Annabeth:

(Twenty Three Weeks)

"So, Mr. Brunner told me a lot about you, Annabeth."

Annabeth tried not to blush, she swears. It's just a little hard to when she's talking to her boyfriend's foster father and obviously pregnant. Especially when no one was really acknowledging that fact. Really, the fact that Mr. Brunner told stories about her to the man in front of her were far from important when compared.

"All good things, right?" She asked weakly, her voice coming out small. Percy noticed, his elbow connecting with hers under the table. It was a weird, but effective, gesture. She wondered how he did that, but then quickly turned her full attention back to Mr. Blofis.

Pretending to be angry had been impossible, but she didn't dare tell Percy that she had been awake during their conversation. If anything, Annabeth had made that a last resort. She had been, for the past two weeks, trying to sort out her own emotions over the subject. It was just… hard. It was hard to admit it that she loved Percy. She'd settled with acting resigned when Percy brought it up, as if knowing it was inevitable she'd meet him.

She just didn't know. Love was such a foreign concept when it came to her. Not that she didn't know how to love. She loved her brothers, and her breakup with Luke wouldn't have hurt so much if she hadn't loved him at some point. Thalia and Piper and Hazel- she loved them like sisters. They meant so much to her.

But, oddly enough, she couldn't describe what she felt with Percy.

She wanted him safe. Ever since she'd had to bandage his stab wound, she had grown fiercely protective of him. She found herself texting him as often as she did her brothers, asking how he was doing. If he was okay. He had joked once that he felt like he was being stalked by his doctor. She still wasn't satisfied.

She liked being with him. Talking with him. Spending time with him. Whether they were studying for finals at school (which had finally passed) or watching a movie, Annabeth couldn't deny how happy she felt tucked into his side.

She liked it when his hand grazed her back as he led her through a door. She liked the way his arms circled around her waist when they walked together. She liked how he insisted that she picks what they do half of the time, and never questions whatever it might be (unless he doesn't know, of course). She liked waking up beside him after a nap, his breath tickling her neck. She liked the way his eyebrows scrunched together when he was concerned.

And the kissing…

Annabeth was interested. She wanted the relationship, she wanted him and her to be them. The whole nine yards, too- she wanted to reach for it. She wanted to be with him. To have their daughter and wake up beside him every morning and even put up with his drool. She wanted to go to school, yeah, but when she came home she didn't want the apartment, house, or dorm room to be empty.

But was that love?

Annabeth didn't know. When she tried to say it out loud in front of the mirror, she couldn't do it. So maybe she wasn't. But she'd work at it.

"All good things." Paul confirmed, his tone even sounding pleased. Annabeth hoped that her favorite teacher didn't say anything too noteworthy. If they got into a discussion about how Mr. Brunner had thought 'Ms. Chase could do no wrong,' Annabeth wouldn't be able to look Mr. Blofis in the eye. "He said that he was very intrigued by your sudden disappearance." He said.

Annabeth wondered if any subject revolving around her would make her feel comfortable. Probably not, considering she had nothing to discuss. "I miss the class." Annabeth admitted, picking at her food. It was Percy's idea to make it a dinner discussion- though, thinking about it, almost every plan he had involved food. "I've always had an interest in the subject."

Paul, who had barely eaten a bite, gave her a small smile. "It's a very interesting elective choice. Percy took it with you, didn't he?" He asked, and Annabeth nodded. "It was one of the few classes that he wasn't failing, you know."

Percy, who had been eating measured bites of his food, swallowed and smiled at Paul. "You can thank Annabeth for my most recent grade point average. She's a really good tutor." He said, and Annabeth felt her blush creeping up her neck and onto her face. It seems that, even after telling Percy to keep the praise to a minimum, he was going to worship the ground she walked on. With his foster father right in front of him.

"A miracle in itself." Mr. Blofis- Call me Paul, Annabeth -said dryly. Percy rolled his eyes, but still ate his spaghetti like he had been starved for the last week. Annabeth weakly pushed a meatball around the pasta, but didn't eat it. Her stomach was turning violently. "No doubt, Percy told you all about his past experiences with school." He said, and Annabeth's lips twitched when she saw Percy's cheeks turn scarlet.

"Only that he's been kicked out of a few." She said, remembering how he'd told her it was mostly done intentionally, so as to visit his mother. Still, Percy wasn't eating as fast, actually listening. She wondered, briefly, if he'd left something out.

"Did he ever tell you about the shark tank?"

Percy's fork fell against his plate as he stopped eating and looked between her and Paul with wide eyes and red cheeks. "Okay, let's change the subject, like, right now." His voice took on a strange, slightly panicked tone. "She doesn't need to know about that." He said, and Annabeth couldn't stop the small smile from forming.

"Now hold on there, champ." Paul said, his eyebrows raising. "You've been seeing Annabeth since February and haven't told her about how you got kicked out?" He said, a smile stretching across his face as well. Annabeth saw Percy's pleading gaze try to pierce through her.

She didn't so much as bat an eye. "No, he hasn't really talked to me about it at all." She said, and Paul returned the smile that she was giving him. They exchanged conspiratorial glances before looking back towards Percy. He looked miserably between the two of them. "What's the story about the shark tank?" She asked.

They got along well after that.

…

Annabeth was trying really hard not to laugh after hearing about some of the things Percy had done in order to get out of school. And after hearing only a handful of them, Annabeth could also confirm this: not all of them had been intentional at the time.

Paul was currently leaning forward over the table, his elbows placed far apart as he pointed at certain parts of the table as he explained the story. "-and so when he pulled the cord, the cannon ball flew over the entire field- an incredibly accurate shot -and somehow managed to hit the bus dead center." He said, pointing with his fork at the salt shaker. Percy, for his part, had pushed his uneaten food away so he could rest his head against the table. No doubt hiding his shame.

"Why would they ever load a live shot into a civil war replica?" Annabeth asked, completely wrapped into the third story of Percy Jackson's infamous expulsions. She needed to stop hearing these stories, otherwise she might pee herself laughing. Paul told them so animatedly, using his arms and explaining all the little details whenever Annabeth asked.

Paul's smile widened. "This particular cannon- out of all the others -had been used the day before for target practice for their annual reenactment." He explained. "Somehow, they must've forgotten that it was still loaded."

Percy groaned under his arms, making the situation ten times better. Annabeth put a reassuring hand on his back, rubbing between his shoulder blades gently. "On the bright side, none of the actors were blown up that year by a loaded cannon." She said, trying to make the situation better for him (while teasing him, of course). Percy tightened his arms around his face, retreating further into himself.

Paul laughed and Annabeth found herself laughing along with him. Somehow, this situation had become much less awkward after just a few stories. Annabeth was feeling beyond relieved, glad that this night was taking such a drastic turn to what she had imagined it was going towards before.

"I had no idea Percy was such a troublemaker." Annabeth admitted, looking over at his hunched figure and smiling. "You'd have thought he would've learned from the first few times, don't you think?" She said, still rubbing his shoulder blades. Paul shook his head in befuddlement, but still smiled.

"He truly has a gift." He said, leading to another groan from the teen and another round of laughter between the other two. Finally, Paul saw the clock on the oven and stood. "Well, dinner was good, but I think the couches in the living room would be better, wouldn't you agree?" He asked. Annabeth nodded, standing as well.

Percy didn't stand (probably still waiting for his face to return to it's original color). Paul sent Annabeth another conspiratorial smile. "Percy, why don't you do the dishes while you compose yourself? Annabeth and I will wait for you in the living room." He said, and Annabeth watched as Percy stood to do as he was told (his cheeks were still red).

When Annabeth and Paul took their seats across from one another in the living room, she felt something… different from dinner wash over her. Nothing hostile, but it still made her feel unsettled. Paul checked that Percy was still doing the dishes before turning back to Annabeth.

"I'm glad to see Percy so happy." Paul admitted to her, his voice quiet. Annabeth didn't need to be a genius to know where this was going. She rolled her shoulders in anticipation for the serious part of their conversation. "He wasn't very happy, when he was younger. And I've tried everything to give him a better life." Paul said.

He did something then that Annabeth would've never imagined, something she hadn't been prepared for. He looked at her with an expression of awe. "But I don't think I've ever seen him smile so much since he started bringing you by." He said.

Annabeth spoke quietly as well, though she had to take a moment to compose herself. "I can't say I'm the only reason. Finals are over now…" She trailed off at his knowing look. She remembered then that she had been the one to study with him. To talk with him about his grades and turn them around. Paul obviously knew as much.

"Honestly, good grades aren't as important to me as his happiness. He's happy. I want to thank you for that." He said. Annabeth was left speechless. "I don't know how much you know about his childhood…" He trailed off, letting Annabeth answer. She could only nod, and Paul's shoulders seemed to relax. "He was in a bad place. With the death of his mother and being put into a boys home, he didn't have much incentive to trust me." Paul admitted.

"He's very much his mother's son. I don't think he's told you this, but I actually dated his mother briefly in high school. Sally's pregnancy was a very big deal for many people, her uncle included. He was very disappointed in her." He said.

Annabeth thought of her parents. How her mother, whom she hadn't seen since she was three, might've reacted to the news. No doubt, she would've been thrown out without much of a second thought. She took a shaky breath, clutching onto the couch pillow beside her. Paul waited until she met his eyes again.

"I want you to know that there isn't any way you could disappoint me. Neither could Percy. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, and from what Percy's told me you have ambition." He said. "If he had brought any other girl here tonight, I would've been worried." He said. "But after meeting you tonight, I couldn't think of anyone else who could keep Percy out of trouble." He said, smiling again.

Annabeth's returning smile was wavering, at best. She took a deep breath, casting a glance at the boy currently washing dishes and placing them in the dishwasher. Just the mere sight of him made her feel a bit better. "I never saw me doing anything like this." She admitted. "And I honestly knew nothing about him when we… you know." She blushed, looking down. "But I'm glad, knowing that he's here for me when I need him. I'm… so relieved that he's here." She said.

"I want you to know, if you need anything, you're always welcome to talk to me." He said. Annabeth felt a wave of emotion flow through her body and get lodged in her throat. She tried, multiple times, to verbally thank him for something she hadn't even realized she wanted. Her eyes started to tear up, and she started to wipe them away with her thumb.

It was such a relief, knowing that someone with experience was on their side. That she could always have someone there, not just for her. Percy and her… they were teens. No amount of research would be able to prepare them for raising a child. And the fact that it was a parent, one of the few people she thought would feel obliged to help, made her feel like everything would somehow work.

Before she could speak, Percy entered the room. His face was finally its normal shade of tan, though he was pouting lightly. He didn't hesitate to jump onto the couch beside her, giving her a quick peck on the cheek in the process. "Whatcha talking about now?" He asked, looking between the two of them.

Paul's expression became conspiratory again. Annabeth would remember it better than his smile if he kept looking at her like that. "I don't think we got around to the story of the exploding dodgeball, did we Annabeth?"

Percy's face turned red again. Annabeth could only smile endearingly at him as Paul started the story.

…

"You're never talking to him ever again." Percy said, hands white on the steering wheel and eyes pointed straight ahead. Annabeth smiled, reaching over the middle console to tuck a lock of hair that was sticking up behind his ear. She heard his breath sharpen as she did.

Dinner had been a success. Annabeth and Paul had spoken with one another for over an hour, recounting stories about Percy (though Paul was doing most of the talking). It had been laugh-inducing, and eventually Annabeth had had to excuse herself to the restroom just so she could catch her breath.

Percy, for his part, had spent much of the visit blushing. To Annabeth, that was a solid achievement. His banter, she noticed, wasn't like him speaking with Andrew. It wasn't forced pleasantries, and it was much more detailed in regards to stories and memories. Percy seemed to really hold Paul on a pedestal when it came to family.

It just made her feel more relieved, knowing she'd made a good impression.

"I don't know. You said that if we had any problems we would call him first." She reminded him, reminiscing back to that night in the diner. She ignored the evening's later encounters, focusing on the leather seats and warm breeze that made the night so special. She'd bring the kiss back to her mind when they got back to Juniper's.

Percy grunted, the streetlights continually throwing shadows over his face. She was pretty sure she'd seen his lip upturn. "I like your idea better. Let's just move somewhere really, really far away and secluded and never talk to anyone else ever again." He said, shrugging back his shoulders. Annabeth curled further into her seat, a winsome smile touching her lips.

"Maybe a few hours ago. But now that I've met him, I think it's safe to assume he's going on speed dial." She said, already mentally noting that she needed to steal his number off of Percy's phone. She took a moment to look out of the window at the buildings that were just peeking out from ground level. She marveled at the lights in the windows, making it all look like some sort of abstract painting.

"So you liked him, then." Percy said, and Annabeth noticed the relieved tone in his voice. She turned to him, giving him a big smile.

"He was nice. And we didn't really have to talk about…" She trailed off, gesturing to her abdomen. Percy let out a breath, his whole body rolling with the motion. She berated him for not paying attention to the road, but he gave her a lopsided smile in return.

"I was worried it was going to be one big awkward silence." He admitted, turning left and getting onto the bridge on ramp. He was met with a symphony of car horns from the cars already trying to merge onto the bridge. "I can't say that I liked what you two were talking about too much, though." He said.

Annabeth looked out over the water as they went over the bridge, the dark mass stretching farther than the mist would allow her to see. She thought of how the night could've gone- it was something she'd completely avoided when she learned she'd be meeting Percy's foster father. Awkward silences, awkward glances- the idea made her shudder. That would've been awful. "Better than the alternative." She agreed.

It took another forty-five minutes before the two of them reached the quiet neighborhood that Juniper's flowershop rested on. His car pulled onto the curb near silent, the noise of the engine purring barely noticeable among the stillness. Percy helped her out of the car, offering her his hand to her. She pulled him along, towards the stairs leading up to the apartment.

"I had fun tonight." Annabeth said, putting her arms around his neck and smiling coyly at him. He responded in kind, wrapping his arms around her waist. It was the only time Annabeth wished she had a flat stomach again, so she could be closer to him.

"At my expense." He said, pretending to be annoyed. He smiled endearingly at her, his eyes softening as he did. Annabeth only nodded, her own lips softening under his gaze. They both started getting closer to one another, necks craning to accommodate for the other.

"Naturally." She responded in a whisper, her own breath reflecting against his lips and returning to hers. Their lips were inches away from connecting. "You just make it too easy." She said.

They were kissing again, lips pressed softly together and moving in sync as they continued to tug one another closer. Annabeth felt his calloused hand cup the back of her neck while the other pressed against the small of her back, riding up her sweater in the process. She had her hands down at his sides, pulling on the fabric of his shirt to bring him closer to her.

When Percy began to pull away, Annabeth made a small whining noise in the back of her throat that brought him right back to her. She gasped lightly when his hand went beneath her shirt to touch the small of her back directly. The warmth from his palm flooded over her cold back and left goosebumps in their wake. She pulled herself even closer, though it was uncomfortable.

When Annabeth was left breathless and almost light-headed, she had to pull back and stop him from trying to close the distance between the two of them. His breath mixed with hers as they both tried to calm themselves down, foreheads resting against one another's. When she looked back up into his eyes, her heart leapt all the way into her esophagus. His eyes were clouded over with adoration. It was starting to become too much for Annabeth.

"How angry would Paul be if you didn't come home tonight?" She asked, pulling away until only their hands were connected. She played with his fingers, waiting for an answer that she didn't think he could bring up while his mind was still catching up. Annabeth pressed a kiss to his cheek that seemed to jumpstart him. His eyes blinked rapidly and he started to stutter out an answer.

"He wouldn't be angry. He's got a- a thing. Tomorrow. At school." He said unconvincingly. Annabeth raised an eyebrow, analyzing the way that his nose twitched and forehead seemed to droop low over his eyes. She became skeptical.

"Are you sure about that?" She asked. When he stopped blinking at her and shook his head to clear his thoughts, he spoke again.

"Positive." He said, then suddenly looked nervous. "But, I mean, Grover and Juniper are still here tonight-" Annabeth stopped him by putting a finger up to his lips. She then used the same finger to flick his forehead. "Ouch." He said, rubbing at the spot she'd hit. She rolled her eyes.

"Keep your shirt tucked in, Jackson. I'm tired, and I'm sure you can wake up early tomorrow to get to school on time." She said, letting one hand go so as to turn the door handle. Lucky for her it was unlocked, opening smoothly and letting her glimpse into the dark kitchen. Juniper and Grover must've gone to bed early. "Just be quiet." She warned, leading him deeper into the apartment.

They both silently removed their shoes, padding around on the tile in their socks until they reached the carpeted hallway. Annabeth tightened her hold on his hand in the dark, as if to keep him from slipping away from her. When they reached her room, she made sure to turn the knob slowly and carefully, trying not to wake the couple two doors down and across the hall.

Only after they had closed the door did Annabeth feel satisfied that the walls would muffle any noise they made well enough to keep the Underwood's from waking. She walked all the way to her nightstand with Percy in tow, turning on the lamp on her nightstand and letting the small, soft glow illuminate her room. Percy sat on her bed, looking much more tired than he had been a few minutes ago.

Annabeth changed quickly (after threatening Percy a few times with castration should she catch him peeking) out of her jeans and sweater and into a pair of basketball shorts and a sweatshirt. Only after she was done did she sit on the edge of her own bed and tell Percy he could open his eyes.

Getting situated was a bit more of a challenge than Annabeth had anticipated, which was strange considering how they'd been in this position before. Percy's back kept bumping into the wall behind him, his shoulderblades making loud thumps with each movement. Annabeth's stomach was half off of the bed, hanging in open air. They constantly shifted, moving closer and closer while trying not to suffocate one another.

Finally, Annabeth ended up with her back pressed into his front, her head tucked under his chin and his arms resting in the front pocket of her sweatshirt. She sighed, completely content with the position she was in. His hands were warm, leaching through her clothes and spreading through her body like a heater. She snuggled closer, entangling their legs and reaching into her sweatshirt pocket to grab onto his hands.

In the dark, under the covers and her back safely nestled into Percy's front, she fell asleep.

…

The next morning, Annabeth did not sleep in.

Her guest room was windowless, sadly. It was one of the few complaints she had later, after the paranoia of being found by… whoever might want to hurt her had subsided. She enjoyed the natural light that poured into the kitchen through the small window above the sink, and the only other window in the washroom, overlooking the alleyway. She wished she could wake up to light against her face, like her old room.

Instead, Annabeth woke to the sound of her lamp being turned on.

It wasn't really so much as she woke up, but more she heard a very a distinct, audible click from the bedside lamp on her nightstand. The light tugged at her mind, pulling her out of sleep gradually, not all at once. Her eyes remained closed, but her ears comprehended a few basic noises. The creaking of her bed. The sound of ruffling hair. A loud, almost comical yawn.

Annabeth, as any normal person woken up when they didn't wish to be would do, mumbled an incoherent threat to whoever may have just woken her from peaceful slumber and turned over in her sleep. Her sweatshirt had ridden up in the night, so therefore the covers and sheets pressed against her baby bump. Her hands fisted the sheets beside her, the leftover warmth causing her to hum in satisfaction. Her hair tickled her nose gently, making her to blow it aside.

Now, over the course of a few minutes, Annabeth began to regain coherence. Her eyes opened slowly, taking in the dull, bland beige color of the wall directly in front of her. The striped green and white sheets that were currently clutched in Annabeth's closed fist. Her left foot was cold, so she moved it closer to her right. The covers around her were shifting.

"Percy?" She murmured, taking a deep breath through her nose and turning over again as she spoke. Her open hand went down to her stomach, re-covering it in her sweatshirt. Her wild curls were spread out around the pillow, and she was forced to clear the excess hair away in order to settle back comfortably.

Her gaze settled on her alarm clock and lamp, which was still currently on. Bright green, boxy numbers flashed back at her and stood out against the bright yellow glow of her lamp. 5:27. Annabeth mentally went through a checklist of possible reasons she might need to be awake, but found none. She craned her neck down, looking to see if a certain individual might possibly still be in the room.

He sat at the foot of her bed, hunched over and back to her. His dark t-shirt had ridden up as well sometime after waking up, and Annabeth's eyes wandered to the the strip of tan skin sticking out against his dark shirt. The grey band of his boxers was just visible, barely sticking out. His hair was a wild mess, obviously in need of a comb. Annabeth admitted to herself that she was probably as much to blame for that as sleep was.

He seemed to be still, not moving much. He could've been putting his socks back on, which would mean he'd be getting up to leave in a few minutes. Annabeth did the math in her head: if Percy wanted to be to school on time, he'd need to leave in the next five or six minutes.

Annabeth sat herself up slowly, putting an arm behind her to steady her rise. She scooted closer to him, though he didn't seem to hear her. Her arms wrapped around his stomach, smoothing out his shirt and pulling it down to cover his back fully. Annabeth rested her cheek between his shoulderblades, debating what to say to get him to stay for a few hours longer.

Probably just asking. Probably just mentioning the idea of sleep to him. Annabeth rubbed her cheek tiredly against his back, nuzzling up to him and humming when his warmth seeped into her skin. Her hands interlocked around his midriff, keeping him in place. She couldn't really do that to him- Paul would notice, and he'd been getting so much better in his classes. He should go, and it shouldn't be her holding him back.

"Good morning." She said, her voice uncharacteristically soft. She rested her head, closing her eyes fully and listening to his heart beating underneath her ear. The rhythm was soothing, soft and melodious, already lulling her back to sleep. "You heading out soon?" She asked, subconsciously loosening her hold on him. She could hear him sigh quietly in content, grabbing her hands in his own. She shivered at the feeling of his warm calloused hands encircling her own.

"Yeah." He whispered, as unwilling to break the silence as she was. She could feel him turning in her grip, forcing her head to raise up and remain upright while her hands shifted from his stomach to his side. She could just barely- probably her imagination, really -feel the scarred bump where the nail, or screw, or whatever, had stabbed him. Her hand shifted to his hip, and she could see that he still had a sock in one of his hands. With the other, he brought it up and placed it gently on the back of her neck. "You should go back to sleep for a few hours."

"You should go back to sleep with me." She muttered, frowning ad completely throwing her own mental debate out the window for selfish desire to voice its opinion. Annabeth looked up into his eyes to see light bruises under them. She put her chin on his shoulder, his lips almost pressing against her forehead. When he closed the gap, she sighed in bliss.

"Can I?" He asked, his soft voice nearly a pleading whimper. Annabeth smiled, leaning back and resting her weight onto her arms, effectively letting him go. She gave him a small smile, her gaze settling against his own. His eyes were glassy, half lidded and out of focus when she noticed that he didn't seem all there.

Her good, carefree mood suddenly became serious and worrisome. She frowned, bringing her legs up and under her so she could look at him better. She crawled on her knees backwards a bit to look at him, grabbing his face and tilting his head into the light. Her frown started to crease her forehead and her lips pursed when she saw that the bags under his eyes were much darker than she'd first observed.

"Something on my face?" Percy asked, and Annabeth realized that his voice wasn't soft because he wanted it to be- he couldn't bring himself to do anything more than mutter. She put her palm against his forehead but found his temperature to be normal- cool, even. She worriedly ran her hand through his hair while she thought. He leaned into the touch, eyes dropping until they were closed.

"Percy… you're exhausted." She said, the answer still unclear. His eyes opened, blinking slowly at her as he turned back to his socks. He raised his foot up, already going to put his other sock on. She put her hand over his to stop him. "Percy- driving drowsy is a horrible idea." She advised, already lightly tugging at his shirt. "C'mon. You're already done with finals. A personal health day isn't going to kill you."

Percy weakly tore himself from her grip. His eyes sparked with something close to annoyance, but it was dull and diluted against the haze of sleep deprivation that obviously shrouded his mind. When he spoke of how he was fine, it wasn't convincing. "I'll be fine. I just don't sleep well when I'm not at home." He said, shrugging off her worry. "I just need some cold water or something-" He trailed off, nearly falling off of the bed. Annabeth barely caught him.

When she straightened him up, he almost immediately started to fall over again. She settled with sitting cross-legged on the bed with his head in her lap. His eyes were struggling to open, but Annabeth seriously doubted that he'd wake up for a few hours. She sighed, leaning over towards the nightstand and shutting off the light. Another few hours wouldn't be that bad.

Annabeth awkwardly shuffled around, trying to get comfortable and not accidentally wake Percy. She straightened out her legs, leaning back until her back was against the headboard and her arms settled on Percy's forehead. She frowned, feeling the sweat that was stuck to his forehead. She wrinkled her nose at the feeling, but ultimately felt a wave of confusion sweep over her.

She tugged lightly at his hair, deep in thought. Her fingers traced his eyelids, trying to recall how bad the bags under his eyes had been when the light had been on. They'd seemed to stretch pretty far down…

Percy shifted under her, turning onto his side so sharply she was convinced he must be awake. He muttered something rather loudly, but then ended up nuzzling his face into Annabeth's side. His hands fisted her shirt, wrapping around the fabric almost desperately. Annabeth, now a bit less worried about waking him, started to scoot lower and lower until her head actually rested on the pillow. Percy curled further into her side.

Annabeth bit her lip, still trying to understand why Percy looking so exhausted was affecting her so strongly. She turned onto her side as well, facing Percy. Her stomach pressed into his nose, and Annabeth could feel how cold it was through the fabric of her sweatshirt. Annabeth shivered, realizing that the covers were still either under them or tossed onto the floor. She had to wrestle a corner out from underneath Percy but eventually pulled the blanket over the both of them.

He turned again, sharper this time, his voice almost rising into a shout before becoming silent again. Annabeth nearly jumped at the feeling of his hands going up under her shirt, cupping her abdomen. She blushed, grabbing onto his hands (which were warm, by the way,) and making sure they didn't wander any further up. He settled again, pulling himself closer until his chin was resting against her shoulder. His nose poked Annabeth's collarbone.

Even in the dark, Annabeth could see Percy was having some sort of nightmare. The way his eyes were pinched shut, the sudden hitch in his breath as it scratched against her neck and the feeling of his hands tensing against her stomach were clear indication for her. He kept muttering every once in awhile, sometimes pulling himself closer or pulling her into him. At one point his arms circled her waist, pulling her into him and morphing her body around his own.

Annabeth frowned at every tug, repositioning herself so she was comfortable only for him to move again. Eventually, she had his head resting right against hers, his breath blowing in her face (he must've brushed his teeth in the bathroom before returning to the bedroom) and his hands in hers, against her thigh. Her eyes were threatening to fall closed, but another part of her kept getting jump started every time Percy moved.

Without warning Percy sat up straight, gasping for breath. Startled, Annabeth immediately sat up as well, reaching over to turn on the bedside lamp. The dull click was instantly followed by Annabeth having to duck as Percy's open hand flew over her and slammed into the source of light. Annabeth yelped, her face going pale when her lamp turned off, obviously by unconventional means (she was pretty sure the bulb had just been smashed).

"Percy!" She whispered urgently, already taking his forearm into her hands. She felt frazzled, and any part of her that had been tired before was now instantly on alert. She shook his arm slightly, trying to figure out what was happening. His breathing was coming out in horrible gasps.

"Please." He whispered in a strained voice. He shook himself from Annabeth's grip, curling himself in the corner of the bed with his hands crossed over his face. One of his hands was pressing against his side, trying to quell whatever pain he was suddenly experiencing. He gasped suddenly, straightening his legs out and grasping his right thigh. "Please, don't-" He cut himself off, gasping again.

Annabeth made the connection almost immediately. The images of Percy's bruised and beaten legs, the wound in his side, flooded her mind as he clutched at the phantom pains. Her reaction, however, was slow. She sat in complete shock, watching as Percy appeared to go through receiving the same pain, right in front of her.

"Please, stop- Tr- Tr-" Percy tried to say. His eyes were screwed so tightly shut, Annabeth doubted he was aware he wasn't being beaten. Tears slid down his face, silver and glistening as they reached his chin and fell onto his shirt. He tried to curl his legs back, but stopped himself.

His cry for help finally registered. Annabeth jumped into action, reaching out with both of her hands and taking Percy's in her own. Annabeth had never dealt with anyone having a panic attack before, but she needed to stop Percy from accidentally hurting herself.

And she needed him to stop. She needed him to stop hurting.

"Percy!" She whispered again, trying to keep his hands in her own. He kept trying to pull away, but he seemed to lack the strength. She laced their fingers together, using their conjoined hands as leverage to pull herself closer. Her leg brushed against Percy's thigh and he gasped again, as if her touch burned. "Percy!" She tried again, but he acted as if he didn't hear her.

She pulled herself closer, but he kept pushing her away. Even worse, if she got too close or touched him anywhere near where he'd been hurting (which, to her great astonishment, appeared to be everywhere), he'd start to shake and tremble under her. Her hand almost touched his side and he started yelping.

This wasn't working. Annabeth kept her hands interlocked with his, but otherwise she pulled away. He continued to shake and gasp, and it appeared to her that he wasn't going to get any better unless she figured out a way to help him. Her chest was starting to ache horribly and a lump was forming in her throat. She could feel the tears starting to burn behind her eyes.

Annabeth felt helpless. Completely and irrevocably useless when it was becoming clear that she might not be able to help him. She considered calling for Grover and Juniper, because surely they might know what to do. Or if that didn't work, Paul was just a call away. She just needed to-

"No. NO. He needs YOU, not Paul. Percy needs you. You need to be the one to get him through this." Something argued inside of Annabeth, causing her lump to slide down her throat and her panic to slowly subside. She wanted to second guess herself because there were better people to help, but the voice- the instinct -from before pushed back, screaming at her to think.

If there was anything she was good at, it was thinking.

Annabeth steeled herself, trying to remember in Hazel had to study anything regarding panic attacks. She couldn't really remember much, but Annabeth was vaguely aware of moving towards Percy again, resolve flooding through her veins. When she spoke again, her voice was much more calm than before. "Percy, I need you to look at me." She said.

He didn't stop shaking. Annabeth repeated her request over and over again, gaining traction over time. Perhaps it was her tone, or the fact that he was finally calming down. Either way, Annabeth slowly scooted closer as his eyes began to unscrew themselves. She let out a shaky breath when she saw his eyes.

Hollow. Shattered. His big, green eyes that usually resembled fire were now completely put out. Her breath hitched when she saw that he wasn't looking at her so much as past her. His gaze was off to the side, unfocused. Tears still silently ran down his cheeks. Annabeth took a deep breath before continuing. "Percy, look at me." She said. She had to repeat it again before he looked her in the eye.

"Focus on me. I want you to look at me." She said. Suddenly, a technique for calming down pregnancy stress came to her mind. She squeezed his hands carefully, and he squeezed back, albeit faintly. "Breath with me." She said, taking deep breaths through her nose and letting them out through her mouth. Percy tried, but began to gasp again as his eyes widened in panic. Before he could slip away from her, Annabeth leaned forward until their foreheads almost touched. "Breath with me." She repeated.

This time, he did better. His tears began to slow, and then stop altogether by the time his breathing was even again. Annabeth sighed lightly, her breath fanning over his face. Percy was still trembling, but at least he seemed more in control. Annabeth began to loosen her grip on his hands, but he immediately held on tighter. Annabeth gave him what she hoped to be a reassuring look.

"I'm not going anywhere." She said, truth ringing in her words. Percy, eyes still wide, began to relax as she let go. However, instead of pulling away, she ran her hands up his arms, to his shoulders. Her fingers traced against his shirt, around his collar bone, up into his scalp, and back down again. Percy bit down on his lip when she grazed his side, but she made sure to keep eye contact with him during the entire encounter.

It took a few minutes for Percy to respond in kind. Her hands had rested against his hips, wishing again that her belly wasn't in the way so she could pull herself closer. His hands gently grasped her wrists, putting them together and guiding her until she was lying next to him again. They faced one another this time, her stomach pressed against his. He shivered when her hand settled against the wound again.

The silence was thick enough that it seemed to press down on the two of them as the seconds passed. Annabeth nestled further into her pillow. Percy's arm was under her neck, the pulse of his wrist pressed against the pulse in her neck. When she did speak, her voice was much less self assured than before.

"You were being stabbed again, weren't you?" She asked. She felt his heartbeat skip, and he nodded above her line of sight. She already knew the answer, so it didn't really matter. "And you haven't slept all night because you knew this might happen?" She asked, this question more of a theory she wanted disproven. Sadly, Percy nodded again.

Annabeth felt the lump in her throat again. She swallowed it down, pressing her left hand against his heart. She wanted to feel this answer, more than she wanted to hear it. "How long has this been happening?" She asked, her voice a whisper. His heart made a dull thump-thump every few seconds, barely missing a beat.

When he spoke, his voice was rough and scratchy. She nearly winced at the sound. "A few nights now." He said, the silence immediately moving in to take over the lull in the conversation. Annabeth nodded against his chest, her hand fisting the fabric of his shirt.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" She asked. He shook his head. She looked up at him then, her eyes searching his own. The bruises, even in the dark, were becoming more prominent after each passing second. His eyes were still strained, but under her gaze they softened exponentially.

She leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. They barely brushed, and his were chapped, but Annabeth could care less when she felt his shoulders relax. His eyes closed, as well as hers, and she heard him sigh against her lips. His hand, the one under her neck, twisted until he was cupping her cheek, pulling her closer. Annabeth eventually stopped kissing, but they didn't pull away.

"You aren't leaving this bed until you get a full eight hours." She muttered, her eyes already closing again. Percy was following right behind her, too tired to complain vocally. Instead, he made a face, though it was a half-hearted gesture. Instead, he suddenly pulled her to him and pecked her quickly on the lips. A small rush of emotion lodged itself in Annabeth's throat, forcing her to open her eyes.

Almost immediately, she was watching as his eyes closed. His heartbeat changed nearly instantaneously from dull thuds to smooth, consistent bumps. Her eyes searched his face, softening when she saw just how peaceful he looked. Without the stress, the pain, or the worry lines that constantly seemed to harden his features, he looked innocent. He looked like her brothers.

Annabeth's heart skipped a beat when his next exhale seemed to be semi-coherent. For just one moment, Annabeth heard his voice, soft and muffled by layers of sleep. She was almost certain she heard him say "I love you."

Annabeth searched his eyes, though they were closed. She tried to judge if he was actually awake, feeling his breath fan her face and probing his chest with her fingertips. She gulped, a few tears forming in her eyes as she took a shaky breath. Her smile was much too wide for someone trying to sleep.

Her voice wasn't even audible to her own ears. Barely qualifying as a whisper, she replied.

"I love you, too."