A/N: Hey guys, this is my brand new one shot. Now a little heads up, there will be tears and lots of them so make sure you have a full box of tissues ready beside you because this one-shot is based off of What Hurts The Most sung by Rascal Flatts, especially the music video so enjoy everyone and prepare for some water works.
~.~.~.~.~
What Hurts the Most
It can't be true. It just can't be true!
A phrase that had been running through sixteen year old Annabeth Chase's brain since her father strode into her bedroom with a broken hearted, defeated facial expression, and remorseful brown eyes only magnified by the rectangular shaped glasses he was wearing. The moment he sat down on Annabeth's bed, her mother walked in, her stormy gray eyes were emotionless as she stood there, her arms crossed as she opened her mouth.
"It's not true. It's not true." Annabeth cried as she gripped the shirt that he had been wearing the day before, she could smell the ocean salty breeze that clung to the blue fabric that had always looked good on him. Annabeth couldn't think, she couldn't comprehend what had happened. She turned round and threw the shirt at her mother, who didn't flinch as the shirt hit, that was made Annabeth break down.
"You did this. You are the reason he left!" Annabeth cried as her father flinched, hunching over as he started running his hand through his hair as Annabeth sobbed uncontrollably as she made her way to her mother. "You always hated him." Annabeth screamed as her mother finally showed some emotion and tried to reach out for her daughter who fought and tried to push her mother away who persisted. "Say you hated him, say it, say it!" Annabeth pleaded as her mother locked her into an embrace.
Annabeth gripped her mother's shirt as her tears soaked into the fabric of her mother's gray cardigan, the tears flowing like a never ending river that barrelled bucket loads of water over its edge. "I didn't hate him Annabeth." Athena Chase whispered as she met her husband's sorrow filled eyes.
The instant Annabeth heard her mother say she didn't hate him she saw hurt read, "Liar!" She cried as she started fighting in her mother's arms again, just repeating the word over and over again. "He left because of you! He left me because of you! H-He l-l-left me be-beca-use of y-y-ou." Annabeth sobbed as she slid down to the floor, pulling her mother with her as she lay on the floor with her head in her lap as she sobbed loudly, her heart breaking as her father silently cried for his daughter.
Athena Chase just sat on the floor, for the first time in her life, felt emotion. She felt the tears that glassing her eyes over as she listened to her heart ache. For the first time, Athena Chase saw how much her daughter loves Percy Jackson, she couldn't hold in the guilt any longer because she knew. She knew that she was the reason he left and she would never forgive herself for doing this to her daughter.
:~.~.~.~.~:
-Two weeks later-
:~.~.~.~.~:
Annabeth hadn't left her room since she found out that he had left her. She couldn't comprehend that he had left her; that she would never be able to stare into his sparkling sea green eyes that held such calmness within the and yet, there was also that liveliness within them that made them shine.
She couldn't comprehend that she would never see that troublemaker, weak kneed lop-sided smirk that always left her heart doing the quick-step each time she saw it. All she wanted to do was hold his hand again, feel his soft skin against her own. That she would never breathe in and taste the ocean fresh saltiness of his skin and lips. the fact that she wouldn't be able to feel his love and warmth as he wrapped his arms around her, or be able to run her hands through his raven black cotton soft locks on hair that rested messily on his head.
Not even thinking about all the memories of their time together gave her any comfort.
Annabeth picked up her phone and pressed the power button and stared tearfully at her screen saver, a picture of the very person who promised to never leave her no matter what stared back at her; his hands in the pockets of his Hawaiian palm tree themed board shorts, the bead necklace she had made him for his sixteenth rested around his neck, the defined contours and lines of his rippled sun kissed muscles somewhat glowing in the light of the setting sun with the waves of the ocean behind him.
Annabeth still remembered that day so clearly, it almost seemed like it was yesterday...
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
"Come on Annie, one photo please!" Percy pleaded with giant puppy dog eyes as he knelt in front of Annabeth, his bottom lip jutted out in a pleading pout, kneeling on all fours over Annabeth's legs as she lay in the beach chair, her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail under her grass hat as she read her Algebra text book.
"Percy I agreed to come to the beach with you if you let me study. It's bad enough that I had to lie about who I am with to my parents so will you not just leave me alone so I can study." Annabeth growled, not listening to what she was saying as her eyes never left the equation she was trying to solve, her concentration never left it, so she didn't notice the hurt look in Percy's eyes as he looked down.
"Sorry I even bothered to ask my girlfriend out on a date." Percy whimpered, his voice sad, barely even a whisper as he sat on his heels and looked over his shoulder. "Guess I will leave you to it Chase seeming as you don't want me around anyway." He said sadly as he stood up and pulled his shirt off and headed down the beach to the water where he sat down by the water's edge, his feet barely in the water as he hunched over, his arms resting on his knees as he rested his chin on them and stared out over the ocean.
Annabeth heard the sadness in Percy's words and instantly felt guilty. She didn't mean it like that; she had forgotten how sensitive Percy was to their situation, he was more intact with his emotions than she was and he was such a sensitive person and she just hurt his feelings without meaning too. She loved being with Percy, she really did and she never meant to be so harsh. Their situation was just so complicated and it just put so much pressure on her, but she shouldn't have taken it out on Percy.
She hated it when he sulked, he was cuter when he was the lovable goofball he was at heart so Annabeth slammed her book shut, pulled off her wrap and her hat and ran barefoot down the beach towards Percy's hunched over frame, crouching down in front of him, her hands on top of his arms. "I'm sorry Seaweed Brain, the situation is just so complicated and I am sorry I took it out on you."
Percy sighed, "You can make it up by taking a photo of me and just having a piece of me somewhere." He asked softly, looking into Annabeth's eyes as she smiled and relented as she stood up and offered her hand to Percy and pulled him to his feet. She ran up the beach and grabbed her phone and walked back down the beach, stopping a short distance away from him and positioned her phone camera on Percy who stood there looking so perfect and cute as she snapped the perfect picture.
"Perfect." She said with a smile as she set it as her screen saver putting a lock on the screen incase her mother picked it up when it was on so she couldn't see the photo of Percy. Her phone fell right out of her hand and onto her beach chair as Percy's arm wrapped themselves around her waist as he carried her down the beach over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and tossed her into the water but she managed to pull him in with her.
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
Annabeth gripped the blankets that had bunched up in her hands and were unconsciously drawn to her chest as she lay back down and turned on her side, her back facing her door as she sobbed into her pillow, breaking down further and further. She was too busy crying to notice her mother peeking through the tiny crack between the door and it's frame.
With a heavy sigh, she turned on her heel and walked away, heading to the kitchen in hopes of finding some comfort food for her daughter and tissues, well, thats what she hoped Annabeth needed right now.
:~.~.~.~.~:
-Two Weeks Later-
:~.~.~.~.~:
It was five hours and counting since Annabeth last cried which was progress in her father's books. He and Athena had decided that maybe Annabeth needed to re-insert herself into reality, be around people and friends to help her so after a silent and quiet breakfast, Annabeth was taken to school, her first periods were Homeroom so she spent that time catching up on homework.
Now she had History with Mr. Brunner and she was quietly walking through the halls of Goode High School, all eyes on her as she walked by. Many had sympathy in their eyes as she walked by but she really didn't notice as she made a quick detour to the bathroom and took a moment to wash her face and get herself together.
That was really hard to do since she looked like a mess. Her tresses of blonde hair were pulled up into the messiest ponytail she had seen in her life, it looked like a broken tangled pompom protruding off her head. Her eyes were red and slightly blood shot from the crying, deep bags under her eyes that made it seem like she had two black eyes, her skin so pale she looked like a fading ghost in the poorly lit porcelain bathroom.
She was wearing a baggie hoodie but it was her own hoodie. It was Percy's, he had let her keep it, it was one of her favourite things to wear besides his baggy shirt that hung like a loose dress over her frame, and she had put on jeans and a pair of flats. She resembled a hobo so she pulled her hair out of the ponytail and let it fall loosely, hopefully if she started to cry, her face would be hidden.
With a sigh she shouldered her backpack, not really caring that she was a few minutes late for class as she arrived at the history room and turned the handle and pushed the door open. Heads shot up in every direction, watching in disbelief as she walked into the room and closed the door behind her. Mr. Brunner was writing on the board, speaking to his class about Poseidon and Athena's rivalry in Greek Mythology when he turned round in his wheelchair and saw no one was paying attention and then he saw Annabeth.
His warm brown eyes were filled with remorse, genuine remorse, his voice the same as he said, "Annabeth, I didn't think you'd be back so soon. Please take a seat, you don't have to listen really, you already know this section we are going through. Feel free to catch up on work you've missed if you wish." He said softly as he smiled sadly at her as she gave a single nod and went straight to her seat, putting her bag on the floor and pulling out her book and placing it on her table.
She pulled out her notebook and opened it to the last page she was writing on and opened to the last bit of homework she was on for her AP Math class with Mrs Dobbs, the devil witch and flipped the page of her text book to the next problem she needed to do but froze when she saw a folded note. She placed her pencil down and picked up the note and hesitantly opened it, staring at it, taking in the familiar swirly hand writing as tears gathered in her eyes as she stared at the message
:~.~.~.~.~:
Hey Wise Girl.
Meet me by my truck today, I wanna take you on a ride. I miss you
please can I see you today before I die of a broken heart
-pouty face-
Yeah, I am pathetic, I know, but please. I really miss you.
From
Seaweed Brain
:~.~.~.~.~:
Annabeth stared at the note, tears pouring down her face as she gripped it, squeezing her eyes shut as if to try keep the tears in but they just poured out from behind her eyes as if they were squeezing through the cracks of her broken foundation. A broken sob escaped her lips as the note fell to the table and Annabeth gripped her hair in bunches, gasping for breath as the memory of that day came and hit her like a freight train.
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
"So Seaweed Brain, you gonna tell me why you wanted to see me so desperately." Annabeth said in a slightly annoyed tone, she had to be home by five or her mother might suspect something.
"Is it wrong that I want to spend time with you?" Percy groaned, seeming slightly agitated as they walked hand in hand through their secluded meadow. "Does their seriously always have to be a hidden motive to it."
"It was so sudden is all considering you know we have to lay low so my mom doesn't find out about us. I couldn't live with myself if she found out about you." Annabeth hadn't even realised what she said as she felt an emptiness in her hand and turned round and saw that Percy had stopped and was looking at her in disbelief. "What is it now Percy?"
His bottom lip trembled as tears gathered in his eyes as he looked at her. "I cant believe it. You're ashamed of being with me, no, not being with me, of me." He whispered brokenly as Annabeth groaned.
"Seriously Percy, you know that I am not." Annabeth said back as Percy shook his head.
"You said you couldn't live with yourself if she found out about me, not us, me." Percy shouted, pointing himself hard in his chest, but he couldn't feel it cause he kept doing it. Annabeth's eyes widened as she realised what she had said.
"Percy-" she began but Percy interrupted her, not giving her a chance to continue as he rasped out, "You are ashamed of me, and I was so stupid not to see it." His hands running through his hair as he shook his head in disbelief. "To think I actually fell in love with you no matter how little we saw of each other, no matter how many times you yelled at me to leave you alone, or pushed me away in front of your friends and hid me from anyone and everyone including Thalia, I still fell in love with you."
Annabeth froze and stared at him in disbelief. "Y-you l-love m-m-me?" She stuttered, completely shocked to her core.
"Yes, I have loved you since the beginning Annabeth. You think any go could go through what you have put me through if they didn't love the person they were doing it for." Percy said in a hurt tone. "I brought you here today because I wanted to take you to a little picnic so I could be romantic when I told you I am in love with you cause I know I suck at romance and I wanted to show you how much you mean to me but I see to you, I meant nothing."
He turned round and put his hands in his pockets and started walking away and Annabeth growled a, "Fuck it!" under her breath as the tears gathered in her eyes as she called out to Percy, as she followed him but him but he didn't listen. "Percy, I l-ah!" Annabeth cried when she saw the not very small spider walking on her leg. "Ah get it off!" She screamed as she leapt onto Percy's back, her hands around his neck as she thrust her leg to Percy. "Please Percy, get it off." She pleaded.
Percy groaned and reached forward and flicked the spider off and squashed it beneath his foot. "Its okay Annabeth, its dead now." Percy whispered as he stood there with Annabeth on his back as she cried. "Can you get off now."
"No, if I do you will leave me and your can't leave me. I won't let you leave me because of my stupid mouth because I love you too much to let you go." She rattled on, wrapping her legs around his waist in a tight lock. "I love you so much Percy, you are the only thing that gives me joy in my life and I don't care if my mother disowns me if she finds out about us cause I love you so much and I can't lose you. I refuse to." She ranted crying into his back as he unhooked her ankles and allowed her to put them down but she still held onto him.
She could feel his body shaking from laughter as he turned round in her loosely locked arms which fell round his waist as he lifted her face up so he could look down into her eyes, his other hand wrapped around her back, pulling her flush against him as he smiled. "I love you too Wise Girl and I am never going to let you go." He whispered as he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in a tender caress, she kissed him back with just as much love as he was conveying.
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
Annabeth shook her head as she cried, this can't be real, it just can't be real. She turned her head and saw what was Percy's empty desk and broke down into a fit of sobs knowing that she would never see him there again. "Annabeth-" Thalia spoke next to her, reaching out and putting her hand on Annabeth's shoulder but Annabeth jerked at the touch and got out of her chair and ran, she ran right out of the room to anywhere but there.
She found herself in the bathroom under the sinks with the water running to calm her down, the water reminded her him, but it didn't do anything to sooth her pain. Thalia had followed her and was trying to calm her down. "Annabeth, its going to be alright, just please stop crying." Thalia begged as an audience gathered, watching this transpire.
"It's never going to be okay. Percy's gone, he's never coming back." Annabeth sobbed as she hugged her stomach tightly, it felt like it was eating itself as it churned violently and Annabeth quickly crawled over to the toilet and violently upchucked her stomach contents, Thalia screaming for someone to get the nurse because it didn't stop.
:~.~.~.~.~:
-The Next Day-
:~.~.~.~.~:
Annabeth sat on the floor of her bathroom at home, throwing up into the toilet for the umpteenth time today and she knew the reason why and it only made it hurt all the more. She was pregnant with Percy's child. She was carrying a human being within her and Percy was nowhere around to help her raise the baby.
Athena sat on the floor, listening to her daughter jump between sobbing and vomiting into the toilet and it was just horrible. The guilt on weighed down on Athena Chase like a heavy burden, like the weight of the sky was crushing her. She stilled remembered the day she made him leave. The day she caused this whole mess and left her grand-child that Annabeth said she wasn't sure or not if she was going to keep, fatherless.
Frederick could see how much his wife blamed herself for what happened to Percy, he couldn't blame her for feeling that way. Anyone that had been in Athena's position when she found out about Annabeth and Percy would be blaming themselves if they were there to pick up the phone to hear the news that Percy Jackson was gone and he wasn't coming back like he had promised Annabeth.
He remembered the day it happened and chose not to relive it because the defeated look on Annabeth's face as Percy kissed her one last time, promising to be back before he got in his car and drove off home, but the thing was, he never made it back home.
:~.~.~.~.~:
Annabeth leaned against the wall of her bathroom and wiped away any reminisce of this morning's breakfast that had over stayed its welcome on her face with her shirt sleeve as she leaned against the wall, tears forming in her eyes. She was pregnant, six and a half weeks according to the test she did in the school nurse's office.
She knew because that was the first time she was intimate with anyone in her life. She gave herself to Percy wholly, willingly. Percy didn't pressure, he didn't press, he didn't ask. No, she did. She wanted to be with him, she wanted him to always carry a piece of her soul with him, just like she did when they gave each other their virginity.
It looked like Percy had left more than just a smile piece of himself with her, he left a living piece of himself in her, in this baby inside her. She was terrified as hell when she found out she is pregnant, she was only seventeen, she hadn't finished school, and now she was going to be a single parent and would have to raise the baby if she decided to keep it, no, not an it. Is she decided to keep him or her, she would be alone but she had to think about how it would affect those around her.
She was carrying a piece of Sally Jackson's son inside her. The only living piece left of him since that day. Annabeth couldn't help but remember the day Percy made love to her, it would always linger in her memory because of the question Percy asked her...
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
Annabeth hummed a soft sigh as Percy traced a line up and down her spine with his finger, leaving a literally spine chilling sensation up and down her already jelly turned spine. She turned her head to the side and smiled as she looked into Percy's soft, love filled green eyes with her gray ones as he smiled at her.
"What Percy, I can see that something is bugging you. What's up?" Annabeth sighed as Percy shifted closer to Annabeth and lay flat on his tummy, propped up on his elbows as Annabeth turned onto her side, the sheet covering her bare hickey covered flesh as she smiled up at Percy knowingly.
"Do you ever wonder about the future?" He asked softly as he twirled one of Annabeth's blonde princess curls between his fingers.
"What do you mean by that? Of course I think about the future." Annabeth answered softly, but something in Percy's eyes said that that wasn't the answer he was looking for.
"Do you know where you see yourself in the future? What do you see in your future?" He asked as he lay down flat on his back and pulled Annabeth closer to him so that she was pressed comfortably in his side as she snuggled into his chest, her chin resting on his chest so she could look at his face.
"What do you see Percy?" Annabeth asked curiously as Percy sat up, bringing Annabeth with him as he cupped her cheek, softly moving his thumb in gentle circles against her cheek, his sea green eyes filled with so much love and adoration as Percy leaned down, his lips just millimetres above her as he gave her his answer.
"You." He whispered as he closed the gap and pressed his lips softly against her own, Annabeth humming against his lips as he lay back down, bringing her with him as they lay there, kissing without a care in the world as their legs tangled with each others, never wanting to let go of each other.
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
In the midst of it all, Percy asked her what she saw for herself in the future but sadly, she never got to give him that answer. Annabeth hiccupped in the middle of her sobs as she rested her hands on her belly that held the piece of Percy that she would never give up ever, and she smiled sadly to herself. "Wanna know what I saw for my future Percy." She whispered as she gently rubbed her belly as she looked up at the ceiling, a single tear running from the corner of her eyes as she smiled sadly. "I saw you Percy. I saw you."
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
-Seven Years Later-
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
Annabeth Chase sat in the driver's seat of her car, shaking her head as she looked in the back mirror at her two beautiful children. "You two behave. I know you are excited to see grandma but you can't forget this is a special day so you have to be on your best behaviour." Annabeth ordered softly as she received two pouts and repetitive "Okay mommy," from the twins.
To say that Annabeth was scared when she found that she was pregnant with twins was a big understatement, she was downright terrified but she made a promise to herself that she intended to keep. Her first born was the cute little girl who sat right behind Annabeth's seat, reading a book with beautiful luscious black princess curls which was pulled back into a messy ponytail and sparkling green eyes that's beauty was magnified by her thin rectangular framed glasses was little Zoë Silena Chase-Jackson.
Next to her was a little miniature version of Percy himself. From the messy black locks that rested on his little head to the big heart that beat in his chest with those bright green eyes that reminded her so much of Percy that sometimes it made her cry because her little boy, Beckendorf Perseus Chase-Jackson was exactly like Percy. The two would have been so sweet together, Percy would have loved them both.
She was very glad she never gave them up because they were her most prized possession and she loved them just as much as she loved Percy. The pregnancy was hard without Percy, but she had family who stuck by her, Sally, Percy's mom and his dad, Poseidon both helped through it along with her parents and Percy's cousin and Annabeth's best friend, Thalia Grace.
In the beginning after she had the twins, it was rough but she made it through, she finished school and even managed to go to the local college to do night classes when her kids were asleep so she could earn her degree in architecture and now, she was taking time to spend time with her kids to make sure she didn't miss any of them growing up.
Today she was going with Sally to do something she had finally decided she was ready to do with her kids. She was gonna take them to see Percy for the first time, and she was thankful that Sally offered to come with.
It didn't take long for Annabeth to find the back road to the meadow, and the minute she arrived in the open field, she saw Percy's old truck which the Jackson's had kept and spent a lot of time fixing parked a short distance away, with Sally and Poseidon sitting on the open back of the rickety old truck that didn't look so rickety and old when Percy drove her around in it.
The minute Annabeth opened the back door, the two shot out the car and ran right into the arms of their grand parents who smiled and laughed, happy to see them. Annabeth locked her car and walked up to the Jackson's as she embraced Sally who smiled. "it's great to see you Annabeth. You look very well."
"Not as good as you do Sally." Annabeth noted as she pulled away. Sally hadn't aged much since Annabeth last saw her. Her brown hair was as youthfully and vibrant as ever, and her blue eyes lit up brightly as she looked over Annabeth and smiled.
Annabeth smiled as she jumped in and hugged Poseidon who looked like an older version of Percy with a shaggy bushy black beard. "My dear, its so nice of you to come and do this with us. I know its hard but it really is appreciated." Annabeth smiled sadly as she took Zoë and Back's hand in her, cause her son preferred to have his name shortened, just like his dad and they walked up the meadow towards a tree that stood tall and proud.
As they arrived under the shade of the tree, Zoë and Beck tilted their head in curiosity as they looked at this weird rock that was next to the giant willow tree. "Mommy, whose Per-Persias Jackon?" Beck asked in a curious soft voice as he looked at this weird rock.
"It's Perseus Jackson. That's your daddy's name. But he didn't liked being called by his full name. He preferred it when people called him Percy." Annabeth answered sadly as she looked at the tombstone that stood before them as she read the inscription on the large memorial stone.
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
In Loving Memory of
Perseus Achilles Jackson
a.k.a
Percy
Born: Sunday, August 18th 1991
Died: Monday, September 1st 2008
He was a loving son,
a dear best friend,
an incredible boyfriend
and an unexpected father.
He was taken from us too soon
and he will be missed dearly by us all
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
"He wishes he could be here so he could watch you grow my little ones." Annabeth whispered as she knelt down and embraced her children in her arms. "He loves you both and want you to know that he always will." Annabeth whispered softly as she stared at the stone with a sad smile.
It was a drunken driver that took Percy away from the world, away from his family and from his unborn children. Annabeth hadn't moved on from Percy, she didn't want to, because she was happy just the way she was. Her future held Percy in it, just in a different perspective. He lived through his and Annabeth's children and one day soon, she would see him again but right now, she is doing what she promised Percy a long time ago.
She was gonna keep on living her life, even if he wasn't there but in truth he was there, he always had been and that is what allowed Annabeth to work hard every day cause she the love of her life, her soul mate, through their children and one day soon, she would be with him, but for now, she was happy, and she knew she would be for a long time.
"Hi Percy. I want you to meet our kids. Beck and Zoë."
:~.~.~.~.~:
The End
-:~.~.~.~.~:-
Wow, by far one of the saddest pieces I have ever written in my life. It took forever but I am proud of this piece, I hope you all enjoyed it, although it was rather sad, I quite enjoyed it. I hope you all enjoyed this, don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think. See you when i see you all I guess.
Bye for now everyone.