***Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, world, weapons, video games, etc.***

Annabeth was not in a good mood when she left school at nearly five o'clock on the first day of September. She was pleasantly surprised, however, to discover her boyfriend, Percy Jackson, sitting on the front steps of her school, even if he was scowling and tapping his pen against his leg.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Percy turned and his scowl disappeared, replaced by relief. "There you are! I was afraid you got attacked by a monster or something and I couldn't get in because the stupid front doors were locked." He stood up and pocketed his pen. "What happened?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I had to retake a test, Seaweed Brain. Believe me, I didn't want to stay late."

"You had to retake a test?" Percy asked. She glared at him and he quickly turned his incredulous look into a sympathetic grimace. 'I mean, that stinks. What kind of test?"
"Vocabulary test. I knew all the definitions, that wasn't the problem, but Mrs. Loughton wants us to spell everything right and I just couldn't get the letters straight."

Percy now looked genuinely sympathetic; dyslexia problems were something she knew he understood. "That sucks. You should have asked to take it in Ancient Greek."

"Very funny. She was nice enough to let me retake it, though, so I could spend more time on the spelling part."

"So no monster attacks?"

Annabeth shook her head. "The only things that attacked me today were Mrs. Loughton's vocab test and this stupid football player who kept hitting on me at lunch when I was trying to study for it." She shuddered, remembering how the guy kept trying to put his arm around her. "I told him I had a boyfriend, but he wouldn't leave me alone."

Percy narrowed his eyes. He suddenly looked like a guy who fought Titans and monsters and won. "Do I need to stop by tomorrow and, uh, talk to this guy?" His hand drifted to the pocket where he had just stashed the pen that turned into his sword, Riptide.

"That's sweet of you, but don't worry, I dealt with it. Besides," she added, "I'm way scarier than you."
"Are not."

"Am too."

"Are not. What happened to him?" Percy asked before she could respond again.

Annabeth smirked. "He went home early. Something about needing an X-ray and a new pair of pants."

Percy laughed. "Okay, you win. Way scarier."

"You know it." Annabeth smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She felt his hands slide around her waist, pulling her closer. Even after a couple weeks of dating, Annabeth still hadn't quite gotten over the fact that she could just kiss Percy now. She'd wanted to kiss him for over a year, since before they even went into the stupid Labyrinth, but they had seemed to just keep running into obstacles that drove them apart. Now that they were officially together, she was afraid she was taking advantage of the opportunity, just a little bit, but Percy didn't seem to mind.

Annabeth finally pulled away when she felt her lungs tightening up, begging her to breathe.

"Wow," Percy said. He looked like he'd been knocked over the head by a bronze shield. "Maybe I should stop by after school more often."

Annabeth grinned. "So what are you doing here today?"

"I actually came to tell you that my mom and Paul rented a cabin at Montauk for Labor Day this weekend and they said if you want to, you can come with us." He said the last part quickly, looking suddenly nervous, as if he actually thought she might say no.

"That sounds great!" Annabeth said, and it did. A weekend at the beach with Percy? It would be almost like they were normal teenagers. "I'll have to check with my dad, but I can't see why he'd have a problem with it, since your mom and Paul will be there."

Percy looked visibly relieved. "Awesome! My mom said your dad can call her, too, if he has any questions or anything."

"Sounds good. When are we leaving?"

"Friday, right after school," Percy said. "We'll pick you up here. Um, you don't have any tests on Friday, do you?"

Annabeth smacked his arm. "Watch it, Seaweed Brain."

Percy grinned and put his hands up in surrender. "Just asking. So, are you in a hurry or do you want to hang out in Central Park for a bit?" Since they'd gotten back from camp, the park had become their unofficial go-to spot.

Annabeth hesitated. In truth, she had a biology quiz and a geometry test on Friday, plus a paper due on To Kill a Mockingbird. Not to mention Apollo had been bugging her to finish the plan for one of his temples. On the other hand, it was only Tuesday, she had until Friday to get everything done, and it was a beautiful day outside. "Sure," she decided, "but we can't stay too long. I've got to finish my homework and pack." She smiled at Percy. "My boyfriend is taking me to Montauk this weekend."

"Lucky guy." Percy grinned back as he took her hand and they set off down the street.

The rest of the week dragged so slowly that Annabeth could have sworn Kronos was back and messing with time again. Finally, though, it was Friday afternoon. Annabeth was the first one out the door of the history classroom and she had packed up and shut her locker before anyone else had even opened theirs. Hastily wishing her friend Sarah a good weekend, Annabeth almost flew down the hallway and front steps to where Paul's Prius was parked at the curb. Percy grinned and waved from the driver's seat. Paul got out of the front passenger's side and helped Annabeth put her stuff in the trunk.

"You're letting him drive?" she asked incredulously.

Paul laughed. "After everything you kids have been through, I figured holiday traffic wouldn't be that much of a challenge."

Sally didn't seem as confident. As Annabeth slid into the backseat next to her, she leaned forward. "Paul, are you sure you don't want to drive?"

"Mom!"

"Honey, you're a good driver, but 278 is going to be bumper to bumper and you haven't had your license that long."

"Sally, it'll be fine," Paul said as he buckled himself into the front passenger seat. "Percy can handle it and I'll be keeping an eye out, too."

"Besides," Annabeth added as she buckled her own seatbelt, "it can't be worse than the cars blocking the streets during the invasion and Percy did fine driving through that." She didn't add that he had been driving a scooter, not an actual car. "He can do it, Ms. Jackson."

Percy shot her a grateful look. "I've got this, Mom."

Sally bit her lip, but she looked from Percy to Paul to Annabeth and nodded. "Okay, sweetie." She sighed and leaned back against her seat. "I guess it's not the most dangerous thing you've done."

Percy laughed. "No, swimming in the Styx might take that prize."

"Or holding up the sky," Annabeth suggested.

"Or blowing up Mount St. Helens," Percy said.

"Or spraying Clarisse with toilet water." Annabeth grinned.

Percy shuddered. "Or—,"
"Stop!" Sally said. She gave a shaky laugh. "Point taken. Let's hit the road." As Paul directed Percy on the best route out of the city, Sally patted Annabeth's arm. "I'm glad you're coming with us this weekend."

"Me too. Thanks for inviting me, Ms. Jackson."

"You're welcome. And call me Sally." Sally flinched as a taxi swerved in front of them and Percy hit the brakes, hard. "Driving might not be the most dangerous thing he's ever done, but it's still a little terrifying for me to see him behind the wheel of a car. I mean, I used to change his diapers."

Percy turned bright red and nearly hit a bicyclist. "Mom!"

"Sorry, honey, but it's true," Sally said as Annabeth and Paul laughed.

"You don't have to bring it up, though," he muttered.

As they passed over the Williamsburg Bridge which, courtesy of the gods, had been completely restored, Annabeth unconsciously rubbed her arm. Thanks to nectar and ambrosia, and Will Solace's healing skills, there wasn't even a scar, but she could still remember the feeling of Ethan Nakamura's knife piercing her skin. More vividly, though, she recalled the swooping, sick feeling in her stomach the instant before she took the knife, the feeling that said Percy! Danger! She had reacted instinctively.

Percy caught her eye in the rearview mirror and she knew he, too, was thinking about the last time they had been on this bridge. She blushed and turned to look out at the view along the East River.

It was after seven by the time they reached the cabin. Traffic hadn't been quite as bad as Sally had feared, but it had still been slow going until they got farther out onto Long Island. By the time they arrived, all anyone wanted was dinner, so after dropping their things off at the cabin, they headed back out to a small seafood restaurant up the road. Paul drove, but Annabeth didn't think Percy minded, since he held her hand in the backseat all the way to the restaurant.

After dinner, they went back and had a chance to more fully explore the cabin. It was small, but cozy, with a combination kitchen and dining area, a living room with a very comfortable looking couch and a nice TV, three tiny bedrooms, and two bathrooms.

Percy whistled. "I always liked the cabin we usually stay in, Mom, but I've gotta say, this place is pretty sweet. Look, they even have an Xbox!"

Sally smiled. "It was a bit of a splurge, but Paul and I both agreed it was worth it. After all, we haven't had a chance to really celebrate your victory or go on a vacation. I think we could all use the break."

"Plus, you sold your short story to that literary magazine, The Louisville Review, that's definitely something to celebrate," Paul said, beaming at her. "It's going to be published in January," he told Percy and Annabeth proudly.

"Mom, that's great!" Percy said, giving her a huge hug. Annabeth nodded enthusiastically.

Sally blushed. "I didn't want to make a big deal about it. It's just a small magazine in Kentucky and the payment is two copies of the magazine with my story in it, but it's a good first step."

"Getting a story published is a huge achievement. It's worth celebrating," Paul said. He put his arm around Sally and kissed her cheek. She swatted his arm, but Annabeth saw the twinkle in her eyes when she smiled at her husband.

Percy cleared his throat. "So, about that Xbox?"

The others laughed. "Do they have any of the Halo games?" Paul asked.

Percy dug through a basket of video games and controllers before pulling one out and holding it over his head. "Ta-da! It's the original Halo!"

"I'm in," Paul said, dropping onto the couch.

Annabeth and Sally exchanged a look, then Percy's mother shrugged. "Girls versus boys?" she asked, sitting down next to Paul as Percy set up the game on the TV.

"You're on!" Percy said. He handed controllers to his mom and Paul before sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Oh, we are so going to kick your butt," Annabeth said, sitting down beside him and taking the controller he passed her.

"Not a chance." Percy grinned at her as their players came up on the screen.

Unfortunately, he was right. Annabeth was pretty good. Halo was one of Matthew and Bobby's favorite games, so she'd played it in San Francisco before, but Sally had no idea what she was doing. She did manage to kill Percy once and Paul twice, though, by climbing into various vehicles and driving around until she ran someone over.

"And you were worried about my driving?" Percy grumbled as Sally's Humvee ran him down.

After the first disastrous game, they switched teams, Percy and Annabeth against Sally and Paul, who didn't stand a chance. That one was over quickly. Then they played with Percy and his mom against Annabeth and Paul, which turned out to be the most equal fight. Percy developed a strategy of leading Annabeth and Paul right into the path of whatever vehicle Sally was cruising in, then standing aside while she hit them. The really embarrassing part, for Annabeth at least, was that it took her being run over three times to see his plan.

Okay, if that's how you want to play, Annabeth thought. She followed him again until she saw Sally coming for her. Then, at the last moment, she moved back and simultaneously threw a grenade, managing to blow up both Sally and Percy, who looked shocked. "Guess you better find a new strategy, Seaweed Brain," she smirked.

"How about this?" Percy asked as his character shot Annabeth's at point-blank range. Her mouth dropped open. He'd regenerated while she was just standing there. She glared at him and he grinned back.

Then, she smiled. "Two can play that game," she said as her character hit Percy's in the face with the butt of a gun. He hadn't noticed she had also come back.

"Oh, it's on!" he said and he chased after her as her character took off into a building.

In the end, Annabeth and Paul won, barely. Percy pouted as Paul and Annabeth high-fived. Sally laughed. "That was fun," she said, setting down her controller and stretching. "But I think I'm going to head to bed. I want to get up early and catch the sunrise, maybe take a walk."

"I like that idea," Paul said, standing and holding out a hand to help Sally up. He patted his stepson on the shoulder. "Good game, Percy, but you can't win them all."

"I guess not," Percy grumbled.

Sally kissed the top of her son's head. "Good night, honey."

"Night, Mom."

To Annabeth's surprise, Sally kissed her head, too. "Sleep well, Annabeth."

"Thanks, Sally, you too." Annabeth smiled. "Night, Paul."

"Night, kids," Paul said. He and Sally went down the hallway, leaving Percy and Annabeth alone in the living room.

Annabeth looked at her still-pouting boyfriend. "One on one rematch?" she asked.

His eyes lit up. "Yes!"

They ended up playing best three out of five and Percy won the fifth game by one kill. Annabeth ran left, thinking he was aiming right, but Percy threw a grenade and that was the end of that.

Percy punched the air with his controller. "In your face, Chase! I win!"

Annabeth was annoyed for a second, but then she got an idea. She leaned toward Percy, who froze like he thought she was going to punch him, but instead she kissed him. "Now, what were you saying?"

"Um, you're awesome?" he said.

She smiled sweetly. "Thank you."

"But I still beat you," Percy added with a grin.

"Fine," Annabeth sighed. "But we're playing Mario Kart tomorrow and I will own you, Jackson."

"We'll see about that," Percy said. And before Annabeth could respond, he kissed her again, which effectively ended the video game discussion.

When Annabeth crawled into bed sometime later, she tried to focus on the design for the Olympian salad bar, which she was supposed to have completed next week, but it was hard to concentrate because she couldn't seem to get the stupid grin off her face. And for some reason, there was a very cheesy song stuck in her head, something about "Lucky I'm in love with my best friend" or whatever.

"Shut up," she muttered to the song in her head. She rolled over and commanded herself to think about the angle of the godly sneeze guard, but it was no good. Finally, she gave up on the salad bar and allowed herself to go back over the last half hour with Percy in her mind. She grinned into her pillow. It was going to be a very good weekend.

***A/N: Okay, so for the record, I don't really know that much about Halo. My brother and my guy friends were really into it, but whenever I played, my strategy was the same as Sally's: get in a vehicle and drive around trying to run people over until somebody hit it with a grenade and killed me. This was a fun scene to write, though, I hope you enjoyed it. Also, the song referenced is "Lucky" by Jason Mraz, featuring Colbie Caillat. Totally cheesy, I know, but every once in a while, Annabeth should get to be just a teenage girl who's happy being with her boyfriend. This story is going to be three chapters total, Chapter Two should be up soon. Fair warning, it has quite a few Percabeth moments. Thanks for reading!***

***Also, The Louisville Review is a real literary magazine, run by Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. They publish fiction and poetry and are open to receiving submissions from students, grades K-12, as well as adults. Check out their website, .org, for submission guidelines. Just in case anyone is interested. : ) ***