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The first thing Annabeth thinks when she starts to wake up is that this is way too uncomfortable of a position. The next one, between when blinks as she groans, is that it's way too dark.
As Annabeth shakes her head, she hears a whimpering sound nearby, and she focuses on it.
She forces herself up, trying to see better in the dark. Unfortunately, unlike some children of Athena, she never got owl eyes. Which means she can't see in the dark. Which makes Annabeth wonder a bit about her siblings, particularly one of her youngest ones, she had just been claimed and could see in the dark like an owl. It's pretty freaky to be woken in the middle of the night by giant eyes staring at you and Percy laughed when she told him the story.
Which then makes her wonder about Percy, and what's even happening.
She tries to recount what happened and it comes back in bits and pieces. They had found a little demigod kid, she suspects a child of Apollo given her bright blond hair and affinity for painting. So she and Percy tried to get her to camp half blood, unfortunately the hell hounds chasing them weren't going down without a fight. They managed to surround them towards an abandoned building, but that turned out great, considering they were right over some major city water pipes. The hellhounds were defeated, and the rest of the monsters were taken down easily by Annabeth and Percy. Unfortunately, before, the hellhounds managed to disrupt some of the bad structural supports inside the abandoned building, and the pipes bursting didn't help. Which led to the building collapsing, and now Annabeth was here.
Annabeth's heart leaps in her throat, she knows one is alive, considering the soft sobbing she hears. But that leaves one unaccounted for.
“H-hey.” Annabeth coughs, the dust having coated her throat heavily.
The girl squeaks, before she crashes into Annabeth sobbing, she starts to glow with her distress, illuminating the space around them. Annabeth's breath gets trapped in her throat as she finally gets to see what's around her.
They were definitely trapped under the building, the rubble around them creating a small pocket of safety for now. Annabeth mentally criticizes the building, it was old sure, but it shouldn't have fallen so easily.
But her attention quickly diverts when she spots the red spots around them. And her attention immediately goes towards finding Percy, she's not even focused on calming the little girl sobbing in her arms.
She quickly looks around, spotting an arm around a bit of the rubble, the rest of the body completely covered in the debris.
“Percy!” Annabeth shouts, completely uncaring of how she startles the little girl.
She crawls over to the rubble where the hand is sticking out of, not liking the red coating on the hand. Not liking it at all.
She starts carefully picking out pieces of rubble to uncover the arm before she finally sees a tuft of black hair.
The little girl whimpers, sticking close to Annabeth, still giving off light.
She's gotta say she's glad they picked up a child of Apollo, really makes this situation easier.
She finally manages to pick off a piece of wood that reveals Percy's face, blood is gushing from his hair, but besides way too many bruises, he seems to be mostly fine. Besides, yknow, the rest of his body being crushed under the building.
Annabeth checks his pulse, breathing a bit easier when she finds it. And breathing a bit better when she sees him breathe, it's unsteady, and obviously hard for him to do so, but he's breathing. Although he might not for long if Annabeth doesnt get him out of there.
“Is- is Percy gonna be okay?” the little girl asks and Annabeth swallows down her panic enough to address her panic.
“Percy's gonna be fine.” Annabeth certainly isn't going to let him die on her. And he would beat himself up for eternity in the underworld for breaking his promise about going on another date once they dealt with the demigod girl.
The girl was already super attached to Percy, like most kids tend to be. He's one of the best at getting kids situated and welcome into camp. Probably trying to help them feel better than he did when he first came to camp. Annabeth still has regrets with how they all treated Percy when he first came. She could’ve probably been gentler considering Percy was just figuring out he was a demigod, dealing with being a child from a broken oath, and having freshly lost his mother. Everyone probably could've been nicer, except for luke. He was really the one who made Percy feel welcome, and he was probably only doing that to sway Percy to his side. Which failed miserably.
But nowadays, if there's a kid having trouble settling in, Percy is right there helping them. Or if they are missing their family, they go to Percy. Or even just wanting a friend, Percy. Annabeth can see the sally in him everytime he talks to a little kid.
They all adore Percy, and tends to lead to him being followed around like a trail of cats by dozens of little kids from all sorts of cabins.
It's a little hilarious seeing Percy's ducklings. And Annabeth is pretty sure this one is going to become one of them, considering how she clung to Percy before.
For now, though, Annabeth taps Percy's head, trying to get him awake.
Which works, a bit, considering how he starts to stir and his head, upside down, tilts to lean into Annabeths hand.
Percy groans, his eyes fluttering open to look at Annabeth.
“G-goodmorning.” Annabeth says, breathing in deeply to try and keep the wobbly out of her voice. It doesn't work, judging by Percy's frown.
His eyes are mostly glazed over, but he squints at Annabeth, and she sees him mouth the words ‘pretty princess curls’
Annabeth snorts, rubbing her thumb along Percy's cheek. How can he make her feel better just by being a dork, when she's the one who is supposed to be making him feel better.
“Are you with us?” Annabeth asks, and Percy takes a bit to respond. She can see the gears turning in his head.
“Us ‘sa wei’ name.” Percy says, his words slurred in a way that makes it hard for Annabeth to understand him. “Wh’ names the’ kid tha’?”
Annabeth bites down a smile, although it's sad as she sees the blood pool under his head.
“Are you okay? Any pain?” Annabeth asks, her smile slipping as she tries to figure out what to do. Maybe they could've done something with Percy's water powers, but given how disoriented he seems to be he shouldn't be using his powers beyond using it to heal himself. And Annabeth's ambrosia is in her backpack that got abandoned after it got caught on a hellhound's claws.
She can't call for help, and she's not sure what to do beyond pray.
“Mm, m’ chest. An’ legs.” Percy says, wiggling to try and sit up only to yelp in pain as he moves. Annabeth holds his free shoulder down to keep him from moving.
“Don't move.” Annabeth orders, once she's sure Percy isn't going to move she tears off a large chunk of her shirt, making it into a near croptop before hastily wrapping Percy's head with it, trying to stem the bleeding. But he quickly bleeds through it.
Percy smiles at her dopily, and it soothes a bit of Annabeth's panic.
She breathes a bit easier and she shuts her eyes to pray desperately to any god that would hear, her mother, Percy's father, Apollo for his daughter, and Hermes for good measure.
When she opens her eyes she sees Percy starting to shut his, starting to doze off and her panic surges again.
“No seaweed brain, stay awake.” Annabeth says, trying to put as much bite into her order to keep Percy awake. Percy opens his eyes, a bit grumpily but he does so.
Annabeth hates to do this, but she worries that as soon as she'll take her eyes off him he'll shut his eyes and not open them again.
“Percy, seaweed brain, eyes on me.” it takes a bit for Percy's eyes to trail up to her, sluggish and having trouble following her finger. He's definitely concussed, if not bleeding out.
“Promise me you won't fall asleep, okay?” Annabeth asks, she hates having to make Percy make this promise considering she knows he doesn't have that much control over if he falls asleep or not. And given how much he values keeping his promises she knows he'll feel a lot of guilt over failing to stay awake. But at least she can guarantee he'll try his best to stay awake.
Percy nods, looking like he wants to say something but failing to make his voice do anything. He yelps in pain as he moves his neck, Annabeth nearly does as well, hating seeing Percy in pain.
Annabeth looks around, frantically trying to figure out a plan. But she's never been as good at figuring out a plan on the fly, always having been better at coming up with a fool proof strategy beforehand. And on the rare occasions Annabeth's plan would fail, Percy would step in to mend it on the fly. He's brilliant when it's needed.
Annabeth wasn't really surprised when she realized that before Athena or Ares, Poseidon was the strategist of olympus. Creating plans that could shift and change like the tide. A lot like Percy does.
Annabeth could always create long term plans, Percy made them up as he went along. It made them such a good duo.
Besides broken glass scattered on the ground, rubble and debris, and the little girl clinging to Annabeth's side, there wasn't anything Annabeth could do. Especially not when the rubble above them starts to creak ominously.
The girl whimpers and Annabeth bites her lip hard enough that she's surprised it wasn't bleeding. And she's almost half surprised not to hear Percy's voice telling her to be nice to herself, wise girl.
She looks over at Percy to see his eyes starting to close.
“No, no. seaweed brain, stay awake. You promised.” Annabeth reminds and Percy opens his eyes again with a whine.
“M’ tired.” he says with a pout that Annabeth would find cute in any other situation.
Percy's eyes flutter, and Annabeth knows he's trying so hard to stay awake, to not break his promise. But his body is quickly failing him.
“Hey,” Annabeth whispers, leaning down close to Percy, her breath hitching as she sees just how pale he’s become. “Remember that time in New Rome? You promised you’d show me the best pizza places.”
Percy’s lips twitch, just barely. “Y-yeh'... w' 'till gotta 'o, don' 'e?”
“Exactly,” Annabeth says, her voice shaking despite her best efforts. “So you can’t bail on me now. We’ve got plans, Seaweed Brain. And I’m not letting you break them.”
The ceiling above them creaks again, sending a shower of dust down over their heads. Annabeth winces, shielding the little girl and Percy as best as she can, but the fear that everything might come crashing down gnaws at her.
The child of Apollo beside her glows brighter in her panic, enough that Annabeth can now see the bruises and blood clearly painting Percy’s face. She almost wishes for the dark again.
“Hold on a bit longer, Percy,” she whispers, her heart aching as she cups his cheek again, trying to keep him focused. “I’m here. We’re going to get out of this.”
Percy’s hand weakly grasps hers, his eyes flickering. “N-not... leavin’ you, w' girl...”
The creaking of the rubble grows louder, and Annabeth’s breath catches. She doesn’t know how much time they have left. They’re running out of options. Desperation claws at her throat.
Annabeth glances at her surroundings again quickly, she dumps out her pockets to find a couple pennies and a dracma.
Not very useful, right now. But maybe, maybe.
Annabeth glances around before noticing something. The broken glass on the floor are magnifying the light the girl is giving off.
That means…
Annabeth comes up with an idea and she rushes to grab the glass, she manages to cut herself, but she doesnt pay attention to her bloody fingers. They were already covered in blood anyway.
She arranges the glass to create a small prism, using the little girl's light. It takes a bit, but she manages to get the perfect position for a rainbow to shimmer overhead.
The girl moves, watching Annabeth curiously, past all of her panic and distress.
“What are you doing?” the girl asks, rubbing at her tearful eyes.
“Calling for help.” Annabeth says, grabbing the dracma and throwing it into the small rainbow.
“O, iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering. Chiron, camp halfblood.” Annabeth prays, breathing a sigh of relief as her iris message connects.
“Chiron! We need a bit of help.” chiron startles, having not expected the iris message.
“Annabeth, my dear, what's wrong?” Chiron asks and Annabeth quickly explains the situation. Chiron says that he'll get someone to help and disconnects the call.
Annabeth breathes a bit easier knowing there's someone coming for them. Now all they have to do is keep Percy alive and the girl calm.
She shifts to be closer to Percy, and the girl hugs tightly onto Annabeth. Annabeth softly comforts the girl, making her calm a bit and the light to dim a bit. Annabeth doesnt like the fact she can't see Percy's face again, but she can't ask the girl to get more worked up so she could keep an eye on Percy. So instead Annabeth starts talking to Percy.
She gets him into a conversation with her, and eventually it seems more like Percy comforting the little girl as she tells him all about her life, her family, her favorite class, art class.
Annabeth starts to feel the ache in her joints, she's not too injured, but she's definitely sore and in pain. But at least it's easy to ignore as she listens to Percy's and the girl's conversation. She rubs her thumb along Percy's knuckles, his grip is almost fleeting and Annabeth wishes it was a bit tighter.
She promised herself at 16 that she wouldn't have to imagine her future without Percy in it, after he fulfilled the prophecy. And to this day, she refuses to think of a future without him. Because Percy promised.
And Percy rarely breaks his promises, especially not one this big.
Percy cracks a joke, even through his slurred words and dry voice, making the little girl giggle. The light shuts off for a few seconds as she calms, only for the darkness to overtake them and for her to grow panicked again and light up the space again.
Annabeth hears the rubble creaking above them and knows they don't have much time. Especially not when a few pieces above them starts to crumble and fall around them.
She knows they don't have a lot of time, and her eyes start to well up.
She keeps her hands folded around Percy's, staring at his flickering face as he tries his best to keep the girl comfortable and calm. He's much better at keeping her calm than Annabeth is.
But a nod makes Percy groan in pain, the rubble shifting over him in a way that nearly buries him again. Percy's breath grows strained as his chest is buried with more weight.
“It's okay, it's okay Percy, someones coming to help us.” Annabeth says, leaning over to connect their foreheads for a brief second. Percy relaxes under her touch, eyes fluttering shut before quickly opening as he tries to stay awake.
She knows how much pain he's in, and she knows it must send waves of pain the way his fingers close around hers to try and give a shaky squeeze. Annabeth is glad for it.
“I ha' a- av' a' dog, Mrs O’-eary.” Percy says, trying to prompt the little girl to speak again, and she takes it rambling about her dogs.
Husky and a cheshond, cute.
“I've always kinda wished I could have a dog, but my stepmoms allergic.” Annabeth says, making Percy smile. Once she came around her dad gave up their doberman up for adoption and she never saw it again. She misses it.
“Wha' 'eed?” Percy asks, staring at Annabeth with so much love she could nearly burst.
“Pitbull or a doberman.” Annabeth says, and Percy would nod if he could.
“'ou se' tuh 'ave one rig', 'en 'ou were 'ittle?” Percy asks and Annabeth isn't surprised he remembers.
“'e sho' 'eak intuh the und' wo 'gain tuh 'lay wih' cer' brus.” Percy says, and Annabeth bursts into laughter.
Only Percy would suggest going to the underworld just to play with cerberus.
She tightens her hold on Percy's hand, trying her best to not succumb to sorrow as she glances at his face again.
The girl buries her face in what's left of Annabeths shirt, and she runs a hand through her hair like she's seen Percy do for little kids he's comforting.
The rubble continues to shift and Annabeth holds her breath, wondering if this time it'll all come rushing down. It takes a few more seconds then last time, but eventually it stops.
Annabeth watches Percy's face, so intently she doesn't even notice how the shadows around them start to shift and warp. Not until they were falling through them.
Annabeth yelps as the ground beneath them falls away, and they fall through the shadows. She clutches Percy's hand tighter and tucks her chin over the little girls, trying to protect her. The girl shrieks in panic, light almost blinding Annabeth.
Only for them all to hit the ground with a grunt.
Percy yelps as the rubble that was crushing him earlier falls back on top of him, hurting his injuries more. But Annabeth wrenches her eyes open, adjusting to the bright sun above them. To see that they were back in camp halfblood, nico, will, and chiron standing above them.
Will immediately goes to Percy, pulling off the few pieces of rubble that Nico couldn't keep in the wreck through shadow traveling and attending to Percy.
Annabeth stands on shaky legs, noticing they were right out of the infirmary.
Annabeth breathes a sigh of relief. It isn't quite enough to soothe her panic, but she knows Percy is in good hands now and being treated.
He'll be fine.