Jason was trying to talk to Percy, but it had been a full five hours since Percy last talked. 

At this point we were all getting worried about the son of Poseidon. The injuries that he sustained were too great according to Jason and Nico. Aaron was still sitting in the medical bed, while Clarisse attended his wounds - the frostbite on his cheek was gone though he had several ribs still broken. He was barely awake and he coughed badly.

Nico was next to Jason, his arms crossed and his face was a mask of anxiety as he waited for some news. I knew how much Nico cared for Percy - he had a crush on him for years but now he saw Percy as a brother who always helped him. It really pained him to talk to Percy and not help him. He was walking back and forth gingerly, his ribs recovering at a slow rate.

As for me, I held on to the phone to Annabeth. She was seriously distressed and to make matters worse, Percy's mother and Piper and Athena were on the phone. If there was one thing that I couldn't handle it was several people at once on the phone.

"Come on Percy, please pick up," Jason begged. He ran his hand through his hair. At this point he was tired from staying up the whole night.

"Reyna?" Annabeth called through the phone, sounding close to tears. "Can you please put me through to him? Just...just put the phone next to the radio and let me talk to him."

I thought to myself that would be a sad way to talk to him - it was the same kind of phone call that Rob Hall had with his wife, right before he died on the South Summit. Then again, this would be the last time we would hear from Percy, unless he got out of the crevice.

I turned to Jason and tapped his shoulder. "Can I borrow the radio? Annabeth wants to talk to him."

Jason looked worried for a moment, but his shoulders sagged. "Okay. She might have more luck than I have."

He passed me the radio. I said to Annabeth on the phone: "Okay, talk," and pressed the radio and phone together.

"Percy?" the daughter of Athena called, her voie really small as she spoke. "Are you there?"

No answer.

Everyone was now listening, even Clarisse who looked at the radio, desperation etched on her face. Even though she and Percy razed each other off, they eventually became good friends. She was clearly hoping that Percy was alright. Aaron was watching me hold the radio and phone and nodded to me, as if to tell me that it was gonna be alright. 

Nico didn't say anything, but he did come over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. I hoped that he didn't notice, but I was shaking as I knew that at any moment I was going to cry.

"Percy, please," Annabeth said with a whimper. She sniffed, took a deep breath and literally screamed, "SEAWEED BRAIN, WAKE UP!"

All of us were shocked that she would yell like that. She clearly had enough of waiting and was now ordering Percy to answer her.

And by god, did it work - he must've got some strength left because the radio buzzed and his voice called back. 

"Hi, Wise Girl. How are you?" His voice more grouchey as he spoke. But I immediately felt relieved - he was still alive.

"You scared the hell out of me," Annabeth cried through the phone. "Don't do that to me again."

"Sorry," Poseidon's son murmmered. "I couldn't move for a moment."

Annabeth was crying - I could tell because I heard her sobbing on the phone. "How are you? Are you warm?"

Percy didn't say anything for a moment. "I...I think that...I might have a little blood poisoning. My leg hurts...like someone just decided to pour acid on it."

He sounded worse than before. He sounded like he was slowly succumbing to his wounds. I looked around and I saw everyone looking sad and teary. We all knew Percy and it pained to think that this was going to be the last conversation between him and Annabeth. It made my chest hurt as I thought I was going to lose my friend and old colleague.

"I look forward to making it all better when you get home," Annabeth said. "Cause you will make it, you know. The others will find you and...you'll get better."

"Annabeth," Percy said. "Things aren't looking too good for me. I ain't strong enough. I don't think I can get out of here; even if I tried to get out, it would kill me in process. I'm right next to a pit that leads to Tartarus; so even if I tried to get out, it would just pull me in."

"Don't say that," Annabeth sobbed. "You make it sound as if you've given up already. Percy I know you - you never give up. Please, don't say that. Please..."

The whole room was silent as Percy and Annabeth talked. Jason had sat down and rested his elbows on the table. He had his hands up to his mouth in tight fists and he was crying silently. I knew what he was thinking - just one sentence that kept rushing in my mind as well: "He's going to die."

"How's the baby?" Percy wheezed. His voice was that broken and raspy that it almost sounded like wind. "How's...Alan?"

"Alan?" Annabeth cried, almost laughing in a way. "Of all the names for the baby, you've come up with Alan?"

"It's a suitable name for him," Percy defended. "Alan Jackson Chase? Don't you think that rings a bell?"

Annabeth was silent as she seemed to contemplate the suggestion. "Why Alan?"

Percy took a deep breath. "It was the name of my mother's grandfather - Alan Jackson. He was my mom's hero while he was still alive. My mom use to tell me that if she were to have another boy, she would call him Alan, in memory for her grandfather."

Annabeth sighed. "Why is it that you sometimes come with the better solutions than I normally do? Alan is a great name - why didn't I think of that?"

Percy laughed, but it brought on a chorus of coughs and groans. "I really wish I just looked at you one last time. Annabeth, I am so sorry. I gave my best and-"

"You're coming home," Annabeth said, her voice scared and annoyed. "You will not die on me, Percy Jackson - not now, not ever. If anyone can make it home alive, it's you. You're stronger than this; stronger than anyone. You can make it. If you can't get out the way you came, you find another way. You're in a frozen chasm that's full of ice. You can get yourself hydrated and get moving."

Her voice broke. "Percy, you got to move. I...I don't want to lose you..."

Clarisse sniffed behind me. I watched as she started to cry like Jason and Nico. Everyone's heads were bowed down, waiting for the worse to happen. As for me, I was shaking from crying - my hands shook as I struggled to calm down.

I prayed to the gods that Percy would just stay alive. I prayed that they would give him strength and that he would just live.

Percy was quite. But then, it seemed like the Fates had a change of heart, because the unthinkable happened.

"Oh, what the hell am I doing?" Percy groaned and cursed himself. I heard shuffling from the background noise of the radio. "Annabeth, I'm gonna get out of here. I'll find a way out. Just-"

He stopped. And then he yelled in pain - everyone's ears perked up, wondering what was wrong. Then Percy grunted, "Gah, my arm! I swear to god, when I get out here I'm gonna kick Zeus's ass for sending me all the way to Nepal!"

I smiled for the first time in seven hours. Percy wasn't going to die - he was still alive, and was just angry that he ended up in a chasm. Everyone got the same idea because all started cheering - Percy was gonna get out of there, one way or another.

"Annabeth," Percy said, "I'll make it home. I'm gonna keep my promise."

I could imagine Annabeth's teary smile. "I know you will."