Beyond the Storm: A Percabeth Collection

Under His Watchful Eye (Frederick Chase)

(A/N wrote this chapter as per a request from a reader. Please feel free to drop requests in the comments! Hope you all are enjoying my story!)

Percy's POV 

I stood frozen at the door, my heart racing as I glanced over at Annabeth. Her fingers gripped mine tightly, but I could feel the slight tremble in her touch. It was almost like she was trying to steady me, when I was the one who needed the reassurance. The house was warm, familiar in a way, but everything felt different today. It wasn't just a visit to her family—it was the first time I was meeting her dad after Annabeth and I had made the biggest decision of our lives.

We had been together since we were twelve, and we'd survived wars, monsters, gods, and even Tartarus. But now we were eighteen, and I had just asked Annabeth to marry me. And she had said yes. But, as much as I was sure about that decision, I wasn't sure how her father, Frederick Chase, would feel about it. He hadn't been a major presence in her life until recently, but even though he was now back in the picture, I wasn't sure where I stood with him.

"Percy," Annabeth's voice broke through my thoughts, her hand squeezing mine. "Relax. You've met my dad before."

"Yeah, but... this is different," I muttered under my breath. "We're not just kids anymore, Annabeth. This is real now."

She smiled, though it was a little tight around the edges. "I know. But don't worry. It'll be fine. We've been through worse, right?" Her gaze softened. "Besides, it's just dinner. Dad doesn't bite."

I nodded, but the nerves didn't fade. I knew I was about to walk into a situation where, no matter how well I tried to explain it, things were bound to get awkward. Especially since I hadn't told Frederick that Annabeth and I were engaged yet. It wasn't that we were hiding it—it just didn't feel like the right moment to bring it up.

With a deep breath, I followed her through the hallway, my steps a little slower than usual. We reached the living room, and that's when I saw them all.

Her father, Frederick Chase, was sitting in a plush armchair, reading something on his tablet. He was tall, with sharp, intelligent features and glasses that made him look even more serious than he probably was. His demeanor was always calm, calculated. Not exactly intimidating, but definitely a little... intense.

Next to him, Annabeth's stepmom, Helen, was sitting on the couch, a cup of tea in hand. Helen was warm, welcoming, and more laid-back than Frederick. She had this calming presence that put me at ease, but I could see the way she observed me as we entered. There was something almost expectant in her gaze, as if she were waiting for me to prove myself.

And then, there were the twins—Matthew and Bobby, both twelve, both bouncing on the couch with excitement. They were so much younger than Annabeth, but in that moment, they felt like the most normal part of this entire equation.

"Percy!" Matt grinned at me as soon as he saw me. "You wanna see what we made?" He held up a little action figure that looked suspiciously like a model of the Argo II.

Bobby immediately jumped in, practically knocking Matt over in his excitement. "Yeah! We made the ship! Do you think it looks like the real one?"

I smiled and knelt down to their level, even though my stomach was still doing flips. "It looks awesome, guys. I'm impressed."

Annabeth rolled her eyes with affection as she nudged me forward. "You're too easy with them."

"Yeah, but who can resist this?" I gestured toward the boys, who were practically bursting with enthusiasm. They were sweet, eager to show me what they'd created, and for a moment, everything felt normal. But then my gaze flicked to Frederick, who was studying me quietly, his expression unreadable.