Sometimes I surprise myself with how stupid I can be.

First, remember that poll I was telling you about? Well, I didn't actually PUT IT ON MY PROFILE, so there's no way you could have seen it.

Second, I took out my anger on the story and now I have to fix the mess I've made. I mean, seriously: WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING? I FRICKIN MADE SOMEONE STOP BREATHING! I don't even know who! So now I have to kill somebody off. If I wasn't being such a brat, I wouldn't have messed up this entire story!

And SOMEHOW I managed to get myself grounded so I haven't updated in over a week! I don't even know what I did!

Anyway, Virtual Cookies (::) for: PercyJackson is SeaweedBrain; allen r; Sizzlen' Dragon; Percabeth42100; BooBird12; coolguy, pepsicola541; baboo; and KatieElizabethGrace. And an EXTRA cookie for pepsicola541 because he/she took the name challenge from Chapter 2, so congraginations (I know exactly what I said, so don't criticize) !

So (finally) ON WITH THE STORY!

DISCLAIMER: If I owned Percy Jackson, PERCY AND ANNABETH WOULDN'T BE IN TARTAURUS RIGHT NOW! *runs and sobs in a corner*

Annabeth's POV

No way. One of my best friends Not. Breathing.

Could this day possibly get any worse?

Thalia won't even tell me who. After she broke down, she wouldn't tell me anything else. She didn't need to say which hospital they were at. I know exactly where they are: the hospital Nico's mom works at.

It's really close to the school, so i didn't bother getting a taxi. It would take to long, anyway.

That's why I'm currently running down Broadway, trying to fight off the tears.

My heart is literally about to pop out of my chest. With my singing legs and heart, all I want to do is lie down, to realize that I'm still in the library, having a horrible nightmare. But I know that no matter how much I want it to happen, it won't.

My mind could never conjure up something so real and painful.

I wish Thalia would tell me more about what's going on. Me not knowing so much is dangerous for my sanity. One of my many flaws is that I always jump to conclusions. Especially when I'm scared.

Yes, I admit it. I, Annabeth Chase, am scared out of my mind. Who wouldn't be? These are my best friends. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for them. They're the ones that comfort me when I'm on the verge of a break down. Like I am right now.

And today I could lose one of them.

Nico. I've know him since I was twelve. I remember when he used to play with Mythomagic cards. He was absolutely obsessed with that game, even though it was extremely nerdy. There were multiple times when he tried to teach me how play. I never caught on, though. He can be extremely depressing sometimes. With that whole goth thing he has (even though he denies it, just like Thalia), he'd be really scary if he weren't so scrawny. At least, he was scrawny. Now, he's very buff. I haven't had much time to get used to not seeing that short little obsessed-with-death-kid, and I might not get to.

Then there's Percy. Brave, funny, unbelievably stupid Kelp-For-Brains. When we met at age five, I thought he was such a dork. I never wanted anything to do with him until he stopped some bullies from picking on me, resulting in him getting a black eye. After that, he never left my side. It's not like ever wanted him to. He is so loyal that he went as far as inviting me on his family trip to Greece, just because he knew I'd been dying to go there. He's literally the sweetest person to ever walk the earth, and I'm so lucky to have him as my best friend.

What if I never get a chance to say goodbye?

I've been selfish. They are so important to me, and I've been taking them for granted. I always laugh at/ punch them whenever they do something stupid (and that's often enough). Whenever I'd get mad, I'd shut them out. I'd shut everybody out. Not ever telling them what was wrong. I'd put up the walls that I've been building up for years. It isn't their faults. It's a defense mechanism I've learned to do over the years. So much crap has happened in my life that being evasive is the only thing that's keeping me from breaking. If I lose someone else... I'll shatter for sure.

Listen to me. Listen to how selfish I'm being yet again. My best friends could be on their death beds right now, and all I'm thinking about is me.

I disgust myself.

They don't deserve this. What could they have possibly done to deserve this? Sure, they've gotten into their fair share of fight, but those were beating up the jerks who messed with their friends. They are such amazing people, and I don't know what the rest of us would do without either one of them. I don't know what I would do without either one of them.

I swear, if I find out whoever the asshole is who crashed into my best friends, I will personally make sure they never see day light again.

I don't know when I got in front of the hospital, but I've stopped running and am trying to catch my breath. My lungs are literally on fire. I have to put m y hands on my knees to keep from collapsing. The tears have somehow stopped running down my face, but my vision is still blurry. Suddenly I feel nauseous. Not now, Annabeth. I tell myself. Get up and make sure they're okay.

The second I manage to straighten up, my vision goes black.

The end of this chapter!

I know some of you are probably ready to shoot me with an arrow right now (yes, I'm talking to you pepsicola541), but I'm on Spring Break right now, so I'll be updating all this week!

Don't forget to review! I know this chapter is kind of sucky, but tell me what you think and ask questions, anyway.

Later!

-LongLive