Disclaimer: I do not own PJO. If I did, I would be writing Blood of Olympus, not this.

To Escape Death, Knowing You Are Dying Anyway

It was after the war and Percy hadn't moved. He just sat on the beach staring at the ocean on the horizon. For three days the Savior of Olympus went without eating or speaking. Everyone was concerned, even the gods and the anti-Greek Romans.

Worried for her boyfriend's health and sanity, Annabeth sent for Apollo. Instead of just him, Poseidon, Hermes, Athena, Aphrodite, Hestia, Dionysus, and Artemis showed up as well. They too wanted to know what was ailing their hero.

The immortals as well as the Hunters, Annabeth, Nico, the Stolls, the rest of the Seven, Rachel and various other campers stood on the surf, observing the quiet youth. An awkward silence hung in the air. Apollo was the first to speak.

"Percy, what's wrong, man? You've been sitting here for days. Not eating or speaking. It isn't healthy. Is there something we can do to help?" He finished pleadingly. Percy just continued string and it looked like he wouldn't answer.

Not taking his eyes from the waves he opened his mouth to speak. "If only I had died on one of those quests. Then we wouldn't be having this conversation. You wouldn't have to know, and the secret would die with me."

Unsatisfied with this answer, Athena asked, "What do you mean 'if only you had died?' Do you not wish to live?

Percy frowned before answering, as if the question perplexed him. "I want to live. At least I think I do. I never really entertained the idea. I always knew I was going to die early. Never did I think I would have to explain though. Thought I could get away with only telling part of it. Leaving out the worst bits. The Fates are cruel.

Annabeth, desperately trying to understand what was ailing her boyfriend begged, "Percy, what's wrong? If you tell us, maybe we can help." She hated seeing him like this, all closed up. It was worse than being vulnerable. Then she would have been able to help him with a few words of encouragement for a confidence boost. Instead he felt he couldn't even talk to her about it.

Percy pursed his lips, choosing his words carefully. "Until I was around seven, I was real smart. The top of my class. But Mom had married Gabe the year before. He would hurt me. Really bad. To the point of almost dying. I couldn't tell Mom though. Then Gabe would hurt her worse than he already did. I couldn't leave either because he would kill Mom for sure.

"So I became stressed, living in constant fear. It was more than a six year old brain could handle. I started to have trouble remembering to do stuff. Recalling memories became difficult. Mom badgered Gabe into taking me to the doctor. She couldn't 'cause she had to go to work." Percy paused then, and swallowed the bad taste in his mouth, remembering the day. Somehow it was one he couldn't forget.

"At the doctor's, they ran a bunch of tests. When we went back in the week after, we found out. I had a brain tumor. They said I needed the surgery soon; else I could become too dumb to be able to live. The only problem was the surgery was expensive. Gabe didn't want to spend that kind of money on me. So he told Mom it was lack of sleep and I should stay at home more often to rest. It just got worse and worse. Until I couldn't even remember how to count to 100."

He paused, fighting back tears from the memories. And the loss of them. "The summer before 6th grade, Mom had Gabe take me to another doctor for a second opinion. He said my brain had become so much accustomed to the tumor that to remove it would kill me. It was practically part of my brain. It's probably worse now. The final verdict was I wouldn't live to be 20. I've got less than two years to live.

AN: Do you think this should just be a one-shot, or continue it? IF you want me to continue, ideas would be greatly appreciated.