You Always Have What Other's Don't ~a Percy Jackson AU~

XIII Percy

When Percy first woke up, he thought he was in heaven.
Everything was so pristine. The linoleum floors glistened in the sunlight steaming through the windows, and the walls where so white that they blinded him. Everything was quite, almost like nature like. We could have swore he heard hummingbirds. Most of all, he loved how it contrasted with the dirty, crumbling, apartment he had faced at home.
He felt things he couldn't describe. He was flying, yet his feet were planted in the ground. His stomach felt bubbly and light, like he had just eaten a chocolate bar. His sheets smelt lilacs. like he couldn't shake the sensation that a butterfly had just landed on his finger.
Bliss. He decided. This was bliss.

But when he realized he was in a hospital, fear coursed through him like a river, and his sheets started smelling more like bargain brand laundry detergent rather than flowers.

"Percy."
Annabeth stood in the doorway, concern swept over her face.
Maybe the first words that should have come out of his mouth were some type of "thank you", but all Percy could mange was: "Did you bring me here?"
The question took her by surprise. "Y-Yeah-"
"Why?" He asked angrily.
Annabeth faltered. "W-Well.. Where else was I suppose to take you?"
"You weren't suppose to take me anywhere! I was fine!" Percy argued.
Her face hardened. "You were bleeding and unconscious! I was doing the right thing!"
Percy scoffed. "You have some nerve, Annabeth. Go home."
"Percy-"
Percy didn't dream of letting her get another word in. "Don't you get it? I don't want you here!"
Annabeth's lower lip quivered, but her intensity didn't waver. "Does your mom know you're a jackass?"
"Hey Annabeth, didn't you hear? My mom is dead! Yeah, bet you didn't know that, huh?" As soon has he had spoken them, Percy almost regretting the words that left his lips.

Too bad it didn't show.

"Leave, before you make things worse."
Annabeth let out a frustrated growl. "Go to hell!"
"See you there!" Percy sat up in his bed, and a sharp pain in his ribs quickly shut him up. He grimaced.

"Yikes."
She was so quiet, Percy didn't even notice there was a girl in the bed next him. Her side of the room looked like a tornado had ripped through. Crumpled balls of paper were spewed around the floor of the trash can, like missed shots. Her hair, while obviously messy, still seemed curly and full of life.
"Are you two always fighting like that?" She asked, her curiosity irking Percy slightly.
"What's it to you?" He spat, easily himself back down.
"Well, if I'm going go room with you a couple days, I might as well get to know you, right?"
As Percy's alertness may have been diluted, it took him a minute to figure that this girl was a cancer patient. He bit his lip, regretting his immediate harshness.
"Right, sorry," he said, twirling his thumbs. "And uh... no. Not really, I mean- This is the first we've spoken in awhile."
"I'm Hazel," she added, extending her hand to him.
It pained Percy to reach, but he managed to shake it. "Percy."
"So.. did you have a nasty fall somewhere..?"
Percy flinched.

He was determined to forget the previous night's event entirely.

"Uh- Y-Yeah," he coughed. "Bike accident."
Hazel nodded. "Well Percy, were pleased to have you."
"As in... you and the hospital?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure the longest running patient should do the honors of welcoming the newbies, am I wrong?"

Without even a knock, a vivacious young blonde swooped into the room. His  smile seemed as though it could power an entire factory. With few words of small talk, he came in, took Percy's vitals, and gave Hazel the most fake "hang in there" smile he had ever seen.

"What the hell was that?" Percy asked, the moment the sound of her footsteps faded. He scratched at the IV in his arm, it was like someone put itching powder in there.
Hazel rolled her eyes. "Dr. Will," she lowered her voice to a loud whisper. "Wanna know a fun fact? He's probably hooking up with one of the interns."
"How... How do you know that?"
She shrugged. "The nurse's station is right outside. They're pretty chatty. I have good ears, so that's a plus."
"I think I'm going to like you," Percy grinned, one Hazel willingly returned.
The rest of the afternoon consisted of hospital gossip and naps. It felt nice for Percy to get some sleep, especially with his guard let down. Maybe it was the drugs that forced him into relaxation, but damn, it felt good. It didn't really help with the pain, but for the first few hours, he was loopy as hell.
"Are you going to tell me with you and that girl?" Hazel finally asked.
Percy's jovial mood turned sour. His face darkened. "I'd rather not talk about-"
"NO!" A voice from outside screamed. "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"
"Frank..." a female replied. "It's been weeks, I think you had sometime to say your goodbyes."
"You... You can't make me! I won't go!"
Percy furrowed his eyebrows. "So, things like this happen all of the-... time." He faultered, registering the look of dread Hazel was displaying.
"Frank," She mumbled quietly. Percy could see something flicker behind her eyes.
The guy named Frank looked as though we was seconds away from crying. "I want to stay here!"
"Your closest living relative is in Virginia, your grandma isn't eligible to take care of you."
"Please," he begged. "I'll be 18 soon enough.. Please, just let me stay."
"The law is the law... I'm sorry, Frank."
He dropped to the ground, sobbing. Percy threw a look in Hazel's direction, she too was beginning to tear up.
"What? Do you know him?"
She mumbled mindless, ignoring his question.
"Hazel?"

Almost through sheer force of will, Percy witness Hazel rip the oxygen tube off of her nose. With one fowl swoop, all of her blanked were tossed to the side. Shakily, she got to her feet. She took baby steps, as though she was relearning how to walk. Percy watched as she opened the door to the hallway, and through the window he could see Frank's reaction. It was like the girl had never stood before.

Percy was also unfortunate enough to see her collapse onto the floor, and Frank's scream for help was almost as agonizing as the pain he was in.

Two cliffhangers? My bad ;) (Let know who you want to see next!)