Annabeth really didn't have time to worry about the fact that Percy wasn't back yet and it was seven thirty. See, she had just experienced a severe cramp, and logically she shouldn't be driving while eight and a half months pregnant, but her water breaking was clouding her better judgement.
Annabeth weaved through cars, speeding towards the small hospital she and Percy had scouted out.
She parked, taking up two spots, and hobbled towards the doors. "Ma'am!" A woman exclaimed. Her hair was short and bright blue, she was wearing all shades of rainbow make-up. "Here, let me help you!" The girl supported her into the hospital, helping her onto a stretcher. "Nurse!" she called.
"You're in labour?" The nurse asked. Annabeth nodded, groaning. Fuck, she was never going to have a child again. "Right. You're her sister?"
"Brother," she─he, actually─ said. "I'm Joe."
"Right. I'm going to go and get the doctor. I'll need you to sign your name." Joe nodded.
Joe crouched beside her. "Right. What's your name?"
"Annabeth Chase. Sorry. I misgendered you," she breathed between contractions.
"That's fine."
"No it's not," Annabeth hissed out.
"This is that, um, focusing on something else while in pain thing, right?"
"Yes." Annabeth gulped in a large breath of air.
"How old are you? Who's the father? Tell me about that."
"You're keeping me talking aren't you? Um, I'm twenty, the father is Perseus Jackson and─agh, fuck!"
Joe looked around anxiously. "Alright… Perseus! Tell me about him."
"He's my boyfriend. He─ he should be here."
"I'm sure he's on his way," Joe said. "Come on, Annabeth! Breath! You'll be fine."
"This way," the nurse reappeared. She and Joe helped her into a wheelchair.
Annabeth was taken into a room, only one thought on her mind other than pain.
'Where's Percy?!'
"What's up?" Jason asked, blinking his eyes blearily. He rubbed his hair back, suppressing a yawn.
"We found him," Hazel said.
Jason wasn't tired anymore. "What?!"
"He's here, in the truck. We have him. He wouldn't answer our questions so I knocked him unconscious."
"Right… okay, go straight to Olympus. I'll have Chiron convene them. I'll see you there." Jason cut through the Iris Message. "My gods…" They found him… after three years Perseus Jackson had been found.
"They found him," Piper said. Her eyes widened. She started up. "I─I have to go!" Jason couldn't bring himself to be concerned with Piper. He had to find Chiron.
Percy blinked awake, instantly aware of the hundreds of eyes watching him. He looked up. 'Zeus. That's Athena, dad, Apollo… gods, I'm on Olympus.' After that horrible realization, Percy looked around. He spotted the Seven, Thalia, Nico, Chiron and so many more. Almost everybody looked at him hatefully. "Am I dreaming?" Percy asked. "Why does everybody hate me?"
"Perseus Jackson," Zeus rumbled dramatically. "You stand on trial for the murder of the Official Architect of Olympus, Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena! How do you plead?!"
Percy blinked. "Murder? Hazel said the same thing! Annabeth's not─"
"How do you plead!" Zeus repeated.
"Not guilty because she's not─"
"Where'd you get that arm?" Athena asked. Percy attempted to look at his arm, which was bound behind his back.
Percy frowned. "Where I got the rest of me, I assume."
"Don't disrespect me!" Athena exclaimed. "You killed my daughter!"
"I didn't─ oh!" Percy looked around. "Lou! Lou Ellen! Where is she?! She can help me explain!"
"There's no point," his dad─his dad!─ said. "He's delusional." Percy stared at Poseidon in betrayal. "Just rule a verdict, Zeus. He's guilty. He's a son of mine, what do you expect!"
"No!" Thalia exclaimed. "You're fucking delusional! His arm was found by her body! But he has an arm! He can't be─"
"Magic, Thalia!" Jason said. "It's possible to regrow your limbs, you know!"
"You don't know anything, Jason!"
"Enough!" Zeus rumbled. "If it were not for the prophecy, I'd rule it as an instant guilty. But we must think cautiously."
"Prophecy?!" Percy stared at him in horror. "Annabeth and I wanted to get away from prophecies!"
"So you killed her to get away," Jason said.
"No!"
"Therefore," Zeus looked at them in annoyance. "I shall confine him to this palace until further notice!"
"This isn't even a trial!" Percy bit out. "Where's the evidence! The truth! If you'd just listen─"
"Please, father!" Thalia exclaimed. "Listen, please!"
"Don't do this!" Grover shouted.
"You're making a mistake!" Piper called out. Jason looked at her in anger and betrayal.
"Wait." Everybody quited down at Athena's voice. "Your arm. Show it to me." There was a vulnerable, pleading tone to her voice.
Percy struggled in his bonds. "You see, I would, but─" Athena clicked her fingers, the bonds disappearing from him. Percy struggled to his feet. "Okay, my arm." Percy rolled up his sleeve.
"The other arm." Percy shrugged, rolling up the sleeve of his hoodie. There were gasps as people caught sight of his SPQR tattoo. "What does that mean?! What happened that day?! To Annabeth?!"
Percy opened his mouth to tell them the truth. "The Fates spoke to me," he said. 'What?!' "They told me to do it, said that Annabeth surviving would bring about the fall of Olympus. They said she was working with Chaos." Percy wanted to shout but he couldn't speak. He heard his voice but not his words. "I confronted her about this and she attacked me." Percy unwillingly nodded to his arm. 'What the fuck?!' "She cut it off. I uncapped Riptide and she was stabbed. Right here." His hand clutched his heart. "The Fates healed my arm afterwards and introduced me to Order. He's been trying to fight Chaos for years and asked for my help. That's what happened." 'NO! ANNABETH'S ALIVE! THAT NEVER HAPPENED!' Nobody heard Percy's screams.
"Is this true?" Athena asked.
"Yes." 'NO!'
"Swear it. On the Styx."
"I swear on the River Styx that all of my previous statements were true." Thunder sounded. A feeling always overcame him when he swore on the Styx. But nothing happened…
"So Annabeth was the villain all along," Hera said. She sat primly in her seat, frowning at Athena. "Can't say I'm surprised. She always seemed off." 'SHUT UP!'
"Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon," Zeus started. "I deem you to be innocent."
'What the fuck? What's going on?! Why can't I talk? Or move?! What's going on?! Annabeth's not dead! She's not a villain! She's innocent too! What the hell?! Why can't anybody hear me?! Help! Please?!' Percy felt tears form in his eyes but nobody noticed.
"Thank you."
They weren't his words.
Three days passed before Annabeth decided on names. She had been waiting for Percy to realise where she was and come to find her. But he never did. Joe had to leave after the second day, his flight to Boston was leaving.
And Annabeth… she probably should've had an ultrasound at some point. Maybe then she and Percy would be prepared for the surprises.
Luke Charles and Silena Zoё Chase-Jackson.
She had to honor her fallen friends and she knew Percy would be happy with the names.
Wherever he was.
When Annabeth got home, he was dead.
(Wow. Percy just tore my heart in too. I can't believe I just did that to him. Okay. Yes I can. But twins! And Joe was just a random cool character. Theories! I think I made things a little obvious but I don't mind. Let me know what you think. Until next time!)
