All of these characters belong to Rick Riordan, as you know.

Author's Note: I've added three dots in between paragraphs to indicate a change in POV. It will still be told in third person. I hope you've enjoyed this story so far, and just to let you know, the foundation of this fan fiction is Percabeth.

Chapter 6

Percy didn't know where he was going. He let his feet carry him for as long as he'd been wandering around. All he had with him were two extra sets of clothes from the Lotus Hotel, money he'd also gotten there, and some food from Annabeth's house. It was a last minute decision to leave, but even though he didn't want to, even though his heart's desire was to go to his mother's funeral and be with Annabeth, he needed to figure himself out first. The Lotus Hotel had taken too much of his life from him.

And with nine years of his life, went his mom.

Percy thought it was his fault. No, he knew it was his fault. If Percy hadn't directed Annabeth's dad to the Lotus Hotel, then Percy would've gone home with his mom. If he hadn't gotten lost at the beach, and spent so much time helping Annabeth, she wouldn't have gotten on the plane. She wouldn't have been on it when the engine went out and the plane crashed.

She wouldn't be dead.

Now Percy had to decide for himself.

Was meeting Annabeth worth losing his mom?

. . .

Annabeth didn't know where she was going. She had no idea where to look. Percy didn't leave any clues as to where he was.

She sat down on a bus bench to think, and sighed.

It started to rain a little, slowly becoming a downpour. Annabeth let some fall into her mouth, and it tasted a little salty, like sea water.

Sea water.

Annabeth yanked her hood over her hair and ran out from the cover of the bus stand into the pouring rain.

She almost fell a couple times, but she didn't care. All Annabeth wanted to do was find Percy. That thought stopped Annabeth suddenly.

Why did she want so desperately to find someone she'd only met twice?

Annabeth soon realized her answer as she kept walking.

Annabeth blamed herself for Sally's death.

The more she thought about it, the more true it seemed. She'd been the one who kept Percy from going back to his mom that day at the beach. She'd been the one who suggested he come to her house. If he'd stayed, then his mom would've found him because she came back. Sally told them that when they contacted her the first time.

Annabeth pushes those thoughts to the back of her head and forged on through the rain.

She got to where she knew he'd end up after 20 minutes walking through the heavy rain that was staring to clear up. Annabeth closed her eyes, breathed in, and listened for a minute. The waves rolling and crashing, seagulls cawing.

The beach.

Annabeth hadn't come here since that day when she was seven.

Then Annabeth heard voices. Two; one deep and different, another, familiar. Percy. She opened her eyes to see a kid dressed completely in black, with black hair and slightly pale skin. Next to him, Annabeth saw Percy, hands in his pockets, staring at the ocean.

"Nico, I don't know. I feel like it was my fault." Percy said to the boy.

"Listen, Percy, the Lotus Hotel wasn't your fault. Gods, I was stuck for a lot longer than you." Nico argued. "When I got out, I tried to find my sister. I couldn't. She died as a veteran, in the Vietnam War. I went to D.C. later to find her name on the wall. But that's not the point. What I'm saying is, Percy, you got lucky. You got to hear your mom's voice one last time. Bianca... there wasn't even anyone to attend her funeral. Don't let it be the same for your mom." Nico sighed.

Annabeth couldn't eavesdrop any longer. She felt guilty. "Percy?"

He turned, his expression neutral, but Annabeth could see a glint of sadness hidden in his eyes.

"Hey. I knew you'd find me." He said hoarsely. Annabeth looked pointedly at Nico, and Percy cleared his throat. "Ahem, this is Nico di Angelo, someone else who was stuck in the Hotel. I met him in there, but I forgot somehow. He came out a couple years ago."

"Hi, Nico, I'm Annabeth." He waved, with an awkward expression on his face.

"Anyway, Percy, I should get going. Will's expecting me back. Nice meeting you Annabeth." Nico said, breaking the silence.

"Well, have fun, and... thanks, Nico." Percy replied. Nico nodded once and he walked away.

Annabeth turned to Percy and punched him in the chest, hard. He stumbled back and mockingly whimpered.

"What was that for?" He said, trying to hold back laughter.

"You're a Seaweed Brain is why." Annabeth said with a straight face.

"Seaweed Brain?"

"Yeah, that what I'm calling you now. You know why? Because your head is full of seaweed."

"Ok then, Wise Girl."

"Wise Girl?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm calling you now. You know why? Because you're too smart for your own good." Percy said mockingly.

"Ugh." Annabeth said and pushed him away playfully.

They threw sand at each other, then got tired and sat down in the wet sand and watched the sunset.

. . .

Percy felt a lot better after talking to Nico, and Annabeth only made it better.

Percy still didn't understand how Nico had aged differently, but he didn't care. There was someone he could share the experience, and the feeling with now. That was one of the only things Annabeth couldn't do. And make blue cookies. He could really use some right about now.

The thought of his comfort food made him sad again, flooded with grief, as it only reminded him of his mom, who'd promised to make them for him when they got back.

He never got the chance.

After the slightly eventful hour he'd had at the beach, Percy knew the answer to his question.

His mom wouldn't want him to dwell on the past. She'd tell him that he couldn't change what happened, but he could make the best of it. He could be happy, with Annabeth and Nico, and live a good life in California. Percy wished he could change how things had happened, but he didn't have that power. He would always miss his mom, and she would forever live in his heart and memories.

But now, Percy was ready to move on.