A/N

Welcome back. 

I know, I know. It's been a while and I have much work to do, but I hope this update will bring you some happiness. After all, Ohio is currently only bringing me cold weather and an awful bout of the flu that I don't wish on anyone. 

I did a quick read-through of the last four chapters to do some light editing and catch myself up. Without further ado, here is the fruit of my most recent work.

- O - O - O - O - O -

It's a good thing they don't have a guest room, which makes the conversation about where Annabeth will be sleeping much smoother, much to Sally's dismay.

"We're getting a bigger bed... and a hamper," Annabeth says with a flat expression as she drops her bag inside the doorway. He smiles sheepishly at her. 

Paul and Sally wanted to move Andie into their room and let Annabeth have hers. The nursery has hardly been decorated in the short time they've lived here, but Percy pointed out that it would quickly become difficult with the fast-growing baby and Annabeth would just end up with him anyway.

It's true that she has pretty much moved into the Poseidon cabin after the war and no one's said anything. Officially they had their own bunks. In reality, they slept snuggled together. 

It made the nightmares more bearable.

After settling Annabeth's belongings in, which actually encompass more than one bag but still amount to surprisingly few belongings, they get ready for bed. They fit into the small square room together better than one would think, the bed notwithstanding. They lay facing each other, Percy being a goof and Annabeth simply content to watch him. 

The son of Poseidon makes faces and blows air at his girlfriend, sometimes leaning forward to kiss her nose or the corner of her mouth. He keeps up a steady stream of commentary about their new life here in Forks for several minutes before falling silent.

"I can't believe you outed the vampires like that," he says after they've been quiet for a bit. The house is dim and silent in the way only a family home can be after 11 pm. 

She rolls her eyes, "I didn't out them..... not really." 

"Sure," he nods seriously and slowly closes his eyes. Annabeth doesn't think for one moment that he agrees with her, but she also thinks he's too tired to banter about it. Several minutes pass. "And I've never accidentally blown up a volcano."

"Percy!" She whisper-yells and hits him aggressively with a pillow making him laugh loudly. 

Quickly she shushes him and they both settle down again, smiles across their faces as they watch each other across the few inches that separate them.

- O - O - O - O - O - 

Paul smoothes the way for Annabeth's admission to Forks High School and the following week, she joins Percy. Despite Percy's wishes, they only have gym, English, and lunch together. Annabeth's classes are all above his skill set for the most part and she's taken most of what he has yet to. 

It's also by some unspoken rule that Annabeth and Percy now join the Cullens for lunch every day and sit with them when they share classes, whether it's with one of the more welcoming siblings or not. 

It certainly draws attention to the sullen crew, because Percy is far too energetic to be healthy now that his Wise Girl has joined him. He still gets along with Emmet the best and Jasper is slowly warming up to him, though Edward, and by extension Bella, remain reserved. Alice is always bubbly and willing to join the conversation while Rosalie hangs back but fortunately is not as cold to them as she is to Bella. 

Annabeth doesn't believe him when Percy tells her that he thinks Rosalie knows they're not entirely human. 

"No listen, she hates humans-"

"Don't be ridiculous. She's just reserved."

"No, she definitely hates humans, Wise Girl. Trust me on this one. BUT-" he adds somewhat loudly to stop any further argument on the matter of hate. "she doesn't seem to hate us that much."

"Gee, how insightful, Seaweed Brain." She rolls her eyes, gives him a kiss on the nose, and turns over to go to sleep. 

They don't venture to the Cullen House very often though, something about it not being good if certain people found out they know about the vampires. However, this arrangement is fine with the demigods as they really don't want to be sucked into yet another pantheon's problems. 

Again.

Percy's still friends with Jacob and his pack, though he's positive now that no one besides Seth and Sam know he knows their secret. This is mostly because Sam corners him a few days after Annabeth's arrival and threatens him to secrecy. 

He thinks he might be growing on the overzealous werewolf. 

They're often found goofing off down by the beach on the weekends. Annabeth rarely joins what she's dubbed "Idiot Time" and instead spends most of her time drafting buildings she wishes she could build, studying books (in Greek and Latin) that her father ships her or she buys from Seattle, or even spending time with Bella, who's she's very slowly developed an unlikely friendship with.  

On a random weekend, just as the snow is starting to settle into the area, everyone gathers at Jacob's place for an afternoon bonfire. Everyone equates to the Pack, non-werewolf members of the La Push friend group, Bella, a few of her non-vampire friends from school, Percy, and Annabeth. 

Noses are red, but everyone is rather lively. There's meaningless chatter about school, upcoming trips into the city, who likes who, and most importantly how to make the best s'mores. 

Sea green eyes are tinted orange by dancing flames as they watch everyone. Surprisingly, Percy is hanging back even as his girlfriend hovers by the fire after being dragged into a conversation with one of the chattier girls from their school. 

He's been more tired lately, wearing out long before the day is done and falling asleep in his classes. He's caught himself spacing off quite often and is glad for the safety he has here right now. Not only does the necklace from the gods protect him, but Forks, Washington's only monsters are the ones he's already friends with. 

The demigod watches the group, feeling strangely detached today in a way he hasn't in a while.  He's not melancholy though. Quite the opposite. 

A feeling of contentment radiates from his chest down to his toes, rooting comfortably in the sand and warming his limbs. Sure, there's danger to this life. You can't have vampires and werewolves living next door to each other without some sort of danger, but there's also a simple assumption of life that's never been present at the camps, even in New Rome. There's no immediate threat permanently hanging over their heads for one. If something happens, it can be dealt with, and then life will proceed as normal and there are adults to help handle things, to limit the danger to the kids.

This is not Percy's life, but it's nice to enjoy it ... even if it won't last forever. 

His eyes drift to Annabeth, who's sitting next to the fire with a blanket around her shoulders and a chipped mug of hot chocolate in her hands. Her eyes are animated as she talks to the girl beside her, one of the more brilliant students at their school. The blonde looks happy and her shoulders are relaxed. 

Right now he can picture them graduating together, him just barely squeaking into the lineup, but all of their parents in the audience making a scene anyway. Afterward, they'll find a house together, one on a hill so their yard doesn't flood like his parents' does, and a fence so they can get a dog (or two). They'll get married because Annabeth told him which ring to buy and how to propose. It will be a small wedding on a cloudy day so the vampires can attend and for once the rival groups will call a truce. 

Percy's health will get better because he'll put all the effort he needs into caring for his body so that one day his kids have a good example to go by. He wants kids, several of them, to fill the halls with noise and messes. He knows Annabeth is the same way, having grown up in an environment filled with kids. 

He'll be a good big brother too, helping his younger sister be confident and strong, but also showing her the best way to pull pranks and not get caught. She'll be unstoppable, though honestly, she'll be unstoppable without his help. He likes the thought that he can do something for her. 

Settling down on a tree stump where no one else has wondered, Percy unfurls a small note written in Greek. His content smile turns a little sad as he remembers that eventually, he'll return to camp and that there are also kids there depending on him, not just to be a big brother but to also teach them the skills needed to survive. He can only deny who he is for so long. This peaceful life he's been granted is but a vacation that will eventually come to an end. 

Before he and Annabeth leave that night, he burns the little piece of paper and the coordinates they hold, having memorized them nearly as soon as he read them.