Day of Planning

Annabeth and I found a room to talk where the Hunters, Grover, or Tyson couldn't bother us. Something, as I noted, was really getting on Annabeth's nerves that I had to ask her about. The room was a simple sitting room like the one we had found the Hunter's in with a couch and tables with magazines. It sort of reminded me of a dentist's office.

"What's wrong?" I asked as we sat on the couch. She had her legs crossed Indian style and she was facing me. Her thumbs twiddled around each other as her hands rested in her lap. A piece of her hair had fallen in front of her face and I fixed it behind her ear.

"Thalia- what she said, about wanting what we had. I don't think she was absently saying that as if she had once wanted that. She said it as if she still did." Annabeth shook her head and stared down at her hands.

"She's a Hunter, she can't no matter what and Thalia knows that." Annabeth's eyes went up to me and she gave a weak smile. We were both thinking the same thing. Thalia had feelings for Luke just like Annabeth had. Luke too sort of had feelings for Thalia where as he considered Annabeth a sister.

"Don't you know there are Hunters that break their promise." Annabeth reminded me. I shook my head. A few seconds later in silence, "Remember when you thought I was joining the Hunters? I was never going to do it. They handed me the brochures and I thought no way. I considered my family, you, and my friends. To many important people that I couldn't live on forever without."

"Thalia won't break the promise. She knows that Luke isn't himself anymore." I reached for Annabeth's hand, "We'll get help from the Hunters, stop the monster, find Nico and save the worlds." Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"Save the world, Seaweed Brain? Busy week," she squeezed my hand. "Wish you knew how you felt about me sooner."

"Me?" I asked, "I knew all along." She shook her head and smiled. For a moment, she laughed lightly, "All right, maybe I didn't know all along but I felt it all along…did that make sense?" Annabeth shook her head to say that she hadn't. "Well, I always loved you I suppose but I just didn't realize it for awhile."

"Good to know. I guess I could've realized it sooner too," she leaned in and kissed my cheek. I moved quickly enough though so though our lips touched instead. I felt Annabeth smile and I laughed lightly. The hand that wasn't holding hers went up to hold her cheek. This kiss went on and on.

Eventually Annabeth pulled me forward until she was lying on the couch and I was holding myself over her. I could feel her beating heart racing in excitement in time with mine. She tasted sweet and her hands were at my waist. Just as I tilted my head to deepen the kiss, the door burst open.

I rolled over and fell off the couch with a huge thud but not to avoid the eyes of several people. "Boys," a Hunter murmured while rolling her eyes. Thalia was in the front, appearing a little broken hearted at the sight of me, rubbing my head from hitting the floor and Annabeth's face red in a blush.

"Percy kiss Annabeth?" Tyson asked with a raised eyebrows.

"More if we hadn't interpreted," muttered another Hunter, "Be thankful we came daughter of Annabeth. Men will trick you." I wasn't going to point out that Annabeth had pulled me on top of her because it wasn't any of their business.

Thalia was glaring harshly at me now. "I hope you two can control yourselves while we discuss the plans." I stood up and then offered my hand to Annabeth. I saw Thalia stare grow harsher as she stared as Annabeth's fingers wrapped perfectly into mine. Her jaw tightened, did Thalia really want this? Why did she become a Hunter if she did?

"I think we got it out of our systems," Annabeth whispered in my ear as we began walking back towards the other room. I smiled and saw her staring at me. I could feel my heart racing. No one else could do that to me like Annabeth.

We sat down next to each other on the couch, me on the end so the Hunters wouldn't have to sit next to me. Grover and Tyson were all right to the Hunters because they weren't mortals. Thalia remained standing, "We've killed off most of them but we're glad you came. We could use a few more hands on the last few. I believe it will be easier now."

"What are we going to do?" I asked patiently. Thalia shot Annabeth and I another glance. I could see the changes in Thalia now since she became a Hunter. She seemed angrier as if she didn't want to be here. Was she regretting her choices?

"I've heard monster activity near the base of the old Mount Olympus. Our troops will head out tonight. Annabeth, Percy, Tyson, Grover and I will go first. If we need reinforcements, we will signal the rest of the Hunters." All right, a plan, that was always good.

"What time are we leaving? We just fought Chimera and I think some of us could use a bit of rest." Annabeth asked patiently. I was noticing the Hunters more closely now. They were all pretty girls with a slight silver glow similar to Artemis and Thalia seemed the oldest in age. The others were mostly around twelve through fourteen just as Artemis was.

"Use the spare rooms to rest, we leave in four hours." For a Half Blood on an adventure that was enough sleep to be thankful for. If we were going to face some of the stronger monsters Thalia's Hunters couldn't handle than we were in for a rough night. Although I do have to admit, Tyson, Grover, Annabeth and I make a pretty strong team because we've been fighting together for so long and work that well together.

All four of us stood up to get rooms. I heard Thalia call out, "Behave!" Tyson, Grover, Annabeth and I started cracking up, but Tyson I think laughed because we were laughing and didn't understand why. Tyson got the first room, then Grover, and then I walked Annabeth to her door.

"I guess you should get another room," Annabeth teased but I could kind of hear disappointment in her tone. Interesting I thought. She leaned against the door as if she didn't want to sleep now. I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, have to behave and all." I rolled my eyes. Annabeth laughed. "Thalia doesn't like though and she's our friend. I'd rather not get her mad." Annabeth sigh knowing I was right. I lifted her chin with my finger, "About the kiss before…um-." I had better words than that but I completely forgot.

"Geez Seaweed Brain, way to be romantic."

"Way to ruin it Annabeth." She laughed at that.

"At least your trying, that's why I always chose you because you never give up." Her gray eyes sparkled and she was smiling. "Does not making Thalia upset mean we can't at least have kiss goodnight?"

I leaned in so I was just inches from her lips, she had tilted her head up in anticipation. "I think we can at least do that."

Then we kissed for a quick second before sleeping.

Who knew when we woke up the worst would happen.