See You Again

Chapter 7

Annabeth's POV

"Annabeth! I need some help here!" We have a patient in critical condition." I ran across the infirmary to Piper. She was leaning over a blonde soldier on a stretcher, his face contorted with pain. Blood was pouring from an open wound on his side. I rolled the stretcher against the wall while Piper pressed another piece of gauze to the soldier's side, her hands sticky with blood.

I noticed Percy move in his sleep from a few beds over, but I didn't have time to focus on him. I turned my attention over to the dying soldier in front of me. He was bleeding out, and he wasn't going to survive if we didn't do something soon. Piper began to bandage the soldier's side, but the cloth immediately became soaked in red.

"Nothing's working nothing's working nothing's working," Piper muttered. Her eyes started to water. I knew how much she hated not being able to save patients.

"I heard about a wounded soldier, is this him?" Dr. Apollo set his doctor's bag down on the tray with the rest of the medical supplies, rushing over to the stretcher. Piper nodded, moving away from the soldier so Dr. Apollo could examine him.

"Hey," I told Piper, who looked like she was about to cry, "just breathe." I grasped her hands, and she took a deep breath, but I could still feel her shaking.

By now Percy has woken up, probably from Dr. Apollo's cursing.

"Annabeth?" he yawned, looking at me and Piper, "What's going on?" I didn't want Percy seeing all that blood; it could bring back traumatic memories. Piper and I immediately moved in front of Dr. Apollo and the wounded soldier so Percy couldn't see them.

"Don't worry about it Percy, Dr. Apollo's just tending to a patient. You should get some rest." I tried to sound as calm as possible, but it was difficult to do.

"Isn't that the guy who was going to cut off my leg?"

"Well-" I started.

"Doesn't he only show up here if something's really serious?" Percy tried looking behind us, then frowned, unable to see from his bed. Maybe it was a good thing he couldn't walk right now.

"Piper, Annabeth..." Dr. Apollo whispered, and we turned around simultaneously. He shook his head, and Piper lowered her eyes, tears flowing freely down her face.

"Piper," I said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leading her to a corner of the infirmary, "it's not your fault. You did everything you could to save him. Even Dr. Apollo couldn't help him. Don't blame yourself for his death." Piper sobbed, and put her head in her hands. "Are you gonna be okay?" She nodded weakly, sitting down on one of the empty beds.

"Eventually, I guess." I gave her a small smile, and turned around to get back to my job. I was shaken, but work would help calm me down. I breathed in through my nose, and out through my mouth. I was going to go check on Percy, but I stopped in my tracks. Percy looked at me, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Percy..."

"He- he was my friend." His voice was shaking. "Jason Grace."