Chapter Ten

Annabeth

I sit on the couch in Percy's living room, staring into space as I bite my nails nervously. It has only been a few hours since I called Luke and insisted on a divorce. After I had said what needed to be spoken, I had hung up, not giving him time to reply. Luke has sent text after text but I haven't wasted my time reading what he has to say.

I should be happy, I guess. I can finally be free of him.

Truthfully, I am terrified.

What if Luke gets custody of the kids? Where would I be without them? What would I do? He knows all the best lawyers; most of them are good friends of his. It unsettles me that he has all these connections...

And I have none.

"Hey," Percy says, coming towards me. I continue to stare into space, lost in my troubled thoughts. "Annabeth." He sounds far away, like an echo or something. It's when he grips my shoulders do I come back to life.

"I'm sorry. What?" I ask, as he starts rubbing his hands up my arms and to my shoulders, massaging my skin in little circles. My eyes flutter. That feels amazing.

"Are you okay?" Percy asks. "Don't answer that," he quickly adds. "Obviously, you aren't."

"I'm scared," I admit, my voice quiet. "But I have to do this. He told my father I was dead. All along I thought my dad hated me and…" my voice fades away and is replaced by a loud sob.

"Ssh," Percy hushes, going on to tangle his fingers in my curly, blonde hair, massaging my skull.

"How could he do that? It's sick!" I cry, becoming hysterical.

"Calm down," Percy says in attempt to stop my hysteria.

However, I see red.

"How would you feel, Percy? If Rachel had told you that someone you care about was dead and then one day they appear out of the blue?" I yell.

"I'd be happy that he was still alive, that he never left!" Percy snaps. "At least you are alive. At least you got to grow up! At least you get to see your dad again!"

I freeze, and wonder where all of this anger is coming from.

I turn on my knees so I am facing Percy. Tears are swimming down his cheeks and the sight breaks my heart. I put my hands on his cheeks and press my forehead against his. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Rachel wanted to bring him home. The doctors said it was time for Jack to go but I didn't want to accept it. I thought if he'd stay in the hospital then maybe he'd have a chance - that maybe they would be able to save him. Rachel and I argued for hours and I ended up walking out. She kept calling and I had turned my phone off because I didn't want to speak. He died. I never got to say goodbye. After, I wanted to die with him, so we could be together. I never got to tell my son that I loved him for the last time," Percy cries.

"I didn't know, Percy. I am sorry. I really am."

"I miss him so much. I hate myself for living, for being here and actually moving on, for falling in love." He laughs like a mad man. "Of all the women I could fall in love with, it had to be you, huh?"

A lump forms in my throat and I find myself speechless. My fingers freeze in his hair and I feel like I can't breathe.

He's in love with me.

I want to tell him that I feel the same way, that I think I love him, but I find myself unable to speak. So, instead, I press my lips to his.

He pulls back a second later, shocked and surprised, before leaning in to kiss me. My fingers once again start moving in his hair and his hands slide down my shoulders to rest on my hips as he pushes me so I am lying beneath him.

It feels so right, being here in his arms, our earlier conversation forgotten. I turn my mind off because I know if I think then I'll stop this and ruin the moment. All I do is feel.

After, we don't say anything and just lay in a peaceful silence, both of us relaxed and at peace with what we have done and with what we have been secretly wanting to do for a long time.

My eyes start to flutter as I drift off to sleep but I am still alert when Percy picks me up and carries me into his bedroom, placing me gently on his bed before he climbs in next to me. He pulls me to him so his chest is pressed against my back and whispers those three words into my ear.

"I love you."

"I love you," I whisper back, entwining my fingers with his. I'm exhausted after what we just did but I don't want to sleep. I want to live in this moment forever.

Percy's breathing slows a while later and I know he is asleep. As the minutes pass, I realise what we just did. I slept with another man. I cheated on my husband. I did exactly what he's been doing to me. This doesn't make me any better than he is. It shouldn't have happened. I was caught up in the moment. I should have thought about my actions.

I may have strong feelings for the man that sleeps beside me, but it doesn't make what we just did right.

The Next Morning

Percy

I wake up to the bright sun shining through my bedroom window. I moan, rubbing my closed eyes, before rolling over onto my side and reaching out for Annabeth. When I feel only the soft bed sheet under my hand, I open my eyes to find the spot in which Annabeth had occupied last night empty.

I quickly dress, and then search for Annabeth.

"Annabeth!" I call, peaking my head around the bathroom door. I look in Jack's old bedroom. I call her name and wait eagerly for an answer. I feel sick when there is no reply. I search every room until I end up in the kitchen.

I lean against the counter, my head in my hands when something out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. I grab the piece of paper off the door of the fridge and my heart breaks when I read the two words that are written in Annabeth's beautiful handwriting.

I'm sorry.