The After Journey

Suffocating.

Annabeth's POV
We walk into the Empire State Building barely awake, we had a pretty rough trip back here. Constant attacks from monsters some fights were easy and some..not so much. I'm pretty sure my right pinky finger is broken, Taiylor is limping a bit but she won't say anything, And the only thing wrong with Percy is that his hair is a complete mess. I tried my best to fix it but all it did was make it worse.

"600th floor, please." I ask the clerk at the desk and he looks up from his phone with a fake confused face "There is no 600th floor." I roll my eyes, we don't have time for this. "Yes there is, just give me the key card." I reach my hand across the desk and he reluctantly gives it to me and we go to the elevator. I press the button and up we go.

I look at Taiylor and then to Percy, this quest has been amazing, and I'm so glad I got to do it with my two best friends. I wait somewhat impatiently for the elevator to reach the top, it finally makes its stop and there's a slight ding. The doors open and I'm still amazed of what's up here. It's absolutely stunning to see, no matter how many times I come here in my life I will always be amazed. I hold my stomach while walking out of the elevator and walk the pathway that is perfectly carved out.

People wave at us from they're small stands and I smile at them. Percy's hand is on my lower back as we're walking and I pull his hand up a bit, it's a little too low for being out in public, especially here.

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Percy's POV

We stand in front of Poseidon, Athena, Apollo, and Zeus. They stare down at us from they're seats and I take a deep breath looking at Annabeth. She looks back at me with a calming glance that says just say what Artemis told you, it's a simple thing. I wish things with the gods were that simple, because they never are.

Zeus' voice booms over the walls and he says "What is the reason that you've come here?" He seems annoyed..maybe this isn't good timing, I should just come back another day. In my head I'm running for the door, but my feet are firmly planted onto the floor.

I clear my throat a bit and say "We're here on the behave of Lady Artemis." Apollo rolls his eyes saying "Foolish. Don't listen to a word they say, father." I sigh cutting him off "Sir..Artemis isn't forcing maidens to join the hunters. They're connected at birth and she knows are special. And she would never force them to be apart of something they don't want to do, and I'm pretty sure you know that. It's wrong to kill her hunters just because you and Apollo don't agree with what she does. If someone was to take your chicken leg, would you use your magic powers and..poof..make them disappear? I highly doubt it." Or maybe I don't, I mean he's a pretty angry guy.

I hear chuckles across the room and I know one of them is from my dad, I haven't even looked at him because I know if I do I'll get nervous. "So please just move past this and start fresh. Because when gods get in fights..everyone is involved even if you don't think that they are. Artemis is doing no harm and it's been fine all these years..let it still be fine."

Aphrodite starts clapping but is quickly silenced by Apollo. "Taiylor, my daughter, what do you think of all this? Do you agree with your father or this guy you barely know?" She looks shocked that she's being talked to, I understand though, the first time I came here it was complete culture shock. "With all do respect sir, I agree with Percy. It's stupid to be a womanizer. Let her do keep guiding the huntress, they help everything stay in place. They're so underrated and it's not fair." She crosses her arms looking at him.

I'm a little surprised that that just came out of her mouth. Everyone is silent for a few moments and then the gods all start chatting quietly and I don't even try to listen in.

I look at my wife and friend and they look back. I can't believe this quest is almost over, in this past week I've gotten so much closer with Annabeth and I've gotten to know Taiylor, she's like a sister to me.

"Ahem." Zeus says loudly getting our attention and I turn to face him. "I really despise demigods. They're so annoying and needy." "Thanks.." I mutter.

"But I do see where you and your friends are coming from. The hunters haven't done any harm to us all these decades, even they are quite annoying at times, they haven't done anything harmful." I start to get hopeful.

"So I guess I'll let them stay in they're little group. So you can go back to your camp and tell Artemis that she's welcomed back." I grin and look at Apollo who is clearly upset, well he can suck it.

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Annabeth's POV
I see my mother and Aphrodite chatting and Aphrodite glances at me and says quietly "Oh you poor dear.." I look away feeling uncomfortable.

My mother walks over to me and asks me to go to a different room, I nod and follow behind her. I feel Percy's eyes on us while we walk away from the crowd.

Athena turns to face me and I look at her eyes trying to see if there's any sadness, anger, or happiness in them. I don't see anything. "What is it?" I ask her.

I'd rather just know what she wants to say then it be drawn out. She sighs tucking my hair behind my ear, and she's never affectionate towards me. Never. I'm a bit shocked at her touch and I take a step back.

"What is it?" I repeat. She takes a deep breath rubbing the side of her face and I cross my arms.

"It's about your baby." She tells me and I bite my lower lip..is this about the prophecy?. Along the way you shall lose someone, and yet be closer to them in the end. I shake my head, confused "I don't understand." I say even though I'm afraid that I might, and I just don't want to believe it.

"I'm afraid that you've had a miscarriage." I shake my head again. "How do you know? You can't? You can't just tell me something like that!" She explains to me how the gods know things like that and that it has happened.

My ears start ringing and I can't hear her anymore, my head is throbbing so hard that I think I might pass out.

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Turns out I do because I wake up in a bedroom in the Blue house and Percy is sleeping in the chair next to my bed. I immediately start sobbing and he wakes up and sits on my bed pulling me to his lap. I cry so hard that I struggle for breath and I want to die. If I could take the place and die instead of my stillborn child, I would in a heartbeat.

I cry and cry until there's no tears coming out and yet I'm still heaving for breath and gagging. I've thrown up while I was crying and I don't remember, but I can taste it. Percy tries whispering soothing things to me but nothing helps, I've fallen down this whole and it's dark and I see the world above me but there's no grip on the walls for me to climb up, and dirt falls over me..suffocating me.

A/N Please don't hate me 🙊. This was a really emotional chapter and it was hard to write. Please vote and comment! 💕