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Frederick Chase loved his daughter. At least he tried to love her. Annabeth knew it could not be easy to just raise a child that you didn’t sign up for, but her father tried. Tried to look past how Annabeth came into his life and see his daughter is his blood.
But over the years, something changed. Change is not always a bad thing, Annabeth knows this. It can be beautiful and this change was beautiful, she supposes.
But just for her, it wasn’t.
Frederick loved his daughter. Until he met his wife.
It wasn’t a quick change. Annabeth saw the signs. Even when she was a little kid. Her dad had less time for her because he was always with his then-girlfriend.
Annabeth did not blame him. How could she? She wouldn’t want an annoyance in her life as well.
Her stepmother always looked with a kind of hatred in her eyes at Annabeth. Annabeth guesses she reminded her that Frederick had a partner before her. Maybe she didn’t like her either.
So Annabeth gave herself to her books. It was not easy with her dyslexia and ADHD. She would still get frustrated with herself over not understanding certain writings but reading in Ancient Greek helped her.
Frederick would help her to find those books then he would be away from Annabeth’s life until she finished the latest book.
It didn’t get any better when the twins arrived to the Chase family. Frederick would reason with Annabeth on how since they were smaller than Annabeth, he needed more attention.
Annabeth didn’t know if he was convincing her or himself. A little bit of both maybe.
In the end, Annabeth became more invisible. Invisible like glass. So when they were looking at her, they would only see past her.
Monsters were a whole other problem. Her stepmother would always yell at Annabeth after yet another monster attacked them outside or at their home. But it wasn’t like she made those monsters come after her, right? That didn’t stop her stepmother from yelling about how she put this family in danger and how she should just disappear. Get herself away from her sons and his husband.
Not when her husband was around though. She was all sunshine and rainbows when Frederick came from his job. Therefore, Annabeth had nothing to show to her dad.
After a pretty bad monster attack, for the third time that week, her stepmother couldn’t keep herself from yelling at Annabeth. But this time Frederick was around to see it.
Not that it changed anything. In his defence, he was pretty shocked because of the monster attack. Still, Frederick didn’t utter a word after he saw how his wife yelled at her daughter. Annabeth was so sure he would defend Annabeth, he would leave her and take the kids, and they would be a family again. Together.
Her hopes and dreams were crushed that day. He didn’t support his wife but he didn’t stop the anger coming towards Annabeth either.
So she left the living room with tears in her eyes. She didn’t let them drop until she was inside her room.
That night she cried herself to sleep. Woke up at 4 am and packed her stuff in her school bag. A few clothes, her gift from her mom and a hammer.
She didn’t meet Luke or Thalia for a few months so she was all alone in the world for a few months at the age of seven. She trained herself and fought monsters almost every day.
After she came to Camp, she finally had a place to call home. A family that respects and sees her for herself. She fought her place as the Athena Cabin’s Head Counselor and got the title in a few years.
Then, Percy came around. The one who wouldn’t leave her as much as she tried. She would reason how she wasn’t worth it. How much he would be better off without her. She had a crush on him for years before they both got over their insecurities.
Both of them still had those insecurities but they started communicating more.
“You are going to leave me just like everyone else,” said Annabeth with tears in her eyes, one time after a big anxiety attack. She was fighting with her dad again. She didn’t mean to say it to Percy but the voices were loud and the static in her ears didn’t help.
Percy took her hands into his. “I would rather die than leave you, Wise Girl.” He put his palm next to her cheek. “And even then, I would find a way to come back to you.”
She smiled. She didn’t know what she would have done if Percy wasn’t in his life. “Hades would have a field trip.”
“Nico would have helped,” said Percy, seeing how she was smiling she placed a little kiss on her cheek.
“Oh, because he helps you all the time.”
“I would get Will to help me so Nico would have to help me.”
“Great plan, Seaweed Brain.”
“Not as much as great as you tho.”
“The bar is literally in the Underworld.”
“Well you are as great as blue food, then,” Percy frowned. “and you know how much I value blue food.”
“I am flattered.”
Percy wiped her tears and took a deep breath. “I am never going to leave you.”
Percy touching her and even looking at her made her still excited, after all these years. She shook her head. “Sorry for being needy.”
“Annabeth, I love you for who you are and getting concerned is normal,” Percy hugged her. “Thank you for sharing them with me.”
Annabeth didn’t have anything to say to Percy, she just hugged her harder and knew Percy understood.
Percy broke the hug but still held her hand. “Come on. We are getting you fresh water.”
“Yeah, that would be great.”
She knew her father would never apologise to her. That’s not what they do in their family. They fight, a few days pass and they act like nothing had happened. Like they didn’t yell hurtful things to each other just two days ago. She hated how that was their normal. Hated how she was neglected by her dad and mom for years. Hated how the only way to escape was through leaving them. Hated how she was not able to change anything in how they perceived the world.
But at least, she had Percy. Percy would show her the love that her family didn’t. And in return, she would love him just as much.