Chapter 12:

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Last time on: Heroes of the Thirteen Colonies

"Annabeth are you okay?" Percy's voice brought me back to reality. I nodded and he continued guiding me up the stairs. I decided I would retrieve Grover after the ceremony was over. Percy rushed me through the maze of the up stairs and stopped in front of a closet, this closet was hiding inside a different closet. He opened it quickly and then released a hatch revealing a blinding light. My eyes squinted and I could barely see Percy's outline.

"You ready?" He asked and I was thankful he was grabbing my hand.

"Yes." I replied, then I was swallowed by light.

~Annabeth~

"Are you kidding? I almost burned down the place!" Percy laughed, continuing to turn me in a circle.

"True, but nobody gets it perfect on their first try." He countered, probably trying to make me feel better. I did not.

We had just finished the ceremony and were now having the after party back at the mansion. The ceremony (I'll spare you the details) went fine until I almost dropped my Greek fire torch and lit Olympus on fire. It was mortifying. Nobody noticed but me apparently because whenever I would mention it, everyone would put on a confused face. I knew it was just them playing nice and sparring my feelings. It made me feel worse.

After the ceremony I expected us to just pop out in the closet, but when I opened my eyes I was back at the mansion. It made me really bummed out because I wanted to talk with Grover, but then Leo caught fire and screamed "Party!" and I got swept by Selina to go change and I kind of forgot about it. Selina guided me to her room (I guessed) and helped me undress because I could barely even breath to start. After I got it off I took a HUGE breath and just laid on the floor while Selina laughed at me.

"What is so funny?" I asked, giving her a friendly glare. Her laugh deepened. After a few minutes, and a couple knocks on the door asking if all was well, Selina finally sobered up.

"Oh nothing much, I just expected you to be used to corsets and big dresses since you're from Britain." She explained rising to open her closet door and hand me dresses.

"I never really had the chance. I grew up in an orphanage till I was thirteen and then I joined the British Army." I explained, surprised I was being so open about my past. I never told people much. Selina nodded looking at me. Her look was not sympathetic like I was expecting, but more friendly.

"Well that's too bad because you looked amazing in that dress." She said grabbing an orange dress and squealing. "This would look amazing on you!" She cried shoving it at me. I smiled because not only was Selina not treating me like a kicked puppy and that was great, but this dress was stunning. The dress was a light orange, not creamy but just light orange, and the bodice was a grey color. Normal those colors would not go together too well but this dress made it look amazing.

"I love it." I replied and she squealed again. I hoped she was not like this all the time. Selina took no time in putting it on me. She took my hair out of its up-down do letting my hair flow free and she nodded.

"You look perfect. Would this dress look good on me?" She asked grabbing a light purple dress from the stack. She held it up and even though she was not really wearing it, she looked beautiful.

I nodded eagerly and she smiled. I helped her get it on and help her pin up her hair. I knew how hard it was to do yourself, I am so used to it.

After she decided we both looked good enough to be seen she grabbed my hand, pulling me out her room and to the steps. The foyer had been transformed into a dance floor. Many people were sitting on the steps talking and laughing. I had never seen this many people having a good time and it was a little overwhelming. Selina seemed to notice my uncomfortable gaze and she smiled lightly.

"Hey it'll be okay, lets go find Charlie, I bet he knows where Thalia is if you want to hang out with her, she's not too into these parties either." She suggested and I nodded. She pulled me down the stairs and was about to sneak us into the meeting room when our names were called.

"Selina! Annabeth! It's about time you made it!" I did not know who it was that called us, but everyone seemed to notice us after that and we were swallowed back into the make shift ballroom. Nobody was dancing yet, but Selina let go of my hand as soon as she saw Beckendorf. She ran up to him all smiles and they kissed and I turned around to leave the room when I bumped right into Percy. Literally.

He smiled at me and I felt something deep down. My stomach did a couple flips. What is this feeling? Am I sick? Percy grabbed my hand, and I jumped in shock, I was not expecting that.

"Wanna go find somewhere else to hang? I don't really like parties and you look uncomfortable." He explained and I nodded. I was really overwhelmed and I did not know this place or people all too well. He lead me up the steps and he stopped at this little landing at the top with a little bench. I thought we were going somewhere else.

"Yeah I would but since I'm captain I have to make sure these lunatics don't do anything stupid." He explained and I realized I asked my question verbally. I nodded and we fell into a comfortable silence and we watched everyone else bellow. I placed my arms criss crossed on the railing and laid my head on my arms. After a couple minutes I decided I might as well start a conversation.

"So who is who? I do not know everybody's name and I feel bad." I said and Percy nodded sitting up straighter. He had been slouched over an staring at me while I pretended not to notice.

"Well see those two boys with Katie?" He asked pointing to three figures in a corner of a room laughing loudly. "They're the Stoll brothers. They are sons of Hermes. The one touching Katie's shoulder? That's Travis and the other one is Conner. They're not twins, Travis is older then Conner by a few years but they are brothers, they have the same mom. Katie is a daughter of Demeter." He said and I nodded. "You already know Selina, Beck, Jason, and Piper. The two next to them? The boy is Chris. He is courting Clariesse who is a daugher of Ares so be careful around her. She has quiet a temper. Then see Will? See the boy next to him in all black? That's Nico. He's a son of hades and has been rather depressed since his sister died a few years ago at Saratoga." He said grimacing. I froze. I was one of the lead captains at Saratoga. I felt my face pale. Percy turned to look at me and frowned.

"Where was she fighting at Saratoga?" I asked quickly, scared for an answer. Percy's eyes widened.

"You did not kill Bianca." He forced out and I looked in his eyes.

"Where was she fighting?" I demanded my hands shaking.

"Uh east side I think." He said and I let out a huge breath. I had been on the west side.

"Thank god. I had been on the west side." I said and Percy grinned.

"Oh good. I did not want to have to deal with Nico finding out you might've killed his sister." He said softly. I nodded. I was still in shock and when Percy gripped my hand I did not notice. "Hey." He said softly looking into my eyes and I felt my stomach flop again. Why is it doing that? Do I have a stomach ache? "Do you want to dance?" He asked shaking me from my thoughts. I felt myself nodding. He stood up, dragging me with him. We flew down the steps (I kicked Piper as she went in to kiss Jason on the cheek and she glared at me) and made it to the floor.

We stayed to the edge because lots of people were out dancing. Percy froze up when he went to grab my waist. Then he started moving his arms all around.

"Where do I put these?" He asked. I jokingly glared and laughed.

"Really Percy? You never learned to dance?" I asked and he shook his head. I sighed then grabbed his left hand, guiding it to my waist. Percy made a face.

"Really? There?" He whined and I glared again.

"Percy we are not thirteen, yes there." I said and he sighed rather dramatically. "It was your idea to dance anyways." I said reaching for his right hand. I put it in my left and reached my right hand onto his shoulder

"Okay so move your feet: forward, together, back, together." I explained and then mumbled the words as we moved. Percy looked down and scrunched his nose and eyebrows. He looked kind of adorable. Where did that come from? I frowned at my thoughts and focused back on dancing. Percy was still having trouble. "Maybe if you look up, it will be easier." I suggested and his green eyes met mine, his face still scrunched. After a few minutes and a few crude words from Percy he finally got the hang of the step. He even added in a few of his own moves (basically just spinning me around). Since he was comfortable we started talking.

"You did good at the ceremony you know." Percy said and I was shocked.

"Are you kidding me? I almost burned down the place!" Percy laughed, continuing to turn me in a circle.

"True, but nobody gets it perfect on their first try." He countered, probably trying to make me feel better. I did not.

"Did you?" I asked and Percy blushed.

"I uh...threw up when I uh got to Olympus." He admitted. I tried holding in a laugh but I could not and bursted out laughing.

"Aw poor little Percy!" I said taking my hand off his shoulder and rubbing his hair. He blushed deeper.

"Look what I gottt!" One of the Stoll brothers screamed, holding up two bottles of alcohol.

"Oh yeah!" The other brother cried raising up three more bottles. Everybody cheered and rushed to the brothers. Neither me nor Percy were in any hurry. He looked at me.

"Aren't you going to go?" He asked gesturing over to them.

"Aren't you?" I countered. Percy did not seem like the type of person to pass on a good time.

"I asked first." He said crossing his arms.

"I am stubborn." I said doing the same and looking up at him. We had a staring contest and I won. He sighed dramatically and sat down since nobody else was in the room but the two of us. I followed his lead and laid on my back, looking at the ceiling. He laid down next to me and was quiet for a second. I looked over at him, and he looked at me.

"For one, I'm captain and I am not allowed to drink, well I prefer not to incase something bad happens. Also, me and alcohol have just never really gotten along." He said facing the ceiling again. I squinted my eyes. Not really what I was expecting. "What about you?" He asked and I sighed.

"My dad." I said. It is true my dad is the reason I do not drink. He told me drinking is for quitters, which I am not. Percy hummed then sat up.

"I am not going to keep you. Go have fun!" He said shoving my shoulder I frowned.

"But I do not-"

"I've got to go. Captain's work never ends." Percy said cutting me off. That made me mad.

"I don-" my thought was again put off as he helped me to my feet, even when I did not ask. My frown deepened as Percy guided me to the meeting room where everyone else was.

"Have fun! I'll see you tomorrow!" He said opening and shoving me into the loud room. I felt the door shut behind me. What the hell just happened?

~Percy~

As soon as I shut the door I ran like hell through the foyer, up the stairs. I ran down the boys left hall and into the first door on the right into my room. I shut the door quickly and curled up on my bed.

I needed to be alone for a while. Not that I didn't enjoy talking with Annabeth, it's just her British accent and her hair really take me for a whirl. After the ceremony I didn't really see her as this "all perfect being", like the gods. No Annabeth is a person too and she has flaws and feelings and I guess I never really thought about that until now. It took me by surprise, and made me think about how all the people I've killed, they had a family and a future and I'm just killing them.

I took some deep breaths pushing the thoughts out of my mind and proceeded to take off my suit I was wearing and put on under pants and a shirt. I had a lot to do tomorrow with getting ready to head to Virginia and need to relax. I fell back on to my bed, but sleep never came.

A/N: Sorry the ending was rough. I knew where I wanted this chapter to go and were slowly making our way. I am truly sorry for not updating it quiet some time. It's not fair and I understand it's not fun to have a writer leave you. I was just genuinely having troubles with creating good content. But I'm back and hoping to get my ideas straight over winter break! Thanks for the reviews, they have earned y'all a sneak peak of the next chapter, or well at least what I think will be the next chapter.

I opened the door to the meeting room to find loads of people and vomit. I shut the door quickly, afraid of the stench and wondered back to the foyer. I did not want to disturbs everyone so I would just wait to make breakfast.

I had nothing else to do and I did not want to go back to my room, so I decided to explore the mansion. I went up the stairs and opened the doors parallel to the front doors. The doors opened to reveal a balcony. It had two chairs on it and it over looked the whole backyard. I stepped out onto the balcony and leaned onto the railing and watched the sun rise. I just starred, my eyes unfocused and breathing steady. I did not think of anything; my mind was blank just watching the sun. I am not sure how long I stayed there, but long enough for Percy to get up and find me. He stepped onto the balcony and stood next to me. I slowly turned my head to look at him. Percy looked at me, worried.

Hope that'll satisfy y'all for now. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!

-Lunch1380