Hey Guys,
It's been a while, I know. I've been very busy this vacation. But today's Percy's birthday!!
Happy Birthday Percy!!! And also happy anniversary for Percabeth.
This isn't one of my best, but here's the oneshot.
Annabeth POV
Today was going to be a good day. No quests, no monsters just Percy and me with his family.
"Percy! Annabeth! We're going!"
"Coming!"
Percy and I yelled at the exact same moment. We were just tying our shoes and taking our jackets.
Sally had come up the wonderful idea of going to the Historical Museum with all of us, as a family trip. Of course Percy has whined about it: 'Why a museum?! Why not an aquarium?!' But he liked the idea of going on a trip with the people he loves.
Percy and I sprinted down the stairs and were met with a waiting Paul and Sally, who was carrying baby Estelle.
"Ready?"
She asked. We nodded.
"Weapons? Ambrosia?"
Percy patted his backpack with the ambrosia in it and let her see Riptide. I just nodded. Ever since the Giant war Sally had been even more overprotective about us. It's a bit annoying at times but who can blame her? She just doesn't want to lose us.
Percy took his little sister from his mom and started making weird faces at her. The little three months old started giggling at her big brother. In the corner of my eye I saw Sally and Paul smiling at the two and I couldn't help but think that they're so an adorable family. I'm so glad I have them.
ΩΩΩ
We were just wandering inside the museum when we saw something suspicious. Paul and Sally had gone to another floor while Percy, Estelle and I stayed at the Greek exhibition. Percy had his arm around my waist while I held Estelle to my chest.
After half an hour Percy suddenly tensed. I frowned at him.
"What's wrong, Perce?"
He pointed to the abondanded room around us. No mortals to be seen.
'This isn't good'
I thought.
'Not good at all'
I didn't even had the chance to say my thoughts out loud when we heard a deathly growl from behind us. I whipped around and immediately pressed Estelle closer to my chest. Two pairs of glowing red eyes stared right back at us.
"Go!"
Percy said.
"What!?"
He didn't really mean that right?!
"Go! Get Estelle in safety!"
"I'm not leaving you behind!"
He was about to say something when the first one attacted. He pushed me out of the hellhounds reach and attacked it. I hesitated for a second before running out of the room. I had to help Percy! But first Estelle. I had to find Paul or Sally.
I ran up the stairs trying to remember where they went to. Just when I was about to enter a new room, something stopped me... A scent of smoke filled my nostrils. Frantically I looked around.
Left: nothing
Right: again nothing
In front of me: Nope nothing
That only left...
I turned around slowly, holding Estelle closely to my chest.
Flames started to make their way up the stairs I just came from. How did I not notice it sooner?!?! I ran through the room, the farthest away from the stairs and tried to think of an escape plan.
I couldn't go back that way. That was obvious. But I had to get out of this building. Maybe an other staircase, or just some random window would be fine.
Right then the floor moved. I fell on my knees and pressed Estelle closer to my chest. By now she had noticed something was wrong and started crying. A loud cracking noice filled my ears. That only could mean 2 things:
the fire had managed to burn away some of the wooden parts of the building (it's an old building) or Percy had done something that had made the staircases collapse.
Although I hoped it was the second one, something told me it wasn't.
I stood up and kept running and running until I passed another staircase. A part of it was blocked by a piece of the collapsed ceiling and the stairs looked like they would collapse every second. I checked the ceiling and the other rooms. They didn't look much better.
Cracks started to spread through the walls up to the ceiling and the floor was shaking slightly. All signs an architect recognises as a fragile construction. In other words: the building had a high chance of collapsing or worse. If the fire would reach a gas pipe, the building would explode and that wasn't really my version of a happy ending.
I looked back at the partly destroyed staircase.
If I want to get down there, I have to use both of my hands, which is impossible since I have Estelle unless...
I knelt down on the ground and laid Estelle on her back. I took my scarf from my neck and unbuttoned my shirt.
Sally had shown me how to use a scarf as a baby carrier last week. If I could 'bind' Estelle to my chest and put my shirt back on, she would be more save and I could use both of my hands.
I started tying the scarf like I remembered Sally doing it and put Estelle in it. I tied one last knot and checked if she was save.
As save as I can get it
I buttoned my shirt and stood up. This should be easy, just a half destroyed staircase with flames burning away some parts inside a building that can collapse every minute and a baby tied to my chest... not hard at all
Percy's POV
Just when I was done returning those hellhounds to Tartarus, a hydra showed up. A FRIEKING HYDRA! Before I even could wrap my mind around it, it attacked and blew fire at me. Thanks to my reflexes I could just escape, but the wooden cabinet behind me wasn't that lucky. As soon as the flames reached the old cabinet, it started burning like Hades.
The hydra attacked again but this time I was prepared. I jumped out of the way and reached for his legs. A blood gushing wound as result. I kept attacking and ducking away until it finally dissolved into golden dust. By then nearly whole the room was lit on fire. Just as I wanted to try to contain the fire, which had already spread into the next rooms, a part of the ceiling collapsed in between the fire and me.
Great! Just great. Now the building wasn't only lit on fire, but it was also collapsing!
I tried to get to the other part of the room but it was no use. The debris blocked every way to the rest of the room and the smoke only became thicker and ticker.
Why wasn't the fire alarm going off anyway?
I ran in the opposite direction, hoping the mortals would be dense enough to realise something was wrong. Guess I was totally wrong. When I reached the lower floor nearly everyone was still there.
Guess I just have to do it then...
I cupped my hand around my mouth and shouted:
"FIRE! ALL OF YOU, GET OUT! THE BUILDING IS ON FIRE!"
People immediately started panicking and running out of the building.
Not the reaction I hoped for but it's better than nothing.
I made sure everyone was out before I ran towards the exit.
Where's Annabeth?
I thought when I reached the outside. I scanned the crowd but didn't see the familiar sight of her blonde curls. By now the firefighters had arrived and started to clear the square in front of the museum.
A hand planted on my shoulder. I turned around and was met with the warm brown eyes of my mom.
"Mom!"
I smiled as she hugged me. Paul stood next to her with a relieved smile on his face, Annabeth and Estelle nowhere to be seen.
"Have you seen Annabeth?"
I asked as we pulled away. She frowned and shook her head.
"No, I thought she was with you... Where's Estelle?! And what happened to your clothes?"
Worry filled her eyes. I looked down at myself and at my half-tattered shirt. I sighed.
"Hellhound attack and then a stupid hydra, who lit the building on fire. I made Annabeth get Estelle in safety, but then the hydra lit the room on fire and it spread in the direction she went. I haven't seen her since."
I said, my voice thick with worry.
"She'll be safe."
Paul said, giving us an encouraging smile.
"I'm sure of it. She's a smart girl. She'll get out of it and bring Estelle safe back to us."
I nodded and scanned the crowd again, searching for her familiar mop of blond hair, not finding anything.
In the distance I heard some firemen yelling at each other, but what they said didn't make me happy. Apparently the fire had spread so far that it had reached the top of the building and it was heading towards the gas installation of the museum. Even I know that thát wasn't a good sign.
The firefighters tried to contain the fire, but it didn't really work. Huge flames escaped out of the large windows and a tick black cloud of smoke arose from the building.
Making sure nobody saw me, I willed the water inside the pipes of the building to extinguish the fire. Just when I thought everything would be fine, some firefighters ran back out of the building, shouting at their colleagues.
Within seconds they started to evacuate the square.
No... this couldn't be happening. Annabeth and Estelle, they're still there.
I ran towards the building, ignoring the shouts of my mom and pushed myself through the crowd. When I reached the end, I tried to go back to the building but was held back by some firefighters.
"Are you crazy?! Go back. The building's about to explode!"
I shook my head.
"My girlfriend and baby sister are still there."
They shook their heads.
"I'm sorry, boy, but we can't let you through."
I groaned and backed away. They watched me for a few seconds and turned back around. I was about to slip around them when the firemen started shouting.
"IT'S GONNA EXPLODE! DUCK!"
Right that moment I saw her.
"ANNABETH!"
There she was, running out of the building while the firefighters shouted at us. Right when she reached the stairs in front of the building, all the glass broke out of the windows and the air threw us all on the ground.
When I looked back up, all I saw was chaos. People running around, crying or shouting at each other. I looked back at the place where I saw her before the explosion.
She was still there, only now kneeled on the ground and her arms protectively wrapped in front of her chest, 2 firefighters and an paramedic surrounding her.
"Annabeth!"
I shouted again, trying to get to her. When I finally reached her, something was definitely wrong. Her eyes were glossy and she was staring to the ground in front of her. The paramedic was talking to her, but it seemed like she didn't hear her.
"Anna-"
"What are you doing here? Go back!"
One of the firemen held me back. I was getting quite annoyed with them.
"Let me go! That's my girlfriend!"
I wriggled out of his grip and ran towards my Wisegirl. I kneeled next to her, opposite the paramedic.
"What's wrong with her?"
The paramedic gave me a small smile.
"Nothing severe. She's just in shock from the explosion. She'll wake up in a few seconds. Her back will need more attention though"
I looked back at Annabeth and the paramedic wasn't lying. Slowly Annabeth blinked her eyes and looked around her, engulfing her surroundings. When she saw me, she threw herself at me, her head buried in my chest. I smiled and hugged her back, carefully avoiding her back.
"It's alright, 'Beth, you're save. Estelle's save."
The paramedic laid her hand on my shoulder to get my attention.
"We have to get her to the ambulance."
I nodded and lifted her up, making sure not to touch her back. When we arrived I put her on the bed and intertwined our fingers. While I did that Estelle chose that moment to start crying again. Annabeth tried to calm her but winced when she moved her back.
"You better don't move. There are pieces of glass sticking in your back."
The paramedic had put some blue gloves on and walked towards us.
"My name's Kenzie and you're Annabeth, right?"
She nodded.
"And what's your name, sir?"
"Percy, her boyfriend."
She nodded and turned towards Annabeth.
"First we have to take your shirt off and free the baby, then we can clean your back, alright?"
She nodded. Kenzie looked at me.
"Can you do it? I assume she's more comfortable with that. Also take some ambrosia. Those cuts look hurtful. I'll clean them later if you want."
That made me tense. Within a second I had taken riptide out of my pocket and stood protectively in front of my girlfriend and sister.
Kenzie smiled and put her hands above her head, indicating that she didn't mean any harm.
"Who are you?"
I demanded.
"Kenzie Genbeery, daughter of Apollo. And you?"
I sighed relieved that it wasn't another monster and put Riptide away again.
"Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. And that's Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. The baby's my mortal half sister, Estelle."
Kenzie nodded and threw something at me. I caught it and recognised it as ambrosia.
"Eat it. It'll help. And Annabeth"
She nodded.
"Are you alright with Percy helping you?"
She nodded again and tried to move, but winced again.
"Just try to relax and sit still. Otherwise it will become worse. Percy?"
I nodded and slowly unbuttoned her shirt. I untied her scarf and slowly released Estelle. When she saw me she immediately started smiling and gurgling. Annabeth and Kenzie smiled. Then Kenzie went to the door and quickly yelled something outside. When she came back in, she turned to me.
"I called a colleague, who'll check your sister. You should call your mom while I clean your girlfriend's back."
Half an hour later Kenzie was done with fixing us both and Estelle was checked by another paramedic. Not much later Mom came stormed in.
"Percy! Annabeth! You had me so worried! And where's Estelle?"
Within a second we where both engulfed in a bear hug.
"Ow Sally.Watch my back."
"Sorry sweetheart"
I laughed and hugged my mom back with one arm, the other holding a sleeping Estelle.
"Here. She's all fine"
I gave her Estelle and she immediately cradled her close to her chest. Soon Paul joined us and we all start explaining what happened to each other. When we finally where done, mom looked us straight in the eyes.
"You two always get in trouble, don't you?"
I grinned and wrapped my arm around Annabeth's middle
"No mom, trouble always finds us."
Mom smiled and gave us another hug. Maybe the day didn't really went how we planned it would, but having this moment with the people I care about the most, made it all okay for me.