Hey guys!

Here's that companion to Loved Beyond Words I promised. I'd probably recommend you read that first just for a little bit of context, but it isn't specifically necessary. I think I like the original one-shot better than this one, but you know how I am.

As this is a companion to Loved Beyond Words and as that story contained them, this one also CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE HIDDEN ORACLE. Same sort of thing. Read at your own risk.

That is all.

It had been a long time since Percy had been this happy. He'd been back home for less than an hour and back in the country for only just over two days, but it was almost enough to make up for the horrors of the summer. After eight months away, it had been all Percy could do not to hightail it out of camp and into the city the second the fighting ended. Instead, he'd stayed to help with the cleanup and the funerals, as well as the general politics and niceties that went into securing relations with the Romans. This morning, though, had marked the end of waiting. He had, with Annabeth in tow, caught a ride into Manhattan and finally gone home to see his parents.

After many hugs were exchanged, tears were shed, and the initial shock wore off some, his mother had wasted no time in dragging the two into the kitchen and preparing the best breakfast either of the demigods had seen in months. They now sat, Percy, Annabeth, Sally, and Paul, at the table, finishing the last of it. Percy's mom, happy and relieved as she was, seemed reluctant to take her eyes off him for any significant amount of time, as if afraid that if she did he would disappear again. Paul just seemed overjoyed and couldn't stop smiling. To Percy, being back in his apartment again was both surreal-almost foreign after the past few months, and the most familiar thing in the world.

As the days of the quest dragged on, Percy had found himself missing his family more and more, but even so, he didn't think he realized just how much until he was back with them again, a fact he was pretty grateful for because it had been almost crippling sometimes as it was. And yet, it was over now, all of it. He was home again, with Annabeth, safe, and, against all odds, able to look forward to a future again. He didn't think his spirits could soar any higher than they were right now.

Of course, telling his parents what had happened during the past few months had been difficult, even with Sally Jackson's pancakes and the details as watered down as he and Annabeth could make them. The adults seemed to realize that the two of them couldn't say more than they did though, and thankfully, for now at least, they didn't pry.

His mom stood up now and, with a look shared with Paul, gathered the dirtied dishes and carried them to the sink while he put the condiments away. Percy and Annabeth moved together to help, but were shot down just as quickly by Sally, who insisted they got a pass on chores for the moment. With a shrug, Percy sat down again and Annabeth, though she seemed more reluctant to do so, followed a second later. She didn't appear to dwell on it long though, instead watching his parents' work, her expression growing quizzical as she did.

Curious, Percy did the same, but saw nothing out of the ordinary other than the slightly excited expressions they both seemed to wear, which he'd originally chalked up as the result of his homecoming. Maybe they seemed more excited now than they had before, but there was nothing particularly obvious, that he could see anyway. Had he not noticed Annabeth noticing, he probably would have thought nothing of it. Except he had, and now he wondered if there wasn't something else going on now; something good, from the looks of it.

Sally turned away from the sink then and met his eyes, her smile widening, probably at the look on his face, as she did so. "We have something to tell you," she said somewhat nervously now, taking her seat at the table again. Paul still stood at the counter, having just closed a drawer in front of him. He turned around and leaned against it now, looking at the small group with an air of both knowing and expecting.

"Okay," Percy said slowly, looking between them, "What is it?"

His mom gave a short laugh. "Don't worry, Percy," she said, "It isn't bad."

Percy blinked and realized his expression had turned gravely serious almost subconsciously at her tone. He worked to soften it. "Okay," he said again, curiosity plainly evident in his words.

"We-" Sally started, glancing quickly at Paul before continuing, "Well, I'm pregnant, Percy. You're going to have a little brother or sister." Percy barely registered the sharp intake of breath beside him that was Annabeth's gasp. His own brain, it seemed, was short-circuiting. His jaw dropped and he seemed to have forgotten how to close it. He could do nothing right then but gape at his mother with wide eyes as an insane excitement flared up inside him. He was vaguely aware of Annabeth smiling beatifically next to him in a way that normally would have left him weak at the knees, but at the moment, he was miraculously desensitized to it.

"W-what?" he managed finally, a ridiculously large smile breaking across his face, "When?"

"In seven months or so," his mom answered, beaming.

"Are you serious?" he asked, his brain still not working quickly enough.

"Yes," she laughed.

"Oh my gods," he said softly, and then again, louder, "Oh my gods!" This time he stood up and rounded the table, wrapping his mom in a hug as she stood too.

"Are you okay with that?" Sally asked tentatively after they broke apart a few seconds later.

He blinked. "Yes, are you kidding? This is awesome! I mean…" He trailed off, shaking his head, still too surprised, apparently, to string sentences together. "I can't believe it."

Annabeth had gotten to her feet and joined them now too. She threw her arms around Sally herself and, in a voice that was practically a squeal and, under almost any other circumstance, would have been extremely out of character for her, cried, "Congratulations!" Paul, meanwhile, was grinning broadly, watching the spectacle in the tiny kitchen before him. He stepped forward, toward Percy, and hugged him as well.

"Oh my gods," Percy breathed again after he pulled away.

"That was pretty much my response at first too," his stepdad said amusedly. Annabeth moved to hug Paul then too and Percy, still at a loss for words and smiling, if possible, even wider, wrapped an arm around his mom's shoulders again. She had tears in her eyes, but her smile was radiant.

"I was so worried when I found out." Percy looked at her questioningly. "It was only a few days after Chiron told us you…" She trailed off but Percy knew what she was referring to. When they fell. He nodded and she continued. "I wasn't sure when," she didn't need to add the 'if' for Percy to hear it, "you were coming back. I didn't want you to come home and find me hugely pregnant or, worse, after the baby had already been born, and think we replaced you. I thought it was the worst timing."

Percy had started shaking his head before she'd even finished. Despite the immense joy he felt, her words sparked some guilt in him as well. He'd put her through way too much. He hoped finding out about the baby had given his parents some happiness, in spite of everything that was going on. He was aware of Paul and Annabeth, who stood next to him, listening in, but his attention was singly focused on his mom. "I wouldn't have thought that," he assured her, "I'm sorry, Mom."

"Don't apologize, Percy," she replied in a tone that was kind but stern, "You're here now. That's all that matters to me." She smiled again. "Gods, I can't wait to see you with this one." She moved her hand to rest casually on her still-inconspicuous stomach. It was a bizarre gesture to Percy, but she did it so naturally. He smiled again.

"I still can't believe it," he said, staring at the spot where her hand lay for a moment before looking up to meet her shining eyes again. His voice sounded awed even to himself. Annabeth snaked her hand around his waist and rested her head against his shoulder. He could feel her smiling against him, overjoyed herself for him and his family.

"Oh," his mom said then with a sort of dawning realization, wiping away the traces of tears that had made an appearance before, "I almost forgot. I promised a publisher I'd drop off that first draft I've been working on by this afternoon." Her voice trailed off slightly at the end of her sentence as she glanced toward to living room, where she kept her laptop and notebook. Judging from her expression, Percy guessed, after his reappearance that morning, the last thing she wanted to do now was leave him in favor of writing, no matter how much she loved it. She'd been working on that draft since before he'd left for Christmas break last year.

"Go ahead, Mom," he told her with a smile, "I'll still be here when you get back. Promise."

"You'd better be." She still looked slightly conflicted but conceded after a second, nodding and moving toward the living room. Paul, with one last smile sent their way, followed her, maybe to walk her out, and very quickly, Percy and Annabeth were alone in the kitchen.

Still leaning into him, Annabeth murmured, "Congratulations, Big Brother." Smiling again, Percy tightened his grip around her momentarily in response. "You're adorable, you know," she continued, "That was sweetest reaction ever."

Percy gave a short laugh. "I would never have expected this." Even thinking about it made his stomach flutter with excitement. "Like ever."

"That baby is very lucky." She straightened and turned to look at him as she spoke. "He or she is going to have the best big brother ever."

Percy smiled wider and leaned into her kiss. A short while ago he'd thought nothing could have made him happier than simply being home again. He'd certainly been wrong about that. He was getting a little sibling, someone who he would love and protect like the good big brother he was determined to be.

Despite everything, it looked like he'd actually get the chance to see him or her grow up.

He was so excited.

Thanks so much for reading! Reviews are always appreciated!

I did the math and, to the best of my knowledge, this timeline is accurate to THO, in which Sally is seven months pregnant in January. In August, she would be about 2 months along.

Also, one last, totally unrelated thing... As you probably know, I mostly write for PJO, though I occasionally throw in a story here and there for another fandom. A couple months ago, after seventeen years of life, I finally got around to reading the Harry Potter books (I know, I know, it's seriously pathetic how long it took me to pick them up) and I, of course, loved them. I've tossed around a few idea for potential fics for them that I'd like to potentially write at some point, and since, for the series being as old as it is now, the fanfiction world for it is still very much alive, I'm just wondering how many people here would be interested in them. I'm thinking mostly one-shots, as is my usual style, but I do have an idea for a possible multi-chapter thing too. Anyway, just let me know. And, of course, I will still be writing for PJO in any case. Thanks!