Almost 1 year later…
Ψ Percy's P.O.V Ψ
As I blew up balloons for the twins first birthday, I reminisced on their first year, and what a year it had been.
Annabeth had been incredible, and don't you for one moment think this past year has been easy because it's by far been the hardest of my life so far, but she's been incredible through it all.
Parenthood is not easy, don't let anyone tell you it is, it's the most challenging thing in the world, it makes things like defeating a Titan look like cake in comparison.
But you know what? I wouldn't change any of it for the world. Let me tell you why.
Those cute little fingers as they grip your finger for the first time it just warms your heart in a way nothing else does or when you feed them fruit purees for the first time instead of milk and they have what I've dubbed the 'yum' face, when they taste flavours for the first time, cutest thing in the world.
Or when Annabeth pulled a straight week of all-nighters when teething started and then just crashed at the end of the week with the twins in her arms in the armchair in her study. She'd probably hate me for sharing but it's one of my favourite photos I've managed to capture of the three of them.
Or when Nightshade first interacted with the twins, she sniffed at them and just look as us like 'how am I supposed to play with them?' and then later on when they were first able to interact with her and Nightshade look at us like 'what have you done to me?' Annabeth and I had laughed for hours about it.
Seeing the twins interact with their grandparents, was amazing, see them interact with Estelle was almost too much for me to handle. Grace adored Estelle and laughed at everything she did. Oh, the first time they laughed it's such an amazing sound! Charlie had stolen Malcolm's heart, well they both had but Charlie always settled better with Malcolm, whereas Grace referred Piper.
They both however loved they're cousins Thalia and Nico and I was more thrilled about that than ever. There was a really great moment that Thalia had managed to capture a photo of it was the first time Nico had had to change a nappy. His face was a picture of horror and he tried to declare a new torture in the underworld after it (he got over it eventually) we'd all laughed at that though.
There were so many amazing moments, by seven months they were both on the move, which for those who don't know is actually relatively early for that development, but we had two crawlers at seven months and once they are off, they do not sit still ever again let me tell you! Charlie was first to crawl, and it was like just because he had done it, Grace had decided she could do it too, and they never looked back.
A month later we had first words. Grace was first with this one, her first word 'dada'. I can't tell you how much my heart swelled at the moment as I swooned over the fact my little girl could say 'dada'. Annabeth had been a little disappointed, she'd spent eight months exposing our twins to new colours, sounds, books, toys the works, and Grace's first word was 'dada'. Fortunately for her, and for me because I loved it almost as much as Grace calling me 'dada', Charlie's first word came a week later, and it was 'mama'. It had almost brought Annabeth to tears. And then they each learnt the other's first word not long after that.
You have no idea how frustrating it is trying to work out what your child wants when all they are able to do is grunt at you. 'Dada – uh!' 'Mama – uh!' you'd think it'd be for a toy, but more often than not it's actually that they want a clean nappy. Annabeth unsurprisingly, had an amazing idea and, taught both the twins sign language, and then had to teach me too. But what it meant was from a really early age of four months, before they could talk, hey could tell us what they wanted, or what they needed. Watching those little hands open and close as they asked for milk, or clasp together as they asked for more. It was incredible, but what else would you expect from grandchildren of Athena.
Introducing them both to water was amazing for me, both took to it well. Splashing around and squealing in delight as they floated around in the sea with me and Annabeth was one of my favourite moments of the last year. But there are so many to pick a favourite is almost impossible.
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Δ Annabeth's P.O.V Δ
Grace and Charlie turned one tomorrow, and I just didn't know where the time had gone. It felt like yesterday that we found out that we were expecting. And yet at the same time that moment felt like a lifetime ago.
Sally actually summed it up really well, in the first week of their life when she asked me "can you remember life without them?" and my answer was that I couldn't. Because, when I first held our twins it was like a piece of my soul that I hadn't known was missing had been put back, something in me felt complete.
Once they were in our life, it felt like they'd always been there, and they'd only been alive for a week.
I watched as Percy blew up balloons for the twins first birthday, he seemed really lost in thought, not often something that was said about him, but he seemed really happy about whatever he was thinking about.
"Hey Seaweed Brain, what are you thinking about?" I asked.
He stood up and took me by the waist, smiling at me and said, "the last year and what my favourite moments were."
I laced my arms around his neck, "oh, really and what would those be?" I asked.
"Do you remember the first time they laughed?" he asked me.
"Of course, I do, it was magical" I replied. "Remember Gracie's first word?" I smiled at him and he chuckled.
"You were so disappointed, it wasn't 'mama'" he teased.
"Maybe a little, but she's already such a daddy's girl, she even beats Nightshade to the door to see you when you get home from work."
"She is, but Charlie is such a mama's boy" He told me.
"Just like his dad" I teased, and he smiled.
"Remember the first time they tried blueberry?" he asked.
"Their little faces lit up, they loved it from the moment it touched their little taste buds." I laughed and he did too.
"What about when they needed a nap but wouldn't go down for one and then later on in the day, we found them crawled up next to Nightshade in her bed?" I asked.
"How could I forget? It's one of my favourite photos" He told me, and I took the moment to look around or living room to see how different it looked now, a year after they were born.
Besides the children's toys in the toy box under the stairs the room had changed a lot. There were stair gates on every door. Kind of essential when your children start to crawl, to keep them from the stairs or the kitchen. But not just that the photos around the room had changed. They used to be of Percy and me with our friends and our family. Now nearly every photo on display was of the twins. There was one of them in the bath with soap suds on their heads laughing and splashing about, there was the one of them napping with Nightshade in her bed, there were ones of them trying certain foods for the first time – Percy had done a series he called 'the fruits'. There were ones of them walking around smiling at the camera.
Charlie had been the first to walk, like he had been the first to crawl. Grace, in true Grace style, didn't want to be left out and had taken her first steps only a few days later.
"Do you have a favourite moment?" Percy asked me, pulling me back from my thoughts of the past.
"I have so many, but nearly all of them involve me going to make bottles or warm up food for them and coming back and seeing you interact with them. I think my absolute favourite was a day back in the start of June, it was the first week of camp and the village was busy as it always is that first week. But, for whatever reason we have that torrential down pour of rain and we'd been stuck inside all day, you'd taken Nightshade out and she got soaked. I'd gone to warm up food, I can't remember what it was now, but you came back, and they were so amazed that you were dry. They weren't able to voice it, but you could see the amazement in their little eyes. And then you started chasing them around the room and they were squealing in excitement as daddy chased them, even more so when daddy caught them and started tickling them." I told him.
The joy and the smiles on our children's faces, I'd never forget it, they just loved 'daddy time.'
Percy chuckled, "I probably should have left some water on my hair or something, I hadn't thought about it at the time."
"Hey Wise Girl, do you reckon they'll take after a godly grandparent? Frank and Hazel say some of the legacies in New Rome do." Percy said to me and if we're being honest, I didn't know.
"I don't know, Seaweed Brain, but if they do, they're still way too young to know which one they take after." I replied.
"What if they took after both" He mused.
"Then I wouldn't like to be the monster that came up against them." I told him seriously.
"No, they'll be a force to be reckoned with." He agreed proudly.
It was funny really when I thought back on it. Loyalty was Percy's fatal flaw, and it was something I learnt from him. Pride was my fatal flaw and Percy had never been prideful or proud not until we had the twins. I saw every day just how proud he was of them. It just made me love him even more than I already did.
Δ
Ξ Thalia's P.O.V Ξ
I could not believe the twins were turning one tomorrow. I did not know where the last year had gone!
They were so big and grown up already, they were running around all over the place, they were starting to talk. It reminded me a lot of Jason, and when I used to look after him when he was a baby. I missed my brother every day, I wished I could talk to him, catch him up on everything he's missed out on.
I wondered how his life would have turned out, if he were still alive, would he have his own family by now? I tried to shake the thoughts that plagued my mind, I was only going to end up on a path I couldn't return from if I weren't careful.
I was on my way to the Greek Village to celebrate with Percy and Annabeth and as I travelled, I looked back on memories.
My first thought was of Annabeth, as that young know-it-all seven year old with only a hammer for a weapon. She was so thrilled, to find out Luke and I were like her, that she wasn't alone. She really enjoyed telling me all those facts she knew and correcting me or Luke when we got something wrong.
We'd all had problems at home, that was what had brought us together. So, imagine my surprise when I woke up from a tree and found that she'd not only aged six years but was in love with a boy, and that said boy had convinced her to go home and work things out with her family.
Annabeth might not have known back then, but it was certainly obvious to everyone else, that she loved Percy and that he loved her. A fact that couldn't have been made clearer that following winter when she was kidnapped, and he crossed the country without permission to save her.
It seems almost laughable, that it took another two years for them to get together officially and then only four months later for Percy to be taken from her and swapped with Jason. It was almost a cruel twist of fate, but like all things they overcame it and were stronger than ever together.
Not to mention how they were almost one being when they returned from the depths of hell, and that wasn't without it's issues either but again they overcame it and if anyone were to be unsure before that they could and would cover come anything thrown at them, well they knew it then.
Looking back, I saw how far Annabeth had come from that seven-year-old girl, and Percy from that thirteen year old boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders. And I was proud. Proud to call them my friends, my family. Honoured to still be a part of their lives, that their daughter had mine and Jason's name and that they were my godchildren.
I knew for as long as I got to walk on this earth, I would always be involved and connected to Percy and Annabeth in some way or another. And as someone who is almost immortal that was comforting to me.
With all that in mind I'd thought a lot about what to get the twins for their birthday. Yes, they were going to be one, but the fact was the world we lived in was dangerous and eventually they would become a part of all the fighting too. I had absolutely no doubt that when that time came Percy and Annabeth would have made sure that they were both beyond prepared. But you were never too early to learn, I'd got them both their first archery bows, of course the arrows weren't real, I'm not totally irresponsible! And maybe it was a little dig at Percy's poor archery skills, but after all these years we could laugh at stuff like that. Still, I couldn't wait to see his face when they opened them up.
Ξ
Ξ Piper's P.O.V Ξ
I couldn't believe Grace and Charlie were one tomorrow. Malcolm and I had spent so much time with them over the past year. Malcolm was absolutely besotted with them both, and I knew one day, he'd make a brilliant dad.
A lot had happened in the past year, I had graduated, Malcolm had started his first year of his PhD and we were still going steady.
I now held a degree in media studies. I didn't want to act like my dad, I didn't want that kind of limelight. But I liked the technical side of things and a few of my short films for the college had been put forward for awards.
I had an internship starting at the end of the summer with a small production company in New York, I was excited even if I was probably only going to be getting people coffee for the first week. I was mainly excited because I had got to where I was on my own, even though my dad had offered to help me. I wanted to be accepted because my work was good, not just because I was Piper McLean daughter of Tristan McLean. Dad understood that, which was great. He'd had two films come out in the last year and he'd started filming another about a month ago. If possible, his schedule was busier than ever, but he seemed happy enough. Mellie was still his secretary, and Coach Hedge and Chuck were living out there with him. I was glad he wasn't alone.
Ξ
Malcolm and I had had conflicting views on what to buy the twins for their first birthday. Malcolm wanted to get them books, so they had more bedtime stories and I wanted to get them something interactive. So naturally as the cool Aunt and Uncle we were we compromised and got both.
We were both really excited to see them open the gifts we had for them. Malcolm, I knew although he'd never admit it, really wanted to be able to read one of the stories he'd got for them, to them tomorrow. I didn't know whether it was a 'child of Athena thing' but he just loved to teach them things and wanted to show them all the knowledge the world had to offer.
I wasn't surprised that Malcolm was so good with the twins, there had been a lot of younger kids in the Athena cabin in the time he and Annabeth had been there. And the twins seemed to love him almost as much as he loved them.
I thought back to a time where Malcolm had thought he didn't know what love was. That seemed almost laughable now, almost two years later.
Ξ
I'd spent a lot of time with Charlie and Grace over the past year and I loved every moment of that time with them. I also missed them both terribly when we weren't there with them especially after we'd just left for the day. I'd quickly discovered that I was brooding during those times. I wanted a child of my own, not right now, but one day in the future it was something Grace and Charlie and shown me that I wanted.
It was something I thought a lot about too, would they have my eyes? Would they like the Cherokee fables my grandpa and dad used to tell me, when I told them? Would they believe in glowing hedgehogs or would they just think their mom was being silly because of course stars weren't glowing hedgehogs?
Loads of questions flew around my mind as I thought about having my own child one day. I always had to try really hard not to get too caught up in my emotions as they spiralled when I started thinking on this topic. I just hoped that when the time came, I was as suited to motherhood as Annabeth was.
Ξ
Ψ Percy's P.O.V Ψ
The twins party went off without a hitch. Everyone came and shared in their day with them. Annabeth and I got to laugh with our friends and family, and they all got to interact with the twins and see them open their presents.
I say party, it was more a small get together than a party but when they were older, we'd have many parties I was sure about that!
The twins had been given so many things, new toys, new clothes, new books, they had been so overwhelmed by it all, that they were both sound asleep by half five which was almost unheard of in this house. Thalia and Malcolm had both wanted to put the twins to bed so they each took one upstairs and returned half an hour later declaring that they were both asleep.
Little Emily Zhang wasn't going to be far behind, she was sitting in her father's lap with a drink and her favourite stuffed elephant toy, which I'm proud to say had been a gift from us when she was born. It had started as a joke about Frank being a part time elephant, but I was glad she loved it so much!
Annabeth and I sat with our friends and we conversed about their lives and our lives and everything we'd not had a chance to speak about recently.
Clarisse and Chris were expecting their first child, a boy, he was due in November. Grover and Juniper were planning their wedding, they'd set the date in July next year. Malcolm was going to ask Piper to move in with him soon, but Piper didn't know yet. Piper was starting her internship with Manhattan productions soon; Malcolm was really proud of her.
Frank, Hazel and Emily were doing really well, Emily was starting nursery in the fall. Nico and Will had moved in together with their dog Hunter. Will was still working at the hospital, Nico was helping his dad mostly, but he seemed happy with that outcome. Nico also completely doted on Emily, anything that that little girl wanted – she need only go to her Uncle Nico, and I could see Hazel and Frank, loved seeing the two of them together almost as much as Will. I got the impression Will wanted a family one day. I hoped that happened for them.
Thalia was still enjoying the hunt and the responsibilities she had there. And she visited as often as she could which was great the kids adored her, as she did them, I hoped they got to spend a lot of time with their Aunt Thalia as they grew up.
Leo and Calypso couldn't make it but had sent a pair of remote drive in cars which I'll admit I was super jealous about. There was nothing like this when I was a kid. I couldn't wait to take Nightshade for a walk tomorrow and have the kids strapped into their cars and drive them about, I think I possibly liked the gift more than Charlie and Grace.
Reyna and Rachel also hadn't made it but that was okay. I knew they were both super busy, they'd said they pop in some time within the next week to see the four of us which worked well for us.
Even though the four of them couldn't make it for various reasons they'd all made an effort to spend time with the twins over the past year. Leo had nearly given Annabeth a heart attack once when he told Calypso he'd show them how to use fire properly. After making him promise to wait until they were old enough to purchase scissors before showing them how to use fire properly, she did calm down. I neglected to mention that we were fighting monsters and titans before that age knowing that it wouldn't help.
Rachel had slowly been trying to introduce the twins to the world of painting – it had been a very messy ordeal and I was glad we'd decided to that activity outside. Poor Nightshade had had multiple sets of neon coloured handprints on her for hours before I finally managed to bath her. She had stayed out of the way for the next few attempts at painting.
Reyna was great with the twins and when she visited, they played heroes vs monsters of course her and Annabeth had differing strategies for the heroes and it was more Greeks vs monsters vs Romans and which strategy was best, but it was part of their heritage being descendants of Athena.
Speaking of Athena, her and my dad have found a new thing to fight over, who's the best grandparent? Annabeth and I knew he peace between the two of them wouldn't last forever we just didn't realise we'd give them a reason to start fighting again. At least they weren't cursing each other.
Dad had decided that every new born needed a Seahorse and not a toy seahorse or a Hippocampus an actual Seahorse. So, there are two seahorses waiting under the ocean for if and when they came into their water powers. I suspected as did Annabeth that that would be a when as would their intelligence, something else we suspected both gods had blessed our children with. Because of the seahorse thing, Athena had given them each an owl like a live owl, for when they were older. At this rate we were going to own half a zoo before they were seven, but as long as the twins and Annabeth we happy that's all that mattered to me.
They did both make sure they saw the twins at least once a month, which considering the laws on interacting with their children, was really great.
Artemis had gifted the twins these amazing blankets that had tales of hunts woven into them, some of the stories Thalia had been a part of and was able to tell the Charlie and Grace. It was amazing they hung on Thalia's every word, I was pretty sure she was a crowd favourite.
Hestia had gifted them an interactive game which involved Annabeth and I helping them ensuring we spent more time together as a family.
Annabeth's family had been incredible over the past year. Frederick and Helen had visited often and always brought something for the twins, clothes, formula, shoes, you name it if they needed something, they brought it when they visited. Annabeth's dad had given the twins their first set of aviator googles for their birthday, both Annabeth and Helen had rolled their eyes affectionately at her father who couldn't wait to take them flying. I was a bit nervous about letting him do that because of the whole Zeus' domain thing but Annabeth was breaking me down on it slowly.
Bobby and Matthew had practically moved to New York with how much we saw them, and Annabeth and I loved having them about. They were great with the twins always entertaining them and giving Annabeth and I a sometimes much needed half an hour break from everything. They had also loved the gift from Leo and Calypso and couldn't wait to walk Nightshade with me tomorrow to test them out. That earnt the three of us one of Annabeth's affectionate eyerolls, but it was worth it.
Bobby and Matthew got the twins a video game that was aimed at kids a little older than them with the excuse that with Athena brains they could handle it. It was to their credit educational and they would no doubt be the ones playing the game with them.
Mom, Paul and Estelle helped out in ways I didn't even know were possible until they had come to pass. We had a standard weekly Sunday dinner with them, and it meant Paul, mom and Estelle got to interact with the twins and Annabeth and I got fussed over by my mom. We'd had naps, and food packages to take home for us so we didn't have to cook from scratch. And, while we napped Paul and Estelle had taken a drive with the twins or they'd all gone out to walk Nightshade, it was just little things like that, that when you're sleep deprived from two teething children was incredibly appreciated!
My family had bought the twins a swing set from the back garden and both of the twins loved it. Estelle had also seen princess fancy dress which she wanted for her and Grace but then realising that Charlie probably wouldn't want to be a princess had brought him a frog costume because he wasn't old enough to be a prince yet. Or so she tells me, I had a feeling Artemis would approve of her logic, it certainly had made Thalia laugh.
As I looked towards the future, I couldn't wait to see what firsts the future held for us all if it were anything like the past year it would certainly be one hell of a ride.
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~Author's Note ~
Hi, all thanks for reading! I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter! Apologies for the delay in updating work has been a little mental amongst other life issues. I'm moving to a new house within a fortnight, dates pending, so the next and final chapter might take a while to upload after this, but I will try and finish this story before then if I can.
Jackseaweedjackson - Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! I hope you enjoyed this one too!
SarcasmRocks - Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Of course, Grace has those rights but then one of them had to! I figured the one that was named after Thalia would be fitting for that. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Silverphoenix233 - Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Glad you liked the names; hope you liked this chapter!
Guest Jan 8th - Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Glad you liked the names; hope you liked this chapter!
Anz2KFire - Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! I wondered where AndrewIsGoat had gone welcome back! I hope you liked this chapter.
Sahanya ganegoda - Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! The new one is an alternative universe no demi gods at all. And nope that's not my plan for Thalia and Luke – I guess you'll have to read to find out ! I'm glad you feel you can freely talk to me and thank you for your kind words. Hope you liked this chapter!
IamWizard5210 - Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Apologies for the suspense but I was debating ending the last chapter on a cliff hanger where you didn't know whether or not Annabeth made it so y'know at least it wasn't that mean right? Happy to be the first fanfiction you read – if you want to continue it on after the next one, I'll leave that up to you! Hope you like this chapter and the other story if you decide to read it!
Stay safe and happy reading all!
