Reconciliation

                                    

                                          
Head's up, this is a super cheesy chapter! I really try to come up with original ideas but I've hit a bit of writers block recently so I thought I'd recycle this overdone concept. It goes along with "6:43AM' from a few chapters ago. 
                          
Percy fidgets with the collar of his button up, and I have to remind him to stop. 
                          
"Percy, you look fine. Stop worrying." I say to him, and ring the doorbell at the small townhouse we are standing on the front steps of. I take his hand to keep mine from shaking. 
                          
"Forgive me for being nervous, this is only just the first time you've been to see your dad since we were 16. And he's never met me as your fiancé." Percy says. He has a point. I should be more nervous. Having never really lived at home longer than a few months at a time for the past 10 years, I've never brought a boy home. And now that we're engaged, I never will again, so this had better go ok. 
                          
The door opens and one of my brothers is standing there. I could honestly never tell them apart. I'm a little surprised to see how grown up he is now. It has been 4 years since I last saw them. 
                          
"Hey, Annabeth! Long time no see. Bobby, Annabeth is here!" He calls over his shoulder. This must be Matthew, then. Bobby comes into view, and they have different hair styles so maybe this time I won't mix them up. Percy and I enter the hall, and I notice that the house looks pretty much the exact same as the last time I was here. So much has happened since, I am definitely not the same girl as I was then. My dad is sitting at the small desk in the living area, and he turns to greet us, a smile on his face. It falters a bit when he see's Percy and I's intertwined hands and I remember that he doesn't know about us. I'd never mentioned it in any letters or the occasional talk on the phone. 
                          
"Hi, dad." I say, and he leans forward to hug me. I stiffen but return it one armed, not letting go of Percy's hand. It's effective in keeping me grounded but also hides the ring on my finger. I know we came here to tell them but the thought of saying it out loud makes me jittery. 
                          
"I was so happy to hear that you were coming for a visit. It's been too long. I do worry, despite what past years might have shown." My dad says. We all stand awkwardly in the living room, until my step-mom comes downstairs and breaks the silence. 
                          
"What are we all doing just standing around? Make yourself at home, you two. I have dinner in the oven and we can catch up while it finishes." She says brightly, a huge contrast from the last time I'd visited. I can't tell if she's being genuine or not, but I detect no ill tones in her voice so maybe she's actually being nice. Percy and I sit, facing the large fireplace that has a small fire going. The smell is burning my nose and I wrinkle it in distaste. Percy notices. 
                          
"Sorry, Mr. Chase, but do you mind putting out the fire? We're a tad sensitive to it." He asks and my dad looks a little surprised but he obliges. I relax a bit, the fire is a trigger for memories of tartarus and we try to avoid it when we can. I don't need to have a breakdown here. 
                          
"So, what have you been up to lately?" Matthew asks. He and Bobby are both taller than me now, which is hard to believe since I'm pretty tall. 
                          
"Just school, really. I'm sorry it's been so long, so much happened right after my last visit and it's been hard trying to get over it. How about you guys? You're in high school now, got any girlfriends I should know about?" I address my brothers with a smirk, steering the conversation away from me. They both shake their heads, embarrassed. 
                          
"What about you? Clearly you're not as single as you'd led all of us to believe." Bobby demands. 
                          
"Robert!" My dad scolds him, using his given name. I laugh, happy that this is going somewhat normally. I can practically hear Percy's smirk next to me.