Thirteen Days

Chapter 5

Percy shot through the water, letting it take him back to camp. When he finally stopped he was only about 100 metres from the beach. He could see other campers pointing and one running off, probably to let Chiron, Annabeth and the others know.

It took all his effort but he made it to the shore. He just lay there for a moment, he knew the campers were still watching, they were only a few feet away, but he couldn't even muster up the energy to look up and try to recognise who they were.

He would have probably stayed there all day but he could hear more people coming, there were whispers and murmurs, but they all stopped when Nico ran ahead of them shouting.

"Percy!" He quickly came forward helping Percy up. He could barely keep himself up; he was heavily relying on Nico. "Percy," He whispered this time, only loud enough for him to hear, "I can see the death around you, coming back could've killed you!"

Percy looked up, seeing only worry in his eyes. He immediately felt more guilty, he knew Nico must have been struggling to keep his secret. He sighed and simply murmured a "Sorry."

That was when Annabeth started to push through the crowd. The first thing she notices being that his clothes are wet, then registering that he isn't even supporting himself, Nico is practically carrying him. All anger she had melted away, replaced only with crushing amounts of worry.

"Percy!" She cried, "Oh my gods, Percy, are you alright?" His only reaction was to wince as he tried to take a step towards her. Nico held him back muttering something that she couldn't hear.

"Percy, don't. You're making yourself worse!" Nico whispered.

But at that moment Percy didn't care. The only thing that mattered was getting back to Annabeth, before it hit him. They weren't together anymore. He couldn't reach out and hug her to steady himself; she was once his anchor to mortal life, now he couldn't even bring himself to look her in the eyes.

She seemed to remember at the exact same moment. Her first instinct of taking Percy's weight off Nico and looking after him herself was replaced by her backing away slowly, and her head filling with memories. We're through! I don't love you anymore! I don't think I ever did. It all felt like a lifetime ago. In reality it was only yesterday morning.

"Annabeth..." He tried to say, "Sorry...I'm...sorry..." She could see it was taking everything for him to say a simple four words. She saw the pain it caused him to try and reach for her. She watched the tears, fall fresh on his face, mixing with the salt water already there from the sea. Every one of these things breaking her heart.

But this was what she wanted, an apology, this was what she'd been hoping for. But seeing him in that state only made her regret how much she'd wished to hear it.

"Guys!" Nico shouted, "I know you two are having a moment here, but Aquaman is about to pass out, and he's a lot heavier that he looks."

That snapped Annabeth out of her thoughts.

"Here, I'll take is other arm." She said with a small smile and Percy grinned at her.

If she was helping him now, and smiling at him, Percy knew he could make things right with her.

Once Percy was in the infirmary Will had come over to check what was wrong.

"I...I don't understand" Will murmured, "I mean, clearly something's wrong but there's no clear sign of what it is and ambrosia and nectar are doing nothing!"

"So that's why you left?" Nico muttered.

"Nico, shut it." Percy ordered.

"Percy? What are they both talking about? For a child of Athena I'm feeling really clueless right now." Annabeth whispered.

"Yeah." Will said. "Why have I got the feeling you two both know what's going on?" Percy and Nico exchanged dark looks.

"Percy tell them" Nico said. But he just shook his head. "You know there's a prophecy; there is no way you can keep this secret for another thirteen days."

"How do you-"

"I can sense it Percy, how much time is left."

"Stop it!" Annabeth shouted, reminding both boys that others were in the room. "Stop talking about secrets and time limits just tell us what's going on! Percy, please."

He sighed, and after about a minute he finally spoke. "Annabeth, I have thirteen days." He paused, partly to see if she understood from just that and partly because just a small sentence took a lot of his effort. She just stared at him, her face contorted with worry. But she remained silent. Waiting. "I have thirteen days left to live."

"What!" she cried. "So that's how Nico..."

"Yeah, I guess when I tried to plan this my brain was already mush because I didn't even consider that Nico would be able to tell, and some stupid part of me thought I'd be making this easier on you if I broke things off first." He was crying.

Nico and Will left.

"You idiot! You absolute Seaweed Brain!" She leaned forward to hug him. Only causing him to wince and gasp in pain. "Sorry! Sorry." She was crying now as well as him. "Did you really think running away would solve anything?"

"I was trying to protect you Wise Girl."

"Well don't! I can look after myself better than you can!" She laughed, at the sound of it he instantly felt a weight lift off his chest, even if it was only slightly. "What is it though Percy? What's actually...killing you?" As hard as it was, she forced the last two words out.

"I...I don't know." He sighed, "I went to the gods, all of them, including Athena. But all they could tell me was a time limit. I went to the ocean, the only safe place for me besides camp but my dad, he told me there was a prophecy I needed to hear. He said it might save me."

"Right, in that case I'm going to get Rachel."

"Um...no need." Rachel called before walking into the infirmary, "I kinda just hovered around outside waitin-"That was when green smoke surrounded them and the oracle spoke.

"The son of the sea shall find his cure

And on his quest there shall be four.

With the help of the fallen they shall prevail

And without this help the quest shall fail.

Through the depths of hell he'll find his way

And make it back before his dying day."