When Annabeth woke up again, she was alone in the hospital room. She looked around several time just to make sure she wasn't missing someone hiding. Quite frankly, she was surprised that she hadn't been woken up at some point by the nurses. She was slightly bummed that Thalia had left. Annabeth assumed Thalia had to go back and fulfill her duties as the Lieutenant of Artemis.
Annabeth was almost surprised that Percy hadn't left instructions that someone be with her at all times. She was glad for the privacy though. It gave her a moment to think without someone watching her and trying to get her to talk.
"Oh! You're up! I didn't think you'd be awake for a while yet. I was trying to let you sleep so I went to the cafeteria and ate lunch. I don't think they're going to keep you in here much longer though! It's great because we won't have to eat the food from their cafeteria that tastes horrible."
Annabeth groaned under her breath as Thalia came into view far too loudly. "Hey Thalia? Can you be a bit quieter? It's a hospital. Just because I'm awake doesn't mean all the other patients on this floor are."
Thalia sighed and flung herself into the armchair in the corner. Previously, Annabeth hadn't even noticed it sitting there, but it was the same chair Thalia always sat in at that particular hospital. She had simply pulled it up to the bed. The only other option for a chair was a metal folding chair that looked like it had a dent in it.
"You mentioned something about getting out of here soon?" Annabeth asked Thalia.
Thalia grinned and said, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that the doctors have decided you're stable enough to be let out of here without being assigned a counselor or mental hospital room."
"Thanks for the reassurance, Thalia," Annabeth said dryly.
Thalia gave Annabeth a cheeky type grin and said, "That's what I'm here for."
Annabeth rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. She was definitely ready to leave the hospital. She wasn't going to say anything to Thalia, but she was hoping to contact Percy through the gizmo. She hadn't thought about it, but she knew that she had to have it somewhere.
"What's on your mind? You've got that face," Thalia said.
Annabeth looked up at Thalia's suspicious look. She tried for a nonchalant shrug, but was fairly sure that Thalia was too smart for that. However, she let it slide and just sunk back into her chair.
A nurse walked in about an hour after Annabeth had woken up. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
Annabeth said, "Great!"
She raised an eyebrow. She checked some of the monitors that were hooked up to Annabeth and recorded things on the clipboard from the end of Annabeth's bed.
"Well," the nurse said, "I'll get your doctor in here and he'll discharge you."
"Thank you," Annabeth said with much more dignity than her overexcited 'great' earlier.
The nurse nodded kindly and left the room.
Annabeth let her head fall back on the pillow. She was ready to leave the stupid hospital and get out of the hospital gown that they had put on her. It didn't exactly make staying in a bed for several days straight any better. Don't even get her started on going to the bathroom. She couldn't. She was on bed rest so she had to use the dumb methods that they use for someone going to the bathroom in a hospital bed.
Thalia had gone for a walk somewhere, but she came in a few minutes after the nurse had left. "Hey," she said, "Your nurse told me you're going to get discharged pretty soon!"
Annabeth grinned. That was definitely good news. Annabeth was sure that Thalia knew how she felt being stuck in a hospital. It wasn't like the experience was new to her, but that didn't make it any easier to deal with. It was nice to have Thalia there though. It made it seem a little less lonely.
"Yeah," Annabeth responded. "The nurse said that she was getting the doctor so I can leave."
Thalia snorted and said, "Someone is impatient."
"You try doing nothing but lie in bed day and night for however many days. We'll see how patient you are by the end."
Thalia raised her eyebrows. "It also must have shortened your temper dramatically. You're ripping my head off."
Annabeth didn't respond. She knew Thalia knew that she was just irritated. She could apologize later if she needed to.
"I just want my family to be together," Annabeth said quietly.
Thalia, who had been staring out the window, turned to look at Annabeth. Annabeth was staring blankly at the wall at the end of her bed. It was the wish that became much more developed when she became a mother.
Thalia said quietly, "I think you've always wanted that, Annabeth."
Annabeth nodded absentmindedly. "I guess so," she said.
"It was one of those wishes that we keep deep down, but when the danger of the wish not being granted arises, it comes out in full blast."
Annabeth looked at Thalia in shock. There were still many times Annabeth would forget that Thalia was probably in her forties by that point. She had plenty of life experience, it just didn't look like it because she still looked about 16 years old.
"Yeah. I guess you're right."
"I am quite a lot."
"Debatable."
Thalia rolled her eyes as the nurse came back into the room followed by Annabeth's doctor.
"Jake!" Annabeth called.
"Hello Annabeth. How're doing?"
"Better if I didn't have to be stuck on bed rest for a week."
"You haven't been stuck for a week," Jake said with his eyes twinkling.
Annabeth raised an eyebrow at Jake who held his hands up in surrender.
"Alright. Linda has clothing for you to change into. I've got your discharge papers all signed up and sent to the front desk. You get changed and when you're on your way out just stop at the desk and tell them your name and that you've been discharged by Dr. Mason."
"I know this process, Jake," Annabeth commented.
"I know. However, it is protocol for the doctor to run through the discharge process with the patients every time."
"Whatever. I'm going to change."
Linda gave Annabeth a fresh change of clothing along with the clothing she must have had on when she was brought into the hospital in Florida. Those were in a plastic bag. Annabeth took the bag and the clothing. She left the bag on the bed as she slid out of it. She took the fresh change of clothes into the bathroom once Jake and Linda had left.
When she came out she said, "I am so ready to get out of here."
Thalia turned around from staring out the window and grinned. "Then let's go, Annie!" she said.
Annabeth shot Thalia a look that was completely disregarded. Thalia pranced out the door with a grumbling Annabeth trailing behind.
When Annabeth and Thalia got to Annabeth's apartment building, Annabeth looked at Thalia. Thalia hadn't told her if she was going to be staying with her until the men got back or not. Annabeth stepped out of the cab and casually waited to see what Thalia would do. Thalia just gave Annabeth a wave then shut the door for her.
Annabeth was slightly relieved. She wasn't proud of it, but she really didn't want Thalia staying at her apartment until Percy came back. She wanted some time to herself. Although, she would definitely call Hazel and Piper and spend some time with them. They had stayed in New York and California, respectively, when the men were returning from the original mission. She didn't even know if Piper knew about Jason dying.
Annabeth had subconsciously gone up to her apartment. She opened her door and found that the apartment had not changed one bit. There was even a fine layer of dust covering everything. She set to work dusting.
When she had cleaned the small apartment up, she called Piper.
"Hello?" Piper asked.
"Hey, Piper."
"Hi Annabeth."
"How're you doing?"
"Good as can be."
"I take it that Thalia told you?"
"Yeah. He's cremated already. That's what we think he would have wanted. We're not doing an official service until the others are back, but the military had a final viewing and all for me and Thalia. A lot Roman camp came too." Piper sniffled.
"That's good. I'm sorry I missed it. He was a great friend."
"I don't think he would've minded. He'd understand."
"I know. He was good about that."
They were silent for a moment before Piper said, "Hazel is in New York."
"Really? What for?"
"She decided to wait for the boys to come here instead of in California. She was the only one waiting out there while the rest of us are here. Calypso is staying with me right now and I think that Reyna is staying at a hotel with Hazel."
"Wow. We're all here aren't we?"
"Yeah. Will being a part of their little organization is the only one who isn't sitting back chewing their nails."
"I bet that makes Nico feel better, not worse."
"I don't know. I wouldn't bet on it though."
Annabeth laughed and Piper joined in. To Annabeth, it sounded like Piper hadn't laughed in a while. But then again, her husband had died about a week ago. That would mess anyone up.
"Listen. Why don't we meet up somewhere? All of us." Annabeth suggested.
"Yeah," Piper agreed, "I think we need to have a good, old fashioned get together again. It's been a while. Do you have Reyna's number?"
"Yeah. I'll call Reyna if you'll call Hazel and tell Calypso."
"I will. When and where are we going though?"
Annabeth stopped. That might be something they should consider before telling the others they were going to all meet up somewhere.
"You could all come to my place." Annabeth replied slowly.
She could almost hear Piper shrug indifferently as she said, "Yeah. I'm fine with that."
"Alright. I'll give Reyna a call."
"Sounds good. Bye."
"Bye."
Annabeth hung up. She had decided without really thinking that it was better for her to meet up with some friends instead of search for the gizmo and try to contact Percy who was halfway across the world.
Slightly nervous, Annabeth dialed Reyna's number. They hadn't spoken in several years. She knew Reyna talked to Percy almost monthly before he left. However, Annabeth hardly ever talked to Reyna personally.
"Hello?" Reyna answered.
"Hey. Reyna?"
"That's me."
"Hi. It's Annabeth."
"Oh. Hey Annabeth. What's up?"
"I just got off the phone with Piper and I'm wondering if you would meet up with me, Piper, Hazel and Calypso at my place?"
"Sure. When?"
Annabeth froze. She had forgotten to ask Piper when they wanted to schedule this gathering.
"Uh," Annabeth said, "Let me get back to you on that. I forgot to ask."
Reyna chuckled and said, "Alright. You give me a call when you find out."
"I will." Annabeth promised.
They hung up and Annabeth silently cursed herself for forgetting to ask when Piper was going to tell everyone else to come over.
Just as Annabeth was about to hit call on Piper's contact, her phone started ringing. She was so startled that she nearly dropped that damn thing! When she turned it over to see the caller ID, she saw it was Piper.
"Yeah?" Annabeth asked, finally getting herself and phone under control.
"When did we say we want to meet up?"
"That's what I was just about to call you to ask."
Piper laughed and said, "Okay. How about tomorrow around 10 o'clock?"
"Yeah. I can do that."
"Awesome. I gotta go. I need to tell Hazel the time."
"I've got to call Reyna to tell her the time."
They laughed and hung up at the same time. Annabeth pulled Reyna's contact out of recent calls and dialed the number again. It rung once before Reyna picked it up.
"Yep?"
"We decided it's going to be at 10 o'clock tomorrow at my place." Annabeth stated.
"Got it." Reyna said.
"Okay. I'll see you then."
"Ditto." Reyna said and they hung up again.
Annabeth gave a sharp nod to herself and decided to call her mother. After all, Athena had Percy Jr. and Leroy, their dog.
"Hello?"
"Yes. Is this the front desk of the Empire State Building?" Annabeth asked in her best business voice.
"That it is," said the man on the other end.
"Would you put me on the phone with Lady Athena?"
The other end was silent.
"Hello?" Annabeth asked.
"Yeah, there's no Lady Athena that works in this building, ma'am."
"Oh, I think you'll find her on the 600th floor."
"There is such floor, ma'am."
"Yes there is, sir, and you know it."
The other end was silent again. Finally he said lowly, "Fine. You must be the famous Annabeth Chase."
"That I am," Annabeth replied smugly.
"Alright. I'll transfer the call up."
"Thank you."
The hold tone came on the line for a moment before someone on the other end asked, "Annabeth?"
"Is this Lady Athena?" Annabeth asked.
"Yes it is."
"Hi mom. It's Annabeth."
"How can I help you Annabeth?"
Annabeth let herself feel a little hurt at the lack of motherly affection before she said, "Can you bring Jr. and Leroy over tomorrow at 10 o'clock? All the girls are coming over and I'd like my dog and son to be with me when they come."
"Of course. I'll see you tomorrow." Then the line went dead. Annabeth stared at the phone before setting it down on the coffee table.
Annabeth looked around from where she was standing in the middle of her living room. She went into the kitchen and turned on the lights. She saw her lovely kitchen and then a sack was pulled over her head and then darkness.
A/N: Bit of a filler chapter leading up to the next one. I did spend more time to edit/revise this one though. It's a bit short, but hopefully good.
I'm always welcome to constructive criticism in reviews.