Chapter Twenty Three Bloom

Standing above the city of New York, her gaze looking at the skyline, it was the most incredible, sensational feeling that Annabeth had ever felt in her life.

Standing above everyone, it the same realm as the clouds, it made her feel… important. It made her mind clear. Standing above everyone else made the big things seem so small. Looking at all the different buildings made her own problems seem so small as she realized that there were so many other people in the world who were suffering just as much as her or even more.

Standing above everyone else made her feel powerful.

Some people were terrified of standing on a ledge, gripping a railing which was your only protection from falling to your death, but to Annabeth it brought an exhilarating feeling coursing through her veins. It made her feel wild and free.

And freedom was a feeling that she never wanted to give up.

Freedom was way too precious to ever let go of.

Freedom was hers.

"Percy, this is amazing," Annabeth said as she looked out at the city of New York, at the blinking lights as she faintly heard the sounds below.

"I told you that everyone has to see the Empire State Building at once and you have to stand on top of it," Percy said as he leaned against the railing next to her, the wind brushing his raven black hair from off of his forehead. "When I stand up here, it reminds me just where I've come from. I don't know, I like it up here."

"Thalia would hate it," Annabeth laughed.

"Pincecone face still have a big fear of heights?" Percy asked.

"Her fear isn't one you can ever get over, she still can't even go on the Ferris wheel at Coney Island when we go," Annabeth said. "She gets all the way to the front of the line and then she just stops and her eyes go wide and she nearly passes out."

"What about you Wise Girl, do you like heights?" He asked.

"I love the feeling it gives you, the rush and the excitement. And for some reason I love the control. You have a chance to jump and fall to your death and as morbid as that sounds… I like having the choice. I like being able to chose in life."

"I like being able to chose as well," Percy said solemnly.

"That's why I like writing, you get to chose who dies, who lives, who gets their happily ever after, who doesn't, I'm in charge and I get to decide," Annabeth said. "I think that's what got me started writing when I was little, I got to make the life I had never had before."

"Annabeth, it amazes me how everything you say sounds so incredibly profound," Percy said, shaking his head. "Sometimes I wonder if you've memorized something to say for everything someone else says that makes you sound so brilliant."

"Percy that's so ridiculous," Annabeth laughed and then she tossed her curls over her shoulders saucily. "I'm just naturally this brilliant."

"Well if you're going to be that prideful then I won't be sharing my sandwiches with you," Percy said, folding his arms but his eyes were twinkling as he kicked the picnic basket that was at his feet.

"What type of sandwiches?" Annabeth asked curiously.

"Oh the usual, peanut butter and jelly, turkey and swiss… oh and I remember reading somewhere that you love avocado and honey mustard," Percy said. Annabeth blushed. She mentioned almost every other chapter in The Letter Writer that she was craving such a sandwich.

Just thinking about it made her mouth water.

"Well I guess I can try and not be prideful… only for a few minutes to eat a sandwich," Annabeth admitted.

"Perfect," Percy said, grinning as he spread out a red and white checkered blanket on the cement of the floor of the Empire State Building's Observatory deck (AN: Don't know it that's a real thing…) The two of them sat down and Percy pulled out a bag of chips, a plate full of sandwiches, a bowl of fruit and two cupcakes with blue frosting on top.

"Maria made them for us," Percy said. When he saw Annabeth's confused face he responded. "Maria's our house keeper."

"Ah," Annabeth said. "So that's how your apartment doesn't look like a bachelor bad all the time."

"You should see it on her week off, it looks like WWIII went through there. Nico and I aren't the cleanest people in the world. As long as we can find it then we're fine," Percy shrugged. "It's not like we have a bunch of people over all the time and the people who do come over are close friends who could care less about our mess."

"My place is always a mess but only because of my books but it's still really clean… just messy at the same time... I'd like to call it organized chaos," Annabeth said.

"Wise Girl that doesn't make sense at all," Percy said shaking his head as he handed Annabeth a sandwich. She unpeeled the plastic wrap around it and took a bite, smiling as the honey muster oozed out of the sandwich.

"Exactly," Annabeth said, grinning at him.

"You make no sense," he said.

"So I've been told. I've also been told I'm crazy but hey," she said shrugging. "All the best people in the world are. They're absolutely bonkers."

"So then that makes me one of the best people in the world," Percy said.

"Of course it does Seaweed Brain," Annabeth smiled. "One of the best."

"Thanks," Percy said.

"I can't believe that we're actually having a picnic on top of the Empire State Building," Annabeth laughed, looking around. There was no one else with them and it felt… nice. "How the heck did you even manage this?"

"When you have money you can do pretty much anything," Percy said, leaning against the stone railing to protect any idiot from falling off of the building to his death. The stone felt cold against his skin. He closed his eyes and felt the wind whisper against his face. He half smiled. "You know about a year ago Nico, my friends Leo and Jason and I were in Paris and we were betting who could run the flights of the Eifel Tower fastest.

We ended up paying enough money to close the Eifel Tour for an hour and we saw who could run the stairs fastest. (Don't think this is even virtually possible by the way but what the heck!)"

"Who won?" Annabeth asked.

"Who do you think?" Percy asked with a cocky grin. "It only burnt a little hole in my spending money. I had to lay off of the chocolates I really liked from Belgium for a while."

"You poor boy," Annabeth said sarcastically.

"I know, it was hard," he said with a heavy sigh. "What about you? What was the most fun thing you've ever done in your life?"

"Well… when I was six I won a middle school spelling bee," Annabeth said, tapping her jaw. "That was a lot of fun. And of course when I published The Letter Writer it was amazing."

Percy scoffed. "Those are your favorite memories Wise Girl? A spelling Bee and your book. Wow you need to have more fun in life."

"I've never had time," Annabeth shrugged. "Never needed to, I was too focused on school so that I could get into college."

"Well you're lucky that you're hanging out with the king of fun," Percy said.

"Oh the king of fun are you?" Annabeth asked. "And how did you get that title?"

"I self proclaimed myself of course, it's more fun that way," Percy said. Annabeth snorted.

"Of course it is," she said rolling her eyes. She pulled her coat off and set it down next to her and then reached for a chip and popped it into her mouth.

"Annabeth," Percy said, sounding more serious all of a sudden.

"Yeah Percy?" She asked.

"What's on your arm?" He asked.

"Huh?" She looked down and saw that her wrist was completely swollen from where Luke had grabbed her. She quickly covered her wrist with her hand. "It's nothing," she said quickly.

"Annabeth what is that?" Percy asked, keeping each of his words quiet and solemn as his eyes seemed to turn into green storms on the sea.

"Percy it's nothing, I just hurt myself, I'm a klutz sometimes okay?" Annabeth said, she wasn't in the mood to tell Percy about Luke and what had happened. She looked down at her wrist, looking at the bruises before looking back at Percy.

"Annabeth what the hell is that," Percy asked. "What is it? Whoever did that to you deserves to be punched in the nose for that. And punched in the nose so hard that it will never look the same again."

Annabeth sighed. "It was Luke. He came into the shop today and completely caught me off guard. He yelled a bit and grabbed my wrist. He didn't like the fact that I dumped him for you. Don't worry, Athena came and kicked him out of the store."

"That bastard," Percy muttered. "Gods I knew it! I remembered him from high school, he was always the idiot. I'm going to kill him," he growled.

"Percy don't," Annabeth said. "I can handle Luke, I've been doing it since I was little. I'm not worried about him. He just gets really cocky and arrogant and is pissed that I dumped him. No one ever dumps him. I was the first."

Percy shook his head. "Still I knew he was a douchebag ever since I saw him at Riki's ."

"You sound like Malcolm, he said almost the exact same thing," Annabeth laughed. "Said that he could smell douchebag."

"I need to get to know this Malcolm better," Percy said. "He sounds like my type of guy."

"I'm sure that he would love to get to know you," Annabeth grinned and then she pulled her knees up to under her chin and suddenly contemplating something. "Percy… what's your family like? I know you're the son of Poseidon but who's your mom? I don't think that I've ever heard about her on the news."

Percy titled his head upwards towards the stars. "You probably wouldn't have, I make it a goal of mine not to let the press know about my personal family at all. I don't give a shit about my dad but my mom… well she's something else."

"Her name is Sally Jackson and she's married to Paul Bolfis. He was my English teacher in high school. They live in upper New York with my little brother Tyson."

"You have a little brother?" Annabeth asked. "How old is he?"

"Well I guess that he's not exactly a little brother, he's younger than me but he's probably almost twice my size. His name's Tyson and he's a few years younger than me. He was in a car accident and lost an eye."

"Oh Percy I'm sorry," Annabeth said.

Percy shrugged. "It's hard at times but… he's fine now which is really all that matters. Nico and I go over to their home for almost every single holiday and sometimes our friends will come too. Everyone loves my mom.

I think you'd get along really well with her as well. She's been through a lot just like you. Her parents died when she was little in a freak plane crash. Apparently one little bolt hadn't been tightened strong enough and the whole plane fell apart. Can you believe that, one thing isn't in place and everything else falls apart," Percy said shaking his head.

"So she moved in with her uncle and then dropped out of college to help support him when he had cancer. He ended up dying leaving her alone again. She says that the best thing that ever happened to her is me and my dad. She loved my dad a lot. And well… I wish I could see him how my mom sees him but to be honest I hadn't seen my dad in around two years.

But my mom has moved on, she loves Paul now. I'm happy because when I was little she was in a relationship with an abusive man who beat her and yelled at her. I called him Smelly Gave," Percy said, wrinkling his nose. "I don't know how she managed to do it but she never yelled at either of us and I'm almost positive she wanted to pull her hair out at us." He laughed somewhat bitterly.

"If anyone deserves to have a happily ever after, it's her," Percy said. "She's the best mother any boy could ever have."

"Wish I had a mom like that," Annabeth said. "Mine ran away when I was born, she and my dad had been college sweethearts, she was working in ancient literature, he was in history. They well… one night they did it and here I am," Annabeth said motioning to herself. "The only thing I've had close enough to a mother is Sue… and I'm not sure that she really counts as a mother. If there's anyone who meets the definition of a step mother it's her."

"When I was little she beat me continuously when she came home," Annabeth said, absentmindedly rubbing her arms where the bruises usually were when she was little. "She was always drunk or stressed or something," Annabeth said. "When I was younger I used to pretend I was Cinderella. But then when I grew up I realized that there was no fairy godmother there to swish her wand and make everything better. There was no Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet."

"If I wanted to have anything happen, I'd have to make it myself."

Percy studied her face and saw her set jaw as she talked about her past. "You probably could tell from my letters. I never told anyone, not even Thalia about the bruises and those awful nights until now." She brushed a strand of blond hair from her eyes. "I decided that no one could write my story except myself."

"I decided that if I was going to start living for myself. I once wrote a words for the wise for myself, I don't think it was ever in one of the letters. It was more something for myself. It went something like this:

W4W: Be happy. And if you can't be happy then do what makes you happy. And if you can't do what makes you happy, then do things you don't like but do it with people that make you happy. Because there are good things in life, there are sunrises, every day there's something new for you to live for. Every day there's something new to dream for. You can't give up. Do what makes you smile and laugh."

"When I was little I didn't smile a lot…"

"Wise Girl, you still don't smile a lot," Percy interrupted.

"Oh shut up Seaweed Brain, this is a very important and deep moment and you're ruining it," Annabeth said, leaning over and pushing him on the shoulder. "But that Words for the Wise encouraged me to keep smiling and hopefully… one day my world would actually have something nice in life to live for. I used to pray that every night and write it in my journal."

"Well your dreams came true," Percy grinned.

"Did they?" Annabeth asked.

"Of course they did, you have me now," Percy said cockily.

"You are so arrogant Seaweed Brain," Annabeth laughed.

"No just very truthful," he said, grinning at her madly.

"Okay you've officially ruined the somber mood, good going Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said.

"Great, then that means I can finally do what I've been wanting to do this whole entire time," Percy said.

"Oh and what is that?" Annabeth asked, sitting up on her knees.

"Play a song for you of course, what else am I good at?" Percy asked as he suddenly pulled out a guitar case from behind him.

"Where did that come from?" Annabeth asked. "You're like Mary Poppins."

"Mary Puffins? Who names their kid that?"

"Poppins Percy, honestly I think you need to get your hearing checked. And you've never seen Mary Poppins? Gods have you been living in a cave for your whole life. Next time we get together I'm choosing the movie and I'll have to educate you."

"Okay that's nice, no can I finally play my song?" Percy asked impatiently.

"Yes, you can play your song Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said as she folded her hands in her lap patiently.

"Great," he said, clearing his throat and strumming a chord on Riptide. He began humming to himself as if trying to figure out where to begin and then began to play:

In the morning when I wake

And the sun is coming through

Oh you fill my lungs with sweetness

And you fill my head with you

Shall I write it in a letter?
Shall I try to get it down.

Oh you fill my head with pieces

Of a song I can't get out

Can I be close to you?
Ooh-oo-oo-ooh, ooh

Can I be close to you?

Ooh, ooh

Can I take it to a morning

Where the fields are painted gold

And the trees are filled with memories

Of the feelings never told?

When the evening pulls the sun down,

And the day is almost through

Oh the world it is sleeping

But my world is you.

Can I be close to you?
Ooh-oo-oo-ooh, ooh

Can I be close to you?

Ooh, ooh

"I wrote that last night. I couldn't sleep at all, I don't know why but when I'm around you I can write. I write and I'm inspired by you. I can't stop thinking about you every time I'm not with you as sappy and stupid as that sounds. You have become my muse Annabeth Chase… wait what's your middle name?" Percy asked.

"It's Christine," Annabeth said, "Annabeth Christine."

"Annabeth Christine Chase," Percy said, testing her name out as it rolled off of his tongue. "I like that. Annabeth Christine Chase, you have become my muse and I think that you are the most amazing girl I've ever met and trust me I have met thousands."

Annabeth blushed and looked down at her hands. "I feel the same way about you Percy… quick what's your last name?" She asked. Percy laughed.

"It's Erik," he said. "After my grandpa, not the Disney Prince which I have been so commonly compared to looking like."

"Perseus Erik Jackson, you are my light, I don't know what I would have done without you. And I'm sorry about my sappiness level as well… I've never been good at romantic words. I've never really had anything romantic in my life," Annabeth confessed.

"Well that's going to change Annabeth Christine," Percy said. "Because we're going to start writing our story right now."

"I like the sound of that, our story," Annabeth smiled.

"I made sure to come up with a writing analogy just for you," Percy said, his goofy grin plastered on his face. "I figured it could be as cheesy as I like as long as it has something to do with words."

"You're right about that, I'm a sucker for anything with words."

"Anyway… I was thinking that maybe we could start our story in the place where some of the greatest stories have started," Percy began. When he saw Annabeth's confused look on her face, he continued. "I talked with Mr. D today as you know to talk about the record and he loved it. He loved it so much that they want to get it out and into stores as soon as possible and… there's going to be a tour. A European Tour. And I want you to come with me," Percy said.

He watched in pure glee as Annabeth's face slowly lit up as she realized what he was saying. Her grey eyes grew wider and wider as she stared at Percy. He laughed at her expression. "Are you kidding me!" Annabeth said excitedly. "Please tell me you're not joking!" She said.

"I'm not joking, why would I joke about something like this?" Percy asked innocently. "I swear I want you to come to Europe with me."

"Oh my gods Percy! Oh my gods!" Annabeth said, getting close to hyperventilating. "Is this even… legal?"

"Leave it to you to ask about the legality of things and of course it is. I'm the Percy Jackson, I can do what I want. And I want you to come with me to Europe."

Annabeth squealed, a sound that she didn't make a lot but Percy found almost… cute when she did it. Her eyes were filled with wild excitement and her hair was flying everywhere in the quick wind.

"I'm going to see the Eifel Tower and the London Eye and Big Ben and oh gods! Percy I'm going to get to see the Parthenon and the Coliseum!" She said hurriedly and then she flung herself into Percy's arms who caught her laughing.

"I'm glad you're excited to go," he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her brow. "It's in two months but I figured that you'd want enough time to prepare and everything."

Annabeth smiled contently as she automatically nestle deeper into Percy's strong embrace. "This is perfect," she said, smiling.

"I know Wise Girl, I know," he said, running his fingers through her blond curls that were wild and untamable just like she was. And he liked that about her.

He kissed her brow.

The two of them just laid there, Percy holding Annabeth tight as they looked up at the stars that were barely hanging in the sky.

o.O.o

Men hardly look up.

They tend to look down. Down at their peers, down at the homeless man on the street, down at their clothes to make sure they look good enough for everyone else, down at their work and their stress, down at their watches to pray that the minutes fly by faster. They never pause. They're always looking at their feet to make sure that they get to where they're going. They always look at down on themselves, always down on their friends.

They never look up.

They never look at the stars that shine in the night air. Never look at the sun which offers its warmth and trust. Never look at the moon which tells of peaceful sleeps. They never stop to listen to the wind whisper in their ears. Never pause to look around at their fellow neighbors.

And that is why on this night, no one looked up at the Empire State Building.

No one looked up to see the boy with the green eyes like the sea leaning in close to the girl with hair of gold, his lips ghosting her skin.

No one looked up to see her soft smile at his touch.

No one looked up to see as he pressed his lips to her and as the two of them were completely focused on the love that they both had for each other.

No one looked up to see as two people began their own story together.

No one saw the love blooming.

Because no one looks up.

No, not even in New York.

Especially not in New York.

The song used in this is Bloom by Paper Kites! Thanks for those who recommended it.