A/N: This is a future take of One Last Time, set about 15 years later. It also has flashbacks of some important events with respect to the storyline of the epilogue. I understand that I made you guys cry really hard for this fanfic and I'm sorry. Consider this my redemption because I'M THE DEVIL WHO'S SEARCHING FOR REDEMPTION (I'm sorry)

Disclaimer: PJO and HOO belong to Rick Riordan

Epilogue: After 15 years

"Are you quite ready now?" I grumbled at the running figure around me.

"Almost! Have some patience, please. You're more angsty than I am, and it's my first graduation." A voice called out from the kitchen.

"I just don't want you to be late," I reasoned. "And I'm happy you can say graduation now." I chuckled and giggles sounded.

"I know, but there's still so much time. I'm completely ready except for one thing." The figure finally came to a halt and walked towards me. I ruffled her hair.

"What's left?" I asked her.

"Can you braid my hair?" She asked me innocently, holding up a hair tie.

"Sure," I agreed readily. "Come, sit down on my lap." Once she was done shuffling around, I asked her, "do you want me to French braid them? But that would take some more time."

"No, just a normal plait then," she ordered me.

"Yes, ma'am." She giggled at that. With years and years of practice on her black hair, I was done in a minute or two. She got up and twirled around. "Does that meet your approval?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes!" She squealed and hugged my legs. I picked her up and hugged her.

"You're ready for your first day of your first grade?"

"I am, daddy." She said and I smiled.

"Let's go, then."

"Wait!" She exclaimed.

"What now?"

"Bend down," she pulled on my leg and I did. She softly kissed the scar on my cheek. I clenched my eyes shut and held on to her shoulders for life. I'd told her about both my scars and she'd never judged me for them. She had made a habit to kiss the scar on my cheek every time she went to school.

"Thank you, princess." I croaked out. She grabbed my hand and we rode in my car to her school.

"Would I do good today? I wouldn't embarrass you, would I?" She asked me once we got out of the car, outside her school gate.

I was crouched down on my knees besides her, with my hands on her shoulders. I was getting some unusual glances but they didn't bother me anymore. I had the light of my life standing in front of me. She outshined all the dark gazes, all my dark thoughts till it was just her crowding my mind.

"Obviously, you'd do good! And you'd never in a million years embarrass me, princess. I'm so proud of you." I fixed her tiny graduation cape.

"Thanks, daddy." She hugged me again and I breathed in her hair. She did have longer hair than all the children running around here. I never noticed before. But again, she'd never let me get her hair cut. At least not since she started to understand she had a big say.

"How's my favorite girl doing?" A voice said and I looked up.

"Aunty Silena!" She gushed and ran out of my arms towards her. "Good morning."

"Morning, little one. Don't you look pretty!" Silena ruffled her hair as I got up.

"Hey, you." I greeted.

"Morning, Perce. All set?"

"Yes, I am. Where's Maddox?" I asked, referring to her son. He was also graduating kindergarten today.

"He's already standing in the line." Silena said and gestured to the line of little humans.

"Oh, daddy! Can I go too?" She bounced on her tiny feet and I chuckled.

"Sure. Have fun."

"I will," she smiled big and happy. I found myself returning it without even trying. She ran towards the flock of kids as I saw her cape blowing in the wind. My superhero, she was.

"Where's Beckendorf?" I turned towards Silena after I couldn't see the girl who called me daddy anymore in the sea of kids.

"Oh, he can't make it." She scowled.

"Why?"

"He's in the factory. One of his coworkers got injured badly and he has to replace. He was so sorry he couldn't come. I'd never seen that much regret on his face."

"It's fine. It's not like he has control over that."

"Yeah, you're right," she sighed. "How are you doing?"

"Doesn't get any better than this." I said and she smiled.

"How are Sally, Paul and Estelle?"

"They're perfect. Estelle got into the same college as us. She's happy about that. But I'm not quite happy about the guy she's dating."

"Oh, shut up, you protective brother. She'll be fine."

"I guess, she will. I know she can handle herself but my instinct would never go away," I shrugged. "She's my sister and if someone hurt her, I'll show them who they're dealing with."

"Yeah haha, you look like you could kill someone but you're just a cinnamon roll," she teased. "But I do trust you to even kill the person who so much as puts a hand on Estelle and your tiny human."

"Without a second thought." I agreed. "Though she's a pain in my behind sometimes, Estelle. She teams up with my little one and both of them sneak in pranks on me. It's a good thing she's babysitting or I would've shown her hell." I chuckled.

The principal then commanded silence from her microphone and all the kids hushed. The both of us turned to the front. "Don't they all look cute in capes? They're merely 7 and still have a graduation." Silena commented.

"I know. But I do like it. We didn't use to have it, yes?"

"You speak like we're ancient." She laughed.

"Aren't we?"

"We'll we're just 32, Percy."

"Feels like a lifetime ago we were 17, just having done our first graduation."

"Things have changed a lot," she countered.

"Yes, yes they have."

"They've changed for the good."

"I couldn't have asked for anything more." I smiled.

"Yes. You should know, Perce, I'm so happy for you." She said and her voice cracked.

"Hey, I know. You've told me countless times before. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been here."

"It's not just me. It's because of many people like your mom, Piper, Jason and most importantly Will and Nico."

"You're right. It's because all you guys and I can't thank you enough, especially Nico. But you're her godmother," I smiled. "But let's not get sad today please. Let's celebrate the little ones."

"You're right. Your tiny human will be up first alphabetically than mine. I'm gonna have to wait for a long time." She laughed lightly.

"I didn't tell you to name him Maddox."

"It was Charles' idea and I was delirious and tired from having pushed him out so I agreed. And you were in the waiting room, you could have objected. I didn't ask you to be his godfather for nothing." She glared.

"Jesus, woman, calm down. It's a nice name, I liked it. I wasn't thinking of the alphabetical disadvantages of it when you named him." I murmured as one of the teachers started calling out the names.

"Okay fine," she snorted and I shot her a look. "Don't make me laugh! You know I have an obnoxiously loud laugh. Besides, your princess is almost up. You have the alphabetical advantage," she gestured and I nodded.

A couple names sounded as I waited for the tiny feet that walked on the ground I worshipped. Finally, just as I was getting angsty, her name boomed in the building—the very name I'd cherished so much.

"Hope Jackson."

My princess ran up on the stage with her cape flowing behind her. She giggled as the principal handed over her certificate. She looked at me, waving it about and I smiled heartily as I clapped. She looked overly happy as she descended the stage, the next child claiming the spotlight now.

Silently and even before I could stop them, tears rolled down my cheeks. I felt Silena's hand on my shoulder and I sniffled loudly. The parents around me looked at me like a maniac. Of course, they would; they just saw me by my scar. They didn't see me for the human I was who had almost committed suicide but was saved by this tiny human. They didn't know the reason for me existing was up there a moment ago, giggling at me and giving me life. But I was long past the point of caring about the stares now. The only stare I cared about was from my princess and it was filled with love and trust. Since there was still time for all the names to be said, I excused myself, ignoring the questioning stare of Silena and walked back into the car. I put my head down against the steering wheel and cried.

My princess—Hope. Tiny hands and feet that clutched my chest, inquisitive brown eyes that watched me, an oval face that smiled at me with love, black wavy hair that she loved to get styled from just me, pink lips that formed into an adorable little pout when she was upset and a mouth that called me daddy. How grateful I was for her; she'd never know and I'd die telling her. She was my light, my life, my savior…she was the anchor holding me to this scarred world. She was everything.

Even though she wasn't biologically mine, I'd raised and loved her so. I strived hard not to let her feel the absence of a mother and gave her all of the love I'd saved for someone else but the chance had been snatched from me 15 years ago. I gave her all of the love I'd saved for Annabeth and I'd keep giving it to her. I knew, Annabeth was somewhere up there, watching us both and showering blessings on my only Hope.

Hope, my seven-year-old adopted daughter was 6 months old when Nico called me up, telling me he wanted to meet urgently. The importance in his voice activated my paranoia and I was terrified. I left everything I was doing in my lab at the Marine Biology research center and immediately went over to his and Will's home.

"What's the matter?" I asked as soon as Will opened the door

"At least come in first and calm yourself down. Everything is fine, nothing is out of order. We just wanted to tell you something, good news even." Nico said and my shoulders sagged in relief.

"You scared the hell out of me," I smiled but I knew it looked dead. That's what I felt nowadays. "Is this about next Sunday?" Every third Sunday of the month, all of us friends met no matter what. It was now kind of like a tradition. Just Hazel and Frank came every 2 months. "Do you need help hosting? I could take a half day and help you guys here…"

"No, it's not about Sunday and who are you kidding? You haven't taken a day of work including Sundays for the last 3 years. You even worked for Christmas."

I sighed. "You know it keeps me distracted." It keeps me alive. "You saved me once, you don't have to do it twice, do you?" I said crudely and immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry, Nico. I just…yeah, I'm tired."

"You're always tired these days or shall I say, these years. All those fake smiles of yours don't fool me. I saved you once," he said referring to the moment he'd caught me trying to end my life 4 years ago. I was so tired of the cries, the pain, the memories… I just wanted to be with her, with Annabeth. I couldn't be away from her but Nico stopped me. He put me into therapy but I stopped after 3 months seeing it wasn't going anywhere. I started work immediately after that and drowned myself in it, working so much everyday that I fell asleep the moment I hit the bed. That of course, didn't compensate the silence ringing in my head when I was alone at home and the sirens ringing in my dreams of that night.

"I'll save you again if I had to." Nico completed, breaking my reverie. "Look, it is important what I have to say to you and you're probably going to be dumbfounded so let's just take a seat first." I nodded and sat down on the chair across the sofa where Nico sat beside his now husband.

"Well, you're no stranger to the fact that we were going to adopt a child for us." Will started and I nodded again.

"I got a call from the NGO I work at today morning. They had been handed over a girl. Her dad is unknown, apparently even to the mother." Nico completed.

"So, she gave her up?" I asked, not quite sure what he was getting at.

"Not quite," he frowned. "She died in a car accident 3 days ago."

My fists clenched. No… "She didn't get turned towards the state?"

"No, the mother's friend works at the NGO with me. Since the father was unknown, the mother had drawn up a statement that the child would be handed over to the NGO. My coworkers and my bosses agreed. The system is too bad for any child to be in, the more we save the better." He explained.

"How old is she?"

"Just about 6 months"

"What? She's orphaned at 6 months of age!"

"Yes," Will said dejectedly.

I still didn't know where this conversation was going. They were beating around the bush too much. "So, is this you guys telling me you're adopting her?"

"Not exactly," Nico fidgeted.

"Please tell me whatever you want to. I'm getting really angsty now. The car accident…you know how that suffocates me for obvious reasons. Please, spill."

"We want you to adopt her," Nico said cautiously.

"I'm sorry, what?" I shot up from my seat and they both did too.

"Look…" Will started but I raised a hand up to stop him.

"Where the hell is all this coming from? You guys wanted to adopt a child; this is your best shot. Have at it!" I exasperated. "Plus, Nico, you're a paleontologist and still work part time at the NGO. Will, you're a freaking doctor. You're the most eligible and successful candidate there can ever be. I'm depressed as heck, a single person and there's never gonna be anyone in my life. I'll even be at work most days." I reasoned.

"Just calm down and listen to us, Percy. We know this is out of nowhere and you have had no intentions of adopting till now but we've thought it through. As for us, we'll adopt someone else, give someone else a home. When you're at work, we can babysit her or even Sally can." Will shrugged then sighed. "It was Nico who thought that you should adopt her instead of us. I don't know, he just has these weird but perfect intuitions and…just consider."

"But this is so…" I ran a hand through my hair. "How can I be a father? I'm such a mess. I'm still reeling with the loss of Annabeth after 8 years now and I don't think I'll ever recover. I'm a freaking suicide survivor for Christ's sake. How can the little girl be happy with me when even I can't be happy with myself? She deserves a life of joy and laughter not screams and nightmares which is exactly the kind of life I've been leading. On top of that I have the biggest classified scar which earns me judging stares and looks filled with apprehension. The NGO would never accept me as her adopter."

"They agree," Nico said. "I told them already about Annabeth's accident and the reason for your visible scar. They don't mind you adopting the little girl."

"I…I don't know how to react."

"Think," Will tried. "Think what the little girl also has to offer you. Think what you want, what you could get. Imagine—little feet running everywhere, calling you daddy, asking you to dress her up, even do her hair and makeup, taking her to school and waiving her goodbye, watch her grow up into a beautiful young woman, Percy."

"Why do you think she won't be happy with you? Estelle was also really small when your wounds were still so fresh. Did she turn out to be bitter because you were depressed?" Nico asked and I was about to answer when he raised a hand. "Don't you dare say it was because of Sally. She was with you most of the times. Don't you remember the countless times you've told me that she kept you sane and her smile lit up your day? Imagine now, that little girl, she would be the one to light up your day for the next 17 years or so. What else do you need, Perce? I know this is the life you want, a daughter you can call your own. Embrace it. She'll grow with you and I know you'd be an excellent father." He completed and silence fell over the room as I thought it over.

"She would have wanted you to be happy; she would have wanted that little girl to get a home and especially with you. Annabeth would have wanted you to do this."

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I took that in. He was right. I wanted it. I wanted it all. I wanted what I'd lost. This would have been my future if Annabeth were alive, with kids of our own around the house. I wanted to give this little girl all the happiness in this world. I wanted to tie her hair, her shoes, take her to school every day, watch her grow. I wanted to hold her when she woke up from nightmares and I wanted to be there for her when she got her first period even. I wanted to do it all, all I would've done if she were mine and Annabeth's by flesh. Nico was right, Annabeth would have wanted me to adopt that little 6-month-old toddler who didn't even know she was orphaned at this young age.

"Can I see her? Is she with you right now?" I asked, reigning in a sob.

"Yes, she is. Come with me," Will leaded me into their spare bedroom which now had a crib.

I walked over to it and leaned in. There was a tiny creature in there who was sucking on a pacifier even in her deep sleep. So peaceful, oblivious to the fact that she was currently alone in this world with no one to claim her. Her tiny hands were bound into fists and her legs spread out around her. She was the most beautiful little thing I'd ever seen.

"Can I pick her up?" I asked and Will nodded.

I gently put my hand below her fragile body and picked her up, minding her neck and supporting it. I cradled her close to my chest and gazed down at her. She looked so damn small in my big arms. I removed one hand and trailed it down her cheek to her little fists. I twirled my finger around her fist and she loosened it, reaching for my finger. I saw with mesmerized eyes as she wound her fist around my finger and held it tight. A sob escaped my chest but it wasn't one of frustration this time, it was of gratefulness. Gratefulness for the mere existence of this creature.

In that single moment, one of the first since I'd seen her, she became the tie holding me down to this world now. Suddenly felt like it wasn't gravity keeping me on my feet, it was her. The connection was so deep and instant that I could feel it spread through my veins. I didn't know if this happened in real life but if this was a dream, I didn't want to wake up. If I were to ever dip in the river Styx, I knew I'd have imagined Annabeth as my anchor before but I wasn't so sure now. I didn't see her alone; I saw this little angel along with her. This angel in Annabeth's arms and my finger in a tiny fisted hand.

I could see it. I could see me cleaning diapers, making food, decorating a nursery, playing with her, making her smile, then taking her to school, listening to her rant, wanting to hurt her future boyfriend, I could see everything. And I wanted it. I was sure I wanted it. I smiled at that tiny creature who had me wrapped round her.

"What's her name?"

"She was named Lyra but you can change it. I have even the papers ready. Even the adoption ones and the name changing ones."

"You guys were pretty sure of yourselves."

"We hoped. I knew once we saw her that she was somehow yours. I don't know how. I guess somethings aren't supposed to make sense at all, they're just simply right—a play of fate." Nico said, coming into the room and wrapping his arms around his husband. I smiled at them.

"I'll sign the papers. I want to be her father." My smile grew into a full-blown grin and one of my tears fell down on her cheek. I quickly wiped it off and placed her back in crib to sleep peacefully.

"Let's go to the dining. We can spread the legal papers all over the place there." Will decided and I followed them out.

After about another half an hour, I was done with reading and signing all of the papers and I was feeling somewhat happy for the first time in 8 years. Currently I was thinking about her name.

I looked up to see Nico sitting in Will's lap, contently playing with a stray hair. He looked satisfied. Though no major scars from broken promises, Nico was filled with invisible scars of childhood traumas of abandonment and homophobic mother. I loved how all my childhood friends were married. Hazel to Frank lived in New Rome and had two sons—Liam and Ethan. Leo was in a serious relationship with a country girl named Calypso. I'd met her only a few times but she seemed nice. Charles and Silena were too happily married with Maddox keeping them on their edge. Just Jason and Piper had broken up, Jason being single and Piper was in a relationship with a girl named Shel. There were no bad feelings though, it was mutual.

"So, are you going to change her name?" Will asked.

"Of course," Nico frowned at his husband. "Lyra Jackson." He wrinkled his nose. "Not pretty and doesn't suit that girl."

"Would it be…would it be weird if I named her Annabeth?" I asked and silence fell.

"Why would it be weird?" Nico whispered after a couple of moments.

"I don't know. I don't want to compare them at all, that's for sure but I just think that Annabeth was the love of my life, she isn't getting replaced at all and…" I trailed off.

"You don't seem so sure on naming her Annabeth."

"Because I'm not. I think no, I should name her something else. Annabeth would want that, a separate identity for the tiny human that filled me with hope after so long. Annabeth wouldn't have liked her being a constant reminder of my pain."

"It would hurt you yes, because her name would be Annabeth Jackson." Will said and I clenched my eyes shut. Yes, it hurt because it was my dream, just shattered into a slab of cement in the cemetery now.

"I want that little princess to know what she is to me." I said once I'd regained composure. "In the matter of moments, just moments, I felt this inexplainable pull and I just…I've never felt this connected, this feeling of security and hope since Annabeth died."

"Hmm," Nico said. "Hope."

"What?"

"Hope Jackson." He confirmed.

"Hope Jackson." I echoed. It sounded just perfect and I broke into a smile. "That's it. That's the one." I picked up the pen and filled out her first name as Hope and last name as Jackson, keeping the middle name open. I looked up at Nico, he was smiling down at me. "Hope Nicholas Jackson."

He seemed startled and sat up straight. "You're giving her the middle name after me?" He asked and I nodded. "No, you should give her the middle name after Annabeth, then. It should be Hope Annabeth Jackson."

"No, Nico. Annabeth would have done the same thing if she were in my place. You handed me over Hope. I know how you and Will dream of adopting a kid and yet the first chance you get, you sidestep for me. Because you knew how much I was struggling and dead inside. You've lost as much or even more than I have in life."

"But I have my happiness now. It's only fair you get yours," he shrugged, interjecting me.

"That's what I'm saying. You're handing me over happiness which could've been added to yours. That's your selflessness and Will's too. I've just been breathing for the past 8 years of my life; right now, you're giving me a reason to live." I said and before he could protest, I filled in his full name as Hope's middle name.

An agonized baby sound rang the apartment and I shot up from my seat, running into the spare room which Hope was now claiming. Her hands were flaying around as she objected about being hungry, perhaps. "There, there." I soothed as I picked her up and cradled her against my chest. I rocked back and forth gently as I waited for her to go back to sleep but she calmed down and peered at me with chocolate brown eyes. "Hi little one," I said to her. "How would you like living with me now?" Of course, she didn't answer. "You're the reason now, Hope." I murmured to her and hugged her closer to my chest.

"Daddy, open the door!" A whine came from outside the car as I quickly wiped my eyes.

"Sorry, Hope. I didn't hear ya." I unlocked the door from inside and she climbed into her booster seat.

"Did you see me, dad!" She exclaimed.

"I did, princess. You looked so pretty up there and so confident."

She giggled but then stopped. "Why did you leave?"

"I…ugh…I just got a call from someone important just after you were off the stage so I came back here." I lied.

"Why are your eyes red?" She asked, ever the perceptive child.

"Something went in them and I rubbed them too hard." I made a face and she smiled but instead of putting on her seatbelt, she got up and climbed into my lap, resting her back against the steering wheel. "What's the matter?"

"Do you think mommy would be proud of me?" She asked in a tiny voice.

Oh, my darling daughter. "Of course, hope. She'll always be proud of you. She was watching you go up there with your cute little cape and cap."

"Was Annabeth with her too?" She asked and my breath hitched.

"She was," I nodded. Keep it together, Perce. You don't want your 7-year-old kid watch you fall apart.

"Do you miss her?" She asked and I tear rolled down my cheek.

"I do, a lot. But you're here for me so I'm fine." I smiled at her.

"I did you proud too, didn't I?"

"You always will, Hope. You are everything to me." I hugged her close. "You're the reason I smile, the reason I laugh, you're the reason I still have a beating heart." I confessed. "And I even tolerate you when you hog the bed on cuddle nights." I smirked to lighten the mood.

"I don't!" She exclaimed. "You pull the blankets away from me so I have to scoot closer."

"I don't mind you closer, little one. You keep me warm," you keep the nightmares away. "You're my dream catcher."

"You're the best dad in the whole world. Even though I don't have a mommy, I don't miss her because you're there." She whispered and I felt her sniffle.

"Don't cry, princess."

"I hate to see you sad."

"I'm not sad, darling. I'm actually happy that you're in my life," that I didn't turn away Will and Nico that day.

"Does it suck that you don't have Annabeth anymore?"

"It sucks but like I said, I have you now. You make me complete and that's all I ever wanted. You're enough, princess. You're my hope."

"I love you, dad." She clutched my shirt and I clutched on to her.

"I love you the most," I whispered in her hair.

My world had collapsed all around me 15 years ago but this little creature built a house from all the debris and made it beautiful. It was all that mattered now.

A/N: And here it is. It is again, emotional but I think not as much as the previous chapter. That one had you guys wishing to slap me (I deserved that). I couldn't do proper justice to Solangelo and Percy's relationship but alas, I tried. After reading these 5k words, if you guys want to hate me extra than before for this being emotional too, I'm perfectly fine with it. Because again, I hate me more. Until next time :)