I'm really sorry that these are so slow! But this is a bit of a longer chapter so buckle up! Above is the song they listen to—one of my favorites right now. Also I'm working on the next right now—you'll find out why when you reach the end ;) enjoy!!

Wednesday, September 26th
3:15 pm - Riptide Café

"Thanks, keep the change," Percy said as he handed the guy a ten dollar bill. He picked up Annabeth's soup and walked out of the cafe. Making his way to his car, he whistled as he lifted his face into the sunlight. He made a mental note to make Annabeth get some fresh air when he got to her house.

After a short drive, Percy was parked outside Annabeth's home. He made his way up the walkway, knocking at the door. Mr. Chase opened the door.

"Hi," he said, a small smile on his face. He looked a bit tired as he ran a hand through his blonde and grey-streaked hair.

"I'm Percy, Annabeth's friend," he introduced himself. "I brought soup." He held up the bag.

"Ah yes," he seemed to recognize the name. "Come in." Percy stepped inside. "Thank you, for the soup. Annabeth is upstairs if you want to run it to her. I've been back and forth between that and my study," he sighed.

"Of course. I'll hang out with her for a bit, if you want a break," Percy offered.

"Thank you." His voice was breathy and thin. "And," he stuck his hand out, "call me Fred." Percy shook his hand firmly.

"I'll be right in my study," he said with a subtle warning to his tone. Percy nodded seriously, trying to show respect. Once he walked off, Percy made his way up the stairs.

"Annabeth?" He knocked lightly on her door, even though it was already slightly ajar.

"Hi," she said. She was sprawled across her bed, which was neatly made until she, seemingly, plopped herself down. She sounded miserable.

"I brought you soup," he started. "And your homework."

"Thanks. Can you just leave it on my desk?" She pointed, without looking, to the desk pushed against the wall next to a window. He walked over, placing the bag and stack of books down. He placed his bookbag on the floor as well.

"How you holding up?" he asked sympathetically.

"Well, I haven't stopped vomiting. Actually, I haven't puked in about ten minutes, which is the longest I've gone." She reached over with a hand, knocking on the wood of her nightstand. Percy chuckled slightly.

"I'm sorry. You should get some fresh air, its nice in the sun," he suggested. Annabeth groaned. "Come on. Lets go sit outside," he nodded towards the door. She turned and sat up on the bed. She let out a long groan which turned into a sigh and stretched. Percy tried not to stare at the sliver of skin peeking through where her shirt came up, or her tan, toned arms.

"Fine," she agreed, standing up. She then led Percy out of her room, down the stairs, and through the kitchen until they finally reached the backyard. Annabeth walked barefoot through the grass before stopping in nearly the middle of the yard. She looked up towards the sun, closing her eyes and spreading her arms. She inhaled deeply. Percy watched her intently, taking in every detail of her beauty. Her skin nearly glowed in the warm light, her hair shined like gold silk, and her prominent cheek bones and jaw line stood out more than usual. He saw the light spray of auburn freckles that danced across her cheeks, and long thick eyelashes that fluttered. She was like a work of art; something so moving and gorgeous, you had to stop and stare. She was incredible.

Percy looked away just as she opened her eyes.

"You were right," she decided, looking around the yard. "This feels good."

"See? That's why you should always listen to me," Percy joked.

"Don't get cocky, Jackson." Annabeth smirked. His stomach fluttered when she called him Jackson. He needed to relax. It was just Annabeth—his friend.

"Come sit with me," she said. It was more of a demand than a request. Then again, he wasn't going to say no. He rather enjoyed sitting with Annabeth. He followed her to a table on the patio. It was pretty big—you could seat eight people comfortably. He took a seat next to Annabeth. A bright yellow umbrella was stood up from the center of the table, providing a bit of shade.

"Nice place you got here," Percy commented.

"Yeah, I've always liked the backyard." Annabeth looked around, a serene smile on her face. Then her eyes settled on a playset across the yard from where they were. "I used to play in that thing all the time. Sometimes my mom and dad would crawl up there with me and we would watch the sunset." A look of almost pain replaced her smile. Why? Percy had never seen Annabeth's mom around, so he guessed it had something to do with that. He decided it would be best if he left it alone; let her tell him if she wanted.

They sat in silence for a small while, the only noise being that familiar summer buzz ringing through the air, although it was fading. Annabeth looked tired, yet still beautiful. She let out a long sigh after inhaling deeply.

"How you been?" she asked suddenly.

It was funny; he felt it should have been the other way around. Not wanting to be rude, he answered. "Good I guess." Percy shrugged.

"How's the family?" There was a pause before they chuckled.

"Mom's good. Paul's good."

"Paul?"

"Step dad." Percy nodded. "He's been with my mom since I was fourteen, so three, almost four years." Percy gave a small smile. Paul was a good man.

"How do you feel about having a step parent?" she asked, her eyes going somewhere else.

"I mean, it was difficult at first, to get used to it. But that's because my first step father, Gabe Ugliano, was, uh... abusive." Percy took a deep breath. It was slowly becoming easier to talk about that chapter of his life. For a long time he had been closed off and distrusting to Paul, but once he saw how happy his mom was with him, he knew he was a good man. Paul even talked to him about it. The corner of Percy's mouth tugged up in the slightest.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." Annabeth's face fell, her eyes big and concerned.

"It was a tough time, but we got through it. He's been locked up for a while, and he isn't getting out any time soon," Percy explained.

"That's good," she said. "You like Paul?"

"Yeah. He makes my mom really happy. He's good to us." He nodded.

"I'm glad." Annabeth smiled. A genuine smile. A beautiful one. "I think I would be okay if my dad saw someone else. I mean, he deserves to be happy, right? I still don't like to delve back into that part of my life—when my mom died, I mean. I was only twelve, but I still miss her. Everyday." Annabeth stared at the ground.

"I'm really sorry, Annabeth." Percy looked at her with empathy—he too had lost a parent, and it wasn't easy. He was only seven when his dad died, but it still hadn't been easy. And he could only imagine how she felt, being old enough to remember but too young to know what to do.

"Thank you," she sniffled. She wiped beneath her eyes, trying to stem her tears. "Ugh, I'm tired of this sad stuff," she chuckled.

"Yeah me too," Percy agreed, smiling at her ability to lighten the mood. "Have you been able to see Alfred recently?"

Annabeth suddenly smiled. "I have to pay him a visit soon. I wish I could today, but I don't really feel like going out and I look like I just crawled out of my coffin," she joked.

"I'd have to disagree, but okay." Percy chuckled when she playfully glared at him.

"I need to clean myself up. And I'm kind of hungry. Let's go back inside and, you know... do those things." Annabeth stood up and began walking inside, her movements unrushed and gentle. Percy followed close behind, watching her graceful steps.

He smiled.

Just because.

~*~

Wednesday, September 26th
3:50pm - Annabeth's bedroom

"Annabeth!" Her father called up the stairs. She came down, Percy following her. "I have to run out for a second. I'll be back soon, okay, Pumpkin?"

"Okay," Annabeth said, letting her father kiss her forehead.

"Take care of her, alright?" It was more of a warning and demand, when he said it to Percy.

"Of course, sir." Percy nodded. He seemed just a tad nervous. With one last goodbye, her father was out the door and they were back upstairs.

"Hey you don't mind if I take a really quick shower do you?" Annabeth asked. "I just fell kinda bleh and I'll be five minutes." She never liked showering when guests were over—she didn't want to be rude or have someone accidentally walk in on her—but she felt in desperate need of one.

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll just wait in here." Percy nodded, still sitting on her bed.

"Alright, awesome." Annabeth sighed as she pulled some clothes from her drawers. Underwear, a bra, shorts, and a t-shirt. Then she walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. It had become a habit.

She turned on the water and stripped of her clothes. She let it run hot and watched the steam float through the glass door. Maybe it would help with her headache. Annabeth stepped into the shower, letting the water run down her body. It felt nice. She relaxed her muscles and her mind.

She had just finished washing her hair when she began to feel woozy. It became harder to breathe as she turned off the water and stumbled out of the shower, knocking over a bottle of shampoo.

There was a knock at the door "Annabeth? You okay?" It was Percy.

She grabbed her towel and sat on the toilet, throwing it over herself enough to cover up. Her vision became splotchy and blurred. She still found getting air in difficult. She tried closing her eyes to rid herself of the dizziness, but it wasn't working. A familiar feeling emerged in her throat; she might vomit.

"Um..." she tried to respond. She could barely get the word out through her ragged breathing. She was terrified, but she knew what was happening; she was about to faint. Tears began to streak her cheeks. What about the baby? Was this something to do with that? She prayed to god it wasn't.

"Annabeth can you unlock the door?" There was a frantic edge to Percy's voice. Annabeth found herself reaching for the door, searching with her fingers for the lock; she could still barely see.

The door swung open and Percy came in. "Annabeth? What happened?" She felt his hands on her knees. Her skin was still wet from her shower. She leaned her head against the wall, closing her eyes and suddenly feeling tired.

"No, no, no," Percy gently lifted her head from the wall. "You need to stay awake." He kept his hand on her chin for a second. "Breathe, Annabeth, breathe," Percy reminded her. She was hit with sudden wave of nostalgia.

Breathe, her mother said. Breathe.

"Here," Percy helped her drink some water. She was suddenly able to get air in again. She swallowed hard. Her vision began to clear a bit, and she could see Percy. His green eyes were wide and filled with concern. He was knelt down in front of her, his eyebrows furrowed. He looked cute when he was worried.

Considering the thought she had just had, she had a feeling she would be fine.

"There you go," Percy said as he watched her regain her senses. After a few more gulps of water and moments of uneven breathing, Percy spoke up. "What happened?"

"I was just in the shower, and then I felt dizzy. The water must have been too hot." Annabeth's head hurt. Part of her wanted to cry, but the other part was just grateful she was okay.

"Alright," Percy said. "You wanna come lie down, just for a little bit?"

"Yeah." Annabeth nodded slowly. It was when she stood up that she realized she was basically naked. She quickly pulled the towel around her, trying to cover up as much as possible.

"Oh, uh..." Percy swallowed when he also realized that the only thing covering her was a towel. Never the less, he helped her up and back into her room. Annabeth's skin felt warm where his hand rested on her back and forearm. He didn't try anything; Annabeth knew he wouldn't.

She carefully laid down, keeping the towel over her. She focused on steadying her heart rate and breathing. Percy stood next to the bed, almost awkwardly. When the reality of the situation set in, she felt embarrassed. She hoped Percy didn't notice how her cheeks were redder than his, but it would have been hard not to notice.

Annabeth sat up. Immediately, she felt dizzy, placing her fingers on her temple. She closed her eyes, trying to steady herself and calm her nausea.

"Are you okay?" He finally asked, placing his fingers on her elbow.

Annabeth opened her eyes, happy to find that the room wasn't spinning. "Yeah, I think I can get dressed now," she said sheepishly.

"Oh yeah, I'll get your clothes." Percy went to the bathroom, coming back with her things. He handed them to her. "I'll wait outside."

"Yeah, thanks." Annabeth nodded before he walked out. She carefully got dressed before opening the door.

Percy jumped when he heard it. "H-Hey," he stuttered.

Annabeth chuckled. "Sorry for scaring you. I was just putting my towel back in the bathroom." She held up the damp towel.

"Uh, yeah." Percy quickly moved out of her way. "You feel better?"

"Yeah,"

"You should eat something—get your blood sugar up."

"Okay." Annabeth put her towel back. "I'm in the mood for fruit anyways."

"Good." Percy smiled. Then he followed Annabeth downstairs and to the kitchen. She still walked slowly, taking her time. She reached into the fridge, getting out the fruit. It was one of those assorted bowls that weren't too big or too small—in other words, her favorite.

She got two forks, handing one to Percy. Then she went to open the container. She struggled for a good five minutes. "These are always so hard to get open!"

"Let me try," Percy offered. He took it, getting it open in about fifteen seconds.

"Show off," Annabeth mumbled, smirking. Percy smiled. Then they both dug in. "What's your favorite fruit?" She asked. "Wait, let me guess—blueberries?"

"Very valid guess, but wrong. I like watermelon a lot." Just as he said that, he popped a piece in his mouth.

"Wow, Percy Jackson is not as predictable as we have all been led to believe," Annabeth teased.

"Oh, hush." He playfully rolled his eyes. "How about you? I'd say... strawberries."

"Wrong. I love strawberries, but sometimes they're sour. My favorite are grapes and pineapple." She popped a grape in her mouth.

"Trick question! There were two." He pointed his fork at her accusingly.

"Oh please," Annabeth scoffed. "You wouldn't have gotten it anyways."

"That may be true, but still."

They laughed.

~*~

Wednesday, September 26th
5:25pm - Annabeth's bedroom

They were sitting in her room, her favorite song (at the moment) was playing.

She's a sunrise dressed like dusk
Going out she's getting into something
He's a moth drawn to a flame
He didn't know, he didn't know nothing

"Annabeth?" Her dad called up to her.

"Yeah?" She came to the top of the stairs.

"I did some laundry for you," he said, holding a basket of unfolded clothes.

"Oh, thanks dad," Annabeth said gratefully, making her way down the stairs.

"You feeling better?" he asked. She and Percy had told him what happened. He thanked Percy for being there with her, obviously.

"Yeah, I'm okay now." She smiled reassuringly.

"Alright. Go fold that before it gets wrinkled."

Annabeth began walking up the stairs, basket on her hip. "I know."

She plopped the clothes on her bed.

"Laundry?" Percy asked. They had pretty much hung out the entire day, talking and, at one point, Annabeth guessing Percy's impressions—basically one way charades because Annabeth didn't feel like getting up. It was still fun.

"Yep." Annabeth dumped out all the clothes and began sorting them into different sections. Things to be folded, things to be hung up, pajamas, t shirts, socks, etc. No undergarments, however—Annabeth didn't really want her dad doing that.

She began putting the folded things in her drawers before moving to hanging things in her closet. Percy offered to help, but she politely declined; it was just easier if she did it because she had a process for everything. He, instead, watched in awe.

Annabeth chuckled when she noticed his expression.

When she got to the last of the shirts to be hung up, she stopped. She carefully picked it up; A yellow crop top with a criss-cross front, which made the neckline come down a bit. The shirt that she had worn to the party. The shirt that had been pulled off of her.

It suddenly all came back to her; that night. Bits and pieces had been floating around her head, but only that—and even then, they were hard to get a hold of. Now, they all started fitting together. It crashed over her like a wave. A heavy, aggressive, eye-opening wave.

"Oh my god."

•••