Tutoring Chapter 28
Twenty Four Hours after the Crash
Percy lay in his hospital room staring at the muted T.V. screen, he had just gotten back from having more MRI's and X-rays done, the doctors wanted to make sure that they had removed all of the glass pieces and that there wasn't any hidden damage, and they checked his concussion to see if there was any swelling around his brain. After going through all the tests and getting the all clear he was returned to his hospital room where he was fed his very disgusting liquid diet, the nurse told him since they had to repair his stomach he would have to be on a liquid diet for a couple of days giving the internal stitches time to properly heal.
Sighing Percy closed eyes leaning his head back against his pillow, Percy wasn't allowed to leave his hospital room unless it was to have more tests done which meant he wasn't able to visit a still unconscious Bianca. Jason, his mom and dad, along with Paul, Uncle Hades, Aunt Persephone, and even his Uncle Zeus have all been to visit him, but Nico had yet to visit him. Even though no one would say it, Percy knew his cousin and best friend well enough that Nico was blaming him for Bianca's current condition. Which Percy completely understood, because he was doing the exact same thing. He knew it wasn't entirely his fault, he knew it was the dumb ass who was drinking and driving but he couldn't help but think that if he had waited once the light turned green then Bianca wouldn't be unconscious and possibly paralyzed.
Messaging his temples Percy groaned in pain, the doctors told him that as a side effect of the concussion he would get severe headaches. Reaching for the controller on his bed he pushed the nurse's button, hoping she would give him something to help with the headache.
"Headache's bothering you again Percy?" the nurse Jackie asked as she walked into the room.
Percy didn't open his eyes but he nodded his head "Yeah it's pretty bad".
"I'll insert some pain meds into your IV, they should kick in pretty soon" nurse Jackie said as she injected the medication "Call me if you need anything okay Percy?" she said.
"Thank you nurse Jackie" Percy said as she left the room. Seconds later he could feel the pain meds entering his blood stream, and the pounding headache slowly going down to a low dull. Sighing Percy gently opened his eyes to test out if the lights were still too bright, when movement by the doorway caught his eye. "Mom?" Percy asked not being able to tell who the person was quite yet.
The person laughed but he could tell it was a little shaky "No seaweed brain".
At the sound of her voice Percy snapped his eyes open. Annabeth stood in his hospital room doorway wearing dark jeans with tennis shoes and a Goode High School sweatshirt something he knew was actually his, her blonde hair was up in a ponytail, she was smiling but Percy could see the redness around her eyes, she was trying to hold in her tears.
"Annabeth" he said clearly shocked that she was here.
Stepping inside the room Annabeth ran her eyes up and down his body checking his injuries, her eyes finally landing on his wrapped forehead. As she finally stopped at his bed the tears were flowing down her face. "I'm so happy that you're okay Percy" she said shakily.
"Annabeth what are you doing here? You're supposed to be in California" Percy said still getting over the shock of her being there.
Annabeth smiled as she gently sat on the bed next to him intertwining their hands "I'm here to see my boyfriend that was in a car accident. California can wait until September".
Percy smiled "You have no idea how happy I am to see you wise girl" Percy said pulling on her hand to bring her closer but before he actually kissed her he pulled away "Wait what do you mean California can wait until September?"
Annabeth laughed "Really Perce you stop us from kissing to ask me that" she said teasingly even though her voice broke from emotion. "I knew deep down before I even went to U of O that UCLA was the place for me, the minute that I stepped foot on that campus I knew for sure. So when my mom told me what happened I didn't even hesitate, I got on the plane and came to see my seaweed brain of a boyfriend".
Percy's smile got larger as he pulled her towards him finally pressing his lips onto hers.
"God I'm so happy to see you Percy" Annabeth said once they pulled away from each other.
Percy smiled, the first true smile he'd shown since waking up after surgery "I'm happy to see you to, I've wanted to call you but my phone got crushed in the car, and mom wouldn't let me".
Annabeth smiled sadly "It's okay I was a plane most of the night anyways. How are you feeling?"
"The concussion gives me horrible headaches but the nurses give me pain meds to help, I'm stuck on this horrible liquid diet for a couple of days and I can barely move without causing my stomach to flare in pain" Percy said as he rested his head back on his pillow "Will you lay down with me?"
"I don't know if that's a good idea Perce" Annabeth said skeptically.
"Please it'll be fine, I promise" Percy said pouting at her.
Annabeth sighed "Fine but if I hurt you tell me" she said as she got up and gently moved onto the bed, laying her head on Percy's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her waist "Am I hurting you?" Annabeth asked.
"No your fine wise girl" Percy said "Just lay here with me and distract me from thinking about Bianca".
"Okay" Annabeth said as she finally let herself relax into Percy's embrace.
Minutes later both of them were asleep, the image of the two of them together was so sweet not even Thalia had the heart to wake them up.
Line Break
Nico sat by his sisters bedside the same place he'd been since they'd finally let him see her, it had been twenty four hours and see still hadn't woken up. Nico knew it wasn't Percy's fault but he couldn't help but be angry at him, why did Percy get to wake up and be perfectly fine when Bianca was unconscious and had a high possibility of being paralyzed.
Sighing Nico squeezed Bianca's hand "Come on Bee wake up, please just wake up" he said repeating the same sentence for the hundredth time.
Thalia stepped into the doorway to see a pale and almost lifeless Bianca laying on a white bed, she had different machines hooked up to her, which freaked Thalia out the most. Nico sat beside the bed his hand intertwined with Bianca's, she couldn't see his face but his black hair was sticking up all over the place a sign that he hadn't slept and that he was running his hand through his hair out of nerves.
Stepping into the room she swallowed the lump in her throat "Hey deathbreath" she said trying not to let her voice break.
Nico didn't even bother to turn around to look at her as he spoke "What are you doing here Thalia, you're supposed to be in California?"
"Poseidon called Annabeth's mom, she told us what happened we got on the quickest plane and came back. I had to make sure Bianca, Percy, and you were alright" Thalia said as she sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the bed.
"I'm not the one who was in the accident" Nico said shortly.
"I know that death breath but Bianca is your sister the one person you care about most, I know you're beating yourself up about this. I can tell you haven't eaten or slept since the accident" Thalia said as she looked at Nico worriedly.
"It doesn't matter if I sleep or eat, what matters is Bianca waking up" Nico said.
"It does matter Nico you really think Bianca will be happy to wake up to see that you haven't been taking care of yourself. I know your worried about Bianca but she's a fighter and she's not going to want to see you like this, you need to take care of yourself as well" Thalia said her anger seeping into her voice.
Nico sighed closing his eyes "I know, I know alright but I can't bring myself to leave. I need to be here for her when she wakes up, I'm all she has left".
"No you're not; she has me, Percy, and Jason. Were all a family no matter what and family comes first. We're not going to leave her completely alone. Now I'll sit here with Bianca while you and Jason got get some food, and this isn't a suggestion Nico, I will have Jason drag you out of here if I have to" Thalia said glaring at him.
"But…" Nico started.
"No buts Nico, you're going to the cafeteria and getting some food. I'll call you if anything happens" Thalia said still glaring at him.
Nico sighed as Jason walked into the room "Come on I know you're hungry" Jason said.
Nico rolled his eyes as he stood up bending over the bed to kiss Bianca's forehead "Fine, but it's going to be a quick lunch" he said.
"I don't care how long it takes as long as you eat some actual food I don't give a damn. Now go, Bianca's going to be fine" Thalia said with a smirk.
"I hate both of you" Nico grumbled as he and Jason left the room.
Thalia could hear Jason laugh as he responded "Whatever man you know you love us".
Thalia smiled as she looked at Bianca on the bed, resting her hand on top of Bianca's she spoke "Come on Bee you can't leave me as the only girl left in this family, I need you, we all need you" she said softy.
Line Break
Two hours later Thalia came running into Percy's room where he and Annabeth were still sleeping.
Groaning Thalia skidded to a stop in the hospital room "Seriously guys, cuddling in a hospital bed how cliché" she said rolling her eyes. Walking up to the bed she shook Annabeth's shoulder "Come on Annie you need to get up this important" Thalia said.
Annabeth groaned "Go away Thals" she mumbled.
"No Annie you seriously need to wake up" Thalia said shaking Annabeth's shoulder harder.
Annabeth groaned but finally gently sat up hoping not to disturb or hurt Percy "What do you want Thalia?"
"It's Bianca the doctors say she's starting to wake up, she's already moving her arms and hands and her eyes are opening, they said she'll probably wake up within a couple of hours" Thalia said with a large smile on her face.
"Are you serious that's amazing" Annabeth said getting out of the bed and hugging Thalia.
"Nico hasn't stopped smiling since she squeezed his hand, which is weird because Nico never smiles. After she's fully awake and has all of her testing done Nico and Hades want Percy there to see her come back into the room, they know the chance of her being paralyzed is really high and they want everyone there to see her come back" Thalia said.
"I'm sure Percy will want to be there, we haven't talked about it but I know he blames himself for what happens" Annabeth said as she looked at Percy's sleeping figure.
Thalia sighed "I figured he'd do that, I told Nico he needs to come talk to Percy but Nico refuses to leave Bianca's side, I had to threaten him in order to get him to eat. But Percy and Nico fight all the time and they always make up, I think everything will be fine" Thalia said confidently as her phone started ringing.
"Yeah Jay" Thalia said into the phone.
"It's Bianca she's fully awake now, the doctors just went inside to start doing the tests and everything" Jason said into the phone.
"Okay we'll wake up Percy and be down there shortly" Thalia said excitedly into the phone.
"What's going on?" Annabeth asked.
"Wake up Percy, I'm going to get a nurse, Bianca woke up, the doctors are doing their tests now" Thalia said as she moved towards the door.
Annabeth didn't say anything except smile as she walked towards Percy's bed "Come on Percy wake up, you need to wake up seaweed brain".
"Mhhmmm I just want to sleep" Percy mumbled.
"Come on Percy you really need to get up, it's important" Annabeth said moving the hair out of his eyes.
Percy slowly opened his eyes as he tried to adjust them to the lights "What is it wise girl?"
"It's Bianaca she's woken up, the doctors are doing their tests now, Nico and Hades want you there for when she wakes up" Annabeth said with a smile.
"Are you serious, she's awake?" Percy said his eyes fully opening.
Annabeth nodded her head "Yes I'm serious, Thalia is getting a nurse so we can take you to her room".
"Are you sure it's really a good idea?" Percy said hesitantly.
"Yes I think it's a good idea, I know you want to see her, and that she'll want to see you as well" Annabeth said right as Thalia and Nurse Jackie came into the room with a wheelchair.
"Alright Percy let's get you into the chair, your parents are allowed outside your cousin's room" Nurse Jackie said as she stopped by the bedside.
Percy sighed "Okay" he said as he moved the blankets off of his body and let Nurse Jackie help pull him into a sitting up position where she wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped him stand up from the bed, carefully getting into the wheelchair. Annabeth could tell by Percy's face how painful and tiring it was just to get out of the bed and into the wheelchair.
Annabeth and Thalia walked behind Nurse Jackie and Percy as they walked down the hall towards Bianca's room, turning the corner Percy say Hades, Persephone, Poseidon, his mom, Paul, Jason and Nico sitting outside the room.
Nico give Percy a small smile "Hi Percy" he said.
Percy smiled "Hey Nico". The two cousins didn't say anything as they looked at each other neither one knowing what to do or say. But the tension was quickly broken by the Doctors wheeling Bianca down the hallway.