A/N: Hiya there, you guys. I'm sorry this chapter took longer but the past month had been crazy on me and I can't really say that it would be better. I might be more busy but I will still try to have time to write.

The last chapter, as I have anticipated, was met with mixed reviews. I completely respect your decision if you want to stop reading this story because of that twist, I would just like to point something out. Some of you guys were worried that this meant "leaning towards Percy and Reyna" pairing, in this chapter, you will know the effect of this recent development to the characters. When I wrote that, it wasn't to cause trouble between the love triangle because in my opinion, there is already enough trouble as it is. When I wrote down Reyna's pregnancy, my intention was to test our three major characters. How? You will find out in this chapter. This change would greatly impact them and they would question what they would do and that's what I'm trying to accomplish when I wrote that.

Anyway, with that being said, I wish I have time to reply to the reviews that you guys sent me because, to be honest, the reviews for the previous chapters contain lots of things that I know I can use to improve my writing. Sadly, I don't have much time but i would like to extend my thanks to everyone here giving this story a chance. Just like what I'm very fond of saying: the story isn't over yet. We don't know what will happen.

This chapter also presents another development, which I'm unsure on how you would feel about but I believe some growing up is in order. Let me know what you think!

Remember: Help me with my little request of having the reviews for this story reach 1000. I will really appreciate it and thank you in advance.

Song of the chapter:Holding On and Letting Go by Ross Copperman (not really related to the chapter but I listened to his song numerous times while writing the chapter. You should, too; it's a great song!)

DON'T JUST READ, LEAVE A REVIEW!

NEVER LET ME GO

Chapter 26: GROWING PAINS

ANNABETH

Pierre was in my apartment when I went home again. That was the third time that week and it was only Thursday. It seemed that each day after school, he went straight to me.

I couldn't really blame him. He was nine, almost ten, and he was getting caught in between a situation that even I couldn't handle. His parents were always arguing nowadays due to conflicting interest. His father being so bent in saving his brother while his mother was on the opposite side. Not precisely on the opposite side, but because in order for Noah to be saved, Pierre had to pay the price.

He looked up and gave me a sad smile as he sat on the front porch of my newly purchased house, his school bag sitting beside him.

"Hi," he greeted.

"Hey, Pierre," I greeted back, opening my door and letting myself and him inside. He went straight to my living room and plopped down on the couch, turning the television on.

I went straight to the kitchen, opening my fridge. "Want some snack?" I called over my shoulder.

"What do you got?"

"Some lasagna from yesterday, a plate of cookies your Mom gave me and then a slice of frozen pizza," I offered.

"Did you make the lasagna?"

"Yeah."

"I'll take that," said Pierre. "I'm sick of Mom's cookies."

I chuckled as I took it out and placed it in the oven to heat. While waiting, I busied myself with preparing warm milk for Pierre and a cup of coffee for myself. Doing so gave myself some time to reflect on the events that had happened for the past ten years.

With Noah sick, I can't really say that the years went by quickly because the truth was I felt like my life was a slow-paced horror movie, with whoever's in control waiting and searching a cosmic library for another painful chapter to slip into my life. Not a single moment for the past ten years when I didn't feel weak, watching my son's disease slowly feed off of the boy whom I brought into the world. But then again, I couldn't show it to him.

Noah and I grew closer, spending every possible moment together. Dr. Mears's advice was long gone from our minds. He did say that children who have APL usually don't make it past five years old, but look at my son now. He was fifteen already and is attending a public highschool. Percy wanted him to be homeschooled but I debated against it. My son had already been confined in the hospital for a few months, and in their house until 6th grade. I argued that with his condition, he had to be given a normal life as much as we could. I drove and picked him up to and from school as much as I could, which Noah wasn't so happy about. I just started noticing it recently and I knew it was because he's trying to get this girl he liked on a date.

Our living arrangement was kind of strange, as other people might say. Here we were, both Percy and I, owning a home enough to house three families, and our son was living with his grandfather. The reason was there were equipments in Poseidon's house that Noah needed during the bad days. Poseidon saw to it that his grandson would be properly looked after.

Especially after what's been happening recently.

Although Noah got better with the bone marrow transplants that we'd been administering, lately, one of his kidneys started to fail and he had to undergo dialysis at least twice a day to avoid infection. This recently development in my son's condition was the main reason of the rift that had separated Percy and Reyna. In order for Noah to make it, he needed a kidney transplant. I would've donated one of mine but the doctors said that with the age gap, there's a huge possibility that Noah's body would end up rejecting it. We'd been searching hospitals for possible donors to no avail. It was for this reason that Dr. Mears had opened a file of a boy named Pierre Isaac Jackson, Percy and Reyna's son. Their age were closer, and Pierre's body organs weren't fully developed yet, which would also give it a chance to adapt to Noah's body.

Percy wanted to proceed, but Reyna was against it. Me? I honestly don't know. Yes, I wanted to save my son and lessen his suffering, but at the expense of an innocent nine year old? Would the end justify the means, as they say? Would I be willing to sacrifice someone else's child to save mine?

I don't know. I don't know.

When Reyna and Percy revealed the news that she was pregnant, I was unsure what to think. I could remember Reyna telling me that she and Percy weren't being that couple, meaning that they weren't sleeping together. After Reyna's pregnancy was confirmed, she told me that they had a slip. One slip.

It was when they held the party for Noah's fifth birthday. After the gathering, Sally and Paul took him with them to spend the night and for some extra surprise they prepared for him. Percy and Reyna were left alone in his apartment. They had a couple of drinks already. One thing lead to another and the inevitable happened.

That was six weeks before Reyna found out about the life growing inside her.

At the beginning nobody really knew what to think, or feel, about what happened. Everyone was already struggling dealing with Noah's condition that the thought of another innocent soul getting caught up in the middle kind if dampened what would've been a wonderful news.

Reyna was in doubt. She was unsure whether she was ready for the big responsibilities of raising a child of hers. She spent half of her time speaking with me and Sally and just generally quizzing us of the dos and don'ts of being a mother, while she spent the other half sitting on her own, her hand never leaving her abdomen. She was perhaps one of the toughest woman I have ever met but when she found out about the baby growing inside her, I saw a side of her that I never saw before. It wasn't there when she learned about Noah's illness; it wasn't even there when she revealed to me that she was a victim of child abuse, but then, with her holding the printed result of her first ultrasound, I saw a vulnerable Reyna. I guess this change that completes who we are as women not only makes us stronger, but weaker, too.

Percy on the other hand was terrified. Raising our son on his own taught him that it wasn't about how difficult it was for him, but how incomplete what he could give to his child, no matter how hard he tried and no matter how much he gave up. Given his young age, it was expected for him to feel that way, though I tried to tell him that if someone would be able to handle such situation, it was him. For a brief moment, he was lost. He was not speaking to anyone, just staring at Reyna's belly. I tried to bring him out of his funk, knowing that we couldn't really count on Reyna to do so because she was dealing with this situation as much as Percy was, but failed to do so. I was getting really worried on what I could do to help him but it turned out that it was only Noah whom we needed. Sally accidentally slipped and told him that his Dad was going to be a father again. With eyes wide, he asked, "I'm going to be a big brother?" Percy was not able to stop his chuckle and seemed to start accepting it.

Everything seemed to be working well, or as well as it could be with our situation, but I was the one who saw the changes that Reyna's pregnancy brought. One might think that the baby would be sealing the deal between them and they would get married but for some reason, they didn't. And they grew apart, too. Instead of strengthening their bond, the baby seemed to be the main reason of their growing separation. I observed both of them for quite some time - they rarely talk or touch after the news was told. And at first I didn't really understand why such development would cause the sudden rift between the two of them. It may have taken me years to really get it but now I did. The very reason why was Pierre himself.

On the eleventh day of October ten years ago, Reyna gave birth to her first child via normal delivery. The baby faked us all. Reyna's contractions started very early morning of that day but the he didn't make an appearance until 3 pm. I was in delivery room with her because she requested me to. He was born slightly bigger than my Noah, but I could tell that even with the pain that she had to endure, Reyna immediately fell in love with the boy.

She named him Pierre Isaac Jackson.

Even though he had some resemblance to his older brother, Pierre's facial features differed from Noah's. Whereas Noah had the appeal the American appeal, Pierre bore the face of someone from the Mediterranean. Sally mentioned he looked a bit like Kronos Jackson, who was his grandfather. With the dark hair he inherited from his father and dark eyes from his mother, Pierre definitely was a looker. I could tell that this boy would cause quite a number of girls to cry.

The ding of the oven broke my reverie. I took out the plate, placed in on a tray together with our respective drinks and went to sit beside Pierre in the living room. He immediately started attacking the lasagna with gusto.

"Whoa, slow down there," I said, handling him the glass of milk. "Your Dad will have my head if you choke under my watch."

Pierre's eyes saddened as he put down his plate. "I don't think Dad really cares about me."

I was speechless at first. It wasn't the first time that Pierre had come to me due to issue at home, but it was the first time he really spoke about it. And for a child to feel that way? That his own father doesn't care about him? What is to say?

"Oh, Pierre," I whispered as I drew him into a hug. He held on to me tightly. Growing up in a household like theirs, I knew Pierre didn't experience the childhood that normal children experience. Reyna worked hard to fulfill her duties, even more. There's nothing that she could do better. She was a perfect mother, although I understood that even with the kind of attention she was able to provide, Pierre still needed the attention of his father, which he rarely got. Percy was too focused on our son that he overlooked the fact that he was a father of two boys.

I broke our hug and placed my hands on both of Pierre's shoulders, locking my eyes on him. "I want you to listen to me and listen carefully. You are wrong to think that way because your father loves you very much, Pierre."

Pierre shook his head. "He only loves Noah."

I took his face between my hands. "You are a very smart boy, but you are never more wrong than you are right now because the truth is that your Dad both loves you equally and unconditionally."

"If he does then he won't let them remove one of my kidneys. He's going to let the doctors do it," Pierre insisted.

"No, he doesn't," I replied. "He's not really going to let that happen, Pierre; trust me. He loves you as much as he loves your brother. Listen, Pierre, you're a smart kid and I know you will understand what's happening. I'm not saying soon because I think it will take longer than a few days for this to be explained to you by experience but I do know this: one day in the future, you will look back to this moment and wonder why you would think that way." I paused. "Things happen and not all of the times we understand right away what they are all about. Here's what I can tell and promise you, though, I will not let your father hurt you that way. I highly doubt that he will proceed in doing what he wants to but if he does, I will be there to stop him, with your Mom."

Pierre nodded and gave me a small smile. "Thank you, Annabeth. I can really count on you, just like Mom and Noah said."

I smiled and patted the top of his head. "Now if you want to stay here, you can but I have to go."

"Where?" he inquired.

"To visit your brother," I answered, standing up and smoothing my skirt. "I haven't seen him in two days. I just stopped by to get a change of clothing."

"Can I come with you?" he asked. "I have to ask him when he will introduce me to some of his girl friends."

I smiled. "Sure. Just stay here and wait for me."

He nodded his assent.

Half an hour found us in front of Poseidon Jackson's house. We entered and proceeded to the room next to the library, where Poseidon had set up a medical room for his grandson. Noah was there, lying on his bed, a book on his lap, with tubes attached to his arm and oxygen mask on his nose. He looked up and brightened when he saw us but I could see how much pain he was in. My son could barely keep himself upright. The shadows under his eyes also were always present, along with the bruises that never seemed to fade. The hair on his head was all gone due to all the medications and therapies he's constantly facing.

Ten years in this situation and you would think that I have learned to not be hurt every time I see my son this way, but I don't that even a lifetime of pain could've prepared me for this type of hurt. It would've been completely different if it was me, but seeing someone you love dearly suffering kills your heart little by little every day.

What I was able to master, though, was placing on a mask and wearing a smile when all I wanted to really do was bawl my eyes out. Noah was watching me closely and I know he's scrutinizing every small twitch the muscles in my face make – he would see that I was in pain, too. I couldn't let that so I put on a big smile.

"Hey there, handsome," I greeted, "look whom I brought." I gestured behind me to reveal Pierre.

Noah's smile turned into a grin as he straightened up more, extending his arms. "Squirt!" he exclaimed as Pierre went to his bed and gave him a fist bump. "How is my little buddy?" he asked, playfully ruffling his hair.

"Great," Pierre answered cheerfully. "Still waiting on when you're going to get me one of your girl friends!"

Noah chuckled. "Soon, baby brother, soon," he said.

They went on and talk about what teenage boys usually talk about – girls, video games and movies while I sat on the chair in front of them, watching. Noah was clearly very happy to see his younger brother and the pain he was in seemed to be momentarily out of his mind. I stood up to make sure that all medications were taken on time when someone else entered the room.

"Hey," I greeted Reyna. "I didn't know you're here."

She smiled. "Yeah. I haven't seen this guy here for a week already and decided to pay a visit." She raised the platter she was holding. "Want some chocolate chip cookies?" she offered me.

"Yeah, Mom, have some; they're great," Noah said from his bed, sarcasm lacing his tone. Pierre gave me an innocent but somewhat a copy of his father's troublemaker smirk. I gave them a glare. Reyna was very much famous for burning the cookies she's baking. Every single time.

"Sure, why not," I told Reyna, humoring the boys.

"Actually, it's a good thing that you're here," Reyna said. "I'd wanted to talk to you for a few days now."

I instantly knew what she wanted to talk about, and it's a conversation we cannot have in front of the boys. "Hey, you two," I called over Reyna's shoulder. They stopped whispering. "Stay here and don't cause any trouble."

"Call us if you need anything," Reyna added.

"Yes, Moms," they both chorused. They looked at each other then started guffawing out loud.

I shook my head as I let myself out of the room and lead Reyna to the library. I knew Poseidon wouldn't mind. This was practically our second home. Reyna took a seat behind a mahogany table. I took a seat in front of her and waited.

Through the years Reyna and I grew closer, as well, so close that she's practically my Thalia number two. We spent time together catching up, going to the mall to catch movie or have a coffee. I was the one who accompanied her every time she visits the nursery store to shop for her baby's supplies. I was the one who taught her how to properly feed Pierre, or how to change his diapers (even when I didn't have much experience on that matter). Our bond was not just made of mutual need to stay together because of the situation we're facing but because we needed each other in some ways.

"I envy you, Annabeth," Reyna said, breaking the silence. "You are so much stronger than I am. You know how to fight for the things that matter to you . . . that's something that I can never do." She looked up and I knew she was trying to hold back her tears. "How are you able to do that? How are you able to fight for the one you love when your enemy someone you love just as much?"

"I – I" I stammered. I didn't really know what to say. Reyna's situation was as difficult as mine. I knew she loved Noah as much as she loved Pierre and for us to save my son, her own child would have to pay the price. How was she supposed to make the decision? How, in her words, would she be able to fight for her son when doing so would cause someone she loved to get hurt?

"I want to protect Pierre, but I also want to help Noah," she breathed. "What should I do? I have never been in a predicament like this one. Help me make a decision, please." She looked at me, myself trying to come up with an answer but failing to do so. She suddenly looked ashamed and looked down. "I'm sorry. It's not me we who's in the toughest spot right now. It's you. Your son badly needs a kidney transplant and my son is the only one who can give his . . . you're the one getting hurt most."

"Reyna, look," I said, taking her hand. "If you're asking me if I would like to save my son, the answer is hell yes, I would love to do so but I'm never going to do that at the expense of an innocent nine year old. I won't lessen my burden by putting it on someone else's."

"But Noah . . . "

"Will be fine," I said, squeezing her hand. "We'll find another way to save him. Us – we're a big family here and we protect each other." I paused. "Have you talked to Percy about this? I she still determined to proceed with the transplant?"

Reyna nodded. "I don't know but something's changed in him. I mean, I do get that he wants to cure Noah, but by doing so he'll be hurting Pierre and he's his son. Percy seemed to always forget that. He's too focused on helping Noah that he's forgetting someone else. That is so very unlike him."

"I think we can both agree that my son's sickness is pushing him to his limits," I replied. "If it had been different, I knew the idea of going with the transplant won't even cross his mind. He's desperate and he sees this as the only way."

"I hope he sees sense that it doesn't have to be this way," Reyna said. "We can still look for a donor, right? Or search for a kidney bank that has something to help us save Noah." Reyna exhaled and wiped her eyes. "I'm just so lost. I don't know what I have to do. I can't even handle this. I don't know how to."

"You do know how to," I said, my voice rising. "Reyna, you're probably the strongest woman I've known; you're just lost. All you have to do is bring back the woman who was able to survive the horror of being abused and the woman from ten years ago who kept everyone around her grounded when everything else was falling apart."

Reyna gave me a sad smile. "That's where you are wrong, Annabeth," she said. "That wasn't me. It was never me – it was you. When things were dire and bleak and the despair nearly ate all of us, you were the one who kept the light coming in. It might seem that you were pushed at the back of the closet when you were supposed to be up front but that was because that's where you were needed the most – to keep the foundation intact. To keep everything from falling completely apart because you were the only one strong enough to do so."

I was about to reply when I was interrupted by Pierre's voice. "Annabeth!" he screamed. "Mom!"

Reyna and I shot to our feet, exiting the library, only to be met by a breathless Pierre. He looked scared and there was blood on the sleeve of his shirt. "What is it?" Reyna asked, inspecting her son. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Pierre nodded, then shook his head. "It's not me, Mom." He looked up at me. "It's Noah."

I felt my heart stop. I pushed past him to where my son was. The sight that greeted was something that I knew I would never forget. It made my heart ache and my knees weak. My son was convulsing, his body shaking like he was being electrocuted. His eyes were rolled at the back of his head, leaving only the whites for us to see. And there was blood coming out of his mouth and nose.

As I surged forward to steady him, to call for help, or beg for him to stay, a question popped into my head. One that I always tried to ignore but was always present at the beginning of every day: Is this it?

[Next - Chapter 27: CAGE ON THE GROUND]