AN: Just want to thank everyone for the reviews- they mean a lot! And also I want everyone to know that I'm not a doctor and have never been sent to hospital or anything before so I don't know how anything works so just go with it. Sorry if there are any mistakes- Enjoy…
Annabeth
A Month Later
"You want to walk to school with me and Percy?" Thalia asks on the other end.
"I can't," I reply into the phone which is pressed in-between my ear and shoulder as I slide jeans on.
"How come?" she asks, in a whiny tone.
"I have chemo. I'm not coming to school," I answer with a sigh.
"Oh," is all she says for a few seconds but she then she breaks the silence, "Will you be coming to school tomorrow?"
"It depends on how I feel," I reply.
"I hate that you have to go through it all," she whispers.
"Thalia Grace, you're not going all sappy on me, are you?" I tease, trying to lighten the moment.
I can hear the smile in her voice as she says, "Maybe. Hey, why don't I come visit you later?"
"No!" I object straight away.
"Why not?" she moans.
"Because I'll be in bed, feeling sick and tired. In less words: I won't be the best host and, besides, my dad won't let you in," I reply.
"We'll see about that. I got to go, okay? Good luck," she says before hanging up.
I throw my cell phone on the bed and finish getting ready. I brush my teeth and wash my face before pulling my wig onto my head. I straighten it up before heading downstairs and into the kitchen where my dad is sitting at the dinner table with the twins while my step mom makes them breakfast.
"Do you want pancakes, too?" she asks as she flips a pancake into the air and catches it in the pan.
"No thanks," I reply and sit down at the table.
"I think you should eat something," my dad says, closing the newspaper he was reading and looking at me.
I huff. "I don't want anything. What's the point in eating if it's probably going to come back up later?"
My dad sighs and stands up. "I'll wait in the car. Bobby, Matthew, hurry and eat your breakfast or you'll be late for school," he says and walks out.
I put my head in my hands and close my eyes. The boys finish eating quickly in silence and rushes out a while later after saying goodbye. I realise Sue and I are alone.
"Are you okay?" she asks, sitting down opposite me. I nod even-though we both know I'm lying. I'm nervous. I always am on days I have to have chemo. They'll give me a scan to see if the tumour on the small of my back has shrunk before giving me the drugs.
"I hate having it," I admit with a sigh. "It makes me feel sick and tired and weak…"
"…And you hate being weak," Sue finishes for me. I didn't know she knew me so well. I nod. "You're the bravest person I know."
"My mom was braver," I say with a sad smile but then remember I'm talking to my step mom. "Sorry."
"You can talk about your mom in front of me and your dad, Annabeth. Just because we're married now it doesn't mean your dad doesn't love your mom. He still loves her very much. I know I can't replace her and I'm okay with that."
I nod, tears filling my eyes. "I just miss her more than ever, now. I hate knowing that she hadn't had chemo because she didn't want to be weak for me. It's all my fault."
"Hey, that's not true," Sue whispers and comes around the table to hug me. "She wanted to have happy memories where she could take you places. How could she have done that when she was sick, huh? It's not your fault, so don't ever think that, okay?"
I nod weakly even though I don't believe it.
"Good. Do you want me to come today?" she asks.
"I-I don't mind," I stutter and wipe the few tears that had escaped my gray eyes.
"I better go get ready then," she says and then leaves.
We walk into Manhattan Hospital a few hours later, greeting nurses that have gotten to know me and my family after spending so much time here. We head to reception to sign in before sitting in the waiting room.
Today, like usual, there are several other cancer patients sitting in the waiting room. Some, like me, wear wigs and others don't. I hate my wig. It's itchy and makes my head sweat sometimes but I want to look as much like my old self as possible. Besides, I think the gang will think I look weird.
My dad, Sue and I make small talk for a while before a door opens and a nurse calls out my name. "Do you want us to come in?" my dad asks and I shake my head and smile nervously.
I walk into the room on my own and my nurse Dr. Artemis asks me how I'm feeling. "Just a little nervous, as usual," I reply and she nods before giving me a sad smile.
"Let's get started so you can leave as soon as possible," She says.
It doesn't take long to do the scan and once she's finished she sticks them to the wall and looks at the thin paper. She looks at it for a while before turning back to me and smiling. "It has shrunk a little since I last saw you."
"But I'm not out of the woods?" I reply and she sighs, probably not wanting to say anything that will upset me. "Please, tell me. I want to know everything."
"No, you're not out of the woods. The tumour has shrunk but it's still too big to operate. Hopefully, the chemo will shrink until it's no more," she explains.
"If it grows or doesn't shrink, how long do you think I'll have left?" I ask, digging my nails into my hands.
"Annabeth…" she trails off.
"Tell me."
"A year- two the latest," she replies. I nod and she says, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Why don't you give me the chemo now so I can go?" I suggest and she nods.
She gets the equipment together and inserts the needle into my hand. I squeeze my eyes shut at the sting before the doctor pulls the needle out.
"Right, Annabeth, you know the drill. Stay here for an hour so we can see what side-effects you have and we can give you some pills to take home, okay?" she asks. I nod. "Do you want me to send your parents in?" I nod again, feeling too tired to speak and she walks out.
My dad and Sue come in seconds later and both ask me how I'm feeling straight away. "The same as I always do," I say just before I sit up and start gagging. My dad quickly grabs a bowl and holds it in front of me just in time as sick spills out of my mouth.
This happens on and off for a while before Dr. Artemis comes back with the medication that will help with the sickness. I thank her before leaving with my parents and driving back home.
By the time we arrive it's 2.30pm and I feel so tired I could fall asleep then and there. Sue and my dad help me out of the car as my eyes shut tiredly. "I'm sorry," I mutter. "I'm just so tired."
"It's okay, Annie," my dad whispers, lifting me and carrying me up the stairs.
He takes me into my bedroom and tucks me into bed. "There's a sick bowl by your bed, okay? Just rest. If any of your friends come I'll send them away. I love you." That's the last thing I hear before I fall asleep.
AN: No Percy but he will be in the next chapter. This chapter isn't my best but the story has barely started so give me a chance. Review!
