Thanks to everyone who reviewed! My past few updates have not been very good, and I apologize.
Just a warning, there are just a few swear words, nothing major, but if you don't like that kind of thing… I'll warn you when it's coming.
g (guest): Thanks!
Youngjay: Maybe we see Annabeth differently, but if she knew that would happen, would she really tell anyone? I feel like she's too insecure to do that.
WisegirlAnnabethChase: Thanks! I'll keep them in mind, although they might end up in another story. ;)
teamleo4: Thanks! Got it, and maybe I'll try to put some Caleo in the next few chapters. I realize it's really been centered on Annabeth and Percy so far...
Princess Of Flames: Alright, thanks! :)
Bloodtributes: ;) just keep reading!
Alright, here goes. I hope this one is better than the last.
"So, I have a joke." Jack said with a grin. Annabeth groaned. He had bought a joke book the other day, solely because it had caught his attention and he decided, hey, why not see how much Annabeth likes me by trying these out on her? He was going to try one on her every day. Some of them were funny, at least.
"Aren't you not supposed to aggravate the pregnant woman?" Annabeth whined. "In case she goes all psycho on you?"
"You haven't yet, so I'm taking it as a good sign." Jack opened the book up to a random page. "Oh, look, it's a pick-up line." Annabeth groaned. "'Do you have a map?'" Jack read, looking up at Annabeth expectantly. She placed her head on the table. He nudged her.
"Why?" She finally asked.
"'Because I keep getting lost in your eyes!'" Jack frowned. That one was not a good one to tell Annabeth. Not while she was still getting over Percy. Annabeth banged her head on the table a few times.
"You're an idiot, you know that?" Annabeth told him, frowning, but he could sense a sort of amusement lurking behind that, and a ghost of a smile. She used to say that endearingly towards Percy.
"You love me anyway." Jack replied cheerfully.
Annabeth didn't answer.
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"I'm taking you somewhere fun!" Jack announced on their way home.
"I have to work." Annabeth replied.
"But you always work!"
"Yes, that's what most people do, Jack, they work when it's time to work."
"I work because I need to."
"Jack…"
"Maybe it's time you took a break."
"Maybe it's time you left me alone."
"You wound me, Annabeth."
"Is that a yes?"
"Nope!"
They reached Jack's floor. He didn't leave.
"Seriously, Jack?"
"You need to relax. Stress isn't good for your body, or the babies."
"I'm more stressed when I don't have anything to do."
"That sucks. You must really want to go out, then."
"Jack, I swear–" The elevator door opened, and Annabeth hopped out. Jack followed.
"Jack…" Annabeth sighed. "I'm not going anywhere, okay?"
"Can I come in and wait until you change your mind?"
"No."
"Please?"
"How about you come in and have a talk with me?" Nico said from the doorway.
"That's a great idea!" Annabeth exclaimed. "Jack, sorry if this is a bit insensitive, but just wondering, are you gay?"
"No?"
"Was that an answer or a question?"
"Never gone out with a guy before." Jack frowned. "It's been girls so far." Or, just one girl.
"Oh. Would you ever consider dating a guy?"
"This is pointless, Annabeth. I'm not talking to him because I like him, gods." Nico interrupted. Annabeth sighed.
"Fine." She mumbled, walking in. Jack followed. "I'll be in my room, so don't bother me." She said, heading over there. Jack stayed.
Nico waited until the door was closed before turning and glaring at him.
"What?" Jack asked. Mad Nico meant dead Jack. Or Percy. Whichever Nico was thinking of him as at the moment.
"You like her, don't you?" Nico demanded.
"What?" Percy's face heated up. Was it that obvious? No, but I don't like her. I don't like her, not anymore. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice said that he loved her, not liked her, but he ignored that voice.
"You like her." Nico stated. "No, don't even try to deny it, I'm not an idiot. I may be socially inept, but I know a crush when I see one. And you, Jack, have a massive crush on a girl who will never love you."
"What?" Jack asked.
"She might as well have sworn off men, Jack. She's vowed never to love anyone romantically again. Percy left her so… Broken." Nico's shoulders slumped forward. "He left all of us broken. And Annabeth, as always, thought it was her job to pick up the pieces, look strong."
Percy was frozen. He didn't know what to do, what to say. He had no idea, had never thought about how his decision might affect his friends, not just his family and Annabeth. Nico. He had kept trying to make it up to him, to make up for all the times he had forgotten Nico. And then he'd done it again, given him another reason to hate him, and forgotten him again.
"Even if she hadn't, you'll never fill Percy's shoes. He was amazing, and up until the very end, the best person anyone knew. He'd fight for you after meeting you less than a minute ago. He'd kill you if you even put a hand on someone he loved. He was oblivious, but he had a heart of gold."
"Why are you speaking in past tense?"
"Because then he left. And then the truth came out. He was selfish. More selfish than anyone could ever have imagined. He couldn't think of a world where the ones he loved didn't exist, so he went out of his way to keep them safe. He fought for stranger's lives, or even enemy's lives, because he and the people he cared about wouldn't be able to live with him if he ever lost anyone. He acted brave because he needed to convince himself to be brave, and everyone else was just a bonus. And then, suddenly, he couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't be brave, he couldn't keep fighting for people he really didn't give a damn about, and he could finally see a world without those he loved. He finally saw that there was a possibility for him to live without those he loved, and it was without hardships, without needing to look brave because there was nothing to be scared of, without having to save someone you didn't care about. And at the same time, he could save someone, if he really wanted to."
"Is that what you really think?"
"Yeah. It's stupid, really, how we had always assumed that the fact that he'd give up his life and the world if it meant Annabeth would live was him being too selfless. It wasn't. He was being selfish."
"You really think that of me?" Percy had sat down on the couch, shocked. Had he been seeing everything the wrong way around?
"Well, someone has to be critical of–wait, you?" Nico stared at him, horrified. Percy widened his eyes, jumping up and slapping his hand over Nico's mouth. He dragged them over into Nico's room, closing the door quickly.
"Nico, don't freak out." Percy said, removing the Mist that had been disguising him. "Please don't freak out." Nico stared up at him in shock.
"Percy?" He managed in a strangled voice.
"Yeah." Percy sighed, flopping onto Nico's bed. "I just… When I found out about the kids, I needed to… Needed to be as much part of my children's lives as I could."
"And you thought pretending to be some random mortal guy and getting Annabeth to fall in love with you was a good idea?"
"It sounds weird, but it was the only way I could think of!"
"It's a stupid idea that will never work!"
"Keep your voice down! And we're at least friends now. I've been asking her for updates and stuff, find out about the two."
"And that's all that you care about, huh? You never thought to tell any of us, just thought you'd spy on our lives and never let a single one of us know?"
"I…" Percy groaned and covered his face. "I don't know what I'm doing." He whispered. "I haven't know what I was doing since we broke up. I'm so used to just following Annabeth, doing what she told me to, talked me through, that when she was gone… I just went and made all the worst possible choices."
"And did the worst possible thing with that choice."
"What do you mean?"
"You can do anything now. You can help kill monsters–"
"I can't directly interfere."
"Fine. You could help other gods properly keep their oath."
"Would work if I were told anything like that."
"You didn't try to find out, either. You could make the gods treat their children better. I try with my dad, but it's kind of useless, considering the fact that he only has two children."
"I've always tried that. Even before I became immortal."
"Now you have even more power. You could visit the kids in camp, the undetermined and stuff. Make them know that the gods care, even if it really is just you."
"They'd kill me if I so much as set one foot into camp."
"Fair enough. Still, you're in a position of power. Use that power."
"I'll try."
"And leave Annabeth alone."
"That I can't do."
"Why not?"
"You just said it, while you were ranting to me about me."
"So you really are too selfish. Try to be less selfish."
"I can't let go of Annabeth. I tried, I really, really tried."
"Then tell her the truth."
"I can't do that either. This has potential, Nico. I'll lose her if I tell her the truth."
"But you'll need to, eventually."
"Yeah, but…"
"She'll kill you if you don't tell her soon."
"She'll kill me, period."
"I still think you should tell her."
"If I decide not to, will you keep your mouth shut about me?"
Nico thought for a while.
"Yeah. Yeah, you should be the one to tell her."
"I will, some day. I just don't know when yet."
IamsorelytemptedtojustmakePercyandNicogettogether…that'dmakeeveryone'slifeeasier,wouldn'tit?(oh,andthisisapagebreak)
Percy Jackson was a formidable name. Jack Johnson was not even a half-blood, so there was no name to be held. Annabeth Chase was as frightening a name as Percy Jackson, but recent news was that she was pregnant, incapable of properly defending herself, and she and Percy Jackson were no longer together.
Obviously, once this information was known as a fact, Annabeth was targeted more when she was out and not around any of her half-blood friends. Jack Johnson was with her the first time she was attacked.
This was just as well, because Jack needed to prove to Annabeth that he was part of her world, with all its gods and monsters. So, while Annabeth frantically called Nico, Jack drew his sword, Riptide in disguise, and yelled at her to go and hide.
"What?" Annabeth yelled in shock. "You can see it?"
"Of course! Wait, you can?" Jack asked, playing along to his character.
"Yeah! Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena."
"Uh… Jack Johnson… Brother to a daughter of Demeter."
"Oh! But you can see them?"
"Yeah, I can see through the Mist." Jack took a horrible swing at the Hellhound.
"And you can use a sword."
Well, kind of, Jack thought.
"I needed to help defend my sister. She didn't want to leave me alone with my dad, so she didn't go to camp after a summer. She taught me the basics." Jack took another swing, nearly hitting the monster.
"What was her name?"
"Samantha." Jack used the first name he could think of.
"Never heard of her."
"Died when I was seven."
"And yet you still practiced swordplay?"
"I had to keep as many monsters from getting anyone else like my sister." Jack swung again, this time getting a claw. "I couldn't save my sister, but maybe I saved a different demigod." Jack stabbed upwards as the hellhound attempted to leap over him, and the monster turned into dust. "Ugh." Jack tried to wipe it off him.
"Annabeth? Annabeth?" Nico's voice came from Annabeth's phone. "You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine now." Annabeth said, looking at Jack strangely. She was looking at him like she had misunderstood him, got him wrong from the beginning. He hoped something good would come of this.
"Jack's coming over for a while." Annabeth said before hanging up the phone. "And you're telling me everything." She told him.
Jack tried to construct a story on their way back home.
This is Annabeth's POV now. Percy was draining me. There will be a few swear words here, so tread carefully.
There were three types of fighting between Percy and Annabeth. One was when they sparred or fought a monster, and the other when they bantered over small things. The third, however, was full-on, messy, angry arguing that never ended well.
And one time it ended forever.
The first few months of their break-up, Annabeth would lay awake at night and replay their fight again and again, letting regret seep into her bones and weigh her down until sleep consumed her. And then there were just other things to deal with, school, camp, friends and the gods, and Annabeth stopped thinking about that day altogether.
And then, suddenly, that was all she dreamed of.
"Oh my gods, Percy, can't you just let me do something for once?" Annabeth yelled, slamming the door shut behind her. Percy turned around, disbelief in his eyes.
"You're joking, right? You're mad at me?" He asked incredulously.
"Who wouldn't? You know, just because I've agreed to marry you does not mean I'm going to be sitting home and knitting while you go out killing monsters!"
"I know that!"
"Then why did you try to shield me from that monster? I could've handled it!"
"I saved your life, Annabeth!"
"No you didn't, I would've blocked that! Percy, face it, you don't even trust me to properly fight a monster!"
"That's not true! Of all the things you can do, fighting monsters is definitely on that list!"
"Well, you sure as Athena didn't show that today, jumping in front of me like the hero you always pretend to be!"
Percy's face grew as red as Annabeth's must've already been. "Pretend to be a hero?" He asked.
"Yeah! We all know I'm the real hero who saved Olympus, Perseus." Annabeth spat the name at him.
"Really, now?"
"You're the coward who hid behind me while I saved the world and then jumped forward to claim all the credit–"
"I did not!"
"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking! You think you're so high and mighty, shielding me from a monster I can clearly handle, not letting me do anything on my own!"
"Well sorry for caring about you, princess. And sorry for not reaching your standards to match your perfect world!"
"Don't you dare make this about me!"
"Oh, right, sorry, I forgot, Annabeth Chase is always perfect and never makes a mistake, so whenever we fight, it's always my fault, is that right?"
"I'm not perfect, I know I'm not, but I can do some things, even if you don't think I can!"
"Oh, like what?"
"Much more than you can do!"
"And there it goes again, back to me and all my flaws!"
"That's because we're having a problem with your flaw, the one that makes you risk everything for someone who doesn't even need help! Percy, I don't need your help, I'm not helpless!"
"And you don't think I don't know that?"
"I know you don't know that!"
"Well, surprise surprise, seems like Annabeth Chase is wrong for once!"
"You know what, if this is what it's going to be like when we get married, I don't think I want to!"
"Well good, because I'm pretty sure I want a wife who appreciates me and what I do for her."
"Good luck with that, considering there's not much to appreciate!"
"Well good luck finding someone who reaches your perfect standards!"
"They don't have to be perfect, but they sure as Hades can't be like you, that's for sure!"
Percy started heading towards their room.
"Oh, and apparently they have to acknowledge your awesomeness as well, right?" He called over his shoulder.
"They don't have to shelter me from everything, think of me as house wife!"
"You wish you were that domestic! Good luck finding someone who's willing to settle down with a wife who burns water!"
"Get out!" Annabeth screamed as he flung open the door to their room and rummaged through his stuff.
"Gladly!" He started packing some of his clothes. "I'll take all my stuff and leave!"
"Good, take this, too!" Annabeth threw her ring at Percy.
"Thanks, maybe I'll give this to someone who loves me!"
"And maybe I'll get one from someone who let's me be who I am!"
"Because you're so perfect, aren't you, Annabeth?"
"More perfect than you! At least I have something in my brain!" Something inside Annabeth seemed to know that she had gone too far, but there was no way in Hades she was going to take it back now.
"So that's what it's all really about, isn't it, Annabeth? My stupidity?"
"Maybe it is! Maybe it's your cowardice, your obliviousness, I could go on all day about your flaws!"
"And I could go on about yours, but I'll be a bit busy wondering how I managed to waste my entire life on an uptight bitch!"
"And I'll be wondering what you slipped into my drink to make me even think I could marry an idiotic bastard like yourself!"
Percy zipped up his bag and headed out, not meeting Annabeth's eyes, but she knew that she had hit a nerve. Being called a bastard always made him angry.
"Well, thank the gods we've figured this out before it was too late!" He yelled at her without turning around.
"Thank Athena for letting me see the truth!" Annabeth retorted, not even noticing the tears running down her face. "Now get out, and don't come back!"
Percy was gone, and Annabeth slammed the door behind him. She leaned against the door, sobbing.
Annabeth woke up with tears in her eyes. It amused her that after seven months, she was still dreaming about it and crying about it.
Although, who wouldn't? It hadn't taken her long to realize how right he had been about her, how that fight had really been her and her own flaws. She felt like she had known that, towards the end, but couldn't repent. She could never admit her own mistakes.
Annabeth got up and washed her face of tears, changed, and composed herself to not look as if she had just been crying. Annabeth had long since mastered the art of looking strong, though, from years ago when Percy had disappeared and no one knew where he was.
Walking, or waddling, since she was quite big now, Annabeth made her way to the kitchen. There are voices on the other side, she noted, wondering who could be there. She slowed and put on her cap, quietly moving to the door. She knew this was bad, but Nico was such a secretive person, and she wanted him to be happy. He had been so down when Percy left, and seemed to barely have any reason to live. Annabeth had asked him to be the 'godfather' of Marina, and that seemed to cheer him up a bit, but Annabeth firmly believed he needed a boyfriend. He always retaliated by claiming that she needed one too. Well. Fair enough.
Nico was talking very quietly, but it sounded like he was arguing with the other person, who Annabeth, no matter how hard she strained her ears, could not hear. She would have thought he were talking on the phone, but she had heard them talking before and knew that it was either an IM or they were talking in person.
"You have to tell her." Nico said in hushed tones. "I don't care, I don't even care if she kills you, you have to tell her." The person responded. "Depends. You're running out of time. Her due date's in two months."
They're talking about me! Annabeth realized. Who's Nico talking to? Somewhere in her mind, Percy appeared. No, it can't be Percy, Nico's not a traitor. She told herself.
It had surprised her that even after everything, Nico had never asked to know what had happened when Percy and Annabeth had broken up. Even after Percy had claimed that it was all Annabeth's fault, Nico didn't press her for information. Perhaps it was because he had already been told, by Percy. Maybe all her friends knew, and were only hanging around because of the twins. Percy seemed to be the type who would tell his friends that even if they thought badly of her, they needed to be kind to her because of the children.
But, had he even known about them? When they had met for the first time since the break up, he had seemed so shocked. But then again, he had figured out about her pregnancy pretty quickly. She hadn't been that far along, and had begun to show only a few weeks before when he had pieced it together. She had originally thought it was because he knew her well enough to know what it all meant, but now she wasn't so sure.
Nico was still talking about how Annabeth deserved to know and 'the sooner, the better' when Annabeth decided to come in. She took off her cap and came inside, starting breakfast.
Nico had been talking to Jack.
"Hey, Jack." Annabeth said, surprised. Why was Nico talking to Jack about all of this? "What're you doing here?"
"Just wanted to check up on you before I went to class." Jack said casually, smiling up at her. She smiled back.
"Before you went to class?" She asked curiously. "What about me?"
"First day of your leave, remember?" Jack kept his smile. It was as if he knew she couldn't really be mad if he smiled at her. "You're taking the online classes now, and staying home nearly all day!"
Right. She had forgotten all about that.
"Nope, I've got an appointment at the doctor's. 30th week, remember?" She replied, but Jack's smile only grew. It unnerved her sometimes that he never seemed to be unhappy around her. He was always so eager to please, and yet adamant about her being good to her body and resting, everything. She wondered how he could like someone like her.
Then again, how could she like someone like him? It was as if she had a death wish and a thing for idiotic and clumsy guys, because Jack was so alike Percy she nearly called him Seaweed Brain a couple of times. Of course, it wasn't like she really liked him, not that much, just a little, tiny, itty-bitty bit.
"So we won't get coffee later, then?" Jack asked. "I guess I'll have to give you your joke now, then." Those jokes were the bane of her existence.
"Please no."
"What? But now I can use demigod jokes!" Jack complained.
"Like you have any!"
Jack knowing about the godly world had really shocked Annabeth yesterday, but she had also been slightly relieved. She didn't have to watch her tongue anymore, and it was so much safer for her to be out with someone who knew who she was and could protect her. She had been getting worried about how attached she was to Jack and how dangerous it could be before he told her.
"You're right, I don't, and seeing as you'll already be angry because you're stuck here, I'll save you." Jack said after a pause. Nico sighed in relief while Annabeth tried to hide her smile.
"Have you eaten?" Annabeth asked, bringing her food to the table. Contrary to what Percy always said, Annabeth could cook, just not fancy things, and her food wasn't amazing.
"No, we definitely haven't, Annabeth, that's why there's a plate and utensils right in front of us." Jack responded sarcastically. Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"Okay, I guess I deserved that one." She said with a smile. She looked down at her food, but she didn't miss Nico elbowing Jack.
"I'll be going now." Nico announced, standing up and washing his dishes.
"You know, I do too, or I'll be late." Jack was looking at his watch in shock, and Annabeth pouted.
"You're both leaving me?" She asked.
"Wish I didn't have to, but I've been late way too many times." Jack rushed out.
There was silence in the kitchen, Nico washing his dishes and Annabeth eating slowly.
"He's nice." Nico finally remarked.
"What do you mean?" Annabeth asked.
"I see the way you look at him, Annabeth." Nico responded. "But watch out. He's too much like Percy."
"Don't worry, Nico, I'm done with love."
"That's what you say now." Nico left the kitchen.
Annabeth was bored all day, drawing buildings and watching documentaries, even reading some more baby books. She had already went through all the baby shower gifts with Nico (she still laughed every time she thought of his face when she forced him to do it) and the nursery was perfect, waiting for it's two occupants, so there wasn't much more to do at home. Nico wasn't much company.
Annabeth had always loved and hated school, from the very beginning. She had always known that she was different, and her classmates always knew too. They picked on her, but she loved to learn, and school offered that opportunity. When she got into college on scholarship, she was happy because she would be learning things she loved, but also because there was a possibility that she'd find mortal friends who had the same interests as her. She didn't have many, switching schools all the time and being smarter than everyone else.
College had been better, with more mature students and better friends, and Annabeth had loved the first two years. Those years were also when she and Percy had finally gotten over their PTSD. They were the happiest years of her life.
And then, of course, she had gotten pregnant and she was stupid enough to tell one of her friends when she got back from the summer. After two months in camp, she had forgotten how possible it was for her friends to stab her in the back, and she had forgotten what mortal society was like. The next day, everyone knew, and she was back to high school, people avoiding her because she was different, and barely anyone even looking at her. Jack had been kind enough to be a friend when she had none.
The appointment, the highlight of her day, went fine and Annabeth found herself wishing she had someone to share these moments with. Jack had been with her when she first felt them kick, and Nico during the night when they were having a dance party in there, but she rarely brought anyone to check-ups or ultrasounds. That was the thing you did with your husband, sometimes your really good friends and your mother. Husband and mother were out, but it wasn't like Annabeth was going to drag a friend along every time she went, so it was usually just her.
Not for the first time, Annabeth started wondering how Percy would've reacted, seeing his children through the ultrasound. She wondered how good of a father he would've been, imagined his face if she had told him when she first found out. That was one of her favorite and yet most painful things she liked to imagine. It was always different, sometimes him spinning her around, other times kissing her, or yelling it out to the world, but he was always happy, so happy. And then, afterward, she'd feel like the worst person in the world for taking this away from him.
Sometimes her fingers would reach for her phone, and she would almost call him before catching herself. She'd remind her why this had to be, why she couldn't let him be the father to his children, and that it wasn't her fault, in the end, it was his. It was his problem and if he cared enough, he'd try to figure something out. If he could think of something that was good enough, she told herself, I'll let him be their father. Doesn't mean we'll get together or anything, but he'll be able to raise them.
I realized that I knew Annabeth better, and I'd write (hopefully) better in her POV. Maybe I'll switch around now… If I can figure out what comes next.
Anyway, tell me what you think!