Annabeth's P.O.V

I wasn't sure when, but at some point while telling the Queen of the Gods what we believed marriage meant, we had been brought to Olympus.

Percy was still staring into my eyes and I knew he was thinking the same thing as I was; A promise, a commitment, a foundation of love and together. We had been a partnership for so long now that we had worked on most of the things we had talked about when we had talked about marriage.

"I think they understand, just fine" Poseidon's voice sounded from nearby, he sounded irritated.

Percy looked up from my eyes at the sound of his father's voice. I looked up too and noticed that it wasn't just Poseidon that was present but my mom and Lady Aphrodite as well.

"Dad, when did you?" He started to ask but it was my mother that answered him.

"We have been here the whole time" my mother informed us "we were allowed to observe but not interfere." She added also sounding irritated. I was getting the impression that our godly parents had not wanted the Queen of the gods to put us through her test.

"Silence" Queen Hera said harshly "you have passed this test, I shall bless this union." She said sounding almost miffed and then flashed out. I realised when I looked around that we were in the gardens of Olympus. I also realised that my thoughts were clear for possibly the first time since we had left the beach, all my thoughts were still there but I could process them now.

"Do you feel like your head has just become clear?" Percy asked me confirming my suspicions that it had been Hera who had clouded our minds with jumbled thoughts and desires.

"Yes, I think it was supposed to make the task more challenging" I answered and my dislike of her bovine majesty was only growing.

"All the same you have passed Queen Hera's test, you have recognised what it takes for a marriage to work." My mother said.

"But I hadn't finished" Percy started and I smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

"I know Percy; I sense that on the subject of marriage, you are actually rather wise." My mother said to him and if ever you were going to get a compliment from my mom being told you were wise was the top one. "As do you, my daughter" she added. I smiled at my mother and although she didn't smile back I could see pride in her eyes.

Lady Aphrodite was practically beaming at us. "Of course they passed, hello true love." She waved her hands at us as if this was obvious.

"Estelle!" Percy said next to me "Mom knew, didn't she?" He asked his father.

"Not exactly" his father admitted "we were not permitted to interfere with Queen Hera's plans but we agreed" he glanced at my mother "that Estelle shouldn't be alone when you were brought here."

"But, she wouldn't have been alone - Thalia" I said and my mother nodded at me.

"Yes my child, but as equipped as the lieutenant of Artemis is-" my mother started and at the mention of her name, Lady Artemis appeared.

"She would have been safe with Thalia" Percy said and it was true "just because she's a hunter doesn't mean she wouldn't know what to do." I heard certainty in his voice; I knew he believed whole heartedly that his sister would have been safe with Thalia. I couldn't agree more knowing firsthand how she had taken care of me when I was only seven.

"I agree, with young Perseus" Lady Artemis said and offered Percy a rare smile. The three Gods turned as if only just now noticing she had joined them in the gardens of Olympus.

"Lady Artemis, you're hunters" I said knowing that with her here and Thalia at ours that they were on their own.

"Are at camp" she smiled as if she appreciated that I cared about the safety of her hunters and I did. "Or at least with their lieutenant" she added meaning that they were all at our house.

I looked at Percy as he took in this news and I could see the cogs turning in his brain.

"What are you thinking?" I asked him and I could see he was nervous. His hand was rubbing the back of his neck the way he did when always did when he was unsure or nervous.

"Well, if it's acceptable" he started looking at Lady Artemis "they could stay in the theatre room, I mean they'd have to double up on the beds and some might have to use sleeping bags..." he trailed off like he wasn't sure how to finish his thought. I thought it was really sweet. "I could stay in the Poseidon cabin" he added.

"Your hospitality is generous" Lady Artemis said.

"You would leave your home? Lady Aphrodite asked him almost disgustedly she have never approved of the hunters swearing off love. My mother looked at him approvingly and I realised she did not do that often.

I looked at Percy and I could see how red his face was.

"Well, yeah" he said "I don't want a guest in my home, sorry our home" he corrected looking at me "to be uncomfortable" he finished and I smiled at him, I really wanted to kiss him but I thought better of it with such an audience.

"I agree" I said and I did, I didn't want a guest uncomfortable in our home either. "Lady Artemis, your hunters are always welcome in our home."

She smiled at me and nodded, Lady Aphrodite scoffed like our offer was ridiculous.

"Although" Percy added before Lady Artemis could give her decision "if I'm sleeping in dad's cabin, I'm taking Nightshade to keep me company." He teased.

"Thalia won't be happy about that" I told him and I think it was partly why he had said it.

Artemis had decided that the hunters could decide what they felt most comfortable with when we got home. Which basically meant Thalia got to decide and as soon as she heard Nightshade would go if Percy went, him leaving wasn't an option but they would stay in the theatre room until morning and then go on their next hunt after breakfast. Hestia returned us to our hearth a little before half past eight; we stayed up at chatted with Thalia about the task Hera had wanted to set for us. Thalia laughed when we told her we hadn't actually had to enter the test because we already had the answer.

"I bet that annoyed her" Thalia said and Percy and I laughed but nodded in response.

We decided to call it a night at around ten, Percy went up and I checked that the hunters had everything they needed before doing the same.

Percy's P.O.V

Annabeth fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. I laid next to her trying to sort through all the cloudy thoughts Hera had put in my mind. They weren't really that out there, the thoughts were my own, entire she had just moved them to the forefront of my mind. I hadn't really noticed how cloudy my mind had been because of how much energy I had used entertaining Estelle. The only thought I kept coming back to was how great a mom Annabeth would be.

I looked over at my future wife and frowned she was scowling and sweating. I took her hand and laced her fingers with mine and placed a kiss on her forehead. It had been ages since either of us had had a bad dream, mostly because part of Annabeth's design for the Greek village meant that there was a layer of magic over it so retired demigods didn't dream of the problems in the world. So, Annabeth's nightmare had to be a worry or a memory, I hoped it wasn't a memory of our time in the pit. Even the magic hadn't stopped those it had taken us quite some time to subdue the nightmares that followed being in that place. I also hoped that it wasn't a worry I had inadvertently placed in her head with my cloudy thoughts.

I pulled Annabeth closer to me and she rolled over and put her head on my chest. I kissed her forehead and told her everything was okay. It seemed to work because she stopped scowling and her facial features seem to relax and look more at peace. I hoped that whatever was bothering her; had been dispelled from her mind. Sleep found me pretty quickly after that and I had a worrying dream of my own.

~5 hours later~

"Percy! Percy!" Annabeth woke me, my heart was racing and my cheeks were wet with tears.

"I'm sorry" I said wiping my face, I had clearly woken her.

"It's okay, I wasn't sleeping well either." She told me and I looked at the clock next to the bed it was just after 3am. I joined Annabeth sitting up in our bed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked her.

"Yeah" she said and we got out of bed much like we had when we had our flashbacks and headed for the kitchen.

I made us both a hot chocolate and put in the blue marshmallows we had in the cupboard. I also grabbed the cookie jar which had only been filled with blue cookies yesterday and we headed out onto the back porch. I sat next to Annabeth on the bench swing, handed her a mug and offered her a cookie. It was quite a warm night for early August but I still offered to get her a blanket but she refused insisting she was okay.

She looked up at the stars and I did the same, together we said "Bob says hello."

We sat in silence for a while before Annabeth broke the silence.

"It wasn't like normal" she started and I knew exactly what she meant, mine hadn't been either. "But, it sort of overlapped" she stopped and took a sip of hot chocolate before carrying on.

"We were expecting, and we had another one of her tests..." she said looking at me and I knew she meant Hera; I nodded to let her know I understood "...I didn't... I didn't pass this one, so she sent me down there as her punishment. I was alone, you were up here, we weren't together, we were no longer expecting. She took it all away and separated us and without you with me I didn't ..." she broke off and silent tears ran down her face "I didn't make it back to you this time" she managed to finish. I put my mug down and pulled her into my lap and hugged her tightly.

"There is no way you'd fail a test on being a mom" I told her "besides the fact that you've never failed a test in your life, I know in my heart" "and my brain" I added and she smiled "that you are going to be a great mom Wise Girl." I was going to add that I'd jump into Tartarus to find her but she looked into my eyes and I knew she already knew that, I didn't need to tell her.

"Thanks Seaweed Brain" she said and kissed me. "But, how can you be so sure?" She asked me.

"Because, I know you and I know what's in here" I said placing my hand on her heart. "You know what a child wants and needs, the way you are with Little Star, I know you're going to be an amazing mom when we have our own."

"Thank you" she whispered and rested her head next on my shoulder. "Do you want to talk about yours?" She asked, and I did.

"It's actually not too far away from yours" I answered. "We had two children one boy one girl..." I started "... and everything I did just wasn't enough, I failed them, I couldn't save them, I wasn't a good enough dad to save them." I finished and like Annabeth had had, I had tears flowing down my cheeks. I rested my head on top on Annabeth's as we looked out at our silent garden.

"You won't fail them Percy, I know because like you know what's in mine I know what's in your heart too. Yesterday when Estelle figured out using her fork, the smile on your face it was proud; but more of a proud dad smile than a proud big brother smile. You care so much Percy, there's nothing you could do that our children, when we have them, wouldn't know that you care for them." I kissed the top of her head; she always knew just what to say.

"Thank you" I whispered, we sat in silence for a while enjoying each other's company.

"I've been thinking about it a lot" I said breaking the silence "kids I mean."

"Me too" Annabeth said.

"It's not something we've talked about much" I noted " I know we mentioned it the other night and I know how I feel about it but I've never asked and I feel like I should. Do you want kids Annabeth?" She turned in my lap and rested her forehead on mine looking me in the eyes.

"I do, I guess with the wars and everything else we never had time to think about it before. But, yes I do and it's really sweet of you to ask. I think I already know the answer but do you want kids Percy?" She asked.

"Yes" I answered and leaned in to kiss her.

"Although" I said as I pulled away "if we have a daughter as smart as you, I'm going to be in trouble." I teased.

"Yes, because a son just like you would be so much easier" she said rolling her eyes teasingly before kissing me again.

"What do you want to do?" I asked her.

"About having children?" She asked and I blushed.

"No, I meant did you want to go back to bed or just sit and watch the sunrise"

"Oh" she said and blushed too "I don't think I'd be able to go back now, watch the sunrise?" She asked me.

"Whatever you want Wise Girl" I said and settled back on the swing with Annabeth still sitting in my lap, her head resting on my shoulder. Together we watched the sunrise and together we said "Bob says hello."

Annabeth's P.O.V

Once the sun had risen, Percy and I sat for a little longer before heading inside and cooking breakfast for the hunters.

"Sorry" I said as I watched Percy pour his hot chocolate away.

"Don't worry" he said smiling at me. Percy started cooking and I went to extend the table in the dining room so we would all fit.

By the time I'd set the table Percy had so many things cooking all at once I thought it was a miracle, especially with our lack of sleep, that nothing had caught fire. I knew though that this was one of his favourite things to do. Watching Percy cook for people was almost like watching him make shapes in the sea yesterday. He treated it like it was an art form.

Thalia entered the kitchen followed by her hunters as Percy started to plate things up to go into the dining room for people to help themselves.

"Oh you guys are in for a treat" Thalia said as she led the hunters through to the dining room. I smiled; Percy did have a tendency to go all out when he made food for people. Like this morning he had plates of bacon, sausages, hash browns, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried eggs, poached eggs, scrambled eggs, toast and French toast, he'd also done a vegetarian alternative to sausage and bacon and then just coming off the stove he had a hollandaise sauce and baked beans. As Percy finished what he was doing I took the various plates through. We'd used the goblets that provided whatever drink you wanted it was just easier, in hind sight using the magic plates would have been easier too.

Percy brought in the sauce and the beans and placed them on the table.

"Tuck in" he said and turned to leave, to be respectful of the hunters.

"Sit down Kelp Head' Thalia said and she'd left two places next to her. Percy took the seat immediately to her left and I sat the other side of him.

The hunters immediately started piling their plates up with food. Percy put to pieces of toast, topped each with bacon and a poached egg and then drizzled the Hollandaise sauce over it. Thalia looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to be?" She asked him.

"Eggs Benedict" he replied "though normally it's on an English muffin instead of toast, we just didn't have those in so..." he trailed of gesturing at his toast as if his next few words should have been obviously.

Thalia scrunched her nose. "It's actually really nice" I said to her, but I decided to just have some bacon, with hash browns and scrambled eggs instead.

"So why aren't you having it?" She asked.

"I just fancied this instead it's not a reflection on Percy's cooking" I said.

"Alright Kelp Head layer me up" she said passing him her plate so he could replicate his own.

Percy rolled his eyes but obliged and passed Thalia he plate back before tucking into his own breakfast.

I got the impression Thalia enjoyed the eggs Benedict because it did not take her long to clear her plate.

"Alright" she said "that was great- I should come for breakfast more often" she said piling more food on her plate.

Once they'd finished breakfast the hunters went to pack up their things as Percy and I cleared the table. Thalia had tried to stay behind and help but Percy and I insisted it wasn't necessary. I was about to start filling the sink to wash the dishes but Percy stopped me.

"Don't worry about that" he said to me "I'll do it when you've started your project after our guests have left."

I leant over and kissed him it was really sweet of him. Nightshade ate her breakfast so fast it was like she knew Thalia was leaving and if she didn't eat quickly enough she wouldn't get to say goodbye. She really did love my best friend I thought to myself.

Thalia's P.O.V

The hunters and I slept in the theatre room at Percy and Annabeth's. It was one of the best nights sleep that I had had in a while. I had forgotten that the village had a layer of magic over it to prevent prophetic dreams. I had to admit it was really nice.

The smell of breakfast cooking woke me and I knew whatever we were having was going to be good. The rest of my hunters were stirring too at the smell that was wafting in from the kitchen. I got up and wandered out into the kitchen and noticed Annabeth and Percy at the counter and they looked like they had hardly slept. I frowned I didn't understand how they hadn't slept with the magic that enveloped the village. I decided now was not the time to ask.

Percy started plating up various breakfast foods and I looked back at my hunters and told them they were in for a real treat and they were. Percy's cooking was amazing and my mouth was already watering at the smell of the food he had prepared. I led the hunters into the dining room and we all settled around the table. I left two spaces on my left so Percy and Annabeth could sit with me.

Percy the idiot set down all of his hard work and was going to leave without eating, the chivalrous moron. I appreciated the sentiment and I could see so did the other hunters but I told him to sit down.

"What's that supposed to be?" I asked him looking at the measly amount of food my cousin and put on his plate. When he told me what it was I scrunched my nose, I'd never had a breakfast that looked so fancy. I wondered when Percy had; I assumed his mom had introduced it to him. I decided to try it and it was nothing short of amazing but I was still hungry so I loaded up more food onto my plate once I'd eaten it. Percy only had the eggs Benedict and it was unlike him to eat so little and again I wondered what had kept them up. I'm sure Annabeth would tell me next time we Iris messaged.

I offered to help clear the table as did the hunters but Percy and Annabeth refused saying they would take care of it. I shook my head in disbelief; it was almost like they didn't miss questing at all, like if all they had for the rest of their lives was clearing the plates after entertaining guests that that would be enough for them. I bet they did miss it, I thought as I went to pack up my things.

As we set off on our hunt I could hear the chatter of the hunters behind me. They were talking about breakfast and they were being very complimentary considering Percy had made it all. I thought that maybe Lady Artemis wasn't the only one to have a soft spot for Percy, then I also thought that maybe they were more accepting of Percy because Lady Artemis was. Either way I appreciated that they respected my cousin and friend.

Percy's P.O.V

Annabeth spent all day in her study on her project. I took meals to make sure she ate and took breaks.

I'd like to say my day was as productive as hers but, I was so tired from the previous night. I spent most of the day playing tug of war with Nightshade. I was grateful for the puppy she was literally the only thing making sure I stayed awake to make sure Annabeth ate and took a break.

I was alone with my thoughts for the day and it struck me how normal our lives had become. Well, as normal as it could get for two demigods who had decided to retire from questing, I thought.

I thought back to when I was twelve when we had returned from our first quest and Luke had asked me if I missed it. I had at the time, even though I had almost died several times. Thinking back on it, it wasn't even the monster fighting I had missed. It was the camaraderie that I missed, camp was awesome but, there were so many other things going on that the camaraderie at camp was different to that of a quest. I didn't miss it anymore; I had something much better now and it had all started with that first quest.

Annabeth and I had been through so much together and some of those things were truly terrifying, but in the face of it all we had always had one constant, each other. I had no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't be alive without her. I thought about my fatal flaw, personal loyalty, Athena had once told me for a friend I would sacrifice the world. I knew for Annabeth I would, at the end of the Titan war I remembered all that had really mattered to me was that she had lived. I wondered if it was my fatal flaw that had made me want to give up questing for her. I knew instantly that that wasn't why, what we were building now was why, our home, our future, our family.

Her voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Seaweed Brain, are you ok?" There was concern in her voice; I must have had a really odd look on my face. I blinked a few times and focused on her face, Gods she's beautiful.

"Wise Girl" I said and smiled at her "I'm fine, you?"

"Tired but okay" she responded sitting next to me. "Where were you just now?" She asked as I rested my head in her lap and looked up at her. I drank in her features, I often did this, took in how beautiful she was. It never ceased to amaze me, how seriously beautiful she was.

"I was thinking about how different our lives are now" I answered truthfully, I saw a few different emotions pass through her eyes.

"Would you change any of it?" She asked me. I sat up a little and put my hand on the back of her neck and gently pulled her head down to meet mine halfway. I kissed and when I pulled away I answered her.

"Never" she smiled before kissing me again. "Would you?" I asked as I settled back down.

"Never" she answered instantly not even hesitating. My heart did about a million jumping jacks in my chest.

"I love you" I told her.

"I love you too" she told me.

It was a perfect end to the day, and I thought to myself if everyday ended this way for the rest of our lives. Well, that would be pretty perfect too.

Annabeth's P.O.V

I woke with his arms around my waist and my head on his chest. I didn't remember coming up to bed last night, but I was so tired after working on my wedding dress with my mother and Lady Aphrodite that I guess I must have fallen asleep on the sofa.

I glanced at the clock on his night stand it was still really early, too early to get up I decided. I rested my head back down on his chest and thought about our conversation from last night. I thought about how Percy had changed my life and what was important to me. I was no longer that young girl who desperately wanted to prove her worth on a quest. Percy had shown me that I was so much more than that and I loved him for it all the more. I was now a strong woman, who was completely in love and wanted to start a family with him.

I traced circles on his bare chest as if rose and fell under me and let my thoughts drift to our future.

"Wise Girl that tickles" his voice broke my train of thought, I looked up at his face, he was smiling but his eyes were still closed.

"I didn't mean to wake you, sorry" I said, but I didn't stop tracing the circles.

"Don't apologise" he said and opened his eyes "it's one of my favourite things, waking up like this" he said and kissed the top of my head.

"Mine too" I replied "Seaweed Brain, you know we were talking about quests last night and if we missed it?" I started.

"Yes" he replied, and his sea green eyes met my grey ones and I knew I didn't have to voice my next thoughts. "You miss sparring don't you?" He asked.

"A little, it's been so long since we really sparred it would nice every now and again. Just to make sure I'm not out of practice." I said and my mind was swimming with thoughts of our children, I had to make sure I was still sharp enough to protect them.

"Uh huh" he teased and I knew he knew why I really wanted it. He leaned down and kissed me before I could say anything else. My heart was pounding in my chest, if it went any faster, it was sure Percy would feel it against his chest.

We got out of bed, albeit, a little later than normal and headed downstairs. Nightshade was waiting for us wagging her tail in excitement.

"Morning girl" I said to her "do you want breakfast?" She barked playfully at me and I took that to mean yes. She dashed to the kitchen and sat by her bowl waiting for me to put her food down. "Good girl" I praised as I placed her food on the floor, she looked up at me waiting for me to tell her she could eat. "Yes" I said and she dashed so quickly to her bowl and started eating. I stroked her head as she ate it was so important to me that she wasn't protective of her food.

It didn't seem to matter what we did at the moment, my thoughts always came back to us having children. If you'd have told me at the age of twelve that the scrawny boy with the big heart that stumbled across the property line at camp would make me feel this way, I probably would have told you it wasn't possible. 'After all I'm a daughter of Athena' I could hear my twelve year old self justifying it in my mind. I couldn't help but smile at the thought.

Percy had made blue pancakes for breakfast, normally reserved for a special occasion.

"What are we celebrating?" I asked him as I sat opposite him.

"You finishing your super secret project" he replied, and smiled knowingly at me. I knew he knew that it was my wedding dress.

It had taken all day to complete yesterday; my mother had expertly woven the skirt with all of the moments of our lives that had got us to this point. As she had woven the silk Lady Aphrodite had recited an incantation and the silk we were using had had a pink glow to it, a blessing of love. I had woven the waves for the bodice and the owl feathered sleeves. I couldn't quite believe that it currently hung in a garment hanger in my study so that it was safe and protected. I couldn't wait for him to see me in it.

"Thank you" I said once we'd finished breakfast. I told him about my idea for Chris and Clarisse's house, how I thought we could build a hologram room to had monster battle simulations.

"That's an awesome idea, Wise Girl, how come we don't have one?" He asked.

"We could" I said "but we've only got one room it could go in, and you wanted to use that for something else." I told him, I was talking about the basement, Percy wanted to make it into a games room but it was the only space we had that was big enough for this project.

"Well I think this is a better use for it" he told me and I told him I wanted to speak to Chiron about maybe setting one up at camp for all the monsters they couldn't just put in the woods but all the monsters that campers would need to learn how to fight.

"Again, I think it's a great idea" he told me.

"Thanks" I replied, I'd already started the blueprints and I knew I'd need Leo's help for it he was the best at holographic simulations.

When I came back downstairs after getting dressed, Percy was stood by the door with Nightshade on a lead and a bag packed with my Drakon bone sword in his hand.

"Want to spar?" He asked me, and I nodded taking my sword and Nightshade and stepping out the door.

~Author's Note~

Tirzah19 – Thank you so much for your kind words, I'm really glad you liked the last chapter and like my writing.

I'm trying to post at least one update a week, I really hope you're all enjoying and if there's any part of their lives you'd like to hear more of please let me know and i can try and work it in.

Happy reading all