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The first dinner Annabeth and Percy went to was quiet and polite. They ate at some restaurant Percy said was his favorite (other than his own, of course), and Annabeth liked it as well. He didn't pry. In fact, he didn't ask questions about Annabeth's personal life at all, which was a major relief to her. That night, after Percy dropped her off back at the restaurant so she could get back in her car,

Annabeth found a cheap motel she could stay in and paid a week in advance. There was a leaky faucet and the TV did a weird, flickering thing, but overall it was clean and good enough for Annabeth.

Percy didn't train her after the first day because she knew how to do everything, but he did check up on her regularly to make sure she was doing okay, and Lilly usually ran up to her to tell her something exciting she learned or what she thought about Annabeth's hair that day. A week after Annabeth started working, Percy asked her to dinner again. Well, Lilly asked, but Percy was just a few feet away pretending to write someone's order down, but he was grinning. Annabeth said yes, mainly because she couldn't stand having to take home her free meal she gets from working and eating it for dinner.
She needed something other than burgers and fries for dinner. She changed before they left since she left her bags in her car in case something happened. Like him finding her. She tried to clear those thoughts as she changed into a white blouse and blue jean shorts, glad she decided to shave last night.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, her uniform draped over her arm, Lilly was the only one in the dining area. Annabeth assumed Percy was in the back making sure everything was off or locked. Annabeth spread her arms, turning to the side a little.

"How do think I look?" she asked Lilly.

"Pretty!" she replied.

Annabeth smiled, dropping her arms. "Really?"

"Yes," Lilly said before turning her attention back to her coloring book.

Percy wasn't going to lie; he thought Annabeth was seriously beautiful. When she asked him for a job, he was inclined to say yes. He felt like if he said no he'd be making a huge mistake. Something about her-the twinkle of great knowledge in her grey eyes, or the way she stuck her chin out, ready for any challenge-immediately drew his attention to her.

The first time he asked her to dinner, when he was walking out in the parking lot ready to take Lilly out to dinner because she was hungry, Lilly pointed out Annabeth still sitting in her car even though her shift ended twenty minutes ago. She was staring at the steering wheel, her eyes hard and lost, and he wondered what she was thinking about. Her lips were pulled into a frown and her eyebrows were knitted together. She looked upset. Then Percy knocked on her window and she jumped hard. Even though she looked like a woman with the strongest will he'd ever seen, she seemed almost frightened of something. He knew once Lilly begged her, she'd say yes. And she did, which made Percy's heart do something weird.

And now here they were, sitting at a table in a small restaurant for the second time. He talked Lilly into asking Annabeth to dinner because he hoped Annabeth had a soft spot for Lilly. And he was right. Lilly had worn her butterfly wings again today and she immediately sat next to Annabeth, her butterfly wings crushed beneath her small back but she didn't seem to mind. Percy could really tell she liked Annabeth, which was a good thing. Annabeth laughed at his stupid jokes and corrected him when he got information wrong and she helped Lilly when she knocked her water over.

"So," Percy finally said as Annabeth dropped a few sopping wet napkins at the edge of the table, "where did you come from?" He didn't want to ask her this on the first time he took her to dinner because he didn't want to scare her away with his questions.

Annabeth cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Percy almost changed the subject, but she answered before he got the chance. "I'm from Virginia. I moved here, um…because I was tired of my town and state. I've wanted to go to New York for a while."

"How long have you been here?" Percy asked as he pulled the ketchup bottle from Lilly's grasp before she could over flow her french fries with it. He put a straw in her new drink that the waitress brought by and made sure it was out of reach of her elbow. She began the chew on her chicken strips, looking across the table at him with big blue eyes. He made a face at her and she giggled.

"My first day was when I asked you for a job," she said quietly, mixing the sauce of her chicken alfredo in with the noodles and taking a bite. Percy let that sink in for a second before he blinked in surprise.

"Your first day? Where are you staying?"

Annabeth mumbled something Percy couldn't hear then changed the subject by asking Lilly her favorite color.

"I like blue," she said, tapping her fingers against the table and Percy could tell she was swinging her feet underneath the table. "But I like green too. And purple, I like purple too."

Percy let the subject drop, but he felt uncomfortable about it. It nagged him, but he pushed it away for the moment and focused on Annabeth and his daughter.

"Oh, I see. I like purple, too."

Lilly's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Annabeth nodded firmly. "Really."

As Percy watched the exchange, he suddenly felt a pang in his heart and he realized why Lilly had automatically taken to Annabeth. Annabeth had this motherly air about her, though he doubted she had any children. She knew how to treat kids well and Percy liked it.

Lilly pushed a fry into her mouth and then suddenly gasped.

"Daddy!" she said, her eyes wide.

"What?" Percy asked, knowing not to be too alert because Lilly did exaggerate most things. But it was cute (for now) so it didn't bother him.

"We forgot to feed Sir!" She slapped her hand against her forehead, something she learned from watching too many dramatic television shows.

"Sir?" Annabeth asked, looking the Percy in confusion. Percy grinned sheepishly, taking a sip of his soda before answering.

"Lilly, uh, has a knack for finding stray animals around our apartment complex and feeding them. Sir is a black kitten that she found hanging out around our neighbor's apartment," Percy answered. "Luckily, the managers like me so they said as long as the animals don't come inside, it's fine."

Annabeth pushed her hair behind her hair and smiled. "That's good."

"But it won't be good if he starves!" Lilly said impatiently. "We have to go home, daddy!"

Percy sighed. "Just wait until Annabeth finishes her dinner and I swear I will speed home," Percy promised. Lilly pouted and shifted the food around on her plate.

"It's fine," Annabeth said. "I can just take this home. We don't want Sir to starve."

Percy stared at her for a moment, trying to decided if her offer was genuine. She offered him a smile, and he decided she was the most beautiful woman he'd seen. He cleared his throat, pushing his empty plate back. He flagged the waitress down and asked for a to-go box. After Annabeth piled her food into the box, they all stood up, Lilly raising her hands above her head to stretch.

On the walk to the parking lot, Lilly grabbed Percy's hand and then Annabeth's. Annabeth looked down in surprise, but Lilly was too busy skipping to notice the look. Percy caught it though, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

When they arrived to the restaurant, Annabeth turned in her seat and peeked at Lilly over the shoulder of the passenger seat.

"I had fun," she said.

"Me too!" Lilly said, grinning.

"Alright. I'll see you two tomorrow."

"Wait," Percy said when Annabeth opened the door. He climbed out of the car as well and walked around to the passenger side. Annabeth stepped out and Percy walked her to her car.

"Thank you for dinner," Annabeth said after a moment.

"Oh, no problem. Lilly really likes you and it's good for her to be around women because she doesn't have a good…womanly influence," Percy pushed out, wincing slightly at his words. Sometimes, he wasn't very good at talking.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Her mom-"

"Daddy, can we please go?" Lilly called out of the open window. Annabeth laughed and nudged his shoulder.

"You better go," she said.

Percy grinned. "I better. Wouldn't want Sir going back to his original house, now would we?"

"No," Annabeth replied, smiling. "Thanks again," she called as he walked toward his car.

He turned, walking backward and flashed her his lopsided smile. "Anytime."

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