Percy woke up with a very dry mouth; it felt like it had been baked in the oven. His eyes were still groggy, and he blinked several times, trying to focus on his surroundings. His eyes landed on Annabeth who was sitting by his bed, smiling softly as she handed him a glass of water.

"Thanks," his voice hoarse, he gulped down the water. Annabeth waited patiently as he set his glass aside.

"Just tell me," Percy said, looking at Annabeth's hard expression.

She said, "There was a large cyst on your pancreas when they got in there. It was necrotic and close to rupturing." She looked down at her hands as she continued, "They called me in because you listed me as your emergency contact person."

Percy looked at her for a while and asked, "And what did you decide?"

"They removed a large portion of your pancreas, which means you might be an insulin-dependent diabetic... for the rest of your life. It will be a very big adjustment for you."

"I'm a man who has a green thumb for tumours, I'm familiar with adjustments, " he said looking away.

"I'm sorry "

Percy looked back at her "You're also angry...that I put as my emergency contact "

"This was supposed to be about paperwork, not life or death; the decision wasn't, it wasn't a part of our deal."

"I'm 26, I lost my dad when I was 5...my mom's done everything for me... even married an asshole who couldn't quit drinking. There wasn't a day he was sober, which also meant that there wasn't a day he supported us in any way ."

"She has done so much for me ... and I haven't told her about this, I couldn't burden her with yet another part of my life... she's finally happy and I can't" his eyes getting wet.

"I've either cut ties with my work friends or they have realized that my health thing was exhausting " he cleared his throat "Then there's Grover, who is the most resilient and kindest person I know, he too has done, so much for me, I didn't wanna put this on him too " he took a deep breath as he continued. " it's not my intention to make you feel sorry for me... I intend to apologize and...explain that you are the closest thing to someone I consider a friend besides Grover "

Annabeth smiled slightly as she took his hand in and squeezed it, startlingly a warm point of contact. They stayed silent for a while, Annabeth closed her eyes for a couple of moments, and Percy silently looked at her. Her golden curls, the lemon-scented shampoo, her expression soft and relaxed. She opened her eyes, looking at a pair of green ones starting at her.

"I might be a diabetic?"

"Yah"

"That sucks "Annabeth chuckled agreeing with him "Yeah it does".

They fell into silence again, Annabeth eyes wandering around the room, looking at the tv and then glancing at him. His eyes stayed focused on a spot on the floor, he tried so hard to act casual, like most The gorgeous woman isn't holding his hand at the moment.

He tried to think of various topics, he could start a conversation with... Like football, no no, um favourite movie? Nope. His eyes wandered back to her face, her head turning towards him, she looked at him, uh quickly say something.

"I think it's time to tell my mom, considering that now I don't have a kidney and half a pancrea..., what do you think?" Percy asked his hands suddenly getting clammy .

"I think it's better if you tell her, parents have this tendency to always care for their kids... it's unique and not everyone gets lucky to have it. She may be angry at you for a moment but it's reasonable ."

There was some emotion in her voice that Percy couldn't figure out, sadness, maybe a hint of jealousy?

"Dr chase, sorry to disturb you, Dr piper needs a consult" Hazel arrived, a little out of breath.

Annabeth quickly let go of his hand, clearing her throat "I'm supposed to be off my shift but...uh tell her I'll be there in 5," Annabeth said looking at her, Hazel nodded and left. Annabeth turned back towards Percy "Drink plenty of fluids, I'll be back in a 10mins or so... Do you want to have dinner together ?"

"Yeah absolutely, I'm starving" Percy said flashing her what he hoped was a grin.

"Okay then, I'll try to be quick," Annabeth said as she got up and took off.

"Hey, what seems to be the problem ?" Annabeth asked as she halted beside Piper who was writing charts.

"Um, the patient in room 4 is a 42-year-old male experiencing midsternal chest pain, no cardiac risk factor, no angina. The pain doesn't radiate I did an EKG...looks clean. Here are the scans, But does the mid sternum look wide ".

"You got cardiac enzymes?" Annabeth asked to which Piper nodded.

Annabeth nodded "I'll check it out, also why are you here?, I thought your shift got over ?"

"The ER required someone to... volunteer for the night, and as a responsible adult I volunteered, " she said casually

"So it has nothing to do with the blond who volunteered tonight as well ?" Annabeth said glimpsing at Jason.

"I didn't know you volunteered," she said slyly

Annabeth rolled her eyes "You know who I'm talking about ".

"So at least I'm not marrying him...yet" Piper winked at her.

Annabeth scoffed and made her way towards room 4 "Call radiology, get him in for a PA and lateral films, and tell them to rush it ".

"Hi, I'm Dr Chase, I'm a cardiologist, I'll simply perform a check-up, just to be sure ."

"Hi...uh... I'm Richard, look doc I just felt a little heartburn and my colleagues...they got alarmed, it's not that serious". He said shifting as Annabeth inspected his heartbeat.

"Don't worry it won't be long ".

Annabeth thoroughly checked his chest, poking and pressing at various regions, asking routine questions and nodding along.

"Ok it won't be long, I've sent for some scans and tests, we'll be done then," Annabeth said removing her gloves, the patient started to protest but Annabeth apologized and made her way out.

Annabeth slowly walked out of the hospital sitting on the bench as she took in the fresh air, it was a chill December night, the moon was full, its sliver light shining bright against the black sky. Some memories started to flood in, she took out her phone, and went to the photo gallery, as she scrolled down, a picture came up, it was her and a chiselled-looking blonde, both of them grinning as they stood in the snow with ice cream cones.

She sighed, looking at the picture for several minutes contemplating...finally, she tapped on the bin and deleted the picture, it was gone, but the memory was still extremely fresh. She got up, stretching as she walked back into the hospital, going subsequent to the cafeteria. She was about to order some food , but at the corner of her eye she saw Hazel as she scrambled towards her.

"Dr Chase it's Richard, his mid sternum looks borderline on the PA films, take a look "She held out a scan of Richard's sternum.

"Ok, get a CT asap, I'll stick around to see it through" Annabeth responded.

Piper filled the reports in charts as she leaned against the desk, she picked another one as Jason roamed towards her "Hey, a patient...just walked in with a terrible headache, he thinks he's having a stroke, his girlfriend scanned the entire Internet for symptoms and came up with... tumours ".

Piper chuckled, she was about to say something when the nurse beside her taped her shoulder

"Dr McLean, call from CT, your patient is coding in the scanner ".

"What!?"

"They say He's coding " the nurse repeated as Piper bolted towards the CT.

She rushed into the room with a man giving him chest compression "Hold CPR ", she checked his pulse, nothing "V-fib, page Chase, and push amiodarone !" she said out loud grabbing the paddles "Charge to 200 now !"

"Clear," she said as she pressed on the paddles, a shock wave going throughout the patient.

"Charge to 300, clear !" she said, shocking him again, nothing.

"Charge to 300 again, clear !" the machine finally gave beeps, the heartbeat.

"We got a pulse " she said catching her breath.

Annabeth ran into the room, slightly out of breath as well "Piper talk to me".

"Uh he was coding when I got here, I defibrillated him three times, and they gave him three rounds of Epi and two to atropine, I loaded him up with amiodarone, but he's tachycardic now "

Annabeth checked the scans and used the portable scanner "I mean, he's barely hanging on, he needs surgery, book an OR"

"Ok I'll get a room prepared and ready "Piper said noodling at the nurse as he called the OR.

"No time his aorta is dissecting as we speak. He needs surgery right now !" Annabeth said as she motioned the nurses to grab the gurney

"OR 3 is available "

"Ok tell them to prep it for emergency cardio "

Annabeth and Piper hurried as they pushed the gurney across the hallway toward the elevated "Hold it ", Piper yelled.

They pushed the gurney inside, quickly getting in.

"Once these doors open, we'll have to get him in the OR as soon as possible, " Annabeth said as they both started to remove their watches and rings,

Annabeth pulled her hair into a ponytail "Even then, if the aorta tears, we might be too late ". They pulled on the scrub caps, and removed their coats "We are not going to have time to scrub "

"I know, I know "Piper muttered as she pulled out a sanitiser, putting some on her and Annabeth's palms.

Ding

The elevator doors opened up, they walked out making their way into the OR, pulling on scrubs and gloves as they rolled in the patient, putting a sheet over him, leaving the chest exposed.

"No need to make it pretty, just pour the betadine straight onto the chest, " Annabeth said as a scrub nurse placed a headlamp on her and Piper.

"Ok, scalpel, "Annabeth said holding out her hand as a nurse placed a scalpel on her hand.

Annabeth held it hard, making a clean incision on his chest "ok cauterise, quickly Piper "

"Alright saw "Annabeth started the saw "Keep the retracter ready "She started to cut through his sternum, steady and fast.

"This guy thought he had a bad case of heartburn, he went from that to this in less than 45min, "Piper said holding the clamp ready.

"That's how these things work "Annabeth said almost done with the saw.

"Pressure dropping, the 70s and dropping"

"Retracter !" Annabeth yelled "Every heartbeat is tearing his aorta bit by bit" Annabeth said struggling.

Piper clamped the veins whilst suctioning "How many of these, rupturing aortas have you caught in time to operate ?"

"Forty maybe fifty " Annabeth replied.

"And how many were you able to save "

Annabeth looked at her "three"

"All right I'm in "Annabeth said "Oh no no no, his aorta is wide open, clamp! come on !"

Ammbeth stuffed sponges into the cavity which was filling up at an intense pace.

"All right Piper let's try suction bypass "

"Ok, cannulas "

"It's not working there's too much blood, once we get him on bypass, the bleeding will be better to control "

"Hearts fibrillating !" Annabeth said, Piper quickly pushed her hand into the cavity "Starting cardiac massage ".

"Paddles " Annabeth exclaimed

"I've almost got him cannulated," Piper said

"Charge to ten "Annneth said "Clear"

"Dammit, he's bleeding out of his nose and eyes, "Piper said

"I've been loading him with blood, FPP and factors VII "the doctor beside them spoke "but I can't keep up with the loss, Foley's full "

"His cannula sites are oozing "

"Let's push three of epi and load the paddles again" Piper said holding out her hand, she pushed the injection dose directly into the heart as Annabeth shocked him with paddles, nothing.

"Dammit, his aorta is in shreds...we've lost him," Annabeth said slumping, Piper shook her head not believing "It's over Piper, I'm sorry ", she regardless stood in shock.

"There's nothing we can do Piper, call it" Annabeth said looking at Piper.

Piper looked at the clock and then at the man "Time of death 21:52" She pulled off her gloves and then her mask, she looked defeated, her eyes shifting to Annabeth and then the man.

"Hey, look there's nothing you can do in these cases, they are very hard to detect, "Annabeth said to Piper as they got in the elevator.

"I know, I just can't, I have to call his family, and he has a son who waiting to go to a movie, I-i just - " she said swallowing hard as she leaned against the wall.

"It happens, very rarely, but it happens, ... if you want I'll make the call" Annabeth offered.

"No no, it's fine I'll do it, call me when you leave "Piper said as Annabeth patted her and got off.

Annabeth had lost a patient after a long time, and so did Piper, by now they had overcome the feeling of loss, because there's always a next patient, and their health is a priority as well. So they have to act natural, but it doesn't mean that they aren't grieving. It'll get better, as it usually does.

Annabeth picked up some pizza, a salad and a fresh juice from the cafeteria, and made her way over to Percy's.

"Hey, here, I've got some oil-filled pizza, a salad that looks good and fresh juice, especially for you ."

"Hey, good you here, I have been going insane from watching this god-awful movie . "

Annabeth smiled as she sat down beside him, opening the pizza box. She simply stared at it, deep in thought, Percy could see the gears turning in her mind.

"Is everything ok ?" Percy asked

"Yeah no it's just, I lost a patient... To be honest he was Piper's patient ". She said looking up, her eyes dull.

"Oh I'm sorry, " Percy said grabbing her hand, he rubbed small circles on her skin, easing her.

Annabeth pursed her lips, staring down at their hands "My mother called me today " she said still not looking up.

"She's going to be in the city for a while and wants to visit me. She's not my favourite person, but after my parents split, ...I did go with my mother, to Europe... And college was an escape, to say the least "

Annabeth kept staring at her hands with a sad smile. Percy's heart clenched, a weird feeling instigating in him. It didn't take much to figure out that Annabeth wasn't close with her mother.

"Look she's not a very easy person to be around, but she is a respectable doctor, the hospital worships her... It's just best if she doesn't come to know about this... Arrangement " she finished, finally looking at him.

"We don't have to tell anyone unless you want to" Percy whispered, giving her hand a slight squeeze. Annabeth's lips twitched up.

Hi, greeting to all the wonderful readers, if you all can't tell, I'm not that good at writing. I am trying my best, it would be fantastic if I can get some reviews about the story, again.

Sorry for the delay, and mistakes, pls bear with me and thank you all for sticking .