the big finale.

let's go.

thanks for all the reviews (: i love you all

I sighed. "Thalia, can you come over here and help me?"

She nodded and strutted over. I smirked. At the same time, Thalia and I jumped on top of my overflowing suitcase and while it had no chance, I zipped it up.

"Ugh," Thalia said. "Who would've known that of all people, it would be you to bring too much crap to camp?" I giggled and playfully shoved her.

Today was August thirtieth—eight days since I was across the country at Sea World and eight days since I was told by the man I love that he didn't want me anymore. Or, at least that's what he implied.

Now I'm back at Camp Half-Blood. I haven't had any contact with that seaweed brain since then. He didn't run after me when I left the room, he didn't leave me something on my bed that was from our past or something, he didn't even try to call. It's like he just let me leave. Obviously that just proves that he wasn't lying when he said that he didn't want me there.

"Hey," Thalia said, noticing my gaze. "Forget about him. If he couldn't see what you've done for him, then he doesn't deserve you."

I half-heartedly nodded. "But the thing is, Percy said that he wanted to be with me—he just couldn't be with me because I was too good for him. Like he was too afraid to commit again because he thought that he would mess it up." I clinched my fists. "What a jackass."

Thalia snorted and agreed.

The dinner bell sounded. My half-brothers and sisters dropped all of their textbooks and pencils and started filing out of the cabin. Thalia turned and looked at me. "You hungry?"

"Not even a little bit."

She shrugged. "Well, I'll be there if you change your mind."

I turned my attention back towards my belongings as I heard the cabin door open and close again. Tomorrow was the last day of camp and while usually I would stay for the rest of the year as a counselor, I decided as soon as I got back from my little adventure that I should go back to my dad's house and start applying for colleges. That's what my mom's dream was for me my whole life—to focus on gaining all the knowledge in the world and let the mind rule over the heart. Well, considering my heart is pretty much shattered, I didn't really have much of a choice.

I wasn't really mad at my mom. I mean, I was furious but I wasn't mad. I'll never forgive her for as long as I live for what she did to me and especially what she did to Percy, but now none of that matters anymore. And because none of that matters, making the choice to follow her lead was a lot easier and actually started to make some sense.

When I got back, Chiron helped me with this decision as well. He surprisingly wasn't angry or even surprised when I told him that I was traveling the country once more and that's where I had been for the week before. One of the best part of our little chat though was when he told me that Eli was no longer allowed in the boundaries of Camp Half-Blood. "Ha, sucks to suck, you little fucker," I whispered under my breath after Chiron gave me that news.

The part that Chiron was surprised about, however, was when I told him that I actually succeeded in finding Percy. "He's alive?" Chiron asked. It was actually very sweet, the relief that I detected in his voice. From the moment that Percy stumbled into camp, Chiron had also thought of Percy like a son.

The whole camp was pretty much in shock once they heard the news as well—at least the people who knew Percy personally were. The ones who didn't just pretended to be surprised and acted like they were relieved when really, I doubted that they cared at all. Over all though, I didn't want the news to spread. I was sick of bing the talk of the camp or anything related to it. But like usual, a son of Hermes was listening in on one of mine and Thalia's conversations and well, everyone knew by lunch.

So now that this summer was over and so was my relationship with Percy, I just really wanted to get out of Camp Half-Blood. It was nothing personal about the place—I loved it there! It's just that I thought that it might be time to just let it all go and see what was in the rest of the world; Maybe even take my mom's terrible ultimatum as an offer and go up to Olympus for a little while.

I went to my closet in my cabin and grabbed my smaller-sized suitcase as I started weighing my options again. Everytime that I did though, my head started hurting. I threw the suitcase open and, just as frantically as before, started filling it with my extra stuff.

Knock knock knock.

"Yeah?" I called.

"Wow," he said. My heart caught in my throat. "I haven't been in here in a while. You did a nice job with the additions, Annabeth."

I dropped my eyes to my suitcase. "What do you want, Percy?"

I could hear the smirk in his voice. "What, so you're not even going to ask how I got here? Or how about how my trip was?"

"Hardy har har. What are you doing here?"

All the playfulness dropped from his face. He walked up to me and asked me to turn around to look at him. I did what he asked.

"Annabeth, err...words...words cannot describe how s-sorry I am for what I said." He paused. "But you have to understand that I said it because...because that's what I felt."

I bit my lip. Looking into his eyes, I could tell that this was really hard for him. Percy was never one for just saying how he felt or why he felt it. His method was more let-it-all-bottle-up-then-pour-it-out-to-my-mom. It would actually work most of the time, but this time was different. I was the one that he needed to be talking to. "I know, Percy. I'm not upset because you poured your heart out to me," I assured him. "I'm upset because you're an idiot."

"Gee," he said. "Thanks."

"Welcome."

After a couple seconds of silence, Percy raised an eyebrow. "Well? Care to explain?"

I crossed my arms. "You said that you wished I hadn't gone to California to find you because you didn't want to be with someone who would cross the country for you, right? Because you didn't feel like you were good enough?"

"That's not entirely true. I wished that you hadn't gone to California because I can't be with someone who would cross the country for me."

"Whatever. The point is you don't think you're good enough for me, right?"

He lowered his head. "That's right."

"Well then, let me ask you this, Seaweed Brain: What made you good enough to be with me four years ago?"

That question caught him off guard. For probably a minute, he was opening and closing his mouth like the true fish that he is. He looked as though he had never even considered that point.

I nodded. "Exactly." I started to turn away when Percy grabbed my shoulder.

"Annabeth, wait. Back then I-I still didn't feel good enough, nor will I ever."

"If you didn't feel good enough, then why didn't you break up with me then and tell me the same thing that you told me in your office?" My voice was beginning to rise. I started to wonder if any Hermes kids were listening in.

"Because I already had you," Percy said confidently. "I was able to call you mine and was proud of it. I was so in love with you, Anna! No, actually, I take that back—I am in love with you. But if I were to get back with you like nothing happened after all my mistakes and everything I've put you though when I know that you can find someone better who won't run off on you or tell you to beat it when you risked your life for him..." Percy dropped his hand that was still on my shoulder. "It just wouldn't be right."

My jaw was locked open. My eyes started tearing up a bit. It wasn't because I was upset, but because I had been waiting to hear an explanation from him for eight days and a sound from him for four year. I was now able to say that I had heard them both.

Percy stepped in and took my hand. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, Annabeth. And whatever you do with your life, I hope it makes you happy."

I smirked. "Gods, Percy," I said. "You are such a seaweed brain."

He shrugged. "So I've been told."

I giggled. "Percy, what you need to realize is the only way that I'll ever be happy in life is if you're in it."

He smiled lightly. "You don't know that."

"Oh, but I do," I said. "And you know how I know? Because just as everyone has said and just as I've heard in all the romantic-comedies, I've never stopped loving you, Percy Jackson. And yes, I realize how cheesy that sounds what with you being gone for so long and me packing up like I'm running away and how everyone, mostly being Thalia, would definitely be saying 'I told you so! I told you—'"

My mouth was suddenly a little too busy to continue.

"How's Athena?"

"I'll kill her later."

"Isn't she immortal?"

"Don't correct me, boy."

"Ooh, sassy."

It was the last day of camp. After a long night of catching up (catching up, making out—what's the difference?), Percy and I were still attached at the hip. Percy went through probably two hours straight of greeting everyone and explaining what happened. However, the whole time, he never even let go of my hand.

Along with "catching up" all night, Percy and I did some actual talking as well. We decided to compromise as best as we could with Athena until we could talk to (or kill) her later. In the end, we decided that the two of us would move back to California. Percy would stay in his apartment that he was renting in San Diego and I would stay with my dad for the time being. I would apply for colleges and tutor Percy at the same time so that he could actually, you know, get in to a college when he's ready. And through cars and IMs, we would make our relationship work.

Percy offered to let me move in with him, but I turned him down. I told him that it was nothing personal, just that I wasn't ready for that yet. Plus, Athena would probably feel better if I at least attempted to focus on school for a little while. And sleeping in the same room with a super hot man whom I'm in love with really wouldn't keep me very focused.

Percy just blew this off and flashed me one of his toothy grins, assuring me that this was no big deal and that space was always open there if I ever did feel ready.

But all of that was already talked about. All of our plans were set. So now Percy and I were just cuddled up together under our tree, watching the campers who wanted to swim one last time or pull just a couple more pranks before leaving for the school year.

"So," I said. "I just realized something."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Remember the last time we were under this tree together?"

"Of course. Why?"

"Remember how you said that you don't know how I can live in San Francisco without dying of heat stroke?"

He smiled. "Maybe."

"You see, the funny thing is, you're going to be living in San Die,go which is even further south than San Francisco, which means that it will be even hotter."

"Oh, shut up."

I smirked. "Make me."

He leaned in so our lips were only a paper-width apart. "Is that a challenge, Miss Chase?"

"Well, you know me: I'm always up for a challenge." I pecked him on the lips. "And I still always win."

"We'll see about that." In one swift movement, he slid out from behind me and sprinted down the beach. "Race you to the hill!" I rolled my eyes then took off after him.

This time, I wasn't letting him get away so easily. Hey, why do you think they call me Chase?

final thoughts ? Thank you all soooo much for sticking with me ! i seriously love you all & cant even explain how much i appreciate all you've done to support me in this story ! let me know that it was all worth it though (: I wont be starting a new story until after schools out at the earliest so just author-alert me or check in often to make sure you catch when i post it (: review review & i love you all ! -kenna(: