Finding The Way Back To You

Ten: All I Got Was A Glimpse Of You

Annabeth realized they were alone for the first time besides the short(ish) car ride. She couldn't breathe; her throat was closing. Did Percy put something in the fish?

"Anna? Are you okay?"

"Me? Yeah, why? I'm so great, why?"

"You look like you're gonna be sick."

"I— me? I'm fine."

"Maybe you have a bug or something, this is, like, the third time tonight you've looked like this."

"I'm fine Connor."

"Do you— do you want me to go?" He asked like he wanted to be anywhere but with her.

"Honestly, I don't care." She groaned in between her legs.

Percy had read online one night that sticking a nauseous person's head between their knees could help alleviate nausea.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm nauseous." She said, her nose sounding like it was clogged.

"I'll let you do what you need to do. See you at work on Monday." Connor ran out the door, presumably never coming back.

Annabeth ran to the bathroom, tears welling and her knees hurting from kneeling in the movie theater to puke and having to kneel now with the edges of the tiles digging into her skin.

All she wanted was Percy. Maybe it was because she needed someone to hold her hair or just rub her back, but she wanted him there.

When she was done, she curled up into a ball and cried and cried until she had no more tears left to cry.

~

She must have fallen asleep because she woke up to pounding on the door.

Swinging it open, Percy looked as awful as she felt.

"Beth— are you okay? What happened? Did he try something, do I need to do something?"

"Percy—" She cried, pulling him into a hug. He wrapped his arms as tightly around her and kept her close. He smelled like the beach, and his arms were strong, keeping her upright. Able to stand for the first time in probably hours.

"WHere did you go?"

"I went to my mom's. I'm okay, but you don't look so good. What did he do?"

"I've been feeling sick all day, just bad timing I guess."

"We're about seven weeks in, it's not uncommon for the morning sickness to start, but, maybe we should call the doctor tomorrow just to double check." He started going through his phone to call the doctor.

"Percy, stop."

"What?"

"Can you just— please just—" Her eyes welled with tears again, just wanting to be near him, have him hold her, and tell her she was his everything.

"What is it, Beth, whatever you need, just let me know, okay? I'm here for you."

"I need you to just lay down. Lay down in my bed." She said, sniffling.

"Is something wrong with it? Do you need it fixed?" He asked, walking over to her bedroom to ensure everything was okay. "I don't see—"

"Lay down." She said, crossing her arms.

"Okay." He said, falling backward onto the bed, confused but not-not turned on by her sudden dominance.

Annabeth sat beside him, pushed him down, and lay on top of him.