Chapter 27/ Decisions

Day 8

"Ya know, they've been talking about you Perc." Annabeth mumbled softly. She was leaning against the side of his bed as she sat in the same chair she had for days.

"A-and Apollo's been giving Sally and I these weird looks –don't know what to make of them," She took a breath, and gulped. "But honestly, I don't wanna know what they mean because I jus -I-I have this feeling, you know? This aching feeling in my gut... its telling me everything's going to be okay, b-but as each day passes, I'm having a hard time believing it." The last words she spoke in that sentence came out in a soft whisper, almost as if she didn't believe it herself.

"And I just don't know why..."

There was a small pause of silence that took over the room, and the only thing that could be heard was the unsettling swishing of the respirator in the background.

"I know, you know that I've been here every day, asking you the same thing, and I'm not going to say it again for the sake of repetition. Just know that I'm waiting for you, a-and your mom is too."

Annabeth then gently took hold of his hand and stroked the outline of his fingers. They were clammy with sweat; a sign of bad circulation that she chose to ignore. These signs were small, sure, but they were significant; and new ones popped up every day.

The day before he had stricken a fever, which had significantly gotten worse, and the day before that his skin started to turn a pigment of yellow, indicating that his livers were starting to fail...

But Annabeth managed to turn her usual rational self off and face reailty when she was ready. She understood what was happening to him, but she just refused to process it in fear her worst nightmare was coming true; though it was.

All of a sudden a tear fell down her face, then another, and then another, it was like they couldn't stop. And she hated to cry –feeling weak and pathetic, but it was all she could do. "You have to wake up Percy!" She whispered as she let of his hand and used it to carelessly play with the ends of his hair.

"T-this can't be how it ends, I won't let you -Hades can't have y-you!" She cried. "He-he can't have you. Please, don't take him..." She mumbled the last part to, though Hades wasn't physically there for some reason she felt as if though he heard her. The tricky part was if he actually listened.

"O-okay? You can't have him- not yet." Her voice broke. "I'm not letting you!" She said in a protective matter.

Pain was present within her. Every time she'd visit and see him like this once again she could barely take it. She hated it. Not being able to talk to him, make him feel better, joke around. She could only cry, and beg for him to open his eyes.

It was her worst fear to never see those sea-green eyes of his again. She didn't want to believe there was a chance she might never –it scared the living daylights out of her if she ever gave thought to it. It had been a week and one day since they arrived back. A week and one day since Percy had been unconscious. Eight days. And she couldn't help thinking of only the worst.

Apollo saw the whole thing, he saw it all through the window in hall. He saw the hurt,

he saw the blame, he saw the bond they shared that connected them through their veins and, hearts. He saw their love.

And it hurt him, It hurt him because he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't have any power in any of this.

He sighed in frustration and sulked further into the wall. Percy was getting worse, his lungs were completely corrupt and he wasn't even breathing on his own -but he didn't tell Annabeth, or Sally this -anyone actually. They believed the respirator was helping ease the pain, helping him breathe easier.

He wished it was that. He had tried everything, but he knew this Poison wasn't curable

-he was astonished Percy even lasted this long! Percy was fighter, but Apollo knew he would lose this fight.

He sighed once more and tired to come to terms with what he was about to do. He needed to tell Sally, to tell Annabeth, Poseidon -everyone. After much consideration and a heated debated with himself, he knew what he had to do; It would be best for everyone.

He got off the wall and walked down the hallway in search of Sally. And instead of finding only her, he found Poseidon as well. They were both standing across each other, they seemed to be chatting about something while both holding distraught expressions on their faces, Sally even had tears.

"I need to talk to you guys." He spoke softly, there was a slightly strain of hesitance in his voice but he ignored it and continued wanting to get the process over with as soon as possible, so he could move on, even gods could feel remorse.

"let's head to my office."

...

He told them to sit down polity and took a sip of his tea to calm his reckless nerves. "Apollo, what's going on?" Sally asked in confusion. Poseidon looked at him as if to ask the same thing, there was a worried look plastered to his face that hide the one he had on previously.

"We need to discuss Percy." His voice seemed to echo off the walls of the small office, making him feel like he was casting too much power over the two. But he felt he somewhat needed it, after all he held Percy's life in his hands.

"Regarding what exactly?" Poseidon asked.

Apollo took a deep breath and met both parents in the eye before further explaining. "I suggest, take Percy off of life-support." He advised. The news hit both parents hard as soon as their ears absorbed what they had just heard.

Sally's eyes widened with tears, as she griped the sides of her chair tightly, her heart began to catch speed, her lungs losing breath. Poseidon froze; he stopped breathing for a moment. He didn't dare look Sally in the eye.

"I have kept this to myself in order not to alarm you, but Percy's lungs are completely corrupt, he's not breathing on his own... and hasn't been for a while." Apollo added.

Sally's eyes met his while tears fell down her horrified face. "Is there anything you can do?-" She asked, her voice breaking. Apollo shook his head. "His organs are failing, his respitory system is cut, and on top of that his wounds are alarming enough… h-he's dying -whether on the machines or not."

Sally nodded and let out a sudden expected sob, as her hand went over her mouth. She tightened her eyes and tried to let everything out, in hope of somehow feeling better. There was no chance, not anymore This is what she understood from Apollo. Poseidon remained unmoving; he wasn't given enough time to process it. "There's nothing else?-" He continued to question.

"He's not responding to any stimuli, his circulation is going down the drain, his liver is failing, heart, lungs, kidney's, you name it... I have no control over his recovery or situation, due to the fact that it's God's Poison." Apollo mumbled, trying to reason with the Sea God. He felt so useless, so powerless in that moment; but he knew, not even his magic could help Percy now.

"Although, he's not technically brain dead, I honestly cannot see him waking up… at all." That took Sally completely over the edge as she began to sob harder into her hands. She couldn't help it. Her son was dying, he actually, basically dead, it was just his body that remained… a shell of a former hero.

"H-he could be in pain right now…" Apollo mumbled sadly, as he continued to rationalize. "There was no reason to put him on morphine, after his major wounds healed, and if we kept him sedated there won't have been any chance at him waking up..."

This caught Sally's attention right away and she eased her crying enough to speak. "He could b-be in pain right now?" She asked. Apollo nodded. She tightened her eyes and shook her head repeatedly. "Oh my go –turn them off. Turn them off now." She whispered, it was almost as if she was in some sort of denial.

Apollo nodded. "How about tonight at nine? That will give everyone a chance to say goodbye." He spoke confidently, trying to hide his true emotions. In reality he couldn't help it. He wasn't used to his; having this talk with parents and family that their loved one was not gonna make it. Ninety-seven percent of his patients recovered extremely well, extremely fast, he guessed Percy was one of those unlucky three.

Then again, the odd never really where in his favor…

Sally slowly, and shakliy got up from her chair and walked to the door. Then she turned when she was in the frame of it, and spoke. "Thank you Apollo, for helping Percy as much as you could." Apollo nodded, a gesture of your welcome, and watched as Sally walk out in a distressed matter.

Poseidon then looked to Apollo after he heard the door swing shut, his eyes held a plan. "There is one thing we can do to save him."

Apollo raised an eyebrow. "You don't mean?-" But Poseidon nodded. "It's the only way Apollo." But Apollo shook his head realizing what the Sea God was referring to. "Percy wouldn't agree to his- no one will."

"They don't have to know Apollo. Stick with your original plan, just tweak it a little." Poseidon pleaded. "Please... he's my son." Apollo looked down at his desk in deep thought, trying to weight out the options. It's dangerous, we don't even know if it'll work. Or if he could come back... Apollo thought. But if it could, Percy would be fine... "I don't know Posieden. Last time he was offered this he declined not wanting to live this life… what makes it much of a difference from now?" He asked.

"My boy is dying, that's what makes it different. He is lying there, dependent on machines built by the mortals Apollo! We cannot just do anything." Poseidon barked.

Apollo nodded and looked the God before him dead in the eye. "If we do this, I don't know if we can bring him back –and he will never naturally die with his friends, family… he won't have a life with them anymore." Apollo warmed.

Poseidon leaned back in his chair clearly distraught. "But we can reverse it Apollo, I'm sure can we –we've don't it before…" He argued.

"Yeah, we have. Millions of years ago, and it's only ever worked once." Apollo continued trying to make the Sea God understand the consequences and risks.

"This is our only chance Apollo; the only one."

Apollo sighed, he was conflicted. He didn't want to agree with his, there was a small chance it could actually work, and an even smaller chance that he could lead a normal life after this… but, Poseidon was right; this was their only choice… it has finally come to this.

"Fine, eight o'clock in Percy's room."