"Good evening," greeted Percy as Annabeth walked into the kitchen, a mug of something in his hands. "You look beautiful."

Annabeth laughed and rolled her eyes as she readjusted her messy golden curls. "I just put Charlie down. Don't sugar coat it, seaweed brain."

Percy shrugged as he fetched another mug from the cabinet and placed it on the table. "Hot coco? It's the good New Rome kind."

"Thanks," Annabeth said graciously as she picked up the mug. She took a sip of it and smiled. "Reminds me of college."

Percy sat down next to her. Annabeth couldn't help but smile as the two enjoyed their coco.

"Is Marina asleep?" Percy asked as he drained his cup and placed it down.

Annabeth nodded. "Yeah, she went down a little before Charlie. It's weird having their naps align. Almost unheard of."

Percy laughed. Then Annabeth's phone started buzzing.

"Just a second...." Annabeth said as she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Annabeth," Hazel's voice said. "Are you two free today?"

Annabeth frowned. "Today? It's, like, four o'clock."

Hazel laughed nervously. "I know but, uh, I was just hoping Frank and I could stop over and maybe see Charlie and Marina?"

"Okay, I guess that's fine," she replied. "They're both asleep."

"Well maybe we could babysit them for you?" she asked.

Annabeth laughed. "Hazel, if you want some practice just say so. I'm certain Percy'll agree to a night out."

She could tell Hazel was grinning. "Okay! We'll be right over, Annabeth. We owe you one!"

"We owe you one, Hazel," she replied. "I couldn't tell you how long it's been since a date night...."

~

"Alright, so you know where everything is?" Percy asked as he showed Hazel and Frank inside. "Phone numbers are on the fridge, all that. Bye!"

Frank frowned. "Wait, that's it—?"

But before they could hear him, Percy and Annabeth were out the door.

"Gods, it's been forever," Annabeth said as she took Percy's hand. "Where do you wanna go?"

Percy shrugged. "No place with snails on the menu. Or seafood."

Annabeth rolled her eyes before hailing a taxi. "Okay, that limits it a bit. Please no McDonalds or fast food."

"You think so little of me," he replied with a smirk. "I can be civilized."

"Oh, really?" Annabeth asked as she raised an eyebrow.

Percy nodded and made a serious face which made her burst out laughing. "Of course I can. Now excuse me, I should get back to doing my taxes."

Annabeth giggled. "You know you haven't changed a bit?"

Before he could answer the cabbie asked them their location, which they both were unsure of.

"Ooh, how about that little Italian place we used to go to all the time?" Annabeth asked, causing Percy to wrinkle his nose.

"Italian? Boring!" he exclaimed. "And it's all the way in Long Island."

Annabeth crossed her arms. "Well, you like pizza, right?"

Percy's frown wavered. "You've got me there."

They reluctantly waited while the cabbie drove them the farthest he could. "I'm letting you out here. You're lucky I even drove you this far out of the city."

They got out of the cab after paying and started walking towards the aforementioned Italian place, hand in hand.

"I wonder how Hazel and Frank are doing," Percy said. "Do you think Charlie's woken up yet?"

Annabeth shuddered. "I hope not. He's a riot when he does. He'll be super hungry."

"They can handle it, right?" he asked, his voice becoming squeakier.

"I hope so," Annabeth replied with a laugh. "I mean, they need the practice."

Percy shrugged. "Remember when we were just paranoid parents? Before Marina was born we were wrecks, Annabeth."

"We?" Annabeth commented. Percy's face went red. "I remember it a little differently than you. I'm glad you calmed down when it came to Charlie."

The two continued talking until they arrived at the restaurant. They were surprisingly seated right away.

"So, you want to split a pizza?" Percy asked. "We can get olives on it or something."

Annabeth laughed. "Olives? Really?"

Percy shrugged. "Your mom is the one who invented them. It's not like she invented pizza or something."

The couples around them all looked at them suspiciously, causing Percy and Annabeth to burst out laughing.

"Seriously though, can I talk to you about something?" Annabeth asked.

Percy, who didn't seem to hear her, picked up two breadsticks and stuck them in his mouth like walrus tusks.

"Annabweth! Wook!" he said, his voice all muffled from the breadsticks. He grinned and they tumbled out of his mouth.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I married a twelve year old, didn't I?"

The rest of the meal they continued confusing and disgusting other customers to the point where their waiter didn't even ask them if they wanted dessert.

"Rude!" Percy exclaimed as they walked out of the restaurant. "He asked everyone else!"

Annabeth grabbed his hand and chuckled. "I know, Perce. Although I think you crossed a line with your spit take."

Percy sighed. "You know I didn't mean to hit him! And I really wanted ice cream...."

"How about we get some at home? I'm sure Hazel and Frank are more than ready for us to get home," she replied.

The two decided to walk back to where the cab had left them. Maybe there would be one nearby. Besides, it was a nice night. They would both soon regret that.

"Hey, do you hear something?" Annabeth asked hesitantly, suddenly halting to a stop. "It kinda sounds like....never mind."

Percy frowned. He furrowed his eyebrows. "No, I think you're on to something. It's, like, some gargling or something."

Then Annabeth slowly reached inside her purse and pulled out a sheathed knife she always kept on her.

Percy followed her example and reached for the pen he always kept in his pocket. "Okay, let's just keep walking, maybe we're being paranoid...."

"Uncap Riptide," Annabeth whispered uneasily.

"Won't the mortals see a gun or bat or something?" he replied quietly.

Annabeth shook her head. "I dunno, but if they do it won't be that out of the ordinary. It's not like this place is flooded with people."

Percy nodded and cautiously lifted the cap off of his pen. The pen grew into a bronze sword which glimmered in the sunlight.

"I don't see anything," Percy murmured. "I think we're safe."

The two kept on walking, occasionally peering over their shoulders. The grip they had on each other's hands tightened.

"I think we're good," Annabeth said and released a sigh. "We're almost half way home, anyways."

Then the snarling grew louder. They turned and saw several monstrous sized hellhounds, all inching towards them.

Annabeth bit her lip. "I knew it. Okay, you distract them. I'll get them from behind."

Percy nodded as his wife placed on her Yankees cap, which turned her completely invisible.

"Hey! Doggybreathe!" Percy yelled at the hellhounds. Their eyes glowed red with anger. "Over here, mutts!"

He rushed towards a hot dog stand and allowed Annabeth to get behind them. He waved his arms up and down to get their attention.

Then poof. One turned into dust, which covered the whole street in black powder and fur.

"You want more?!" Percy shrieked anxiously as the three remaining ones sniffed towards Annabeth. "I'm over here, uglies!"

The three hellhounds clearly didn't like this nickname as they all bounded towards him.

One was stabbed by Annabeth and disintegrated on its way towards Percy, but the remaining two were left unfazed.

"Annabeth!" Percy screeched as one bounded on top of him. He managed to stab it from underneath it but he got scratched pretty bad.

Annabeth lifted off her Yankees cap and rushed in. "Over here, you dumb dog!"

The remaining hellhound rushed at her. She stabbed it dead in one blow. Then she rushed over to Percy.

"You alright?" she asked him as she helped him up. Then she noticed the tear in his sleeve. Deep red blood stained his arm and jacket sleeve.

"I'm fine," Percy managed to say without crying.

Annabeth shook her head. "I think I have some ambrosia in my purse. Sit down, okay?"

She led him to a nearby bench and started fishing through her purse. "You look exhausted. Try to relax."

Percy felt nauseous, so he graciously accepted her offer. He sat down and closed his eyes.

Then a blood curling scream made him jolt up again. He saw Annabeth laying on the ground, out cold, a hellhound on top of her.

He fumbled for Riptide and rushed over to the hellhound. He stabbed it a few times before it ran in the opposite direction. He decided that was good enough.

He rushed to his knees and cradled Annabeth in his arms. "Wise girl, are you good? Please respond."

Annabeth blinked weakly. "Ambrosia...."

Percy found the ambrosia that had been knocked out of her hands in the attack and broke off a piece for her.

"No, for you...." she murmured as Percy fed some to her. "I'm fine, seaweed brain...."

Percy shook his head and tried to feed her some more, which she refused.

"Already burning....too much...." she managed to say.

Percy felt her forehead. She was right. She was burning, not from her injures. Shaking, he picked her up.

"Camp isn't far," he whispered to her. "I'll get you there. They....they know what to do...."