AN: Okay, so let me write a quick speech: Thank you all for the kind words and waiting for me to update and carry on the story. I am keeping my promise and carrying on but it might take me a little longer than usual to update as I have another story I'll need to update. I'm replacing chapter five with his one and carrying on like I never abandoned the story. I'm sorry I left you all waiting and thinking I'd never update but here I am. Please enjoy the chapter and review!

Chapter Five

I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach. Tears come to my eyes and I seem to have frozen. Everyone is hopping out of the van and running on the sand while I am sitting in a seat, staring wide-eyed at the beach. I gulp. "Come on, Annie!" Thalia calls before running off.

I slowly get out of the van and start walking towards the sea. I walk until the ice-cold water is barely touching my toes. I stare at the sea and then look behind me at the spot where my mom, my dad and me had sat five years ago. I walk over and down. "Hey, are you okay?" a voice I recognise asks.

I nod my head and turn to face Percy who is now sitting next to me. He smiles and I try to smile back but I know I failed when a worried expression takes over his face. "I'm sorry. I thought you'd like it here," he apologises and I shake my head trying to tell him I like it here. And I do. I'm just shocked that I'm here after so long.

I look at the sand surrounding us and lean over and grab a small stick and I start writing in the sand. Thank you for bringing me here. I'm just a little shocked. This exact beach is where my parents and I were driving home from on- I stop writing and take a deep breath. Should I tell him? He told me his story, so maybe I should tell him mine… that day. On the ride home someone crashed into us. I stop writing and watch Percy's face as he reads my words.

Pain and sadness fills his eyes as he realises we have a lot more in common than just being orphans. "I'm sorry, Annabeth," he whispers and I shrug. I stand up slowly and take his hand. He stands up too and raises his eyebrows. I nod in the direction of the sea and he smiles and then runs off. He's right; we should have fun and not remember the bad stuff about our parents, but the good.

Chiron's POV

I watch as the two teenage orphans run into the sea hand-in-hand. I've never seen Annabeth this happy and I assume it's all down to Percy. I look over at the two Stoll brothers, kneeling next to me. "I bet you fifty dollars he'll be the one to get Annabeth to talk," Connor says.

"And I bet you fifty dollars that Percy won't get her to talk," Travis says and holds out his hand to his brother. "Deal?"

"Deal," Connor replies and they shake hands. I have a feeling Connor is going to win this bet. I hope he does because that'll mean Annabeth would've spoke and we've all been waiting for that moment for five years. We are still hoping- me and all the other children that she will one day speak.

Percy's POV

I squeeze Annabeth's hand as the cold waves hit us. "C-cold!" I stutter while shivering. Annabeth grins and splashes me. "Hey!" I moan and splash back causing a water fight that our friends watch from the sand. I turn around and head deeper into the sea. The next thing I know someone is clinging onto my back and dunking me underwater. I come up coughing and spluttering with Annabeth's arms wrapped around my shoulders, my back pressed against her chest and her legs wrapped around my waist.

I spin around, trying to get her off but give up after my fifth attempt. Instead I dive into the sea-green sea. I turn around underwater so I'm facing Annabeth and smile. The smile she returns seems to make me melt and I have to shake my head to stop the mushy thoughts. She looks at me weirdly once I do that and I feel my face heat up despite being underwater.

I swim to the surface and wait for Annabeth to come up. "First one to Chiron gets whatever they want off the other," I yell and Annabeth and I bolt towards Chiron. We race towards the shore and I grin when I realise I'm winning. I turn around and flash Annabeth a smirk. Surprisingly, she pokes her tongue out at me and I shake my head in confusion and turn to watch where I'm going.

I'm about halfway there to our winning place when I feel something hit my back. I stop in shock and touch my back to find a blob of wet sand. I spin around and see Annabeth running towards me with a grin on her face. I quickly bend over and scoop wet sand into my hands and throw it at her. To my delight it hits her face and she scowls and kneels down to get more sand. I do the same and soon we are having a sand fight. Five minutes later we are still at it. Annabeth turns around so her back is facing me and bends to get more sand. While she does this I grin, scoop sand into my hand and aim. It hits Annabeth right on her behind and I hear the "Ooh's!" coming from our friends.

Annabeth spins around in shock and I start feeling a little anxious when she starts charging at me. I turn on my heel and sprint towards Chiron and the others. Once I get there I turn back to find her pretty close. "I win!" I yell. "You have to do whatever I-" All I did was blink and when I open my eyes I find Annabeth is straddling me, her hands holding mine above my head while my back presses against the sand.

She has a smug grin on her face and I feel my face heat up when I realise our position and how everyone is watching us. Her face pales and then turns pink so I'm guessing she realised what position we're in too. She punches my arm somewhat playfully and leaps off of me and sitting down next to me, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

I look up to see everyone staring at us in amusement and then at the same time they burst into laughter. This goes on for what seems like forever and I finally let my laughter out, too. I glance at Annabeth and find a small smile on her face. I poke my tongue out at her and the next thing I hear really surprises me. I look at everyone else wondering if they'd heard what I'd heard. What I'd heard was the most beautiful laugh ever that sounds like music to my ears.

The look on everyone's faces proves that they heard the same thing. I look at Annabeth who has a look of horror on her wide-eyes face. Annabeth Chase, the brainy blonde that never speaks, just laughed.

AN: Review and tell me what you think. Sorry, if it's rubbish and really mushy.