You're All Mine

I'll Catch You

Annabeth

We sat beside each other, holding hands.

Tyson and Grover ate like they'd never seen food before. Percy, on the other hand, just sat with me, watching with an amused smile.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain?" I asked him, softly.

"Yeah?" He smiled at me and my heart melted.

"Can we, like, you know, leave?" I gestured to Grover and Tyson. Percy laughed at my uneasiness. "Yeah, sure." He waved the waitress over, while I roused Grover and Tyson from their feast. They both groaned and gave me puppy-dog eyes. "Sorry, boys." I said unsympathatically. "It's time to go."

Percy and I strolled out, arm in arm (well, my arm was laced through his. Seaweed Brain's elbow just lay limp). I could see the waitress glaring at me through the window.

Seaweed Brain and I parted ways with the others and headed for the park. Then my spine went cold. Something was following us.

"Percy..."

I tugged lightly on his sleeve. He turned. "What's wrong?"

"I think something's following us. Listen"

The two of us froze.

Crack!

I jumped back into Percy's arms as the single creak of a stick breaking echoed through the park. Then it was silent. Percy squeezed my shoulders nervously. "Come on," He murmured in my ear. "It's probably nothing. We should get going." I nodded. "Yeah. We wouldn't want you to lose the amazing privilege of being able to date me." I said shakily.

He smiled weakly.

Rustle, rustle. Swish, swish.

Tiny feet seemed to be climbing over leaves and twigs. Tiny feet... A terrifying thought sprung into my head. I nearly screamed as my prediction came true. Row after row of spiders raced out of the shrubs.

One word. I was begging Percy to say just one word.

"Run."

Best Seaweed Brained boyfriend ever.

I tore trough the trees, the blood roaring in my ears. Leaping over boulders and dashing around play sets, I lost track of Percy. I was very aware of the presence of those creepy-crawlies, however. I climbed swiftly up a massive oak tree that loomed in front of me, hoping they wouldn't follow.

No such luck.

The spiders gathered around the base of the trunk and started rising up after me. Terror washed over me, almost paralyzing me. I forced myself to look down, hoping to see Percy's warm green eyes. Instead, I was greeted by a huge cluster of squinting black irises. They were everywhere.

I finally let out the scream I was holding.

"PERCY!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I crouched on my limb, waiting.

"Here! Annabeth!"

I stared out into the sea of critters. Percy was jumping up and down, trying to get spiders off his pants. The sight of him made me smile faintly.

"Help me get down!" I could hear the hissing of the skittering spiders.

"Jump!"

I stared at him.

"Are you crazy?!"

"I'll catch you!"

My heart sped up twice its normal rate. I trusted Percy, I did. But I was just really, really scared.

"I promise!" Percy called. Those words ran over my heart, piercing me. It had been a long time since anyone had promised to catch me and had kept that promise. Wait, no. Nobody had ever been there to catch me.

Except Percy. Seaweed Brain.

His gorgeous sea-green eyes locked on my gray ones. I nodded reluctantly.

Then jumped.