Annabeth Chase

I'm going home. 

If I'm doing the math right, we'll reach the train station in district one about fifteen minutes from now. I should be excited - I am, I guess. I've missed my family and Thalia. And...

I twist the silver ring on my finger anxiously. What's going to happen when I get home? When I see him? A tear slides down my cheek. 

"Are you okay, Annabeth?" Chiron is standing beside me, watching the scenery pass by. 

I blink away the tears. "Yeah."

"You're going to be alright," he says.

"It's not me I'm worried about."

Even the wise centaur has no response to that. 

I have wished many times these last weeks that I had a mother. At least, a mother who took some interest in me. Mine hasn't even come along for the journey. 

We pass the remaining time in silence. It's only as we enter the city that Chiron speaks again. "Whatever happens, Annabeth... I'll be there for you. Don't forget that."

I only have time to nod before the train pulls into the station and I make my way towards the doors. A huge crowd is waiting outside, but the only ones I care to see are the three standing in the front.

I run to them - my dad, Magnus, and Thalia. The comfort gained in my father's embrace is unbelievable. I hug Magnus, ruffling his hair playfully. "You need a haircut," I tell him.

"Alex likes it long!" he says defensively.

I laugh, and turn to my best friend. She wraps her arms around me. "I missed you," I whisper, feeling like I might cry. 

"Ditto," Thalia says, trying to look overjoyed. The smile fails to reach her eyes, though.

"Come on, you three," my dad says. "Let's go home."

Home. What a refreshing thought that is. Happier than I've felt since the day I left, I follow my family out of the station.

It's not until much later that I bring up the subject that's been constantly on my mind. After my dad sends Magnus to bed, I turn to Thalia. The look on her face says she knows where the conversation is going. 

"I want to see Percy."

Before Thalia can respond, my dad jumps in. "I don't think that it's wise, honey."

"With all due respect, Mr. Chase, that's not your decision to make."

I smile gratefully at Thalia. "Oh, come on, dad. You act like it's dangerous or something."

My father and best friend wear matching expressions. I shake my head. "You can't actually believe that he's dangerous."

"It's bad, Annabeth. We-" Thalia's voice cracks. "We don't know what he's capable of."

I put my hand on my stomach. "Did you tell him? About... this?"

My friend shakes her head. "The last time I saw him... he was even worse than usual. I didn't want to upset him."

I sigh. "I have to see him."

Thalia frowns, but nods. "We'll go in the morning."

"No," I say. "I want to go now."

Percy's apartment isn't exactly in the best part of town. Thalia insists on accompanying me to the doorstep, but I draw the line when she tries to follow me in. 

"Promise me you'll leave the minute something happens," she pleads anxiously.

"Nothing's going to happen. Calm down, Thal. It's just Percy."

"Just promise me."

"I promise! Now will you trust my judgement, please?"

"Okay! Just be careful."

"I WILL!"

Thalia wraps her arms around me, then sits down on the steps to wait. I take a deep breath and go inside.

Percy's apartment is on the second floor. The staircase, creaky and unstable, pretty much sums up the state of the building. When I reach his door, I pause for a moment before knocking tentatively. 

I wait for long enough that I consider just walking in, but he eventually opens the door. His eyes, bloodshot and dull, widen when he sees me. He looks like he doesn't believe it.

"Annabeth?"

I just stare. God's, he's so thin... it looks like he hasn't eaten in weeks. His face is drawn, and I doubt that he's slept much. As awful as it sounds, he honestly looks half dead. 

Percy runs a hand through his tangled black hair. "I... I didn't think you'd come tonight... I'm not... Well, I guess you should come in."

You wouldn't believe the state of his room. It's a disaster, really. The hardwood is stained and so are the walls; I can only guess with what. There's a pile of broken glass and beer bottles in the far corner. The bedsheets look like they haven't been washed since the last time I was here. 

Percy smiles aheepishly. "I know it's a mess. I was going to clean more earlier, but... I had to get out of this place. I just got back a little while ago."

"That's okay, I say quietly, my eyes still fixed on the boy I love.

He senses the question in my case, and smiles sadly. "I guess Thalia's told you what I've been up to. Don't worry about it, okay? I'm working on it. I wanted to be... better... for you."

Without thinking, I throw my arms around my fiance's neck and kiss him. He stiffens, but quickly relaxes, kissing me back with fervor. He pushes me back against the wall, his hands already tangled in my hair. 

God's, I've missed this. It almost feels like I've never left. But I'm all too quickly pulled back into reality when he pulls away.

"I missed you so much," Percy breathes, brushing a few strands of hair out of my face. 

I lean my head on his shoulder. "I did too. And Percy, what happened with Luke-"

"Doesn't matter," he says quietly. "You don't have to apologize. I should have had faith in you. I was just being stupid."

It's at this point that I remember I have something to tell him. "Percy," I whisper, "give me your hand."

My fiance looks confused, but places his hand in mine. I gently place it on my slightly protruding belly. 

Percy's eyes widen as he understands. "Oh, gods, you're... we're... How far along-?"

"Why don't you do the math for once?" I say teasingly. 

I think he figures that one out. "Holy hera, Annabeth, I... I don't know what to say."

I smile and kiss him softly on the cheek. "You don't have to say anything. It's enough that you're here, and okay. Thalia really had me worried."

The sea green eyes are sad. "You should have been. Maybe you still should be... I don't know. There's no telling how long I'll last."

"Don't talk like that," I scold him. 

Percy looks melancholy. His voice shakes when he speaks. "You don't know how bad it was. You don't know what a struggle it is... to stay sober. You have to realize that I can't promise you anything, Annabeth. There's no saying how long it'll be till I regress, but it's only a matter of time. I've been trying so damned hard... but I don't know if I'll make it."

The way he acts like he's a lost cause breaks my heart. "There's always hope," I whisper. "I don't care if we have to go to tartarus and back to defeat this; I'll be with you every step of the way. I won't give up on you, Percy Jackson. Just don't give up on yourself. For me."

Tears swim in his eyes as he leans down to kiss me. "I'll try, Annabeth. I'll try."