Finally, I couldn't fake it or hide it anymore. After lying around, coughing up what I was sure was my entire lung, and sleeping all day on the couch, I couldn't lie to myself. I was sick.

Normally, I could just call Mom. She would've been over here in a heartbeat, making me soup, tucking me in, and generally giving me everything I wanted, which was always the good part when I was sick. Unfortunately, Sally and Paul were out for a vacation, and wouldn't be back in New York until late that night. I had thought about calling her and having her come home early, but I had vetoed that idea. My mom was finally having a nice vacation with out having to worry about me being attacked, and I didn't want to ruin that.

But at the same time, I was truly and deeply sick. And I had no clue what in Hades to do about it.

So I called the only person I knew I could.

I reached over from where I lay miserably on the couch with a blanket, and grabbed the phone off the table. I quickly dialed the number, since I knew it by heart.

"Annabeth? I need a serious favor."

It had taken some negotiating, but finally, I let myself into the Jackson's apartment using the spare key Percy had given me some time ago. It had been all week since I had seen him, since this week we had conflicting schedules. But I hadn't foreseen having to come take care of him. Not that I minded too much.

"Percy?" I called quietly. If he was asleep, I didn't want to wake him up.

"In here, Annabeth," he answered. I followed his voice to the small living room where I saw his long body sprawled across the tiny couch. He wore his favorite pajamas, and they were so wrinkled that I was sure he had been wearing them all weekend. His face was pale, and he looked horrible, but despite that he smiled at me. "Hey Wise Girl," he greeted me.

I frowned. "What did you do to get yourself sick, Seaweed Brain?" I asked reaching over the couch to swipe away the hair from his forehead. I placed my cool hand against it, and instantly felt his fever.

He shrugged. "Well, you said it yourself. I am a Seaweed Brain." He smiled playfully and grabbed my hand when I tried to withdraw it. He started to reel me in for a kiss.

I gently flicked off his feeble hold on my arm. "Nuh uh! You're sick! There's no way your kissing me until you've been fever free for a full 24 hours!" I whisked away, leaving behind a pouting Percy.

He turned over onto his stomach so he could watch me go down the hallway. "Please?" he pleaded, putting his chin on the couch arm, and staring up at me with his sea green eyes.

"No, Percy," I replied patiently. I returned from the hallway with an armful of blankets. I tried not to meet his gaze, as that I knew how irresistible his eyes were, and that if I saw them, I would instantly do anything he wanted. Unfortunately, Percy knew this.

"Please?" he continued, whining like he was 5, but grinning widely at me.

"Percy, hush up!" I demanded. He pouted, but I went on. I took the many blankets I had brought with her from the hallway closet and swathed Percy in them like a blanket burrito. I propped him up with two pillows from the couch.

He continued to be quiet as I searched his kitchen for a cough medicine or something. Finally, I found a cough syrup, and started to walk back into the living room with it and a spoon. I stopped and glared at Percy when I realized the blankets were all on the floor.

"What?" he asked indignantly, his voice a little hoarse.

I sighed. "Percy, there's a reason why I put all those blankets on you."

"But I'm hot," he whined.

I rolled her eyes. I briskly walked over and replaced the blankets. I then opened the bottle of cough syrup and poured some onto the teaspoon. "Here," I told him, handing him the spoon.

Percy closed his lips tightly and shook his head.

I sighed. "Come on, there's only one way you're going to get better. Now just take it."

He glared at her with his sea green eyes, refusing to take it.

I decided to take a different approach. "Open up for the train! Choo choo!" I teased, waving around the spoon gently in her hand.

Percy's pale face lit up with a smile and he laughed. Playfully, he opened his mouth wide, and before he could change his mind, I shoved the spoon in his mouth. Slowly, I slid the spoon out from his mouth. He sat and glared at me, not swallowing the syrup.

I laughed. "It only tastes worse if you just sit there with it in your mouth. Just swallowing it would be faster," I advised.

He shook his head violently, causing his black hair to fall onto his forehead again. Gently, I reached over and smoothed it back. Suddenly, I saw him swallow the syrup, and grin. He took advantage of me being so close and tried to kiss me.

Unfortunately for him, I saw it coming, and nonchalantly walked off before he could.

My mission for the day was to get Annabeth to kiss me. Well, I had two missions. One was to get Annabeth to kiss me, and the other was to get better, but the first one was more important. I had a plan, and it was foolproof. Even for a Seaweed Brain.

Annabeth was at the stove, and making chicken noodle soup. Well, at least attempting to on her part. She had left me alone in the living room, after thinking that I was asleep. I snuck up behind her on my tip-toes. I slid my arms around her waist and spun her around. Before she could even react, I got my kiss. At first, her body was tense from being scared, but she relaxed. She melted in my arms and kissed me back after realizing she was being kissed. Her fingers played with my unruly hair. Finally, the week of not seeing each other came into play, and the kiss deepened. I swept her feet out from under her, and carried her to the couch, not breaking our kiss once. We collapsed onto the couch, still kissing and our arms intertwined. My hands were creeping up her shirt, but she didn't mind. Of course she didn't, because mine was already on the floor.

It was a good five minutes of kissing later when Annabeth suddenly pulled away.

"What?" I asked instantly, thinking that I had done something wrong.

"I just kissed you…and you're sick," she answered.

I just laughed and laughed, and laughed some more, until I started coughing.

Later that night, Mom walked in, suitcase in hand with Paul right behind her. She walked into the living room to find Annabeth and I sprawled on the couch together, coughing, and watching reruns of Full House.

"Hi Mom," I greeted her hoarsely. "D'you mind taking care of Annabeth and me for a while?"

She laughed, and agreed.