Wonderwall

Chapter 35-Suffer

"In this world, it is too common for people to search for someone to lose themselves in. But I am already lost. I will look for someone to find myself in."

― C. JoyBell C.

Too tired to edit this chapter right now. And I haven't edit this last chapter yet :/ Dud3inator, I promise I'll get to it. Your criticism is highly appreciated! I just want to put this up since it's been nearly a month... (update on life-won a lot of scholarship money, and booked a ton of flights to tour the colleges I've been accepted to. super crazy busy, but I'm working on finishing the story... 6-7 ish more chapters?)

"He's like Athena." My dad said after a heart beat.

"Yes." I affirmed. I might have been able to cover up by saying that Percy's a demigod (though I wasn't sure how much of a free reign demigods have on Olympus, as I have never visited before) but I didn't want to lie to my father anymore.

"Oh Annabeth, why does that have to happen to you too..." My father sighed heavily and leaned back down to the chair. I might have become frustrated if it were any other days, but then he had just waited here for me, sitting by my bedside for the last couple of days and I don't think it would be fair to blame him for the reaction. It was only natural.

"He is going to leave you." My father stated. It wasn't even a question.

"No he won't. He said he won't." I said, but even that sounded childish to me too. In fact, it sounded pathetic. I had my faith in Percy, but it's easy to be doubtful. I wasn't ever quite over the events that happened nearly a week ago now.

"Athena said that she would stay, too, but she left. Left me with you." Dad said bitterly. "I trust your judgement, Annabeth. I know there's some misgivings throughout all these years, and I'm sorry. I should have been a better father, there's not even any excuses I can give. But I want to help you, and your relationship with Percy... It's dangerous."

I wanted to complain, to question dad on why he didn't say anything about Luke when Luke and I were dating, to say that Athena might not have loved him as much as Percy does me, to scream at him and say that he's wrong. It wouldn't be productive, though, and I was very insecure. What if Percy was worse, that he actually doesn't like me all that much, that my father's right? I didn't know anymore.

"I think Percy likes me, he seemed to imply that he would choose a mortal life just to be with me."

"That's very noble, but not doable." My dad pointed out.

"I know. But he is truthful to me, now."

"But you're only sixteen." My dad said with a warning undertone.

"That's old for a demigod. I promise we won't do anything that you won't approve of me doing with another mortal boy." I bit back. He just wanted to make sure that Percy wouldn't take advantage of me /that/ way.

"Fine, Annie. I hope you know what this is." Dad sighed again, closing his eyes and rubbing his brow. I noticed the different foam cups of coffee sitting by the nightstand, and I realized that he must have been exhausted. I should really be a little easier on him. He's trying.

"I promise I'll use my judgement sparingly." I reassured. "You should go home to rest. The past few days must have been trying and Helen would be worried sick. I'll be okay, promise not to fall into a mini coma again if I can help it. I'll handle myself." I said. I wanted to add a 'I love you' to Dad, but it had been too long since I've said it to anyone and the words are slow to form.

Dad shook his head. "I'll just wait here for you-at least until tomorrow until the results of the MRI are released and we can get home together, it's no trouble-"

"Dad," I cut him off. "You eyes are dropping and you've finished cups of coffee-you never drink that stuff if you can help it! Just get some sleep first. I'll be perfectly fine. I'll even call Katie to stay here with me if that makes you feel better. It'll be okay."

After a bit of heart-hearted protest from my dad and my prolonged insistence, Dad gave in and left. I called Katie, and waited for her to get here.

Katie brought Will. I knew I should have expected it, but I didn't and was surprised when the blonde haired boy rushed over to me and put his hand on my clammy forehead.

"Will!" I exclaimed, not expecting the sudden gesture at all.

"Oh my god, Annabeth, are you okay?" He said, closing his eyes to concentrate on something.

Katie just entered the room, panting, "Will! Slow down, would you? How could you even be this eager?" She cut herself off when she saw me, and came over for a hug. "Annabeth! I was so worried, but I had to leave- I hope that you didn't mind. Gosh, I'm so glad that you called me. I need to make sure you're okay."

"Will?" I just noticed that Will got completely silent, hand still on my forehead. It was getting a little bit uncomfortable.

"Shhh" He shushed me. Katie shrugged in the background. "Maybe he just wanted to get your temperature or something. You know his mom's a nurse; maybe Will knows how to help cure you or something."

This was when I realized that Will was a healer-he told me a couple of days ago. I was more than happy for his help, then.

"Katie, would you get me some food? I'm pretty hungry." I said, partly to get her to leave Will and I alone (since she has no knowledge of the gods' world), partly because I'm actually hungry.

"Fine." She pouts, but complied. A bit after she left, Will turned and drew in the curtains so others wouldn't be able to see or hear (if we whisper) what's happening.

"So?" I asked, "what's the diagnosis?"

"...I'm not sure." Will admitted. "It's really weird. It's like, someone planted the whole illness on you. The symptoms are too abrupt, and no one even saw it coming. Percy would have known if it were a chronic thing; he would have warned you."

"You think it might be more than just mortal ills?" I asked, summarizing his thoughts.

"Yeah."

"Can you help me with it, then? You can heal, right? They took an MRI but a radiologist still have to go and interpret it. They think it's something in my head."

"I can only heal basic superficial wounds." Will protested. "I will try, but I can't say for sure. Big, complex things like that that involves your brain-I don't want to gamble. You'd be much better off asking my father or something." Will ended on a bitter note.

"Do you think you can ask for me?" I asked, I have no idea how to contact Apollo.

"No, he doesn't care for me. He probably cares more for you, you being his best friend's girl friend and everything."

I turned my head away. It was really awkward, but I understood where Will was coming from. I would have been bitter too.

"Just try your best to help me then. It's okay. We don't have to get your father."

Will sat on the edge of my bed, his hands slightly glowing, and he put them on my forehead. He did his best to concentrate, eyebrows scrunching together and biting his lip. He was breathing hard, and nearly sweating buckets. It didn't look good. It was like he struggled more and more, and I could see that this was taking him out. Even without ever seeing Will heal somebody before, I knew it wasn't supposed to happen.

I leaned back, and took Will's hands away from my forehead.

"Annabeth!" He said, opening his eyes, surprised. Exhaustion seemed to catch on to him then, because he basically fell on the chair next to the bed.

"I don't think it was working," I said, "and I don't want you to kill yourself."

Will grumbled but accepted the explanation. It was true. He looked terrible.

"You're right. I can't do much about it. You won't like this one bit, Annie, and while I'm not 100% sure, there's something you should know about your condition." Will said nervously but still out of breath. It's awful. I have a sinking feeling in my stomach.

"What is it?" I asked.

"This might not be completely accurate-"

"You told me that already-"

"-but I think there's a growth in your brain."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, paling. 'A growth' never sounds good in any kind of clinical condition. Terror was building in me.

"I can't remove it. It's not going to work. It doesn't feel like cancer, but it might evolve into one. You need to get it out." Will said gravely, as if he's giving me my death sentence. From what I know from biology, it doesn't sound /that/ bad. Could be worse.

"Then I'll just schedule a surgery to take it out." I countered. "But it's not that simple, is it?"

"No," Will muttered, "it's located in your cerebral cortex, it's dangerous. The procedure might kill you. You aren't going to like this, but I suspect this is Gaea's doing. She is rising, and Percy holds a part of the key to defeat her. She wants to control him, and you're the perfect candidate to meddle with in order to control him."

"So she's killing me. This is the ultimium. I either die from the tumor, malignant or not, or I might die if the operating doctor slips. That's it, isn't it? Just by being with him for a few months kills me." I said bitterly.

How could I not feel the bitterness? All my life I have been trying to gain control of my life, trying to find love from either of my birth parents, from Helen, from Luke. When I finally gets it from Percy, I had to fucking die because of who he is. Because he's too powerful to get hurt like that and I'm not. I'm just a stupid, weak mortal.

I hated this.

Will looked more or less devastated, but it wasn't like he could do anything. He was sorry to deliver the news, but I was glad that I knew.

"Look, I'm not even really sure that that was it. I was even less certain that it's Gaea. It might just be a sudden development, it's hard to say with some parts of the human biology..."

But I knew he was more or less sure despite how he stressed his uncertainty. Will has an impressive history of being right in all his guesses. He doesn't just say something or guess something without thinking it through and collecting his evidences. Plus, I know he has the ability. He wasn't Apollo's son (and the head counselor of his cabin) for nothing.

So for the rest of the fifteen minutes, we sat more or less awkwardly across each other, nothing really knowing what to do from there. Everything was suddenly so complicated.

"Promise me not to tell anyone else about this." I said, hushedly but firmly to Will.

"Annabeth, Percy needs to-"

"No he doesn't." I cut him off.

"But-"

"Promise me."

"O-Okay." He said shakily, just before Katie brushed aside the curtains to deliver my food to me and I put on a fake smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.

Will just looked at me gravely and Katie sat cheerfully, commenting on something that happened earlier in the cafeteria. I ate, acted everything's okay, and continued with the rest of the day by finishing up my winter reading (which Katie brought from my apartment) and called my dad to say everything's fine and bid him a goodnight.

That night, I feel asleep with Gaea's laughter ringing in my head and her plans to ruin Percy plagued me, slowly suffocating me bit by bit.

Review for an update-next chapter we'll get Percy back. Look forward to it! I'll update it in hopefully a week as the plot picks up and speeds to the climax :)