Annabeth was laying still on her bed in her house. A house she, herself, designed. She moved out from her father's home at twenty one. She's been living on her own for five years.

She stared up the ceiling and was lost in thoughts. It was already dark and the only light was her lamp on the desk. The front door was probably not locked like it always is but she didn't care about it. Today she had seen her friend. Her friend that she hadn't been in contact to until now. Everyone might think she might feel uncomftable and awkward but that wasn't the case.

She was guilty. She was guilty that she hasn't reach out to them. Guilty 'cause she can't even say yes to help them at once. She had to lay there on her bed, thinking what was she supposed to do.

It was as if, ever since Percy left, Annabeth lost herself too. That was why she wasn't surprised when Reyna said it was a good thing that 'her mind was working the way they used to'. The first three years of Percy's absence was the worst time of her life. She was right there but everyone around felt like she left too. That's why, when Athena asked her if she wanted to leave, she said yes.

And she knew it was unfair. It was unfair to Grover, Piper, Jason, Hazel, and all the others. Nico had already left and decided to leave too. They needed her and she knew that. But she knew she can't stay or it will someday just kill her.

This just proves that she is selfish just like what Reyna had said.

But after her conversation with Reyna, she felt relieved too. She was relieved because she expected the worse. She expected that Reyna would shout or just burst. She expected everyone to be that way. But it wasn't the case at all. Reyna might have said that she was selfish to get her to comeback. But she couldn't be sure though, she hadn't seen the others yet.

She groaned loudly and covered her face with her pillow. After a few seconds she removed it.

"What am I gonna do?"she asked.

As if at cue, her stomach growled.

She looked up the ceiling once more, "Is this your of helping me do something?"she asked to no one in particular. Maybe Athena?

Her stomach growled again.

She plopped up, "Fine, I'm gonna get something to eat.

***

Annabeth raised her head in frustration and sighed loudly. She cursed how forgetful she is these days. She forgot to buy her groceries for the next week and doesn't have anything on her frigde. Which sucks because that meant going through this long waiting line to reach the counter. That's where she is now.

There were three more people infront of her and she's been there for twenty minutes. She cursed the counter lady for being so slow.

"Oh my gods, hurry up!"Annabeth whispered annoyingly.

"Be patient, dear."

Annabeth jumped to the voice she heard behind her. She looked back and saw an old lady smiling warmly at her. She waa carrying a bag full of yarn, which was weird, she didn't see any yarn in the store. Annabeth looked into her eyes and saw her bright golden eyes. She instantly backed away, slightly pushing the one in front of her.

"Hey, watch it."

Annabeth jolted, "Sorry."

The old woman smiled more. "You seem scared of me? Why is that?"

"No, I'm not scared. Sorry for being rude."She smiled before turning back to the front. "I just thought you were a monster or something."she muttered under her breath.

"Don't worry. There won't be any monster for the next few weeks. Just before he returns."

Annabeth's eyes widened and looked back to the old woman but was surprised to her gone and was replaced by another person.

She frantically looked at all directions but didn't see even a glimpse of the old woman.

She looke back to the boy that was behind her, "Did you see the old woman that was here a while ago?"

The boy looked at her weirdly, "Uhhh...miss? There wasn't anybody here in between us."

"What? But she was right he-"she cut herself off. "Di Immortales."she cursed.

She didn't know who she was but she knew she was a god or if not, another deity. She took note of her golden eyes. Does she know a goddess with gold eyes. No. Then, she remembered the bag of yarns. Annabeth suspected one of the fates, but that was not likely. They're busy ruining people's lives, anyway.

"Miss."the boy said.

Then, who was it? And why did she tell Annabeth there wouldn't be any monsters until he ca-

She gasped when she remembered that it fit what Reyna said. Did he mean, Percy? Is he really coming back? From where? Nd why does Reyna sound like she knew a lot of these things a long time ago.

"MISS!"

She was startled by the voice.  She glanced around and saw that there was no one in front of her and the counter was open. She blushed in embarassment when she realized she was  the next one. She didn't know how long she droned out and she didn't want to know either.

She payed for what she bought and lowered her head out the store. She sighed loudly when she got out and went to her car to go to her house.

Her house she wished she could call home.

***

She threw her trash on the bin and started to get ready for bed. She was about to take her clothes off to slip into her pajamas but the sound of her doorbell going off stopped her from doing so. She silently screamed, she had enough knock-on-the-doors today.

She didn't open the door at once though. She took a deep breath and opened it after a few seconds.

The familiar face of Frederick Chase came to view as she opened her door. Annabeth rolled her eyes and moved to the side to lwt your father in.

"Dad."she called as she closed the door. When she did, she turned to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting you."her father, sitting on the couch, said.

Annabeth sighed, "You couldn't have done that tomorrow? It's late. And I have a load to do, more proj-"

"Why are you avoiding me?"Frederick cut her off, not looking at her but at the sole thing on top of her table.

"Why are you being so annoying?"Annabeth retorted.

Frederick looked back to her daughter, "You can't push me forever, Annabeth."

Annabeth snorted but said nothing.

"Why are you doing this to yourself, Annie?"he asked.

"Don't call me that."Annabeth said sharply. "Don't call me that ever again."

"I will if you stop tormenting yourself." Annabeth knew, by his voice, that her father's patience was waning. "Stop this, Annabeth. Don't push us all away."

"I'm not pushing you away."

"I'm your father. As much as you hate it, I am your father. And I know you."he said, making Annabeth pull the blank face. "I know this."he gestured to her, "All this."he pulled the bead necklace on the table and the papers on the other couch. "I know it because I've been there before."

Annabeth felt her eyes water at the sight of the hidden bead necklace on the plastic flower on the center table. She suddenly just wanted to go to her bed and stay there for eternity.

She faced her father straight faced but the watery glint in her eyes was obvious enough, "How could you have possibly have been in this situation, Dad?"

Frederick stood up, "Maybe not the same depth, but I know what it feels like to lose someone you love."he said. "I drowned myself in work when your mother left, only to have you after a few weeks. I had Helen and the kids, but when you left...Annabeth it was a big blow. So, I drowned myself deeper. I worked and worked. But you have to believe me, it's all temporary."

"You don't think I know that? Dad, everynight when I go home, all I see here is a place with cemented walls with a roof. Everyday I wished this was a place I could call home."she looked away to hide her emotions from her father.

Frederick sighed, "Annabeth, you are not alone. Stop acting as if you are. Come home to us.  Do you think this is what Percy would want for you?"

"Oh because you know what he would want is that it, Dad?"she sneered. "You know what it is don't you?! Because I don't. I just want him to forgive me. I want to explain everything to him. But he isn't here. And I can't call anywhere home if he isn't here."she wiped her face when a few tears rolled to her cheeks. "Every day I wished I could have done better. I won Capture The Flag, a lot of times. I dueled a sorceress. I found the Athena Parthenos. I held the sky. I battled with arachne. I helped defeat Kronos and Gaea. Giants! I defeated many monsters."she sobbed. "But why can't I kill my own monsters, Dad?! I can't figure it out!"

"The fates know how much I tried to stay at camp. Even when the whole place reminds me of him. It reminds of what I did. It reminds me how weak I was that I can't even control myself. Dad, it was killing me." Annabeth said. "I didn't want to lose myself, but I did anyway."she sat down on the couch and sobbed quietly into her hands.

Frederick stared at his daughter sobbing on the couch. He sighed, and made his way to her. He lowered himself to hug her and Annabeth being in a vulnerable state as his father hit her with words, gave in to the embrace. It had been years since they had hugged this way, sincerely and Frederick felt a bobble of regret rise to his throat when he realized he had been the one to push her away.

He just didn't want Annabeth to feel the same way afterwards.

"I think it runs on our blood. Being stubborn that is."Frederick chuckles.

Annabeth nodded but kept crying. "Oh gods, this is stupid."

"What is? Crying?"

"No. This indecisive mentality."