Chapter 5

Annabeth

As soon as I hung up the phone, I started to sprint towards the pool. Sure it's 6 am and there are people up and about looking at me strangely but I don't care. I have to get there to save Percy, and if the poison is anything like last time, I don't have much time. I am running as fast as I can and all I can think about is how Percy is probably bleeding out, alone and in pain all the while his teammates would be there any minute. I don't know what the Mist will hide but I don't want to find out. I am getting closer to the pool and as I get closer, I run harder.

Percy, I am almost there!

I can't believe that monster is back. I knew I killed him and I know I killed him long enough so we never had to see him again and he would be trapped in that hellhole. I have no idea how he escaped but once I save Percy, I am going to find out and end him once and for all. I finally arrive at the pool and burst through the men's locker room, panting heavily.

" Percy!" I scream and listen for his voice.

"Annabeth?" a faint, coarse voice calls to me. I followed his weak voice and find him against the lockers with blood surrounding him. He's sweaty and pale and holding his gut with his bloody hand. I ran over to him and kneel down to assess his wounds.

"Ok I have some ambrosia that should stop it from moving further into your bloodstream and it should help until I can get you help. "I ruffle through my handbag and finally find the pieces I hastily threw in on my way here. I pop them quickly into his mouth and brush some of his sweaty hair from his eyes so I can see how he is truly feeling. Everything you need to discover about Percy is in his eyes. I knew that seeing the person who tortured him was probably really hard for him and his eyes are tormented and angry. If he wasn't in so much pain, I am sure I would be hearing more waves in the pool then I am currently. He looks at me with his perfect green eyes and gives me a pained grin.

" It's not that bad Annabeth."

"Not that bad! Seaweed Brain, there is blood all around you and your skin looks likes a ghost. I am sorry to say but it's bad Percy. Now we got to get you out of here and to the campus hospital."

" Annabeth, going there is not going to help you know that right?"

" Yes it will they are going to treat you like a normal human who was stabbed and poisoned. And when you are stable enough, Argus and Chiron will come to pick you up. I am going to call Chiron once we get out of here so there is no point in arguing. We got to get you out of here. Here, grab my arm" I command as he reaches for my arm. I help him up and put his arm over my shoulder so he can lean on me for support. We slowly but quickly walked out of the pool and hurry over to the campus hospital. I called on our way over so they were prepared with a gurnie and a thought of what happened. We enter the ER room and immediately, the doctors take Percy from my shoulder and lay him carefully on a bed. They give him a oxygen mask and attach an IV and heart monitor while they assess his injuries. He is moaning and shouting in utter pain and I hold his hand to try to give him some comfort. The main doctor on the case tells me.

"He is going to need to go into immediate emergency surgery and we need to move now."

I nod and continue to hold Percy's hand as we ran towards the OR. By now, Percy has stopped moaning and is having trouble staying awake with the amount of blood loss he has had. As we approach the doors to the surgical wing, I squeeze his hand on last time.

" I love you Percy. "

He looks up at me with scared, searching eyes as he tries to tell me the same. But before he can, his eyes roll into the back of his head and his heart rate declines rapidly. I shake him hard and his limp body doesn't respond. Doctors push me out of the way and roll him quickly past the doors I am not allowed to go through. I can hear them screaming to each other and I can hear Percy's heart monitor beeping loudly. As they turn the corner, through the small window in the door, I can see Percy's body being pushed away as someone kneels on top of him and preforms CPR. I can't catch my breath as I realize that this was a lot worse then either one of us made it out to be. He could die and I-I would be alone without him. My heart races as tears stream down my face and I am left alone in a quiet hallway.

Percy

I wake up to the sound of Annabeth's distinct voice.

"Seaweed Brain?" she asks as I feel her hand stroke my cheek. I open my eyes and see her sitting next to me on my hospital bed. Her eyes were stormy and gorgeous but filled with watery tears.

"Hey Wise Girl" I whispered back weakly which was not what I was intending to sound like. I try to sit up and instantly, I sharp pinch of pain. Annabeth carefully pushes me back and says.

"Easy. You just got out of surgery yesterday. The doctors said that you have two broken ribs, multiple stab wounds that they needed to fix, poison that is slowly coming out of your bloodstream and a concussion. You lost a lot of blood so they had to do a blood transfusion while in surgery. But you should make a full recovery soon and be back to your bad joke telling in no time." She smiles as she kisses my cheek and continues, " Chiron is on his way with some ambrosia to help with the ribs and other wounds. He wants you to be stable enough so we can transfer to you camp as soon as possible. We don't know where you know who is and Chiron and I don't want to take any chances. But you leave that to him and I. You need to rest and try to relax."

"Oh man," I say "I'm sorry that I had to put you through this Annabeth. It's not fair to you."

" Yah well, for minute I thought you were going to die right in front of me, so let's not to this again alright?" She responds sharply and gets up to go fix some things across the room, refusing to look at me. I wince as I try to sit up but instead I whisper out in a coarse voice.

"I am sorry Annabeth for making you go through all of that again. I know it wasn't easy to see me in pain again...like last time."

She shakes her head and her shoulders tremble as she says still with her back turned, "N-no it wasn't easy, Percy. It's ok it's obviously not your fault, but just don't almost leave me again. I-I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

I wish I could get up and pull her against my chest and assure her that I am not going anywhere. But I can't do much when I can barely move. So instead, I murmur.

"Hey. Come here." I tell her as I pat the small space next to me on the bed. Slowly, she turns with her red, swollen eyes from crying and moves to lay next to me in bed. I gently stroke her blonde, curly hair behind her ear and look into her eyes as I say.

"Annabeth Chase I am not going anywhere. I promise you will be stuck with me for a long time."

She smiles and I wipe a tear from underneath her eye as she says, "Percy, what are we going to do? He is back after all this time and-and he almost killed you. What should we do?"

I grimace as the pain medicine starts to wear off and I finally feel the full effect of my injuries. I breathe out in pain.

"I don't know. We just got to figure out a plan but for now, I think it would be save to stay at camp until we find something. He wants you dead just as much as he wants to kill me and I don't want to take that chance."

She nods and snuggles up to my non-injured side, "Me neither."

I grimace and take a sharp inhale of pain as Annabeth asks me. "Are you in pain? I can give you more pain medicine. It might help you sleep more too."

"N-no I'm f-fine."

"Percy, you can barely talk without sounding like you want to cry. Here, it will take two seconds." She moves for the side of the bed to fill my IV again and I try to protest but after she does it, immediately I feel a difference, and after a while, I realize how tired I am. Slowly, I close my eyes and for the first time in a while I feel right to sleep.

Annabeth

While Percy is sleeping, I stay by his bedside and stroke his hand. I watch him sleep and think about how I was so close to almost losing him. I also contemplate how hard this all must be for him. He thought this monster was gone for good and that he could finally move on with his life but now he is back in full force. I am still shocked that he's back. We never were told his name because Chiron told us not to talk or speak of him as names have power. But this monster ruined our lives in more ways then one. He tortured Percy. He is one of the reasons why Percy and I have our issues today. I thought I killed him. I am going to find him and when I do, he is going to wish he stayed in Tarturus.

"How is he?" a voice asks. I look up and see Chiron standing at the door in his wheelchair. I walk over to him and give him a big hug.

" Thank gods you came."

"Annabeth we can catch up later but first, what happened?"

I sigh and tell him the whole story. When I am finished, he finally speaks up and says.

"This demon, his name is Serpens. He is a servant to Oceanus who you know is a partner with Kronos. When Percy and you came back, I was pretending that I didn't know who he was. But I didn't want to cause more pain so I lied. It seems that he mission is to destroy Percy. Annabeth, this demon that tortured Percy he is a very powerful. Like giants, it also takes a god and a demigod to destroy him. But, I don't want you or Percy to go after him just yet. I need to alert the other Olympians of Oceanus's plans and both of you need out of harms way. Do you understand me Annabeth?"

I answered back, "No, I don't."

"Annabeth-."

"No I don't understand how I can just stand by and wait for him to come back and kill Percy once and for all Chiron! Especially after all that he has put Percy through! I can't have that and I won't."

"It's just how things work Annabeth. You should know that. Until I get a general ok from the gods, you and Percy can't engage Serpens until then. It's much too dangerous and it could cause more problems then the Olympians want to deal with."

"So what happens if they decide no? Are Percy and I just going to live are lives waiting for the other shoe to drop? Am I going to wake up one morning and see Percy's dead corpse besides me because-." I breathe out a sob and continue, "No one knows how much we have been through and after everything we have done for the gods, I would expect them to help us with this one thing."

"Alright, I will convince the gods to help you both out."

"Ok." I answer and wipe tears from my eyes.

He answered, "Good, now I need to be getting back. I'll see you both at camp soon." He wheels out of the room and leaves Percy and I alone.

I stand there thinking about all of the information Chiron just told me. Did Chiron really think I wouldn't go after that bastard? He was sorely mistaken. I walk over to Percy's bed and kiss his forehead. Piper is bringing the rest of the gang over to visit so when they arrive, that will be my chance to escape and find Serpens.

I know what I must do know if Percy and I are to move on with our lives.

I need to find and kill Serpens. And to do that I will need the help of my mother.

Percy

I wake up to all of my friends staring down at me.

" Um hi." I say uncomfortably as they all give me a big group hug and I gasp loudly in pain. Then they all back off and apologize for putting me in more pain.

I look around to see where Annabeth is but I can't find her. I finally asked the looming question.

" Hey, do you guys know where Annabeth is?" I whisper coarsely as they all give each other pained looks. I know something was up and finally Frank speaks up.

" Percy, she went after you know who."

"WHAT!" I exclaimed and quickly wheeze out a breath of pain. I continue to freak out and say, " I got to help her what is she thinking?" I sit up in my bed but all of my friends push me back down.

" Percy" Hazel says, " You're not strong enough to fight him. "

"Besides Percy, I think this is Annabeth has this covered." Jason assures me but it doesn't make me feel better.

"When did she leave?" I ask.

Piper tells me, " A couple of hours ago, right when we all got here. She didn't want to leave you alone."

I am trying to think rationally about the situation, but I can't. She shouldn't do this alone, I mean I did and look where I am. I know she can handle herself but still, she needs backup. But I can't move or do anything so I just sit quietly and my friends look at me with sad expressions. I am worried and I want to help Annabeth but I can't. There was nothing I could do and it truthfully, it sucked.