And let the Christmas fanfics commence. Don't forget to review and make my day splendid!

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… A partridge in a pear tree.

Percy

He snuck up behind Annabeth, covering her eyes with one of his hands and wrapping the other arm around her to keep her from stabbing him.

"Guess who?" he asked, teasingly.

"Gee, I wonder," she replied, sarcasm dripping from every word. "It couldn't possibly be the seaweed brained creature that I call my boyfriend, could it? Seriously Percy, I'm in the middle of training and you think it's a good idea to sneak up on me?"

He laughed, "You wouldn't stab me, Wise Girl. Besides, I'm too fast for you."

"Keep telling yourself that," she retorted, eyes narrowed but gleaming nonetheless.

"Of course, I don't plan on lying to myself. Come on, I have something to show you!"

With that, he took her hand and pulled her out of the arena.

Butterflies flittered in his stomach as he led her around the cabins, past the arts and crafts pavilion, and to Half-Blood hill. He didn't even know that Annabeth celebrated Christmas until a week ago, and ever since he had been freaking out, trying to think of a perfect present for her. He wanted to make it something cute and cheesy, but not too predictable and standard.

If he had been sane or normal, he would have just gotten her some architecture book or an owl necklace. Fortunately or not, Percy was only half-sane, and certainly not normal, so he went the hard way to find the perfect gift. Now, on December twenty-third, all his hard work would hopefully pay off.

"Percy, where are we going?" Annabeth demanded, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He shot her a coy smile, but decided not to answer her question. If he gave even a slight hint, she would wheedle the whole surprise out of him and everything would go to waste. After all, what's a present without suspense?

A twinge of doubt seized Percy's mind, causing him to flinch mentally. Christmas wasn't for two days, what if she laughed at him? He had tried to figure out some way to get the present to his mother's house, where they would be going tomorrow morning, but no idea came. It was nearly impossible to get something like that from Long Island to Manhattan without some serious money, and Percy didn't have anything like that. Actually, it was only by sheer luck that he had been able to get her the present at all.

"Percy?" his girlfriend was asking, puzzled. He realized that he had stopped walking, and was standing awkwardly near the Big House with a weird grin on his face.

"Sorry Annabeth," he said, "I was just thinking."

"Well there's a shocker. Percy Seaweed Brain Jackson, actually thinking. It must be a Christmas miracle!"

He shoved her lightly, "Oh shut up. I'm not that dumb!"

"'Course you aren't," she laughed. "Anyways, where were we going? You never said, before."

"And I'm not going to! It'll ruin the surprise."

"Percy, I thought you said the gods were done dragging us away on quests! After Tartarus…"

He stiffened up automatically at the mention of that hellhole they'd been stuck in for seven days. It still gave him nightmares and every shadow seemed menacing. Annabeth knew this; she was suffering from it too, so why would she say something like that? Suddenly, the day didn't seem so cheerful any more. It was as if someone had cast a grey blanket over it, sucking out any happiness or frivolity that may have occurred due to the holiday season.

Something in Annabeth's eyes softened, and she reached out for him with a tender hand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned it. Come on Perce, what were you going to show me?"

There was a note of tenderness in her voice that he knew she reserved specifically for scared younger demigods that were new at camp, and for moments like these, when he was terrified to wit's end. It was that, her voice, which got him to snap out of it.

"It's okay, come on," he said shakily, his voice sounding dull. Immediately, he regretted it. Her expression went to one of emotional pain. Dejectedly, they strode up the hill to the small tree hiding in the shade of Thalia's large pine. The dragon Peleus was curled up around the trunk of the evergreen, the baby tree nestled snugly up against his stomach, strategically placed on the warm grounds of the camp.

Beside him, Annabeth let out a little chuckle. "What is that?" she asked. "Did some stray delivery man get the wrong address again?"

Percy felt himself flush in embarrassment. He should have known she would take it as a joke… "Actually," he mumbled, "That's what I was going to show you. Merry early Christmas, Wise Girl."

Then, thank the gods for the perfect timing, the small brown and red bird peeked his head out and a chirp emitted from its beak.

A confused smirk flickered across Annabeth's face, followed by surprise, and finished with a goofy expression of gratification. "A partridge in a pear tree? Gods, Seaweed Brain, you're so cheesy!" she laughed, wrapping an arm around him in a one-armed hug.

He grinned, "Cheesy was exactly what I was going for. Sorry that it's a little early, I couldn't figure out a way to get it to my mom's apartment for Christmas."

"I don't mind," she grinned, "it's perfect. Just one problem, though. How in Hades did you pay for this?"

He felt himself blush again, awkwardly, "I kind of won it… On the radio."

Her features turned into amusement, as she leaned up and kissed him.

When they pulled away, the blissful grin on Percy's face was bigger than ever. "Merry Christmas, Annabeth."