AN: Like in previous chapters some things I say about doctors and medicine might not be true but this time I did do a little research. Please check out my other stories and enjoy the chapter...

Annabeth

I choke on loud on my words as the news sinks in. I'm in labour… "I-I can't be. It's not possible!" I stutter, shaking from head to foot. I look at Percy, begging him with my eyes to tell me it's not true.

He opens and closes his mouth like a fish but nothing comes out. He's speechless. My eyes fill with tears and I double over in pain. "Girl, you got to breath," the driver says and I do what he says and take deep breaths.

"It's hurts," I sob, tears not falling freely down my cheeks.

"Wait until you're pushing," the driver replies and I choke on another sob. Percy rubs my back.

"Jeez, don't tell her that!" Percy yells. "Just hurry up, will you?"

"Boy, I'm going as fast as I can but there's traffic," the driver says and I make this weird noise; half groan, half sob.

"You'll be fine," Percy whispers, his lips touching my ear. It makes my shivers worse. He takes his jacket off and wraps it around my shoulder. I try to thank him but I can't seem to form words so I just nod.

"Come on!" the driver yells, hitting the wheel and I look up.

"W-what is it?" I cry.

"I think there's been an accident or something- oh, they're moving now. Don't worry, honey, we'll be at the hospital in no time," the driver replies. That was a lie.

Ten minutes the driver pulls up outside Manhattan Hospital and opens the door for us while Percy lifts me into his arms. Percy carries me out of the cab and quickly digs around in his pocket for money. "Don't worry about the money, man," the driver says, getting back inside the taxi. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," Percy calls over his shoulder as he runs towards the glass double doors.

Once we're inside Percy yells for help and I can barely make out doctors running towards us through my blurry eyes. "Where are you going?" I ask Percy as he places me in a wheelchair.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise," he says and takes hold of my hand as a doctor wheels me into a private room.

"What's happening to me?" I cry, looking around at the many doctors grabbing this machine and that needle. "Am I in labour?"

"I need you to try and stay clam," a kind voice says. I assume it's a doctor. "Don't get worked up because it can cause the baby distress and if that happens then we'll have to get it out."

"Please, stop it from coming. It's too soon," I sob as I'm lifted onto a bed.

"We know," the same doctor replies. "Just calm down and take deep breaths. Now, what's your name?"

"Annabeth Chase," Percy says for me. I clutch my stomach and scream in pain.

"Right, Annabeth, we may be able to stop the labour but it doesn't always work. We're going to give you a corticosteroid just in case we can't stop the labour," the doctor says. "How long have you had the cramps?"

"For about half an hour," I choke out.

"That's good. Since it's hasn't been that long we'll give you an IV and see if that stops the contractions. We'll give it an hour."

"What if they don't stop?" Percy asks, panic thick in his voice.

"Then we'll perform an emergency caesarean to get the baby out as fast as possible and into an incubator. Don't lose hope," the doctor replies while she grabs an IV.

I don't know what the doctors do to me. All I can focus on and think about is that my baby is coming. We're not prepared. We don't even have any baby clothes never mind a cot. We might not even need one if my baby doesn't survive.

The thought breaks my heart. Five months ago I didn't know I could love something so much, something I have never even met but now… I think I'm going to die if something bad happens. And Percy… he's been so kind and caring. This will break him, I'm sure.

Thinking about Percy makes me remember that he's with me and I come out of my thoughts. I look at him and the sight breaks my heart even more. He's leaning against the wall, his head in his hands and I can faintly hear sobs through all the other noises in the room.

I feel a sharp pain in my arm and realise that the IV is in my arm and running through me. I lay back and squeeze my eyes shut all the while thinking, "Please work. Please, let my baby survive." I'm not religious but even that doesn't stop me from praying silently.

"We're going to do an ultrasound to see if the baby is facing in the right direction," a doctor says, lifting my shirt up and squirting gel on my stomach.

It's crazy how it was only this morning that Percy and I were planning to go shopping after the scan tomorrow. It looks like that won't be happening now.

I tune back into reality and watch the screen as the doctor runs the scanner over my stomach. "Okay, there's your baby," she says calmly, as if I'm not in premature labour and that my baby doesn't have a possibility of dying. I feel a hand slid into mine and look up to see Percy. His eyes are puffy red and I bet that I look even worse.

"She's not in the right direction so if the labour doesn't stop then we will definitely have to do a caesarean," she explains.

"She?" I hear Percy mutter and for a fleeting moment I feel happy. My baby- our baby, is a girl… and then I remember the situation.

"Is she okay?" I cry, trying to calm down even though it's impossible.

"She's bigger than most babies in the womb at twenty weeks so there is hope," the doctor replies.

"What's the chance of her surviving?" Percy whispers, his voice breaking at the end.

"There's a twenty-five percent chance of your daughter surviving but you can raise that a little because she's bigger than we expected."

It's then that I freeze. I can't feel anything. I mean, I can't feel anything… at all. What does that mean? "What's the matter?" Percy asks, staring at me worriedly.

I gulp. "I think it's stopped. I can't feel anything."

"That's a good sign," the doctor says. "Will it be okay if I check?" I nod, not really sure what's she's on about until she tells me to un-fasten my jeans. My eyes widen.

"Do you want me to leave?" Percy asks and I shake my head. I don't want him to leave me.

"Stay with me." He nods and squeezes my hand; not breaking eye contact with mine while the doctor checks me. I whimper at the pain and squirm uncomfortably. How can doctors do… that?

The doctor stands up and takes the gloves off and throws them in the trash before talking, "You're four-centimetres dilated but the labour has stopped. When you do go into labour it should be a little quicker since you're already opening but there's no need to worry about that." I sigh in relief and cry relieved tears.

"Thank god," Percy mutters and presses his lips to my forehead. "What can we do to stop it from happening again?"

"Annabeth, you will need to maintain 100% bed rest until the time comes to deliver baby," the doctor replies.

"Does this happen to a lot of people?" Percy asks.

"It does happen often but for different reasons. Do you smoke?" the doctor asks me. I shake my head. "Then this must be because you're younger than eighteen."

Who knew age could cause premature labour? I sure didn't. "When can I go home?" I whisper, all the screaming hurting my throat a little.

"Tomorrow the latest but otherwise you might be able to leave tonight. Do you want to call anyone? Your parents, maybe?" the doctor suggests and I shake my head abruptly.

"It's not a bad idea, Annabeth. You've been through so much. Don't you want to talk to your dad?" Percy asks and I shake my head again.

"C-can you call your mom, instead?" I ask, begging Percy with my eyes. I don't think I can bare my dad yelling at me and telling me about how my life is ruined.

"Sure," Percy whispers and kisses the side of my mouth before leaving the room.

AN: Not much of a cliffie but I don't think it was that bad, was it? Besides, I can't put a cliffie in every chapter. Review?