"Molly," Molly heard someone whine. She lifted her tired head off her pillow and found six year old Lucy standing there in her night gown, clutching her lion stuffed animal.

"What're you doing in here, Lucy? Go back to your room." Molly groaned, too tired to deal with her sister. Honestly, it was the middle of the night, what was she doing awake?

"I'm scared." Lucy whimpered.

"Why'd you bring your stupid lion?" Molly asked.

"He was scared too!"

"Scared of what?" And then, as if on quo there was a really loud crack of thunder that shock their entire house.


The storm outside raged mercilessly but Audrey didn't mind. Percy was doing that adorable thing he did while he slept, wrapping his arms around her, almost protectively. Another crack of thunder shook the house and Audrey felt her husband flinch. She turned around so she was facing him and kissed him. "Good morning," She whispered.

Percy gave a tired groan. "It can't be morning already."

She chuckled. "Technically it's morning. But you still have time to sleep. Or, we could skip the sleep and start your birthday right now," She kissed him again.

Percy smiled and seemed perfectly open to the idea until-

"Mommy! Daddy!" Two girls shouted as another crack of thunder shook the house.

Percy and his wife gave a a collective sigh. "Your turn." Audrey said.

"Well that's a great way to say happy birthday." He frowned.

She smirked and kissed his cheek. "I'll give you your present later. When we get a chance.

Percy shook her head, almost in disbelief of how Audrey could pull his strings, and got up out of bed. Down the hall, in Molly's room he found the girls hiding under the blankets, huddled together. "It's alright girls," He said, picking Lucy up and sitting on the bed next to Molly. "It's just a storm."

Lucy clung onto him. "Can we sleep with you and Mommy tonight? Pretty please?" She whimpered.

Percy smiled at his little girls and stood up, taking them both with him back to his and Audrey's room.

It wasn't exactly what he had in mind for the morning of his birthday but for some reason, as he laid back down in bed with his two daughters in between him and Audrey he didn't really care -until Molly started snoring