Sitting in a circle of chairs they had collected from both rooms, Fred, Helen, Pons, and Sally were seated, eating sandwiches and talking and laughing. Fed looked up at the duo when they walked in. "Oh, here you two are. Want a sandwich?" He asked, but his smile dropped a little when he saw how serious the two looked. "Are you guys ok?"
Annabeth slipped out of Percy's lap and onto the bed, and Percy wheeled up beside her. "We need to talk." She said.
"What's the matter guys?" Sally asked, standing up from her chair and walking over. "Did something happen?"
"No, that's not it." Percy said, a frown on his face.
"Then what is it?" Helen said, cutting in.
"Well, you see, we were just wandering around the hospital, when we came across a TV. Do you want to know what was playing on that TV?" Annabeth said, looking each of the parents in the eyes.
"What did you guys see?" Pons said, cutting in to the conversation.
"Well, lucky for us, the news was on. We were able to get caught up with what's been going on in the world. Especially the top story right now, which happens to be us. We also learned some very curious information." Annabeth said.
Picking up her train of thought, Percy continued, "We found out that, not only does the press know our names, but they also have a press conference in a few days, in which we are supposed to appear."
Annabeth continued with pausing, "What were you guys going to do. Show up in a few days, get us dressed and say, 'hey guys, today you are going to spill your guts to the press. Aren't you excited?'"
The pair watched the four adults squirm for a few moments before Fred spoke up and said, "That's not what we were going to do. We were going to tell you, we just didn't want to stress you guys out, it could hinder your recovery."
"OH that's your reasoning? 'It could hinder your recovery'. What else have you guys been hiding from us?" Annabeth said
"Nothing! We promise, this is the only thing. " Helen said. Her face was pale and her eyes shone with regret. Sally looked the same At the sight, both Annabeth and Percy slightly calmed down. Neither of them had meant to make their parents cry, they just got a little heated when they found out that their parents had been keeping things from them.
"It better be. Now, what are we going to do about this press conference? Can we cancel it?" Percy said, slightly calmer.
"We can't. We had to do this in order to get the press of your backs. Otherwise, they would probably be all over the hospital." Pons said.
"Still, you could have told us when you decided to do it." Percy said, but there was no real malice in his words.
"Ok, we will tell you next time." Fred promised.
A couple days later, Percy and Annabeth were heading to breakfast. Annabeth had decided earlier that morning it was too early to walk, and had unceremoniously plopped herself on his lap when he went to get her for breakfast.
As they wheeled into the cafeteria, they got multiple strange looks, but they ignored them. When they went to get their morning meal of rubbery eggs and over-cooked bacon, the lunch ladies were extra nice to them, giving them hot food for once. Annabeth inferred that they must have seen the news lately, which accounted for the special treatment.
The two had noticed lately that people had been extra nice too them. One example was when they been headed down a hallway. The big double doors had just closed on them when a nurse came out of nowhere saying, "Oh, you poor darlings, let me open for you."
They had tried to protest that they could have opened the doors by them selves, with the wheelchair button, but the nurse had protested saying, "That they had gone through a dreadful experience that they shouldn't need to lift a finger."
That instance had been one of many, but the pair had gotten used to special treatment.
When they got back to their floor, their parents, all of whom looked worried and harried, stopped them.
"Oh, there you are! We have been looking for you. The press conference is in an hour, and you two need to get ready." Helen said, walking up to them. Then, without warning, Annabeth was being taken off of Percy's lap, and set on her crutches, and Percy's wheelchair was being grabbed by Sally and both were lead away to get ready for the conference.
Percy and Annabeth were seated at a table that was up on a platform. On either side of them were their respective parents. Below the platform was a hoard of reporters. Almost all of them had camera men with them, so there was no doubt that they would be on the front page of every newspaper and the top story on every news channel the next morning.
Before the conference had started, Percy and Annabeth had been told that they would get to pick who they spoke to, but if they wanted to, they could have their parents answer some questions.
As they sat together, Annabeth and Percy picked out the reporters together.
"What about him?" Annabeth asked, pointing to a professional looking man. "He looks professional."
"Nah, he is to boring." Percy said with a shrug.
"No, we should do him. He wouldn't ask anything to radical I imagine." Annabeth said forcefully.
"Fine. I get to choose next though." Percy said, giving in to Annabeth.
"Deal." Annabeth said before pointing to the man and nodding, giving him the indication that it was all right to speak.
"Hello, Dan Worthington from New York Times. Did you know each other previously to when you were held hostage?"
"Um, no we meet during the lockdown drill." Percy said, feeling awkward.
Together, the pair picked the next reporter, a black-haired woman with glasses.
"Hello, I am Elissa Martinez from the Chicago Tribune. How did you guys meet anyway?"
"Well, we were in the same room when the lockdown drill was called, and then, we were able to stay together once the real one was called." Annabeth said, sounding slightly more professional than Percy.
The next reporter up was 'Donna Smith, Miami Herald' who asked, "How has recovery been for you two?"
Percy when first and said, "Recovery has been difficult, I mean we were kidnapped by a crazy man. Its not like we will be outside playing basketball and taking PE tests tomorrow." A ripple went through the crowd at Percy's answer.
"What he means is that we didn't come out of that unscathed, recovery will take awhile." Annabeth said, both annoyance and laughter from Percy's answer showing on her face.
They choose the next reporter who said, "Mark Cankis, Charlotte Observer. Can you tell us your exact medical condition at this moment?"
At this, Fred cut in and said, "We have decided not to release the details of the kids conditions." The reporter nodded but looked disappointed.
As the conference wore on, both Percy and Annabeth got tired of answering questions that were almost exactly alike, until one question that made both of their heads spin.
"Hi. I am Risa Steiner from MTV" AT those words Percy's heart dropped, and Annabeth's head snapped up. The reporter had rigid blonde curls, both a slightly masculine face. She was carrying a bag that looked to be made of faux alligator sin, and the pencil she was holding was acid green. "Is it true that you two are in a relationship?"
Instantly, it was like Annabeth and Percy were half tomato. "NO! I-I mean no, we are not in a relationship. Why would you think that?" Annabeth said, losing her composure for a second.
"But I have information that you two spend most of your time together in the hospital, and that you even go to Physical Therapy together. Are you sure that there isn't something going on?" Risa countered, being insistent.
"Yes I am sure!" Annabeth said, becoming more agitated and embarrassed by the second.
"I think that is enough questions." Helen cut in. "We will have to end the conference. Sorry to those who didn't get to ask their questions." After finishing this, she stood up, and gestured for the others to do the same. They stood up, and together exited the room.
Once they exited the conference Percy and Annabeth turned to each other. Annabeth still had an agitated look on her face, and Percy still looked highly embarrassed.
"What have we done to get ourselves thought of as a couple?" Annabeth asked, talking mostly to herself. "Why would I want to be thought of as the girlfriend of seaweed brain? Are they crazy?"
"Hey, I am offended by your statement." Percy said, hearing what Annabeth had said. "Although I don't get it either."
Ok, so I had writers block this chapter, that's why it wasn't up early like I promised.
On another note, I would like to thank ShimmeringDaisyFace. SHe is my new beta, and is really helpful :) Also, have any of the writers on here ever used the grammar check? Some of the things it says is ridiculous. It says that Ladies is biased... What?
R & R