Saturday, August 11th
2:45 pm - Annabeth's front door

Annabeth had done many scary things before. She had watched horror movies when she was home alone at night. She had ventured into the pitch black basement by herself after hearing some sort of racket. She had even sat with her mother for days on end when she was in the hospital.

Yet, somehow, her heart had never beaten faster than it had in that moment. She took a deep breath and walked into the house. It was one of the rare days that her father was home, and, inspired by her new friend Percy's words, she decided that now was the time to tell him. With every step she took into the house, her heartbeat quickened. She could feel her pulse throbbing in her neck as a bead of sweat made its way down her spine. Her palms became clammy, and suddenly everything was spinning.

Breathe.

She inhaled deeply. The world stopped spinning, and she felt her heart rate slow in the slightest. However, it still rang in her ears, echoing through her head.

Its going to be okay, she tried to convince herself.

She continued her walk to find her father in his study, typing away on his laptop. He looked up, and smiled, noticing Annabeth.

"Hey, Pumpkin." He stood from his desk chair and came to give her a hug. "Where've you been?" he asked.

"Oh, just to visit Alfred." Alfred was a duck at the local park that Annabeth had become rather well acquainted with. She visits him every so often at his favorite spot on the pond. They talk, and Annabeth feeds him bread. People sometimes look at her strange, or just smile, when they see her having a conversation with the duck, but Annabeth never pays them any mind. They all probably believe she's crazy, but Alfred often quacks his responses.

"Oh, that must have been a pleasant surprise for him." Frederick smiled at her, and she mustered the best smile she could in return. Her father seemed to notice the worry behind the mask she put on. He always did. "What's wrong?" His eyebrows furrowed with concern.

Annabeth opened her mouth to say something, but the words died in her throat. Instead, a sob escaped and tears came to her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey," her father soothed, pulling her into a hug as she sobbed. Annabeth cried into his shirt, leaving the soft fabric soaked. He didn't seem to care. "Take a deep breath; in through your nose, out through your mouth," Frederick reminded her. She followed his instructions, and the tears slowed. They wouldn't seem to stop, however, and Annabeth figured it was all the hormones.

"I need you to tell me what's wrong." He placed his hands on her shoulders, lowering his head to look her straight in the eyes. She tried to slow her heart rate, feeling as if her father could feel the fast-paced thump, thump, thump, as it rang throughout her body.

"I..." She didn't know how to say it. Did she just blurt it out? Does she ease into it? It was funny to her; Annabeth Chase, the most meticulous, planned out, and organized person you've probably ever met, didn't have a plan. If she hadn't been on the verge of tears, she might have laughed. She exhaled.

Here goes nothing.

"I'm pregnant."

She sounded weak, and she could barely get out those two, simple words.

Two, simple words. They seem so small and idol, that they aren't a big deal. Yet they seemed to follow you. At first, when you're keeping this secret—they weigh in your stomach and your feet and everything seems so much harder. Then, when you finally release the news, it hangs in the air, thick and silent, like a wet blanket. Finally, its with you for the rest of your life. So simple yet so complex. Ten letters weigh as much as ten tons. Its said in a second, yet it effects your eternity.

Her father didn't say anything at first. He just wore a blank stare and stood there, seemingly in thought.

A darkness opened in Annabeth's stomach. It felt as if it was consuming her insides, and soon, she would be gone. That darkness fed on her father's silence. If it wasn't broken soon, Annabeth might be lost.

"Okay."

The darkness cleared.

"What?" Annabeth could barely whisper.

"Okay." He nodded.

"You're not... mad?" It was probably a stupid question to ask considering the situation she was currently in, but she couldn't help it.

"I could be. I probably should be. But I promised myself I wouldn't do that to you. Its just you and me. And it will never be just you, especially not now." Her father gave her a small smile.

Annabeth was so relieved she had broke down again. She had cried for a short while while she embraced her father, smiling. It was the first time she was generally happy since she found out.

Maybe things would work out.

~*~

"So, I just want to know; how exactly did this happen?" Frederick asked Annabeth. Both were now seated at the table, discussing things.

"Well, I wasn't... doing anything before this, it was only one time." Annabeth tried her best to say that she wasn't sexually active without making things awkward.

"Okay, so why did it happen this one time?" He asked. "Did Luke... come onto you?" Her father's face was suddenly angry. "I'll kill him if he did anything to you."

"No," Annabeth placed her hand on her father's arm to calm him down. "Its... its complicated. It was at a party, and I had gotten really drunk and I don't even remember what I was saying, or if I even said yes." Annabeth swallowed.

"Annabeth, I know you. Did you say yes?" Her father looked her right in the eyes, his brown irises pleading for the truth. His intent stare seemed to reach into her mind, coaxing out the answer.

"No," Annabeth admitted. Tears flooded her eyes. "I didn't," she sobbed. Her father gently pulled her into a hug, soothing her with kind words. All this time she had been avoiding the truth, because it scared her. She couldn't believe Luke would do something like that. Or was it that she didn't want to believe he did something like that? It was like she didn't even know him anymore. He wasn't the same sweet, kind boy that Annabeth had fallen in love with years ago. He was an entirely different person.

"I know its hard," her father said when they finally separated. "Its hard to think that Luke would do that. He was such a good kid," he muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"I..." Annabeth couldn't even get the words out.

"We should tell someone. Annabeth, don't you want some, some closure?" Her father asked.

"I couldn't press charges, dad. There's not enough proof that it wasn't consensual. And I don't really feel like putting myself out there right now." Annabeth sniffled. "It would be hopeless. And besides, he's going away to California," Annabeth said miserably.

"Wow. You are in quite the predicament, Pumpkin," her father sighed, sympathy in his tone. "Alright," he said after a few short moments of silence. "What do you want to do with the baby?" he asked.

"I'm actually not sure. I don't want to get an abortion, and it might be too late for that anyways. Maybe I'll have to give it up for adoption. I really don't know yet." Annabeth sighed, feeling the stress of the first big decision weighing on her shoulders.

"Well, why don't we set up a doctors appointment first, and the maybe we'll see how you feel," her father suggested. Annabeth nodded, and her father stood from his chair. "I'll schedule that. Right now, you should tell Thalia. She should know."

"Okay," she agreed, standing as well.

Her father kissed the top of her head. "Its going to be okay."

And for the first time, Annabeth had the slightest feeling that he was right.

~*~

"Hey," Annabeth smiled as she walked up to Thalia. "Thanks for meeting me."

"Sure. I wasn't really doing anything, so this is good." Thalia smiled at Annabeth. Suddenly, she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"How do you know that something is wrong?" Annabeth said, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Annie, I've known you your entire life. I think I can tell when something is off, and something is definitely off." Thalia raised an eyebrow at her.

"Fine." Annabeth gave in. "I have something really important that I need to tell you," Annabeth started, taking a deep breath, she fought back the tears that were already pooling in her eyes. She was really getting tired of crying all the time.

"Annabeth, what is going on?" Thalia demanded. She truly looked worried now.

"Well... I'm pregnant."

"No way," Thalia said in disbelief. "You're a virgin, what is this the second coming?" She joked.

"Thalia," Annabeth said seriously.

"You're not kidding. How?" Thalia asked, coming to realization. "Its Luke's, right?"

"Yes, but... its complicated as to exactly how it happened."

"What do you mean? How can sex be complicated? As far as I know its just this," she took her index finger, "inside this," she put it through a circle she made with her other hand.

"Not complicated like that," Annabeth said, pushing Thalia's hands down. "But... it wasn't exactly... consensual," Annabeth cold barely get the words out; it hurt too much to think about.

"What?" Thalia barked. "Are you saying that he--" Her jaw clenched tighter than Annabeth had ever seen before. "I'm gonna kill him,"

"Thalia, no," Annabeth took her hands. "Don't hurt him." Annabeth found herself protecting him, for reasons she couldn't explain. He had done something terrible to her, yet she didn't want to see him hurt. She hated that she let him do this to her.

"Why shouldn't I?" Thalia asked. "Look at what he did to you. You're telling me that you don't want me to go beat the shit out of him?" She looked as if she couldn't believe what Annabeth was saying. Then again, Annabeth could barely believe it herself.

"Not now," Annabeth pleaded.

"Fine," Thalia grumbled. "I won't do it now." She obliged.

"Thank you." Annabeth let go of her hands, "But I have no idea what I am going to do with this baby," Annabeth sighed.

"Well, whatever it is that you decide to do, we'll do it together." Thalia took Annabeth's hands and held her head high.

A few tears escaped Annabeth's eyes. "I love you Thals,"

"I love you too, Annie," Thalia replied, pulling her into a hug.

Annabeth closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the warmth of her best friend's arms.

•••