June 20th

"She looks comatose! I'm worried, what happened?! Where's Percy?" I squeaked, curling up into a tight ball. My sobs were violent. Why was I crying? Why did Percy's name upset me so much?

Piper nudges Hazel aside, peeking at my face under my tangled hair and behind my knees.

She shakes her head, "she just got her heart broken. By Percy, I assume." Piper remarks looking pained. She doesn't hurt as much as I do now. She doesn't ache all over, her eyes aren't leaking faster than Niagra Falls. Her heart's still whole. I can't decide if my chest is broken or just hallow, and all I want to do is sleep. I know sleep will never come.

I stand on wobbily legs, grateful to be in the bathroom. I tear through the medicine cabinet, grabbing the NyQuil. I down several mouth-fulls, the bottle vertical before Piper grabs it out of my hand, the liquid pooring all over me.

The last thought I have before I black out is how much I wish Hazel's arms were Percy's.

August 17th

"Annabeth!" I grunted in response, sadly unable to find enough energy to even turn my head in the direction of the hallway. A cacophony of clatters ensued as I heard Piper's attempt at dinner.

I grudgingly got up from my warm and safe bed, my furious hunger out-weighing most all of my thoughts. I still thought about him, I always do. I don't have a single moment where I'm not talking to him, and each second it's driving me to the brink of insanity.

My sigh was heavy and loaded as I padded down the hallway, arriving in the kitchen which was more congested than usually with several pots and pans littering the counters. A frozen chicken, turkey, and a package of bacon were all sitting on the stove, one step closer to rotting decay.

Piper poked her head sheepishly out of the freezer, frozen entrées in each hand. I shake my head as I put everything away, rumaging through the cupboards to find the soup mix. I pulled out my reliable pot, filling it with water and watching it start to boil.

Piper was awkwardly standing by the kitchen table, tapping her foot and playing with the napkin holder. I gave her a pointed look, spill.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you with dinner, Annabeth."

"No big deal," I mustered enough energy to shrug my shoulders, my eyes trailing to the pot in response of the solitary bubble that popped on the surface of the water.

This might be worse than watching paint dry. I turn back to Piper, her face suddenly ferociously determined as she shooed me away.

"I can make a simple soup mix. Go sit down and eat your dessert first." Piper managed to squeaze a smile out of me with that. I walked over to the freezing, finding the richest milk chocolate ice cream we had and ate it right out of the container.

Piper's eyebrows raised at me, "what, I'm the only one likes milk chocolate." I explain, Piper decides to give up, rolling her eyes so far into her head I thought she would get a head ache.

Piper manages to cook the soup short enough not to burn it, and long enough so it's not raw. I feel strangely proud. God knows how horrible Piper's cooking use to be. We eat in silence, spoons scraping against bowls with chicken broth sloshing around.

Every time I would go to look at my bowl to take another bite, Piper would lookup at me with her eyebrows knitted in concern. By the sixth time, I was tired of it.

"Two months, Piper, I'm fine."

She didn't seem to believe me for even one minute. "I know this can't be easy on you..."

"We're not talking about this, Piper." I snap at her. We both jump as we hear the front door open and close down the hallway, the small apartment seeming to shrink before our eyes as Jason ducks in oder to make it through the kitchen.

"Jason," Piper pops up bubbly and I have to fight to keep the scowl off my face. How can she go from somber to overexcited in mere seconds? I sigh, Jason's gaze shifting to me as his eyebrows slowly raise. He gives me a cheesy smile, kneeling down until he's eye level with my crouched figure.

"How are you doing?"

"Don't ask me that like I'm dying. Last time a checked I didn't have some life threatening disease, I don't need to be your charity case." I snap at him, crossing my arms over my chest and jutting out my jaw defiantly.

"Same Annabeth," Jason chuckles as him and Piper sit beside me on the ancient table bought used.

"Annabeth..." Piper starts, I shake my head.

"You will not be giving me an intervention or a lecture. I get up every morning and eat three square meals a day. You have nothing to complain about."

"Annabeth, this isn't living." Piper gently tells me. I still scoff, but I can't help but look down at my lap longingly.

"I can't live without him."