Percy

It is December 7th, 1941 and Annabeth and I are shopping for an apartment. Today we are only a couple blocks away from where my parents live. It is a nice, cozy place, that I can totally see me and Annabeth settling down in.

The wedding has pretty much been planned at this point. All thanks to Annabeth and her super brain. Now all that we need is a place to live once it is all done.

I think this is the place Seaweed Brain. It feels right." I can see how happy she is, "It even has a spare room for any company we have."

Or any kids we might have, I think to myself. I don't let Annabeth know I think about that yet. She was almost finished with her first semester of college and I don't want to come between her and her dream of becoming an architect.

We are walking down the stairs with the real estate agent, headed toward his office to sign the paperwork. As we get outside and get onto the sidewalk, we all realize something was wrong. It looked like the street was empty.

We start walking down the street, and we stop at the window of a barber's shop, and everyone was crowded around the radio.

"Should we go in?" the realtor says. Annabeth and I agree and the three of us head into the shop.

Once we get inside, it's quiet as a tomb, and everyone turns to look at us, but quickly turn back to the radio.

I walk up to an older man, who was still looking at us. Mostly me though. Unsure why he is staring at me, I ask him what is going on.

"Japs just attacked Pearl Harbor, supposed to be bad." He keeps looking into my eyes, they look sad, almost like he pities me. "Better get ready for war son, I'm willing to bet my life's savings it's gonna happen."

I turn around and look at Annabeth, her beautiful storm gray eyes are so full of fear. "No..." In a whisper so soft, I doubt anyone else heard it.

I walk over to her and embrace her, holding her closer and tighter than I ever have before. "Its fine Wise Girl, we don't even know if I'm going anywhere."

That seemed to help her slightly, but I could still sense her fear.

I turn to the realtor, "Let's get out of here and finish that paper work, eh?"

He snaps out of the trance he is in, "Yeah, right, Lets head to my office Mr. & Mrs. Jackson."

"We aren't married quite yet, but we will be when we move in." I tell him, setting the record straight, as we head off to sign papers for our apartment.

My mind was racing like crazy, not three months ago, I had to sign up for the draft. Jason and I went together, we'd made a pact, that if either of us were drafted, the other would sign up to join him. Of course, we didn't tell the girls. Why make them worry about something that might not happen. But with this, that pact started weighing even more.

Jason

I was standing there, staring into space, not believing what I just heard over the radio. I just won the world's worst lottery, I'd been drafted. They called my number, now I was going to war.

I look to Piper, into those beautiful, ever changing eyes, and they looked terrified. I didn't want to lose her yet. We were happy, I was planning on proposing. i haven't bought the ring yet, but I have been looking.

Then I turn to Percy and Annabeth, he was talking to her. Judging by the fear in her eyes, he was telling her about our pact.

I felt bad for him. Because of our pact, he had to give up his life, his wedding, maybe even his future with Annabeth. I couldn't let him do this.

"Percy, but, you don't have to join, forget the pact."

He looked at me, dumbstruck. "No, I know you are trying to be brave and save me, so quit it."

"What do you mean? I mean, how did you..."

"Because I'd already planned on doing it if my number was called. I'm going with you to watch your back. Not just for you, but for Piper and Annabeth. How would they feel if something happened to you?"

"Percy, you can't," Piper starts to say, but before she can finish, the biggest surprise happens.

"He says he has to, Pipes," Annabeth says, distantly. "I can't say that I like it, but I understand his reason. Percy is the most loyal person I know, and he wont let us change his mind." She wipes away a torrent of tears, "And as much as I hate his loyalty right now. I know he is right, and his loyalty is one of the things I feel in love with."

Percy walks over to her, also crying, and holds her tight. "I love you Wise Girl. You are the only girl that I ever have, or ever will love this way. I promise that I will return to you."

"Unharmed," she adds.

"Unharmed," he agrees with a smile. Then he asks, "Seal it with a kiss?" She smiles and kisses him.


The next day, I get a letter, telling me to pack a bag of clothes, enough for three days, and address to report to. It looks like in a few days, I will be entering the Marines. I went with Percy so he could enlist into the Marines to join me.

"It's scary isn't it?" I ask Percy.

"Beyond belief, Annabeth didn't sleep at all last night. She walked from her place to mine to sit up with me all night." I felt even worse now.

"How is Piper holding up?" he asks me.

"About the same as Annabeth. She keeps saying she wishes we could have been married first."

"Oh! I almost forgot, tonight Annabeth and I are going to the courthouse. That way she can get my Navy pay."

"Gee, thanks for the heads up!" I hit his shoulder, but suddenly, I get an idea. "Come with me," I tell Percy as I take off running.

We get to Piper's place a few minutes later. Percy is out of breath and tells me to slow down. "Come on Jackson, got to get ready for Basic Training!", I say. He just waves me off, still catching his breath.

We head up to Piper's place and knock. When she opens the door, I bust in, "Marry me! Marry me tonight at the court house with Percy and Annabeth!"

She looks at me in shock.

"No," she says flatly.

"Gre- wait, what?"

"You heard me, Jason Grace. You can't just expect me to say yes with a proposal like that."

"But you said you wished we could be married, you said-"

"I don't want to get married like this!"

"But you can receive my pay! It can go to a beautiful wedding when I come back!"

"No! Jason, we are going to do this right, or not at all!" I could tell that this was one fight that I would never win.

"Why not Pipes?" I felt hurt, like she didn't want to be with me.

"This is important to me Jason. I won't take it lightly. I want it to be perfect, Percy and Annabeth are already engaged so it's different. I do want to be with you," she cups my face and pulls it close to hers. "I love you Jason, and I want nothing more than to be married to you, but I want to do it correctly."

"I guess," I reluctantly say.

"Promise that you will stay safe for me Jason, and in return, I promise that I will still love you just as much, if not more than I do now."

"And if I do get injured?"

"Then I will love you after I kick your butt for getting hurt. But no matter what happens, I will never love you any less."

"You promise?"

"Jason, I swear."

"Seal it with a kiss?"

She smiles and pulls me in for a kiss.

Suddenly we hear Percy clear his throat, "Uh, well I have to go get ready for my wedding, I'll see you guys in a few hours."

"See ya Perce!" I wave to him and look back at Piper, "Shall we get ready?"

"Sure, but first, let’s enjoy each other's company."

"Deal."

Notes