Chapter 28

Annabeth sat outside the operation room with her head bent down to the floor. Her hand was holding her forehead with her elbow resting on her knee. Her eyes were swollen red from the tears that were no longer coming down.

How could she have not known? She was so self obsessed about her own needs and worries that she hadn't noticed her mother's condition.

Gods, how selfish could she be?

Her mother had fucking terminal liver cancer and she hadn't done or known anything.

It was her mother's pride that was at fault or not telling her, yes… but it was also her fault for not noticing.

Gods, she hated herself right now…

Annabeth heard footsteps running down the hall. She didn't look up as she felt a familiar hand rest on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. The person sat next to her and brought her into a hug.

A sea ocean scent surrounded her.

She looked up to see two warm aquamarine looking back down at her in concerned worry.

"Percy." she said.

She pulled away to see that he was not the only one with her. Standing near Percy in all her calm beauty was Callie.

Annabeth was too tired to overthink about how the heck Callie was here with Percy so she simply sent a small smile to Callie who gladly returned it.

Percy kissed her on the forehead and kept his arms about her, while whispering words of comfort to her. It successfully calmed her nerves a bit, but her gut was still twisting from her self hate.

"What kind of fucked up daughter doesn't realize her mother has liver cancer?" she said hatefully at herself.

Percy held her at arm's length, forcing her to look at her, "Annabeth, nobody knew. Stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault."

"Yeah, Annabeth. Percy's right. You can't possibly blame yourself for not knowing." Callie said, crouching in front of her and taking a hold of one of her hands.

Annabeth nodded slightly as Percy squeezed her shoulder.

The operating doors opened and the head surgeon walked out. Annabeth stood right up to meet him.

He pulled down his mask and looked at her.

"Your mother's alright for now, Ms. Chase. She shouldn't push herself too much."

Annabeth let out a heavy breathe she didn't know she was holding, "Thank you doctor."

His face became stern and serious, "But. Ms. Chase. You should know out front that the least your mother has is maybe… two or three more months."

"What?" her grey eyes widened.

"I'm sorry, Annabeth. I wish we could do more, but it's the truth. Your mother refused to get treatment before, so her situation is very far gone."

Annabeth's legs went weak. She bit her lip to resist crying out loud. She felt an arm hold her up.

"Thank you, doctor." Percy said for her. The head surgeon nodded tiredly and left back into the operating room.

Thalia, Nico and Piper arrived minutes later with Annabeth's change of clothes. Annabeth was looking worn out still in her running clothes and sitting in the chair next to her mother's bed. Percy and a familiar looking brunette were also in the room.

Annabeth thanked them and went into the bedroom to change.

Meanwhile, Thalia looked down at Athena, the woman she had always thought was the scariest woman she had ever met, now laying helpless and sick on a hospital bed.

"What happened?" she asked Percy.

"Apparently, Annabeth found her lying unconscious on the floor of her hotel room and bleeding from her mouth." he responded.

"Oh my gods. Is Annie okay?" Piper asked.

"Not really."

Thalia looked over at the beautiful brunette standing slightly behind Percy.

The girl smiled over at Thalia.

"Hey, Thalia. It's been a while."

Thalia's brows raised, "Do I know you?"

She smiled, "Yeah, I actually do. You thought I was an Egyptian princess the first time I told you my full name."

Thalia's electric blue eyes brightened in realization, "Callie?"

The brunettes nodded, "Yeah."

"Wow, hi. It's been a while."

"Yeah it has."

"Why are you here?"

Percy looked a bit warily at Callie before responding instead of her, "She was with me when I got the call, so she tagged along." He looked straight into Thalia's eyes. And she got the message that she shouldn't ask any further about the subject.

Annabeth came into the room again, wearing a loose college sweater and some olive green Hollister jeggings that complimented her legs well. She looked directly to Percy then to Calypso.

"Hey, can you guys give Percy and me a minute?" she said.

Thalia nodded and walked out with Piper and Nico. Calypso followed them out the door.

Once the door was closed behind them, Percy went over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you ok?" he asked in that warm, silky voice of his.

She looked up at him with her sad grey eyes that betrayed the small smile on her lips, "Yeah. I'm fine."

He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, "You don't look fine."

She pursed her lips, "I'm going to hate saying this, but… I have to go back now, Percy. Athena wants to be in California where home is and I can't abandon her now."

His eyes looked at her with a certain sadness but also full of understanding.

"Yeah, I sort of knew you were going to say that." he let out a sigh, "It's going to be hard for me. But... I can't keep you here when your mom needs you more right now."

She reached up and held his cheek, smiling gratefully, "Thanks, Percy."

He leaned into her hand and closed his eyes, "When are you leaving?"

"As soon as possible."

He nodded, "Okay…. " He then hung his head low, "Gods, I don't know if I can do this."

She brought her hand to his chin and lifted his head before leaning in to kiss his parted lips. He kissed her back, deepening the kiss by tightening his grip around her waist— never wanting to let her go.

Ever.

But unfortunately he would have to.

In the morning, Thalia walked in to see Annabeth sleeping with her head resting on Athena's bed.

She lightly shook her shoulder, waking her up.

"Annie."

Annabeth's eyes fluttered open and she squinted up to Thalia.

"Thalia?"

"Hey, Annie. Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, sure."

Still groggy, Annabeth went over to her chair and sat as Thalia sat in the chair near her.

"I heard you're going back to San Francisco."

"Yeah, I am." Annabeth then narrowed her eyes on Thalia's stomach. "Have you been gaining weight, woman?"

Thalia laughed at that, "Um, slowly I am, but I do have cravings. Oh gods, but morning sickness has been a bitch these first few weeks."

Annabeth's face was priceless. She looked completely clueless at first, but then her grey eyes widened in realization.

"OH MY GODS! YOU'RE—?" Annabeth said

Thalia nodded.

Annabeth's jaw dropped to the floor, "NO way... No way! Oh my gods. I'm so happy for you!" she yelped as she jumped up to give Thalia a big hug.

She pulled away and looked down at her friend with concern, "I feel bad I'm not going to be here for you."

Thalia waved it off, "Oh, don't worry about it, Annie. your mother needs you more. Worry about her right now, alright?"

She nodded and smiled widely at her, "I am so excited for you."

Thalia chuckled at her enthusiasm.

Annabeth's smile turned to a sly smile, "So, the baby making must have been amazing."

Thalia's face went red and Annabeth burst out laughing.

"I should really become a matchmaker or something."

Thalia's face looked at her funny, "What?"

"Nothing."

Thalia shook her head, smiling at her friend.

This girl… She was going to miss her so much.

-Line break-

Annabeth pushed her mother in her wheelchair towards the gate of the airport terminal.

Percy had come out to see her go. He handed her her backpack. She took it gratefully.

"I'm going inside first, Annabeth." Athena said.

Annabeth nodded over to her as her mother wheeled herself through the gate first.

She turned back to Percy who looked sadly back into her eyes.

She went up closer to him and gave him a big hug. He buried his face in her golden locks, taking in her lemony scent, before she finally reached her hands up to wrap around his neck before crashing against his lips. Her fingers ran through the tuft of raven hair on the back of his head as his arms brought her closer to him, as if to print into memory the touch and scent of her.

She pulled away from him slightly and looked up at his face, "I'm going to miss my flight if I stay here any longer."

His green eyes looked down at her warmly and ran the back of his fingers down her cheek, "Bye, Annie." he said in a low, but sweet voice.

… it was ten years ago again— when she and Percy were sitting in that diner across the street from the school. And she had told him that she was moving to California. He had said those same words to her….

She bit her bottom lip. She was leaving him again.

Her lips went up in a sad, but sweet smile.

"Bye, Percy." she said before pecking him on the lips again and walking away with her backpack over her shoulders.

As she gave the attendant her ticket, she looked back again at his handsome figure. He had his hands in his jean pockets, but he raised his hand in a wave when he saw her looking— with the sweet warm smile she had always loved on his lips.

She smiled back and waved back at him before walking after her mother.

Percy watched as she slowly disappeared in the tunnel that would lead to her seat on the plane.

His arms still felt like they were around her, taking her in. He would never admit it to anyone, but… It felt like a part of him was torn from him and he felt like simply running after her and never letting her go again.

But of course, he couldn't do that.

Letting out a sigh, he slipped in his ear buds and started his music on his phone.

It was the same song that he had listened with Annie when she was still in the hospital.

The beats filled his ears as he took one last look at the place where she had left him before slowly leaving the airport.

Annabeth sat in her chair beside the window besides her mother. She rested her forehead against the wall, looking out the small window of the plane with her earbuds in— playing whatever was on her iPhone.

Familiar tones rang through her head.

And I miss you

I'm goin' back home to the West Coast

I wish you would've put yourself in my suitcase

I love you

Standin' all alone in a black coat

I miss you

I'm goin' back home to the West Coast

West Coast by Coconut records

Annabeth smiled to herself. This song..

Gods, was she going to miss him...

Author's Note:

Woah! A lot of hate for Calypso. Haha. You guys are not going to find out what happened between Percy and Calypso in his office til maybe the next chapter, so wait for that!

ANNABETH LEFT! AHHHHHH! She's in California so who knows what's going to happen in New york with her gone.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter guys!

P.S. If this were a movie or something and I was the director. The airplane scene would probably have the song "Fix You" by Coldplay playing in the background. Lol. I think it fits. Or if that's too weird, maybe something like... OMG

Beautiful Girl by William Fitzsimmons. That is so perfecttt.

Haha sorry, if you're still reading- thanks. YOU'RE A TRUE FAN!

Lol anyways. Updates are coming soon!

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