The Truth Behind The Myths

Metal Arm And Fuzzy Memories

Annabeth tackled him before anyone else could react to the fact that he was in the room.

"Buck!" [And y'all hate me now XD]

The dark haired man with the slightly lost eyes caught the blonde and held her close. "Hey, Annabeth."

Annabeth pulled away and held him at arm's length. "James Buchanan Barnes, what have you done to yourself?"

"Well I fell-"

"Your hair!" She exclaimed, running her fingers through it. "It's ridiculous!"

Bucky stared at her. He had expected something to do with his arm or the shattered look in his eyes, but Annabeth knew there was no use pointing those out. She just had to help fix them. Not the arm, the eyes.

"I like it." He finally said, his voice soft.

Annabeth met his gaze and a smile twitched on her lips. "Well, the least you could do is wash it."

Steve chuckled from behind them, drawing Annabeth's attention to the group. Natasha's hand was on her gun as she watched Bucky closely.

"Where's Perce?" Bucky noticed that his friend wasn't there.

"He's catching up with his dad." Annabeth said.

"Like, at the palace?"

She nodded.

"So unfair! I love going down there." Bucky complained.

"Why are you here, Bucky?" Steve asked. "Not that I'm complaining, but you've been off the grid since...you know...."

"Saw a picture of Mr. Money and Annabeth and the rest of you. I figured if Annabeth was back, Percy would be."

Annabeth paused, mentally figuring out what she was going to say.

"Hey, Bucky, did you have a partner? When you were with Hydra?"

Bucky flinched at the mention of the institution that had destroyed him, but thought hard. A partner....

"Yeah."

"You remember Percy falling with you, right?"

Bucky frowned. "Yeah, but he survived right? I mean, he's with his da-" His eyes widened. "He got captured too. That's why he's with his dad."

"Yes. You'll stay until he comes back, right?"

"Course."

Annabeth suddenly realized something. "Nico, why haven't-" She turned, but no one was there. "Where's Nico?" She asked.

"He popped into a shadow a few seconds after Bucky spoke up." Steve said.

"Wait, Nico? As in, scrawny teenage genius Nico?" Bucky asked.

"That's the one."

"How old is he now, 70?"

Annabeth smiled. "16."

"WHAT?! No fair! How?"

Steve chuckled. "To my knowledge, he found a pocket dimension where time stands still."

"Pocket dimension?" Annabeth asked with a smirk. "Didn't know you knew about them."

"I do pick up some of the things you and Percy talk about."

"Hey, sorry about that, Dad was calling. Buck!" Nico had popped from the darkness in the corner.

"Didn't Will tell you not to do that?" Annabeth accused.

"He's not here to stop me." The son of Hades retorted.

"No, but I am." Steve grinned.

"Come at me, Steven." Nico mocked.

"Boys, may I remind you that one of you is injured?" Annabeth said with a chuckle.

"Which one?" Bucky asked.

"Why?" She asked back.

"Just curious."

"I got shot." Nico said, pulling up the side of his shirt.

Bucky studied the bandages for a moment. "Whoever it was has a bad aim."

"It's more....he chose to aim badly."

"He?"

"Percy shot him." Steve explained.

"Why?"

"Cause he's got the same problem as you." Nico said bluntly. Annabeth moved to smack him and he ducked, covering his head.

"As me? Right. The amnesia, I forgot."

Tony snickered and the reuniting group glared at him.

"Sorry." He muttered.

"Sir." JARVIS spoke up.

The room went silent.

"What's up, J?" Tony seemed oblivious the nervous tension.

"He's back, isn't he?" Nico asked.

"Yes." JARVIS answered simply.

"He... Percy?" Tony asked, once again not connecting the dots. For a genius, he was rather dumb sometimes.

"Yes sir."

Annabeth ran for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Tony shouted.

"He hates elevators!" She responded, yanking the door open. Nico, Steve and Bucky followed quickly.

Annabeth took the stairs two at a time, an impressive feat considering that she was going down rather than up. She grabbed the railings at the landings and used them to propel herself around the corner and down the next flight.

He was on the fourth floor.

He must have heard her coming, he was standing there with that signature smile, lopsided as ever.

"Hey, Wise Girl."

Annabeth burst into tears and sprinted as fast as she could down the last flight. Her ankle twisted sideways at the last step and she fell forward with a yelp.

Percy lunged forward, catching her in his arms.

"Seaweed Brain?" She asked in a whisper.

"I'm here. Mostly." His smile widened. "There's still some fuzzy parts, but it's me, Annabeth. And I'm never leaving you again."

One arm still wrapped around her waist, he took her chin softly and tipped her face up so their eyes met.

Moments after, so did their lips.

And it was probably the best kiss of all time.

[A/N ya know, for someone who doesn't ship Percabeth, I write it pretty well]