The other Shadowhunters turned away from him as he walked past. The look on his face must have scared them or something, because none of them asked what he had been doing or why he was on a mission in the day.

Or why he had the new blonde following him.

Good.

He didn't feel like answering questions. Especially ones he didn't have an answer to.

He was about to slam his door shut when a hand on his wrist stopped him. Annabeth held the door open with one hand and his wrist with the other. There was no smile on her light pink lips, no shine of intelligence behind her storm cloud eyes.

Only pure determination and cold calculation lining her beautiful face.

"Let's talk this through." Her voice was commanding, no room for argument. So Percy strode into his room and let Annabeth follow him. He flexed his fingers as he faced the far wall and let his thoughts run wild. "Talk, not stand and brood over." She snapped at him.

As if she knew what he was thinking about, what was going through his head.

(}{)

He turned to her and sneered. "I don't feel like talking."

"Did I ask you what you felt like?" She stalked closer, the heels of her boots making a purposeful clicking noise with every swaggering step. "No, I didn't. I told you to talk this out with me, so we can figure out what the fuck is going on." It was barely more than a hiss, as if she was scared that the walls would report what she said to him to others.

"What the hell am I supposed to say?!" He snapped, flinging out his arms and giving her a hateful grin. "We haven't found out anything new! We are nowhere closer to 'figuring out what the fuck is going on'!" He wasn't shouting but his voice was raised, very near snapping completely.

Annabeth held up her hand, one finger raised above the others. "Ah, but we do know more."

Percy paused. "What the rutting fuck does that mean?"

"It means," She crooned while circling him. "that we know, whoever is saying these things is lying."

"And how do we know that Wise Girl?" He smiled sweetly at her as she ran a fingernail over his shoulder as she passed.

She gave a little laugh. "Because we keep hearing the same story, with no changing details, and no further information."

"Which means this is all coming from the same source." Percy blinked.

"Exactly." She whispered into his ear as she made another circle around him. "And that means it's nothing but a rumor spread by someone who wants to start something."

"They want the Shadowhunters to look into it, to start doubting all of the Vampires, and a way for a fight to break out." His breath hitched as he realized what was happening.

"So, our suspects are-"

"Werewolves or Shadowhunters with a grudge."

"You caught on, I'm surprised." She teased, nicking his jaw with her finger nail. Annabeth pulled back and smiled up at him. "So are you done brooding?"

"Yes." He slid his hands into his jean's pockets. He slid his green eyes to her grey ones. "Where do you suggest we start looking Wise Girl?"

"Do I have to do all the work here?" She rolled her eyes and gave a sigh of exasperation.

Percy stalked closer. "Would you like me to take control of this little operation?" Annabeth picked at her nails and hummed a little. "Would you?"

"I thought you were supposed to be showing me how New York works." She looked at him beneath her lashed and smiled. "Maybe you should spend some time in Cali, it'll sharpen your skills." She sighed and dropped her hand to her side, faking boredom. "So what now?"

"We need to spend a little more time around the Institute, after sending messages to our friends." He crossed over to his desk and picked up a pen and some papers. "I'll talk to you once I've finished here." A dismissal.

Annabeth didn't let her heart drop into her stomach, she just swaggered over to the door.

"Wait, Wise Girl." He looked over his shoulder. Annabeth didn't look at him. "Good work."

She didn't let her head go fuzzy, didn't let him see how much that meant to her. "It was elementary my dear Percy." He chuckled and she left.

Annabeth stepped into her room and sunk to the floor.

What was wrong with her?

So wrong with her that him merely saying she did a good job was overwhelming? She had done a good job, had solved it before him and had made a show of it and everything . . . But that didn't make sense either.

She never flaunted her plans or discoveries, just saying them out right and coldly. What was it about him that made her want to tease him, draw things out as long as possible?

Her hands went to her hair and pulled out the ponytail, letting her curls fall around her shoulders. Grey eyes looked her room over, why did it seem so empty? Why was her mind a mud puddle?

So many questions.

And she didn't have the answer.

(}{)

When Percy checked in with Annabeth, it was brief. He said he had sent the letters and was going to wait for a response.

And that she could do whatever she wanted until he had something to report.

So, like a good little solider, she trained.

When the sun started to set, and Percy still hadn't come to talk to her, she decided to take a shower.

As she walked into her room, she unwrapped her knuckles. Her head was down so it was no wonder she didn't notice the woman on her bed until she cleared her throat.

Annabeth jerked her head up and slipped into a fighting stance, on high alert until she saw the source of the feminine sound. Hazel was sat on her bed, a different red dress on, and her curls just as poofy as they were last time.

"Hello." The Warlock sung. She was on her side, the slit of her dress all the way up to half of her thigh and exposing her caramel skin. Hazel's golden eyes fluttered as she smiled. "I was wondering how long you'd keep me waiting here Shadowhunter."

Annabeth blinked, slipped out of her fighting stance and crossed her arms. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you two are perfect for each other." She clicked her tongue and stood up in a feline movement. She strolled over in her red heels and smiled softly. "I'm simply here to talk."

"Why aren't you speaking with Percy then? He's the one who sent you the letter." The blonde eyed the Warlock in front of her .

"Because his letter didn't want a response, it was just to notify us." She rolled her eyes before sliding them back to Annabeth. "And I wanted to warn you."

"About what?"

"About Percy."

The words chilled Annabeth to the bone. This woman was friends with Percy, what could she possibly be warning her about? "What?"

"Tomorrow is not going to be a good day for him." She held up a hand to silence Annabeth's questions. "I will not say why, that is his story to tell, just know that it will be rough. He will be on edge and snappy. He will most likely go out and only return once he's been beaten to hell and back and covered in blood that isn't his own."

"So?" It was such a dangerous questions.

"He has not opened up to anyone. Not even me or Frank." She sighed and ran a hand to push a curl behind her ear. "So, do not think he will be an easy shell to break." She chuckled and moved over to Annabeth's window.

"Why does that make any difference to me?" Annabeth's voice was cold, and she tried to hide the mess her mind was.

Hazel rolled her eyes again and sighed. "I guess if you don't want to accept it yet, I can't make you. But I will tell you, that tonight will be bad for him. And that this week he hasn't been sleeping well-not because of just being worried about the Vampires-but because of tomorrow."

"What do you want me to do about it?" She snapped, more viscously than she had meant to, but her patience for all the cryptic warnings was wearing thin.

Hazel crossed her arms and placed her finger on her own cheek. "I want you to help him, and by doing so, help yourself Annabeth." Her golden eyes turned sad. "You both have such . . . wounded souls and it is such a miracle that you found each other." Now she was talking to herself more than to Annabeth.

"What are you even talking about?" Annabeth rubbed at her temples.

"You'll see." She said as she breezed past Annabeth and out of the door.