July
Annabeth fanned herself lazily, trying to desperately change the hundred degree climate.
Percy was sitting on their teal couch, his back hunched, and his elbows resting on his outward turned knees.
"Sweetheart?" He asked, looking at his wife, who was sweating buckets in the New York heat.
"Yeah, Seaweed Brain?" She replied, trying to style her mouth into a hopeful smile, but the pain she was enduring conquered it.
"It's been almost two weeks since the due date. Do you think that Hope's okay?" asked Percy worriedly.
"I think she's fine," His wife replied. "She's just going to be a big baby." Percy nodded, and grabbed the television remote. Annabeth clucked disapprovingly.
"What?" Percy asked, looking suspicious.
"We aren't going to sit around like lazy Cyclops all day. We need to get out and do something." She said.
"Annabeth, sweetheart, you are nine months pregnant. Do you think I am going to let you go out to the overcrowded public beach, and have your water break from the stress of Apollo above us? No way, José!" Percy said, reaching for his wifes' hand.
"I wasn't thinking the overcrowded public beach." Annabeth whined.
"Where were you thinking of going?" Percy asked.
"That cute little boardwalk down the road." She said, her metallic eyes sparkling. Percy sighed.
"Is that really what you want?" He asked, looking defeated.
"Yes, Seaweed Brain." She replied, squeezing his hand.
"Then I surrender." He said, smiling back at his wife. She beamed.
Annabeth stared at all of the moms with their little babies. 'One day that'll be me.' She thought, smiling to herself. Percy grasped her hand, and smiled.
"We're going to be parents someday, you know." He said, looking at the cotton candy booth on his right.
"I think I've realized this at some point." She said jokingly.
"Want some cotton candy?" Percy replied. Annabeth nodded.
"Pink or blue?" He asked, looking at the selections.
"I'll get pink, you get blue." She said, knowing how much he loved blue.
"Okay, you wait right here." He said, looking at his wife as if someone would steal her.
"I'm fine. I'm gonna go use the bathroom in that store over there, and I'll come right back." She said.
"Are you sure that you'll be okay?" Percy asked worriedly.
"I'll be fine. Besides, I have my cell if something goes ary, okay Seaweed Brain?" She said. Percy nodded reluctantly, and watched her as she pecked his cheek lightly before she disappeared into the crowd.
"That'll be three dollars, Perseus Jackson." A slithering voice said behind him. The cotton candy vendor, which had once been a wizened lady, was now a emposai, Kelli to be exact.
"I can't believe you actually survived the Giant War, and married her." Kelli said, her voice dripping with jealousy. "I thought you had once liked me, Percy. You once almost gave me a kiss. How about you try again, and see what happens?" She cooed. Percy got out Riptide.
"I don't have time for this, Kelli. I need the stupid cotton candy, that's it. Not another war, a bag of processed sugar." Percy whined.
"No, you don't have time for this. I believe that you'll get a call from your wife in five, four," She began. "Three, two, one-" Percy's phone vibrated in his pocket. He kept his sword up, but answered the iPhone.
"Hello?" He questioned.
"Percy!" Annabeth's voice rang out from the metal box.
"Annabeth! What happened?" He asked, his voice now shrill.
"My water broke! You need to come right away!" She squealed.
"One sec, sweetie. I need to finish this ugly monster in front of me, and then I'll come straight away." Percy said lazily.
"Monster? Perseus Alexander Jackson, you better fight that thing right now, otherwise-" Annabeth began, but Percy clicked the End Call button.
"Where were we?" asked Percy, and sliced his three foot long sword into Kelli's white aproned chest. She screamed, and disintegrated into yellow sand. He then took off towards the convenience store Annabeth was in, leaving the cotton candy.
"Percy!" Annabeth screamed when she saw him. He picked her up, and ran out to their car, a brand new Toyota.
"We need to get to the hospital, right now!" Annabeth yelled, her face purple and clenched.
"I know, sweetheart. It'll take us ten minutes to get there, so you have to be strong. Be strong for Hope." Percy cooed, letting Annabeth clutch his hand and squeeze the living daylights out of it.
"Be strong for Hope." She muttered repetitively, almost dozing off.
They finally got to the hospital, and got Annabeth into a wheelchair. Percy hurriedly took out his phone and sent a joint message to all of their family and friends.
"Annabeth's having the baby! Get 2 St. Francis' right away!" He texted to them. He then returned to Annabeth's side. The nurse, who was the same one from the clinic, Cheyenne, got Annabeth out of the chair and into a hospital bed. She then helped her change into a gown, and had her take deep breaths.
"Percy?" She asked, looking feebly at her husband.
"Yes, princess?" He asked, looking worried.
"What's the date?" She questioned. He looked down at his watch.
"Ten thirty seven pm on July 15th." He replied, stroking her blonde hair, which was now matted with sweat.
"Tell me about the monster today." She asked dreamily. He then went into a full on account of how he fought the empousa, while Annabeth chewed on ice. She laughed her unique giggle when he told her how he stabbed her. She opened her eyes, and traced her hand around Percy's face.
"I love you, Seaweed Brain." She said, her eyes dripping with crystallized tears.
"I love you with all my heart, Wise Girl." Percy said, wiping the tears coming out of the corners of his eyes. The doctor, a kindly woman with the name tag Dr. Kayla Solace.
"I think Annabeth is ready to be taken into the delivery room." Dr. Solace said, looking at the contractions monitor. Percy then opened his mouth.
"Are you related to Will Solace, by any chance?" He asked, looking foolish. Dr. Solace smiled.
"He was my brother. I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself, I'm Kayla Solace, daughter of Apollo." She said beaming. Annabeth seemed to relax a little.
"At least I have a demigod doctor." She said, looking blissful. Kayla had her two nurses unlock the wheels on the bed, and began to move her down the hallway into the delivery room.
"Are you coming, Percy?" Kayla asked. He nodded, standing up.
"Let's do this."
When Percy finally got into the room, (Everyone was outside waiting for them. No surprise there.) Annabeth was screaming. He rushed over to her side, and let her grasp his hand, crushing all of his bones.
"Percy! It hurts!" She wailed, looking scared.
"It's okay, princess, everythings' going to be okay," He cooed into her ear, as she was screaming in terror. "Think of Hope. Think of our baby girl." Annabeth stopped screaming for a minute, until Dr. Solace walked in.
"Annabeth, it's time for you to start pushing." She said. "We'll do four first, and if that doesn't work, we'll do two more." Kayla explained. Annabeth nodded feebly.
"Alright, push!" Kayla exclaimed. Annabeth screamed. The door to the room opened, and Sally, Hazel, Rachel, and Piper walked in, all dressed in scrubs.
"Push!" Annabeth wailed again.
"It's gonna be okay, princess, just focus on Hope. Think of Hope!" Percy whispered.
"Push!" Kayla yelled, and then there was silence. Percy looked up, and saw Kayla nestling a baby, whose hands were entangled. Annabeth looked up as well.
"Hope!" She muttered feebly, and fell back on the pillows.
"Percy?" Kayla asked. "Would you like to cut the cord?" She asked. He nodded, and got up from the hard plastic chair next to the bed. He got to Kayla, and grabbed the pair of scissors. He snipped the cord, and watched as Kayla went and washed his daughter off. She came back, with a bundle of pink blankets in her arms. He took them from her, and saw a little pink face peeking out, looking up at her dad. Percy started to cry soft tears.
"Hello, Hope." He whispered, looking down into the face of his baby girl. He brought her over to her mother, who sat up immediately.
"Lemme see her!" She whispered excitedly. He passed the baby to her, and watched her face morph into an expression of pure delight.
"Percy, she has your hair, and my eyes." Annabeth whispered. He looked down, and saw Hope's head was covered in dark fuzz, and her eyes were as grey as the new moon.
"She's so beautiful." Percy muttered, breathless.
"Go get the others." Annabeth whispered commandingly.
"You sure? There are a lot of them!" He whispered back.
"Go."
So, I told you that I would have the chapter up by 6, and now it is up by 2! Yay! So, leave a review please (at least 4, otherwise I will seriously stop writing) And I'll hopefully have the next chapter up by Wednesday!
Hope Silena Jackson was born on July 16th, 2022 at 12:01 am weighing approx. 9 pounds and 4 oz. to parents Annabeth and Percy.
I'm so happy they finally had a kid, aren't you?
xx Liz Logan
P.S Review!
