A Promise Never Kept

Aftermath of Survival

Annabeth PoV

"Hey Wise Girl." Percy croaked out and a smile spread across my face but it disappeared as soon as it had come as the next second Percy started coughing hard. I panicked for a second looking around I saw a plastic cup and a jug sitting on the bedside table. I quickly grabbed the cup and poured water into it before handing it to Percy, who held it with a shaky hand and took a long drink.

Once the coughing had subsided Percy gave me a sad smile and then looked away. He didn't say anything and I couldn't make myself either. There was an awkward silence and I got up to inform Percy's dad and probably get a doctor.

"Annabeth." He said still looking away. "Um How long have I been out?"

"Tenth today." I answered shortly and then I left. As soon as I was out the door I sighed deeply and held back a sob. Before he'd looked away I had managed a good enough look at his eyes and the sight was not good. They were hollow and dull lacking the childishness and mirth had vanished and left nothing but pain and misery and guilt behind.

He had looked so broken with grief that he seemed almost...un-fixable. But that wasn't true, he would make it through this and soon he would be back to normal it might take a lot of effort and time but it will happen we will get Percy back, I hope.

"-and you're absolutely sure about it?" I heard one of the detectives ask Percy from behind the door. It was open just a crack but it was enough for me to be able to hear the whole conversation going on in Percy's hospital room. Now once upon a time I had frowned upon eavesdropping myself but after spending six long years with Percy I had gotten used to it. Right now I didn't really care anyway.

"Yes I am." Percy replied.

"Okay well that's all that we need. You can rest now." There was a scraping noise probably from chairs moving and footsteps came toward the door. I was about to move away so as not to get caught when Percy spoke up.

"Am I going to prison." He said in a hollow emotionless voice.

"Percy why on earth would you even think of that?" Poseidon asked taken aback.

"Because I killed them." Percy answered in that same emotionless voice that was so un-Percy like.

"Them?" Questioned the detective. "You said there was only one kidnapper."

"I did and I'm glad I killed him but I meant everyone else-my mom and Paul and Bianca and Luke and his mom. They're all dead because of me." I was shell shocked by what I had just heard. I knew Percy had blamed himself for the deaths Atlas had caused to get to him but I never knew it was to such extent.

"No!" Poseidon exclaimed worriedly. "No, Percy you didn't kill them. No one blames you for the lives Atlas took. It was his fault, all of it not yours. Do you understand me?" There was no reply. I backed away from the door as tears streamed down my face. I couldn't do this, see Percy so defeated and know that I couldn't help him enough. I didn't know what to do so I simply stepped away from the door. Poseidon could handle it, he was his dad after all. I tried to reassure myself but to no avail.

I took another step away from the room and bumped into someone.

"I'm so sorry-" I said as I turned around to find myself face to face with Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

"Percy?" She said questioningly. I simply nodded my head, not really sure of what to say.

"Come on-" She said taking my hand and leading me away. "What you need right now, is someone to talk to and a tub of ice cream."

"-and then he was ranting about how it was all his fault that his parents and Bianca and Luke were all dead, that he was a murderer and I just couldn't take it anymore so I stepped back and bumped into you." I took a deep breath as I finished explaining to Rachel what I had heard at the hospital and why I had been so freaked out.