Chapter 4 - Septic Shock
Percy was quickly slipping into a routine.
In between the periods when Kronos was awake, Percy was able to leave to get himself a quick meal – though he never stayed in the mess for any longer than was necessary – and get the kids fed, still lukewarm milk.
Then he'd be back with time to spare, time to just sit and observe Kronos as he slept, before Kronos woke and inevitably panicked. Without fail, every time Kronos came around he panicked, eyes glazed and unfocused until he ran short of breath or Percy was able to calm him – whichever happened to come first.
When Kronos had fallen asleep after his initial wake-up, Apollo had snuck back in to put another catheter beside the first one. Kronos had not been pleased when he woke to find himself hooked up to yet another thing.
As it currently was, Kronos was very slowly recovering through Apollo's ministrations, Percy's care, the regular mix of water and a few other things that the god in question was able to slip into Kronos either with or without the Titan's knowledge.
Kronos, hands still tied to the railing, was soothing one hand over the cub sprawled over his abdomen when Percy returned from a meeting the gods had ordered him to join. Percy was faintly surprised to see him up.
"How's your chest?" Percy asked as he reached across Kronos to grab the water for him, fiddling to un-cuff a hand as he did so. Kronos didn't need prompting, taking the concoction from Percy and downing it.
Kronos shrugged faintly, then winced. "It's fine." He blinked at Percy, and then his eyes unfocused slightly and slid past him, staring at nothing.
Percy frowned, reaching for the bandage and carefully unwinding it. The past few days the necrotic skin had stopped spreading so quickly. Percy's frown deepened and he traced a finger over the slightly swollen streaks through Kronos' skin. Kronos' skin was clammy and far, far too cold for an immortal. The dark, swollen lines criss-crossed out from the injury.
The younger Titan's jaw clenched. "Kronos," he said, loudly to get the other Titan's attention. Percy lifted a hand. "How many fingers do you see?" Kronos shot him a dull glare. "Just humour me, Firefly."
The old mocking name for Kronos seemed to get his attention. Kronos sighed, but followed the request. He blinked a few times before giving Percy an answer. While it wasn't answering Percy's question, it definitely answered something.
Percy pressed his lips together. "I'll be right back," he promised, leaning forward to briefly kiss Kronos. "Try to stay awake."
Kronos frowned at him. "Percy, I'm…" His frown deepened slightly. "I'm fine."
Percy ignored him, making his way for the door out of the room and making sure it was shut behind him before running.
"Hey," a voice yelled after Percy in the main market street of Olympus, "watch where you're going, Titan!"
Percy would've turned and given the nymph a harsh retort, if he wasn't preoccupied.
Percy didn't slow even as he neared the throne room doors, throwing himself at them with all his strength and knocking them open on their hinges. One of them slammed against the wall and he immediately had the attention of the gods.
Zeus' expression twisted in anger as he rose to his feet. "I thought I had dismissed you," he boomed.
"Yeah," Percy said. "You had." He wanted to get straight to the point, wanted to tell Apollo that he needed him, but didn't. Percy bowed to the god. "And I apologise for disrupting your highly important meeting," Poseidon's lips twitched slightly, but Percy didn't look at him just in case it would make him laugh, "but Kronos just asked me where he was. And I'm pretty sure I've already told him a few times over the past days. He's out of it, completely. Eyes weren't focusing." Percy turned to Apollo. "I need your help."
Apollo looked to Zeus. "It seems serious," he gravely told his father. "Very serious. It could be something fatal."
Percy's eyes widened slightly.
Zeus sighed heavily. "Very well," he relented with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You are dismissed, Apollo."
The god gravely nodded.
As soon as they left the throne room, Apollo sighed and stretched. "Thanks, Perce," he said, winking at the Titan. "You saved me from having to listen to any more of that. 'Titans spotted in Michigan, Titans in Virginia. Titans everywhere!'"
"Really?" Percy asked.
Apollo paused. "I shouldn't have said that, should I?"
Percy smiled. "Probably not," he agreed, before he dropped the topic. "I'm serious though, I think Kronos might have an ichor infection now."
Apollo grabbed hold of Percy's forearm and flashed them into Kronos' room. He blinked as he observed Kronos. "Ah, yes, I see what you mean."
Percy swore under his breath, rushing over to the bed. "Kronos," he said fiercely as he cradled the older Titan's head in his hands, "Kronos, come on. I told you to stay awake."
"I'wake," Kronos slurred, blinking rapidly at Percy. The heart-rate monitor was beeping a lot faster than it should be. "Do'worry."
"Yeah," Percy growled, "I am."
Apollo was busy fiddling with the various drips. And, as Percy watched, Kronos' eyes unfocused, glazing over briefly as he blinked at Percy, and then they rolled up in his head.
Percy's eyes widened. "Kronos-"
"I was me," Apollo curtly told Percy. "I need him asleep."
Percy noted the drip in the crook of Kronos' elbow feeding him a steady supply of a thick, white solution. "What…?"
"Carfentanil," Apollo said. He pulled on some gloves, nodding to the panicking cubs whom were nosing at Kronos. "Can you take them and yourself outside?"
"What are you going to do?" Percy questioned.
The god pressed his lips together. "I'm going to remove any particles of Tartarus that still remain," he said.
"Is this bad?"
"Depends. It has come on very quickly, which is cause for concern." Apollo frowned briefly at Percy, before he turned to face the heart-rate monitor. "And if I'm right it's been chugging along in the background for a while." As the look on Percy's face, he elaborated. "Septic shock. The infection has reached a vital organ, essentially. Now go."
Percy nodded sharply and grabbed the cubs, gathering them up in his arms despite their squirming and crying for their father – at least that's what it seemed to be – and then Percy left the room, leaving Apollo to sort it out. This was far beyond Percy's capabilities now.
I'm sorry, it's very short, I know. I'll make up for it the next chapter, promise.
Lord Nitro: Yeah, very yuck.
Matt: He will, slowly.
aRTsyisAwesome: Deja vu? What from? Eh, just ignore everything else in life and focus on the stories.
Brookstar: Basically, yeah.
