Him or her? (A Pipabeth story)

Chapter Five

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO RICK RIORDAN PLOT IS MINE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Piper's POV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Piper groaned, waking up. Her eyes fluttered open before closing quickly, the sunlight from above too much to bear. The first thing she noticed was how high in the sky the sun was. It's probably almost noon. The second thing she noticed was how uncomfortable she was, lying on her back on solid ground. The third thing she noticed was the weight of an arm, draped across her stomach. What...? Turning to her right she was startled to see Annabeth lying next to her, her face close to Piper's own, and her body facing Piper. She looks so peaceful like this, Piper thought. Beautiful even.

"Annabeth," She spoke softly, starting to sit up and moving Annabeth's arm off her. Annabeth's eyelids fluttered and she whispered.

"Percy..."

Piper sighed. She didn't want to have to wake Annabeth up. She turned to look behind her when she thought she heard something. Voices... Holy Hera! They must be looking for us!

"Annabeth! Wake up!" Piper spoke, urgency laced in her voice. Annabeth opened her eyes.

"Huh...? Wha—Oh my Gods!" She stood up suddenly, panic in her eyes and a hint of red rising to her cheeks. "We slept here all night? The others must be looking! Any thoughts could be going through their minds right now. What if they think something happened to us? What if they think something happened between us?" Piper felt heat rising to her cheeks at that last comment. Annabeth must have realised something because Piper saw her turn away, also blushing.

"Well," Piper started, "I did hear voices just a few seconds ago. That's why I woke you up quickly. Plus they probably think something happened to us. Also, we did kinda fall asleep here...Together..."

"Yeah, but...Just as best friends...Ya know—Wait what was that?" Annabeth fixed her attention towards the trees behind them, opposite the horizon and the cliff. Yep...Just as best friends...Because that's what we are. Best friends as we will always be. Nothing more. Piper thought. But despite how much she thought this, she couldn't help but feel sad at the idea. The idea of only being best friends and nothing more with Annabeth.

Piper was quickly pulled from her thoughts when Annabeth grabbed her arms, a panicked look on her face.

"Piper! I can hear voices coming this way. What do we do?"

"Why are you asking me? You're the smart one here!"

"Yeah but... I don't know."

Piper laughed. "Annabeth Chase, not knowing something? That's a first." Annabeth scowled and playfully slapped Piper's arm. "Shut up McLean. Still, we need to do something."

"Do something? Like what? Whoever's coming this way will be here in a matter of a few seconds now. What are we panicking about again anyways?"

"That when they find out something bad hasn't happened to us they'll think something we did something...together?"

"Ah." They were silent for a few seconds, not meeting each other's eyes.

Piper so desperately wanted to say something, anything. Wanted to look into those eyes like grey diamonds but couldn't.

"Hey, Piper?" Annabeth's voice spoke, suspicion in her voice.

"Yeah...?"

"It's gone awfully quiet, don't you think?" Now that Piper thought about it, it had gone quiet. Surely whoever we heard would have been here by now.