The loner: Cheesy much? ;)

Enjoy.

Just say you won't let go...

"Percy, I can't." Annabeth grabbed his shirt, fisting it in her hand so tight that wrinkles formed. "You know I can't. I cannot keep the promise, I will but I won't say a promise that I can't keep."

"What do you mean?"

"I will let you down."

"You won't, you never will."

"I will drag you down." She rephrased it, thinking that it may be a better way to tell him what she was really trying to tell him.

"How?"

"You don't understand."

"Enlighten me then."

Annabeth exhaled deeply and inhaled, desperately wanting a burning cigaret in her hand, so she could at least get rid of some frustration.

"Can we talk about all this another time?"

"Will you tell me everything then?"

"Yes, I promise."

"And is that a promise that you can keep?"

"Yes. I swear on the old gods and the new."

¢.¢

True to their words, they'd let it slide that morning. Though, after their infuriating talk all morning, it was already afternoon by the time they had calmed down and gotten past the single event that had happened. It wasn't exactly the best start for either of them, especially after an awful night sleep.

"Any plans for today, baby?" Percy chirped, trying to lighten the mood and make both of them forget about the morning. He asked once she stepped out of the shower with only a towel wrapping her torso. She was examining the wound, but as tempting as it was to him, he knew better than to ask about it.

"Nope. What do you have in mind?" Annabeth looked up, forgetting the wound on her arm while rubbing her palm over it, feeling the hole underneath her hand. She, too, was trying. He could tell that because she would never be enthusiastic about his plan, even when it was simply to order take out. She just had too much in mind, and sometimes, he wondered how her brain could actually function with everything that was inside.

"I was thinking of going on a date." He pretended to be musing, but actually had already gotten the request loaded. "So, what do you say?" He asked, knowing that the worst would be a rejection, which he was fully prepared for.

She raised an eyebrow at him, silently questioning his timing, but uttered nothing of that sort from her mouth. "Sure." Was all he needed to be caught off guard. At that instant, he felt his eyes light up and his heart soaring into the sky. He didn't know he would be this happy, he only planned it to make it up to her for this morning for no reason at all. Just feeling like it.

"Do you want to have dinner outside?" He asked, standing up ready to leave the room for her to change.

"I don't mind." She shrugged.

"Okay." He said, getting to the door and reaching for the door knob.

"Wait." She called, interrupting his thoughts. He turned around, the door still closed. "When? Where? What?"

"When? I'll come up to get you. Where? A cinema. What? What do you mean what?" The last part came out like an irony, which made her laugh a little, at the vagueness of her own question.

"What do I wear?" She said between chuckles. It was rare for her to be carefree for once, and this was somehow worrying him, because it seemed like the peace before the storm.

"Casual and comfy stuff. Anything you want."

"Last question." She stopped him in his track.

"Yes, darling?" He joked.

"Stay?" This came out more like a statement than a question, but she forced a question mark behind it. More like doubting herself rather than actually asking him to do what she wanted.

"Okay." He was confused by the request, it was very uncommon from her. "With all due respect, my queen, but why?"

"I want you to choose my outfit." The bewildered look on his face made the grin on her face grew even wider. "Surprise me." She bit her bottom lip seductively.

"If you're giving me that attitude, I doubt we can make it to the cinema in time."

"And why is that, Percy?" She whispered his name seductively. Her natural scratchy voice made it sound more attractive and husky.

"Annabeth." He turned away from her closet, giving her a warning look. "I mean it."

"Okay, okay." She chuckled, taking a seat at the end of the bed, watching his hand move and his head tilting from one side to another as he rummage through her limited choice of clothing. That was when she realized that she was still wrapped in the towel. "Can you speed up? The towel is falling off." She proclaimed in a singing voice.

"I know what you're trying to do, so stop it before you regret it." He stepped closer to her, the chosen outfit in his hand. Straddling her at the end of the bed, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. A hand of his went to her cheek, it was warm and gentle; his eyes were conveying two messages, joy and lust.

Annabeth bit her bottom lip quickly, licking them in a seductive motion. She could feel him getting hard above him as he was still straddled over her. Reaching into his arms, she went for the top that he'd chosen for her. They were all dark color themed.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"All those colors? Dark and shady."

"You told me to surprise you."

"And you're doing a great job." She said with an undertone that held another layer of meaning. She smirked, slowly undoing the towel that was covering her body, she kept her eyes on him, desperate to gnaw and torture him. His reaction would simply be enough for her, for now.

"Stop trying to seduce me. You're just one step into succeeding. Please, stop trying. I'm all yours once we get back alright?" He groaned, getting off her and started to walk to the door.

"Stay, please." She requested once again, when he'd just reached the door.

"Since when are you so clingy around me?" He wondered out loud, giving her a funny look.

"Well, things happen right? People change."

"Not this fast."

"Well, it can simply be a sudden change of feeling. I feel like clinging on you today." She smiled a cheeky grin, directed at him. The teenager in her was entertaining him very much and he loved that part of her, never wanting her to ever turn back to the adult that he had met in the prison cell.

"So, what movie are we watching?"

¢.¢

Click click, flash…

"Shit!" Annabeth hadn't even figured out what was happening before she found herself been pulled away by Percy. "Duck your head, and keep it down." He said in her ears before wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him. In front of her, his security was making a way for them. "Don't say anything, just ignore them." He told her, keeping her closer as the question thrown to them from the paparazzi got wilder.

Once they ducked into the back of his car, the paparazzi swarmed around his car, some trying to slam their fist on the window. Annabeth buried her head in his shirt, trying to make everything stop. She couldn't afford to be seen in public. Not because the police would track her down, but because she had a higher chance of getting caught red handed when she was with Luke talking about their team. Nothing had been going in the direction that she had wanted.

"Why?" She groaned, pulling away from him as they finally got rid of the group of people with cameras in hand. "This is going to be headline news tomorrow."

"Yep, no doubt of that." He replied sarcastically. "I'm so sorry about that. I don't know how they found me." He pulled her closer, letting her head fall on his shoulder. "Just rest."

She nodded, but then she thought of something. "It's good. Your movie." She lifted her head from his shoulder to look at his reaction.

He stared at her. "I thought it wasn't that close to reality."

"But I'm sure that's what Piper's telling you. It's close enough." She replied, a sad smile surfaced when she mentioned the name of her former best friend. Former, because she no longer had any contact with her, even though she was seeing her a lot, but always from afar.

"So you didn't like it?"

"No, I loved it." She turned to give him an incredulous look. "You've got no idea how hard it was to get a compliment out of me." Her egoistic side made her felt necessary to add this last part.

"So I should be feeling lucky?" He teased, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her even closer to him.

"Yes, you should, bastard." She joked back, punching his toned stomach with her fist playfully. He clutched it in respond to the surprise attack. "Everyone who knew me will tell you that I never compliment people, let alone telling them I loved it."

"Do you happen to love the producer also?"

"Such a bold move." She commented lightly but gave no response to the question that he'd asked.

"Tell me about yourself, Annabeth." He requested out of the blue, breaking the silence not long after it begun.

"What?" She was only surprised by the request and not sure how to respond, she wasn't declining, but she was tempting to.

"I know nothing about you, but you knew everything about me, even with the things that I don't know myself." He raised an eyebrow, as if challenging her to deny the facts that he was referring to.

"Fair point." She mused to herself. "Where am I going to start?"

"You tell me."

"Very helpful, Mr Jackson." She scoffed, resting her chin on his shoulder, taking a closer look at his face. "Fine, how about my jail time. I've told you about my early life, and I think it's necessary to spare you every detail."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Miss." He rolled his eyes, but let her continued.

"You do, in actual fact, help me sleep at night." She smirked at her witty respond which caught him off guard.

"Whatever." He couldn't contain the smile so he let it out instead.

"Fun fact, I almost prolonged my jail time." She said, not missing a beat with the joking.

"What do you mean you almost did that?" The look on his face told her that he was no longer in the joking mood, but actually turned serious.

"I was too rebellious." She shrugged as she informed him nonchalantly. "I didn't find a way to tame the guards and I attract too much attention. Only because I believe that I am innocent and knew exactly why I'm in, so I wanted to get out and prove my innocence."

"Which made everything worse." He concluded for her.

"Yes. Now, next topic. Jail's no fun, honestly, and after seeing that movie of yours, I'd really like to keep my imaginations virtual." She smiled at him, giving him a cheeky grin that didn't exactly suit her personality.

"Oh, and before I forget. Do you have anything tomorrow or are you staying in?" She asked, not spoiling the purpose of her question.

"I'm staying at home, why?" He narrowed his eyes at her, not sure which direction his brain should think towards.

"Expect a visitor."

"Who might that be?"

¢.¢

"Luke, I've warned you already not to show up at the door, especially not today like this." Annabeth opened the door wide, letting the somewhat expected guest into the room.

"But I saw the news, and I thought you might want to call this emergency meeting. I don't know what to do, because it's too out of hand." The guy with sandy-blond hair stepped in, trying to justify his actions despite the death glare he was receiving from her.

"And what part of 'do not come find me' do you not understand from yesterday?" She hissed in his face, not wanting to wake up Percy, who was still asleep upstairs in bed. Annabeth was only foresighted enough to see the arrival of Luke, so she had gotten up early in the morning knowing that this guy would show up.

"I just thought it was necessary, perhaps you would've changed your mind and wanted me here." He was still trying to explain, but Annabeth wasn't taking any of them.

She led him through the hall and went straight to the kitchen where she poured him a glass of water, not even bothered to ask him what he actually wanted. She was beyond angered by his actions, not that she wasn't expecting it.

"Sit and we can start from here." She said, pointing to the empty seat across the table from where she was seated. "And, keep your voice down, Percy's still asleep." Luke raised an eyebrow, confused by her command. "I should be expecting you at this ungodly hour." She elaborated and explained to him in a dissing tone. He nodded, accepting the chastise.

"Are you still keeping a close eye on him?" He went straight to the topic.

"That's needless to do." She waved a dismissive hand. "He's completely in the dark."

"Why? Do you not know that the investigation might get to us at any second?""

"I am well aware of it." Annabeth rolled her eyes. "But, he shouldn't be involved, at least shouldn't have any of the knowledge, it's too dangerous for an inexperienced man like him."

"But you do know it's Nico whose behind all this right?"

"Yes," she rolled her eyes again, "of course I know, I even know why he dug up the case."

"They've not yet connect the dots, but they got the glasses and retrieved the reports on their bodies."

"I really don't know why he's starting on my parents' case. It's really useless."

"He wants to avenge his sister by putting you behind bars again." He shrugged, thinking that his explanation might be decent.

"That's his ultimate goal, but he doesn't know that this will not lead to my charges. My parents' death had nothing to do with me, I can't be blamed or held for anything. He's stupid to dwell upon it."

"But that's the only thing he knew and could get ahold of when he knew your relationship with Bianca."

"So? He went to the police and told them that my parents' death case should be reinvestigated. How very useful of him."

"Despite all that, what do you reckon we do?"

"Nothing."

"What?" Luke's eyes widened in shock, it wasn't a common answer from his boss, she had always got a plan, because she could just conjure one out of thin air right on the spot, there wasn't once that she was loss for a scheme.

"I said, there's nothing we can do. What part of it do you have trouble understand?" She gave him an irritated look, hating the fact that people had always depended on her to come up with something when there really wasn't a point to do so. "We only have to make sure that Percy doesn't get involved and dragged in."

"Why are you dwelling on him then?"

"Because he's innocent, you asshole." She hit her fist on the table to release part of her frustration, the dumbass in front of her just couldn't understand her motives sometimes. "Unlike my parents, Luke, I have a heart. Even if I'm the criminal mastermind."

"What do I do then?"

"Keep conducting your business and report to me if his name had been mentioned anywhere in any shape or form." She ordered, but before she could say anything further, her thoughts had been interrupted by the sharp gasp and inhale from the blond in front of her. Following his sight, she turned around and saw Percy standing at the doorway, staring at her with curiosity.

"Morning." She greeted, trying to act casual, she wasn't sure how much he'd heard, but she knew she had to tell him one day, sooner or later.

"Who's name?"

"Your name." Luke butted in before Annabeth was able to register what he was referring to. "Ouch, fuck." He swore when he got a kick on the shin from her as hard as she could.

"He doesn't need to know that." She hissed angrily at him.

"What don't I need to know?" Percy pressed, walking closer to her.

"He doesn't know?" Luke appeared to be surprised, his eyes darting between Percy and Annabeth.

"Of course he doesn't, bastard." She face-palmed as she tried to think of a way to explain everything whilst keeping everything simple.

"He is right here, for your information." Percy announced from behind Annabeth's chair, she was well aware of his presence.

"Get out, Luke. Now!" She ordered, looking at the blond who seemed to be offended but was afraid to show. He started to inch slowly to the door as if she might change her mind. "Hurry up! And keep your mouth shut, bastard." She demanded as she kicked him out of the door, locking it behind her as she turned back to the kitchen, seeing Percy who took a seat next to the table.

Once Luke was completely out of sight and Annabeth back to the kitchen, sitting down on the chair across Percy, fiddling with her shirt sleeves nervously. It was Percy who spoke first, breaking the ice.

"Tell me everything." His voice was soft yet demanding. There was no sign of hatred or disgust, nor contempt in his eyes, nothing negative that she thought she would receive from him. She had prepared herself for another fight with him, but his request surprised her.

"You never cease to surprise me, Percy." She retorted in a whisper as she stood up, finishing the water that she offered to Luke and placing the glass in the sink. "I'm gonna show you something, be prepared." She decided, walking to the door, grabbing his keys on her way and went outside in a series of swift movements, only for her to stay determined with her decision. "Got everything?" She asked, eyeing his choice of clothes, they looked like a night gown, at least nothing that he would wear if he was to make a public appearance.

"Where are we going?" She knew he was hesitating to change into a more decent clothing, but she thought she might lose all the courage that she finally mustered if she allowed him or herself to go back.

"You don't need to change, no one's going to recognize you." She promised assuringly while pulling him out of the house.

Once they were out of the elevator, the crowd and the flashing blue and red light made Annabeth wince. A cringeworthy moment in both of their lives, she was only lucky because no one knew who she was. At least that was her ideology.

"Jesus fucking hell!" Percy cursed out loud as Annabeth punched the button.

"Shit, shit, shit." She chanted. "Shall we go back and change, and then go from the back gate?" She asked, trying to sound and remain calm for him. "I'm sorry." She muttered under her breath as the elevator doors closed again, they were in the quiet once more.

"You don't need to change, you're fine in those." He said, looking at her outfit up and down. Indeed, she was fine in her long sleeves and a pair of thin yoga pants. Even though she was wearing a pair of slippers, they look almighty fine on her with the other clothes she had on.

She raised an eyebrow at him, followed him out of the elevator to the one that would lead them to his penthouse. She watched him punch in the code in silence, still wondering if he had said what he said in the public elevator because he was annoyed that the paparazzi were at his door, or because of her sudden request of leaving with her in a rush. She didn't know why he said that, but the more she thought about it, the less she wanted to ask, even though she was eager to know the reason.

"I'll wait for you by the elevator." She informed him quietly in a cautious voice as her eyes followed his back as he made his way to the stairs to his bedroom. He nodded, but didn't turn back to look at her.

Walking to the huge balcony that would put the whole city in display, she plopped her forearms on the railings as she bent over to look down at the moving cars on the busy street. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, that reminded her of the two-colored light that was flashing in front of the building entrance. She remembered how shocked she was to see the police getting involved. Taking it out thinking it might be from Luke, she peered at the now lit up screen.

It showed a voicemail from him. She didn't even know that he had called, let alone a voicemail that had just reached her mail box. Frowning, she slide her finger over the notification and placed the phone near her ear.

"I'm just testing out this new technology, Annabeth." There was a short pause, she was wondering if he was going to explain what he was talking about, but apparently he didn't do that. "I saw the paps around the penthouse when I head out so I called the police to get rid of them, reporting them as a source of riot and disturbance. I didn't press any charges, you know why." Yes, she did. The policemen were a group of dangerous people to work with, especially when Annabeth herself wasn't exactly the most innocent person. "Anyways, I just want to warn you to be careful around them. Other than that, everything's smooth and well." Followed by a beep, signaling to her that the voicemail was finished. She let out a deep chortle from her throat as she let her phone lock itself.

Annabeth was thinking of the ways that she could skin him alive for being so oblivious and scaring her half to death by sending the police force to her. A smile appeared on her evil looking face, making her radiate off even more deviant vibes.

"What're you smiling at?" Percy's voice from the back startled her.

"Shit." She scolded him after recovering from her shock. "Why can't you just show up like what a normal boyfriend?" She chided him jokingly.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I don't happen to have a normal girlfriend." He tilted her chin slightly and leaned down, planting a soft kiss on her lips. She had no idea how they managed to become so intimate after several days of tensed atmosphere between them. Truth to be told, the tension still exists, but for some reason, it wasn't there when he surprised her.

"Really?" She nudged him in the shoulders, shoving him out in the process. He just shrugged in respond, it was pointless to bring up the serious subject, he was close to finding his answers anyways.

"Aren't you taking me somewhere?" He reminded her in the same casual tone that she had used on him when she was in a lovey-dovey mood. Coming from him, the question sounded so chill and nonchalant, she often wondered how could he just make everything sound nice and look nice when he wanted to. He could literally wear any clothes and still look handsome.

"Like what you see?" He snuck an arm around her waist, winking at her, taking her out of her trance. She just realized that she had been staring at him, admiring his face and taking in his features.

"Mm." She nodded, looking away, unable to contain the rise of a giddy feeling. Fishing out the keys and started to twist it around her fingers, making them dangle from the keychain. Hiding a smirk, she had to look down at the ground and focus on the pattern of the floor that was changing as they reached the service elevator that would lead them to the back door of the lobby.

"Do you want me to drive?" He asked, only out of courtesy, since he wasn't a fond of driving either. Usually, he'd have his chauffeur here, but he knew she didn't like a staff following them in general, so he only ordered his bodyguards to follow them in a car behind them and do their job from a distance.

"No, it's fine." She thanked him and got into the driver's seat behind the wheel as he got into the passenger's seat. Inserting the key, she took her time examining the structure and controls of his car before switching the ignition on. Reaching into her pocket, she took out a blind fold. "I'm going to be completely honest with you, Percy, I don't want to hide anything from you, so I'm going to tell you now, put this on." She handed the black fabric to him, giving him a look to tell him that she wasn't joking when she said he needed to wear a blindfold. "I'm not kidnapping you, you're safe. Trust me. You can have your security team do whatever they want to me if you got hurt. But, I'm making you wear them because I don't want you to know the location of the place that I'm bringing you to." She exhaled when she said the last part, a weight lifted from her shoulders.

Percy pulled the blindfold down after nodding to her, telling her that he understood her.

"Also, I've asked your staff to not track us and not to follow." She added, while testing the breaks and all the other basic controls that she needed to test.

He snapped his head towards her, pulling the blindfold down, revealing his worried green-eyes. "What?"

"Percy, I don't care if you trust me or not, but you have to this time." She sighed, knowing this sounded bad coming from her, his girlfriend. "Our relationship is not normal, we both know, but can you please just gamble for the very last time?" She almost pleaded. "It will be your very last gamble with me." She hugged the steering wheel to find comfort and support. "Just this once?" She begged. "You've asked for it and I've got no reason to reject that request anymore."

"Then where are you bringing me?" He demanded, not sure what she was actually talking about. "What do you mean I've asked for it?"

"Can you just bear your curiosity for just an hour? I promise, if you just close your eyes, you'll no longer be in the dark before you know it; and you will have control over yourself and your life again. But until then, I am in power." She knew it sounded it like a threat, and she knew it would work, but she didn't know if she wanted it to be a threat or it just came out due to her instincts.

"Fine. This will be the last time?" He asked her, holding up a finger just to clarify. She nodded firmly, her eyes filled with hope for the first time in a long while.

"Blindfold on, and you can start dreaming." She let out a relieved sigh when he obeyed. Annabeth started the car and drove out of his driveway. She kept checking her back to make sure that they weren't being followed, especially not by his securities and not by her enemies.

Once they've gotten on the highway, she turned on the radio, letting some soft music take over the atmosphere in the car. She noticed that Percy's chest was rising up and down in a constant pace, indicating that he had fallen asleep. Not long after the observation, she heard a soft snore coming from him. The next time she casted her eyes over to his face, she saw a drool stain coming out of the corner of his mouth, causing her to chuckle. Not wanting to wake him up, she restrained herself from wiping the drool from him. He looked absolutely adorable and cute in his sleeping form, even with blindfold on. Shaking her head in disbelieve, her mind drifted to every encounter that she had ever had with him. It shocked her of how quick her feelings changed and how much she had actually fallen for him, an ass that she used to diss in front of her friends.