A/N: I know I promised you guys that I would be answering your reviews for this chapter but I'm so pressed for time and I'm just squeezing this update to my tight schedule, which, by the way, will last until Aug, after that I would be having more time to write. Please bear with me guys.

One thing: I know that the time jump confused you guys. Frankly, I wasn't really planning on it; I just found myself writing the last chapter that way. Now I understand why. I just can't keep on writing the same scenario over and over again in different perspective. Somehow I had to make changes and the title chapter and the timing for the most recent development was the perfect opportunity to do so.

I don't take it as insult when you guys provide me constructive criticisms because just like what I said, I look forward to them. I want to improve and your reviews have been a wonderful help.

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NEVER LET ME GO

Chapter 27: CAGE ON THE GROUND

PERCY

Be tortured physically or watch your love get hurt? No contest.

When my phone rang, I was in the middle of a meeting. I knew I was supposed to be keeping it on silent mode but I couldn't. It was as if I knew at the back of my head that something like this would happen.

Everyone on the table looked at me, clearly annoyed. The executive head of the financing department for wildlife resources wasn't supposed to be carrying a phone in a meeting to win possible sponsors. But I didn't care. Right in front of them, I fished out my phone and checked the caller ID. When it displayed, Annabeth's name, I knew. I didn't have to answer it. I just grabbed my assistant, shoved the folder to his hand and ran out of the room.

The drive felt like an eternity, even when it wasn't supposed to take more than fifteen minutes. With the dragging hand of the clock, my mind raced, along with the cars whipping past mine.

For some reason I remembered our visit to my Dad's island. Noah had insisted, begged even, to visit the island my father had told him he bought years before. I was against it, arguing that such travel wasn't going to be good for my son's health. Annabeth, Reyna, Mom and Dad were all against me, saying that we should grant a simple request. I had to let it because I knew I couldn't stand the disappointed look on his face if I didn't.

The island wasn't that big, probably a mile long and a kilometer across. There was a wooden bridge that lead to a dock where we got off from the boat which took us there. A cabin was nestled behind a thick patch of bush that covered it from where we were. It was low but spacious, something that could easily house twenty people. The side facing the water was made entirely of glass while the walls surrounding it were made of sturdy wood. It was something that I would recognize as something that my Dad designed. There was that specific touch of modern architecture mixed with antique materials that somehow went together perfectly. Standing before us, the cabin could be something built in the past or something that was from the present time.

Noah wanted to go swimming but that's something that I didn't allow. Due to his weakened condition, it would be very easy to catch a cold or fever. He seemed to understand and contented himself by sitting at the shore.

Even with the beautiful view and inviting water, nobody seemed to be in the mood for some fun. We tried. Annabeth and Reyna went for a swim; Paul, Dad and Mom set up a little picnic with grilled burgers and steaks but the majority of the food was left untouched. By the time the clock signaled five o'clock, we were planning to go back inside but Noah requested for us to stay for a little longer. I complied, letting Reyna wrap a blanket around us as we watch the setting of the sun.

"Can we go for a swim, Daddy?" Noah asked. He didn't really wait for my reply, knowing very well what my answer would be. I guess my arms tightening around him was answer enough.

"I wish we can," I whispered, burying my face in his hair. "There are so many things I wish we can do but our limitations are the ones keeping us from doing it."

Noah didn't answer and snuggled into my arms, content with what little comfort his father was able to offer. But I needed his comfort; I needed him to tell me how to be strong because the truth was, I still felt lost. I still felt like I had no idea where this journey would lead us to.

"Can you hold Daddy's hand?" I requested.

Noah looked up. "Why?"

"Please," I simply answered. He did as I requested and held my hand with both of his. "Just like that. Hold Daddy's hand and never let it go; never let me go, buddy." My son gave me a small smile and a kiss on the cheek.

My car halted and I found myself in front of the hospital. I quickly parked it and ran to where I knew my son would be. He was asleep on the bed which probably had known him for the past ten years that he was admitted in this hospital countless times it should have his name printed on it.

Annabeth was the one who met me. She wasn't crying but I knew she wanted to. "Hey," she greeted.

I looked over her shoulder and saw Reyna sitting on the couch with Pierre lying with his head on her lap. My youngest son appeared to be wiping his eyes. Reyna briefly met my eyes but quickly looked away.

Things were never the same between us ever since she announced her pregnancy. Honestly, I hated myself when I found out. I knew Reyna was nowhere near ready being a parent and I just took away the one thing that she really had: her freedom. Because I wasn't strong enough to resist, she would forever be tied to me. Because of my weakness, I'd hurt her in the worst way possible.

But then again, I couldn't get it why she didn't understand why I had no choice but to proceed with the transplant, why even though it was killing me, I had to let it. I didn't have a choice. I wanted to save Noah and that was the only option we had.

"What happened?" I asked.

Annabeths swallowed visibly. "His other kidney had failed, Percy," she informed me. "Both are not working now."

I gave a slight nod as I subconsciously looked at my other son who was the only one who could save his older brother. "We don't have a choice; we need to go on with the surgery."

Reyna looked up. The way she glanced at me had me unsettled - it was like she didn't recognize me at all. She stood up, leaving Pierre lying on the couch on his own, a curious but alert look on his face. "Can I talk to you alone?" she said. The way she asked it clearly told me that I didn't have a choice.

She grabbed my arm and practically dragged me outside the room.

"What's going on with you?" she demanded. "You know lately I feel like I don't even know who you are anymore."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Look, Rey, I know that it's hard to understand that I'm trying to save Noah but - "

"No," she said, cutting me off. "That I get. Believe it or not , Perce, I get it. I get that you really want to lessen Noah's pain and save your son. As isimplei as it is I understand that you are placed in a very difficult situation and that you aren't exactly sure what to do. But this one I do not get. I don't get that in order for him to be saved, a nine year old has to pay the price."

"I don't have a choice, Rey!" I almost yelled. Why was it so hard for anyone to understand that this was the only way? Sure, it was awful but it was not as awful as watching your child dying in pain. "I know it may not seem like it but I do think. I did think this through and this is my only option." Reyna started shaking her head, placing her hand on her hips as the other one brushed her hair. "Now you can look at me and see someone you don't know who but guess what, I don't care because given the choice, I will always choose Noah."

The damage was already done before I realized it. It was something that I always felt to some degree but didn't really face, or given much thought because I was too scared. I knew that eventually, I would have to face this - making a choice between her and my son. She never said anything because I knew that Reyna would never put me in a situation like that, but with Pierre being in the picture kind of complicated things. Before, Reyna was contented in giving her support to me and to everyone but ever since our son was born, things changed. I guess this was the eventual outcome of her giving birth. It wasn't just her getting hurt but Pierre also. And yes, I knew I would never forgive myself for what I was doing to my nine year-old son. I knew that he would spend the rest of his life hating me but there was nothing I could do about it.

"I - I'm sorry, Rey, I didn't mean to," I stammered, trying desperately to not lose her completely. "I - please. I can't choose."

"Don't make this about us, Percy," she whispered fiercely. "None of this is. Yes, I know that your eventual decision would be Noah and that's truly okay because that's how it's supposed to be. Just don't forget that he isn't the only person in this equation. Just don't forget that Noah isn't your only blood here. You're already losing one son; don't make a decision that will cost you your other family."

"You think I don't know that? Do you honestly think I'm setting Pierre aside - "

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!" I yelled back. I didn't care that people were openly watching us, I had to get it out. "Go ahead and accuse me of not caring for him and for being a bad father, for compromising Pierre for Noah but this is the only option I have, don't you get that?"

"I get it, Percy. I do, but what about this: Didn't you get what the doctors said? That if we do proceed and let Pierre donate one of his kidneys to Noah that he'll have to be careful for the rest of his life? Forget the fact that the operation would hurt, but if he only has one kidney, then what happens to him?

"He has to be careful and I -"

"But what if he doesn't want to be careful? What if he wants to get careless and play sports? This will hinder him. This will prevent him from doing everything he wants." She paused, shaking her head. "I can't believe I'm saying this but, Percy, you, Pierre's father, are stealing your son's future."

"Go ahead and hate me, Rey. Everyone here can despise me for making this decision but I - "

Reyna cut me off. "But you don't have a choice?" she challenged.

"Well, I don't!"

"You always have a choice!"

"Stop!" a high-pitched voice screamed. We were too caught up with our argument that we both didn't notice our son standing there until he made his presence known. He had tears in his eyes and his hands were shaking."Noah needs a kidney? He needs a liver? Take mine! Take everything I have, just please stop fighting!"

Reyna and I were both speechless. I saw Annabeth at the corner of my eyes, a hand on her chest.

"Please stop fighting," Pierre repeated before running away.

Reyna looked at me, accusation burning fiercely in her eyes. "How can you make him feel so unloved?" she asked quietly. Then she was off running after our son.

I was left there alone, unsure of what I needed to do. Have I really pushed him too far? What is a parent to do when faced two impossible choices? Is it acceptable to choose the lesser evil of the two? What could I do in this situation, anyway? One son on the brink of the death while the other one, who could really save him, was too young to pay the price for a situation he couldn't fully comprehend.

I didn't know what to do.

I slumped on the bench near my son's door, only to find someone was already sitting on it. Annabeth was looking down at the floor, her hands intertwined on her lap. "Hey," I greeted her.

She looked up and gave me a sad smile. "Hey," she greeted back.

I leaned myself against the backrest of the seat. "You heard." It wasn't really a question because I knew that the whole hospital heard our argument. I gave a sigh. "I don't know what to do, Wise Girl. Noah is in so much pain right now and I just want to do something, you know? We've been in this situation for ten years now and even when so much time has passed, it feels like nothing has changed. I still wake up afraid that when I looked, he won't be there."

Annabeth took my hand and leaned her head against my shoulder. Over the past ten years, we were able to regain the kind of friendship that we once had. No more awkwardness or even a hint of resentment because of what happened fifteen years ago. I was thankful that I was able to get my bestfriend back. No matter what happened, I knew I was never going to be alone.

"I know," Annabeth answered. "I feel the same way every single day." She sighed and played with my fingers. She then straightened and turned my face to her direction. "Listen, Percy, I know you're under a lot of stress right now trying to balance your life – being a father to two boys and being a girlfriend to Reyna. I know how much you really want to save our son but maybe you need to stop and take a look to consider the decision you're making." She paused. "I don't mean to sound harsh but take a pause and try to see how unfair your decision is."

I take it back, then. I thought Annabeth would always have my back, but not in this situation. Funny because I thought she was the first one to agree and let us proceed with the transplant. They didn't really get that the whole gravity of the decision I have made would always weigh me down and that there was no one here who would never be able to look in the mirror without hating himself for hurting a nine year-old than me. I know people may look at me like I was heartless for doing this to my own son but I didn't really care. Noah needed saving. If I could only give him my kidney, or any organ for that matter, I would've done it. Sadly, life seemed to be so bent in stopping me from doing anything.

I wanted to stand up and walk away but Annabeth's hand kept me from doing so. "Please listen, Percy," Annabeth pleaded. "I've spoken to Noah and you know what he said?" I listened intently because to be honest, I haven't really had that much chance to speak with him. I'd been drowning myself in work and came home with him already asleep. "He said that he loves you so much and that he couldn't ask anymore from you. He also said that . . . that . . ." Annabeth faltered and had to swallow before she was able to continue. "He said that he doesn't mind his disease killing him, but it's already killing his family, too." I watched as a pair of tear fell from her eyes. It felt heavy, hearing those words because I knew those were really spoken by my son. "I know that this situation we're in is bound to change you. God knows how much it changed me. I'm not the same girl as I was ten years ago. Reyna isn't the same, too; I know you have noticed because this time she isn't the only one getting hurt.

"But most of all, you are not the same, which is expected because of all of us you are the one most affected but the Percy I knew would never consider this decision, the idea wouldn't even cross his mind. We need that person – the one who never knows how to give up and always finds a way to get himself and everyone he loves out of a difficult situation without hurting anyone." She paused and reached out to comb her fingers through my hair. "What happened to him, Percy?"

I wanted to answer even when I didn't have any to give. Dr. Mears appearing behind her saved me from saying anything, though one quick look on his face told me that I'd rather argue with every single person in this hospital than hear the news he's about to deliver.

"Percy, Annabeth," he greeted us. "Would you rather have this conversation in my office or here?"

I looked at Annabeth. "Here would be fine," she answered. "Noah's feeling good today, he told me."

He gave us a small smile as he checked his notes from his clipboard. "I'm not going to start by saying much leukemic cells are now showing at our recent test with Noah. You know that he's been in renal failure for a month now and his other kidney had stopped functioning; it's quit. The fever he's experiencing is due to the dialysis that can no longer support his body." He looked at Annabeth. "As for him feeling good, Annabeth, these lucid moments are gonna get shorter and more apart. His system has failed completely and his body defenses are at zero."

"I know, Seymour," I answered him. "We're working on finding another donor so we can do a transplant."

"Time is something that we don't have, Percy," he informed me. "It's been a long journey. Ten years of beautiful battle. Your family had fought harder than anyone I have ever seen and you have served as an inspiration to other, but I'm afraid that this is it. We have reached the end of this journey."

Annabeth slowly nodded as more tears fell from her eyes like she's been expecting for this. I, on the other hand, was having none of it. "No," I whispered. "We have come too long to give up now. You remember what you said that children who have this kind of illness don't make it past five years old? Look in that room, Seymour, my son is now fifteen years old. There has to be something that I can do. Tell me and I'll do it. What can I do?"

Dr. Mears placed a hand on my shoulder. "You can release your son, Percy; you can let him go."

[Next - Chapter 28: SHADOW OF THE DAY]