Chapter 15: Home

ANNABETH

Annabeth was gathering her shoes from beneath the bed and placing them one by one inside her suitcase. Today they would depart from this island and return to their crib—which she really, really missed—but for some reason she felt a bit anxious, her chest hollowed. This summer vacation meant a lot to her and besides the strange encounters with her mother and that guy Scott, she so much wanted for it to last longer. Perhaps Percy and her could go somewhere else for winter break.

"You're almost ready?" Percy asked from the bathroom door, while he brushed his teeth.

"I am, is just that…I will miss this place." She looked around at the canopy bed where they had created an unforgettable memory; she looked outside towards the ocean and the mountains. She had not heard Percy move until his arms embraced her, her back in his chest.

"We can always come back but…" He didn't finish but she knew exactly what he was going to say.

"I know. The whole thing with Scott and my mother is not something I'd like to resurface, even though she clearly said he'd come back. I just need more answers from her, though. I get that Scott is livid for all that happened to his family, it is heartbreaking and I understand where he's coming from but…something just doesn't add up. Why attack now? I mean it has been years that he had the opportunity to do so." Annabeth looked back at Percy with her brows drawn in confusion.

"I definitely do not want to find out. Let's just forget a little bit about it alright, I just want us to have a pleasant trip back home and not have to worry about these things at the meantime, okay?" She nodded and Percy squeezed her hand before helping her finish packing her shoes.

As he reached under the bed and brought up her red pair of converse, a small plastic square fell out of from inside one of the shoes. Annabeth blushed a little and pretended she hadn't noticed by moving on to pack her swim suits.

"Um, Annabeth…why is there a chocolate condom in your shoe?" No way to hide now.

"What are you talking about?" She tried to look at him confused but Percy already had a faint smile building from the corners of his mouth.

"Perchance when we get back to our apartment…I'll let you have it." He winked and Annabeth blushed even more, which was absurd after all the sex they'd had at this point.

"Whatever." She said in the end.

"Yo, Oscar! How you doing man?" Percy howled at his phone while Annabeth took their suitcases from the security table. They had landed in San Francisco at 4:00 AM the next day and Annabeth suggested for Percy to call a cab. Of course he wasn't, he was calling Oscar the chauffer guy he had hired three weeks ago to take them to a fancy dinner.

"Percy, there's no need for sophistication. It's four in the freaking morning!" She scorned and Percy just held up a finger for her to wait.

"Excuse me? I am talking to you, Seaweed Brain." She stomped over to him and pushed his suitcase to him.

"Alright, yes. Of course, we'll be waiting. Exit 9, got it." Percy was ignoring her and it infuriated her.

"Am I even here?" She asked the ceiling.

"Okay, bye-bye? What's up Wise Girl?"

"…you're impossible. Whatever let's just leave, I'm tired." Annabeth grabbed her suitcase and sauntered toward the exit number 9.

"Hey, wait." He grabbed his suitcase and ran to catch her up. "Baby, I am sorry, I just wanted Oscar to pick us up because he offered to give us free rides whenever we wanted on weekends."

"He did what, without charging?" Annabeth looked at him confused.

"He told me he was retiring from the business to work at some hotel in New Rome, so he said that he was more than glad to drive us in his town car."

"So he is coming right now at four in the morning?"

"Yes, and don't worry I did not wake him up. I called him before we left St. Lucia and asked him." Percy took her hand. "I know you're tired, I am too. We'll be there soon."

When they finally arrived at the doorstep of their apartment, Annabeth dropped her suitcase and collapsed on the ground.

"Annabeth?" Percy asked curiously.

"Home." Was all she said.

"I know." He said with a laughed and instead of opening the door, he sat down next to her and put his arm around her. "Yes. We are home."

I got to say that I will miss writing this story. I had so much fun creating the characters and situations in this (and do not worry, you will know more about Scott in coming stories). I thank you all so much for reading and reviewing and being excited for new chapters, you inspire me to perfect my writing as best as possible with every positive remark.

Can't get enough of Percabeth? Check out my previous story- Move-in day: A Percabeth Story, where Percy and Annabeth move into their apartment in New Rome and a bunch of cute things happen!