Here's the chapter that I promised. In this chapter, there are a few things that are most likely not 100% true. I haven't, thankfully, needed to be in a cancer area of the hospital. (Though I have been in the hospital plenty of times) That's reason if you notice anything is wrong. I have, though, done my research on Glioblastoma. So, what you read in here is true.

Disclaimer: Say it.

5-year-old Me: But I don't wanna!

Disclaimer: Say it!

5-year-old Me: I told you I don't wanna!

Disclaimer: *Raises imaginary eyebrow, going for an unimpressed-parent-who-wants-their-kid-to-do-something-they-are-eventually-going-to-force-them-to-do

5-year-old Me: Bu-but, but

Disclaimer: Go on

5-year-old Me: Thi- Oh! Just make future, well present, er future? Oh! Just make older me say it.

Disclaimer and suddenly appeared Rick Riordan: *Looks at me expectantly

Me: *Glares

Disclaimer and Rick: *Glares back

Me: *Sticks tough out very maturely

Me: Fine, the characters don't belong to me, they belong to Rick Riordan

~oOo~

February 12th - 2 am

Piper wouldn't talk to me as we trudged on through the park. It was dark and I was tired to notice where we were going. Soon Piper went off path and behind a row of trees. I groaned loudly when I saw where we were. Piper looked back and smiled cheekily at me. We had literally walked through part of Central Park just to end up back at Piper's car. Piper walked to her car and opened the passenger side. She reached over to turn the car on. Then she rolled down the passenger window and but doesn't pull the keys out. Instead I see her turn the radio on again and turn it up. Let it Go, a song by James Bay was playing. Next, I saw her dig in the backseat for something. She closed the door and came out with a blanket in her arms. She tossed it onto the roof of her car. Then she stepped up, onto the open window, and pulled herself onto the car. She scooched over and looked at me. Then she patted a spot next to her.

Slowly, walked over to her car. Then I repeated what I saw Piper do. Once I got settled, Piper tossed part of the blanket over my partially bare legs. Hesitantly, I looked at Piper. She was just staring off at the now busier street. Soon, she was humming along to the catchy Hmm, I thought, Happy hour at the bar must have ended. I scoffed at myself, having no clue why I thought that even though I knew it was most likely true. I had a feeling about what she wanted to talk about. I just don't know if I'm ready to talk about it. So, we sat there in silence for who know how long. We both just sat looking at the water, thinking.

After a while, Piper turned and looked at me. She raised her eyebrows, ever so slightly. I sighed and turned back to the lake. "Annabeth," She started. "Can we talk?"

"What if I don't want to talk?" I snapped. Hey! Don't blame me, I had been through a lot today.

"Well, you need to," Piper answered calmly. She turned my body so I was facing her, but I kept my eyes anywhere else than her. Carefully, as if she didn't want to break me, she moved my face and her own head so I was forced to look at her. By now my eyes - for the 3rd time that day, hell, for this year - had started tearing up. "Please?" Piper whispered.

After she muttered that word, I lost it. I collapsed into my best friend's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Piper just stroked my hair and rubbed comforting circles in my back. After a while, my tears finally dried. I stayed where I was though. Deep breaths, deep breaths. I told myself. It took a bit longer for my breathing to finally steady, when it did I sat up. Piper took my hands in hers and looked at me questioningly. She seemed to be asking if it was alright. So, I nodded once.

I took another deep breath before I started, "Okay. So, I went to the clinic near campus. I told them how I've been feeling, horrible migraines and feeling super tired. The doctor, she sent me over to the hospital. So, I walked. Which took longer and left me time to think. I started questioning myself and wondering what was wrong with me. I was also wondering why I needed to go to the hospital for some headaches. When I got signed in, they told me to go to the 8th floor. On my way up, I noticed that it was the cancer floor. But me being dumb me, I questioned why I was going there. I am so stupid! I ignored all of the signs! Dumb, dumb, dumb!" I say, hitting myself on my head.

"Hey, hey," Piper says, grabbing my hands and looking me right in the eye. "You are not dumb or stupid. You couldn't tell because you aren't feeling well. Heck, I probably would think that normally. You can't beat yourself up, literally, for not knowing." She looked at me with sadness filling her eyes. "You can do this."

I nodded before starting again, "Okay, so I went to see Dr. Jones. We talked for a little bit about how I was feeling. Then he had me do a MIR scan. God, Pipe, it was torture for my ADHD to hold still that long. Anyways, it took forever to do that. Then, to add to the torture, I had to wait for the results which took, like, another half an hour. When he came back, I knew something was wrong. Then he said those 3 words. Those 3 words that forever changed my life, 'You have cancer'…"

*Flashback*

"Ms. Chase?"

I looked up to see Dr. Jones in the door entry way. I hadn't moved from when I heard the news. He also probably knocked and I just hadn't heard.

"Are you ready to talk and learn more about your condition?"

Ha. My condition. So, that's what it's called now.

"If you would follow me down the hall to another room."

I got up from the chair and followed the doctor. It was like it wasn't me. Like someone else was controlling my body. It felt like I was floating, but not in the good way. The kind where your drift aimlessly. It's like you don't know where to go, you just go and follow.

We ended up in a room about the same size as the one before. It looked the same too. Same grey walls. Same chairs. Same desk and computer. The only difference is a board. On this board it has a picture of the human and the brain on half. The other half is filled with information on different brain cancers. There are lines connecting different papers to parts of the brain.

I sit down in the chair closet to the desk. Then I turn and look at the doctor, awaiting more information.

"Ms. Chase, as I said before you have brain cancer. The kind you have is called Glioblastoma. It arises from star-shaped cells that make up the supportive tissue of the brain. Those are called astrocytes. These tumors are, sadly, highly cancerous. They can reproduce quickly because they are supported by a large network of blood vessels. Glioblastoma is found if the cerebral hemispheres of the brain. It contains a mix of cell types. This tumor comes from normal brain cells. Therefore, they can live and invade normal brain tissue. Do you have that Ms. Chase." Dr. Jones informs me.

I nod, "Yeah, they can live within normal brain tissue."

Dr. Jones nods as well before continuing listing off information that is deadly. "There are 2 types, primary and secondary. Primary makes its presence known quickly and is very aggressive. This is the more common kind. Secondary is slower forming, but still aggressive. It starts as lower-grade tumors but become a higher-grade. This represents about 10% of glioblastomas, usually 45 years and younger." The doctor seems to be saying the information as if it's recorded. "We don't know which you have but are most likely the secondary. You said your symptoms have been going on for a few months. Also, you have a majority of the 'normal' symptoms: headache, drowsiness, vomiting, and nausea. There are other symptoms depending on where your tumor is located.

"Glioblastoma is in 15.4% of all primary brain tumors. The likeliness increases with age and is more common in men than women. For treatment, you will have to go through surgery and chemotherapy. Most adults live about 2-3 years." My breath hitched at this part.

Great, I thought, now I get to learn my life timeline. I mentally rolled my eyes.

"… with radiation survive about 14 months and 30% survive 2 years. 10% of patients may survive 5 years or longer. That was according to a study in 2009. Since that was nearly a decade ago, our treatment, equipment, and understanding has gotten better, so the number has gone up." I let out an unknown sigh of relief at that news. "More good news is that patients with their MGMT gene shut off by the methylation process survives longer too. History has shown that it really just depends on the person for how long they will live.

"Mayo Clinic has the best treatment. You will most likely have to go to Minnesota or Florida, since those are closes. Before you go, we can do somethings here, we do have a very talented brain surgeon. We will want to remove the pressure from the brain first. So what day works for you?"

*End Flashback*

"Wow," Piper breathes.

"Yeah, basically my response too." I agree looking down at my shoes.

After a bit of silence, she asked a question, "When is the surgery?"

"March 3rd," I answer quickly. "They want to relieve the pressure and get as much removed as soon as possible."

"When do you have to..."

"Leave?" I spit the word out, "Two weeks after the surgery. They want to give me enough time to recover and prepare."

More silence.

I recognize the song that's playing. It's one by Matchbox Twenty. Then suddenly Piper turns and hops off the top of the car. She unlocks the door and digs around inside. I can't see what she's doing because I don't have x-ray vision. She then climbs back up but now has a little notebook and pen.

"If you have to do all this, then you are going to have fun too." Piper decides looking at me seriously.

Confusion was written on my face when I ask, "What do you mean?"

"We are making you, and well the rest of us, a bucket list."

I stare at her blankly, not sure of what she means still.

"Oh come on! Here, I'll put the first one down. 'Have a Galantine's day with Pipes and Reyna since Thalia has a boyfriend but we can still invite her to be nice and since it's tradition'. Plus we have a Galantine's Day every year anyways. There." Piper says, showing me the list.

"Okay," I agree skeptically.

"Before we go on, I need you to think of a number."

"Why?" I question again.

Piper rolled her eyes like she couldn't believe I don't know what she meant. "you need to pick a number because that's how many things we are going to fill in for your bucket list. So, 3! 2! 1! Go!"

"14!" I shout quickly.

"Oh come on, Annabeth! That's too short," Piper complains.

I roll my eyes at her response, but answer again anyways, "Fine. How about...41 then. Just switch the numbers around."

"Okay, works for me."

"Now what?"

"Now you think about what you've always wanted to do with who."

"Hmm... Oh I know! I've always wanted to go on a road trip with all of you guys." I answer. Piper quickly writes it down. "I also want to go to Disney World with you all. Oh! Go to Greece with everyone. I thought it would be cool to go skating at Rockefeller Center."

"Okay, enough with everyone." Piper scolds.

"Have a girl's weekend somewhere hot," was the first thing that popped in my head. "Go to a Yankees game with whoever. Also, I've really wanted to go see a Broadway musical, maybe Lion King or Wicked. That also with whoever. Spend some time with Chiron again, maybe at the house on Long Island. I've wanted to go horse riding and learn to do archery or sword fighting. Backpack through Europe or go see some architecture there with everyone. That sort of goes with Greece." I list off.

"Yeah, that would be cool though," Piper agrees. "How about a boyfriend? I know you've dated sometimes. But what about firsts?"

"Piper," I groan.

"I'm serious, Annabeth. You're 23 and don't you want to have some good firsts with someone? Maybe fall in love." She wiggles her eyebrows which makes me laugh.

"Yeah, I guess," I agree and already see her writing it down, "But,"

"No. No 'buts'. I already wrote it down." Piper says.

"But what happens when I... ya know," I say sadly.

"No, I don't know. Because you are not going to die on me girlie. Not if I can help it,"

"I'm just saying. If I actually do, because you heard what the doctor said, what would happen to him. If I fall in love. I'd be devastated to leave him." I point out.

"Well then that can't happen, can it?" Piper says quietly.

"Yeah I guess not."

"So, let's say you will live longer than 5 years, what would you want to do with this boy you are going to fall in love with?" Piper asks with a gleam in her eyes.

"I would want to definitely have many of firsts with him. First kiss, first date, first anniversary, first time meeting family, first time meeting friends, first time. " I say shyly. "I would want to go the beach, an amusement park, a trip, all of the things basically I said with earlier, except the girl's weekend. But, I would still want to do things just with my best friends." I finish.

"Nice," Piper says, still writing. "I'm going to add a few things just because."

"Sure, doesn't matter to me." I reply.

"Well, this looks like a good list," Pipers finalizes, showing me too.

"Yes, it sure does," I agree.

We sit there for a bit longer. Just looking at the city around us, our home. Piper shifts so she's leaning on me.

"Thank you," I say.

"You're welcome," Piper answers, not even asking what I'm thanking her for. We have that kind of relationship. Just…knowing.

After a while longer, Piper says something that makes me smile and remember that Piper still has a girly side.

"Frick! I need to play for our Galentine's day!"

~oOo~

A/N

What did you guys think? Sorry for that long and probably boring middle part with all the information. I put that in there so you could get more educated on the matter at hand and understand it a little better. I realize that it is just straight, boring information. So, sorry about that. But was it good? What was your favorite part?

This chapter brings out the Piper-Annabeth friendship that I like so much. I feel like the two should also have a strong friendship. I liked it so much in the HOO books. Did you like the bucket list idea? It's going to be incorporated throughout the whole story. I think it will add more excitement and would be something Piper would have Annabeth do. And the part about a boyfriend. I had to include that. Although it will be a few more chapters until I bring someone *wink wink* into the story. I'm excited for that part though.

Please review and tell me what you think!

Thanks for reading!

~Anne