When It Fades To Black: Percabeth AU

The Note

(All story line rights go to ChasingFreedoms)

Annabeth POV

I finally stop crying, but Percy doesn't let me go. I don't want him to either. Eventually he detangles himself and says, "I'm going to get us some food."I nod. Thalia's phone rings and she kisses me on the fore head and leaves. 

Just then, nurse Beauregard walks in with a brilliant smile and sets a vase of flowers down next to me saying, "Someone left these for you." After checking everything and ensuring that I'm okay, she walks out again. I look the flowers and grab the note held up by a plastic spear.

The note inside the envelope reads, 

Thought I was taken care of? The police we're stupid enough to let me go. Here's the deal: either you climb into the van that will be waiting for you on the street corner at 11 pm tonight, or I have one of my friends kill Percy Jackson's mother. You remember Gabe, don't you? One shot not to ruin his life. Give up yours. 

I'm so stricken that I just stare at the note for a moment, but then I hear foot steps in the hall and quickly shove it under my thigh. Percy walks in and grins at me, hands full of food containers. His smile quickly fades and he says, "Are you okay?"

I realize I must look horrified still and quickly reply, "Yeah. I'm just kinda drained." Percy nods understandingly. I inwardly sigh, relieved he bought the lie. I realize I am tired, and no longer hungry. I drift off slowly.

When I wake up, it's ten thirty. I steel myself. I can't let Percy's mother die. I do indeed remember Gabe Ugliano, he'd been one of my father's poker buddies. Sounds innocent enough, except that each betting chip didn't represent money, but how many times the winner got to hit me. Ugliano was actually one of the Mafia's hit men, and I knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill Sally. 

I silently stand up and get as far away from the bed as I can get while still being attached to the machines. I'm actually really close the door. I take a deep breath and begin to sprint down the hall. I'm very aware of the beeping sound of the heart rate machine. I make it to the elevator before I hear Percy yell my name.

I see his face as I turn around as the elevator doors close. He's running down the hall towards me, but he'll be too late. The elevator dings, announcing my arrival on the ground floor. I take off full tilt when the doors open.

And then I immediately duck behind one of the foyer couches when I see Luke standing out front with a few cop friends. He's talking to them when suddenly his walkie talkie goes off. His head pops up after he listens to it for a second and he starts looking around frantically. Percy and Thalia burst out from the stairs, and they all see me in the same moment.

I have no way out unless... I turn and face the floor to ceiling windows and leap out, landing hard. I'm not in peak condition, but I was still ahead. I could see the van on the street corner. Just had to make it that far. I could feel Percy and Thalia closing the gap quickly.

I barely made it into the van, where an open back door was waiting for me. I dived in and slammed the door shut. The driver, my father took off quickly and said, "You made the right choice." Then he dialed a number on his phone and said, "Gabe, leave the boy's mother alone. I've got her." With that he hung up. 

I'd saved Sally Jackson. That was all I cared about. Percy would forget me, but he couldn't lose his mother. He was too young for that.

My life for hers. It was worth it. 

Percy POV

WHAT THE ACTUAL HADES JUST HAPPENED. Thalia and I go back to Annabeth's room to see if we can find anything to explain her actions. 

Thalia finds a piece of paper on Annabeth's bed, reads its contents quickly and mutters, "Damn it kid."

I try and gray the note, but she pulls it away. I try again and she still won't let me see it. "Percy, you don't want to know. I'll get Annabeth back. It's my job. I'm a cop." 

I glare at her and she reluctantly hands it over. I read it twice before it sinks in and then I dropped to the floor.

She'd never met my mom. She did this for me.

Anything that happened to Annabeth now was my fault.