Chapter 2-

When Annabeth had gotten to work that morning, she immediately walked to Piper's desk, talking to her oldest friend. They chatted about plans for the baby shower and possible names for the baby. When Annabeth mentioned one, Piper giggled like it was the funniest thing in the world.

"What's so wrong with the name Athena?" Annabeth asked, offended. "That's my mom's name."

"There's nothing wrong with it." Piper stopped her laughing fit. "It's the name of a goddess. Do you want her to get bullied?"

"First of all, we don't know if it's a girl or a boy." Annabeth scolded. "Second, she would not get bullied for that name. All the other kids would wish they had that name."

"Don't get defensive." Piper joked. "I would love anything you picked. I'm going to be the godmother, after all."

"Yeah, so if me and Percy both die in some freak accident, the baby would be your's to raise." Annabeth instructed.

"Pleasure's mine." Piper saluted, making Annabeth scrunch up her nose.

"You're just like Leo!" she hit Piper's arm. "Always making a joke out of everything."

"Hey, it was funny!" Piper spread her arms out, laughing at her friend's expression. "And I am not Leo!"

"You so are." Annabeth replied, going to sit at her own desk. "But don't worry, Jason will still love you."

"Ha ha." Piper pulled her hair up in a ponytail, turning on the small fan at her desk. "You just wished Percy loved you as much as Jason loves me."

"Want to bet?" Annabeth pointed at her pregnant stomach. "I win."

"That's not fair!" Piper huffed, going back to her computer. "Is it even his baby?"

Annabeth threw a pack of sticky notes at her, hitting her flat on the head. "It sure is his baby!"

They both laughed, their gazes locking for a minute. Somehow, Annabeth could see the dread in Piper's eyes and feel it in her own. Something was wrong, and they both knew it. It felt like Death was wrapping his cloak around them, readying his scythe for their reaping. Nothing would account for their uneasiness, but they both knew it to be true. They continued to keep their gazes locked, until the plane hit the building, and they were thrown from their seats like rag dolls.

Annabeth watched as Piper was thrown against the wall, her head snapping on impact. In less than two seconds, her best friend was killed, leaving no time for goodbye or sorry's. She was gone, and there was no getting her back.

Annabeth tried to move herself, but her body refused to come out from under a desk. On top of the desk, computers and printers were thrown, weighing it down even more. Looking at her stomach irreproachably, Annabeth could see a box cutter sticking out of the top, blood pooling out from the wound. Panic started to rise in her chest, but her arms were pinned to her sides and she could do nothing but stare at the wound.

The smoke was thickening, her blood darkening. Annabeth couldn't feel her baby kick anymore, nor could she feel her legs whatsoever. All she could do was lay there, slowly becoming dizzy from lack of blood and the smoke that snaked its way into her lungs. As tears fell down her cheeks, the only thing she could think of was her husband's face, his sea green eyes staring back at her.

They were her last thought.

—

Jason worked in the South Tower with one of his best friends, Leo Valdez. It really was a dream job, especially considering how young they were. They were lucky, making that much money and creating a career. If anybody asked him, Jason would say his life was perfect as it was. Yeah, he didn't have a perfect childhood, but he was happy. He had the ones he loved close by and a ton of friends to back him up. He was twenty-two and living the dream.

And then a plane rammed into the North tower and ruined everything he ever thought of. When it first hit, he had looked up in alarm at the noise. He wasn't sure what it was or where it came from, but was on alert about what had happened years before, when the garage of the same building was blown up by a bomb.

Jason had jumped from his seat and to the nearest window, looking out at the city he grew up in. Below him, people were walking about, but something seemed off about the way the were. They weren't walking…they were just…standing there…

Smoke in the edge of his vision made him look up, seeing for the first time what would haunt him for the rest of his life. The North Tower, the one his girlfriend worked at with their friend, was on fire, a hole carved into the top of it. When he looked around him, his fellow workers were also staring in awe at the sight.

Jason was about to run from the tower to get Piper when a voice came over the intercom, telling them not to evacuate and that it had been an accident; that it would be okay. They were told that fire trucks were on their way and that everyone would be saved.

Why had he believed them?

He went back to work, knowing there was nothing he could do. But then, some time later, another noise came from above him, throwing him out of his seat and onto the floor. Showers of sparks rained from the ceiling, setting fire to desks and papers. Before Jason could think, he was dragged by Leo Valdez out of the room and to the staircase, which was already flooded by those trying to escape, running for their lives. A couple of floors down, Jason finally got his bearings and ran alongside Leo.

When they emerged from the building, Jason didn't even have time to breathe in relief before he was shepherded away from the scene by police and firefighters. Him and Leo were ordered to run, not walk, but run until they were at least five miles away, where they would be safe. They past a wailing woman, a praying priest, a child looking for his mother, and a man proclaiming that the buildings were going to come down, that they weren't strong enough.

Jason could only hope that the man was wrong.

"Shouldn't we go help Annabeth and Piper?" Jason asked Leo, standing still with the crowd of people looking up at the towers.

"They'll be fine." Leo said, but didn't sound sure. "Percy's probably already getting them out."