tank top on the floor in front of me so my hands are free and I cover his hand that rests on my stomach with mine. Tears are spilling down my cheeks, but they're happy tears, tears of gratitude for Percy, just for how he's treating me. He's treating me with respect, and he's trying to help. He cares. He's not taking advantage of me, the way Luke would.

Percy wraps his arms around my midsection, hugging me tightly, his head still against my bruise. I hold onto his arm with my hands for support, and my tears slip off my cheeks and fall onto my collarbone, or on his arms, or on my hands. He doesn't say anything, and I don't either, I just stand there, feeling content in his arms. Safe. I'm safe.

After a few minutes, he sighs a little and mumbles against my skin, "I honestly don't know what to do."

I chuckle softly, and assure him, "What you're doing now is just fine."

I feel him smile against my side and he says, "I feel terrible, Annabeth. I can't believe he's doing this to you."

"I've been dealing with it fine."

"That's a lie. You're not fine. And you shouldn't have to deal with it in the first place."

"Well, I still am, aren't I? I can't escape, Percy."

"He's not getting away with it anymore."

"How won't he?"

"I won't let him."

"Percy, he can't see me with you. He'll hit me harder," I say shakily, reliving yesterday in my mind.

"I don't care, I'll fight him if I have to."

"Don't."

"But I will. You shouldn't be with him."

"But I can't get away, Percy! He's got me right where he wants me, where he's in control, and I can't do anything about it."

"But I can. And then you can finally escape. You can be with whoever you want to be with. You won't have to be harassed by him anymore."

"Am I some sort of charity case to you?" I ask, suddenly angry.

Percy lifts up his head and looks up at me. "Why would you think that?"

"You're leading me on, aren't you?"

"I would never do that! I'm trying to help. I won't deny that I wish you would want to be with me, and I always have, but I didn't say that because I don't know how you feel. But you could. If you wanted to, you could be with me," he says that last part softly, a whisper of wind, like it's sensitive. And I guess it is, but the truth is that I've realized that's exactly what I want.

"But that is what I want, and I didn't realize that before, because Luke's actions hid it from me. I thought you were like him," I whisper.

"I'm not like him. I promise, I'll never, ever do that to you. Ever. You don't deserve what he gives you, Annabeth. You deserve something better. Something more."

"I know you're not like him. But in the beginning, he was nice and thoughtful and kind, and he made me believe he was... I don't know. But how do I know that's not what you're doing now? What if I decide I want to be with you, just like how I was with Luke, and once you have me, you use me like he does?"

"Annabeth, I promise with all my heart that I will never do that. I will never use you like that. I'll give you everything I have, I promise. I'll treat you like a princess, because that's what you deserve. I'll give you my best. I don't know how good my best is, but I promise I'll treat you as good as I can. And trust me when I say my good isn't abusing or taking advantage of you."

I listen to his words carefully, processing them in my mind. I look down at him and meet his eyes, and I understand that he's telling the truth. And I realize that when Luke was nice and caring, I couldn't tell that. I couldn't understand like I can with Percy. Percy shows it. Luke was acting.

"I believe you," I breathe out, suddenly exhausted.

He grins at me and kisses my bruise again. "I'm so sorry about what he did to you." He stares at my bruise, brushing his lips along it again.

"I'm okay. You're helping."

He smiles and takes his arms away from me, standing up. "Does it still hurt?" he asks, and I can't help but think how cute he when he's worried.

I think about it, focusing on how it feels, and even though it still hurts a little, it's better. "A little. But it feels much better than before."

"I can give you some ice and you could lay down and rest for a little while," he suggests.

"Okay."

He walks over the freezer and I pick up my sweatshirt and tank top from in front of me. He comes back with a long ice pack that can easily fit on my entire side.

"It's really cold," he says.

"That's okay, it'll numb it."

"Okay, hold on," he says, walking out of the room and coming back a few minutes later with some gauze. He bends back down by my bruise and sets the ice pack down on my bare skin, covering my entire bruise. The cold is like standing in a snowstorm in only your underwear, and I immediately start shivering, my teeth chattering. Percy ignores my shaking and starts wrapping the gauze around my midsection, securing the ice pack in place. When he's done, he stands back up and steps back.

"You can put your clothes on now," he says, blushing.

I throw my tank top on, and it fits snugly now with the ice pack strapped to my side. I put on my baggy sweatshirt, but it doesn't really help with the cold feeling, and I'm still shivering. Percy takes my hand and leads me up the stairs, and I follow him up and onto the second floor. He leads me through a few different hallways, and I'm positive I would get lost if I was alone. He finally stops at a door and opens it, motioning for me to go in. I walk in to find a large bedroom with a king-sized bed, dark blue-green walls, and a window covered by blue curtains. Furniture like a desk and a dresser is neatly arranged in the room, and it's surprisingly clean.

"Is this your room?" I ask.

"Yeah, you can lay down here and rest, if you want."

"That would be nice... Thanks, Percy."

I turn away because I can feel how much I'm blushing now, and I don't want him to see. I hesitantly walk over to his bed and pull down the covers, climbing in and immediately sinking into the mattress and covers. It was the most comfortable thing I've ever been on. I curl up and lean on Percy's pillow, and it smells like him, a faint scent of Axe spray and mint and something distinctly male. Percy stands by the door and watches me, then steps closer and pulls up the covers all the way to my chin.

The cold is still there, numbing my side, but I feel a bit warmer under the covers and in my sweatshirt, snuggled up in his bed. He brushes his hair away from my face and I hear the pitter-patter of pouring rain, soothing. His fingers brush along my forehead, across my closed eyelids, down my nose and across my cheeks, and finally, brushes over my lips. My eyes are still closed, I can't see him, but I know he's smiling. He takes his other hand and continues to stroke my hair softly, and I feel safe and protected.

"Are you cold?" he asks, his voice barely a whisper and like only the slightest wisp of a breeze.

"Yes," I answer, my voice just as soft, my lips moving against his fingertips. There's an awkward silence that fills the air, so I just lay there still with my eyes closed. He's so quiet if his fingertips weren't against my lips I would have thought he left.

"Can I lay with you for a little while?" he asks, filling the silence, and I'm surprised, and I can hear the embarrassment in his voice.

"Sure," I say, secretly happy that he can stay with me, maybe hold me and make me feel safe.

He gets up, gently pulling his hand out of my grip, and I hear him walking, then I hear the door shut, and the next thing I know he's climbing into bed next to me, and he's wrapping his arms around me, careful of my side. He holds me tightly, protectively, and he snuggles up against me, hiding his face in my neck. Soon enough, I am able to calm my beating heart, feeling comforted with him next to me, protecting me. Exhaustion waves over me and I fall asleep in his arms, finally feeling warm with him against me and the covers wrapped around me.

Thanks for reading, tell me what you think in the reviews. This wasn't a filler chapter, because a lot of information was covered in it, like Percy and Annabeth's back story, Annabeth's feelings, etc. I just added fluff to make it more interesting! So, please review! Thank you, I love you all! xD

- Blair