XXI

PERCY

"She's convulsing!" I yelled, as I finished tying off her bandage. "We need to get her to a hospital now!"

"Percy, I don't know if that's a good idea," Nico argued as he wiped blood away.

"We don't have a choice!" Nico looked a little startled. I didn't have time to feel sorry about bursting. "Come on, grab her stuff," I said, as I shoved my arms under her and lifted her off the ground. She moaned in pain as her body fell slack. I walked out of the house, trying to figure out how to get her to the hospital, because the car was still unusable.

I was shocked to see a perfectly good silver BMW. I sighed in relief. Thanks Dad, I owe you one.

"Nico, let's go!" I yelled. He ran out of the house with Panda's dagger in hand and whistled when he saw the car.

"Sweet ride," he breathed as he ran forward and opened up the back door. He slid inside and helped me guide Panda into the car. She gasped as I set her down. I closed the door as Nico arranged her into a better position. I ran around the car and revved it. The car roared to life and I stepped on the gas. The car peeled out, leaving black markings all over the deserted road.

Trying to keep my eye on the road, I rummaged for a map that could help us find a hospital. There was one tucked behind the registration license. I chucked it back to Nico.

"Where's the nearest hospital?" I called. Nico frantically opened the map and studied it, looking up for street names. It felt like he was taking too long.

"Nico!"

"Okay, okay, make a right now!" he called. I almost missed it, but I turned and raced down the road into a small town.

"Pe-percy?" Panda breathed quietly.

"It's okay Panda! You're going to be okay!" I said, seeing her pale face in the review mirror.

"All right, take another right! And the hospital will be on your left!" Nico yelled as he chucked the map and started fidgeting with Panda's wound.

"Hold on Panda, just hold on," Nico soothed, as she started wheezing. The tires squealed as I slammed on the breaks. I didn't even turn the car off as I jumped out and opened up the back doors.

"I'll take her in, go notify the doctors," Nico said. I nodded and ran into the hospital. I ran up to the front desk.

"I need help. My sister was shot and she's not responding," I said frantically. The receptionist looked at me startled and didn't really say anything.

"My sister's been shot!" I said, slamming the counter with my fist.

"Um, okay, name please?"

I sighed in frustration.

"Annabeth Chase," I said, not knowing if Panda's name would even appear. Nico came in with Panda. Her shirt was a drenched in blood and her face was completely pale. Nurses came out like moths to a flame. A man quickly took her from Nico and placed her onto a gurney. They wheeled out yelling a bunch of medical stuff and terms, leaving me and Nico to wait. Nico placed his hand on my shoulder.

"She'll be okay," he said.

"How would you know," I said, as I turned and waited in the waiting room. I was boiling. And I was breaking. My hands were sweating. I was scared I would lose her. All she was doing was trying to fix her mistake and the gods wouldn't hear it and go about their roots and start cursing and killing everyone involved. Nico sat next to me.

"I know you're worried, but she'll be okay. She's strong. She's fighting," Nico said.

"How do you know?" I asked irritably. "How do you know she's not going lose? How do you the doctors won't do their job right or the gods intervene and she dies? How do you know?"

"Okay, I don't know all that, but Percy, who am I?" Nico said, raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Who am I?" he repeated. It took me a second to realize it.

"Son of Hades," I answered sulkily.

"Damn right. I'll know if she's dying Percy," he said. I put my trust in him, and my body gradually relaxed. She was going to be okay. She had to be. I let my head fall into my hands and waited. The hospital was buzzing with normal hospital sounds. So far, no one had come up to me to tell me about my loss and Nico hadn't reported anything different.

It felt like forever when there was a piercing howl. No, please no! Not now! We were both up in a heartbeat. We ran outside, weapons ready (startling a few unsuspecting bystanders) and came face to face with Laelaps. He couldn't have come at a worse time. Why couldn't we have a break? Why were monsters waiting around every single corner? Isn't there a deserted alley we could walk down for once?

He was standing there, slobber pooling at his paws.

"Let's go, fur brain!" Nico yelled as he raised his sword and slashed at Laelaps's snout. He howled in pain and stepped forward, making Nico stumble backwards. I grabbed Nico by the scruff and pulled him out of the way before the dog stepped on him.

"Thanks," he breathed.

"No problem," I said as I raised Riptide and charged. I ran around him and cut his hind paw. He kicked, but I jumped out of the way just in time. Nico was keeping him busy up front, so I jumped onto a nearby car and jumped. I landed square on his back and he immediately rebuked, trying to throw me off.

"PERCY! WATCH OUT!" Nico yelled, as he pushed a bystander out of the way of Laelaps's giant paws. Laelaps jumped, and I grabbed on to his fur for dear life. He picked the wrong guy at the wrong time. I had anger fueling my fight and he's about to find out my bite is way worse than my bark. Holding on tightly to this big dog, I moved forward and raised Riptide. I plunged it into his neck, which wouldn't kill him, but would make him run away with his tail between his legs for awhile. His front legs buckled and he fell forward, making me tumble off his back.

Nico caught me and pulled me out of the way as Laelaps tried to regain his footing as blood flowed from his wound and soaked his fur. He whimpered as he quickly disappeared down the street into traffic. I was breathing heavy.

"We showed him," I moaned as I struggled to stand up. Nico grunted in agreement. We sat down, with many people staring at us awkwardly. How many times do you see bleeding kids sitting in front of a hospital? It was a little bit ironic. We were catching our breath when Nico suddenly straightened.

"Percy, I can barely feel Panda," he said, staring into the hospital.

"What do you mean?" I asked, panic starting to take over my body. He looked towards me.

"Percy, I'm losing her."

He couldn't say anymore. I was already running. I ran down the hall, past screaming nurses and halted in front of Panda's door. I struggled to look through the small window to see several doctors and nurses surrounding a broken body.

"I'm defibrillating!" one of the doctors yelled. They shocked her body several times, but she wasn't responding as her heartbeat grew slower. I felt my heart constricting. This can't be happening. It just can't. But the line went dead, creating one very loud and dreadful pitch. A few seconds went by in terrible and agonizing silence.

"Call it," one of the doctors finally said.

"4:56 PM," a nurse said sadly. My body shook and I ran to the nearest trash can and barfed. My body trembling and tears were running down my face as I collapsed to the floor. Reality finally struck hard. The gods gave us their hardest blow. I felt like I couldn't breathe. My hands were shaking and stomach was lurching and I felt like I had to puke again.

"NO!" I yelled, as I slammed my fist against the wall. The gods finally won. They got what they wanted. Panda is dead.

Sorry I'm taking so long guys! Thanks for the favorites :) I hope this chapter came out well. I'm not sure, I think I have it moving too fast or choppy or something. But anyways, lend me your thoughts and I promise to give them back! :) Thanks!