"Morning Seaweed brain."

Percy sat up in his bed, heart racing, fingers inching towards Riptide lying atop his nightstand. Hand gripping the hilt, he jumped out of bed only to be tackled by a blonde daughter of Athena. His girlfriend and Wisegirl Annabeth Chase.

Annabeth was squeezing Percy so hard to the point where his words came out choked. "What are you doing here so early, Wisegirl?" She released him, looking at her Seaweedbrain incredulously.

"It's 12:00 in the afternoon. I've been here since seven. Your'e mother told me to let you sleep in. She also said something about nightmares?"

Percy shrugged nonchalantely. "They weren't that scary," Percy replied meekly.

Annabeth raised a challenging eyebrow. "Percy..." Annabeth warned.

"Okay, okay. So maybe I was up at 4:00 in the morning. Maybe I woke my mama up, and maybe I needed her to tuck me in again." Percy was scowling at his sheets, but he was blushing.

"Seaweed brain," Annabeth teased. "We've been over this. Everyone you love is still here, and they wouldn't be if it wasn't for what we accomplished in the war against Gaia and her army of giants. Since we're not at war with them anymore, this is the recovery stage. Unfortunately recovering means nightmares." Annabeth stated, ever logical. Then as an afterthought confessed, "I've been getting them too."

"About?..."

"Yeah, about that place."

They remained in a comfortable silence, staring into each others eyes, each drinking in the shades of deep grey, and crystalline sea green, both sets reflecting the horrific nature of their memories of that place unspoken.

"Percy, Annabeth, blue blueberry pancakes." And just like that the moment was lost as Percy's eyes lit up and the trauma that haunts them both was no longer visibly reflected in his beautiful sea glass eyes. Now he resembled a baby seal as he practically dragged Annabeth out of his bedroom. Of course food will always be the cure, especially blue food.

Annabeth sits across from him and watches as he drowns his blue blueberry pancackes in blueberry syrup. She sighs fondly and cuts into her pancake delicately.

After Percy was done stuffing his face, his little sister walks in and grimaces at her brother. Annabeth pats her head. "Thats your brother for you. You'll get used to it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Percy asked, syrup dribbling down his chin.

"Do you need a bib?" His sister asked smugly.

They heard Sally's warm laughter from the kitchen, cutting off any retort Percy might have made. He always loves hearing his mother laugh.

Today Sally is going to take his little sister horseback riding to get his little sister out of the house. Also it acts as a small introduction into Percy's world.

"Your ride is here," she smiled fondly at Percy and Annabeth. "Ready to ride some horsies?" She asked excitedly to her youngest.

Her smug look melted right off her face as she dashed out the door, Sally following entusiastically after, but not before hugging and ruffling Percy's hair.

Once Sally and his sister were gone, it just left Percy and Annabeth. They soaked up the moment together because it would be the last time for the next few months, at the very least, they would get to be alone in a room. Just them and no worry of monsters or saving Olympus for the third time.

Percy broke the meaningful silence of an intimate moment first, the Seaweed brain. "Wouldn't want to keep Blackjack waiting. You know how impatient he gets."

"Yeah, because he has you as his rider," Annabeth responded dryly.

Percy mock scowled. "C'mere Wisegirl." He pulled her closer and kissed her fully on the lips. He tasted like blueberries, his lips sticky sweet from the syrup, then he pulled away too soon, leaving her heart pounding against her ribs. "How's that for impatient?"

Annabeth's now sticky lips quirked up in a smirk. "Seaweed brain, that took just the right amount of patience."