AN: I cried writing this chapter. When I re-read it after though I didn't think it was that sad but since I've started reading I've become really soft. I never used to cry and now all I have to do is read the ending to the last Hunger Games book (Mockingjay) and I ball my eyes out!

Sorry about any spelling/grammar mistakes.

R&R…

Annabeth

I stand and stare at the woman who claims I am dead, trying to talk but my voice failing me.

"Sue?" I hear a familiar voice call and then footsteps coming from above. "Who is it?"

"Go back to bed, Freddie. It's no one," Sue replies, her eyes not leaving mine.

"Wait. No," I speak up.

"Who's here?" my dad asks just as he comes into view at the top of the staircase.

My eyes widen at his appearance. His once brown hair has disappeared, leaving him bald. He's lost a lot of weight. He looks terrible. He looks sick. He looks like he may be dying.

"D-daddy?" I stutter, my eyes meeting his as he slowly starts walking down the stairs.

He stops abruptly at the name and stares at me hard before a sob leaves his throat.

"Annabeth?"

I nod as Sue takes his hand and helps him continue his journey. "B-but… you can't be," my dad cries.

"It's me, I promise," I whisper and he shakes his head.

"N-no. Luke said…" he trails off, his eyes widening.

Luke.

Luke said what?

"Do you want her to leave?" Sue asks.

"No. Let her stay. I-I need to sit down," he replies.

I take his other hand and Sue and I help him down the rest of the stairs and into the living room where I take a seat next to him, not letting his hand go.

"What did Luke say?" I ask him, softly.

"I'm going to kill him," he mutters. "He lied to me."

"What did he say, dad?" I ask, my voice much firmer.

"I figured you'd come home after our fight. I thought it would be just like all the other times we had argued but you didn't come back. I called you. You didn't answer. I called the police. They searched everywhere and they couldn't find you. I figured you ran away because you hated me- that you never wanted to see or speak to me again.

"But I was scared. I wanted to know if you were okay. I phoned Luke and he finally picked up. He told me that you didn't want to speak to me and that you were fine. So, I stopped calling. A few years later he phoned and told me that you'd…" he stops, a sob flying from his lips.

"He told you what?" I whisper.

"He said that you were there on the 11th September," my dad replies before coughing hard. Sue pats his back while I think hard.

11th September.

9/11.

The Towers.

Luke wouldn't…Would he?

"As soon as he called I went over to where it happened. I begged everyone to help search for you but no one found you. They assumed you had burnt to ashes," my father sobs.

"I can't believe he told you that," I cry. "Luke and I got married and then we moved to San Francisco. I thought you hated me. I lost my cell phone in Las Vegas and never found it and Luke never told me that you had called. I haven't come to New York in fifteen years. I-I wanted to find you. I've missed you so much."

"I felt so guilty, Annie. I thought it was my entire fault and when he called and said you were dead I was so depressed. All I wanted was one chance to say I was sorry and that I loved you. I'm so sorry, Annabeth."

"It was my fault. I should have listened to you. I hate him. I haven't loved him for years, dad. We argue all the time but I don't want to leave because of the kids and-"

"Kids?" my father asks, tears swimming down his cheeks. "I'm a grandfather?"

I nod. "Three. Twin boys and a daughter," I whisper, deciding it wouldn't be the best time to tell him Luke cheated on me and that Jess wasn't really mine.

"I've missed so much. I'm going to kill him," dad snaps.

"Not if I do it first," I cry, shakily.

"H-how long are you staying here for?" he asks.

"Until the end of the week but I'm going to call you all the time. I wish I'd called sooner but I didn't want to admit you were right all along. I was so angry with you for thinking Luke was bad. I thought he was perfect and now I know that he isn't at all," I reply.

"So, do you have a place to stay? You can stay here if you want?"

"It's okay. I'm stay with my friend, Percy Jackson," I say.

"So… what's going to happen with you and Luke?" he asks.

I look at my shaky hands and shrug. "I don't know what to do, dad. I think… I think I'm in love with someone else but Luke is a lawyer and if we divorce he'll use the best lawyers he can find and everything will be a mess. I don't want to put the kids through that," I cry.

My dad puts an arm around my shoulders. "The kids will only be happy if you're happy, Annie. Tell me about your kids," he nearly begs.

"My daughter, Jessica, is fifteen and Connor and Travis are nine," I reply. My dad smiles and says, "A young mom, huh?"

I just shrug. I don't want to explain about Jess today. I don't want dad to get any angrier. "So, what have I missed?" I ask.

"Oh, this is Sue. When I was depressed she came over to help clean the house and look after me and then she wouldn't leave me alone so I put a ring on her finger," dad grins and rolls his eyes.

I laugh through my tears and look at Sue. "Thank you," I mouth. She nods. I can already tell that they're good for each other.

If only I could be in a happy marriage like them…

Percy

I hesitantly walk into Jack's old room, the room that Annabeth sleeps in. I was reluctant to let her stay in this room but it was the only bedroom (except my own) where I hadn't started packing stuff into boxes and I didn't think it would be very gentlemanly to ask her to sleep in the same bed.

I just couldn't bring myself to move anything in here, though I did take his clothes out of his draws when I told Annabeth she could stay.

I had neatly folded his clothes and put them in a box, making sure to keep his old soccer shirt. There was no way I was giving that away to the charity shop. It took me nearly an hour to gather enough strength to give them to the old woman behind the desk in the charity shop yesterday but I finally did it after two years of the clothes just lying in the draws.

I walk up to the photos on the shelf and I gently grab the one with just Jack and me. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was his tenth birthday. Rachel had insisted we take him to the beach. It was his favourite place.

I didn't want him to go. I didn't think it was safe for him to be out of the hospital but I'm glad I had given in. It was one of the happiest days of my life. It was Jack's last trip to the beach and the last time he got to celebrate his birthday.

Rachel and I had him when we were both twenty-two. We hadn't planned it but we both so happy when we found out. We found out he had leukaemia when he was three. I was at work while Rachel stayed home and looked after Jack. She had called around midday to say they were at the hospital. I had driven there straight away. It was definitely the worst day of my life.

He fought it for seven years. He was and still is the bravest boy I know and not a day goes by without me thinking of him. He looked just like me with his green eyes and messy black hair. I remember the day Rachel and I sat him down and told him he was going to have a brother or sister.

He was so happy and when Lilly was born he would always help look after her. They adored each other. It was very confusing for Lilly when he died. She was five years old. One minute her older brother was there and the next gone. Rachel and I had started arguing a few months before Jack died but it got worse when he passed.

We were all depressed. If it weren't for Lilly then I would probably be locked in my bedroom, staring at the wall. Lilly would always ask where Jack was and when he was coming back. It broke my heart to watch her run, crying, through the apartment, yelling his name.

I come out of my thoughts when I realise tears are leaking from me eyes.

"Shit," I mutter, putting the photo back on the shelf before wiping my eyes. Annabeth could call for me to pick her up any minute and she'd notice I've been crying.

I take a few deep breaths, gathering my strength before I start wrapping the photos in newspaper and placing them in the box. Then I grab his favourite books, which are now covered in dust, and place them also in the box.

It takes nearly an hour to pack everything up, leaving only the bed and Annabeth's stuff. I tape the boxes up and carry them into the living room just as my cell phone rings in my pocket.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me. Can you come pick me up?" Annabeth asks. She doesn't sound upset so, hopefully, the reunion went well.

"Sure. I'll be there soon," I reply before hanging up, grabbing my keys and leaving the apartment.

It doesn't take long to arrive at her dad's house and I find her on the porch, hugging a woman, while a man watches. I beep the car horn to let her know I've arrived and Annabeth looks my way, nodding as if to say 'I'll be right there.'

I step out of the car and lean against the door while Annabeth quickly hugs the man I guess to be her father. She says a few words to him and kisses his cheek before she walks towards me, wiping her eyes.

"You look after my daughter!" the man calls from the porch.

"I will, Sir," I yell back, smiling softly.

I open the door for Annabeth when she reaches the car before I go back to my side and get in. I start the car while Annabeth waves at the couple on the porch for one last time.

"Are you okay?" I ask, glancing at Annabeth as I drive the car down the road.

"I'm fine, I guess," Annabeth sniffs while searching through her bag for something. She comes up with her cell phone a few seconds later.

"Who you calling?" I ask as she starts pressing buttons.

"Luke," she says the name like it's the worst thing on earth. I don't say anything as she presses her phone to her ear. I force myself to concentrate on the road but it's hard not to listen.

"Hello?" I hear the voice coming from the phone. He sounds strong and powerful even when he's hundreds of miles away.

"Luke," Annabeth snaps before saying the last thing I ever expected her to say:

"When I get home, I don't care what you say, we're getting a divorce…"

Review!