Penny hadn't been in contact with the outside world since around seven the night before. She hadn't allowed anyone to bring her a newspaper or anything. All she knew she had learned from her visitors. "He did," she said, voice quavering from the effort of holding back her emotions.
She looked up at the ceiling and pursed her lips. This wasn't something Percy should see. The tears started to recede slightly even as she felt his hand cover hers. That simple action shocked her; he hadn't even wanted to speak to her when came in. Penelope's free hand covered his in an oddly familiar gesture, though she no longer felt the same spark that she once had.
Penelope knew she hadn't done all she could to stop the Quintaped, but that wasn't a conversation for Percy. He didn't need to know how guilty she felt for hiding during the beginning of the attack. "Thank you, but it's really not." She turned her eyes back to him and was struck by how similar this was to the scene in the hospital wing all those years ago. "Serious déjà vu right now," Penny said, her eyes still rimmed in red.