When It Fades To Black: Percabeth AU

My Fault

(All story line rights go to ChasingFreedoms)

Percy POV

I watch Annabeth lose consciousness from pain (which is understandable). I look at the blond kid who was leaning over her with concerns next to me. He shrugs. "Well," he said. "It's probably for the best. Annabeth hates hospitals going to hospitals. At least this way she can't freak out until she's already there." He said.

I looked at him quizzically and asked, "Why?"

Blondie raised an eyebrow, "Why what?" 

I explained myself, "Why does she hate hospitals?"

Blondie just shook his head. "I don't know. I never asked because she's not usually in a hospital. She told me she was once, is all."

I shrugged in acceptance. The EMT's quickly showed and loaded the passed out Annabeth onto a stretcher. Blondie and I watched the ambulance drive away and I finally voiced my thoughts about Annabeth and her limp.

"She was limping first hour, and I'm wondering if it wasn't broken before."

Blondie shook his head. "I think she probably just sprained it and didn't want to tell anybody. She's stubborn that way." He said those last few words with a brotherly affection in his voice. I grinned, realizing if I wanted to get closer to Annabeth, and I was sure I did, that I should wiggle my way inti her friend group. 

And I think I liked this blonde kid. "I'm Percy Jackson, by the way." 

Blondie stuck out his hand and said, "Jason Grace." I shook Jason's hand, grinning at him. We happily joined one another's team in dodgeball. We won, the only two on our team left standing. I told him where my next class was, and turned out his was the same. We walked to history together and then, when that was over, he invited me to eat lunch with him and his friends. 

I met Annabeth's best friend, Piper, Frank and Hazel, who were a couple, and then Leo. Leo was a small mischievous looking Latino kid with a gleam in his eyes that either made him look like an elf, or your kid brother who set off tiny bombs in your underwear drawer for fun. 

Jason POV

I could tell Percy liked Annabeth, and despite the fact she'd kill me for it, I felt very overprotective of her. Our whole group felt that way, but none of us knew why. Maybe it was because she was so closed off and melancholy. Whatever it was, we all felt it and even though Percy seemed like a good guy, there was no way he was going anywhere near Annabeth until he had our approval. 

We all talked and Percy shared why he was expelled which made us all quiet for a minute until Leo stuck chopsticks in his mouth and pretended to be Percy's old administrator. Leave it to Leo to lighten our moods. I stayed pretty quiet the whole lunch, observing Percy. 

Piper did the same, either picking up on me, or just knowing with her magical crush radar. I wave goodbye to Pipes and walk with her to her next class. Leo takes Percy, and Frank and Hazel walk down the hall next to us. Annabeth comes into class a few minutes late in an ankle boot. She plops down next to Piper and starts taking notes. 

Annabeth POV

I sit down by Piper and pull out my notes, taking them from the power point in front of me. My ankle doesn't hurt much now, and the doctors gave me some strong pain killers. They had called my dad and he had come down and paid, not even looking at me.

He drove me back to school and went back to the university to teach his Archeology and history classes. My dad was a well respected, semi wealthy professor and sat on the chairman's board at the university. Behind the scenes, he was an abusive drunk. I respected my career father, but not my father father. But I still couldn't bring myself to hate him. 

Some part of me knew all of the beatings were my fault. I had been the reason my mom had left and my dad had become an alcoholic. If I had just been a better kid, we'd still be a family. My fault. My fault. Drilled into my head by my father's fist and belt. Over and over. Worthless Annabeth. Stupid Annabeth. I snapped back into reality when I heard my name. Piper was saying it over and over. Finally I looked at her. "Sorry," I said, "I zoned out." 

Piper nodded. "Come on, we have math." It wasn't until then I realized the class was almost empty. I got up and Piper and I walked to our last hour, which flew by. Piper drove me home as usual, and I immediately flinch when I walk through the door. It already reeks of whiskey and vomit.

My dad hears the door shut and stumbles in. He pulls out a belt and shoves me onto the floor. "Stupid little bitch." He says as he rips the backpack off my back and brings the belt down. Over and over. "Make me leave work in the middle of the day." I know I'm bleeding, but I'll bandage it later. My dad kicks me until I roll onto my side, stomach facing him. "Worthless girl." 

He kicks me again and I feel my ribs fracture. He grabs my shirt collar and lifts me up, then drops me. The side of my head hits the stair banister and the world goes fuzzy. I stumble upstairs to my room and make it to my bed before I pass out. The darkness brings sweet release. I wake up the next morning in pain, but find all my wounds to be scabbed over. I shower to get the dried blood off me and bandage everything.

I put on lose fitting close to hide the bulky gauze on my small frame. I walk downstairs and grab a breakfast bar, just as I get a text from Piper.

Can't pick you up today. Have early morning cheer. Can you get a ride???? 

I text back quickly.

Yeah. You're good. Thanks for the heads up.

I lived less than a mile away from Goode. I can walk that far in an hour, even with an ankle boot. I hope.