Yes! Last chapter! This is it. The Flower Girl is coming to a close.

Now, Annabeth is seven years old. She's going to run away very, very soon...

Third Person Limited (Annabeth)

Two and a half years.

Two and a half years since Annabeth Chase realized how small the role she played in her family was.

Two and a half years since her father, Frederick Chase, married Helen, a pretty Asian-American woman who was normal, unlike Annabeth's mother, the goddess Athena.

Two and a half years since her father decided that he was done with extraordinary.

Two and a half years since he started a new life.

And Annabeth's part in that life was to be part of the supporting cast. Someone who led to the main scene, but was not important.

With the monsters attacking, putting her father, Helen, and their children, Bobby and Matthew, in jeopardy, no one had any time for Annabeth except to be angry with her. She who was abnormal. She whose elusive half-blood scent made all monsters nearby find her and attack her. And her father didn't care for his daughter, who could be killed at any time. No, he cared only for his normal family. If Annabeth died, they would be safe. After all, they were his present and she was the past. Not even necessarily his past. Just past. Gone. Part of the procession. Just a flower girl.

The spiders didn't help. At night, they would come, biting and spinning, pincers tearing into skin, hurting, clawing away at the daughter of their enemy.

But the bites faded within seconds, leaving new skin to mark.

And when the footsteps of her stepmother shook the floor, the spiders retreated, leaving Annabeth alone, covered in webs, entrapped in blankets, kicking and screaming for the invisible spiders to leave her alone.

Helen would calm her down, then scold her for waking and scaring her brothers. The webs were a clever trick, a grab for attention, and Annabeth was nothing if not clever. She had to stop pretending that the spiders were hurting her. It was just a nightmare, if that.

Her father was never there. Even if he was, Annabeth was sure he would take Helen's side.

Annabeth hated to act like a brat, but it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Bobby and Matthew got all the good attention while all she got was the scolding and the anger. It wasn't fair that they blamed her for being a demigod. Blame her father for hooking up with Athena!

It wasn't fair.

But then, it never had been. Annabeth had accepted that long ago. She was just a bystander, even in her own family, even in her own life.

But this was the last time.

The spiders had come. They had snapped and bit as usual. Annabeth had screamed. Helen had come. Helen had been angry. All had been normal.

Then Helen left the room. Left a tear-streaked Annabeth alone in her dark, cold, empty, numb room.

And Annabeth, she who was the bystander, the supporting character, the flower girl, packed a bag. She put in food and water, and a hammer for monster attacks.

Seven year old Annabeth Chase left the house she'd lived in all her life and set out to find a new adventure, a new family, a new life. So that maybe, this time, she'd be the main character for once. Instead of just being part of the procession, one day, she'd be the bride.

Never again would she be the flower girl. Never again.

#$%^&*!

Hidden behind a thin sheet of metal lay Annabeth Chase. She was out of food and running out of water. Her hair was in disarray. Beyond the tin lay monsters. That's all she knew.

"Something down there," one whispered. "I sense it."

Monsters. They sensed. They knew. They were monsters.

The tin quivered as Annabeth trembled in fear. No! Now they know for sure.

The tin lifted, and Annabeth attacked.

Two people stood there. One was a girl with spiky black hair, bright blue eyes, and a scary shield. The other was a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Little did Annabeth know that she was looking at the faces of her new life.

"Whoa! Thalia, put up your shield, you're scaring her."

The girl, Thalia, did so, then whispered something reassuring to Annabeth.

"No more monsters!

"Shh! Don't worry. I'm Luke, this is Thalia."

"Monsters!"

"No, but we fight them, too."

Slowly, Annabeth began to realize that they were telling the truth.

"You're like me?" she asked suspiciously.

Luke nodded, smiling softly.

Then Luke offered to be Annabeth's new family. To be her new life. To be what she had always wanted.

And he gave her a knife.

"This is a real monster-fighting weapon."

It was beautiful. Bronze, obviously. Sharp.

"Knives are only for the quickest, cleverest fighters. I get the feeling you're pretty clever."

Annabeth smiled at him. He knew what he was talking about. "I am!"

And Luke promised he'd never hurt her. He promised he'd never leave. He promised she'd always be his leading lady. Never a flower girl, always the bride.

And Annabeth accepted. She believed him.

Not a flower girl anymore. Never a flower girl again.

Always the bride.

And that's the end!

Did I do well?

Sorry about the conversation at the end. I couldn't remember what book it was from... so I just kind of improvised. Hope it's okay!

It's done! Wow. Kind of hard to believe. I really enjoyed writing this story, and now it's done... I'm kind of happy and sad. *sigh* What a bittersweet moment.

Gods, I'm melodramatic. Sorry.

Anyway, I think I kind of have to go now...

BAFFLEGAB! Heh, I like that. Look it up if you want, but really it's just fun to say!

Love ya! lulu

P.S. It's 12:43 on a school night. Do you know where your children are? Cuz my parents sure don't!