The human heart has hidden treasures,

In secret kept, in silence sealed;

The thoughts, the hopes, the dreams, the pleasures,

Whose charms were broken if revealed.

Word count 2,887

I unconsciously hugged Annabeth closer to me, giving her a light and unnoticeable kiss on the exposed skin of her shoulder. The tension of her eyelids fully relaxed and she snuggled even closer to me. The door creaked, telling us of the door opening even more. We heard one heavy footstep, before a lady hollered: "Fredrick Chase! How dare you not consider the privacy of a growing woman! She could have been changing for God's sake. Get over here!" (I know in the actual story, Annabeth's step mom is distant, but let's just change her personality a little in this story) the person retreated before we heard the door close, and lock once again. I was about to let go of Annabeth, thinking she was uncomfortable, but instead she stopped me. She curled into my chest, and laid one hand over mine as her other arm went underneath her pillow.

"Annabeth, I can leave if you want me to. I understand if you don't—"

"No. Stay. Please don't ever leave me again. I don't want to be left alone. Please stay, for me?" I hugged her closer to me, my face buried into her neck, taking in her lemon scent. "I'd jump off a bridge if you asked me to. For you, I'd do anything." She sighed in what I hope is total bliss.

"Percy?"

"Hm?"

"Do you . . . Do you, like, like-like me?" I placed a kiss on her neck.

"With all my heart, being, and soul. I understand if you don't—" she turned around and looked at me. She hooked her right leg around my waist and pulled me to her, one arm going under her head, the other hugging my torso. "You need to stop doing that. If I didn't want you in any way, then I wouldn't have even talked to you after they asked me to show you around the school. No matter what you did, you always pulled me closer to you. As if I were the metal and you were the magnet. So don't say I don't love you, or think it, because so help me God, I'm going to send you to a mental hospital." She smiled and pulled me in for a kiss. These damn teenage hormones. She rolled over to sit on me, her legs neatly folded on either side of my waist. I leaned up a little so that my back was at a 45 degree-angle.

She smiled at me, "Now where were we?" I rested my hands on the side of her thighs, "I don't know," I shrugged. "You tell me." With both of her hands on the sides of my face, she leaned down and kissed me. Her left hand trailed down to my neck, and went lower to my chest. Then, it went lower and lower, until it went to the hem of my tee shirt once again. She slid her hand under my shirt and began tracing my scars. In the heat of the moment, I didn't care. Actually, I don't care. Now, if it were someone else tracing my scars, I would care. But with Annabeth—Annabeth can do anything she wants.

My grip on her thighs tightened as she sped up our pace. When I felt that things could get too far, and when I felt that things were too heated, I stopped kissing her. "Annabeth. We should stop. I don't want to push you into anything you're not ready for." Reluctantly, she gave a very small nod, and slowly pulled away. I let go of her as she rolled over so that her side was on the bed. I rolled over to take a glance at the clock, "It's 3 am. Let's go to bed, there's still school. We only have three hours to sleep." I felt her move over closer to me, and wrap her leg just below my hip, and her arms went around my body so that her hands connected right below my belly button. She nuzzled her face between my shoulder blades, and fell sleep.

Bang! Bang! Bang! I heard gun shots in my sleep. I heard Gabe laughing at me, and remembered the day he came home with his new "baby." He opened his mouth as the black hand gun at the center of my stomach and leaned in. He gave me a kiss on the mouth before whispering in my ear—

"Annie! Annie! It's almost time for school. Don't make me go in there!" What? Thalia? What is…? Oh, I get it now. I'm dreaming, and in the real world I'm running late for school.

My eyes snapped open in sudden realization. Annabeth and I are still in the same position as we had fallen asleep in. I slowly turned around, and kissed Annabeth on her forehead. I smiled as her eyelids struggled to stay relaxed, "I know you're awake," I lowly chuckled. Her eyes fluttered open like the elegant wings of a butterfly.

"Good morning," she leaned up and kissed me on the nose. "Annabeth." Thalia whined from the other side of the locked door. She closed her eyes, clearly annoyed, before pulling the blanket off of her. In all her white camisole, and black mid-thigh pajama shorts glory, she stood up and dragged herself to the door.

She opened the door so that only half of her showed, and scratched her head. With her eyes squinting due to the amount of light leaking into them, she looked—or more like squinted—at my very annoying cousin Thalia. "Thals. Please let me go back to sleep. School can go one day without me." I almost laughed. Annabeth— "—asking for a day off of school? That is unheard of!" Apparently, my cousin and I share the same thoughts at times. "That simply cannot do!" Drama queen, I nearly rolled my eyes.

"Thalia . . ."

"What? Annabeth, if you don't go to school today, who'll ride that sweet car to school?" Thalia . . .

"What car? You mean my dad's? Yeah, as if an old Toyota is going to make me go to school today. Besides, I'm simply just too tired to go to school."

"No! I mean the 2017 Jeep Rubicon." Thalia . . .

"What?"

"Yeah. How did you think old Kelp Head got home last night?" I smiled when she said 'home,' "Wings?"

"Just because there's some fancy car outside my home doesn't mean I'm going to go to school."

"You'll ruin your perfect record. And can you imagine how disappointed Mr. Blowfis would be?" I could almost hear Annabeth glaring dangerously sharp daggers at Thalia. "Just please go to school. I don't think I can stand being so close to education without you guys with me."

"'Guys?'"

"What, did you think your father let Percy in? Pfffft. It was me." With one more glare and no more words, Annabeth closed the door.

She turned around to look at me, before realizing her dad doesn't know I'm here. She opened her mouth to speak, but I beat her to it. Siting up, I held out a hand, "It's okay," I smiled. "I'll head back to the apartment and grab some clothes. I'll come back and give you a ride to school. Is that okay?"

"No."

"What?"

"No. I'm not going to let you go back in there. Not after what happened."

"Annabeth, I don't really have a choice. I don't have any other place to stay, and I really don't want to bother anyone. Look—"

"You can stay here," she walked over to the bed and sat down, facing me. "You can stay here, and, we'll work it out together. After school we can go and get you some new clothing. For now, just stay here while I get ready and then we'll go get some breakfast. Got it?" I nodded my head.

She gave me a quick kiss as she stood up, and went to her dresser to pick out an outfit. Occasionally, she would look back at me, the article of clothing in her hand, and shake her head. I started to tie my boots, and put on my leather jacket. As I re-buttoned my jeans, I faced Annabeth. "I'm gonna wait for you in the car. And before Thalia asks, yes she can have a ride," I added the last part when I remembered that Thalia was still waiting for Annabeth. To hide the fact that I am in the house, I climbed out the window and jumped down onto the grass.

Making sure that I wasn't caught, I walked over to the car and climbed inside. I put on my seat belt and began to warm up the car.

To help pass time, I started to check out the car. I looked inside the little compartment between the two front seats, and found some cash with a note from Artemis, saying how she's glad I finally got out of the hell hole. Inside the glove compartment (is that right?) I found a clear credit card with a small trident on the bottom left corner, my picture on the top right, and with it I found a Junior's License. A note was attached to it saying that Poseidon knew I'd have to go shopping at one point, and to not worry about spending too much. I smiled and placed the cash, license, and card in my wallet, for later. The passenger door opened and Annabeth climbed in.

She had changed into a dark blue plaid flannel (she left the flannel open), with a white camisole underneath. She had also changed into black Converse and dark jeans that seemed to fit just right. She had thrown her backpack in the back seat.

"Thalia said she'll be out in a minute. She's raiding my fridge. Again."

"It's fine," I chuckled. She looked at my hand resting on the gear stick, and laid her hand over mine, placing her fingers in between mine.

"Let's just hope she doesn't make us late."

"Hey, lets go to the mall later. We can get you some nice clothes—" she started laughing. "Me? I need clothing? I think you have it all wrong mister. You're the one that needs the shopping." I turned to face her. "Annabeth, please. It's my way of saying thank you."

"For what?"

"For showing me who I am. Without you, my life would've ended the day I started at Goode High. So please, let me give instead of receive for once," she seemed hesitant but nodded her head. "Okay."

Thalia entered and sat down, "I figured you'd forget it," she threw something at me. I looked in my lap and found my blue, worn out backpack. I turned around and smiled, "Thanks, Thals. Ready?" She nodded her head. I changed the gear from Park to Reverse, before getting out of the drive way and moving to Drive.

We stopped by a small diner, where I got a sandwich, and Annabeth got a English muffin. Thalia ordered a shake. After eating, and drinking, we hurried off to school, where I was given piles and piles of homework and tests, and pats on the back.

Summer came and went, and just like every other normal teenage couple out there, we spent it at the beach. Montauk Beach to be exact. Dad rented out an isolated cabin, just for us, and we "abused" our liberty. We stayed up late, had fun, and did things we normally wouldn't do with the hawk eye of Fredrick Chase. Nothing harmful, of course.

Three years passed, and they were three of the many to come, best years of my life. I had everything I ever wanted, and never knew I needed. I had a family. I had a life. And most importantly, I had Annabeth. During the first year, dad finally bought a huge mansion so all my family lived under the same roof—just like old times. Annabeth and I shared a bedroom, but not because there wasn't any room, trust me, without counting what was supposed to be Annabeth's room, there is still six guest bedrooms, and three offices. Two of those, Annabeth and I used in the near future.

During the last month of the second year, both Gabe and Luke were finally sentenced to jail for life.

Another year passed. Annabeth and I both at the age of 20. Dad started a huge business, Open Seas Inc. and made me CEO of the main wing. Annabeth became CEO of the architect wing, which I begged my father permission to be able to open it. It only took me two seconds of begging—literally—before he smiled and said he was proud of me, and happy that I finally found "the one." For her birthday, I took Annabeth to Montauk, and proposed. She glowed under the moonlight, and jumped into my arms, screaming yes a million times. We shared a very passionate night together—our first, but certainly not our last.

Six months later, I had the honor, privilege, and luck to call Annabeth, Mrs. Jackson. Everyday I would come home, hug Annabeth from behind, give her a kiss, and we would eat dinner together.

Two years passed, and I was a happy man, and was calling an adorable little girl my daughter. I would come home everyday and spend time with my family.

On my little girls birthday, I mustered up enough courage to write a letter. It went something like this:

Dear Person,

I would like to thank you. Although you do not deserve it, without you, I wouldn't be anywhere near the man I am today. I have you to thank for that.

I don't know exactly what you did, but I guess it helped snap an out-of-place nerve in me, back into place. I watched the way you treated Mom. I felt the way you treated me. I watched as you drank every last bit (of the bits and pieces left) of your tar-y soul, away. I also watched how scared you made Mom feel. I felt the way you made me feel scared.

As I have said before: I don't know exactly what you did. It could've been the drinking, or the hitting. The scarring or the rape. The scaring or the bullying. It could've been the broken watch you always kept on your wrist. It could've been your attitude. Your disrespect. The way you took such wonderful things, or people such as my mother, for granted. I don't know. It could've been the way you snored for all I know. What I do know, is this: sometimes, observing is all you need to do to be able to change who you are.

In its own twisted sick little way, I'm sort of glad you killed Mom that day. I'm glad you helped her get away from the nastiness of this world. I'm glad you took her away from all this sin. Hate. Filth. Greediness. Ungratefulness. You. Me. And this horrible world.

I'm also glad, because it gave me another chance. At the cost of Mom's life, yes, but at least I didn't waste it. No. No, I grabbed a hold of it—no, not it. Her. I grabbed a hold of her, and you want to know what I did with her? No, I didn't rape her. No, I didn't beat her. Scare her. Hate her. Take her for granted. Trouble her. Kill her.

I held on to her.

I held on to her because my life depended—and still does—on her. She turned my life onto the right course. And I have you to thank for that. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be afraid of hurting her. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be afraid of making her cry. If it weren't for you, I would've let her fall. If it weren't for you, I would have never met her at all.

If it weren't for you, I would have let her go.

And this is why I say thank you.

Not for the beatings. The rape. The scars. The fear. The tears. Or my hellish life. I thank you today, for my second chance. I thank you today, for giving me a push and meeting my reason for living. My reason for dying. I thank you today, for finally letting my mother Rest In Peace. I thank you today, for my second chance.

With thanks,

Percy Jackson, your one and only victim.

Guys, I am so sorry. But unfortunately this story has come to an end. I think the closing was…fair.

I would like to thank you all. Thank you, for helping me pull through and joining me on my writing adventure. I would like to thank all if you, everyone who has read this story, stayed with me to the end, reviewed, favorited, followed, PMed me, thank you. I hope to take you guys on more, and hopefully great, writing adventures.

This is Hero of Olympus in Disguise, signing off for probably the final time on Don't Judge Me Until You Know Me.