Oh my God! I have not updated for almost 4 months! I'm so so sorry! Honestly. I don't have any excuse. I just was too lazy. Humph.

Anyway. Thank u for ALL the reviews, faves and follows! I really love u guys.

Here are my answers for all reviews.

MaiChiTheFangirl – Again, as always thank you for your enthusiasm and yes, Percabeth will prevail!

nia2012 – Thank you! Sorry for the long wait!

EmmaSEWW – Sorry for the long wait!

DannyPac – Thank you! But I'm afraid you've waited too long for the next! Sorry!

Guest – Well, Percy is not going to beat the shit out of Luke, but yeah, something like that.

marbear316 – I'm so so SO sorry I didn't update soon!

demigod. everafter– Hmm… nice idea, will definitely consider it! ;). Sorry for the late update! Yes, in this chapter, there IS going to be more Luke trouble. Read on!

DerpMuffinPJO - Thanks!

Wiseowl – I was SO happy when I read you're review. I certainly don't think I'm the best but thanks! And the cliffhangers come from reading too much of Uncle Rick! ;) Since have reviewed very recently, I hope it's soon enough an update!

Now I'm done with all the reviews, read on! And I promise I'll update soon! ~ A

Chapter – 6

Annabeth

I tapped my fingers on the dark-wood table in the Three Broomsticks. Percy had gone to get the Butterbeers and was held up since there was a long queue. I sighed and studied the small space around me. It was decorated for Halloween. Bats and spiders and pumpkins swarmed the place. Occasionally, the bats would swoop down or the spiders would crawl up to the tables. I shuddered at the thought. If there was one thing I hated it was spiders. Ugh.

A shadow loomed over me. I smiled and turned back, fully expecting Percy to be there. But it was Luke, wearing an icy blue pullover to match his cold eyes and his blonde hair carefully styled.

He smirked and ran his eyes over me, making me shiver. "Hello, Annabeth."

I refused to be hounded by him. I met his stare with a hate-filled one of my own and demanded in a steady voice, "What do you want, Luke Castellan?"

"Now, now, what's with the unfriendliness? You left so rudely yesterday, kicking me and now you're going all formal? That's not the way you treat friends, Annabeth Chase." He shook his head. His stare was cruel and greedy. All I wanted was him to stay away from me. And it never happened.

I struggled to keep my resolution to stay where I was and fight. But a part of me wanted to bolt and get out of his reach.

I stood up from the chair and faced him, my eyes burning with rage, desperation and fear. "We were never friends, Luke. You might have thought we were, and I thought so too. But that night, I saw what you were really made of. You stay away from me and I'll stay quiet. Mess with me and you'll end up as a frog or something worse," I spit it out to him.

He didn't seem the least bit scared. Luke actually laughed. I gritted my teeth. He clearly had underestimated my magical prowess. Hmm… maybe he needed a demonstration. I was just reaching for my pocket when he grabbed my other hand in a vice like grip and hissed, "Nobody can get away from me, Annabeth Chase. And you can't too. I will have you… no matter what." I could feel his breath on my face. He was so close.

I gave an involuntary shiver and was about to shout at him to get his hands off of me when I heard someone shout the exact same words, "Get your hands off her before I break your face." Percy.

Luke turned to him and said, "Hey, a friendly chat. No offence." He smiled insincerely and Percy growled.

"You touch her again and I'll really break your face with all the other bones in your body." His eyes were five shades darker from anger and he looked murderous. Nobody had got as angry for me and protective of me as Percy.

Luke looked innocent and raised his eyebrows as if questioning why Percy was threatening him when he had done no wrong. I snorted. If only he was innocent as he looked. He turned away and stalked through the crowd and out of the Three Broomsticks.

Percy turned towards me and asked, "Are you hurt, Wise Girl?"

"No he just grabbed my wrist, that's it. Don't sweat it."

"Hmph." From his expression and reaction I realized that he still wasn't convinced.

"C'mon, Seaweed Brain. Nothing happened to me. And if it does, my knight in shining armor will save me, right?" I said, smiling, and hugging Percy.

He still was a bit angry, I could see, but his eyes lightened back to the beautiful sea-green it usually was and his lips curled into a smile. "Yeah right," he looked around and said, "We should probably get out of here. Half the pub is staring at us."

I was aware of the crowd for the first time since Luke approached me. Most of them near us had witnessed the fight and were gaping openly. Even Madam Rosmerta was looking curiously as she piled used Butterbeer bottles in a corner.

"Yup, Seaweed Brain. C'mon, let's go to our place." We grabbed our drinks and made our way quickly through the crowds and down the street towards the Shrieking Shack.

In our third year, during our Christmas visit to Hogsmeade, we'd decided to explore the Shrieking Shack. We'd accidentally stumbled across a grove of trees, quite hidden from the rest of the world. It was like another beautiful planet itself. Wildflowers and grass grew in the clearing between the trees during spring and during winter it was a Winter Wonderland. Percy and I used to visit the place every time we visited the village, and called it 'our place'.

We passed Luke on the way there, near Dervish & Banges. Percy growled. He started towards Luke but I laid a restraining hand on him and he fell silent. He was silent for the rest of the way.

Our haven was as beautiful as ever. Since it was autumn, the leaves were a riot of colours. Wildflowers lit up the clearing and multi-coloured leaves littered it.

We sat down on the grass, side by side, swigging out of our Butterbeers. We stayed quiet for a long time, though it was not exactly a peaceful quiet. Finally I sighed and broke it. "You're still angry with me, Perce. Aren't you?"

"Angry with you? Of course, I'm not angry with you! I'm angry with that piece of shit called Luke. He never gives up, does he? You've made it clear that you want nothing to do with him, but still he persists. If he comes near you again, I swear I'll hex him or break his bones or something." He fumed and I let him get it all out. After that I knew he would be regular old Seaweed Brain again.

But I was touched by his words. No one ever had cared for me like this. My mom and dad were too wrapped up in their work to notice and my twin brothers were still babies. Percy was everything to me. A confidante, a protector, best friend and a million other things. That's why I loved him. He made me feel wanted and cared for.

I laid my head on his shoulder and he put an arm around me. I whispered, "No one has ever cared for me like this, Seaweed Brain."

He tightened his hold on me. "You deserve it, Wise Girl."

I looked up to him. He had a strange expression on his face I couldn't quite read. We were so close….. I thought I should close the gap.

He cleared his throat and said, "Anyway, I was thinking, since Luke made your life miserable, we should make his life miserable too."

I was disappointed. I thought he was going to kiss me. Apparently not. But I tried not to show it, and asked, "And how d'you suggest to do this?"

A mischievous grin crept up on his face. "We're going to prank him."

An hour later, we had worked out all the details of the prank. We headed back to the school, in eager anticipation of tomorrow's trick.

As we approached the Fat Lady, Percy turned to me. He smiled the grin I love, and said, "I really had a good time today, Wise Girl."

My mouth went dry. "I- I had a good time too, Seaweed Brain."

Like earlier today, we were only inches apart. He brushed a piece of hair away from my face. There was a palpable energy field around us.

I noticed Thalia approaching us with Nico. She wolf-whistled and called to Percy, "What are you waiting for Kelp Head? Go for it!"

Percy grinned and closed the gap between us, kissing me with his soft lips.

Yessss! Percabeth prevails! What did you think of this chapter? It was rather short... oh well. *shrugs* Please read and review! ~A