Title: 'Tis The Damn Season
Genre: Percabeth AU
Song: 'Tis the Damn Season by Taylor Swift
Word Count: 19187

Author's Note: holy. Shit. I DID IT YOU GUYS. I know it's super late but OMGGG I FINISHED IT I forgot how good this feels because I've been inactive for so long :( but hopefully I can give a little more time to Wattpad. either way, this is now my longest oneshot !! It was Afterglow (Part 15) at 18,410 words but this one has surpassed it ! Anyways I hope you guys enjoy this because it was so fun to write and THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT !! I love each and every single one of you, never forget that. Okay, enjoy reading !! ❤️

Ps. - there's no real concept of time zones here so please ignore the giant plot hole I accidentally wrote into this at the end thank you :P
Also this may be a completely inaccurate write of Gloversville because it is a real place and I've never been so I apologize lol

ANNABETH HAD ALMOST FORGOTTEN how good it felt when snowflakes rested on her warm cheeks. While L.A. was experiencing its coldest weather at 50°, New York was in its prime, the temperatures well below freezing and snow piling on the sidewalks.

Pulling her luggage behind her, Annabeth breathed in the air of the city. That by no means meant that it was clean and fresh, but it was different than the air in California, and it felt nice. The click of heels on the sidewalk in hurried paces and the sounds of traffic felt familiar, but like an alternate universe of the same life.

Annabeth put her fingers between her lips and let out a clear, loud whistle. Her father had taught her how to do that when she was young; it impressed a lot of people, oddly enough. A cab rolled up to the sidewalk and she quickly got in, throwing her luggage into the trunk.

Contrary to popular conception, Annabeth was a country girl. Despite knowing her way around the Big Apple, she lived about three hours out of the city, in a small town further upstate. Her plan was to take a cab to a train station just outside the city and then ride the train up to her hometown. She could've flown, but she had just gotten off of a six-hour flight, and the train ride was lovely. She liked to be reminded of where she was going and to feel like she was a kid again, going back home after a fun trip.

Before she knew it, she was on that train back home. It was the first Thursday in December; it was the only time she had to see her family for Christmas. Unfortunately, after the weekend she was spending with her family in New York, she was needed back in L.A.

It was rather annoying, but her manager had grilled it into her head that these few weeks right before the release of her new album were the most important. She needed to be there, as unfortunate as it was that she wouldn't be able to spend Christmas with her family. However, Annabeth didn't want to sound ungrateful; she was immensely thankful for the people on her team and the luck she had had in the music business, not that she didn't work hard to get herself there. She just wished her schedule wasn't always so rigid. But there's no rest for the wicked; Annabeth wasn't a huge music artist just yet. Her career had only really started to take off at the beginning of the year. She couldn't afford to just do anything she wanted until she was really in the clear.

Stepping off the train, Annabeth walked out of the station. Gloversville was a small town, and it hadn't changed much since she was young. Christmas was always her favorite time of the year; they decorated the town like a beautiful festive gift. Wreaths hung on every streetlight, every shop window was bedecked with lights and paper snowflakes, and the people just felt merry. Every year, Annabeth's family would take their Christmas card picture in front of the tree in the town square. Then they'd drink hot chocolate and watch the carolers, her dad always trying to join in on the tune, but it was quite apparent that he wasn't the one Annabeth got her musical talents from. Everyone would laugh and there was never a frowning face. Annabeth was excited to get back to that feeling.

Looking around for her ride, Annabeth spotted exactly who she was looking for. Her mouth growing into a large grin, she ran to her father and hugged him tightly. "Hi, dad," she laughed.

"Hey, peanut." He smiled down at her. Annabeth's father was her biggest supporter. Not that her mom wasn't, but when she started writing music, her father was the one she was closest to. Both her parents were incredibly encouraging when she started to do well in the industry, although her mother was skeptical at first. Annabeth didn't blame her, for it's very difficult to succeed in the industry. She just got lucky, and then worked her ass off, and, clearly, it paid off. Now, for that, she had her mother to thank.

Annabeth followed her father out to the car after he offered to take her suitcase for her. Her father still drove that old pick up truck he had when she was young. Plenty of times she had insisted on buying him and her mother a new car, but he refused. He claimed that Darla, his name for the vehicle, was the perfect truck. The interior of the car still had the same scent; it was warm but smokey almost, the smell of pine ridden in the seats. The fabric was a little beat up, but every stain and rip was a memory. She loved that truck.

"So..." her father started, turning up the heat while Annabeth rubbed her hands together above the vents. "How's L.A.?"

"It's good," she replied, nodding. "Definitely nothing like home," she chuckled.

"Yeah," her father agreed with a chuckle. "There's no place like home." He began the short drive to their house. Annabeth remembered every street they drove down; they were the very streets she had learned to drive on. The same places she would hang around with her friends in high school, doing stupid teenager things. They passed her old school on the way, and Annabeth's gaze lingered wistfully.

That place held so many memories. So many faces, so many personalities she had long forgotten. But one in particular suddenly popped into her mind. Percy Jackson. That was quite a subject. Where did she even start? At the very beginning, in kindergarten? Or her first kiss in the ninth grade? And what about her first real heartbreak?

"Your mom's real excited to see you," her father said, disrupting her thoughts. Maybe it was for the better.

"Yeah, me too. How's her book club going?" After retiring, Annabeth's mother had started a book club.

"It's good. They're always doing something new—you know your mother, she's always gotta be doing something."

Annabeth chuckled, "Yeah." After being the head of Gloversville Hospital, relaxation and rest were not things Athena Chase was good at. She was always working the night shift, always putting in extra hours. Often times Annabeth said goodnight to her through the phone, but her mother was her superhero. She was excited to see her.

They pulled up to the house, which was decorated the same way they had done it every year; white lights and candy canes, simple but gorgeous. It made Annabeth smile. They got out of the car and walked into the house. The porch steps were a little more rickety than they used to be, but that was expected. A lot had happened on that porch. Years of pattering feet running up and down those stairs, whether it was beat-up sneakers, heavy snow boots, or prom high heels.

"Hon!" Frederick called into the house. "We got a special delivery!" Annabeth playfully glared at her father and he chuckled quietly. Annabeth heard a few voices, the voices of women; book club. Then came the sound of footsteps and her mother's warm smile.

"Oh, my baby's home!" she laughed heartily. Annabeth walked to her mom, giving her a big hug. People were often afraid of Athena, reasonably so—she was a tall woman with sharp features and a stare that could make her a murderer. Even Annabeth was afraid of her sometimes. But there was something about a hug from your mom that couldn't be matched. 

"Hi, mom," Annabeth sighed happily. She grinned at her mother once they pulled away. "The house looks great," she said, noticing the decoration. Her mother had always been so intricate about everything; the way the ornaments were hung on the tree, the garland over the doorways, even the fluffiness of the pillows on the couch. But it turned out that Annabeth would be the same way.

"Thank you," she replied. "Come into the kitchen, I have hot cocoa for you." Annabeth followed her mother into the kitchen. Even though it had been a while, it was like nothing had really changed. It was still home. Part of her was afraid that coming home would feel strange, like she wouldn't know it as it used to be. She was afraid she'd feel out of place, but it was the opposite.

"Ladies, you remember my daughter, Annabeth. She's home for the holidays, but she lives in L.A. now because she's a famous musician," her mother bragged. She tried to make it seem humble, but Annabeth noticed her smirk.

"Mom," Annabeth chuckled sheepishly. "I'm really not famous," she insisted, shaking her head.

"Oh, come on now, Peanut. You're pretty dang good," her father protested.

"Thanks, dad."

Just then, someone came into the kitchen. "Well, I'll be," a familiar voice cut through all conversation. "If it isn't the daughter I never had."

Annabeth turned, chuckling with a huge grin. "Hi, Sally."

"Come here," Sally said, pulling her into a tight hug. Annabeth smiled wider; Sally was Percy's mother. While her son was a sore spot for Annabeth, the woman herself was one of her favorite people in the world. It all started when Athena and Sally were in high school. They hated each other; total arch enemies. Then, college rolled around and suddenly, they didn't hate each other anymore. They became best friends. After going their separate ways for a short while—Athena started working at the hospital and Sally opened her own bookstore (which happened to be one of the very best places in Gloversville)—they remained lifelong friends. This didn't transfer so much to their children, although Percy and Annabeth were close in the beginning.

"How's your new fancy life in Hollywood?" Sally teased.

Annabeth laughed. "Oh, it's just marvelous! I go to galas and wear fancy dresses just like you had hoped for me," she played along, being particularly enthusiastic. Annabeth had Sally to thank for the majority of her mother's coming around to her ambitions. She was the one who convinced Athena to be alright with Annabeth moving across the country to pursue music.
Sally laughed. "I'm glad you're having a good time. How long you in town for?"

"I could only get this weekend free."

Sally clicked her tongue. "Tsk, that's a shame."

"I know," Annabeth agreed empathetically.

"Well, at least you're here now," she said, getting back to her cheerful grin. "I'll have to tell Percy."

Suddenly Annabeth's mouth went dry and her vocal cords stopped working. Did she want to see Percy? She knew it would be nice to catch up, but it would also hurt. There was a lot left unsaid between them, and so much of it felt like unfinished business. But how could that be? She left; there wasn't much else to it. But somehow there was.

"We were just ending today's meeting," her mother announced. All of the four ladies sitting at the table stood and began to gather their things. "I'll see everyone out, then we can go to dinner," Athena said to Annabeth and her father. They both simply nodded.

Athena showed everyone out after many goodbyes. Then she turned back to her daughter and husband. "Elaine's?"

"Definitely," Annabeth and her father answered in unison. They all chuckled and it truly felt like home.

**^^**

It was around 11 p.m. when Annabeth decided to go for a walk. She didn't know how, but after a long day of traveling and catching up with her parents, she wasn't tired. Of course, it was always dangerous to walk around alone at night, especially being a woman, but Gloversville was safe and Annabeth knew how to defend herself if anything happened; you didn't grow up without self defense training when your father was the chief of police.

Zipping up her coat and pulling on her boots, she slipped out the front door as quietly as possible. Walking outside, she breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. Ever since she was young, that was one of her favorite things about winter; the way her warm breaths came out in white clouds. She didn't understand why, but it felt magical.

She walked down the path and onto the sidewalk, salt crunching beneath her feet. Annabeth walked slowly, taking in every detail of the little world around her. Every house on every block was decorated with colorful lights and plastic snowmen. Being in L.A. sometimes made the world feel overwhelmingly immense, like she was nothing more than another fish in a sea of thousands. One of her most discouraging thoughts sat on her like a boulder on those late nights when she couldn't quite sleep.

What difference am I really making?

She was just like everyone else in L.A.—people who had left behind lives of monotony to chase crazy dreams. There were times when she felt so much farther ahead than everyone else, like she was really getting somewhere. Everyone else was stuck back at the starting line while she had already jumped over several hurdles. But, of course, there's no high without a low. She could feel like she was stuck in the mud, wading through hopelessly while people stepped over her.

But being home suddenly made all of that go away. The world felt... smaller. She knew who she was here, now, even if she had to leave to find it. She knew these streets—every corner store, every boutique, even the road signs. This was home. And she was sad to have to leave so quickly, but she was glad to be there.

Annabeth couldn't say that she wasn't afraid to come back. It had been a few years, as much as it hurt to say it, and she was scared that it wouldn't feel like home anymore. She yearned for her family, but she was scared they wouldn't know her, that she wouldn't know them. But the second she arrived, seeing her father waiting for her, she knew that it was still her home.

Annabeth realized that she didn't really have a location in mind when she set off on her walk, but somehow, her feet had brought her to the park. She guessed that it made sense, considering how many times her life had changed there. The first time she got drunk with her friends was in that park. Her first kiss happened inside the curly slide. She fell in love for the first time on the swings. And it was on those same swings that two hearts were broken; her own and—

"Annabeth?"

Annabeth somehow recognized the voice before she turned and saw who it was.

"Percy..."

She almost couldn't believe it. Percy Jackson. It was certainly him, but that wasn't the same boy she left behind three years ago; he was a man now. Even his voice had changed slightly. He looked more mature, he sounded like an adult. Even in the dark, she could take in every detail of him. The light from the lamp posts between the benches might have helped, but still. His shoulders were broad, although his physique was still a bit lanky, and his hair seemed to have calmed down at least a little bit since high school. But his eyes... his eyes were the same. They were just as striking as they used to be, his green irises filled with life and color. He was still Gloversville's Percy Jackson.

"You're home," he noted.

Nodding, Annabeth had to remind herself how to speak. "Yeah." It was only then that she registered a nose sniffing at her hand, little short breaths tickling her fingers. Looking down, she realized a beautiful, familiar, fuzzy face looking up at her. "Luna," she chuckled.

Luna was Percy's golden retriever; the Jacksons had gotten her when Percy was in the seventh grade. It was actually one of the first things she and Percy bonded over—not shortly after they got her, Luna got out. She was wandering the streets until Annabeth found her. After that, she and Percy became better friends, more than just classmates. It was funny to think how such a trivial beginning led to what they were now.

Luna greeted Annabeth with plenty of kisses and doggy smiles, to which Annabeth returned in scratches behind her ears and head pats. She loved that dog.

"She must remember you," Percy chuckled, a small smile on his face.

Annabeth grinned, looking up at him from where she crouched in front of Luna. "Yeah," she breathed. Then she stood up. "So..." she prompted, not really knowing where to go from there. There were a million questions she wanted to ask, a million more that he could have asked back, but in that moment, her mind was suddenly blank and Percy said nothing.

A few silent moments passed as the two simply stared at each other, trying to take in the wonder before them. After she left, Annabeth wasn't sure if she'd ever see his face again, whether he wanted her to or not. Whether he'd move out of town for school, or if she never came home. But life worked in funny ways.

"How've you been?" she asked.

"Good." Percy nodded. "I'm on break right now, from school, so I'm home," he explained.

"Nice," she replied. "Where did you end up going?" Annabeth didn't understand why it was so hard to talk to Percy right then. Was it because of their history? The pages of their book that hadn't been finished? But that was practically ancient; they clearly had both moved on from it. But did they really? In all honesty, there had been some nights when Annabeth traveled down the road of 'what if's and ended up nowhere but back home.

"University at Albany," he replied.

Annabeth nodded. "I remember when you applied there. What are you studying?"

"Environmental engineering."

Annabeth was surprised, and she knew it was evident on her face. "Wow, that's... that's great." They hadn't talked much about college before Annabeth left because she knew she wasn't going. Of course, it had been a discussion for Percy but he didn't bring it up often around her. While he was receiving his acceptance letters, she was planning for her new life in L.A. Sometimes, during conversations like now, Annabeth pondered the feeling of what it was like to tell someone where you went to school, what you were studying. Had music not been a factor and if she hadn't left for California, she would say, "I study architecture at Yale."

That was her backup plan. Most people were surprised when she told them that. Up until she found the courage to tell her parents that music was her life and she needed to leave to pursue that, she worked hard for that acceptance letter. Her mother, of course, was the driving force behind her good grades, but Annabeth did it for herself as well; she always liked proving herself to be a smart woman. Sometimes people assumed, and often in California too, that she was just a dumb blonde. But straight A's gave her more than that. It showed people who she really was. She knew that there was a good chance this dream of hers was too big, and there was no way her parents would let her pursue it, but she still wanted a good life. Luckily, everything worked out.

"What about you? How's L.A.?" Percy asked.

"It's good," she replied, nodding. "I'm home for Christmas right now, actually."

Percy looked a tad confused. "But it's not for another three weeks," he pointed out. "You staying that long?" Somehow, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it was there, Percy's face changed when he said that. It seemed... not hopeful, but something along the lines of it. The tight feeling in her chest loosened ever so slightly.

"No, unfortunately," she said sadly. "This was the only time I could get away. I'm putting out a new E.P. on Christmas so I have to be there for parties and press and whatever else," she sighed.

Percy's face changed to that of ever so slight disappointment. He nodded. "Yeah, I uh... I heard about the E.P.," he said slowly.

Was Percy keeping up with her? Because she knew she couldn't be that famous. It wasn't like her face was getting plastered on billboards, and she had only seen one or two magazines that mentioned her and her music. The thought of that made her lips quirk up into the hint of a smile. "So you've been keeping tabs on me, huh, Jackson?" she decided maybe it was time to ease the tension with a joke.

Percy chuckled—it worked. Seeing him smile made her heart flutter. She didn't know why; it wasn't like she was in love with him. Maybe his grin had kept the same effect it had on her from high school. He looked beautiful when he smiled. "Yeah, actually. I know a few people so I pulled some strings, got a PI," he teased back.

Annabeth laughed. It sounded crisp and light in the silence of the empty park. Every movement could be heard; each breath they took, the crisp syllables of every word. She started to worry that Percy could hear her heart thumping beneath her jacket. But why was it beating so fast? It must have just been the cold.
"Ah, so you've got some fancy new friends in Albany, huh?" she teased.

Percy scoffed. "Yeah right, Hollywood. No one's got a shinier new crowd than you," he retorted, looking at the ground. Then they locked eyes once more. Annabeth noticed something in them, and it donned on her that Percy had felt she replaced him when she moved away. Even though it was sad to admit, she couldn't say he was wrong. But she had moved away, she had no choice but to meet new people. And who was she kidding; there's no replacing Percy. She had tried and failed plenty of times but even before that, she knew it was true. Did he?

"I actually did meet some new folks down in Albany," he started again, breaking the silence between them. This was when they started walking, slowly and in step with each other, focusing on the conversation more than the walk. "This kid Frank, and his girlfriend Hazel. They're really sweet. I think you'd like them. And then, uh..." he paused for a moment, and Annabeth patiently waited for what he was going to say. She clung to every word he spoke. She wanted to know all about his new life; she was tired of talking about hers.

"Rachel," he said, exhaling.

Who's Rachel? And why was he hesitant to say her name? Suddenly she wasn't so eager to know about this new life, and this 'Rachel'. It was juvenile and selfish of her to feel that way though, and she had to remind herself of that; Percy didn't belong to her. Just the way she didn't belong to him. Pushing down her negative feelings, she joked with him again.

"Ooh, Rachel," she teased, making him laugh. "Who is this magical mystery girl?" she asked, smiling at him. She decided to focus on her happiness for him instead; his life at college sounded great.

"She's an art major, and she looks it," he chuckled. "She's got these huge green eyes, and frizzy red hair, and there's paint splotches on her clothes. She's really creative. I think you guys would actually get along nice; you have a lot in common," he noted. Annabeth simply nodded—Percy was certainly on that list of commonalities between them, and she wasn't sure if she liked that.

"So I take it she's your special someone?" Annabeth had to ask—the question was itching her. Percy couldn't just bring this girl up and hesitate at first and expect her not to be curious.

He stared down at his feet, Luna padding along next to him. "Nah, we've been on a few dates but... it's just casual."

Annabeth nodded silently. A few dates. What did that mean? How many? Would there be more? And how did Percy define 'casual'? It was like the more he talked the less she knew. But she wouldn't pry—it felt impolite. Still, her coat didn't feel as warm as it had a few moments prior; suddenly it was colder than before, although the fog on the windshields of the cars they passed stayed the same. Percy's words couldn't affect them like they did her.

If I wanted to know who you were hanging with
While I was gone, I would have asked you
It's the kind of cold, fogs up windshield glass
But I felt it when I passed you

"But I'd bet that you've got somebody back in Hollywood," he snarked.

"It's not Hollywood," she insisted.

"Whatever you say, Hollywood," he mumbled. She leaned into him, slightly nudging him. They chuckled. She started to feel a bit warm again, slightly.

"But, uh... no, there's no one," she admitted. A quiet moment passed between them, nothing but the hum of a car driving slowly by. "There actually hasn't really been anyone since..." she started to say, but trailed off, not wanting to say his name. She was sure he had figured it out on his own anyways.

"Yeah," he sighed. "It was pretty hard after you left." His voice was quiet now, and heavier somehow. She knew that they both were missing pieces of themselves like unfinished puzzles. It was like Annabeth's missing piece fell out of the frame right before she got on the plane, and she knew something was off, but by the time she realized what it was, it was too late to go back. However, Percy's missing piece had somehow found its way to her. It was a shame it didn't fit in her empty spot. And so, they both had pieces of each other that didn't quite fit into their own lives.

But Annabeth had to leave. Her heart longed to be a musician; it was a passion that manifested into a deep ache within her, something that could only be satisfied by her leaving home. But of course, that created a longing in Percy. A longing for her to come back, and for life to revert to the way it used to be. But that hadn't happened. Either way, they were both left with an emptiness.

There's an ache in you, put there by the ache in me
But if it's all the same to you
It's the same to me

"I didn't want it to happen like that, you know," she mumbled. She was afraid to say it, but Percy had to know that the last thing she wanted was to leave off the way they did.

"Me neither," he agreed. Looking over at him, standing on the sidewalk with the moonlight illuminating his prominent features, Annabeth felt an urge within her. It took her a moment to figure it out, but when she did, she scolded herself; she wanted to kiss him.

NO! Absolutely not. While they waited to cross the street, they stood there, so close but so far. She could've kissed him. She could've reached up, grabbed his face and pulled their lips together. But she didn't. The light turned red and Percy started walking, Annabeth following in suit.

"You're staying at your parent's house, right?"

"Yeah," Annabeth answered.

"I'll walk you home," he offered, patting Luna on the head.

Annabeth began to protest. "You really don't need to do that Percy, it's only a few blocks."

"No, no," he insisted. "It's cold, it's dark and if my mother ever found out I let you walk home alone, she'd whoop my ass."

Annabeth chuckled. "She does like me more than you," she noted, making them both laugh. Then they started walking back down to the Chase house. The walk was mostly silent, Annabeth spending the majority of the time staring at Percy. Occasionally, her eyes dropped to his hand. At first, it was just hanging at his side, Luna's leash in his right hand, away from her. She wanted to grab it. She wondered if it would feel the same as it did three years ago. She wondered if their hands still fit perfectly into one another, like pieces of a puzzle.

Maybe that was how she got back her missing piece, and how she gave Percy his. But what would that lead to? There she was, wandering back down her road of 'what if's. If she took Percy's hand, would he grab hers back? She didn't know—probably not. It was too much to think about anymore, and there was no point; they both had their own lives now, which didn't coincide with one another. Maybe she was just trying to jam their pieces together, when they didn't really fit.

Before she knew it, they were standing on Annabeth's front porch.

"Do you wanna come in?" she offered.

"Oh, no it's alright. It's pretty late anyways, I think Luna's tired," he replied, looking down at the dog. Annabeth gave her some goodbye pets and then stood up straight again. Percy was right; it was almost 12 a.m., meaning she had been out for nearly an hour, talking to Percy for most of that time.

"Yeah," Annabeth sighed, agreeing.

"Okay. Goodnight, Annabeth," he said, locking eyes with her.

"Goodnight, Percy." Her voice was just above a whisper. She wanted to say something else, keep him standing in front of her just a second longer. But she didn't know what else to say. In the porch light, Percy looked like he could've said more as well, but both stayed silent.

After what felt like quiet millenia, Percy turned and walked off the porch, the stairs creaking beneath his feet. Annabeth watched from the doorway as he walked off with Luna trotting along next to him, turning back only once to wave. Once he was out of sight, she walked inside and shut the door with a sigh.

Trudging up the stairs as quietly as she could, Annabeth found she was exhausted. The tornado of thoughts swirling around her head must have been responsible for the throbbing behind her eyes. She hadn't even been home a full day and things were already messy. Maybe they didn't have to be.

That night Annabeth put herself to sleep thinking about her road of 'what if's... thinking about Percy.

So we could call it even
You could call me "babe" for the weekend
​'Tis the damn season, write this down
I'm stayin' at my parents' house
And the road not taken looks real good now
And it always leads to you and my hometown

**^^**

"Where are you headed?" Athena asked, clearing the table of the empty plates. Annabeth stood to help her mother clean up after breakfast. It was Friday morning now, and Annabeth couldn't shake the feeling of a ticking clock hovering just over her shoulder. Time flew by faster when you knew it was limited.

"I thought I'd just run to the store, pick up some stuff to make cookies later," Annabeth explained to her parents, grabbing the keys to the truck.

"Alright, just be back sooner than later. We want to hear more about what's been going on lately," her father reminded her.

"I won't be long, dad," she promised, kissing him on the cheek. "Bye, mom," she called to her mother at the sink.

"Love you," she called back over the sound of running water. Annabeth pulled on her coat and walked out the door, breathing in the sharp morning air. Even at 9 a.m., the town was already in Christmas spirit, decorations and attitudes still cheery, despite the gloomy sky. She had to admit, Gloversville was somewhat of a Christmas town. But it was beautiful and she was grateful for the holiday spirit.

Annabeth got in the truck and started the engine. Turning on the radio, she switched between a few stations before she heard a song that reminded her of her father. He loved rock and roll, and some of Annabeth's favorite memories were driving around with him, shouting the lyrics at the top of their lungs. Those car rides were the best.

Humming along to ACDC's, You Shook Me All Night Long, Annabeth pulled out of the driveway and started down the road. It was a short drive to the supermarket, for it was a small town, but she enjoyed it nonetheless.

Walking through that supermarket made her feel an intense wave of nostalgia. Memories that had been buried deep in her mind, nearly forgotten, resurfaced. It was high school, freshman year. She and a few of her friends used to hang out on the weekends, but they'd walk through town; the park, under the bleachers, the supermarket. The employees were always suspicious of them, and they had almost gotten kicked out a few times. Once, they did get the boot at McDonalds, although she didn't remember why. She just knew they were all laughing too hard to care.

Buying the few items she needed to bake her cookies, and some other essentials, Annabeth grabbed her grocery bags and walked back out to the car. On her drive home, she found herself parked in front of her old high school. She didn't know why or how, but there was some sort of force pulling her towards the school.

Memories flooded back to her. Senior year, she owned those halls. She and Percy, believe it or not, were like the 'it' couple. But it was never for the attention. When they got together sophomore year, Percy admitted that he had been in love with her since the eighth grade. Hearing that made her chuckle because she had been so touched. It was also when she realized that she had liked him for a long time as well; longer than she initially realized.

Everybody believes that they're in love in high school, and that the love they find there is the same one they'll have forever. In most cases, this is the truth and these romances are over long before people find their soulmate. Annabeth believed it to be her case as well. But looking back, the lines got blurrier and blurrier. Maybe she and Percy really were in love. She didn't know. Either way, it wasn't like it mattered anymore. That was all over and done with.

I parkеd my car right between the Methodist
And thе school that used to be ours

The buzz of her phone pulled her out of her reverie. She peered at the screen, reading the text.

Come to marjorie's

It was from an unknown number, one not in her contacts. Annabeth's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She looked across the street at Marjorie's Cafe. That was another important spot in high school.

Marjorie was a sweet old woman who would give them discounts when they came in for coffee every morning before school. She had always been fond of the high schoolers in and out of her shop, joking with them and telling stories. She used to recommend books for Annabeth to read, and offered her sage advice. Unfortunately, she had died February of their senior year. They all attended her funeral, and it was one of the times where they had all truly leaned on each other, all different groups of students grieving a great loss, together. After that, Marjorie's niece took over the cafe, and it wasn't exactly the same, but she was a nice young woman and she had done her best to maintain its homey feel.

Annabeth decided to take her chances, walking across the street to the cafe. She walked inside, looking for her secret admirer. That was when she spotted Percy, sitting at a table, sipping a coffee with a book in front of him. She held back a smirk and walked over, sitting across from him.

"So," she prompted.

Percy looked up from his book.

"How'd you get my number?" she asked, the corners of her lips quirking up in the slightest.

"I have no clue what you're talking about," he insisted indifferently.

Annabeth nodded slowly. "Yeah, okay, Jackson," she teased. Then they stared at each other for another moment before breaking out in quiet chuckles.

"So what're you up to today, Hollywood?" Annabeth resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the nickname, but she realized he wasn't going to give it up. She kind of liked it, though.

"I'm hanging out with my parents and baking cookies," she explained, sniffling a bit.

Percy sipped his coffee. "Nice, nice," he commented, nodding. "That sounds absolutely riveting."

Annabeth glared at his sarcastic expression and snarky commentary. "You're a dick, you know that?"

He started laughing. "You know I'm kidding." She did, for she was already smiling. Then she reached across the table, taking Percy's coffee and sipping it. It was warm and it tasted nice, but it was not at all what she would have expected him to be drinking.

"Peppermint mocha?" she teased, clicking her tongue.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Hey, I don't come into your cafe, drink your coffee and then criticize you for it."

She laughed. "Dramatic," Annabeth mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"You know it's good."

"It is," she admitted, shrugging. She handed it back to him. "Very festive."

"Yeah well, it'll only be available for so long. Soon enough, the Christmas season is over and the snow suddenly isn't as magical as it was," he said with a sigh. He was right, too.

That was the thing about living in a Christmas town; of course, it was more than just the holiday season, but (and it was like this most anywhere you went) after Christmas was over, the winter just felt dreary, like it dragged on forever. The closing instrumental of a song that painted nothing but a grey picture.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Well, you'll be outta here before then," Percy said. Annabeth didn't say anything else.

After the moment of silence, Annabeth realized she had better get home. "I really need to get back," she insisted, standing from the table.

"Oh, I didn't mean—"

"No, no it's not that, it's my dad," she interrupted Percy's apology. It really wasn't his words that were her reason for leaving, but she'd be lying if she said they weren't sitting with her. "He wants to know everything about everything about L.A.," she explained.

"Ah, of course," Percy agreed, chuckling with her. "Who wouldn't wanna know about Miss Hollywood?"

Annabeth playfully rolled her eyes at him. "I'll see you later, Percy," she said her goodbye.

"Bye, Annabeth."

Then she turned and walked out of the cafe, the light wind blowing loose strands of hair across her face and her scarf behind her. She walked back to the car and got in, starting the engine. As she rubbed her hands together to get them warm, her head felt... fuzzy, almost—blank. She didn't really know what to make of the encounter she had just had with Percy.

Not even wanting to delve into it, she started her drive back home, knowing her parents were waiting for her and their groceries.

The holidays linger like bad perfume
You can run, but only so far

**^^**

"So," Annabeth's father prompted, picking up another stocking. "Any boys I need to fly out to and beat up?"

Annabeth scoffed, playfully rolling her eyes. "No, dad, still no boyfriend."

"Good." They exchanged a smile with each other before laughing. Annabeth and her father were hanging the stockings along the stairs while her mother prepped the kitchen for tonight's baking session.

A few times since Annabeth was young, her family would host a small get-together where a few families from around the neighborhood—mainly Annabeth's friends, whose parents were, consequently, her parents' friends—would all bake and decorate cookies together. It was always a lot of fun, and despite how much she was enjoying her time with her parents, Annabeth was excited. She was hoping she might see some people her age, but according to her mother, everyone was away still. Although, she didn't mind adult conversation.

"Are the stockings almost done?" Athena called from the kitchen.

"Yes, mom," Annabeth answered.

"Did you make sure your father did them the right way?"

"Yes, mom," she said again, chuckling at her father's eye roll. Athena was very particular about her Christmas decorations. Everything needed to be exactly perfect. Luckily, and unluckily sometimes, Annabeth inherited this perfectionist quality from her mother.

"Good. Everybody's coming at around five p.m., so we have about twenty minutes. Annabeth, when you're finished, come help me in the kitchen. Frederick, go check the lights outside, Linda said a few looked like they went out."

"Ready, break!" Her father joked, making her smile as they split off to go do their own tasks. He had been saying that since she was young, starting when they played family football in the backyard during the fall.

Annabeth walked into the kitchen, finding her mother setting up ingredients all over the counters, making sure there would be enough of everything for everyone. There were festively colorful bowls and mixing utensils set at multiple spots along the island, ready to be used for preparing cookie dough.

"Go put out some chips and cheese and crackers on the table," Athena told her daughter. She obliged, grabbing chips and bowls from the cabinets and heading to the kitchen table. "So..." her mother started, walking over to Annabeth. She held a tone that screamed, I'm up to something, but she decided to humor her mom anyways. "Have you seen Percy at all?"

"Yes..." Annabeth replied skeptically. "I ran into him at Marjorie's before. Why do you ask?"

The look on Athena's face was something Annabeth, even after 21 years, still didn't know how to describe. "No reason. Nice boy, huh?"

Annabeth laughed before scoffing. "Mom, I love you, but please." She looked at her mother, asking her to stop not just with her mouth but with the disinterested look in her eyes as well.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop," she relented, walking back to her baking stations. Annabeth exhaled deeply and continued setting up chip bowls. Oh dear god, she thought.

**^^**

The night was just on the brink of full swing. The kitchen was filled with people, the sound of Christmas music, conversation and laughter filling the house. Annabeth couldn't help the warm feeling in her chest and the smile on her face. Everybody was ready to start making their dough for the cookies when the doorbell rang.

"I got it!" Annabeth called, walking to the entrance. She opened the door to the faces of none other than the Jacksons, of course. Annabeth decided to focus on Sally first. "Hi, Sally!"

"Hi, dear," she greeted back with a warm hug. "I'm so sorry we're late, A," Sally called back to the kitchen, taking off her coat.

Annabeth's mother came to the door in her apron, wiping her hands. "No, don't be, we're just about to start," she insisted. She hugged her friend hello and took her coat, leading her into the kitchen. That left Annabeth and Percy in the foyer.

"You know, it's funny," she started.

"What is?" Percy took off his coat, and Annabeth tried not to get distracted by his arms. He hung it on the rack and turned back to her, snowflakes melting in his jet black hair. His green eyes were giving her his full attention. A tingle radiated through her chest and down her spine.

"I remember this really interesting conversation I was having just earlier," she continued, sounding incredibly sarcastic. Percy smirked, knowing what was coming. "I don't remember who it was, but they said that baking cookies was super lame."

Percy shook his head and looked at the ground. "I really have no idea who could've said that," he insisted, playing along. His green eyes danced with something of wonder and mischief, almost. They were mesmerizing.

Annabeth bit her lip, holding back a smile. "If baking cookies is so lame, why'd you come?"

"I never said that," he protested. "I think your memory's failing you a bit there, Hollywood," he teased.

"Oh shut up," she retorted, swatting his arm followed by an eye roll. "Get in the kitchen before I spit in your cookie dough," she threatened.

"Yes, ma'am," Percy said with facetious fear. They chuckled with each other, walking into the kitchen. What a night it was going to be.

**^^**

"So Percy," Frederick started, "How's school been?"

Athena whisked by, putting the first tray of cookies into the oven. She closed the door, wiping her hands on her apron and moving to the kitchen table where a few other people were working. Annabeth, her father, Percy and Sally were all rolling their cookies together at the island.

"It's been good. I've been pretty much swamped with the work, but it'll all pay off," he explained.

"Must be nice to have a break now, right?"

"Definitely," Percy chuckled.

Then Sally looked up from her cookie dough and at Annabeth. "How've things been for you, dear?"

"Oh, just wait 'til you hear, Sal," Frederick chimed in, rolling another ball from the dough. "She was telling us all about the amazing new apartment she bought. It's practically a penthouse," he bragged.

Sally raised her eyebrows as her face took an impressed expression. "Ah, really?"

Annabeth laughed and shook her head. "It's really not a penthouse, it's just a small step up from the shoe box I was living in before, that's all," she insisted.

"That's still an accomplishment," Sally said. "I heard that you're releasing new music?"

"Yeah, actually. I'm putting out a few songs on Christmas, which is why I'm home now. It was the only time I could get away," she replied.

Sally looked a bit puzzled. "Hm. I never thought a musician would have a rigid schedule like that. I was always under the impression that you guys could do whatever you wanted," she said with a slight chuckle.

"Mom," Percy chided quietly. "She still has to work hard, you know," he was quick to defend her.

"No, it's alright, Percy," Annabeth insisted. She appreciated that he defended her. "I actually get that a lot. Usually, I'm not this busy, but because I'm putting out new music, it's a lot of meetings with my team about advertisement and press coverage, things like the release party. And as I get more successful I'll have a little more leniency with it because outreach will be easier with a bigger fan base."

"Ah," Sally said, nodding in understanding.

"Well, you've got your biggest fans all in this house, Peanut!" Frederick announced cheerfully.

She blushed slightly at the nickname, but decided it unnecessary to tell him to stop. Annabeth laughed. "Thanks, dad."

"Apart from music, what else is new? Anything exciting in the love department?" Sally raised an eyebrow suggestively.

If it were anyone else, Annabeth would've felt awkward, but knowing Sally was joking around, she laughed. Why was everyone so interested in her love life? Its non existence truly was something to behold, she guessed. "No, there's nothing exciting happening there."

"There better not be," her father reminded.

"Oh, let the girl live," Sally chided, swatting Frederick's arm. "Don't feel bad about it. Percy finally got himself a date but it took him years to get over you," she said.

"Mom," he said, but it was too late. Everyone at the island went silent, and Percy turned bright red. He didn't look up from his hands. Annabeth's chest swelled with a tight feeling and her stomach distorted into knots. She didn't really know what to think of what Sally had just said. She wasn't even entirely sure if she had processed her words.

"Oh..." Sally suddenly realized. "I'm sorry, Percy—"

"I'm gonna get some air," he said quietly as he pulled off his apron before walking out of the kitchen. His footsteps faded before they heard the door open and close.

Sally looked at Annabeth then at Frederick. "I thought that it was obvious," she mumbled quietly.

"Me too," Frederick agreed, shrugging. Annabeth took off her apron and walked to the front door, following Percy outside. It was freezing but that didn't matter to her. She found Percy pacing up and down the walkway, his hands in his hair.

"Percy," she said, getting his attention. Her breaths came out in clouds in front of her, foggy but disappearing in a second.

He turned and looked up to where she was standing on the porch. "Can we please just pretend that didn't happen—"

"I'm sorry." Her voice seemed to cut through the night, reverberating through the silence. Nothing was heard for a minute after she spoke other than their breathing. Percy's eyes looked deeper somehow, in the warm glow of the porch light. "I know that I hurt you when I left... and to be honest, I didn't even start to move on for a long time. But that was because you hurt me, too," she explained.

"Annabeth..." he started, his voice breathy like a sigh. She loved when he said her name. "I didn't say goodbye because I couldn't. It killed me that you were even leaving and I didn't want to face it. But I was young and dumb and I've regretted that decision every day. And even though I didn't say goodbye, I still watched you leave. That was the worst part."

Annabeth was confused—watched her leave? "What do you mean?"

Percy glanced up at her for a moment, taking a step closer to the porch steps. "I went to the train station that day. You didn't see me, and I didn't want you to. But I watched you board that train without even looking back. That was when I knew I had to let you go."

"Percy... What did you want me to stay?" she asked, her voice nearly breaking.

"Of course I did!" He locked eyes with her now, and it might have been the cold, but they looked glassy. Annabeth's felt the same, tears nearly rising. "But I knew that if I asked you and you listened, I would be holding you back from your dream. I could never live with myself knowing I kept you from the one thing you've always deserved—to be happy. You needed to forget about me to have the life you always wanted."

A tear streaked Annabeth's cheek. Her heart was beating fast with emotion. She was nearly speechless and truly touched. All this time she had been mad at him when he was only trying to make her happy. She just wished he had told her this three years ago. "Percy, the life I've always wanted doesn't exist without you," she nearly whispered. By this point, Percy was standing on the porch stairs and Annabeth stood only a few feet in front of him.

Percy shook his head slowly as they both drew nearer to each other, like a magnetism pulling them together. Now they stood toe to toe, just inches apart. The space between them wasn't cold enough for their breaths to fog up, leaving them to see each other's faces clearly. In that moment, they weren't there. It was nothing but two energies surging before each other, so close to touching but not quite there yet. Percy had somehow stripped Annabeth down to nothing but her essence with a single gaze.

She took his hands, bringing his arms up so their palms were pressed together, fingers stretched flat. Annabeth's fingers were slightly shorter and slimmer than Percy's, but she remembered them fitting perfectly between his when they interlocked hands. The feeling of his touch, even one so small, loosened the knots in her stomach. They looked at their hands and then back at each other.

"I'm sorry," they whispered simultaneously. Looking into Percy's eyes, she recognized them to be what they were three years ago, and yet an entirely different world. The green hues were the same, along with the gentle strands of blue. The light in them wasn't darker or brighter than it was, but simply different. His pupils were dilated, nearly pushing all the color from his irises, and it felt as if he was reaching into her soul with those eyes. Like there was a part of herself that only that gaze could unlock.

"It's okay," Percy breathed. And Annabeth nodded in agreeance.

I escaped it too, remember how you watched me leave
But if it's okay with you, it's okay with me

Percy glanced down at her lips, unleashing a wave of butterflies in her chest. She looked down at his as well, the soft, pink skin practically inviting her in. Moving closer to him ever so slightly, Annbeth interlocked their fingers and pressed her lips to his gently.

Kissing Percy was like flying.

Like blazing fires, they finally met, burning together in a burst of warmth and fervor. His response was almost immediate, as he pulled her in closer. They started slow and gentle, but it wasn't long before the kiss became passionate and desperate, like all that yearning they had for each other for the past three years was finally being satisfied. Percy moved one hand to her waist, pulling her body to press against his while the other was splayed on her cheek, his fingers spreading along her jaw and to her neck. Annabeth brought one hand up, running her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, with the other wrapped around his waist, keeping him close.

Annabeth didn't think she had ever missed a feeling so much in her life, and yet she didn't know how bad she longed for it until Percy's tongue was down her throat again. His broad shoulders, soft hair and muscled torso pressed against her made it hard to pull away. Not to mention the way he kissed her. It was tentative and sensual but still intense and fiery. She could have melted in his arms and let his waves wash her out to sea. It was so much more than she had thought it to be, and no daydreams or late night thoughts could ever do it justice.

But alas, they needed to come up for air. They pulled away slowly, breathing heavily. Annabeth's hand now rested on Percy's cheek, and she ran her thumb gently over his lip. His arms found their place around her waist. They didn't say anything, their breathing being the only noise between them. Annabeth was afraid to speak, for she didn't want to ruin the moment with words.

In fact, it was a long time before anything was said.

"Even?" Percy whispered.

Annabeth understood. They had both hurt each other and they were both sorry. That was all she really needed.

"Even."

**^^**

Annabeth breathed in deeply and slowly, not wanting to open her eyes just yet. A pair of arms were draped around her waist, pulling her close to the warm body laying behind her. Percy's heartbeat reverberated through her shoulders where their skin touched, nothing in between. Waking up in Percy's arms was a feeling she missed.

Even though she remembered him to sleep like a rock, she was careful not to move too much, not wanting to wake him. Although she had opened her eyes by now, she was still just taking in the room. Beneath the covers was warm, thanks to the body heat both of them were giving off. Outside was an entirely different world, and, at the moment, Annabeth was perfectly content with staying in the comforting realm of her bed, nothing but Percy's gentle breathing, her smiles, and soft sheets.

Unfortunately, that was when an idea struck her. Taking one final moment of bliss, Annabeth carefully got up, untangling herself from Percy and slipping out of the covers. It wasn't freezing in her room, but it was nothing like laying next to Percy. She quickly found his shirt on the floor and pulled it on, taking a seat at her desk. Part of her wanted to pick up the clothes that had been thrown askew in last night's frenzy to get them off, but she decided to leave it.

Annabeth had brought her trusty journal with her, as she did everywhere she went. It might seem cliche, but it was where she wrote most of her lyrics. Anytime she had an idea, or saw something that inspired her, she wrote it down. But it wasn't just things like sunshine and the ocean waves, but the tiniest of life's moments that were often overlooked. Annabeth liked holding a microscope over them, and usually she discovered the world of its own mystery and beauty. Simple things like freckles, the way a person laughs, wearing miss-match socks. Sometimes it was silly, but it helped.

Grabbing a pen, she flipped to her pages specifically dedicated to Percy. She had been filling these since high school, and boy were there a lot. Now, she scribbled something down in her casual neat handwriting:

My fingertips tracing the line down your back
Finding that the story wasn't quite over
You hold all the answers that I lack
Revealing them slow with every freckle on your shoulder

Annabeth didn't know what she was going to do with all the lyrics she wrote about Percy. There were pages and pages of them, all with different melodies and keys, some of which she had forgotten by now. It felt impossible to contain everything that pertained to him into just one song; it would take an album and then some. Maybe one day she would write it. For now, she was content with the bits and pieces she came up with, knowing they all fit together somehow in a complex puzzle, one that she probably wouldn't solve for years.

Suddenly, she heard a soft moan and the sound of ruffling sheets. She looked over her shoulder to see Percy waking up slowly, taking deep breaths and rubbing his eyes. She couldn't help her smile. He patted the bed around him a few times, seemingly looking for her.

"Good morning, sunshine," she said, her voice still quiet from sleeping. She wore a small smirk while butterflies danced in her chest, a warm feeling filling her head. Looking at Percy reminded her more of last night. Sneaking him up the stairs like they were seventeen again, shushing each other's stifled giggles. Running her hands through his hair, down his body, kissing him passionately. The way he touched her, his hands strong but delicate, running down her back, through her hair, across her lips. It was certainly one of the best nights she had ever spent with someone, and she had to say, they had come a long way since high school.

Now, he leaned up slightly to look at her, his hair back to its natural disheveled mess and his eyes barely open. "Why did you get up?" he asked bluntly, sniffling. His voice was even deeper in the morning, still thick with sleep and slightly raspy. She loved it. Annabeth could listen to him talk forever.

"I had to write something down," she replied easily, her voice just above a whisper.

Percy's mouth quirked into a small smile. "There's always been a million thoughts running through that beautiful head of yours. You finally decided to do something with them?"

"You could say that." Then she looked over to where her phone sat at the nightstand. "What time is it?" she asked him, nodding to the device.

Percy picked it up and squinted, the screen too bright for his still adjusting eyes. "9:46," he replied. "And your parents went to Billie's for breakfast," he added—he must have been reading a text they sent her.

"They still go there after all these years," she noted, smiling at the thought. Billie's Diner was one of the oldest spots in Gloversville. It was where her parents had first met; they were in high school and, funnily enough, they didn't get along. A few years later, they were on their first date in the same diner, falling in love with each other before they even knew what it was. And, of course, the rest is history. Now they went to Billie's almost every weekend.

"That's nice," Percy hummed, lying his head back on the pillow, falling back to sleep.

Annabeth stood up from her desk chair. "No," she started, chuckling. "Time to get up, Percy."

"But the bed is so warm," he mumbled into the pillows. "Don't you agree, Hollywood?" He grabbed her hands and pulled her on top of him, making her yelp slightly. He looked up and her and laughed as she playfully glared at him.

"If you get up right now, I'll let you shower with me. And maybe I'll make you breakfast," she goaded. He wore a look like he was considering her offer. She couldn't help the smile on her face. There was just something about him.

"You can't cook."

"I'd watch it if I were you, mister," she threatened. Annabeth wasn't really that good of a cook, but she could make eggs, bacon, pancakes, and coffee, not to mention a nice bowl of cereal. That was breakfast enough.

"Fine," he relented. "But you owe me, missy."

"Oh yeah?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"A nap," he answered.

She chuckled. "Fine then. I owe you one nap. But only if you get up right now."

"Okay, okay," he griped. Then she sat up, pulling him up with her. "Do I have to put pants on?" That was when she remembered he was completely naked, and she wasn't too far from exposed herself.

Annabeth thought it over, wanting to say no right away. "No one else is home. You better hope no one walks in the door while we're on our way in there," she teased.

Percy shook his head and chuckled. "Then I guess it's time to hussle."

**^^**

"I cannot believe you still put that much syrup on your pancakes." Annabeth watched as Percy poured a generous amount of syrup onto his breakfast, the smooth liquid flowing slowly.

"I'm sorry, am I criticizing your breakfast habits?" he asked her incredulously.

She laughed. "Fine, butcher my beautiful pancakes," she mumbled. Annabeth had made them a nice, classic breakfast; pancakes and bacon, along with two warm cups of coffee. It truly was some of her best work.

"It's good. Try it," he said, handing his fork to her. It had a large piece of his pancakes drenched in the sweet syrup.

"I know what syrup tastes like, Percy," she scoffed. "I put the correct amount of syrup on my pancakes." She took the bite off of his fork anyways.

"But who's to say what the 'correct' amount is, anyway?" he mocked her with a snooty voice.

"It' quite obvious that—"

Their conversation halted when they heard the front door open, keys jingling in the lock. "Annabeth?" Frederick called into the house.

"We're in the kitchen," she answered.

Footsteps followed. Then, her parents stood in the doorway of the kitchen, walking in and placing leftovers on the counters along with Athena's purse, and Frederick's keys and hat.

"Oh, hey, Percy," her father greeted as Percy stood up to shake his hand. Then he kissed Annabeth hello as did her mother.

"Hi, Percy," Athena said. "What're you doing here?"

Annabeth decided to speak. "I invited him over for breakfast. You guys went out and I thought it would be nice to have company," she explained.

"Ah, yes, nice," Frederick and Athena hummed to each other, nodding at the two. "So this has nothing to do with the fact that you snuck him upstairs last night?" her father asked casually.

Damnit.

"Fred, I thought we agreed we weren't gonna embarrass her," Athena hissed at her husband. Annabeth really did not enjoy how this conversation was going. Her cheeks were hot, but Percy had her beat. He was cherry red up to his ears. Both of them stayed silent, not glancing at each other, for Percy's eyes seemed glued to the floor. There goes my appetite, she thought.

Then Frederick chuckled, clapping Percy on the back. "I'm only teasing you guys," he laughed heartily. "You two have been running around since high school, this is nothing new."

That just seemed to make Percy even more embarrassed. He cleared his throat. "I-I'm sorry, sir," he apologized.

"Why so serious? Come on, sit, we'll tell you about our breakfast," he insisted. Percy seemed to ease at that, reassuming his position at the table. Annabeth made sure to move her place from across from him to next to him, her mother and father taking their seats as well. They exchanged a look during which Annabeth mouthed a 'sorry' but he just shook his head and smirked at her.

As they continued to eat breakfast, all of them laughing and talking together, Annabeth found herself smiling the whole time. Something about it was so familiar and yet brand new at the same time. Sitting there with her family, she forgot all about the fact that she would have to leave Sunday night. Almost scarily, she found herself wanting to stay home, with Percy, with her parents. For as much as she was grateful for her life in L.A., and she did want to go back, there was something about Gloversville pulling her back into its gravitational field. And for that morning, she was content to let it pull her back in.

We could call it even
You could call me "babe" for the weekend
​'Tis the damn season, write this down
I'm stayin' at my parents' house
And the road not taken looks real good now

**^^**

"Oh, look at this one!" Athena cooed, holding up another photo. Annabeth and her parents were gathered in the living room around boxes of old pictures. There were hundreds of the mementos—polaroids of Athena and Frederick in high school, a few arts and crafts projects from when Annabeth was in elementary school, and plenty of her and her friends and family through the years.

Annabeth took the picture from her mother, seeing it to be herself when she was a baby, dressed in a fluffy pink dress, a matching sun hat and little pink sunglasses. Athena had always dressed her daughter to the nines, especially when she was young—this outfit was a prime example. Maybe that was why Annabeth now had quite the taste for fancy things. The thought made her chuckle.

"Aw, I was such a cute baby," she complimented herself, making her parents laugh.

"Yeah, I wonder what happened to that sweet little face," Frederick teased. Annabeth swatted his leg while he laughed, taking the picture from her. She knew he was only joking. Annabeth picked up another stack of photos from the coffee table—her middle school and early high school days.

"Wow," she whispered to herself in awe. Looking at herself in those pictures was like staring at ancient history. She went through them slowly. "Aw, Piper." She recalled her best friend in middle school.

Her short choppy brown hair and baggy clothes were some sort of statement against her superstar father. Annabeth didn't remember all of Piper's argument of this, but it was something along the lines of him wanting her to be the perfect poster child, being in the public eye and all, but she was against his entire lavish lifestyle, even at just twelve years old. Looking back now, Piper was quite beautiful; with her warm brown skin and kaleidoscope eyes. But she, of course, had done a lot to distract from her beauty.

"Oh yeah," Athena remembered as well, Annabeth showing her the picture. "She was a sweet girl, but definitely a bit of a firecracker." Annabeth chuckled in agreeance.

"Ah, my favorite friend you've ever had," Frederick said, getting both of their attention. He turned the photo towards Annabeth, showing herself and one of her best friends in high school, Thalia.

"Really? Thalia was your favorite?" Annabeth was baffled by what her father had said. "She was getting me into trouble every other day," she laughed.

Athena rolled her eyes. "Oh, how could I forget?" she said sarcastically. Surprisingly enough, Athena was more of the heavy to Annabeth than Frederick was. She administered most of the punishments, while Frederick was more of the good cop. It was alright, thought, because Annabeth always loved them both and was kept in check. "Yeah, why was she your favorite?"

"Probably just because she went to the Marines," Annabeth commented.

Frederick ignored it. "She was a good friend to you, Peanut—she never sold you out whenever I had to interrogate the both of you. She was also strong and determined. She made us all proud to send her off," he explained. Thalia truly was a loyal friend. She had been a year older than Annabeth, so she left the summer Annabeth was going into senior year. She really missed her friend—of all the people she knew, Thalia understood her probably the most. They had sent letters back and forth for the first few months, but soon it just became hard to keep up with, and they lost touch. She wondered where Thalia was now, and if she still had her nose piercing and spiky black hair. She was another one with the fashion statements. She did rock it, though.

"Yeah, I miss Thalia," Annabeth sighed. She would be a good friend to have now—the perfect person to keep her grounded, for L.A. would be everything Thalia hates. The thought made her laugh. On second thought, it made some sense that Thalia was her father's favorite.

Annabeth looked at the next picture and she froze for a minute.

It must have been eighth grade, sometime in the fall. She and Percy were outside, standing next to one another stiffly, both glaring at the camera; they had done that on purpose. She smiled, remembering their silent plan, both hating having to take pictures.

The next was of them laughing with each other. It was back when Annabeth still wore headbands and Percy had braces. They were such dorks, you wouldn't believe that they had grown up to be well known in high school. Looking at the picture, she savored how happy they looked. She wished she could have remembered what they thought was so funny but the joke eluded her.

Annabeth set that picture aside, wanting to keep it for herself. There were plenty of pictures, but that one stuck with her, and she wasn't entirely sure as to why. Maybe it was because they were so happy. Maybe it was because it was before high school swept them up and things got a little more complicated. There were a lot of maybe's, but one thing was for sure; time certainly does fly. She missed the girl in that picture and the dorky boy standing next to her, both still blissfully ignorant to the catastrophe that lay ahead of them. Of course, she got him back but how long would that last? She wasn't sure.

Time flies, messy as the mud on your truck tires
Now I'm missing your smile, hear me out

Soon enough, they were finished going through pictures and all of the boxes were back in order, ready to be brought back up to the attic. Once everything was cleaned up, Annabeth stood, tucking the picture in her back pocket.

"I've gotta go get ready," she said, heading for the stairs.

"Where're you going?" Athena asked.

"Percy's gonna pick me up. We're gonna drive around a little bit, revisit some old spots," she explained, already getting excited for the little date.

"Alright, let me know when you'll be home, and dress warm—it's cold out," her mother reminded her.

"I will," Annabeth promised. Then she walked up the stairs and into her room, sighing happily. She had to get ready; Percy would be there soon.

Percy: outside
Annabeth: coming

Annabeth walked down the stairs, checking for her wallet, phone, and keys once more, having all of them. "I'm going!" she called out to her parents, not knowing where in the house they were.

"Okay, love you!" her dad called back.

"Love you!" Then she walked out the door, shutting it behind her. Annabeth had decided to go with a pair of jeans, short boots and an old hoodie of Percy's that she had found. She wore her jacket over it as well as a pair of gloves and light makeup. Her face flushed from the cold and she knew her nose was already red. Little snowflakes fell from the sky and she exhaled, watching her breath condensate in front of her.

Annabeth got in the car and closed the door, pulling off her gloves and rubbing her hands together. "Hey," she breathed.

"Hi," Percy replied, smiling at her. She could just barely see the tiny snowflakes in her hair melting, dissipating in seconds. After a few silent moments while Annabeth got herself situated, she turned back to Percy, only for him to catch her lips with a kiss.

She was surprised, but quickly eased into the warmth of his mouth. She brought a cold hand to his cheek, his skin feeling soft and warm under her icy fingertips. He had a hand under her chin which he had used to guide her lips to his. Annabeth could've melted right then and there. Percy just had a way with her.

They pulled away slowly, Annabeth breathing a bit unevenly.

"Sorry," Percy whispered, although he smiled at her in such a way that his eyes twinkled.

Annabeth laughed. "Don't apologize for that," she insisted. Then he took her hands and rubbed them with his own, warming not only her hands but her heart as well. She chuckled again. "I see you finally got your own ride."

"Oh, yeah," Percy replied, nodding. "I got it last year. I finally saved up enough," he explained.
Annabeth nodded her head. "It still can't beat the Prius, though," she teased.

"Ah, the Prius," Percy recalled happily, a wistful look on his face. "Yeah, the shit we got away with in that car," he mumbled.

Annabeth laughed. "We really did," she agreed, shaking her head.

Then Percy looked over at her, and his face changed. "Hey, I remember that sweatshirt," he announced, pointing at her clothes.

"Oh, yeah," she chuckled, blushing a bit. "I found it and it's still as comfortable as it used to be." And smells like you.

He smiled with serious nostalgia now, staring at the logo on the front: GLOVERSVILLE HIGH SWIM TEAM. "I remember when I gave that to you," he said more so to himself, his voice just above a whisper.

"It was the night of your first big swim meet in sophomore year," Annabeth began to explain. She didn't know how she remembered it, but suddenly it was as if the tape was rolling in her head, clear as day. "You were so excited that you had won, you ran over to the stands and kissed me. Right there, in front of everyone, I leaned over the rail and you grabbed my face and just kissed me. Later that night was dinner at your house and you gave me the hoodie because—"

"You're my lucky charm," he finished, quoting his past self. They looked up, locking eyes with each other. Hearing him say that was like reliving that day, and her heart swelled just the same as it had four years ago. From then on, Annabeth went to everyone of his swim meets, and cheered him on, even when they had their little spats. She would always show up for him, always support him, no matter what. Looking at Percy made it feel like almost nothing had changed, but, of course, she knew better. They sat in silence for another moment before Percy cleared his throat.

"I can't believe you still have it," he commented, chuckling.

Annabeth nodded, trying to recover from the tension that had just electrified the air between them. "Yeah, I, uh..." she didn't really have anywhere particular that she was going with that sentence. So, she started a new one. "So where are we headed?"

"I thought we could go to Billie's for dinner and then maybe go down to Pine Street Records," he explained. "And then... anywhere else you wanna go."

She smiled. "Sounds good."

And so, they began their little date, butterfly wings tickling up Annabeth's spine and keeping her cheeks rosy. Watching Percy drive made her miss those warm summers they spent together, shouting songs on the way to the beach, or staying up until 3 a.m. to watch the stars, whispering jokes and little sweet nothings to each other.

She began to wonder, for what must have been the millionth time, what life would be like if she had never left, the picture fabricating in her head. She and Percy might have stayed together, gone to college, and lived home during break and the summer. And way, way down the line, maybe even a house with a dog and little pattering feet. The second she had the thought, she tried to will it away, knowing it was not only insane but stupid of her to think that way. Their lives didn't match up, and that had to mean that they weren't meant to. But the image was prevalent in her thoughts; it was like once she saw it she couldn't erase it. But for as bad as it was for her to think about, she had to admit it.

That life with Percy didn't look so bad.

We could just ride around
And the road not taken looks real good now
And it always leads to you and my hometown

**^^**

"What about your mom?" Annabeth whispered, pulling away from Percy's lips for a second.

"That's exactly what I said about your parents, but you insisted that we would be quiet," he countered quickly, raising his eyebrows in a very 'that's very hypocritical of you' way.

Percy and Annabeth were now stumbling their way into his house as quietly as possible, in the dark, of course. They had successfully gotten off their shoes and coats and avoided Luna's barking, but the stairs were another obstacle, especially when they couldn't keep their hands off of each other.

Percy kissed her again, pulling her body close to his. Annabeth had no choice but to melt into him, giving into her strong desire. She tugged on small strands of his hair and ran her hands over his shoulders, all while he gripped her waist and kissed her neck. The fire between them was growing stronger with every inch of bare skin they touched. Sparks practically flew between them, fueled by the simultaneous familiarity and newness of their romance.

Once they had successfully made it up the stairs, they walked into Percy's room, carefully closing the door. This caution, however, was rendered almost completely pointless because he pushed her against the door once it was closed, making a thud.

"Shh!" Annabeth shushed, trying not to laugh as Percy held back laughter as well. They kissed each other, or tried to, between silent giggles, smiling against each other's lips. Pausing for a moment, they both caught their breaths. Annabeth examined Percy, running her thumb over his bottom lip. His face was flushed gently, and his hair was a bit crazy—that was her fault.

"What?" he asked.

Annabeth shook her head, biting her lip to try and hold back a smile. She failed to do so. "Nothing," she whispered.

"I don't believe you," he countered, narrowing his eyes playfully at her.

"I just..." she trailed off. What did she 'just'? Did she even know? She realized the answer to that question was no. She didn't know what Percy made her feel, or what her heart was saying when he looked at her like that. In all honesty, he made her brain feel fuzzy, so she had to assume that her heart couldn't say much more than gibberish, like, hmmnmhmnmhnn.

"What?" Percy asked again, almost giggling like a child.

She grinned wider. "You just make me smile," she whispered, settling for that answer. Maybe that encompassed everything he made her feel. It was certainly a true statement.

Percy scoffed. "I make you do a lot of things."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him. "Uhuh, like what?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. It was all playful but she wore an expectant look on her face and Percy's goofy expression didn't change.

"Well, I make you laugh, I make you kiss me, I make you moan—"

"Oh, shut up before I make you cry," she snarked, cutting him off. She didn't know why, but hearing him say that to her only stoked the fire burning between her thighs. Part of her wanted him to say it again.

He smirked at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Make me." Suddenly things weren't so giggly anymore. There was a defiance in his eyes that was practically begging to be challenged, and Annabeth never backed down from a competition; he knew her well.

"Oh, I will."

**^^**

Annabeth woke up to Percy's fingers trailing over her side, drawing shapes on her ribs. His touch was light and gentle, sending waves of warmth through her stomach. She didn't want to get up. She wanted to stay like that forever—the rest of the world could be going up in flames and she wouldn't care. Just Percy drawing diamonds on her skin, that was all that would matter.

She breathed in deeply and exhaled with a quiet moan. Then she turned over to face Percy, interrupting his drawing. Laying in bed, the room gently lit from the sunlight outside, there was something crisp yet soft about their breathing, every edge rounded but still sharp. That moment felt delicate, like glass.

"Aaaand she's up," Percy said quietly, his voice deep with a slight rasp. He smiled down at her. With a muscular arm propping up his head and a slight smile on his face, he looked like he could've been sculpted by the gods themselves. Annabeth wished she had a camera because she would've taken a picture right there. The moment was perfect. It should've been in museums. He smirked at her. "Fun's over."

"Shut up," she retorted, swatting at him. Putting her arms above her head and arching her back, she stretched, moaning gently in satisfaction. Then she dropped back to the bed with a sigh. Percy leaned over her, placing a kiss on her stomach over the thin sheet that lay over them. It was quite warm in his room so, along with their clothes, they had thrown the comforter off the bed and to the floor.

Annabeth looked over at the alarm clock on the nightstand, seeing it to be 11 a.m. It was much later than she usually slept but she had been up quite late the night prior. She wondered how long Percy had been waiting for her to wake up.

He was now leaning over her, kissing up the center of her chest. She craned her neck as his lips pressed to her throat, then along her jaw and finally to her mouth. He kissed her softly, making her feel warm. She brought a hand up and placed it behind his head, splaying her fingers through his hair and keeping him close to her. Annabeth was quickly getting turned on again, but it wouldn't be a typical morning without this coming to an end.

"Percy?" Sally's voice came muffled on the other side of the door. "Are you finally up?" The door started to open and Annabeth clutched the sheets to her chest, suddenly regretting the decision to put the comforter on the floor.

"Mom!" Percy exclaimed, shooting out of the bed and practically falling into the door—he had slipped on the comforter, of course. It closed with a heavy thud and an exasperated "Percy!" from Sally. Annabeth's eyes widened in shock when he fell, but he, surprisingly, made minimal noise. "I'm up, mom, I'm up," he said, trying not to sigh too loud.

"Why did you— oh..." she realized. "When you two are ready, come down for breakfast." Annabeth could practically hear the woman's smirk through the door.

"Got it," Percy replied. Annabeth decided not to say anything, for she was already so embarrassed that speaking from her end would only make it worse. Then the sound of retreating footsteps came through the door and they both sighed. Then they locked eyes, Annabeth on the bed and Percy sitting on the floor, and started laughing. It was a few minutes before they finally stopped, catching their breaths.

Percy got up and joined her on the bed once more, sitting in front of her.

"You know, breakfast sounds pretty good," she said.

He shook his head and smiled. "Then breakfast it is.

"Alright," Annabeth said, stepping into the mudroom before the door. "I really gotta go. My mom called me like three times before, so that should tell you everything," she griped.

"Okay," Percy sighed, showing her out. "I'll see you tonight," he said.

That was when she locked eyes with him. Tonight. Annabeth was leaving tonight. The weekend had been so blissful she had almost completely forgotten. Or maybe it was that she didn't want to think about leaving, because that would force her to face the reality of her fling with Percy; it was practically a ticking time bomb. "I'm leaving tonight," she said, trying not to sound as sad as she felt. 

"Oh," Percy realized. "Right..." She noticed him trying to hide the disappointment on his face; it was the same crestfallen feeling that was sitting in the bottom of her stomach. "Well then, I'll see you before you leave. I'll come by and see you off," he said, trying to smile.

She made the same sad attempt. "Yeah, my train leaves at seven."

"I'll be there at six."

"Okay," she replied. It suddenly became difficult to look at Percy, so she opted for staring at the ground. How had things changed so quickly? They were laughing and eating breakfast a second ago and now they could barely make eye contact. I could stay, she thought, but she knew it was ridiculous. She couldn't risk her time in L.A. for something that she wasn't even sure would last. A flare up of an old love wasn't something you made life changing decisions over.

Before she could think another convoluted thought, she turned to the door and walked out, saying a quick goodbye to Percy, who returned one just as deflatedly. She got into her Uber and shut the door, staring at her hands in her lap as they drove back to her house.

Was she really considering staying? For Percy? For something as flippant and unpredictable as their romance? No, no. It was completely irrational. Percy was her past, albeit a fun part of it, but that was behind her. She couldn't jeopardize her future for that. What if she stayed and suddenly it wasn't as fun as it was? What if he lost interest in her, or vice versa?

These romances were only fun for the weekend; they're never meant to last longer than that. She would get back to her life, and Percy would go back to his. And for as much as she didn't relish the thought, that life probably included Rachel. She would only stay if she knew that things with Percy were more than just a fling. But there was no way to guarantee that and it didn't seem like he was planning on telling her so, which meant that she couldn't ask him to wait for her, either.

The thoughts were all becoming too much to process. They were fogging up her brain and giving her a headache. She sighed and stared out the window, wishing that the lump in her throat would go away. It didn't.

Sleep in half the day just for old times' sake
I won't ask you to wait if you don't ask me to stay

**^^**

"You have everything?" Athena asked for the fifth time.

"Yes, mom," Annabeth said exasperatedly, chuckling. She was sad to leave her parents, but she tried to keep a smile on. They had hugged her at least fifty times, but she wasn't really complaining. She was going to miss them.

"I want you to call me when you get to the airport and then again when you get to L.A., okay?" her mother badgered her.

Annabeth resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I will, mom," she assured her.

"I'm serious, if you don't call me, I'm going to assume something happened and then I'll—"

"Mom," she cut her mother off, putting her hands on her shoulders. "Nothing is going to happen. I will call you. It'll be fine." Athena wore a motherly frown and Annabeth could see the tears brimming her shining grey eyes. "No, no, don't cry," she told her, chuckling. She started to feel tears of her own rise. Pulling her mother into a hug, she blinked the water out of her eyes. "I love you," she said.

"I love you, too."

Then Annabeth hugged her father. "I love you."

"Love you, Peanut," he said, kissing her head and giving her a tight hug. Then they pulled away and Annabeth found herself searching through the crowds, looking for a familiar face. "You looking for someone?" Frederick asked, noticing her quizzical expression.

Accepting that he really wasn't coming, Annabeth sighed, her heart weighing heavy in her chest. "No," she replied, trying to muster up a reassuring smile. She and Percy really were terrible at the whole goodbye thing—they'd never be good at it, she assumed, seeing tonight as exhibit B.

"Alright." He decided not to press.

"I've gotta go," she said to them, grabbing the handles on her luggage. "I love you."

Her parents said their 'I love you's and final goodbye's as Annabeth walked down to where she needed to board her train. That was when she heard someone calling after her. At first, she thought it must've been some mistake, or that she was mishearing things. But then, it was clear as day.

Percy's voice rang throughout the train station, over all the commotion. "Annabeth! Annabeth!" he called after her. She turned to find him running towards her. He finally caught up to her, breathless and flushed red. "Wait," he sighed.

"What?" she demanded, more so than asked.

"I'm sorry that I'm late, I'm so sorry," he started, apologizing in between pants. "I got caught up and I lost track of time—"

"Save it, Percy," she interrupted him. She didn't want to be so harsh, but she was hurt. "It doesn't matter." He couldn't even make the time to say goodbye to her properly, and she realized that that was all she needed. She and Percy weren't meant to be together. There wasn't the connection there that she thought there was. There was no puzzle of them, just entirely different pictures with different pieces that would never fit together. Annabeth realized that he had already made the decision for her; this wasn't something worth staying for. "We're real good at goodbyes, huh?" she joked bitterly.

Percy didn't say anything, a frown adorning his gorgeous face. He walked to her until he stood just before her, mouth hanging open like he wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds that they stood there in silence, but it felt like years were going by with every quiet second. "Come on..."

"This wasn't meant to be more," she said, her voice low and nearly cracking. As she watched Percy's mouth press into a thin line, his face becoming grim, she knew that she had stomped on the last few burning embers of their fire, extinguishing it right before them. All that was left inside them now was a cold, dark emptiness. But she told herself that it was the right thing to do; she had to.

Percy didn't look at her. Staring at the ground, it seemed that he couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes. In all honesty, she wasn't quite sure how she was still watching his face. Then, finally, he spoke. "Now I know why I wasn't here the first time around," he said quietly, but even through all the ruckus, Annabeth heard it. Those words sank into her heart like parasites, weighing it down even more than it had already dropped.

"I'm so sorry that you were hurt, Percy," she retorted with rigid sarcasm. "I'm sorry that I was brave enough to take a chance and leave my entire life behind to start with no one." Tears stung her eyes now and her voice was getting louder as her anger grew. "I struggled for a long time until I just so happened to get lucky."

"Well, I'm glad it worked out for you," he argued back.

"Me too! Because there were so many times in the beginning when I was barely getting by and all I remember thinking was that I wish I still had my best friend. But thank god I don't need you anymore."

And there it was. I don't need you anymore. She knew that she had hit Percy right where it hurt. With just one sentence, she had severed all chances of leaving things off right. A few tears slipped down her cheeks but Annabeth briskly wiped them away, willing the rest to stay at bay. The knots in her stomach pulled tighter together, tugging with the ferocity of her burning anger.

Percy looked at her, a stoic expression on his face that was nothing but cold. He swallowed thickly and she noticed his eyes were glassy. "Yeah, thank god," he spat. "Have fun with your new life in L.A., because, clearly, your home doesn't matter anymore." How dare he say that? was the only thought that ran through her head as more bullets pierced her heart. Of course her home mattered to her—she hated that she couldn't be home more often. Who was Percy to judge her? He didn't know her life.

Then the doors to her train slid open and she knew that she would miss it if she didn't leave right then.

"You know what, Percy? I will." Then she turned and walked onto her train, pulling her luggage behind her and sniffling, trying to keep the tears from falling. Every part of her screamed to look back at him just once, but she was too stubborn. Percy didn't deserve her to look back, he didn't get to know that she didn't want to fight with him. He didn't get to see her vulnerability. She had already shared enough of that with him, and look where it got her.

She got to her seat and exhaled slowly, trying to keep herself from crying, but it was no use. With her head in her hands, Annabeth watched as tears fell into her lap. The train rolled out of the station, Annabeth once more leaving behind her family, her home, and Percy.

**^^**

Checking her reflection one more time in the bathroom mirror, Annabeth sighed and prepared herself to address the crowd. It was the night of her release party, December 24th. Her new E.P. was dropping at midnight, and she was growing more and more nervous with every minute. She didn't know why, exactly, for she knew everything would go smoothly, but there was just something lurking in the back of her mind. She tried to push it away, smoothing out her dress and checking her makeup one last time.

A lot had gone on since she had returned to L.A. A few days passed and she realized that she had been too busy to think about Percy and how things ended. That didn't mean she was okay with it, just that she was too overloaded with work to really delve into it. Of course, it did sometimes keep her up in the late hours of the night, when she knew she should've been sleeping. She couldn't help it.

His words just replayed in her head: Your home doesn't matter anymore. She knew what he had really meant: he didn't matter anymore. She tried to forget that she she had said it to him, ashamed of her reckless vindictiveness. Of course, that wasn't true—he had no idea how much he still mattered, for Annabeth could barely grasp it herself. For as much as she thought that she had forgotten Percy and moved on in the past three years, telling herself that it was a "stupid high school romance", he was still a part of her life. Those few little lyrics she would write about him every so often were proof enough, not to mention the hoodie she kept and the way she would see him in almost everything. But when he said that to her, she was too hurt to convince him otherwise. She was blinded by the dagger he had plunged into her chest so she decided to stab him right back. Now, in the backroads of her mind, where thoughts of Percy had been living for the past two weeks, regret piled up like snow.

But that didn't matter now; she had made her bed, now she had to lie in it. With the way things ended, she probably wouldn't have the chance to make amends, so it was unimportant. Right now, she needed to prepare herself.

"You ready?" Drew's head peaked into the bathroom, giving her an expectant yet encouraging smile. Drew was Annabeth's roommate who ran a fashion/lifestyle blog, and, quite unsurprisingly, had become Annabeth's closest friend in L.A. Annabeth had noticed that there were a few parts of Drew's blog where she talked about Annabeth, but it was nothing too personal or that people didn't already know, so she decided to ignore it.

"Yeah," Annabeth sighed. "I look okay?"

Drew grinned. "You look amazing. I really did well styling you, huh?" she credited herself, smirking.

Annabeth chuckled. "You did."

"Now get out there and do amazing like always." Drew smiled at her and led her out of the bathroom. Annabeth walked up to the front of the room, standing on the landing up a few stairs. A microphone was handed to her and she took it.

"Hi, everyone," she said, her voice reverberating through the room. The music died down and everyone turned towards her. A light was shining on her and looking down at all the faces in the crowd, expectancy lingering in the air, her nerves were on edge. She tried to take a deep breath and calm her shaking hands, for her sweaty palms were already making it difficult to hold the mic.

She cleared her throat. "I just want to thank everyone for being here tonight. This E.P. has taken a lot of hard work between my team and myself and it could not have happened without all the amazing people who have worked with me on this and who have been supporting me. I've always had a bit of trouble communicating, but music has given me a space to do that comfortably. And you have all given me the opportunity to make a living out of that, which is pretty awesome because I never thought I'd be able to make money from talking about my problems," she joked, a laugh going through the crowd. The knot in her stomach loosened and her nerves eased a bit at that. "I'm going to sing a song tonight from the E.P. to kick off this epic party," she announced and everyone cheered.

Making her way down the stairs to where the band was sitting, she grabbed the guitar and sat on the stool placed in front of the microphone stand. Her hands trembled as she took the pick, nearly dropping it. Singing is the easy part, she told herself. Just smile at the crowd and sing, the rest will fall into place.

She tried for a confident smile, attempting to hide the boiling emotions and nerves behind her eyes. Suddenly, she thought of Percy. He could always tell which smiles she faked. She found herself wishing he were there.

Then, she had an idea. It could go one of two ways; she would bomb and everyone would hate her and her E.P. would flop, or they would all love the unreleased song and come back for more music from her. Either way, her manager was going to kill her. So when she looked at it like that, she had nothing to lose.

"Small change of plans," she said into the mic. She tried not to lock eyes with her manager Maggie who was most likely waving her hands at her to stop what she was doing. But she had to do this. If she couldn't make up with Percy, at least she should get her feelings off of her chest. "I'm going to be performing a little unreleased song, so this will not be on the E.P., but it's a song that's really important to me and I wanna share it with you." Right there, she knew she was talking to Percy, even though he had no idea that any of this was happening.

She began strumming the chords, her hands suddenly steady and her breathing regular.

"My fingertips tracing the line down your back
Finding that the story wasn't quite over
You hold all the answers that I lack
Revealing them slow with every freckle on your shoulder
Pull me in, make this last
Just let me relive the past
Playing with fire never felt so magical
It's a new chapter of something classical"

It was a song composed of the lyrics from Percy's pages in her book. She had written it and put it all together a few nights after she came back, just to get it off her chest. It wasn't meant to go anywhere or to be anything more than a coping mechanism for herself. But now, here she was singing it in front of all those people.

"Give me tears
Give me a fight
I don't care
Give me leaving
In the night
You weren't there
Break me down
Tear you brick by brick
In this tiny town
You should know I didn't love you for the hell of it"

Strumming with passion in every chord, fire in every word, Annabeth got that familiar euphoric feeling she always felt while performing. She hadn't done a lot of it, but even right then, pouring her heart out into the crowd, feeling the energy change in the room, every person entranced, she knew she wanted to do it for the rest of her life. And yet, in that moment, she wasn't singing for anyone but herself and Percy. She could care less what the party thought of her song; it felt amazing to sing it, like she was shedding the weight that had been sitting on her chest since she came home.

Annabeth finished the song, looking out into the crowd, catching her breath and feeling the light on her face. At first, the entire party was silent. Then, it erupted in cheers. Nearly deafening applause filled the entire room and Annabeth's face split into a grin. She started to laugh, looking over at Maggie. She was cheering with everyone else, giving her a bright smile.

"Thank you!" Annabeth shouted, but even then it wasn't loud enough over the crowd. Looking around at all of their faces, all she could think about was how much she wished Percy was there. Images started flashing through her head, playing like a montage: the warm mornings they spent together, picking out records on Pine Street, kissing him that very first time. She realized that these were all pieces of their puzzle, pieces that fit together perfectly and made a beautiful picture.

She knew then what she had to do.

So I'll go back to L.A. and the so-called friends
Who'll write books about me, if I ever make it
And wonder about the only soul
Who can tell which smiles I'm fakin'
And the heart I know I'm breakin' is my own
To leave the warmest bed I've ever known

**^^**

"That was incredible, Annabeth!" Maggie exclaimed, greeting Annabeth as she came off the stage.

Annabeth was energized and newly motivated. "Thanks, Maggie," she said quickly before walking back to coat check. She needed to go now right now; nothing else was more important than the plan—or really just goal (she wasn't sure how she was going to reach it but that didn't matter)—in her head.

Maggie followed her, trying to keep up with her quick pace. "Seriously, we should release that song! Everyone loved it."

"Yeah, maybe," Annabeth said absentmindedly. She handed the clerk her ticket and he walked away to get her coat.

"Wait, why are you getting your coat?" Maggie asked, confused.

Annabeth was practically buzzing. It was probably a terrible idea but the adrenaline was blocking everyone of the hundreds of ways it could go wrong. "I need to go, Maggie."

"What?! Go? Where?" she asked incredulously. "No, absolutely not. You do realize this is your own release party, right?"

"That song, you know, the one everyone loved, that you wanna release? It's about a boy," she admitted, taking her coat. "And I need to go to him right now, because if I don't, I'll lose him forever," she explained, pulling on her jacket haphazardly. Then she was walking towards the door.

"Annabeth, are you crazy? Your E.P. is dropping in five hours!" Maggie nearly shouted. They had reached the doors and Annabeth was about to walk out of them before her manager stopped her. "Please consider what you're doing for just one second."

"I wish I could but I don't have the time," she said, pushing out the doors.

"Okay, okay, wait!" Maggie called after her. "Do you really love him?"

That took Annabeth by surprise. She was expecting more scolding , maybe a few curses and a spiel about how she was jeopardizing her entire career, but certainly not that. That really made Annabeth think. Did she love Percy? In a second, she knew what the answer was.

"Undeniably," she answered.

Maggie sighed defeatedly. "Then go get him," she said, smiling reluctantly at Annabeth.

Annabeth's face broke out into a grin and she engulfed her manager in a hug. She was so happy she could start crying. "Thank you, Maggie." Then she ran to get into the car waiting for her.

On her way to the airport, Annabeth tried calling Percy a few times. Three tries later, it was still going to voicemail. Grunting in frustration, she decided to leave a message.

"It's Annabeth," she started. "I know that things are really shitty the way we left them. And I know that I hurt you, and you definitely hurt me. But that's not the point here. I said that this wasn't meant to be more than just the weekend, but I was wrong. I want your Saturday nights, your Sunday mornings, your dreary Mondays, and every other day of the week," she listed. "I want your rainy days and your sunny skies and your holidays... I want your Christmases. I want all the days!" she laughed. "I want every day with you. I was wrong and I lied; I won't have fun with my new life in L.A. because I can't. Not without you. I don't care if we have to fight and make up a million times to get this to work. No matter how many times we call it even, I'm always gonna try..." she paused for a moment, recollecting herself.

Declaring your love wasn't easy, especially through the phone. Who knows if Percy was going to hear that and hung up immediately? He very well could, but she had to trust that he would hear her out. "Percy I... You know what? No. I'm not gonna say it over the phone. I want you to hear it in real life. So I'll see you soon, I guess," she finished.

She left her message and then shut off her phone, sighing. She could barely believe that she had just done that. Now all she could do was hope he heard it while she was on her flight to New York. Annabeth was going home.

We could call it even
Even though I'm leavin'
And I'll be yours for the weekend
​'Tis the damn season

**^^**

Annabeth stepped off the train, checking her phone. She still didn't have any calls or messages from Percy which she didn't know whether to be relieved or scared about. Either way, her burst of adrenaline and confidence had, unfortunately, dulled on the trip over. Now, she was left with nothing but nerves. Nonetheless, she was still determined and it was way too late to turn back now.

Checking for the time, Annabeth saw that it was 1:06 a.m. It was absolutely freezing and Annabeth realized she hadn't prepared very well to execute her plan. Having no other choice, she tugged her coat closer around her body and tried to be grateful for choosing a long dress instead of a short one. That was when this thought popped into her head:

I probably look like I just crawled out of my grave.

Everyone at the train station, which wasn't a very large group considering it was 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve night, must have thought she looked insane. She decided she couldn't think about that, walking faster through the cold, her high heels click-clacking all the way out of the station. Annabeth called an Uber and quickly got in.

"Well someone is having a good Christmas Eve," her driver commented, nodding to her attire.

Annabeth laughed. The smile on the woman's face told her it wasn't an insult. "It's been a crazy night."

The woman laughed. "I'll bet. You look good, girl."

"Oh, thank you," Annabeth accepted the compliment with a smile. Then they started driving and she bobbed her leg relentlessly in the back seat of the car. Finally, she was in front of Percy's house. She got out of the car and shut the door, thanking her driver. She pulled out her phone as the woman drove off. Annabeth clicked on Percy's contact, calling him.

The phone rang only twice before he picked up.

"Hello?" he answered, his voice sounding slightly wary.

"Hey," Annabeth said, sighing. "There's a surprise outside waiting for you," she said. It was quite a ridiculous tactic, but she panicked.

"What?"

"Just come outside." She decided to just be straight.

"Alright..." he said suspiciously. Then she hung up the phone. Annabeth rubbed her hands together, desperately trying to maintain some sort of warmth. She really wished Percy would hurry up.

A minute later, he walked out of the house in a heavy coat (which was looking real nice right about then) and snow boots that he had haphazardly pulled on. His hair was disheveled and he looked a bit disoriented. He closed the door behind him and turned to find Annabeth standing on the walkway. "Annabeth?"

"Surprise," she joked, chuckling and giving him a smile.

He looked completely confused, his eyebrows furrowed and eyes wide as they walked to each other. "Why are you here? I thought you had to be in L.A." It looked like he was more so speaking to himself as he stared at her in awe, like he really couldn't believe that she was there.

Annabeth laughed. "That wasn't as important as you," she said honestly, shaking her head. Percy locked eyes with her now.

"Yeah, uh, your voicemail," he said carefully.

"Oh..." Annabeth blushed bright red. She had nearly forgotten that she had actually left that message. "That was uh—"

Then Percy kissed her.

He grabbed her and he kissed her like there was no tomorrow. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body close to his while she cupped his face with cold hands. Fireworks went off in Annabeth's brain and it felt like someone was pouring warm water down her spine. Every part of her tingled and then, she felt the warmth.

Their flame.

It had reignited, and it was burning hotter and brighter than it ever had before. Annabeth felt the greatest sense of comfort as she felt their puzzle pieces falling into place. The picture wasn't anywhere near finished, but it was already beautiful and it looked like home. She realized that their own pictures weren't entirely different—they just hadn't started the part where they connected. But this was the beginning of a long project that would take a lot of work, and she was ready for it.

They pulled away from each other, breathless and flushed, chuckling and smiling. Annabeth let out a laugh, causing Percy to smirk at her.

We could call it even
You could call me "babe" for the weekend
​'Tis the damn season, write this down
I'm stayin' at my parents' house
And the road not taken looks real good now
Time flies, messy as the mud on your truck tires
Now I'm missing your smile, hear me out
We could just ride around
And the road not taken looks real good now
And it always leads to you and my hometown

"So what was it that you wanted to tell me, Hollywood?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

It always leads to you and my hometown

**^^**