Her eyes open and they are blue. Brown wisps of hair cling to her small head. Her tiny, pink hands furled and unfurled.
"Estelle Victoria Blofis," a voice whispered. Percy and Annabeth looked up to see Sally's lips curved up in a smile as she repeated the name again. Paul cradled the Percy grinned at Annabeth, but it quickly faded away when he remembered his promise to Chiron.
"Mom…" Sally paused, her arms stopped rocking Victoria. She looked over to him. "We have to go on a quest." She nodded and Victoria gurgled.
"Make me proud. Wherever you go," she said and Percy left the hospital room.
"Percy…" Annabeth started. He shook his head and they walked on through the dark. "If we don't fight them, nobody will. But, you still got to see her." He looked over at her and she put her arm around his shoulder. He slumped, his head falling onto her. "What is her name?"
"Victoria," Percy whispered into the night. "Her name is Victoria and I can't help her if I'm always going on quests." They halted.
"Percy, you are her hero. When she grows up, you'll protect her from harm. Sometimes the harm may be your fault or hers, but now you have someone to be a hero for. Not just from monsters, but the ups and downs of life. And if anyone can do it… You can."
"Annabeth, where are you going to go?" Percy inquired after they reached his house. They'd completed the quest to retrieve Aphrodite's stolen mirror.
"I'll stay here for a few days," she responded. Percy opened the door and Sally rushed over to them both. She kissed both their foreheads and handed them a plate of blue cookies.
"I told Paul not to worry, I told him that you'd be home in time for Vick's first step."
"Oh, I'm positive we made it in time," Percy said, staring at Victoria. She was standing in the living room when she decided to move. Annabeth whipped her phone out, being the logical one and started videotaping. Percy just started in endearment. Sally and Paul clung to each other for their lives, looking like they would die of excitement. Vick lifted her foot and placed it an inch in front of the other. She looked up at her parents and gurgled. Percy clapped and started whooping. Annabeth rolled her eyes and smiled.
"Hey, Seaweed Brain. I think you're scaring the baby." He turns and mock glares at her before tickling her.
"That was a close one Annabeth. I was really scared I was going to lose you there," Percy whispered in a worried tone.
"Sorry Perce," Annabeth replied.
"Annabeth, I'm serious. I can't keep doing this. It's almost the end of college. When will this end? When can I stop being afraid I'm going to lose you? Tartarus wasn't the worst of it, the memories were. I can live with that, but not without you. If I lose you, I'll lose myself too."
"Percy, I'm sorry. But there's –" Percy cut Annabeth off.
"I want to be Vick's hero. I am somebody's hero now, but I can't do it like this."
"Percy…"
"I decided that this is my last quest. I told Chiron last month." Annabeth's eyes widen. "And you know why? I'm in love with you, and I know that in the great scheme of things, it doesn't matter. The world is going to end eventually, but I want to be with you when it does. I ca—" Annabeth lunges forward and kisses him, and Percy realizes that he isn't just Vick's hero, he's Annabeth's hero too. So he kisses her back and they lay there in an underwater bubble, relishing the love and warmth coursing through their veins.
"Sometimes, the name Seaweed Brain really fits you. You just couldn't see how much I wanted to tell you I loved you. When I told you that you were somebody's hero, I meant that you were my hero. You're always there for me and—"
"Hey, Wise Girl, I think you're making the fish cry."