A Light In The Dark

A Light In The Dark Part Twenty

Percy took a deep breath, the weight of his friends' concern hanging heavily in the air. As the minutes passed, the relief of regaining his sight was gradually overshadowed by the looming reality of his situation. The words he had been dreading to say pressed against his chest like a lead weight.

"G-guys," he began, his voice shaky. The room fell silent, all eyes on him. He could see their worry, their determination to support him, but he felt the need to be honest. "I—I ne-e-ed t'tell ya so-ome th-thing."

Annabeth leaned forward, her expression softening. "Wha's it, Percy?" Percy glanced at Adam, who nodded encouragingly. He swallowed hard. "Th' doctors think I got some kinda degenerative neuro-logical disease."

The words hung in the air, heavy and thick. His friends exchanged worried glances, the gravity of his statement sinking in.

"What does that mean?" Nico asked, his brow furrowing.

"It means... it'll keep getting worse," Percy admitted, feeling the sting of tears threatening to surface. "My tremors, the dizziness... and the vision loss. It's all connected, and they don't know how fast it'll progress."

Annabeth's hand found his, squeezing it tightly. "Percy, I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

Grover looked stricken, his eyes wide. "But you're still you, right? You can still—"

"I c'n still talk, still think," Percy interrupted, a hollow laugh escaping his lips. "But I'll be usin' this wheelchair full-time now. It's already hard t'get 'round without help. I cain't keep pretendin' it's not happenin'."

Nico bit his lip, glancing away as he processed the news. "What do the doctors say? Is there any treatment?"

"Not r-really." Percy admitted, his heart heavy.: "They're jus' gonna monitor me, do more tests, see how things progress. But they cain't really do anythin' t'stop it."

The room fell silent, the weight of the situation pressing down on them all. Annabeth took a deep breath, her expression resolute. "We'll figure this out together, Percy. You're not alone in this. We'll be here every step of the way."

"Yeah," Grover chimed in, his voice steadying. "We'll help you however we can."

Percy looked around at their faces—each one filled with determination and love. He felt a flicker of warmth in his chest, fighting against the despair that threatened to take hold.

I'm really sca-red," he admitted quietly, his voice trembling. "Wha' if it gets worse an' I cain't do anythin' fer m'self?"

Adam knelt closer, meeting Percy's gaze. "It's okay to be scared, Percy. You're going through a lot. But I promise you, we'll figure out the best way to help you. You have a support system now—your friends, your family. We'll make sure you're taken care of."

Percy nodded slowly, feeling a little of the weight lift as he absorbed their words. It wouldn't be easy. The road ahead was uncertain and filled with challenges, but he knew he wouldn't be facing it alone.

""Than's, guys." he murmured, his voice steadying just a bit. "I reely appreciate it."

Annabeth smiled through her concern, her grip on his hand tightening in solidarity. "Always. Now, let's get back to this game. We can't let a little thing like a degenerative disease ruin our fun, right?"

Grover chuckled, the tension in the room breaking slightly. "Exactly! You still have to lose to me at least once."

"F-fat chance." Percy shot back, the familiar banter beginning to lighten his mood.

As they settled back into their game, he felt a newfound sense of determination. No matter how difficult things got, he would face it all with his friends by his side. He wasn't alone in this battle, and for the first time in a while, that thought brought him some peace.