AN: So first of all I want to apologize for the long, long wait.
I've had a lot going on and some accursed writers block thrown in. Unfortunately this doesn't mark my return to regular updates, I apologize for that.
I have some things going on right now that stop me from updating like I used to. I don't know when I'll get the chance to update again. Right now this and Reborn of Fire are the only stories I have chapters ready for.
Again I am sorry for the wait, but I hope you enjoy this chapter.
The Sea's Daughter: Sea of Monsters.
Chapter 7: Christmas in Manhattan.
It seemed to Melinda that time was crawling by.
She was starting to get paranoid, or maybe that wasn't the right word. Sometimes even she forgot she had ADHD, and the fact she hadn't seen a monster since the pit scorpion had bitten Percy.
This of course was not counting Tyson, sense the cyclops was just too kind and adorable to be a demigod killing monster. She felt as if any moment something was going to go wrong.
Another part of her itched for a monster to attack, just to make things interesting and because part of her missed the rush.
The saner part of her mind knew that was a death wish in her current situation.
She knew in the future she would be more careful when in a sexual relationship, but she didn't regret anything either. She was happy to become a mother, even if it wouldn't be easy.
She knew she could die at anytime being a demigod. This was probably the best time for it, currently things seemed quiet.
The calm before the storm.
She'd learned a long time ago that when things were quiet it only meant something was brewing. Back then she'd had Voldemort after her blood, now it seemed to be the Titan King's slow rise with the help of... Luke.
Sitting on the wide windowsill – she had enlarged it to comfortably sit one person with magic – she sighed at the thought of her once friend.
Her sea colored eyes looked over the city as snow fell in thick flakes. She'd always loved the snow, well, the looking at it part anyways.
She'd never been very fond of how cold it was, and being a child of Poseidon anything water related was never as cold to her as it was to another demigod or mortal.
She figured it had something to do with her relation to Hecate. Or the fact the Dursley's would throw her out in cold weather or thunderstorms as punishment when she was little.
"You're going to get stress lines if you keep worrying so much, Lin."
Melinda turned on the windowsill and smiled at the dark god before her. Over the time that passed Hades would randomly come to see her, despite both knowing their relationship was at its end.
It had been about a week after her father beat the ichor out of him that she and Hades talked about their time together.
In the end they had decided to end it, and had broken up on mutual terms. But their friendship had deepened, which to some might seem strange.
Melinda had seen many friends go into relationships and end on messy terms. Or people go into relationships and the relationship would end with both going their separate ways.
Friendship didn't usually exist after an intimate relationship ended, but Melinda wasn't one to play by the rules.
"I wondered if you or dad would stop by before the Solstice," Melinda sat, placing her feet back on the floor and standing.
Since her doctor appointment in the beginning of December Melinda had taken Dr. Ellis' advice and began eating as much as she could at meals.
Of course, she didn't over eat and everything was healthy, but just making sure she ate three times a day had helped. She also felt it might be the fact she was simply a late bloomer, she'd always been like that no matter what it was.
She'd been a bit of a midget before she was thirteen or fourteen, and hadn't really developed in other areas before the summer before her sixth year.
She'd also always had a high metabolism, but then it might have also had something to do with Quidditch and training which kept her in shape. But despite this all, she seemed to have blown up over night.
She looked like a woman should going into their fifth month of pregnancy, her stomach no longer flat, though she was kind of concerned if it was an acceptable weight for someone carrying twins.
She'd never actually been around a pregnant woman, besides Tonks, before. And she'd only been around Tonks before she'd even gained any baby weight.
The point was she'd gained enough weight that she'd had to go shopping for some new clothes, both regular and maternity.
She was grateful she had Sally to help, and even Percy seemed to have gone from concerned and sort of strange around her to being excited.
Hades smiled, one of the few wide smiles that weren't just a smirk-smile configuration, and approached his now ex-lover.
He would miss the relationship they'd shared, the more intimate side of it, but they were still close friends and he would be there when he could be. Of course, none of this made Persephone more forgiving of him.
Some days were better than others but Persephone was still firm on him not being welcome in their bed. And she refused to let him touch her intimately and he figured she probably would continue to do this until after Melinda had the twins.
It was better than some of her past reactions.
"Yes, Poseidon would have come but he is currently busy with some problems the fish are having." Hades rolled his eyes at his own words.
Melinda chuckled and walked over to thread her arm through the crook of Hades' elbow and led him to the table.
"Sit, I'll go finish dinner and make some tea," she said, before turning to head for the kitchen. "How long will you be staying?"
Hades frowned slightly.
"Not long I'm afraid. An hour, maybe a little longer," he said. "I mostly came to tell you how we were going to go about this."
Melinda bit the inside of her cheek at his words, and she took the tea kettle off the stove along with the pasta she'd been boiling.
"The plan?" she inquired.
"Your father and I will address the council near the end. We've determined that the most problem will come from Zeus and Athena. Those two have always been rather... alike in ways they think. Athena may be easier to placate than Zeus. We want you to stay with Sally and Percy tomorrow night and about a week after the solstice. In case of monsters being led in your direction."
Melinda sighed as she poured some red pasta sauce over the noodles she'd placed on the two plates. She knew this wouldn't be easy, and she would admit to being nervous. She knew how Zeus had reacted to her being around, and past the age of sixteen.
But she'd used cunning and logic to get out of that, it was obvious to her she couldn't be the child of prophecy. Prophecies had riddles, and sometimes could mean many different things but stating an age. That was usually pretty clear.
Hopefully the fact war was coming now, and that her children wouldn't be sixteen for sixteen years would save them in the end. That didn't mean Zeus would like it though.
Placing a plate in front of Hades, where he sat at the head of the table. She then placed hers in the table spot to his left and left to retrieve the glasses.
"I understand, I hope it goes well," she said, and picked up the now filled glasses and returned to the table.
Hades nodded, and though he hid it well, Melinda was rather good at reading people and could see the worry in his onyx eyes.
xXx
Poseidon and Hades were nervous as they listened to Zeus prattle on about what they were to do.
With the revelations of the quest to find the master bolt, and then Luke, son of Hermes attempted murder of the children of Poseidon... well he had no choice but to acknowledge war was coming.
A war that was possibly being waged between gods and titan once more. Or more like, demigods against a army headed by the titans until they could actually do something to help their children.
Many were in denial that Kronos could be raising, despite evidence, none more than Zeus.
Currently they were at a impasse because of this fact. Half the council wanted to take some sort of action, plan before Kronos could out plan them.
Others favored the wait and see approach, believing it to simply to be some wayward god or goddess, or one of the free titans causing a war using Luke as their weapon.
The fact several demigods had disappeared over the summer was not lost on most, but to others. Well, many who had missing children were in denial. Apollo, Hermes, Aphrodite... just to name those they were aware of. Some hadn't even been claimed yet.
Which seemed to make some more prone to thinking them traitors, having joined the Titans.
"Father, I have to agree with Athena," Artemis said from her spot. "While we don't know for sure about anything, it is clear war is approaching. I also have to agree with Uncle Hades... it could very well be Kro-"
"Enough," Zeus ordered, cutting one of his favored daughters off. "We have voted on this matter, daughter, and it is a tie. For now we shall wait, we don't know if Luke Castellan is truly working for another or if this is some sort of rebellion. We shall continue to search for the son of Hermes in the meantime."
Many of the gods and goddesses who didn't agree with this action held back groans, while others nodded or were simply quiet on the matter.
"If that is all," Hera began, looking at her husband and then to everyone else.
Poseidon and Hades shared a look and then Poseidon sighed.
"There is one more matter," the sea god said.
This gained everyone attention.
"What's that?" Zeus asked.
"It's about my daughter, Melinda," he began. "She's been seeing someone for few months now, or was anyway."
Zeus raised an eyebrow and looked at his brother in slight annoyance. Others were simply confused, while others, such as Athena were thinking over what he'd said like it were a life or death situation.
Aphrodite on the other hand was giggling behind her hand, as if she knew something they didn't. Looking at her, Hades realized she probably did.
She usually knew every form of love there was between a person, it was her domain and she'd probably sensed it from Melinda. If she knew exactly who it was directed at was another thing all together.
"What exactly does that matter, brother? Unless you're going to tell me she knows were Luke Castellan is because this someone is the traitor in question..."
Poseidon glared at his brothers suggestion, still angry at the son of Hermes for running a sword through his daughter, nearly killing her. Hades didn't look much happier.
"No," he said. "It has nothing to do with the war... exactly. Melinda was seeing a god, she told me a while ago after she found out that she was pregnant."
Everyone blinked, and many were looking at the male gods in suspicion, many of those gazes were, ironically on Zeus. Seeing as he was the only one, besides Poseidon, Thanatos and Triton who had met Melinda Potter.
"What?" Zeus asked, and then glared at those who looked at him as if he were the god in question.
"Zeus," Hera snapped. "I swear, if you have been going behind my back again..."
Zeus gaped at her and then growled under his breath.
"It wasn't him," Poseidon said, rolling his eyes. "Thank the gods for that, I really would have gone through with my threat and thrown him into Tartarus with father otherwise."
Many of the gods who heard that last part, and how protective he sounded during it shivered. While Hades flinched slightly.
"Then who? I take it there is a reason you've told us this?" Demeter asked, and Athena looked between Poseidon and Hades before gasping.
"Oh no," Athena muttered. "Please tell me it's not..."
she trailed off at Poseidon and Hades' glares.
Finally Hades sighed.
"As you know I met Melinda during the quest for the Master Bolt," Hades began, drawing sharp looks from everyone as realization began to dawn on them. "Being the Mistress of Death, Lin can come and go as she pleases as long as she doesn't eat the food..."
"Oh, not again!" Demeter cried, throwing her hands up. "What is wrong with you, can you not leave your poor, impressionable, innocent -" Hades snorted, and Poseidon nearly whimpered. " – nieces alone!"
Zeus was glaring, his left eyes twitching while a vein seemed to throb on his temple. His eyes seemed to nearly shoot lightning.
"HADES, YOU BROKE THE OATH!" he roared, and many flinched back.
Hades rolled his onyx eyes.
"Look who is talking, brother," Hades sneered. "You've broken it too, twice might I add. I had no intention of breaking the oath when I started seeing Melinda. The oath was not to sire kids, not to stop seeing mortals completely. We just... got caught up and things happened."
He sighed.
"You know, he's right pops," Apollo said. "You did break the oath first, along with Poseidon. It would be kind of hypocritical to punish Hades or Melinda Potter for this."
"That is beside the point. Another child born with the possibility to doom us all, it can not be allowed," Zeus fumed, holding his master bolt in a tight grip, and looking as if he was ready to find a target for it.
From his statement they were all sure the target wouldn't be one of them, but the daughter of Poseidon herself.
"Zeus, if you dare harm one hair on my daughters head... The coming war between the Titans and Olympus will be the least of your worries," Poseidon stormed, his eyes narrowed and nearly glowing with power.
Hades was in much the same position.
"Indeed, the wrath of the Underworld and Atlantis, against Olympus. I will not allow you to hurt another one of my former lovers," Hades nearly snarled at his brother.
His words were a sharp reminder to his brother that he still held a grudge about what he'd down to Maria all those years ago.
Zeus twitched again, but with less anger and annoyance, as if thinking of how unpleasant that would be.
"I would gladly help," Aphrodite chirped, smiling. "I personally, find Melinda Potter's future much too rich to allow her to die over something so minor. And just think of the love life her child will have!"
"I can't believe this," Hera muttered, rather surprised her oldest brother had actually broken the oath.
Demeter grumbled, arms crossed. Muttering under her breath about 'daughter thieving brothers'.
"This is a big deal!" Athena cried. "Another child that could be the one of prophecy..."
"Oh please, bird brain," Poseidon said, rolling his eyes shortly. "My son is the only possibility, unless you think the war is going to last the next sixteen years until Melinda's twins are sixteen?"
"Twins?" Artemis inquired, and Apollo looked interested as well.
Hades smiled only slightly, but it was gone as soon as anyone noticed.
"Yes, she is expecting twins," he said.
Zeus gritted his teeth.
"All the more reason to kill the girl now before..." Athena began, and Ares couldn't help but agree.
"This is ridiculous," Artemis began, shaking her head as she cut Athena off. "Why condemn this woman, maiden or not, and her unborn children to such a fate when we've done nothing to the boy? Perseus Jackson is most likely to be child of prophecy, and will be sixteen in a few short years. Yet we have done nothing to kill him. If we judge now, and to children who can't even talk, much less live on their own, then we are no better then the Titans."
Zeus looked at his daughter in slight surprise, and many nodded in agreement to her.
Apollo, Hermes (feeling he owed a great debt to the daughter of Poseidon after what his son had put her through, and the fact he agreed that Melinda and her children shouldn't be killed), Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and even Hera, though hesitantly in the Queens case.
"Thank you, Artemis," Hades said, nodding to his niece. "Like she said. My children wont be sixteen for over sixteen years, the war is coming now. We can all feel it. The prophecy can not possibly mean them."
"I... I suppose that is logical," Athena admitted, and Zeus sighed.
He could feel a headache coming on already.
"Then we vote. All for the death of Melinda and her children?" he asked, and didn't bother raising his hand but counting his own as one.
Only Dionysus, Ares and Athena raised their hands, the first two because they just didn't care but had to vote one way or another. Athena because she felt it unsafe to take the chance, especially since there was no telling how long this new war could last.
"All in favor for them living?" he asked, and it was pretty obvious what the outcome would be.
Hades, Poseidon, Artemis, Apollo, Hermes, Hephaestus, Demeter, and even Hera raised their hands.
"So be it, Melinda Potter-Black and her children shall live," Zeus said and then glared at his brother slightly. "Do not think to break the oath a second time, Hades."
Hades glared back, and nodded.
"I had no intention," he muttered, and both he and Poseidon felt relieved at the outcome.
For now Melinda and her children were safe, at least from the Olympians.
xXx
"Merry Christmas, Mel," Percy said as he sat on the couch.
There was a tall Christmas tree standing bright in a corner of the Jackson apartment.
Sally was currently in the kitchen, making hot chocolate, and the TV was turned on a channel which showed Christmas themed cartoons, but the volume was turned down on low.
Melinda stood there with a smile on her face, having few Christmases which had turned out well. Her hair was loose down her back and in loose curls. She wore a white sleeveless sweater under a blue Chinese style silk and satin jacket.
A pair of flare jeans, all of which were maternity, except her jacket which was slightly enlarged with magic. Around her neck was her pearl necklace and a longer chained diamond snowflake necklace.
"Merry Christmas," she replied in return and came to sit down beside her brother on the couch, one hand resting on her stomach.
Percy blinked, concern in his eyes.
"You alright, sis?" he asked.
She laughed.
"Fine, my stomachs just a little upset is all," she told him, smiling.
"Oh," he said and seconds latter Sally returned with a tray with three mugs of hot chocolate with whip cream and chocolate shaving on top.
Melinda smiled and accepted hers, knowing it was best to drink hers much slower in case it didn't agree with her. She couldn't see it not in the long run.
She'd been eating so much chocolate lately she was beginning to fear her babies were going to be chocolate addicts when older.
"Now," Sally said once they were all situated. "Why don't we open presents? I think – "
Sally was interrupted by a sudden flash, which caused them all to close their eyes one impulse. When it faded and their eyes opened they saw two familiar gods in the living room.
Sally nearly gasped at the sight of her former lover, Poseidon, who stood there grinning. A grin that was so much like Percy's, and seeing him once more she realized just how much like his father Percy looked.
Beside him was a handsome man, in black and red, his hair about shoulder length and as black as Poseidon's. His eyes were a guarded onyx, and his skin fair. It didn't take her long to know this was Hades.
He also had a softer look when he saw Melinda she noticed but it was something only one who knew him or someone who was very observant would notice.
"Dad!" Percy exclaimed, shooting up in shock.
Poseidon grinned, happy to see his son. He didn't want to admit favorites, but he was aware every god had them. Percy and Melinda were his favorite son and daughter, though that didn't mean he didn't love his other children.
His mortal children just had a special place in his heart seeing as he only got so long with them before fate caught up to them. It was a mortals fate to die one day, sadly demigods usually had short lives.
"Percy," he said. "I'm glad to see you, son."
"Is everything alright, did the council go well?" Melinda asked, standing up.
Though it was well hidden they could all see the traces of fear in her green eyes. It worried Percy and Sally, especially Percy who wasn't used to seeing that emotion in his older sisters eyes.
He knew she felt it, she'd told him once that a person without fear was either dead or a fool that wouldn't last long in life.
But it still wasn't something he saw everyday from his sister.
Hades actually smiled lightly, shocking Percy more so than Sally.
"I wanted to come sooner, but we couldn't get away before today. The council had a vote, after much argument. You and the twins will be safe, at least from the gods," Hades said and Melinda's shoulders sagged in relief, her eyes brightening up in happiness.
Looking back up she grinned and walked over to hug Hades and then her father – though she hugged Hades a little longer, which didn't go unnoticed by Sally and Poseidon.
"Thank you," she said, smiling once she pulled away from her father.
Both gods nodded.
"Poseidon, Lord Hades, would you like to stay? We were about to open presents and then we were going to have dinner," Sally said, and both gods shook their heads after a moment.
"I'm sorry, Sally, but we can't. Zeus is in a bit of a mood and we can't stray from our duties long at the moment. Not with the approaching storm," Poseidon said, smiling slightly.
All of them knew the storm he meant wasn't a literal storm but the threat approaching by Luke and Kronos.
"Alright," Sally said, a bit sadly.
Percy was also a bit sad his father couldn't stay, not being able to see him often and wouldn't have minded much if his uncle stayed as well.
He'd seen him almost more often then he'd seen his father, considering that time he'd walked in on his sister and Hades – he suppressed a shudder at the thought.
But he also understood his father was busy.
It wasn't long before the two gods left, one leaving a smell of the ocean behind, the other leaving in shadows. Sitting back down, the two children of Poseidon sighed and Sally smiled at them.
She'd known Melinda for a while now, and it still took her by surprise sometimes how alike her son and Melinda were. There was no doubt they shared the same father.
She was also happy her son had someone like Melinda, she knew there was none who would keep her son safer, especially seeing as Poseidon was held back by the gods laws. She also knew her son would do the same for Melinda if he had too.
"So, about those presents," she began and walked over to the tree.
The next hour was spent opening gifts, talking and laughing. Percy received gifts from a few campers he'd made friends with at camp, Annabeth being one, and Silena Beauregard along with Beckendorf. The latter were older campers who'd helped Percy in his first few days there, and didn't treat him differently after he was claimed.
Sally even had gifts from Melinda and Percy – Melinda having helped Percy choose something for his mother.
Melinda herself had gifts from Sally, Percy and from friends in England – some which were joint gifts. Even Annabeth, Sam and Lou Ellen had sent her something.
Sally and Percy gave her two stuffed dogs, both black but one had white tipped ears. Both reminded her of Sirius, which nearly brought tears to her eyes.
She cursed her hormones. Percy had picked them out for the twins when they were born, remembering the stories of Padfoot.
From Sally she got a book of Grimm's Fairy-Tales to read to the twins, and a large white book with orange ribbons that sometimes came on a book or journal to mark the place – a baby book.
It was when she opened the gifts from those in England and her other friends from Camp that she remembered she still had to tell people she was pregnant.
She'd have to deal with that at a later date. She would take a trip to England sometimes in the coming year, or have them come to her place. Maybe for Teddy's birthday, she'd have to talk to Andromeda about it.
From the Weasley's she received the traditional Weasley jumper but in a royal purple with a emerald colored 'M'. From them she also got a large box of Honeydukes chocolates.
From her friends as a joint gift she got a medium sized black treasure box which had a silver bracelet with a golden snitch charm inside.
It looked to have cost them quite a few galleons seeing as the box was bottomless and the bracelet was made from magic conductive silver, probably why it was from all her magical friends.
From Percy she received four journals which came in a set and looked rather expensively made. From Annabeth she received a pair of anchor earrings, which got a small chuckle from her.
From Daphne and Astoria she received a new cloak, lavender velvet with silver satin lining. From Draco and Luna she found a silver dagger, which from the letter included was to replace her damaged chimera dagger.
Unfortunately she'd not found time to repair it, and she wasn't even sure she could it was so badly damaged from her fight with Ares.
It would not work on monsters, being mortal made, unlike her Chimera dagger which worked on both monster and mortal, but it would be there in case any mortals made a pest of themselves on a quest.
She doubted she would need it, and but better safe then sorry.
Neville got her a box of chocolate frogs, which she was grateful for. She'd not had a chocolate frog in months. From Sam she got a purple journal, which she sort of expected.
Sam wasn't good with picking gifts, but he knew how much she wrote, and how many journals she went through yearly.
Lou Ellen got her a box of bezoars, which she was running low on and hadn't sent Helios out with an owl order to get more yet.
Of course, she only had a small potions lab set up in her apartment, the larger one being in the cabin at camp with most her potion ingredients.
Finally from Andromeda she got one of the best gifts. It was a picture frame, blue with a sea like theme.
The picture itself was taken the last time she was in England with Percy and she held Teddy in her arms. His hair a teal color, but his eyes were reflecting the same color as hers with his Metamorphmagus ability.
She was sitting on the couch, and Percy was leaning on the arm of it the couch look down at Teddy with a sort of curious expression. It was the day Percy had met Teddy and Andromeda, who had probably been the one to take the picture.
Like all magical pictures it moved.
"That's adorable," Sally said, smiling at the picture.
Percy seemed slightly embarrassed seeing as he was in the picture as well, and he knew his mother wasn't talking about Teddy alone.
Melinda laughed, nodding.
"It is," she agreed.
"That's your godson then, Teddy?" Sally asked. "He looks sort of like you."
Melinda laughed.
"Yes, he inherited an ability from his mother. Metamorphmagus, he's able to change his apparence at will. Hence his teal hair and green eyes. He tends to change to look like those he likes, you should have seen him when Percy held him."
Sally and Melinda both laughed and Percy flushed deeper.
To anyone who saw this scene they looked like a little family, and happy. For the time being the storm hadn't settled on their doorstep, for the time being there were no worries.
Subconsciously, they all knew it wouldn't last.
