A/N Yikes, guys, I wrote this Tuesday evening, so sorry about the tardiness, but I still updated on time! As you'll probably figure out, no beta reader for this chapter, I just didn't have enough time. It's short and sweet, and here we'll see a character make an unexpected appearance!

3 months later(aka June)...

Percy POV

Being a parent is tough. Like, tougher than you could even imagine.

Let's just say, that with all the deprivation and energy depletion, I'm genuinely upset that parents aren't declared superheroes.

Nevertheless, my life is so much brighter with little Charlie in my life.

It's 2am and I hear a wail from the crib. Just another day in my life...

But, seriously, I've become a much better person. The responsibility to raise a little human interfered with my old workaholic lifestyle. She goes to daycare during the day while I work, and I pick her up when the day is over. I even managed to get Wednesdays off so that I can spend the whole day with her.

She's growing, and fast. All of a sudden, I'm getting involved in all these 'mom-circles' where we're all trying to figure out how to do parenting right. Not gonna lie, it's a little weird to me, being the only guy, but they welcomed me with open arms, and it's helped me a ton. (a/n lol, imagine percy being in a 'mom squad')

Today, Charlie and I are going to the grocery store to gets some stuff for dinner.

After pulling up into the nearest parking spot, I hop out and proceed to unbuckle her.

She loves the grocery store because there is so much to see. I plop her into the seat at the handle of the cart. I hand her an apple to hold onto and she in very intruiged. Apples are by far her favorite food, at least out of the things she can eat. It's hard to imagine that she's already 6 months old. Then I think, Annabeth and I have been broken up for a year...

We meander through the shelves, not having a definite plan. I spot the pasta section. "Ooo, Charlie. Do you want some pasta for dinner?"

She coos. "Alrighty, pasta it is!"

We continue through the supermarket aisles slowly and Charlie soaks it all in. Her big grey/green eyes are wide at the sight of the fully stocked shelves.

After throwing some bananas into the cart I swivel it around and almost knock someone over. She's a short, old woman who is picking out some onions. She looks up.

"I'm so sorry ma'am. I almost hit you," I apologize. Huh, she kinda looks familiar. I guess she just has one of those faces, like Charlie.

"Oh, it's no worries," she responds, then stares at my face. After a few seconds, it starts to get uncomfortable. After all, she is standing in the direction we were headed, blocking the way. "Say, aren't you that young gentleman from the plane?"

No way, it's the old lady from the plane. "Wow, what a coincidence!" I rack my brain trying to remember the conversation that we had in case she mentions it.

"Did you finally find a girlfriend?" she asks with a smile. Oh, riiight. I remember now.

I scratch the back of my neck. "Uhh no, haha. I don't think I'm going to because I have Charlie." I gesture to my little ball of sunshine. "Say hi, Charlie," I whisper.

Charlie flails her arms in response. "Dearie me, what a beautiful daughter you've got there."

I smile. "Thank you. I'm so lucky to have her." Then, because I feel like I need to ask her something, I say, "How is your daughter doing?"

"Oh," she sighs with a faraway gaze, "She's holding up." That doesn't sound very good.

"What did she decide for the baby?" I genuinely feel bad for her daughter even though I don't even know her. What a tough situation to be forced into.

"In the end, she gave the baby up, it was for the best. I don't think she felt ready to be a mom, but now she's battling postpartum depression," she sighs. Yikes. Thanks to my 'mom group' I've heard a life's worth of personal experiences with postpartum depression and I send my sympathy to all the new moms out there.

"I'm really sorry to hear that. It must be so tough."

"Well, I truly believe that her child is in good hands. I just know." Charlie kicks her feet and they hit my stomach lightly.

I hold the old lady's arm. I don't know what compels me to say it, but I say, "I have the same feeling."

She smiles back. "It was great to bump into you..."

"Oh! My name is Percy. I can't believe I didn't tell you my name on the plane. What's your name?" Jeez, Percy. Manners much?

"My name is... Minerva. It was good to see you, Percy. Maybe I'll see you again."

Before I can filter out my thoughts, I ask, "Do you live here?" Jeez, Percy. Nosy much? Then proceed to hastily adding, "Sorry, that was a bit nosy."

She waves a hand. "Oh, no worries. I don't live here actually. I'm just here to visit my... son-in-law."

I furrow my eyebrows. "I have many kids," she explains. She never mentioned other kids on the plane, but I guess it never came up.

I want to ask her more questions but seeing that I just (kind of)asked her where she lives, I'm going to contain my curiosity.

Charlie seems to want to move on because she throws the apple down and complains. "Looks like she wants to continue shopping," I say.

She chuckles. "That young lady has a lot of potential. I can see it."

"Thank you. It was nice seeing you!"

"You too, Percy."

I turn the cart, the other way, and take the long route to the vegetable section. Charlie seems to be getting antsy.

"Just a few more items, my little Apple." She gives me a full four teeth grin at my use of her nickname.

After we check out I load the trunk and buckler her in once more. I run my fingers through her soft hair and plant a kiss on her forehead. "I love you," I say. She coos.

On the ride back to our apartment, I can't help but think of the little old lady from the store. I met her on a flight to New York, going to visit her daughter. Her son-in-law lives here, but she never told me where she lived. I'm guessing either here or in New York.

Thinking of her daughter makes my stomach twist. If I could do something for her I would, but I haven't even met her. Why am I getting so caught up on her? Maybe it's because I have a child now, and I couldn't imagine how I survived before Charlie came into my life. To give her up, not knowing if she'd be in a better place, I'd go crazy.

It's actually the day that Annabeth and I broke up, all those months ago. Today is the day that it all happened, but I don't think about it for more than a second.

I adjust the car mirror so that I can see Charlie. She's looking out the window at the buildings as we speed by.

I smile to myself.

I'm so lucky to have her.

Summary: Charlie is six months old and has drastically changed Percy's life for the better. One day they go shopping and run into (almost literally) the little old lady from the plane. They update each other on their lives and Percy is oddly concerned for Minerva's daughter. Though it is the first year anniversary since Percy and Annabeth broke up, Percy doesn't think about it because he has Charlie to brighten up his life.