Chapter Text
Annabeth dreamt that a giant was pinching her abdomen between his thumb and forefinger. Blood flowed from between her legs as he said in Helen’s voice: “You’re a murderer, Annabeth Chase!
Her father was there, too. “Daddy help!” She cried. Frederick just looked away.
Annabeth woke up with a violent gasp. She was in agony.. Her period cramps were bad, but these were at least three times worse. Tears came to her eyes as she shook her boyfriend.
“Percy! Percy, wake up!” There was blood on the sheets, and Annabeth could feel it. She knew what that meant.
Percy woke up quickly. “Annie? Baby, what’s wrong?“
He turned on the lights, and then he saw exactly why she was crying. There was a huge bloodstain underneath her, soaking through her pajamas and the sheets. She was miscarrying.
There were a million reasons Annabeth loved Percy, but one of them was his ability to stay calm in stressful situations. Keeping a soothing, level voice, he lept into action.
“Sweetheart, everything is going to be okay. I’m gonna get you into clean clothes, and then I’m taking you to the hospital, okay?” He was already up and moving.
“Okay,” she sobbed.
Percy worked fast. He had them both dressed in less then five minutes, and then he carried her bridal style down the hallway. He didn’t ask if she could walk, he just picked her up. She wouldn’t have been able to, anyway. Her legs were shaking from pain and fear.
At the end of the hall, Frederick and Helen stopped them. “What is going on?” Demanded her stepmother.
“It hurts, Percy!” Annabeth wailed. His name ended on a sob. She wasn't just in pain, she was scared. So, so scared.
“I know, sweetheart. You’re going to be fine.” To Helen and Frederick, he said coldly: “I’m taking her to the hospital. You should change the sheets in her room.”
He didn’t stop moving as he talked. Soon they were down the stairs, out the door, and in the car. Annabeth didn’t stop crying the whole ride.
Percy held her hand. Every so often he would offer reassurance. "We're almost there, Annabeth." "Everything's going to be fine."
The pain was so, so bad. It felt like her uterus was being squeezed by a pair of rusty pliers. She was scared, too. What would happen now?
Percy carried her through the hospital doors. She was bleeding on him, but he didn’t care.
Soon they were being ushered into a room. Percy told them everything. “Her name’s Annabeth Chase, she’s twenty years old and she’s miscarrying. She was two months along.”
Annabeth let the doctor examine her. She and Percy answered her questions as best they could. She let them give her pain medicine and was glad for it.
Percy held her hand and rubbed circles on her palm as she lay in the hospital bed. She’d finally stopped crying, thanks to the painkillers, but her eyes were glassy and she looked disconnected.
“You can take your feet out of the stirrups now,” said Dr. Harlow. Annabeth did it wordlessly, and Percy covered her up with the blanket. He didn’t want her getting cold.
Then Annabeth spoke up. “What do you think caused it?”
“Well, you didn’t fall or get in a fight, so stress is a possibility,” said the doctor.
“That checks out,” said Percy sadly. “We’re staying with her parents.”
“Ah. Well, take her home, then. The bleeding should stop within a day or two.”
They drove back to the Chases’ house in silence. Percy held Annabeth’s hand as he drove. She would stay in the car while he got all their stuff from inside.
Percy let himself in with Annabeth’s key. To his surprise, Frederick Chase was at the dining table with a mug of coffee. Their suitcases were by him.
Percy states the obvious. “You packed our bags.”
“I packed your bags.”
Percy ran upstairs and checked all over Annabeth’s room. He didn’t want to leave anything behind, but he couldn’t find anything. He went back downstairs.
He didn’t know if Frederick was trying to be helpful or hostile by having all their things packed for them. Percy stared at him. He thought of Annabeth and all the crying she had done in two days. Annabeth waking up to blood in the bed. Annabeth glassy-eyed in a hospital bed.
Percy strode toward Frederick, blood boiling. He wanted to gut this pathetic excuse for a man. “I just want you to know that the doctor said Annabeth miscarried because of stress.”
Then Percy turned around and carried his and Annabeth’s bags back to the car so he could take her home.
As soon as they were back to their dorm, he set about fussing over Annabeth. The pain had started to return, which meant Percy didn’t want her to lift a finger. It was sweet of him, she thought distantly.
Normally she would have been embarrassed to let him put a maxi pad in her underwear, but caring was beyond her. It was two in the morning, and she was in pain and tired.
Percy put towels down under their blankets in case she bled through. He gave her his hoodie to sleep in and some Ibuprofen for the pain. It helped a little, but it still really hurt.
While Percy was tucking them both in, Annabeth broke the silence at last, though her voice was barely above a whisper. “When I’m on my period,” she said quietly, “You rub my tummy to help the cramps. Can you do that for me, now?”
“Of course, baby.” He kissed her nose and spent several minutes complying with her request.
Percy hated seeing Annabthin pain. He did what he could to make it better.
Neither of them could go back to sleep that night. Annabeth was shaken from what was happening to her, and the pain was returning. It hurt so much more than her worst periods, and that was saying something.
Percy did everything he could think of to help. He gave her pain medicine and tried to massage the pain away. He couldn’t give her nectar or ambrosia for a natural process, so he settled on suggesting a hot bath.
He did this for her often when she was menstruating. It was one of the only things that helped. Percy filled the tub and helped Annabeth lower herself into the water. She was crying again, and that broke his heart.
Why did she have to be in pain? Why couldn’t he take all this away from her? He was the one who got her pregnant; he should be the one to suffer.
Percy held her hand and shushed her gently every time she cried out in pain. Even though he wasn’t in the tub with her, the water made it feel like Percy was holding her. She was in his domain, and that meant she was safe. It made her wonder if the pain fading was a psychological thing. That, or Percy was subconsciously willing the water to soothe her body. Was that possible? Annabeth wasn’t sure.
When the pain had lessened significantly, she asked her question. “You know I want kids someday. What if this just keeps happening and we can’t have any?”
“I don’t think it will,” Percy replied soothingly. “The doctor said this happened because of stress.”
“What if it keeps happening because my body can’t handle stress and pregnancy at the same time?”
“Worry about that when the time comes. And if that’s what happens, I’ll still love you.” Water sloshed as Annabeth rose to wrap her arms around her boyfriend. “I love you so much,” she whispered.
Percy returned the hug with enthusiasm. “I love you just as much.”