Why Us? [Percy Jackson]

Part 11

CHAPTER 11

Annabeth P.O.V

Annabeth watched with growing concern as Percy's eyes slowly drifted shut and his body went limp. She gripped her hand in the closest thing to her, which just so happened to be Percy's hair. Behind her Sally was hysterical, and she distantly heard Paul scoring her out of the room, the door clicking shut tightly behind them.

Poseidon was pacing up and down next to his son's bed, pulling at his midnight black locks. I was remarkable, really, how similar he and Percy looked, especially when the god let his guard down and was acting as just a regular mortal.

Same hair.

Same eyes.

Same concern for the ones they loved.

But Annabeth couldn't dwell on that right now, because Poseidon was calling for his nephew,

"APOLLO! APOLLO, GET HERE RIGHT NOW! APOLLO!"

By the time Apollo actually arrived in the small hospital room, Percy had started to have a fit on the bed. Annabeth's hands had long ago released Percy's soft curls and were instead, wrapped up tightly in the front of his hospital gown, tears cascading down her cheeks at the sight of her boyfriend frothing at the mouth.

Apollo swiftly transferred Annabeth's hand from Percy's gown to Poseidon's Hawaiian shirt and the sea god gently wrapped an arm across her shoulders. Apollo placed a hand against Percy's head and turned to Poseidon,

"What exactly happened?" he demanded. Poseidon gestured helplessly towards his son, who was almost rolling off the bed,

"I just gave him a small piece of ambrosia! I thought it might help his healing, but then he got all pale and then flush and started talking about angels and stuff before passing out! Please Apollo, you have to help him! Please!"

Poseidon sounded almost hysterical, and it unnerved Annabeth at how quickly his strong godly appearance crumpled in this moment of panic. She gave the upset god a small squeeze around the middle, and he smiled appreciably at her, his hold on her tightening.

Apollo turned back to the fevered boy and started cursing.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Annabeth could've sworn she heard Poseidon's voice crack slightly when he said that.

"It's his pigí enérgeias. He's damaged it,"

Annabeth easily translated the Greek to "energy source", and she saw Poseidon's eyes blow wide, but she was still confused,

"What's his 'energy source'?"

Apollo sighed and spoke without turning to them,

"If you want him to live through the afternoon, I would suggest you stop asking questions, so that I can concentrate and save him,"

With that said, he refocused on Percy and Annabeth shut her mouth.

***

"Now, you asked what the pigí enérgeias is, right?"

Apollo pulled his rubber gloves off his hands and tossed them into the waste bucket. Somehow, unbeknown to Annabeth, he had managed to get Percy stable and now her boyfriend was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the world around him and probably dreaming about blue pancakes. Annabeth turned to Apollo and nodded.

"Well, first of all, I need to explain a little anatomy to you, okay?"

Annabeth frowned at Apollo. Did he not remember that she was the daughter of Athena, goddess of wisdom herself? Of course she understood the anatomy of humans, but, she figured what Apollo was about to tell her was important and so didn't say any of these thoughts, instead, just nodding for him to continue,

"Okay, well, demigods are special, not just because they are the children of the gods, but also because they have a, well, lets say, a special extra knob located on the frontal cortex of their brains called their pigí enérgeias."

Annabeth pulled her head back a little and blinked at Apollo, bringing her right hand up to feel at her forehead.

"A knob?" Apollo nodded,

"Yes, a knob. And this knob is very special, this knob is what controls the powers they have been blessed with from their parents."

Annabeth's eyes widened in understanding,

"So the cut on his forehead has-"

"-Damaged his pigí enérgeias, and as such taken his powers from him, yes." Apollo nodded sadly at the blonde, "That's why he got a fever while taking the ambrosia," at the look on Annabeth's face Apollo face softened a little, "Annabeth I'm sorry."

She brought a hand up to cover mouth as a sob broke out, "He's just a mortal now, isn't he?"

Apollo nodded sadly, "I'm sorry, but I can't help him. My powers would just burn him up," Apollo shook his head, "He has to heal from this alone, like a mortal would; with no help from the gods."