Moments in time

Mistletoe and moonlight

Set after HOO the other books haven't happened yet

Annabeth's POV
I love Christmas. I love the lights and the music the joy in the air and the smell of candles and roast turkey. I love Christmas.
Unfortunately this year my dad had invited the entire chase family and my step mom's family to a party that he was throwing at the chase mansion in Boston. Now don't think I'm mean or too harsh... You don't know these people. These people are the reason I ran away from home at 7 years old. I had made up with my dad and we had decided to try again with building our relationship and so far it had been going really well. I still don't talk to my step mom and Bobby and Matt were still annoying but I had begun to love them.

My aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents and family friends who I didn't know the names of had all arrived and I was a little overwhelmed to say the least. I was wearing a red Christmas jumper with pretty snowflakes dotted around. Sally got it for me last year, it was my favourite. As I glanced around the room I saw an assortment of Christmas jumpers some were funny, some had lights on and some were so awful to look at it made my eyes bleed.

Nobody knew I was a demigod except my dad and step mom which made it awkward when my aunt patty asked what I had done over the summer. I obviously couldn't have said I flew in a flying boat around the world or fell down a deep dark pit and crawled through the depths of hell. So instead I said I went backpacking across Europe with some friends. Which I guess held some truth to it.

It really started to get bad when my step mom had had a bit too much eggnog and was a little loose lipped. She had mentioned that I ran away at 7 which wasn't news to my family but to hers it was horrific. The way she said it made it seem like it was my fault like I was a dangerous person who couldn't be trusted. She told her family that I had been kicked out of so many schools and that I had a boyfriend who's a bad influence and together we are up to no good. This really ticked me off. I didn't say anything because I knew it would only prove her point that I was an angry hot head who was too destructive. So for the rest of the evening I got glared at and disapproving looks. Form both sides of the family as they didn't know the full story. The longer the night went on the more glares I got as my step mom kept spreading her gossip and as my family got considerably more drunk they all began to be more disgusted in me and disappointed that I hadn't had a summer job and I was being lazy and a good-for-nothing teenager.

It was all begining to be too much. I was sick of it. Christmas was supposed to be happy and filled with love but not for me I guess not when nobody knows my pains and the sacrifices I've made to keep the world form falling apart. I didn't want to call Percy because I knew that would be giving up and I'd look weak but he was the only one that ever made me feel truly happy. I sat by my phone debating whether to call him or not when my brain just did it without my permission. I was calling Percy Jackson. He answered straight away he sounded happy to hear form me. It had been a while since we've seen eachother in person.

"Hey wise girl" his voice was music to my ears, just the pick me up I needed.
"Hey seaweed brain"
" What's up you sound upset, is everything ok!?"
"Yeah I'm fine seaweed brain, don't worry about me" I assured him before he got the stupid idea of coming over just to comfort me. It doesnt seem to work as I could hear him fumbling to get his shoes on
" I'll be there soon ok, I'm on my way."
Before I could tell him not to he hung up and I knew he'd keep his word and be here soon. I was disappointed in myself I should have been stronger and been able to hide my emotions better. But Percy just knew me so well. We've been dating for a year now, but we'd been friends for many years before that. He knows me better than I know myself so he could tell I wasn't having a good day. He also knew it was my family Christmas party today and that I don't really get on with them. He probably put two and two together and knew why I was upset.

As promised a few minutes later he appeared out of the shadows with Nico who almost immediately shadow traveled away. Percy was dressed In his Christmas jumper which was of course blue. He walked up to the front door and knocked loud enough for everyone to hear. My dad opened it and was surprised to see him there.
"Percy... Hello, what a surprise. What are you doing here?" Confused my dad let him in to explain himself.
"Well my girlfriend called so I came to her rescue" with a smile on his face he walked straight up to me and kissed me on the mouth in front of my entire family. I was smiling in to the kiss and pushed him away so he would not embarrass me any more than he already had. The shocked faces on my family was priceless many looked disgusted that this boy would just come into our home and kiss me without shame or dignity. Others almost awwed at the scene. My dad smiled and said Percy was welcome to join the party and he shooed everyone back to the festivities.

"You didn't have to come all this was seaweed brain. I would have been fine" I claimed trying to regain some of my pride.
"No you wouldn't have been fine Annabeth I know how hard it is for you because you don't get along with your family and I knew that if you called it ment something had happened because your too proud to call for another reason" that was true and of course he knew that.
"Fine, your right something did happen." And I told him all about my step mom's drunken rambling and about calling me a delinquent. I also mentioned that she had also called Percy a bad influence and a trouble maker. He only laughed at that and dragged me over to the buffet table.

The night had got considerably better since Percy arrived. I still got odd looks from various family members but Percy was a good distraction and he was also a good talker he could strike up a conversation with any family member and they would go from hating him to loving him before they even got one word in.

The night was nearly over and some people had started to leave. There were still many aunts and uncles dancing and eating so the festivities hadn't come to a close. It was about 2am I was tired, Percy was tired, a few of my younger cousins were asleep in various chairs and in the many bedrooms of the chase mansion.

Percy and I had just been talking out on the balcony of the second floor, staring out at the moon. It was beautiful and big in the sky and brought a bit of peace to the air. As we were coming back inside my uncle John stoped us at the door way and said "hey everybody look. There under the mistletoe" we both glanced up at the same time and uncle John was right we were under the mistletoe. The family quickly gathered and watched on in amusement.

"Would you look at that wise girl were under the mistletoe. Guess that means your gonna have to kiss me" Percy teased in a cocky tone. I decided to play along
" Ugh do I have to seaweed brain"
"Well it is a tradition and besides it's Christmas do a dude a favour and give us a kiss" that was the funniest response he could have given and for that I kissed him. Long and hard. It wasn't romantic or cute it was honestly kinda awkward. We were both laughing and trying to kiss while everyone was watching and cheering. We lasted about 2 minutes before we ended the awkward kiss (more like face hug) and the festivities were drawing to a close. After many Goodbyes and calling several taxis to take drunken family members home it was about 3:30am and there was one person I didn't want to say goodbye to. Percy, he was still here helping tidy up being the gentleman that he is. I asked my dad if he could stay the night as it was too late for him to go back to New York and Nico would kill us if we woke him at this hour. Reluctantly he agreed under strict orders that we stay in separate rooms which was no problem as we often slept in different cabins back at camp.

I easily fell asleep with peaceful dreams of the boy with sea green eyes.

Thanks for reading guys I'm still new at this. I'll get better I promise. Hope you enjoyed this Christmas one shot, I felt inspired as it's now December and Christmas is in the air.