Chapter 72
Percy
"Are you willy my dahdee?"
The words, spoken by the prettiest little toddler anyone had ever seen, woke me. She had green eyes like me, but the rest, her hair, face, well everything, she got all that from her mother. Especially her smile.
I had fallen asleep on the couch sometime during the evening as friends and family kept stopping by to see me. Annabeth had decided, wisely of course, that I should just stay there rather than waking me to go to bed. I didn't know what time it was but I was glad Calypso had awoken me. She was as beautiful as her mother and would no doubt leave a string of broken hearts around the world when she grew up. I couldn't wait to watch it all.
"Are you Calypso?" I grinned.
"Caly-ipso" She replied.
"Then I'm really your daddy. I... I missed you so much! Where is your brother?" I said as I sat up and hugged her as though my life depended on it.
"Sweeping. Mommy says he gets that from you."
"Mommy is probably right about that."
I felt surprisingly good, still sore and achy but much better. It only hurt when I moved. So much, much, better, but still very tired. Will would have probably told me to rest, but I had no intentions of doing so. Calypso was there.
"Are you hungry? Had breakfast?"
"Mah mee gets it for me."
"She does? Well, today, why don't we make it? Come on, I'll teach you how to make blue pancakes!"
"Blue?"
"Yeah, cause they're the best!" I said as I stood and scooped her up and went to find the kitchen. Thankfully we had everything we needed, as the aerial servants anticipated my needs, though it was clear only the aerials ever cooked of late. I'm not sure they cooked or did magic though, I never knew how that worked. Anyway, the pots and pans had clearly not been used, so probably magic.
I had the best little helper standing on a chair beside me and soon the aroma of our efforts filled the house. As soon as the first were in the pan I found the coffee maker and rinsed the dust out. It still had some of the packing paper inside, but I put on a strong pot with just a dash of salt, the way I like it.
Caly was a great helper and soon we had a huge stack of piping hot blue pancakes on the table along with a ton of bacon and scrambled eggs. Both the kitchen and ourselves were covered in batter from our efforts and as if on cue Annabeth appeared in the doorway wearing her pj's, pink bunny slippers and a house coat, her hair mussed, no make up and looking like the most beautiful woman in the world. A little boy who looked a lot like us was behind her, peering at me from around her with a quizzical look on his face.
"Ah! There's my domestic goddess, and just in time! Breakfast is served." I said as I poured juice for the kids. As soon as I set it down I handed Annabeth coffee She looked down at the little boy, nodded and Grover yelled.
"Dahhhhhhdeeeeee!"
He ran from behind Annabeth and threw his arms around me as I knelt to return his embrace. Calypso was on us too, not wanting to be left out, and I wanted to hug them both until the day I died.
"I can't believe you made breakfast, we have aerial servants for that now Percy. Will says you need your rest." Wise Girl said as we sat in the breakfast nook.
"We mate pancags! Blue un's! The best!" Calypso exclaimed.
"Yeah, I'm tired. I don't think I slept a lot the last few years. But I need... I need to feel, uh, normal right now."
"Yeah, I get that. Woah, these are good! Did you make them Caly?"
"Me and dahdee" Calypso grinned.
"She made the good part." I smiled. After that we didn't talk a lot as I was starved and this was the first solid food I had in forever. When we were all finished, and I was bloated like a tick, I finally asked.
"So what are we going to do today?"
"Auntie Grainer and Uncle Ron are taking us to see Auntie Ray this morning, can you go dahhhhdee? Puh-leeze?"
"Grainer?" I asked
"Grainger. They have a hard time saying 'Hermione'. 'Ray' means 'Reyna'." Annabeth smiled.
"Me too. I may just start calling her 'Betty', that's easier to say." I grinned at the kids.
"And no, Uncle Will says daddy has to rest this morning or he won't be able to go to the party later. Doctor's orders. Besides, I have to catch your daddy up with what's been going on."
"Party?" I asked.
"Yeah, the crew is throwing you a welcome back party." Annabeth smiled.
"I don't want a party."
"I know. Sally and I both told them that. They don't care. They like throwing parties."
"I wanna stay with dahhhhdeee!"
"Me too!"
"I wanna stay with Grover and Calypso." I grinned.
"I know, I know, but, I wanna stay with Percy!" Annabeth smiled.
"Well screw it then, lets just hang out all day. How does that sound?"
"No, I mean, I would love that, but, we need to talk, I need to catch you up, plus Ron and Hermione are coming in just so they can take the kids birthday shopping. Its been planned for a week. I should tell you Percy, the last four years the only arguments the company has had have been over who gets to hang out with Caly and Tee." Annabeth giggled at this.
"Well anyone can see why. They're the best kids ever! So everyone calls you 'Caly' and 'Tee'?" I smiled.
"Auntie Piper is preg-ah-nant" Caly said.
"I saw that!"
"Yeah, Nico gave them those names. They kind of stuck." Annabeth said. "Kids, we will hang out all day tomorrow, there is nothing planned, but today your daddy and I need to talk so I can get him caught up. Okay?"
"Okay mommy" they reluctantly agreed.
The conversation died. I didn't want to say anything stupid like 'what's been going on' to remind everyone I had basically abandoned them, but there wasn't anything else to talk about really. Finally Tee broke the silence.
"Mommy grat-you-ate-it." He grinned.
"You what?" I asked
"Yeah. The night you got back, that is where we were going... I'm sorry, I should have stayed with you. I'm... horrible." She started to cry.
"Annabeth! That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you!" I nearly yelled as I threw my arms around her.
"No... don't. I... I should have been with you. I was just so... angry and confused and shocked... we had planned for weeks and"
"And you would rather watch me float in a pool all night than be recognized for all the work you did? You mean you didn't have the choice of watching me or watching grass grow? Don't be silly, I was fine. Staying with me, well, I was gone for four years. You were gone for one afternoon. We'll call it even." I smiled. I was just so proud of my wife.
"Even? Oh hells no we will not call it even!..." She erupted, her stormy eyes filled with rage, before calming herself, inhaling deeply, then sighing. "I'm sorry kids, you shouldn't hear language like that. Percy, we will talk later. I'm sorry. I should have stayed with you."
"I should have too. That's all I'm saying."
"Yeah. You should shut up now" she smiled.
We got silent again and the kids were clearly not going to be the first to speak this time. I had just been given some great advice that I shouldn't either so I sipped the best coffee ever and waited.
"So yeah, after the first year, well, everything was running okay, the company got running so smooth that I had a lot of time on my hands and the less busy I was the more horrible life was, so I started school. Your mom, my mom, well everyone really, helped with the kids, I took summer classes too and in three years I graduated. I was going to start on my masters in a week or so but I'm going to put that off so we can.. uh, rebuild."
"You don't have to, I can hang with the kids and"
"No, I mean, I want to. I want to spend my time in other ways right now. I'll go back this fall, the kids will be starting Pre K at Athena Academy in the fall, I can go while they are in school and"
"Athena Academy?" I asked.
"Yes, that is what the school at Half Blood is called. We named it after the Goddess of Wisdom, and among other things, learning. Anyway"
"Grandma Athena"
"Yes Tee, your school is named after your grandmother, that's kind of cool isn't it? And Aunt Piper is the principal. Oh, she graduated with me Percy, I wish... well anyway. Uh, I figured this fall I would start, that way we could have the summer together, fix anything that needs fixing in the world and maybe travel a bit? Oh, and, if you're still interested maybe you could go to college with me? I mean, if you are still interested in that sort of thing. Its really easy since we can learn with magic now. I mean, I know education has always been my thing but"
"I'd like to share it with you." I said aloud, then leaned over to whispered "and I want to be a good example for these guys too."
That earned me a big smile. So maybe life really was good again.
"Mmmm kay, who wants to help me clean up?" I asked.
"Uh Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said as she drew her wand from the pocket of her house coat and cast the scourgify and the place began to clean itself.
"Well yeah, if you want to do it the easy way." I grinned. "Besides, I have no idea where my wand is."
"Oh I hung your bag in your bathroom. Its probably in that. Why don't you take a shower and get cleaned up while I get the kids ready?"
"Okay, you sure I can't help?"
"No. You covered breakfast, I got this, and uh, you're still a little stinky, isn't he kids?"
"Dahdeeee isn't stinkeeee!" Caly squealed as she laughed.
"That's right. You got my back don't ya?" I said as I hugged them both. "You sure we can't all just hang out today mommy?" I asked Annabeth as the two cutest smiles ever beamed at me.
"Percy, uh, lets talk in here for a second, just give us a minute kids." She said as she stood and went to the next room. Four adoring eyes twinkled at me as I smiled back at them as I rose to follow Wise Girl.
"Percy," she began, "I know you want to be with the kids, its only normal and right and I love you for it, I know you love them and miss them and... well when I saw you making breakfast with Caly this morning, well that was just the most, uh, loving thing I've ever seen. I nearly cried I was so happy, but well, for the last few years we've had a routine. I've had to plan the kids schedule a week in advance and they need that routine... Oh! I know they need their daddy and mommy too, I know that, but there are going to be a lot of changes in their lives and they have been surrounded by the most loving and wonderful friends ever. I don't want to change that routine too suddenly. Plus I was serious. Will said if you didn't rest this morning you couldn't go this afternoon. You understand?"
"I guess, I mean, if you think that's wise. I just..."
"I know. But I also know you're tired and need to take it easy. You will be tired for a while. The kids need a daddy who isn't asleep all the time. Their mommy needs some mommy and daddy time too. Just, you know, alone. So"
"Annabeth I love you but I'm not sure I'm physically up for that I.."
"Uh, no. That's not what I meant. I mean, I won't ever deny you, you know that, but emotionally I'm still in a weird place and I need things to calm down some. I mean,,, you know I love you but..." she started to weep.
"No, I understand. We have forever. We've never been about sex and we still aren't. I don't ever want to be." I said as I held her face in my hands and kissed her.
"Thanks. I married well. I think."
"You think?"
"Yeah.. I mean, no, I know I did, you just have to give me time to readjust. I was in a dark place for a long time and I needed a daily routine I could rely on just to get by. I'm coming out of that and into the light now, but, I'm not out. I'm not going to lie to you about that. Its... well there is a lot going on I need to bring you up to speed on and I don't want to talk about it all around the kids. Some of it is pretty scary."
"I've never known you to be afraid of anything."
"Because since we met I've always had you. No matter what, I knew I was safe if you were there. Always. But now I've been alone for four years, with two kids I love depending on me while the man I love, who I knew would keep me and my children safe, was gone and probably dead. I've learned to be afraid."
"Okay. I understand. Besides you're right. I am pretty tired. I'll bow to your greater wisdom."
"That's a refreshing attitude, and you're tired because you're probably a few years behind on your sleep." She smiled and kissed me. "Okay kids, this morning you're shopping with Hermione and Ron for your birthday, and this afternoon daddy's welcome home party! Lets get ready!"
The kids smiled and hugged me again. None of us wanted to let go. When we did they both went down one of the halls, presumptively to their rooms, to get ready.
"Are they always that well behaved?" I asked Annabeth.
"Usually. They are great kids Percy."
"Were you that well behaved when you were that age?"
"Me? Oh hells no! I thought they got that from you." She replied.
"Seriously?" I asked.
"Maybe it skips a generation?" She giggled.
"It must." I smiled.
I admit it, a hot shower felt practically orgasmic that morning. I had soaked in a pool for a great deal of the last two days, but soap and hot water really made me finally feel clean and alive. Still, and perhaps it was the high carb breakfast, I was fatigued when I got out. Most of the aches and pains were gone. A bit of rest and I would be better.
My bag was in my bathroom and contained my wand. Riptide had returned to my pocket as always, it was never gone, but everything was filthy, greasy and smelly and all got a cleaning. Before I got in I had found some clean shorts and other clothes so when I came out I really looked about as well as I was going to until I got some muscle mass back. Thinking more clearly I decided to go high protein and start swimming laps everyday like I had when I was younger to accomplish this. Still, those blue pancakes were awesome.
I went back to the bedroom just as Annabeth called me.
"Percy, there are some people here that would like to see you."
I went back to the foyer as quickly as I could hobble to find Hermione and Ron. Hermione reached out to embrace me but Ron was quicker and hugged me first.
"Welcome back mate. You.. you were missed" he said as we hugged. Then it was Hermione's turn to do the same.
"Kids, your father is the bravest man I've ever known." Ron told them.
"No, that would have to be Harry or Leo, I'm a distant third at best." I said.
"Shut up Percy" Hermione said as she squeezed me that much harder and I heard her sniffle beside my ear. Geez, why are all my friends so weepy? It was nice to be loved though.
"So how are you two? I hear you're setting a date soon?" I asked.
"Yes! See Ronald! Everyone knows! You shouldn't have told anyone! Even people in the underworld know about it!" Hermione laughed. as she playfully smacked him.
"How did you know?" Annabeth asked.
"I.. I overheard someone talking about it when I was on the couch... honestly, I couldn't even say who." And I couldn't, I have no idea who I over heard.
"Yes though. Its time. Hermione is starting her law studies this fall. She just graduated too."
"And Ronald has been taking some business courses and is joining George and Freddie's shop," Hermione grinned. "Well, we must be going if we are to be back in time. I can't wait to see you this afternoon Percy. Let's talk then, please?"
"Sure. I would like that. I would like that a lot."
More hugs and they were gone. It was just myself and Annabeth.
"So uh"
"Yeah." She replied as we looked at each other.
We kissed a long time, just standing there. We didn't need words for that.
"Are you tired?"
"Yes. Very."
"You should rest then. Come on." She replied as she took me by the hand and led me to our room. She folded down the covers then looked at me.
"Annabeth I..."
"No. We're just sleeping. I... Percy, I think the worst part was learning to sleep alone again. A while ago you said you needed to feel normal. I do too. Let's take a nap and just hold me like you used to. Please?"
"I would love that."
She set the alarm as I took off my shoes and slid into bed. We both stayed dressed otherwise but just being near her and holding her was more intimacy than most would ever experience.
The alarm went off way too soon, only three hours or so later and I reached for my wand so I could kill it but my wand was still in the bathroom. Which, I realized after a moment was where I needed to be to. After another torrent of urinary relief I came back to the bed and Annabeth had called for drinks. Yay! Blue Kool Aid!
"Uh Percy, I love you but you don't need your survival bag in bed. Yet." She smiled.
"No, my wand is in it and next time I want to be able to turn the alarm off for you."
"Oh? You have a spell for that?"
"I figure a stupify would make it explode. If not there is reducto." I grinned.
"Ha! Funny. My dad gave us this because we couldn't use an electric one."
"Repario would fix it." I smirked.
"Percy! You are not going to destroy my alarm!"
"Kidding. So, we need to talk."
"Yeah. I don't want to."
"You don't want to talk? Who are you? Where is Annabeth?"
"Ughhh! No, I want to talk. I don't want to talk about what we need to talk about."
"I think I want to just get it over with." I said as I lay beside her and tried to look into her eyes. She kept looking away.
"Oh, you mean that talk. No I'm not ready. I... I'm working on it. Hoping it goes away."
"Don't bury it. Get it out. You need to vent, I get it, I understand. I fucked up. I know that and"
"Percy."
"Yes."
"Shut up. I'm working through it. We'll talk, but not yet. I'm not ready and you don't get to dictate that. Okay? I love you. I start with that. That's the foundation for me. I've got a whole home to reconstruct. Its going to take time and me throwing bricks at you is not going to help."
"You're being metaphorical about the bricks, right?"
"Not entirely. But anyway, thats not the talk. This is. War is coming. It could happen, well probably at the solstice council. Everyone keeps asking you if you want to talk about the underworld because every parent and benefactor needs to know one thing."
"Woah, I heard that about the war while I was half asleep, your mom said it. What is going on? Why is war coming? Who is fighting? What's it about?"
She turned her face towards me and stared.
"You."
"Me? Why would anyone have a war over me?"
"Percy, when Nico came back and reported that the giants and titans were rising, Hades sealed off Tartarus."
"Yeah, I kind of noticed that Annabeth."
"Right. What you didn't know is that your father demanded he open it as Nico organized, well, an army to go get you. We were all going to go. Your mother was going to watch the kids. Everyone. I mean everyone. The magicians, every house, every cabin at Half Blood, and Jupiter. Chiron, Merlin, I mean, everyone. Poseidon and mother, Aphrodite, Artemis, even Hestia demanded it be reopened. Hades said no. Zeus backed him. Of the twelve only Ares agreed with them."
"Well... I mean, they argued like that before I..."
"Did you hear me say Hera backed them? No because she sided with us. Or at least took no position. I know. Weird. Anyway, since then it has festered. Now you've escaped and Hades is claiming one of the gods must have helped and he's blaming our parents for Tartarus being reopened. He says the guys you've been fighting are going to come up and try to kill everything again, with or without Gaea. Zeus hasn't committed yet but.. well at the solstice he will, and then its on."
"Part of me says let them fight."
"Me too, except it wouldn't be a fist fight in some abstract unplottable space over Manhattan, if it were we would just move Sally, Paul and Estelle here until it was over. No it would be oceans against the underworld against the sky. Millions of innocent mortals would die. And it wouldn't end for centuries. Humanity might be destroyed."
"That would suck." I said.
"I'm serious Percy, this is serious. How did you do it?"
"Don't ask me that."
"Don't keep secrets from me!" She shouted.
"Annabeth, are there, uh, entities that would kill you for knowing it?"
"I don't know. Its certainly the hot topic right now. 'Did Percy fuck up and let the giants and titans out' seems to be the one thing everyone wants to know."
"That I can answer. No. I didn't. I escaped. I'll tell the pantheon. All of them. But no, the Titans and Giants can't get out the way I did. I didn't reopen anything. But please don't ask me how. I don't want you to be endangered by it. Please. Do you trust me?"
She just stared.
"Okay, maybe not the right time to ask that. Will you trust me?"
There was another long pause.
"Yes. I will, but you know the stakes."
"Yeah, death, destruction and end of life as we know it."
"No. The stakes are that if you fail me this time, you never get to ask that again. So what is the plan?"
