Unexpectedly Expecting (Previously Known As Unexpected)

1 - Annabeth

I search for him, but I can't find him.

I call his name, but he doesn't respond.

I don't know where I am. I'm in a dark room, and it soon begins to shrink on me.

The walls begin to close in. I've developed a case of claustrophobia over the past few weeks.

I can't breathe. I'm drenched in sweat. My mind in racing with ways to get out, but I can't think fast enough.

I hold my breath as the walls crush me. I am overwhelmed in pain and I scream.

Then I wake up.

I scream Percy's name. He's not in the room with me, which causes me to panic. I put my hands on the side of my head and scream. My heart is pounding and my sheets are drenched in sweat.

Percy bursts in the door. He looks panicked and immediately wraps his arms around me as I cry. He rocks me back and forth until I stop screaming and it's just muffled cries.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Where were you?" I demand. "You weren't here."

"I was trying to make you breakfast. It's 10 o' clock."

I grab his shirt. "I'm sorry. I just got scared."

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Don't apologize."

I take a few more deep breaths. I pick my head up and look at Percy. "What did you make for breakfast?"

"Well, I figured you wanted bacon, since it's Sunday, so I made some of that. I made you some eggs and toast that hopefully is not burning in the toaster."

I laugh. "You know me too well."

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Little itty bitty Burning Maze spoilers. You have been warned.

I throw up my breakfast an hour later.

Okay, you might be thinking that Percy poisoned me, but this has happened to me every meal for the past two weeks. Percy says I should go see a doctor, but I don't have the time.

I sit against the bathroom wall and catch my breath after I'm done. Percy's at work (which he will be quitting his job when we leave for New Rome in a few weeks), so I'm alone. I decide to call Piper (with a monster-proof phone that Leo made for us) and ask what her opinions are.

The phone rings three times before she picks up. "Sorry, I was filling out school papers."

"That's fine," I assure her. "I'm willing to bet you're not excited about switching schools again."

"Not really, but it'll be good to be back in Oklahoma."

I pause.

"Annabeth?" Piper asks. "Is everything okay?"

"I need to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

I have a sudden change of plans. "You're coming to camp for mine and Percy's going away party next week, right?"

"Yeah..."

"I'll tell you then. I need to talk to you in person."

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine."

"Um... okay. So, what was the point of you calling me?"

"Doesn't matter. How are you doing the the whole... Jason situation?"

She sighs. "I honestly don't know. There's so much crap going on right now, I don't even know if I feel anything right now."

"Well, I'm here if you need me."

I can almost feel her smile through the phone. "Alright. I'll talk to Jason eventually. So, how are things with you and Percy?"

I smile and laugh. "We're honestly better than we have ever been before. We've grown closer after... well, everything."

"Oh, really?"

"Not like that, Piper."

"Aww."

I blush. "Okay. Maybe like that."

She giggles.

"You are being 100% Aphrodite child right now."

"I do that sometimes."

We catch up with each other and I end the call. The rest of the day, I am unproductive. I sit on the couch and watch TV, wishing I could eat something without vomiting an hour later.

I'm relieved of my boredom when Percy gets home. He smiles and sits next to me on the couch after giving me a kiss.

"How was work?" I ask.

He laughs. "How is it ever?"

I lay my head on his lap and he sets a hand on my stomach as it churns.

"You sure you okay?" He asks, worried. "You seem to be getting worse."

I re-position myself and my back pops. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Annabeth, my job is to worry about you."

"No wonder you hate going to work."

He laughs and I sigh. I rarely ever feel happy when I'm without him. He takes up all the love in my heart, and that's the way I always want it to be.

He plays with my hair and massages my shoulders, and before I know it, my eyelids feel heavy and I drift to sleep.