Percy took three, slow steps before reaching the door, I stayed back giving him some space. On the door hung the traditional wreath, decorated with blues and sea shells. Three days until Christmas. It was unbelievable, Percy was gone for a whole year.

He turned around and held out his hand, "C'mon I can smell the cookies." I smiled back and took his hand walking closer to lean into him. He was so warm and it was so cold and dark. Snow fell gently, sort of like a snow globe's and fell onto our heads. It was 10 o'clock, and we were standing outside of the house Sally and Paul had bought after they got married. It was more into the suburbs, unlike Sally and Percy's first apartment which was deep into New York's busy streets.

"Are you ready?" I asked him tilting my face up. Percy's eyes seemed to scan the house. The Christmas lights hang off the roof, but were turned off. The only light on was the kitchen light from inside. He nodded, "I'm ready, but is this really my house?" He looked down to look at me, his eyebrows scrunched together. "Mom didn't move or anything while I was gone?"

I shook my head, "Nope, not that I remember. She said she wanted to be home when you came back."

"But the Christmas lights are off, and usually we could see the Christmas tree from here." Percy said. I knew what he was talking about. Sally loved Christmas. Her house was the Christmas house. Lights, garland, poinsettias, and tiny Santas and reindeers everywhere. Instead we stood in front one of the more duller houses on the street.

"I know, but the wreath says it all, Perce." I whispered. He nodded and smiled. He looked like he was going to open a present instead of the front door of his house. His sea-green eyes were bright, glowing in the dark, his face relaxed, something I haven't seen for a long time, and he was shaking but in a good way. He was excited. Percy turned to look at me again. He had the biggest grin on his face. He bent down and kissed my nose, "Gods, I'm nervous."

I let out a little laugh, "Just ring the doorbell already." And he did. His hand grabbed mine as soon as he pressed the doorbell, sort of like a kid who was playing 'ding-dong ditch' except Percy wasn't going anywhere. Percy lifted my hand to his lips and gave it a peck. I laughed again pulling my hand back down. I was going to say something until the door opened. And there she stood.

Her brown and grey hair pulled into a loose bun with strands falling into her face, her apron covering the front of her body was covered in flour and blue food coloring, so was her face. Her face. Her smile wasn't there anymore. Her eyebrows scrunched like Percy's and her eyes, oh gods, her eyes. They drooped, making her look tired, and her blue eyes seem to have gotten darker since the last time I saw her.

Sally Jackson stood in front of Percy and I. She seemed to have just noticed this and her hands went up to her mouth, letting out a gasp, "Percy," and a tear fell from one of her eyes. And then another, and then one more. Soon streams of tears ran down her face. Percy immediately let go of my hand and I started to feel cold again. But I wasn't going to be selfish now, when I had Percy with me longer than Sally did. He pulled her into a hug, his long, strong arms wrapping around her shaking body. She was short enough for Percy to rest his chin on the top of her head. He rubbed her back trying to comfort her but I could tell he was crying, too. So I rubbed his back.

She pushed him back gently, I'm guessing to get a better look at him. Her eyes scanned him, her hands running over his arms and his face. She kept pressing it and pinching his cheeks, making me laugh. Percy's hands went to his face, getting a hold of his mom's. He brought them down so they were sort of just resting in between them.

"Mom," Percy started, his voice shaking, "I'm home," he let out a nervous laugh. Sally nodded and laughed, too, "You're home, you're home, you're home," she kept repeating it over and over again as Percy pulled her into another hug. He rocked Sally a bit, his body swaying gently, and it made me think of how about 16 years ago, Sally was sitting in a rocking chair, rocking Percy to sleep.

She pulled away again and gave Percy a big kiss on the cheek. He blushed but didn't say anything about it. Sally took another long look at Percy before saying, "You have no idea how much I miss you. And you," Sally turned to me smiling, "I knew it, I knew you'd bring him back to me." before I knew it, Sally was hugging me. I looked over at Percy, who was smiling at me. He was smirking, and I knew he wanted to laugh. I rolled my eyes at him and hugged Sally back. She let go and rubbed my arms, "Thank you so much, Annabeth." Her eyes started to tear again, "But tell me when you leave next time, okay? I thought you went missing like Percy! Thank the gods for Chiron keeping me updated."

Percy looked at her, "Updated? So that means-" he was interrupted by a familiar voice from inside, "Sally is everything alright or…" Paul came into the doorway and his jaw dropped, "Percy, you're back." Paul looked just like Sally. Sad, tired and worried. He pulled Percy into a hug, clapping him on the back.

"Hey Paul," Percy laughed. Paul lets go and he too looks at Percy. Paul's eyebrows scrunch together and frowns. So then I look at Percy, too. Only then did I notice how thin Percy got. Paul looked at me and shakes his head. I probably was as thin as Percy. As soon as everything was sorted out at camp, Percy and I went here immediately, forgetting to eat. We also didn't eat much in Tartarus, and even though Piper and Hazel tried to make sure Percy and I ate all the time to make up for Tartarus, there wasn't a lot of time to eat because of all of the planning and training. We weren't starving, but we were hungry and we had lost so much weight. "You guys need something to eat, and it's cold, come on in." Paul smiled at us, he hugged me briefly and then reached for Sally's hand. Percy did the same to me and lead me into the house.

The walls were a light blue, decorated with pictures of Percy, Sally, Paul, and some with me. The inside of the house was more decorated than the outside. The Christmas tree stood in the corner decorated like the wreath outside, with blues and sea shells. Blue garland rested on the fireplace where there were more pictures. It was missing some decorations, but beat my house by a long shot.

We sat down in the kitchen and Paul got Percy and I water, juice, soda and milk, as if were going to drink them all. He pulled bread, lettuce tomatoes and cheese from the fridge and pantry making us sandwiches. Sally sat across from Percy and I. I noticed a plate of blue chocolate chip cookies sitting on the kitchen counter. I couldn't help but think of May Castellan and the piles of moldy sandwiches, burnt cookies and expired kool aid pouches on her counters. But there was only one plate of cookies which probably wasn't as bad. Percy reached for one and smiled, "I missed you guys so much," I rolled my eyes and grabbed one for myself. I bit into it and I felt the warmth and gooey-ness of the chocolate chips and a little steam that floated out meant that they must've been fresh out of the oven.

"They're still warm. It's like you were expecting us." I pretending to laugh. I was praying to the gods that Sally wasn't following after May. Percy must've caught me because his eyes shot up to mine and then to his mother's, and then back to me, wide. Whoops, I scared him.

"You mentioned Chiron was keeping you updated," I started trying to calm Percy down, I grabbed his hand underneath the table and rubbed it, "what did he tell you?"

Sally's face fell and she looked down, "Chiron told me everything," her eyes started to water and Percy's hand tightened around mine.

He cleared his throat, "Everything? As in…" Percy was shaking and the water in the cup in front of me started rise out of the cup, "Percy," I nudged him and the water immediately fell back in. He let out a shaky breath and muttered sorry.

Sally nodded, "Chiron told me about..." she was having trouble saying it, too, I couldn't even say it, "He told me about Tartarus," she said it so quietly, it was barely audible. Tears started to race down her face and Paul came right in time with our sandwiches. He placed them in front of us before wrapping Sally into a hug, calming her down. She was sobbing, and Percy and I were both on the verge of crying, too.

When Sally had calmed down a bit she started to explain, "When you stopped coming to visit me, Annabeth, I started to get worried. I mean, Percy went missing, Nico stopped visiting me, and so did you, Grover and Thalia were busy looking for Percy and the Iris messages weren't working, so I couldn't contact you. I called your dad, he said you hadn't come to visit and that he thought you were with me or at camp, he was so scared that what happened to Percy, happened to you, we started to call each other every night, waiting for updates.

"Then, one night I got home from grocery shopping and there was a message on the phone, and it was you, Percy. I was overjoyed knowing that you were alive but I was so worried because you mentioned a quest, and that's never good. I finally got in contact with Chiron, after who-knows-how many-drachmas, the IM was staticy and he opted into getting a telephone. He called me and explained to me about the other demigods, then about you being in the Roman Camp, then Annabeth's quest for the Athena Parthenos, then he found out that the two of you fell into Tartarus, he told me about the war between the camps and," she takes a deep breath shaking her head, "that's all we knew at the time. Chiron was… he was so concerned about the two of you. He was confused. I mean the next prophecy wasn't due until your grandchildren's grandchildrens were all grown up. Apollo said so himself. I've tried calling Chiron a few times after the first call, and he'd tell me what he knew, which unfortunately wasn't enough to calm me or Frederick. Then one day I called and the phone in camp kept ringing and no one would answer. I got worried, what if something happened to the camp? What if the Roman's destroyed Camp-Half Blood? And what if Chiron was gone? And the two of you were still M.I.A, I was going crazy," Sally was rambling, but I was really paying little attention. My thoughts were all swarming around the fact I've forgotten to call my dad. My dad. Here I was with Percy and his family while mine probably had no idea if I was still alive or not. Oh gods.

I looked up to Percy holding Sally's hand, rubbing little circles into it with his thumb, the same way he did to me when I was distraught. Sally had a little smile on her face as she watched Percy's soft gesture, she laughed a little, "And then a night later, I get a knock on my door, expecting carollers, instead it was you two holding hands,"

Percy's face lit up and he moved to hug her. Sally was crying again but I knew they were happier tears. Percy, no doubt, was crying, too. It was touching how they loved each other so much. For most of Percy's life it was really just her and him.

Sally pulled away and gave Percy a peck on the cheek. He sat down again and sighed, "I'm so sorry mom, for leaving you, I'm so so sorry,"

His mom laughed again wiping the tears off of Percy's face, "It's not like you wanted to go missing right? An-" Sally was interrupted by a cry from the one of the rooms.

Percy looked at me with those confused sea green eyes but I only shrugged having no idea who or what was crying.

"Mom?... Paul?" Percy started.

"I can't believe we forgot to tell you!" Sally cried, "I'll explain after I take care of this," and then she hurried off into one of the rooms.

We listened as the crying began to die down and I started to realise what it may have been. Percy drew his attention away from the hallway and looked at Paul who was trying to hide his smile.

"Paul," Percy started, "What exactly did mom forget to tell me?"

"Well," Paul said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair, "As much as I'd love to tell you, I think it would only be right if your mother dild,"

Percy raised his eyebrow and opened his mouth to say something when Sally called from the other room, "Percy! Annabeth!"

We looked at Paul who gestured to the hallway, "I think you should go see what she needs,"

Percy looked even more confused so I pulled him up and guided him to the room. We found Sally in the room nearest to hers and Pauls, right across from Percy's and beside the guest room where I was supposed to stay in when I came to visit. In the center of the room were two white cribs and a mobile hanging over each, one with mermaids and the other with sea shells. A bookshelf filled with, well books, was pushed to the side of the room near the window, a toy box filled with toys was on the wall adjacent and a changing table was pushed against the wall across beside the closet. Sally was sitting in a rocking chair that was placed in the corner between the bookshelf and toy box rocking, gently smiling at us. She was holding a bundle in her arm feeding whatever or whoever it was milk. We were in a nursery. I realised my earlier assumption was right. Sally had, or has a baby, or two.

Sally smiled at Percy and I, gestured for us to come over. Hesitantly, Percy walked towards Sally and the bundle in her arms, I followed him holding his hand.

"I want you two to meet, Clio," Sally looked up at us and her smile grew even wider, "your sister,"

She moved the baby so we could see her face, she was awake so we could see her soft brown eyes that matched Pauls. Like her eyes, her nose was like Paul's while she shared her mother's smile and her dark brown hair.

"Clio," I said, "Like the Muse of History," Sally nodded and smiled.

"And this is Galene," Paul said from behind us. He had picked up the baby from the other crib, whom I didn't noticed before, "Your other sister, we like to call her Gale,". This baby had sea green eyes and dark raven colored hair like Percy's, which confused me and worried me greatly. Galene had features that were undoubtedly features a child of Poseidon had.

Percy, though, didn't seem to notice as his head went from Sally to Paul, from Sally to Paul and over and over again until I was sure he got dizzy.

He laughed, "You had a baby," he laughed again, "Two babies! Twins! Mom! You had twins!"

I smiled because Percy sounded so childish and excited that it was cute. Paul and Sally smiled at him.

"Actually Percy," Paul laughed, "Your mom had one baby,"

Percy and I were greatly confused again, "But there's two babies, and you said they were both my sisters," Percy said, "Is there something I'm not understanding, Annabeth?"

I shook my head, but then I came up with the only possible answer. I looked at Sally who was watching me, "Galene isn't yours," I said, "Nice name by the way, it means calm and tranquil. She's Percy's sister on his dad's side I'm guessing," I bit my lip because I sort of felt like I was accusing Sally of cheating or something, so I clarified, " She's Lord Poseidon's daughter from someone else?"

Sally nodded and laughed, "You amaze me Annabeth,"

Paul laughed, too, "I told you she'd figure it out, she even got the namesakes right,"

I looked at Percy and smiled at him. He looked even more confused if that was even possible, I leaned towards him and whispered into his ear "Do you need me to explain how babies are made or…?" I teased.

"No. No. No. Gods Annabeth I didn't need that picture in my head," he shook his head and I laughed.

He sighed, "So you and dad, were both expecting kids?" Percy asked trying to straighten this whole thing out.

Sally nodded, "With different people,"

"So you and Paul were expecting Clio," Sally nodded again, Percy continued, "And dad was expecting Gale," again, Sally nodded.

Percy still looked confused so I rolled my eyes.

"Come on Percy, your mom and Paul are married, you didn't really think they weren't going to have at least one baby," I laughed as I walked towards Sally. She laughed with me and very gently moved Clio into my arms. I smiled as her tiny hand reached up to pull a tendril of hair hanging from my face. I looked at Percy who was glowering at me from my earlier remark.

I moved Clio so she was in a sitting position, her head leaning against my chest, and her bum sitting on my arm.

"I thought dad was forbidden to have kids," Percy finally said.

"Actually, Perce, now that that prophecy's over, your dad's actually free to have more kids with mortals. Him, Lord Zeus, Lord Hades, I'm surprised we only noticed this now. Don't be surprised when Nico and Hazel and/or Thalia and Jason also have an added member." I said.

Percy glared at me once more before looking at his mom, "So why is Galene doing here if she's dad's daughter and not yours?"

"Well, about a week before Clio was born, your dad knocked on my door, holding a basket, to Paul, though, it looked like a normal baby carrier," Sally started, "Anyways, your father was really distraught that day, he kept looking over his shoulders like someone was following him. I let him in anyways, since it was probably important. And it was. Inside the basket was Galene, that wasn't her name at the time, she actually didn't have a name at the time. Your father explained to me how he had befriended a mortal woman in Boston who also had the gift of The Sight, they fell in love and then Gale was born," she hurried the last part not wanting to get into the details, "But, unfortunately, after giving birth to Gale, the woman died. The doctors said she couldn't handle the birth but your father believes that maybe Amphitrite had something to do with it. Nonetheless, Poseidon knew he had to get Gale away,"

"He was scared something might happen to Gale, like what happened to her mom," I suggested.

Sally nodded, "He was scared that maybe Amphitrite would hurt her, or a monster. Gale's blood had a strong scent, being a child of one of the big three, I mean Percy you know this for your dad brought her here hoping I could keep her safe, like I did with you, except this time he gave me things that might actually help," she stood up and walked towards the crib where Gale was lying in earlier, "This crib keeps her safe, it's sort of like the boundaries around camp I'm guessing, it lessens the scent, keeping the monsters away,"

"The basket did the same thing, didn't it," I said.

"Mhmm, Poseidon knew that if he didn't hide her scent, they wouldn't have made it here. Add his scent and her's together, you're basically calling for something to attack you," Sally bent down beside the crib to pick up a toy rattle that must've fallen earlier, she began to play with it idly "He gave us many things, ambrosia and nectar baby food to strengthen her when she got weak, lots of stuff that could hide her scent, the 'baby carriage', toys, the mobile," she pointed up towards the spinning sea shells, "He even got Clio a gift," and then she pointed to the spinning mermaids hanging over the other crib, "The toys, crib and carrier were all made by Hephaestus. He couldn't give us these things when you were born, Percy because Hephaestus would've told on your father for breaking the pact,"

"Lord Poseidon felt bad when he saw that Sally was, um, pregnant," Paul said awkwardly, "He actually changed his mind about keeping Gale here, he was afraid that something might harm your mother and Clio while she tried to protect Gale,"

"So your father blessed Clio, and honestly I have no idea how it works or what it does. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened yet, she just does normal, mortal, baby things," Sally said.

"Maybe she shoots water out of her fingers," Paul suggested, "That would be awesome," Sally glared at him and he coughed, clearing his throat and began bouncing Gale in his arms. I realized I was doing the same to Clio.

"And you're totally okay with this whole set up, Paul?" Percy asked.

Paul nodded and smiled, "Well yeah, its hard to say no to a God,"

Percy shook his head," Paul if you don't really like this, then you don't have to do this,"

"Oh no, Percy! I do want this! The minute Gale got here I adored like she was my own," he smiled and turned Gale in his hands to face him, "I don't know what it is but I'm so drawn to her, the same way I'm drawn to Clio," I recognized the look on his face as the same look he had when talked to Percy, it was like some fatherly love.

"A day after, we brought her to adoption agency and she became Galene Blofis," Sally continued.

"She's just so peaceful," Paul smiled, "It's contagious,"

"Hence her name," I added.

Sally sighed and nodded, "Paul named her Galene as soon as Poseidon said she was nameless. They both agreed to the name and I like it, too," she smiled. "But she's a daughter of Poseidon, so she's just as… uh… spirited as you are, Percy,"

"And mischievous ," Paul added, "She crawls out of the playpen somehow and ends up in the living room in front of the T.V watching The Little Mermaid or Finding Nemo,"

Percy nodded seeming to finally understand, "Okay. So I understand Gale's part, I guess," I rolled my eyes, "But what about Clio? Since when were you pregnant?"

I stopped bouncing Clio in my arms and looked at Sally. Percy had a point, when Percy was gone and I'd come to visit Sally, she did not look pregnant at all.

Sally blushed and explained, "Well when you left for camp last winter, I must've been two weeks pregnant. When you went missing I probably was around a month, but I didn't know, the side effects weren't showing up and I was caught up worrying about you. And when I did find out, Annabeth was gone,"

"So Clio was born in…" Percy started counting the months on his fingers but I saved him trouble.

"August,"

Paul nodded towards Clio, "Sunday, August 22 2010,"

"And Gale?"

"A week before, August 15 2010"

Percy sat down in the now empty rocking chair, "I missed a lot."

"Anything else you want to ask?" Sally laughed.

Percy shook his head and smiled, "I think I got it,"

Sally smiled at him, "Welcome back Percy."

So this is a bit out of date. Originally, I was going to publish it a week or so before the holidays, but it got lost in the mess that is my Google Drive. So after digging through overdue, unfinished essays, incomplete TFIOS stories and numerous PJAO & HOO ideas, I came across Gale and Clio Blofis. I hoped you guys like it. It was a bit fast paced and maybe some grammatical errors and the ending was definitely not the best. Forgive me.

The next part will be published soon!