AN: Sorry I haven't updated in AGES! :)

Chapter Six

Annabeth's POV

Did I just do that? That's all I can think as I stare at everyone's shocked faces. That's when I realised I did. I had just laughed… and now I want to cry. Tears spring to my eyes and I don't want everyone to see me cry. I stand up quickly and run off in another direction. I don't know where I'm going but I just want to be alone for a while so I can process what I just did. I laughed.

You probably think it's not a big deal but to a girl who hasn't let one word come out of her mouth since her parents died, that's a really big deal. Of course, I wasn't left alone for long. All I had to do was hear the footsteps and I new it was him. It was always him but it's not a bad thing. "Hey," he whispers, soothingly. I don't day anything, as usual and bury my head in my hands.

I want him to know that just because I laughed doesn't mean I'm going to start talking. No way, I can't do that. I promised myself I wouldn't until my mom and dad came back. As I think that I feel something hit me… realisation, maybe? They aren't coming back. I've known that since they died, I just didn't want to believe it but now, now I think I'm ready to accept that. "You know, you're the only one upset about all this," Percy whispers and sits down next to me. "The others are a little shocked but I bet they're partying now or doing something stupid."

I don't say anything. I just sob. The more I think about being able to accept the fact that my parents aren't coming back the more I cry. Why? Because I'll never see them again. They'll never see me get married; my mom won't be able to help me plan my wedding and my dad won't be able to walk me down the aisle. They'll never see my have children of my own; a clever child, a girl with my blonde curls that I got from my own mom and her clever brain. "Do you want to be alone?" Percy asks and my sobbing stops.

I look at him and shake my head. I wanted to be alone at first, but not anymore. He nods and we sit there in silence. I find another stick and start writing in the sand again: I'm sorry that I've ruined your day. I watch his face as he reads the sentence.

"You didn't do anything wrong. It was my fault for bringing you here," he replies and I shake my head abruptly.

I like it here, I promise. Thanks for bringing me here, I write. He smiles and nods before putting an arm around my shoulder and whispering, "Your welcome."

He lies down and his hand on my shoulder makes me lie down with him. My head falls onto his shoulder and I turn my head so it's buried in his neck. "Are you going to talk one day?" he asks. "Because I'd really like that and so would the other's."

I don't say anything. "You know I one the race to Chiron so I get what I want," he whispers, his lips right next to my ear. I look at him and I know what he's going to say before he says it. "I want you to talk; to me, to anyone- but at least once. Do it for me, please? On my birthday, maybe?" he presses and I sigh and shrug. His birthday is in a month. But if that's what he wants, that one thing, I'm sure I can do it… for him.

"Percy, Annabeth!" Chiron yells.

"We have to go, it's getting late," Percy says, standing up and taking my hand. He pulls me up and we start walking, hand-in-hand. His hand in my feels so natural that I don't even realise we're still holding hands until everyone stares at us.

I follow their gaze and they fall on our joined hands. Our eyes meet and we pull away quickly, blushing furiously. Thalia raises her eyebrows at me questioningly but doesn't say anything. It's not like I'd answer her anyway. We all jump into the minibus and we are soon driving off. I look at the window, memories of the crash coming back. We've been driving for about half an hour when I see it, the large yellow sign with the huge dent in the middle. This is where we crashed that day.

I gasp and grab onto what I think is someone's hand and squeeze it tightly. I don't even look to see what hand it is but when the person slides his thumb across my hand I get a feeling it's Percy. I glance at him quickly but his eyes are on the yellow sign. They meet mine and he smiles sadly, he knows this is where it all happened.

I want to get out of the car and run over to the sign to touch it. I look from the sign to Percy and then back. His eyes widen. "Stop the bus," he says.

"What for, Percy?" Chiron asks from the seat up front.

"Just do it, please," he replies and when the car stops I smile at him gratefully. "Do you want me to come?"

I shake my head, feeling like I should do this on my own and jump out of the bus. I run until I'm standing right in front of the old sign. I trace my finger along the huge hole in the sign. I sigh in relief. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of me and now I can breath. I step backwards and stare at the sign, that day flashing through my mind again.

(Flashback)

We'd been driving home from the beach for about half an hour. The roof was down on our silver convertible and music and laughter was all I could hear. "We should do this more often," my mom said, turning the music down so I could hear her speak.

"I'd love that," I beamed and my father nodded from behind the wheel.

"How about next week? Maybe we can take a trip to Montauk, I heard it was really nice there," my father suggested. My grin grew even wider, if possible.

"That would be awesome," I replied and my gray eyes met his blue orbs in the rear view mirror. "Thank you taking me out."

"Your welcome," my mom smiled. The lights turned green on the traffic light and the car started moving again.

We sat in silence for about five minutes, each of us thinking with small smiles on our faces. Today had been the best day of my life, I thought, I can't remember ever going out with my parents like this. "How about we go to McDonalds?" my father asked and I nodded in excitement.

"Ye-" that's when it happened. I didn't get to finish that sentence because the next thing I knew a loud 'CRASH!' filled my ears and I felt like I was flying.

I opened my eyes; a warm liquid ran down my face and into my gray orbs. I wiped my eyes with my hands and when I opened them I found blood staring back at me. I gasped and tried to sit up, ignoring the pain in my back. I realised then that the car was on it's side. I crawl out in pain, hearing people yelling to eachother to call an ambulance and to get help. I looked at my surroundings and saw that my car had crashed into a yellow sign.

Someone put their arms around me and held me to their chest while I watched as a crowd gathered around something.

"Mom, dad," I sobbed, realising that they weren't in the car. I pulled away from the person and limped towards the crowd. I pushed my way through the people and found my mom lying in a pool of blood, her skin looked pale and her silver eyes were open, staring at me. "Mom!" I cried and ran to her. Someone pulled me back.

"Don't," a soft voice whispered but I shrugged her off and ran towards my mom. A tall man stepped to the side and that's when I saw my father.

(End)

I shake my head, not wanting to remember how my father looked that day. Surprisingly, I didn't cry while thinking about it. I take a deep breath and turn around, ready to go home. Home. I'd never called the care home that before but thinking about it now it's what it feels like- a home.

AN: Rubbish ending. Can you forgive me? :( REVIEW!