OKAY!

The "F" word is used quite a lot during one scene. Just warning you childs :]

I didn't see Percy or Annabeth in the hallway, and for a terrifying second I entertained the idea of her smothering him to death with her puffy pink dress and disposing of the body in the janitor's closet. Then I caught a flash of aforementioned puffy pink dress as Annabeth stormed out of the girl's bathroom and back into the gym.

Her face was as pink and puffy as her dress.

Maybe a few shades darker.

I covered my face and snuck out the front door. It was cold outside. Too cold to be wandering around a parking lot in nothing but a little black and blue dress. I wrapped my arms around myself and scanned the vast, black abyss for Percy's car and spotted it parked sideways along the outer curb to the highway.

Oh curse my luck.

I huffed some warm breath onto my trembling hands and stepped off the sidewalk. The wind, which was low-key but devastating all the same, forced my dress to tangle around my knees and my hair to whip forward and poke me in the eye. I swore loudly and fought with the fabric as I reached the passenger side of Percy's car.

After a moment of savage war with my dress I managed to get it under relative control and tapped gently on the window.

"Percy?" I asked softly against the glass, "Are you in there?"

His head came into view as he leaned sideways and unlocked the door, "Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

Percy gave a half shrug and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. His eyes were trained on the horn in front of him, and his entire body was rigid.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Percy?"

"What?"

"You're a really bad liar, Percy."

He pursed his lips and shot a glance out the windshield. I wrenched open the door and hurled my shaking body inside. To my dismay, it was only slightly less freezing in the car.

"Hi there." I said once I had settled in. Percy slid a hand along the expanse of the dashboard in front of him. I caught a glimpse of the Dum-Dum wrapper hat taped near the stereo.

"Hey."

I smoothed out the skirt of my dress across my lap and fixed my own eyes on the flickering streetlamp across the highway, "So what happened?"

Percy let out a long and tired sigh, "She kept screaming at me." He passed a hand through his hair but still didn't look at me, "And I don't mean an advanced form of yelling, I mean real, loud, shrill there's-a-guy-in-a-hockey-mask-with-a-chainsaw-outside-my-window screaming."

I nodded slowly, "So she was pretty hysterical then?"

Percy laughed sardonically, "No. Whatever that was went far and beyond hysterics."

"I meant hysterical as in funny. You know-ha, ha, ha."

"Neither of us was laughing."

I nudged him playfully, "Come on, I bet you snorted."

"More like shit my pants." He retorted softly. I frowned and leaned my elbow on the window by my head.

"Yea but I bet that has more to do with your intestines than the rage of Annabeth The Asswhore."

Percy snorted, "God, Soph, ew, don't say that." He chastised, but there was a hint of humor in his tone.

I leaned back, "Sorry, it's just what I heard."

"Yeah," Percy sighed again, "I heard that too."

Suddenly a horrifying X-Rated thought found its way into my G-Rated brain and I nearly imploded with the effort of getting rid of it, "But you. . .didn't-"

Percy cut me off abruptly, not wanting to hear the smut about to come out of my mouth and also giving me my answer without having to fully know the question, "Can we be serious now? For five seconds?"

I made a lip zipping motion and smiled at him, "Sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

"Which part?" He asked tartly.

I paused, stretching out the suspense, "'But'."

There was a moment of silence and then Percy cracked a grin and let out a quiet, restrained but truly amused laugh. I, of course, wasted no time in forcing more life saving humor into our sickeningly depressing conversation.

"Oh shit, I made you laugh." I folded my hands in my lap innocently.

Percy turned completely away from me, but couldn't hide the smirk on his face, "Oh fuck off, Soph."

"No, I'm really sorry." I twisted to touch his arm apologetically, "I know what a devastating thing it is to peek out from under your veil of gloom."

Percy turned and gave me a glare, "I'm not gloomy."

"So why the long face, Eeyore?" I asked snottily. He shrugged and sighed yet again and refocused across the street.

I watched him silently for a few minutes before clearing my throat animatedly and leaning forward, "So a horse walks into a bar"

Percy laughed despite himself.

"-And the bartender takes a good look at him, sets a big frothy mug in front of him and says-"

Percy cut in sullenly, "Why the long face."

"No." I pulled a face at him for interrupting my joke, "He says, 'that'll be a buck fifty'."

"You're so lame." Percy laughed and shook his head shamefully. I smiled smugly at him, quite obviously proud of my attempt at butchering one of America's favorite hilarities.

I gave a brief head bow, "So did you break up?"

He bit his lip and nodded, "Yeah."

"I see."

"But for the record, I dumped her." He sat forward and looked directly at me for the first time. I nodded in acceptance of his fervor in convincing me it was all his decision and waited patiently for some elaboration.

"So what did, Luke say?" He asked that same distaste for the name and probably the man as well, still insanely evident in his tone.

So much for elaboration.

I sighed and puffed out my cheeks in agitation at merely the memory of my last encounter with my date, "Not much, " I laughed shortly, "He had a few very complimentary new nicknames for me. . .his favorite started with an 'S'. . .but other than that, Luke isn't a man of many words. I mean it's not like we were dating or anything. I can't expect him to get too irrationally upset."

There was another slightly awkward pause before Percy shook his head, "If I were him, I'd have killed me."

"Yeah right." I laughed.

Percy face me again, "Seriously, if I had a chance like that and some dude got in the way. . ." He paused, ". . . god it . . . scares me just thinking about how fucking furious I'd be."

I stared at him, contemplating his sincerity. It was possible that he meant it. I mean, after all, we did have a moment in the dance. Not to mention the various other close-calls over the past few weeks. But I was still skeptical. He had never been this vehement before.

"You know, you don't have to say things like that just to make me feel better." I said softly, turning back to my lap.

"I mean it, Soph." Percy insisted. He held my eyes for a long time before turning away shyly, "I didn't like it when you kissed him. At school. It bothered me . . . bothered me a lot." He laughed softly, "And honestly I just kept wishing that I didn't know why."

I felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my head and my heart was going to explode within my chest. Percy's mouth opened and closed twice. Then he looked at me again and whispered, "I was jealous."

I closed my eyes and sucked in a quick, sharp breath, "Percy-"

He cut me off, "I fucking swear to you. I'm not just saying it."

There was a long pensive silence before my alter-ego 'Super Insane Idiot Sophia' fought her way out and smiled at Percy, "Yea well, you also once swore to me that Fraggles were real."

Percy looked directly at me, his face a stone of seriousness, "I really, truly believe they exist."

"Like the Easter Bunny?" I teased stupidly. Being unable, for some reason, to handle his intensity Percy seemed to be on a roll though, because he leaned forward slightly, his eyes trying desperately to hold my own.

"This has nothing to do with the Easter Bunny."

I blinked slowly and licked my lips, getting obviously anxious at his proximity. But my inner comedian wasn't quite ready to throw in the towel.

I gave Percy a mock frown, "I'm so going to tell him you said that. It'll break his little heart."

Percy laughed softly and scratched agitatedly at his head, "Sophia-"

"You are pure evil."

"What would I do without you?" He sighed. And finally I shut up and met his eyes.

The streetlights outside illuminated the side of his face and made the specks of a lighter shade of dark brown in his hair sparkle.

I shrugged, "Buy a hamster?"

Percy let out another laugh almost automatically and turned away from me, letting his hands slap down on the steering wheel dismally, "I'd have lost it years ago."

I gave myself a mental slap across the face and leaned forward to touch his arm comfortingly, "No you wouldn't have."

He let out a rush of air, "Yes I would-"

"No, Percy, "I insisted, scooting closer to him and wrapping my arm haphazardly around his shoulders, "No, you're so strong. You have so much going for you." I paused to examine his profile. His forehead was against the steering wheel and he had shut his eyes but I could tell by the crinkle at the corner of his mouth that he was listening, "Percy, you're amazing and you don't even realize it." I began to rub soft circles on his back, "You stand out and impress without ever even trying."

Percy shook his head.

I rested my chin against his shoulder and let my lips ghost over his ear gently before whispering, "There isn't a single person in this town who doesn't know who you are." I paused to suck in a deep breath, "You have this pull. This incredible uniqueness about you that . . . you glow, Percy. And everyone can see it radiate."

Carefully, Percy sat up and faced me. His deep brown eyes were glistening with some kind of surrender. Everything that had piled up on him was finally taking too much of a toll for him to put on his smile anymore. I sat back and stared at him, my mouth open in a silent sob as he blinked slowly and small pearl-like tear drops slid down his cheeks.

"Then why did he leave me?" Percy croaked out. I bit down on my tongue to keep from crying out at the heartbroken look on my best friend's face as I reached forward to brush the tears from his cheeks and chin.

I wiped them away and ran my fingers through his hair tenderly, "I don't know." I answered truthfully. As much as I wanted to give him a reason, a good solid reason, I couldn't. There wasn't one. So I did the best I could, "But no one should ever hurt you." I whispered, kissing his cheek, "Someone like you shouldn't ever have to feel pain."

Percy pressed his face against my neck, his hands still clutching the steering wheel with so much force I wondered if they'd leave an imprint, and simply breathed. For the longest time the only sound was his ragged breathing against my skin, and the sensation was almost more than I could handle.

But it was over almost as quickly as it had begun. Percy backed away just enough to get his face in front of mine and whispered, "Pain lets us know we're alive."

I frowned at him and shook my head, leaning back a little, "Maybe, but there are other things that tell us we're alive."

"Like what?" Percy asked me.

"Love." I answered softly. Up until that point in my life, I had never been completely sure, but the minute Percy asked, I knew that was the answer.

Percy held my eyes for a split second before sitting back in his seat, "Sure."

I sighed and angled myself so I could still see him, "Percy you're so special! There's so much love in your life, you have no idea. Everyone-"

He cut me off with an exasperated heave of breath and an incredibly disbelieving tone that made my stomach plummet, "Oh come on, Sophia! None of those people care!" He hissed, "Not one single fucking person in that gym came out here. They all saw and heard her screaming."

"I came. . ." I whispered, feeling overwhelmingly conquered by his hopelessness. It had started to rain, the drops left deformed and intricate shadows across my lap.

Percy shook his head disdainfully, "They don't really care."

I looked up at the sound of defeat in his voice and gave one last try, "You're wrong, Percy."

There was a long silence then. We both just sat and stewed in our unhappiness at the way the world had seemingly turned on us. I looked up periodically to try and catch Percy's eye, but he wouldn't look away from those flickering lights across the highway. Just as I began contemplating getting out of the car, he spoke.

"You care though." He said softly. I looked up from my lap and met his eyes for the first time in nearly fifteen minutes. He offered a tentative smile and dropped his gaze to the seat between us, "About my dad, about me . . . you always stick by me. Even when I'm being a total fucking jerk." He laughed softly, submissively, "You're my best friend. No matter what."

I returned the smile genuinely and reached for his hand. He flipped his palm up and entwined our fingers together, never taking his eyes off of them.

"You're the amazing one, Soph."

Then he turned and kissed me. For the second time that night. And this time, no one would interrupt us.

We kept our hands tightly clasped as our lips melded together, sweetly and shyly at first but quickly the kiss became more heated, more urgent. Percy's free hand slid up and down my side and around my back while my own tangled in his soft hair.

It was everything I had ever wanted and more. In that moment we belonged completely to each other. And I thought life had finally started to go my way.

Percy twisted in his seat to face me completely, forcing me to bend backwards. His arms came around me and the one that was attached to the hand that still clutched mine so tightly pressed down onto the seat behind me to support his weight as he guided our bodies down in the front seat.

And still my head was reeling from the monumentality of the moment. So much so that I didn't think anything of his fervor until his hand found its way under the fabric of my dress to cup my breast.

My eyes snapped open and I reached up to force his hand away, but for some reason, Percy took it to mean something else, and that same hand began to travel down my side to my thigh where his long fingers slowly gathered up the folds of my skirt.

"Percy. . ." I reached down and pushed it away. He mumbled something against my neck as his hand fought with mine to get back under my skirt.

I gripped it tightly and pushed with all my strength. I always knew Percy was strong, but I had never had to actually try and parallel it before. He let go of my hand and slid that one between us to fumble with my skirt, as well as his belt, as the one I currently wrestled with forced my arm up above my head.

"Percy, come on." I begged softly as his hand slid up my thigh. He wasn't listening. And when I heard the distinct sound of his fly coming undone, I panicked, "Percy!" I shouted and wedged my knee between his legs, lifting up and coming into quick and probably painful contact with his groin.

He jolted away from me with a yelp and a restrained curse.

Yep, painful.

I sat up slowly, watching him writhe in his seat and swear under his breath, his eyes pinched shut and his teeth clenched.

After I had re-situated my dress to cover all the improper places, I took a deep breath, "Percy, I'm so-"

He cut me off abruptly by punching the steering wheel savagely, "What in the fuck do you want from me Soph? Huh?" He glared at me, the incomprehensible anger so evident on his face that it frightened me. Then he shook his head and whipped around to hit the wheel again, "Goddamnit! You fucking made it seem like you wanted this. You acted like. . .fuck, Sophia I'm not a fucking mind-reader! Do you want me or not?"

I stared, open mouthed, at him, "Percy, calm down."

"No!" He shouted, half pleading, half demanding, "I can't now! Soph, you got me all riled up and now you're knocking me down. I can't take anymore of this shit! This . . . fucking rejection! My dad did it . . . fuck!" Percy punched the steering wheel yet again, "And now you're fucking kill me!"

I felt guilty, because I never thought he would take this as rejection. I wasn't rejecting him, he was moving too fast and it scared me. I tried to tell him, "I'm no-"

"Oh shut the fuck up! Don't fucking say anything. Fucking cock tease." Percy said furiously.

I was stunned into silence for a very long time. How could he say that to me? Didn't he know? Didn't he know that it was never about that with him? Didn't he understand how I felt? After everything, how couldn't he know?

I found my voice, but even as I spoke it was cramped and cowardly, "What?"

"You heard me."

I didn't say anything. His words stung me. I stared disbelievingly at him for a moment before turning slowly and reaching for the door handle. I had one leg out of the door when Percy grabbed my arm.

"Soph! Sophi-" He shouted as I tried to yank my arm away from him.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I shouted back at him and twisted my body for more leverage. His grip tightened on my arm and his other hand reached for my side as I slid out of the car. I yanked at my arm again as I stood up, "Let me go!" I said as firmly as possible without yelling. Percy looked at me defiantly, and gave one last pull on my body. I leaned backward, pulling against him, and managed a quick, swift kick to the door, slamming it shut. Percy let go of my arm, narrowly missing being smashed by the flying metal.

I fell backwards, my rear end slamming against the ground, but I didn't miss a beat. I stood up and turned from the car, the tears erupting before I even took a step.

I started running away from the car, into the pouring rain, glancing back over my shoulder once to see Percy with his head resting against the steering wheel, his fists clenched and his lips moving in silent curses either for being kicked in the balls, or for hurting me.

I chose to believe it was the latter, so that my god-like image of him would not be completely broken. So much of what I had hoped for was already dashed against the rocks, I couldn't lose everything.

Even though his shaking form made me want to go back to him, to hold him, to forgive him. I couldn't. I was too scared. Whatever happened in that car that triggered his explosion had terrified me, and all I wanted was to get away.

I walked home, trembling and crying, whispering desperate pleas into the cold night air. When my front porch came into view I paused and checked behind me for any sign of being followed. I knew Percy wouldn't come after me. I don't know how I knew, but I did, and it killed me.

I had long ago taken off my shoes, my ankles were swollen and my feet were so cold they were turning a pretty shade of blue. My dress clung to my body, so soaking wet that if I took it off and wrung it out an entire ocean would spill into my bathtub. I stumbled up the steps and reached for the doorknob, my fingers so numb they could barely manage a weak grasp around the freezing brass. I tried to turn it, but it didn't budge.

It was at that very moment that I lost all control. I beat my frozen fists violently against the locked door and screamed at the top of my lungs. I threw my shoes savagely across the porch and into the yard, tore at the dress as it tangled around my legs, and snapped the chain around my neck in half, letting the "S" fly off to some unknown corner of the porch.

"Fuck you, Percy!" I screamed as loudly as I could. I threw my body against the door with every ounce of strength I could muster, "Fuck you!"

The tears were streaming down my face as I slammed myself against it again. After the third time, I stopped to let out a wretched sob. My body was shaking fiercely, wracked and heaving with the effort of standing up. So I didn't anymore. I let my body slide down the wall until I hit the porch floor with a thud. I covered my face with my hands and curled into a ball, "Fuck you." I whispered, exhausted by my complete release of control. I waited there, on my porch in the rain, freezing and tired and angry and broken, for almost an hour before my parents returned. I guess I gave them quite a scare. They got me inside and called a doctor. I'm told he came and did a thorough examination of my physical and mental status, but I'm also told I was barely coherent at that point. Which must be true because I can't remember any of it.

The diagnosis was:

I was sore and bruised from hurling my body at the house. And swollen from walking home in heels. And I caught a cold.

I caught a cold. That was all.

The doctor and my parents said absolutely nothing of my mental state. Maybe they couldn't tell, maybe they were just afraid of another outburst. It had to be fear, how could they not sense something was horribly wrong? It's not like I had fist-i-cuffs with buildings on a regular basis. But I was okay with them not acknowledging it. I would hate to have to hurt my parents with the truth. Sure, they've been where I am, in a sense. They aren't stupid; they know that this kind of thing happens.

But sometimes, it's still best to leave people in the dark.