If you're wondering how on earth I'm churning out fic after fic this weekend, let me explain: These are all the works-in-progress that were SO CLOSE to being finished. But me, being the lazy bum that I am, never bothered to finish 'em. That is, until now. So yeah. This is the last of those fics. And I don't think I'll be able to update in the next weeks 'cause I'm having my final exams.

Anyway, this is another TLO scene expansion (like Five Seconds). This one takes place in Chapter 11: We Break A Bridge. I always loved this scene, 'cause it's just so Percy to blurt out "Can I have a kiss for luck?" Oh, Percy. You know we love you, but getting a kiss from Annabeth in Mount Saint Helens and one from Rachel before attacking the Princess Andromeda doesn't make it a tradition. Even if they both said good luck.

Disclaimer: I don't own PJatO. Though, I DO own this freak conspiracy theory about Reyna. Check out the link in my profile (and comment, please. Just so I know who's reading it :) )

Inopportune Moment
Talk about a sucky timing.

"Percy, let me come with you." Annabeth said. No way was she going to let him face a whole army on his own.

"Too dangerous." Percy told her. She was about to protest ('Too dangerous, my ass, Jackson.') when he added: "Besides, I need you to help Michael coordinate the defensive line. I'll distract the monsters. You group up here. Move the sleeping mortals out of the way. Then you can start picking off monsters while I keep them focused on me. If anybody can do all that, you can."

Michael snorted. "Thanks a lot."

Annabeth smiled a bit, and then shook her head. Giddy feelings had no place in a war, dammit. It wouldn't do if the Greeks' second-in-command was too busy staring at their commander instead of coordinating attacks. The daughter of Athena nodded at Percy reluctantly, her mind already whirring with battle strategies that would maximize their troops and help him as much as possible.

"All right. Get moving."

She was expecting him to leave the moment she gave him the 'go' signal, so when he spoke up again, it shocked her... admittedly in more ways than one.

"Don't I get a kiss for luck? It's kind of a tradition, right?"

Annabeth wanted to punch him. Of all the things he could have–- What the Hades was he thinking, playing around at a time like this? Normally, she would've been amused that he was kindasortamaybe flirting with her, but now? They were fighting in a war, for crying out loud! He was the hero of the prophecy, the freaking savior of the Western civilization – heck, of the world even! He could die at anytime. And then she would be alone again and ohgods Percy would be dead and she wouldn't be able to tell him her stupid feelings–-

Her thoughts stopped dead as realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Di immortales.

She was in love with Percy Jackson.

This has got to score a perfect hundred on the craptastic timing scale.

The more she thought about it, though, the more it made sense. The weird fluttering in her stomach whenever he's around, the warmth in her cheeks at the sight of his lopsided smile, the stupid want to ruffle his already mussed-up hair, and the constant urge to wring his neck and kiss him at the same time. No doubt about it; she was head over heels in love with Percy Jackson – dorky, self-sacrificing, seaweed-brained son of Poseidon – and there was nothing she could do to change that.

And now, that boy had the fate of the world in his hands.

Talk about an inconvenience.

She didn't dare look at him, afraid that she'd do something stupid (like reveal her feelings and distract him from saving the world). Instead, she took out her knife and said:

"Come back alive, Seaweed Brain. Then we'll see."

Percy did some kind of one-shoulder shrug, figuring that that was the best offer he would get, and took off to face the army headed their way. Annabeth watched him for a few more moments before turning back to Michael.

"Alright. We have to move quickly. Invulnerable or not, Percy needs all the help he can get."

Percy was going to come back alive. She was going to make sure of that. He was going to make it through this war and save the whole Western civilization. And once all the fighting was done, she was going to kiss the living daylights out of him and then they'd become a couple and build something permanent, like she'd always wanted.

Athena always has a plan, after all.

R&R, please : D