Chapter 9: The Pizza Reveals All

Percy's POV

We went home to New York the day after we visited Annabeth's family. We let Piper and Leo come visit us in our apartment.

"So, who told you about Team Leo?" Leo questioned.

"You did. You wouldn't stop talking about it after I asked why you and Hazel made jokes about Team Leo." I answered.

"Who told you about Calypso?" Leo asked a little more seriously.

"I pried it out of Aphrodite." I smirked.

"You did a good job on remembering things for the books, and Rick did good writing about it." Piper bit into her pizza.

"Yeah, the great detail is almost scary." Annabeth talked with her mouth full.

"So, has Coach Hedge said anything?" Leo took some pizza out of the box.

"Yeah, he told Piper that she should've kept his secret about Mellie a secret like she promised." I chuckled. "But don't worry, he won't kill you Cupcake."

"Oops." Piper shrugged.

"How is Hedge? We didn't talk to him much." Annabeth asked.

"He's happy with Mellie and the baby. He's way less violent. I don't know if we should be worried or relieved." Piper giggled.

"Let's go with relieved. Until we need his violent side." Leo grinned.

"I agree. Babies should make people happy." Annabeth sounded like she had a double meaning.

I hate double meanings. Stupid prophecies.

"Yeah. Coach Hedge needed to calm down at least a little, if not a lot." I teased.

"What happened to the pizza?! Weren't there 14 slices?!" Leo stared at the empty box.

"I only had three." Piper eliminated herself as a suspect.

"I had two." I added.

"I had two." Leo looked skeptical of us.

"I had seven..." Annabeth had pizza all around her mouth.

"You usually get full around four." I stared at her.

"Dude!" Leo exclaimed.

"You ate seven?" Piper looked confused. "That's half the pizza."

Annabeth looked down in shame. "I'm going to go wash my face."

She's also usually so prideful that she defends herself even when she's wrong. Is there something wrong with her? She looked like she was about ready to cry.

"Are you okay?" I walked up to her.

"I'm fine. Why?" She sniffled.

"Why are you crying?" I asked.

"I was crying?" Annabeth wiped her tears. "Why was I crying?"

"Is there something wrong?" I questioned.

"Not wrong... But I wanted to tell you alone." Annabeth looked confused with herself.

"What is it? They can't hear us." I whispered.

"I wanted to be married first..." Annabeth muttered.

I was surprised that she brought that up. "Is that it? Because I was going to ask you."

I showed her the ring I'd been carrying around in my pocket for a week.

"That wasn't it. It was that we're having a baby. But I wanted to be married first. It's beautiful Percy." Annabeth grabbed the ring.

She started crying again and put her head against my chest.

"Are you guys okay?" Piper asked.

"Because I can buy more pizza." Leo offered.

"It's not that guys. It's kind of private. Can you guys go home and we'll hang out later?" I pleaded.

"Okay. Bye guys." Piper and Leo said as they reluctantly left.

"So, I'm going to be a dad?" I tried to get her to look at me.

"Yes. Are you okay with that?" Annabeth sniffled.

"Of course I am. You were scaring me because of how upset you were. And I've been hinting at living like the people in New Rome. What made you think I wouldn't be okay with it?" I hugged her tightly.

"I don't know. Some people are like that." Annabeth looked at me.

"I'm not. I'm happy about this." I laughed.

"Okay. I'll tell my parents and you tell yours." Annabeth wiped her eyes again.

"Okay. So you didn't give me an answer..." I pointed at the ring.

"Yes." She smiled.