Hey I'm updating now because over the next few days I'm gonna be busy. I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to update again for a few days- but at the end of it if I haven't I promise I will update the last chapters of this fic all in one so yeah, I am trying to be fair. Anyway, read and review because it always makes my day. This chapter is a lotta talking and I hope you all like the surprise.

Percy knew that she was delaying, fighting to keep things as they were for as long as possible. Maybe it was foolish, maybe it was selfish but she she felt as though if she made that choice, if she went to the Underworld and bathed in the Styx it would be the final sign that the end was coming. The thought of doing it scared her more than she liked to admit.

And she knew, she knew that time was gradually running out- by the time the summer came they were going on more and more small quests- fighting as many of the enemies that they could. But they all knew that soon enough the war would be upon them.

Percy spent as much time as she could with her girlfriends and with her family- she was pretty sure Annabeth knew something she didn't- the other girl looked upset a lot more often, and when they were together she clung to Percy as if she was afraid that if she let go the daughter of Poseidon would disappear.

It was early August when Percy made her decision- she hadn't planned on it, Annabeth was away helping some of her siblings and Leo with a quest- something to do with some stuff on Daedalus' laptop, and Percy had had a good day- she'd hung out with Luke, they'd gone and got ice cream and people watched like they had when she was a little kid. It had been nice, a much needed break from the madness that was her life.

She was bobbing her head slightly as she brushed her teeth. She'd already gotten changed for bed and she had her headphones in.

She was in a good mood as she spat out the toothpaste into the sink, turning the tap on and rinsing her mouth.

As she straightened up her hand knocked the tube of toothpaste and Percy cursed leaning down and pulling her face- it had landed in the little wire bin by the sink- it mostly had the empty card rolls from the toilet paper, and a couple of empty shampoo and shower gel bottles. She curled her fingers around the tube, picking it up- which knocked aside one of the shampoo bottles- and Percy paused for a moment, eyes narrowing as she stared down at the little plastic stick, pink and white.

She'd never used one- Percy was pretty sure she'd never have a reason to use one, but- and she was picking it up before she even knew she was doing it, she knew what the stick was, and she stared at it in shock- it was a pregnancy test. And- her eyes focused on the little square where the lines would show up- and yep, yep there were two lines which according to the guide next to the square meant that whoever had used it was pregnant.

Percy's mind raced as she stared down at it.

The only two people who it might belong to were her mom and Thalia- it wasn't like Annabeth or Rachel were even maybe pregnant.

Thalia- well, while Percy hated the mere thought of her brother and her friend doing anything like that she was sure they did- after all they were both adults now, fully grown.

But... she hadn't noticed anything off about Thalia lately.

As for her mom- Percy thought quickly. She'd heard her early on the mornings a few times she thought, and the bathroom tended to smell like she'd cleaned afterwards.

And... she'd had a weird taste for strawberries lately, Percy hadn't thought much of it. Her mom liked strawberries anyway- but now her mom seemed to be eating a lot more than she had been.

Percy stared at the stick for a long moment before she bent down again, quickly shoving it back into the bin and tucking it beneath some bottles before she was rushing out of the bathroom quickly, padding down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Mom!"

"Yes honey?" Sally's voice came from the kitchen and Percy almost skidding through the hall into the kitchen, "Is everything okay?"

"Mom-" Percy stared at her mom then.

She was beautiful as always, she had her hair tied up in a messy bun and there was flour on her face- she'd been baking- and Percy could see an open tub of strawberries on the counter. Nico and Leo were there too, Leo had some wings spread across the table- he was working on improving Daedalus' designs, and Nico was leaning watching him and making several fairly unhelpful comments.

"What is it Percy?" Sally raised an eyebrow, "Or are you just going to stare at me all day?"

"I-" Percy let out a breath, "Can I- can we talk privately for a second mom?"

"Ooh." Leo lifted his head to look at Percy, "I bet it's about her girlfriends-"

"Just because you're the ultimate seventh wheel-"

"Hey, I have a girlfriend-"

"On some mysterious island." Nico teased, "Only you could pull that off-"

"At least Percy didn't need to pay matchmaker for me." Leo snarked back, "You and Will were total dumbasses-"

"And now we're 'Couple goals' according to Kayla so clearly I'm doing better than you."

"Boys boys-" Sally laughed, "Stop bickering, now Percy, is everything okay?"

"Yeah." Percy nodded, "I just- I wanted to ask you something private."

"Oh?" Sally's brows furrowed as she wiped her hands on her jeans "Okay, we can go to your room and talk if you want-"

"Yeah. Yeah I... yeah." Percy nodded, whirling around and darting off quickly, darting up the stairs and down the hall to her bedroom, dropping down onto her bed once she was up there- and sure enough a few moments latter Sally followed her into the room, shutting the door behind her.

"What's going on honey? Is everything-"

"Are you pregnant?"

Sally froze, her eyes going wide as she stared at Percy for a long moment, "How-"

"I- I dropped the toothpaste into the bin-"

"You found the test." it was a statement rather than a question. "Gods-" Sally rubbed her hand down her face, moving to sit on the bed next to Percy, "I'm not sure yet. And this isn't how I would have wanted you to find out."

"You're not sure?"

"I'm going to the doctors tomorrow to get tested- I haven't told anyone yet." Sally wrapped an arm around Percy.

"Right." Percy nodded slowly, "I- how long?"

"Honestly- I'm not sure. Things have been so busy and stressful lately." Sally admitted, letting Percy curl into her side. I hadn't even noticed that I hadn't had my period
because I had to buy you and Annabeth some supplies to top up and I realized I hadn't had my period for a couple of months."

"Oh wow." Percy breathed the words, "Do you think you are?"
"I'm feeling sick on the mornings, and I've been craving strawberries lately." Sally admitted, "It's been a long time but... from what I remember it's a lot like I felt when I was expecting you."

"I- I think you are."

"So do I." Sally shifted slightly, "What do you think honey?"

"I-" and Percy considered the question.

She had a big family, a huge one, all things considered, and she loved it. Her family was ridiculous and insane but it was oh so special in it's own way.

She was used to gaining siblings unexpectedly- she was fairly sure her mom would adopt Drew if the other girl would just let her- not that Drew would ever actually agree to it. She would never admit that she was soft enough to care about other people.

She thought about her brothers- about Luke, Nico and Leo.

And she thought about the baby probably growing inside of her mom right at that moment, so very small and helpless.

She wondered what the baby would look like, if it would be a boy or a girl.

They'd be a mortal- a tiny, helpless little mortal in a big scary dangerous world.

Her siblings were either demigods or monsters- they could fight, they could defend herself but- but this baby was going to be so so tiny- and she was pulled out of her thoughts by her moms voice.

"-Know you've been going through a lot lately honey and I didn't want to worry you- there's still a chance I'm not pregnant.. I haven't even told Paul. I know it's not the best time at the moment but- we didn't plan on this."

And wasn't the best time was an understatement wasn't it? Because war was brewing and the fate of the world hung in the balance.

Hung on Percy's shoulders.

What type of world was that tiny innocent mortal life going to be born into?

And it Percy with all the force of a truck just what was on the line.

Everyone else in her family could defend themselves.

The baby wouldn't be able to.

And gods but Percy wanted to get to see her baby sibling, she wanted to be there, to hold them the day they were born, she wanted to be able to coo and fuss over them, to play with them and teach them how to walk. She wanted to watch Luke be an even better big brother because he had even more experience now.

She had to do it right when the time came, she had to stop Kronos.

And she knew, deep down she knew that the only way she'd be able to stand a chance against him was if she was invulnerable. Especially if she wanted to survive what she knew was certain to come.

She felt her moms gaze on her, filled with worry. "I-" Percy took a deep breath, "I think that the baby is gonna be the luckiest baby in the history of the universe." she said firmly, "Because I think their whole family is gonna spoil them rotten-"

"Oh thank the gods." Sally relaxed, a relieved look on her face, "You're happy?"

"I am." Percy nodded, "I really am mom." she leaned forward and hugged her mom tightly, pressing her face into the woman's shoulder before she pulled back, "I'm so so happy." she let out a breath. "Which is why I feel bad for what I'm about to do?"

"What do you mean?" Sally frowned, "Honey-"

"Mom." Percy. "You know what's coming. We all do." she fought back the tears that burned her eyes. "I'm about to ask you for something and you're going to hate it but you're going to give it to me because I think you'll know how important it is and you'll know that I don't have a choice. Okay?"

"What is it?" Sally's eyes searched Percy's expression, a worried gleam in her eyes, "Sweetie what do you want me to do?"

"When-" Percy swallowed hard. "When Alabaster had me on Mount Orthys I tried to kill him-" her mom sucked in a sharp breath. "I tried to slice his throat with some glass I had and it did nothing to him. He even gave me my dagger and let me try to kill him. I think he found it funny. I thought it was some kind of magic making him invulnerable at first but it wasn't." she picked at her fingernails as she spoke, her heart thudding away in her chest. "And then- obviously you know he was possessed by Kronos."

"I know." Sally agreed with a small nod, "I know honey-"

"That should have burned up his body. No mortal should be able to hold a Titan. Unless he did something and... Drew is the one who told me what she thought he did and I've spoken to uncle Hades about it and he checked and confirmed it. Alabaster bathed in the River Styx. He's invulnerable, it's how his body can contain Kronos' power. It's why I couldn't so much as scratch him. Other than one mortal point which I have no way of locating he's totally invulnerable. I can do literally nothing to hurt him. Being in a mortal body isn't going to hinder him, if anything it'll help him. It means I can't hurt him mom. But he- he's still a Titan and he can still hurt me." Percy met her moms worried gaze, "And I need something to give me a chance. I need something to stand even a minor chance of stopping him. Of surviving for long enough to save the world so the baby has a good place to grow up. So they're safe and happy. So that I get to see my baby sibling do all the important things like take their first step and say their first word."

"What is it?" Sally's expression was tight. "What are you going to do Percy?"