Chapter 15
Annabeth
Annabeth huddled herself under Percy's jacket, shivering and biting her nails feverishly as if all her nervous ticks would fix something.
It was her fault. Their fault. If they hadn't been arguing, ignoring Thalia, if they had just gone with them. Maybe they would have left a second earlier. A second later. She could have seen the car, she could have…
What? Stepped on the brake from the backseat? Seen the drunken man running the red light before it even happened? Her own voice sounded unreasonable to even her own mind but she couldn't shake the sinking guilt that covered her, blanketed her.
Percy sat next to her, legs crossing and uncrossing as they both waited for news. All around her were sick people, families, kids, friends. The occasional cough echoed throughout the waiting room, a sniffle of a nose every once and awhile. When they first arrived, the nurses had been rushing down the dingy corridor, and when they opened a patient's door she could hear the flat line of the heart monitor. The whole place seemed to scream death and Annabeth couldn't stand it.
Annabeth shifted, pulling her legs under her in the small chair. They hadn't spoken since they got here, and Zeus was just making her annoyed, pacing up and down the halls, placing phone calls to random people she had never even heard of. There was a small window in the waiting room, and the sun shone through, casting a filter into the room that bounced off Percy's hair. It was a mess from him running his hands through it over and over, and she resisted the urge to fix it.
"They'll be okay," Percy muttered beside her, and she turned, surprised he had been the one to break their silence, but she soon realized he hadn't meant to say that out loud, hadn't meant for anyone to hear him. She wondered if he felt the same rushing guilt, if he had the same idea that they were toxic. They shouldn't be friends, let alone anything else.
And yet… she had been so close. To doing… well, something - anything, really, she would have done anything with him, pushed up against the tree, his hands so close to hers.
"Mr. Grace?" A nurse asked, appearing from the dark hallway with a clipboard in hand and a smile so fake it almost looked like she was wearing it. Zeus' head snapped up, and he immediately ended the call he was on with a tap of his finger and no goodbye. "We're ready to talk with you."
Annabeth stared at her best friend's dad, realizing she had never seen him like this before. Nervous, afraid, scared. He looked disheveled, his usual stony expression now replaced with something wild, something primal. The innate need to protect your children, the realization that you had failed. As much as Annabeth was hurting, she pitied him even more.
We're ready to talk. The nurse had said, she realized with a sinking heart. Not, they're awake, or they're asking for you. Just talking. An empty promise. A vacant statement, that showed no emotion, no hint as to whether they were doing okay, or unconscious, in a coma, or…
No. She wouldn't think the worst. She couldn't - shouldn't have to live without Thalia - she wouldn't be able to breathe in this suffocating town, without her lively best friend that made every exasperating day with the same hundred people a million times better.
She felt like she was drowning. Annabeth's eyes trailed after Zeus, vacantly staring at the way his shoulders had hunched over, like he was also trying to disappear, melt into the linoleum floor and not have to deal with the horrors the day had presented.
Annabeth grasped at anything, anyone, that could connect her to this world, to right now, because she wasn't sure she was going to make it alone here, without some form of contact. Her hand found the edge of the armchair, fingers going white as she gripped it so hard she lost any form of sense in her right arm. And then Percy's fingers, peeling her own violently off the chair, taking her hand in his, letting her fingers tighten around his own, her small palm engulfed in him.
She wanted to cry. She wanted to sob, over and over and over again until this was over and she could go back to pretending there wasn't a flame skirting up the inside of her wrist where he stroked her skin, goosebumps traveling up her arm, spreading into her heart, her head, she didn't know. She wanted to pretend that they weren't the cause of this, that they weren't so fucking toxic to everybody around him but she knew that was near impossible because if they hadn't been so fucking engrossed with themselves she would have - could have - no, would have noticed Thalia, would have gone with her, wouldn't have ignored her friend, could have saved her.
But she held onto his hand, dispelling these thoughts, holding on tight because it was her lifeline right now. Because she didn't know what to do if she wasn't holding his hand, but as his knuckles shook in her own she realized maybe she wasn't the only one in need of comfort right now, in need of realizing how fucking good it felt to touch each other, the reassurement that they were healthy and alive and strong in the midst of all this… this disease, the air of illness that wafted through the dingy building, permeated the stale air.
Zeus appeared again, looking slightly more put together wandering back into the waiting room. Annabeth bristled, her fingers quickly untangling themselves from Percy's as he made his way back over to the pair. "Any news?" She asked, surprising even herself at the soft composure in her voice.
He nodded, hesitating before finally saying, "Jason's awake."
Annabeth listened to Percy breathe a sigh of relief next to her, but she wasn't focused on Jason. She loved him, but the name she had wanted to hear was perched still on Zeus' lips, his mouth moving but unable to form a sentence.
"And?" She pressed, leaning forward anxiously in her seat.
Zeus looked down at his feet, an odd display of vulnerability in front of all these people. Annabeth tensed, expecting - waiting, dreading the worst. "She - she's-" He took another breath, steadying himself against the dirt colored wall opposite them. "Thalia's going into surgery."
Annabeth sucked in a breath, rubbing the palms of her hands into her eyes, smudging mascara down tear-stained cheeks. She felt Percy's hand on her lower back, rubbing soothing circles, but she could barely register it.
"What are…" Percy trailed off. He swallowed, hard, the movement vibrating through his whole body, before continuing, "The chances?" He asked vaguely.
"Good. Strong." Zeus' voice boomed, louder than before.
"Thalia's a fighter," Annabeth said, sitting up suddenly, the movement forcing Percy to take his hand off her. Good. She didn't need pity. She was done with that. If she couldn't be strong in her own life, she could at least get it together for Thalia. "She's the strongest person I know." Annabeth continued, giving Zeus a hard, determined glare.
Zeus gave her a sad smile, as if he had already come to terms with the thought of his daughter's life ending. "Yeah. She will." He affirmed, though the sentiment didn't reach his eyes.
It wasn't until a few hours later that they were allowed to see Jason. Annabeth had given herself a twenty minute nap because she could barely keep her eyes open. It most definitely had nothing to do with the fact that she was warmed under the lining of Percy's jacket and his shoulder was oddly comfortable for being as defined as it was.
Her alarm went off, but it was off as soon as it came. She had a suspicion that Percy had turned it off, but she couldn't dwell on it too long because sleep found her once again. It wasn't until a good hour later that Percy was shaking her, gently.
"Annabeth." He whispered into her curls, but she was already awake, her neck cramping in all the wrong places, back stiffly stuck in place.
"Hmm?" She hummed, sitting up. The reality of what had happened that day was still fresh in her mind, the nightmares she had just experienced even worse scenarios than sitting in the waiting room while your best friend went through surgery.
"The nurse said we could go see Jason." He stood, holding out a hand for her. She allowed herself to be drowsily pulled to her feet, swaying slightly as the dizziness of sleep expelled itself.
Percy still gripped her hand as they followed the expectant nurse - this one in purple scrubs instead of blue - down the hallway, weaving in and out of wards, the sounds of coughing and hacking surrounding them from all sides. Annabeth shivered. Percy looked down at her with a worried expression, but she waved him off. She wasn't weak, she just couldn't stand it here. The hallway seemed to swallow anything good, the sickly sweet smell of cleaning supplies and vomit was overwhelming in these narrow sections. When Thalia was given the all clear, she would be running out these doors.
Jason was in a huge room, not surprisingly considering who his dad was. The blinds were drawn, showcasing the town's Plaid Pantry and not far beyond that a couple farms that were visible from town. Piper was already there, holding his hand. Her cheeks were stained with tears, but she was laughing when they walked in, Jason most likely saying something ridiculous and dumb like he always did.
As soon as Piper saw her walk through the creaky door, she jumped up, wrapping her arms tightly around Annabeth's waist. Annabeth squeezed tight, thankful for somebody to lean on, somebody who didn't make her so confused.
"She'll be okay." Piper promised in her ear. All Annabeth could do was nod, biting back another round of tears.
When they finally broke away, Jason reached out, grasping her hand. Annabeth smiled softly at him as Percy moved back to allow her to sit next to him.
"Guy's alcohol level was 1.4" Jason muttered, shaking his head. "Fucking idiot." He said, a ghost of a smile on his lips, allowing the others to chuckle slightly. Although there was absolutely nothing funny about it, there was a certain breath that was allowed to be taken, a collective sigh as Jason lightened the mood.
Annabeth took his hand, squeezing it lightly. "Thalia should be out soon." She whispered. Jason locked eyes with her, giving her a reassuring smile. Jason, pale and injured, with a sprained wrist and concussion, laying on a hospital bed, was the most calm and comforting person in this room. She bit her lip, the stability of seeing him alive and well sinking into her blood, her bones. Thalia would make it.
The three of them sat around Jason, Zeus excusing himself sometime in the middle of the long hour they waited in there. They tried, hard, to talk about something, anything other than the accident or Thalia or her surgery but without those subjects there seemed to be nothing else. Annabeth glanced frantically up at the clock, counting down the minutes - no, seconds - until the nurse was supposed to come in, was going to give them good news.
It was three minutes and seventeen seconds before the time they had been given - 4:27 to be exact. The same nurse who had walked up to Zeus just a few hours before, came sauntering in, same fake, preppy smile gracing her lips.
"I just spoke to the father," The nurse started, pausing to lick her chapped lips before continuing. Annabeth wanted to snap at her, make her get to the point quicker, but she held her tongue, biting it harsh between her teeth. "Thalia will most likely make a full recovery. There was severe damage to the nerves in her legs, and some internal bleeding from the concussion but we managed to save both. She's resting, but y'all can come back tomorrow and visit her when she's awake."
By the time the nurse had said full recovery, Annabeth had pretty much tuned her out. Full recovery, her brain spelled out for her, repeating the words over and over until she finally realized. Thalia was okay. She was going to be there tomorrow, and the next day and Annabeth would get to hug her again. Her mouth dropped, her eyes shining down at Jason's.
Piper's squeal brought her back to reality, Annabeth watching as she threw her arms around Jason. Annabeth, in turn, hugged the closest person to her without thinking, that intoxicating smell of ocean and clean sheets and boy blanketing her. He hugged her back, his head resting in the crook of her neck. She could feel Percy smile against her, and her breath tugged in the back of her throat, catching before it spilled out over his shoulder.
"Uh - sorry," She said with a start, reeling back, because she shouldn't have been doing this - they were the reason the siblings were even in the hospital to begin with.
Percy's smile was shy, as if to brush it off, and even the slight mistake wasn't enough to stop Annabeth's smile from reappearing. She hugged Piper, then, this contact slightly more familiar and welcome, the two of them clinging onto each other.
It was late, barely past nine when her dad finally called her and told her she needed to come home. Annabeth protested, but she deserved a good sleep in her own bed. Besides, she couldn't see Thalia before tomorrow anyways.
"Do you need a ride?" Percy asked, the two of them standing under the ER entrance's overhang, the yellowing light flickering above them. His face was ghostly and pale, which wasn't surprising considering the day they had just experienced.
She shook her head slightly, feet scuffing at the cracked sidewalk. "My dad's on his way." Her voice was quiet, barely a whisper over the sirens that came around the corner.
"Okay," He said, undeterred by the hesitance in her tone. Or, maybe he just didn't notice. "Do you need a ride in the morning?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes, unable to pretend she was civil anymore, "No." She snapped. "I do not need a ride from you."
"Jesus," Percy grumbled. "After today I thought…" He trailed off, leaving room for Annabeth to go and worsen the mood.
"Thought what?" She laughed, humorously. "That we were gonna be bff's after today? Seriously, grow up." Did he really not see what she saw? The problems they caused, the way that wherever they went, havoc ensued?
Percy shook his head, looking tired. It hurt her - no, embarrassed her, her cheeks turning pink, that he didn't have it in him to fight with her anymore. Because maybe she was being ridiculous, she was being a child, behaving like one at least. But she didn't know how else to act around him, because she was fairly sure if she let down this side of her she would end up doing something to the other extreme.
"Don't you get it?" She asked, the fight dissipating from her voice as her dad pulled into the parking lot. "We're the reason they're even in this stupid hospital." Annabeth said, making the statement without leaving him a chance to respond, swinging her bag over her shoulder and walking over to her dad. She tried not to look back at him, but found it impossible once she could see him in the side mirror. She watched him lift his head from the ground as her door slammed shut, watching their car until it disappeared down the county road, his eyes almost black. It wasn't until he was completely out of view that she allowed herself to relax, sinking back into the worn leather of the seat.
Hope y'all have had a good Monday. IDK why but this chapter did not come easily to me haha so sorry if it's not the best. I just wanted to get something out and move on with the storyline. Hope you guys still enjoy, as always let me know what you think!
