Chapter 3: Car Rides and Unbearable Instructions.

"Percy," she asked. "Will you do something for me?"

"Annabeth," Percy could tell by the look in her eye what she wanted from him. We'll go after school, alright? We'll get everything sorted out." he kissed the top of her forehead, and patted her right side.

"Percy, what if I am?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

He pulled her closer and mumbled into her hair, "We will do whatever it takes to make things right."

"Nothing will ever make it right."

The day seemed to get slower as each minute passed. Annabeth watched the clock tick to the end of the day. She abruptly got up, and swung her bag over her shoulder. Her stomach was in knots, was this the right thing? Was this what I wanted? Without looking at anyone in the hallway, not wanting someone to stop to talk and give her enough time to change her mind, she reached Percy's locker, and grabbed his arm as he closed the locker.

"Percy," she gasped. "Let's go."

"Annabeth," he had to jog to catch up with her. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

She ignored his questioned and continued her march through the school. The endless blur of her classmates, seemed to make the hallway spin, still she continued on. Once they reached Percy's car, she stopped, panting.

"Annabeth, this is crazy."

"I know. I don't want to believe that it's true. It couldn't be, could it?" she looked at him in desperation.

"I don't know. I mean, we were so careful."

"So careful." She repeated. "Something was just wrong with that stupid test. It was the first one I took, and the first ones are never right, right?" She hoped for some kind of assurance from Percy, but he knew that wasn't the case.

"Anna, I just don't know. I just don't. This could be anything you're going through right now. I'm not sure what to think about this whole ordeal." He threw his backpack in the backseat of his car and hopped in. "All I can think is that I want to know what's going on, so get in." Annabeth obeyed and sat in the passenger's seat. She never knew a car ride could feel so long.

"Percy," she whispered. "What if I really am…" she couldn't finish her thought, unable to comprehend the truth of their situation.

He grabbed her hand, "If you are, then we'll work through this together," he added.

She gave him a soft smile and sighed, her head falling back onto the headrest of the chair.

Suddenly, a thought came to her and she gasped sharply, "Percy, my mom's going to kill you."

The cool breeze coming from her open window cooled her warm skin; the wet rag on her forehead could only do so much. Never in her life had she ever felt so nauseated. The bucket next to her made her feel at least a little at ease knowing that she wouldn't have to run to the bathroom.

Her roommates tried to help as much as they could, but she shooed them all away not wanting to deal with their questions or them wanting to help her. She needed Percy, he was the only person she wanted and needed. It didn't matter to her that her family was half way across the country, Percy was who she wanted to see.

She heard a small knock on the door, "Who is it?" her voice cracked.

"It's me," Percy whispered. "I got it." He shook a bag.

"Come in, come in." she pushed herself up in the bed, crossing her legs.

Percy opened the door and sat on the side of her bed, he placed the bag on her lap.

Annabeth couldn't help but open the bag to find the instuctions.

"What are you doing?" Percy chuckled. "Just pee on the dang thing and get it over with."

"Percy," she scoffed. "If I need to do this, I need to do it right."

He smiled, as he watched her soft pink lips moved as she began reading the instructions. "It sounds easy enough," she pulled out the test turning it and spinning it.

"Anna," he sighed, kissing her forehead. "Just go take it. I'll still be here when you come out."

She nodded, walking to the bathroom and closing the door. Percy couldn't help but wonder if she really was pregnant. They're lives would change so much. Things would never be the same. Annabeth wouldn't be able to go to college to become an architect. He would become a Dad. Me? A father? What if we didn't raise it right? What if our families weren't supportive? His thoughts raced too fast for him to comprehend. The five minutes Annabeth was in that God-forsaken bathroom were the longest five minutes of his life.

"Percy, you need to come here."

Percy's heart sank, he knew what she wanted him to see. As he walked into the bathroom and opened the door one thought came to his mind: I will never be the kind of father mine was.