Wow so it's been several years. Welcome back to anyone who has been with me since the beginning. I've been reading a lot of FanFiction myself lately and thought, why not get back in the game? Just in case this goes nowhere, I will apologize to all of you in advance.

So I've been pretty busy. Don't flame me or anything, (is that even a word used here anymore?) but I haven't finished reading the Heroes of Olympus series yet. So be kind to me. I have been missing Percy and Annabeth lately, so I decided to revisit them, even if they are a little OOC. (Especially their parents. Sorry! I made them a certain way to fit in with my story a little better.) I haven't tried a period AU before so this ought to be good.

Also, this story was inspired by Marion's art on tumblr. Their url is the-art-of-believing.

Enjoy!

Annabeth stared through her window, following the passing cars with her grey eyes until they were out of sight. Most days she found herself doing this, when there was an absence of a new book in her home or she wasn't helping her pa downstairs.

The street below happened to be a bustling Main Street, adorable at its best, annoying at its worst. The shops lining the street were always bustling with eager customers. It was picturesque, replicating a neat postcard demonstrating the beauty and diversity of the town. People from all walks of life came through here, providing the town's center.

Directly across the street was the home of Percy Jackson and his parents. They owned a shoe shining business, faithfully working 6 days a week. Percy was about Annabeth's age, maybe a few months older. She couldn't ever be sure. The tall, dark-haired boy was always downstairs in his father's shop helping him with whatever he needed. From her upstairs window, Annabeth often saw him sweeping the store front, cleaning the window, and more often than not, running the store completely by himself. Despite whatever his current task happened to be, he always wore a slight smile. She admired that kind of drive from afar.

Percy Jackson was a bit of a neighborhood legend. Throngs of girls were often heard whispering his name and giggling, sometimes to the point of being chased out of ice cream shoppes and out of pictures. Despite the town's diversity, there was one thing they could all agree on—Percy Jackson was a handsome young man. Annabeth happily agreed with them, believing it as fact.

From her window, Annabeth often had the luxury of witnessing some of the fangirl craziness herself. Groups of girls would crowd around the shop window, vying for a better look at the working boy, giggling and waving without an ounce of shame. Percy never seemed fazed, often opting to politely smile and continue on with his work.

Unbeknownst to Annabeth, Percy would often sneak glances of her as well. After the girls would leave, Percy would quickly look at Annabeth, attempting to gauge some sort of reaction, it being in vain most of the time.

Truth was, Percy was infatuated with the barber shop dame across the street. The blonde always had her locks pinned in neat curls, a string of her mother's pearls adorning her neck with each outfit. Soft red lipstick covered her lips each day, rain or shine. She was beautiful, a sight to see, in his mind. Percy did recognize that some of the girls who came to gawk at the window were kinda pretty, but they were nothing compared to her. She was on a whole other planet, in a whole other galaxy. Percy often put these thoughts out of his mind, believing she never looked twice at him.

...

Despite the aura of pleasantness that the Main Street possessed, it was not immune to tragedy.

A crisp September morning was the worst day of Annabeth's life thus far. She woke up to birds chirping and the soft sound of the radio. Getting ready quickly, she made her way from the apartment to the shop, carrying a bounce in her step, as she did any other day. She always skipped the last step as she ran down the stairs, and this day was no different. The sun was bright and the wind was light, beautiful for September. She was greeted with the jingle of the bell on the door handle as she pushed it open. Spotting her father, Annabeth planted a kiss on his bearded cheek. His eyes carried a certain sadness as he gazed upon his daughter.

"Annabeth, I have some news," he said, keeping his voice to a minimum, eyeing the shoe shiner across the street as he spoke.

Annabeth's expression was quick to shift, her eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. Her father placed a steady hand on her back, guiding her outside to the sidewalk. Across the street, Percy Jackson was sweeping the leaves that found a home on the sidewalk out into the street. His eyes were fixed on the blonde as she and her father walked out of the shop.

"Dear, as you know..." the older man started, pulling a folded paper out of his shirt pocket as he spoke, a United States seal at the top, "The war seems to be getting worse, and men are needed-"

"No," Annabeth whispered, tearing herself from her father. Her eyed watering, her hands quivering, she shook her head. Repeating the word "no" over and over again. Her voice grew louder, until her final repetition was a scream. The pit in Annabeth's stomach grew, and her vision became blurred. A few of her curls turned loose, the pins falling to the ground as she grabbed at her head, the hair falling into scattered ringlets. Annabeth, the normally put-together young woman, had broken. There were few things in this world Annabeth held close to her heart, her father being the main object of her affection. Losing him would be the worst pain she had ever felt.

Percy watched the scene unfold before him. Placing his broom against the shop window, he crossed the street slowly. Annabeth's father, Fred, as Percy knew him, was attempting to tone down her hysteria, keeping her at arm's length. Annabeth was crying now, yelling at no one in particular with statements like, "It's not fair! You can't leave me!" Her father eventually abandoned her to return to his customers, planting a kiss on her forehead as he went. He knew she would come to eventually.

Annabeth sat on the curb, her head cradled between her hands. She was shaking, a slight whimpering escaping her lips.

Percy crossed the street, neglecting to watch for traffic. He planted himself on the curb next to her, removing his apron as he did. For a few seconds, he did not move. Cars passed, the wind continued to blow down the street, but the two of them remained motionless. Clearing his throat, he tapped her on the shoulder.

Annabeth looked up with blurred vision to see a dark-haired boy sitting next to her.

"Percy," he said, extending his hand, standing as he did.

"Annabeth," she replied, sniffling, accepting his hand.

Percy moved back to sit on the wooden bench placed in front of the barber shop.

"I know," he whispered under his breath, that familiar sly smile spreading across his lips.

As they sat, Percy cleared his throat again. "My father got drafted today too," his tone suddenly losing it's playfulness.

Looking at him apologetically, she shared her feelings. "I bet you didn't react as maniacally as me," laughing nervously as she spoke. She wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks, the redness beginning to leave her face.

Percy shook his head, laughing with her. "No, but I did cry like a baby. I spend every day with him, working. He's not just my dad, he's my best friend."

A moment passed in which Annabeth thought about what to say. This was a touchy subject for the both of them and Annabeth was definitely in unfamiliar territory, in terms of comforting people. "Are you worried-"

"About him dying?" Percy finished. He enjoyed the horrified look that flashed across Annabeth's features, chuckling softly. Annabeth enjoyed the sound, even if she was a little peeved at his response. "Of course I'm afraid. But when you're holding down the fort and staying strong for your ma, you try not to show your fear. Attitudes are contagious."

Annabeth pondered on this for a moment. A whistle came from across the street, and a frown replaced the smirk on Percy's face. His father was motioning for him to return to the shop, as a sudden influx in customers appeared.

"So that's your cue?" Annabeth asked. Percy nodded, retying his apron around his waist. Truthfully, Annabeth didn't want him to leave. She was enjoying his company. They hadn't encountered one another at school very often. Annabeth was usually in the library studying or practicing fencing outside of school. She knew Percy was the captain of the swim team, but rarely saw him in the halls or elsewhere. Annabeth now thought that he might have been a good friend in school. She stood up to wish him farewell, as her mother always taught her was the polite thing to do.

"Duty calls," Percy said, taking the back of Annabeth's hand and giving it a soft kiss. A blush spread across Annabeth's cheek, and she turned away from him as he crossed the street.

...

"Annabeth, are you crazy?" Thalia shouted across the small apartment. Annabeth sat by the window, a book between her palms. Truthfully, she hadn't paid the novel any mind since opening it, instead staring across the dimly lit street. The sun was setting, shades of pink and red scattered across the sky.

"Perhaps just a little," Annabeth blandly remarked. Thalia, her short-haired best friend, had been pacing Annabeth's apartment for roughly a half hour since arriving. Annabeth had called her as soon as the shop closed, detailing the day's events. Annabeth had also admitted to eyeing Percy Jackson a little more than usually allowed by society. She admired the way his eyes narrowed in concentration as he polished a leather shoe. The way he would look up at a customer and laugh at whatever it was they said, funny or not. The glint in his remarkably green eyes when he caught Annabeth staring. The way his raven-colored hair seemed to do whatever it chose to under the command of hair gel.

"Annabeth, hello!" Thalia said, rather impatiently, snapping fingers in front of the blonde's glazed eyes.

Annabeth laughed apologetically, still refusing to meet Thalia's gaze. "Sorry."

Thalia rolled her eyes, but found it hard to contain a smile. Annabeth was never one for romance, let alone one for romance with Percy Jackson. Thalia found it rather cliché, but basked in Annabeth's happiness anyway. It was usually Annabeth that made fun of the flock of Percy Jackson fangirls that always seemed to be present on Main Street. Now, she found herself inadvertently one of them, if only in a small way.

"So, what do you plan on doing about all of this?" Thalia inquired, her tone low. Annabeth's parents had just arrived, preoccupied in the kitchen preparing dinner. It was unlikely that either of them would hear. Both of Annabeth's parents were held unaware to their daughter's blooming affections for the boy across the way.

"What about Luke?" Thalia added. Annabeth sighed at the thought. Luke was a complicated situation that Annabeth preferred to ignore. The golden-haired boy was a favorite to Annabeth's parents. They greatly approved of the older gentleman, and Annabeth sensed that they even wished for her to marry him. They had gone on a handful of dates, but Annabeth hadn't enjoyed them enough to put a label on the two of them. Luke was a rather… imperious young man. That was the nicest adjective Annabeth could think of concerning his main personality trait. Other than that, she found him rather bland, or at least what he chose to show her as bland. He was mysterious, and Annabeth had a hard time reading him. She wasn't willing to put in effort into their uninteresting relationship. He was fun sometimes, sure. But when it came time to pleasant conversation, he didn't have much to offer. Luke was another man that garnered a lot of attention across their town from the female population, but Annabeth paid no mind to that.

"What about him?" Annabeth questioned, her voice almost in a growl. Thalia sat beside her friend on the window seat, placing her arm around the younger girl. Thalia was aware of the touchiness of the subject, but she had to ensure that Annabeth knew the gravity of the situation.

"Well, you did go out on a date with him two weeks ago," the dark-haired girl reminded the blonde. Annabeth rolled her eyes, reminded of the boring date.

"We went to see a film." Annabeth stood from the window seat, placing the book carefully upon the nearest shelf. Each wall in the apartment had bookshelves covering it, thanks to Annabeth and her mother.

"A film is still a film, Annabeth."

"It was boring! I much rather would have spent my Friday night cleaning the shop," Annabeth replied in a snarky manner.

"Thalia dear, will you be joining us for dinner?" Annabeth's mother chirped from the kitchen.

"Yes please! Would you mind if I stayed the night to keep Annabeth company?" Thalia requested, wiggling her eyebrows at Annabeth as she spoke. Annabeth laughed and elbowed her friend in the ribs.

"Not at all, Thalia!"

"Great." Annabeth exhaled.

...

As the girls laid on the floor of Annabeth's room with full stomachs, the soft sound of the radio in the background, a low knock was heard from downstairs. The girls sat up, maintaining eye-contact.

"You don't think he heard-"

"It's possible, you know how possessive he can be..." Thalia replied.

If there was one thing Thalia knew for sure about Luke, it was his pridefulness. Hearing about Annabeth getting comforted by another man in their small town was sure to get passed around. It was only a matter of time before Luke heard and made his presence known at the Chase household.

As it was 8 o'clock in the evening, the girls figured they could pass off being asleep as an excuse to not see Luke. The two made eye contact and worked quickly. Footsteps made their way down the steps towards the front door, and the girls made fast work. Annabeth grabbed blankets from her closet as Thalia hit the lights and turned off the radio. Knocking the pillows off of her small bed and onto the floor, Annabeth made a makeshift bed that the two of them could share. Thalia kicked off her shoes near the door and Annabeth followed her lead. Almost immediately after the two of them threw themselves on the floor and covered themselves with a blanket, the door swung open to reveal Luke in a button-up with the sleeves rolled to the middle of his forearm, his hair slicked back, and a cigarette poised between his white teeth. Thalia glared at him with half-lidded eyes, her hair shielding them from Luke.

Annabeth immediately regretted the decision to position herself closest to the door. Luke knelt down, gently pushing away a ringlet from her face. Annabeth felt the light on her face being blocked from Luke's form as he planted a kiss on her forehead. Annabeth could almost feel his eyes raking down her "sleeping" form, and was jubilant when she heard the door close. For a moment, the two of them laid still.

Thalia was the first to sit up, standing and heading for the door.

"Wait!" Annabeth hissed, following her as they pressed their ears against the door.

"Sir, as you know, Annabeth and I have gone on a great number of dates," Luke began. Even through the moonlight streaming through her curtains, Annabeth could see Thalia sticking her finger in her mouth and motioning as if she were throwing up. Annabeth stifled a laugh and pressed her ear back to the door.

"Yes..."

"I wish to make you aware of my growing affection for your daughter. She is the light of my life and I suspect she feels the same towards me."

"Doubtful," Annabeth whispered.

"With this growing affection also comes the growing need for commitment. I am soon to inherit my father's company and he has expressed a wish for me to settle down soon after doing so. My mother has also bestowed upon me her wedding ring."

Thalia could barely make out the sound of Annabeth's mother gasping. She looked as Annabeth's eyes stared blankly ahead, and knew her best friend's stomach was dropping.

"Mr. and Mrs. Chase, I would like for the both of you to know that I have reached the point in my relationship with your daughter in which I am sure she is the one for me. Please know that if you will allow me, I would like to ask for permission to seek the hand of your daughter in marriage."

Annabeth dove for the doorknob and Thalia pushed her backwards. "No!" Thalia whispered. "He can't know that you're awake!" Tears formed in the blonde's eyes as she curled up on the mountain of blankets and pillows.

"You're practically a part of the family already," Fred's gruff voice replied. Thalia could hear Annabeth's mother's sobs of happiness through the door as she peeled herself away.

"That's enough for tonight, I think," Thalia whispered as she plopped herself next to her friend.

This is getting interesting, isn't it? Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I know I enjoyed writing it. Check me out on tumblr, my url is fearofsuffocating. Feedback is greatly appreciated.