This is also posted on my Life Goes On book and is titled the same thing.
I know it's sorry and I apologize.

Annabeth sat up in bed after realizing Percy's side was empty. She knew he was probably somewhere around the apartment but she couldn't help but feel alarmed about him not being there. It wasn't like him to be up before her.

That was one of her worst fears, waking up and realizing Percy disappeared again. She'd have nightmares about waking up and him not being there. That he left her, whether it was intentional or not.

She knew she had nothing to worry about. She knew Percy loved her with every ounce of his being and that he'd never leave her. But sometimes, the insecurities about her not being enough gnawed on her insides, eating her up.

Pushing the unhealthy thoughts aside, Annabeth kicked the blankets off. She shivered as the cool air from the air conditioner hit her skin, goosebumps appearing along her arms. Annabeth grabbed one of Percy's sweatshirts off the floor and pulled it over her head, covering the grey tank top she wore to bed.

She walked down the hallway and the smell of pancakes wafted through the air.

In the kitchen, Percy was standing in front of the stove, flipping blueberry pancakes in a pan. He seemed to be humming 'under the sea' from the Little Mermaid. Annabeth laughed quietly but it was enough to make Percy jump ten feet in the air.

"Oh, Annabeth." He went back to the pancakes but his eyes widened and he whipped around, pointing an accusing finger at her. "You're not supposed to be up yet!"

"Why?" She furrowed her eyebrows and glanced at the clock. 9:30. A perfectly reasonable time to be awake and start the day.

"Because! I'm making your birthday breakfast," Percy exclaimed. "And it was going to be a surprise! I was going to give it to you in bed but no."

Right. It was her twentieth birthday. July 12. She was no longer a teenager and just an adult now which kind of intimidated her and she didn't know why. Lucky for Percy he still had over a month until he turned twenty.

Annabeth surged forward and kissed him deeply, her hands on both sides of his face. Shocked, Percy set his hands on her hips and kissed back with everything he had. She pulled away a couple minutes later, smiling.

"You were making me a birthday breakfast?" Annabeth asked. He was so sweet.

Percy nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, yeah."

"What is my birthday breakfast?" Annabeth asked and peered over his shoulder at the pancakes that sizzled against the pan. "Blueberry pancakes? Hm, that seems like something you would eat on your birthday. Not mine."

"Uh- I- you don't have to eat the pancakes, I guess." Percy shrugged and turned back to the stove. "More for me then."

Annabeth laughed and wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her face in between his shoulder blades. "I'm just kidding, Seaweed Brain."

"Good because I didn't wake up two hours earlier than I usually do to just eat these all by myself," Percy told her and placed two pancakes on a plate, handing them to her.

"Thank you." She sat down at their kitchen table and poured syrup over the pancakes before digging in. "You do know how to cook. I'll give you that."

"Why thank you." Percy sat down across from her with his own plate. "Oh, by the way, after breakfast get dressed." She raised an eyebrow. "We're going on a walk to central park."

"Okay," Annabeth replied skeptically.

After breakfast Annabeth changed out of her pajamas and slipped on a pair of black sport shorts and pulled one of Percy's hoodies over her head. Throwing her hair up in a messy bun, she went to meet Percy by the door.

"Aren't you going to be hot?" Percy asked, clad in shorts and a T-shirt.

Annabeth shrugged. "No. I checked the temperature, it isn't too hot. Besides, you know how easily I get cold."

"True." Percy opened the door and they were off.

As they walked down the sidewalks along the busy streets of Manhattan, Percy offered her his hand. She took it gratefully and slipped her fingers through his, swinging their hands between them.

They walked past a Starbucks and Percy asked, "Do you want anything?"

"Um, sure," Annabeth replied and followed her inside.

She quickly ordered what she always got, a Caramel Frappe, and when she was about to pay, Percy grabbed her wrist, shaking his hand. "I've got it."

"What are you up to?" Annabeth asked once they were back on the sidewalk.

Percy laughed. "It's my girlfriend's birthday. I should be allowed to spoil you every once in a while, right?" He nudged her with his elbow.

"I suppose," Annabeth said, still suspicious.

She wasn't dumb. Annabeth knew Percy was up to something but she didn't know if it was a good or bad thing. Either he was spoiling her because he felt like it or he was doing it to make up for something later.

They walked through central park in a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company. Sometime during their walk Annabeth stopped by a garbage can to throw away her empty Starbucks cup.

Percy stopped walking in an open patch of grass. "Remember this place?"

"Yeah." It was where they had their picnic for their one month Anniversary.

"I want to make it a place where we didn't just have a picnic," Percy told her and grabbed both her hands in his, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles.

"What are you getting at, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth asked.

Percy let go of her hands to grab something out of his pocket. A black square box. He got down on one knee and held up the box.

Annabeth gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Were her eyes getting watery?

"My point is that I want this place to be more memorable. Not just a place where two sixteen year olds had a picnic for their first anniversary," He laughed at the memory. "I want this to be the place where he gets engaged."

She let out something between a laugh and a whimper, she really wasn't sure.

"So, Annabeth Chase, will you marry me?" He asked and opened the box. A beautiful ring sat in the middle. "And you don't have to say yes right now. I know we're young and everything, still in college, but I thought the time was right. But-"

"Yes," Annabeth interrupted, dropping her hands back to her sides.

"What?" Percy asked, eyes wide.

Annabeth laughed. "Yes, Percy. I'll marry you."

Percy sighed in relief and slid the ring onto her ring finger, kissing her afterwards. "I got your parents permission to do this." He brought her left hand up and kissed it.

Annabeth wiped her tears away. "Is that where you were for two hours yesterdayy? Getting my mom's blessing?"

"Yup." Percy nodded. "Took me quite a bit of persuading but she gave in."

Annabeth kissed him again, deeper this time. Her fingers raked through his hair and his arms wrapped around her waist tightly. "I love you so much," She muttered against his lips before pressing them together firmly.

"I love you too." he pulled away and hugged her, burying his face in her curls. "So much."

"I suppose we have to go tell your mother?" Annabeth unwrapped herself from around him.

Percy laughed. "Yeah. This morning she told me to come over right after I asked you. She has a cake and everything."

Annabeth chuckled. "Of course she does." She intertwined their hands.

They walked away as a newly engaged couple.