Percy just stared at her. He couldn't feel his hands, or legs or any part of his body. It was as though the whole source of life was snatched and concentrated in his mind, where a cyclone of thoughts that he couldn't decipher was wreaking havoc.

It took him a moment or maybe longer to come back to his senses.

Did she just say the boy was his son? No. No that couldn't be.

"What...did you just..?"

"You heard me. This is your son, Jackson." Reyna replied.

The news seemed to sink in now and panic set in. Percy's legs were shivering and he fell onto the sofa. Jason and Calypso rushed to his side. He could feel a drop of sweat sliding down the side of his face.

Percy was furious now. How could Annabeth hide such a thing from him? Is this why she had run away?

Such a cowardly thing to do. After everything she had done, this was the last thing that was needed to break the dam of emotions he had built up. All the frustration, confusion and anger bottled inside for so long burst out.

He looked at Reyna and said , his tone rising with each word he spoke

"You justify this? Keeping the birth of a child a secret from his father? Did I not have a right to know about this earlier?"

Percy was standing now. His eyes had turned a shade of dark sea-green and his face was red. He was fuming.

Reyna answered, glaring at him and folding her hands over her chest

"Father? You talk about the rights of a father, which you had clearly lost that night when you stated whatever happened was 'heat of the moment'. When you blamed Annabeth for ruining your life and demanded to have nothing to do with her, whatever happens. You think this was easy for her? First thing, you knocked her up. Then you ignored her and abandoned her. You put her through hell and when she is missing, you demand her of your rights?"

She laughed humourlessly and continued,

"I wonder how Annabeth ever fell in love with you. I pity her for sacrificing her ambitions and the life she had fought so hard to achieve, to keep you safe when you clearly don't deserve any of it."

Percy didn't understand her. Sacrifice her life for him, to keep him safe? What was Reyna talking about?

"What do you mean by that?"

"Why do you think she left? It was to keep you safe. She was being stalked and blackmailed."

"What?" Piper exclaimed.

It wasn't until Piper spoke that Percy realised that there were other people in the room too.

Reyna continued," She was receiving these photos and notes to handover something. When things became too frequent and intimate, she was scared that the blackmailers would harm you people to reach her. And then she found out that she was pregnant which she wanted to tell you. But you were too 'occupied' all the time and furious over her for something she didn't do. She couldn't tell anyone else and had no other way except to leave everything behind."

It was as if Percy was receiving aftershocks. First the big reveal, and now this.

Thalia spoke. Her voice was soft which surprised Percy.

"She could have talked to any of us. We are her friends."

Reyna turned to her and gave a sad smile. "Can you blame the girl? After everything she had been through, she didn't want to risk anything anymore."

Jason asked glancing at Calypso, "What do you mean 'over something she didn't do?' Calypso said Annabeth had seen her being taken the night of the accident."

That was the question Percy needed an answer to.

Reyna looked at Jason and turned to Piper who glanced down at her hands.

Piper said, "Annabeth wasn't fully conscious that night. She was drugged by someone at the party. She could barely stand. I had found her when he tried to grab her and asked Argus to drive her home when the car crash happened."

Percy couldn't take it anymore. It was too much to handle.

He had made the biggest mistake anyone could; Punished an innocent person who loved him unconditionally, in the most austere way for something she was not responsible for.

He sat down on the sofa, his head in his hands.

"Why didn't you tell this before?"

"I wanted to. The day when Calypso was back and she told that Annabeth had seen her being taken captive, I had asked Annabeth to spill the beans. She hesitated at first and said she would, but a little later. But then she made me promise no one would ever know about it from me. When I asked her why, she requested me not to inquire as she couldn't say. I just couldn't break her trust. I am sorry."

Guilt was evident in Piper's eyes. She was on the verge of breaking down. Jason wrapped his arms around her shoulder as Hazel took the baby into her hands.

The room fell silent except for the whimpers of the baby. The air weighed heavy as people took all the revelations in.

Percy's attention was now at the baby. 'His son'

He had missed his birth. Percy had always wanted to be a good father unlike his who had been away for most of his life to make money. It was just Percy and his mom for the first few years of his life. His dad returned only when he had turned twelve.

Percy wasn't very happy missing the first days of his son's life, but felt better that he was there sooner.

"Can I?" He asked Hazel.

"Sure." She carefully placed the baby wrapped in a baby cloth in his hands.

He was light. The jet black strands on his head were as soft as cotton, a trait he had inherited from Percy. His eyes were steel grey with swirls of silver, glistening with curiosity. Just like Annabeth's. He was staring at Percy with those big orbs, probably wondering who he was. His hands were moving in all directions.

Percy couldn't help but smile. His right hand touched his cheek as Percy lifted him in his arms and he smiled.

His son just smiled at him. And Percy chuckled lightly. His heart was suddenly filled with warmth and everything else just moved to the back seat.

He could feel all the eyes in the room on him. He looked at Reyna and asked,

"How old is he?"

"Eleven months. Born on June 13th." She smiled and replied.

Percy looked down and whispered, "Hi big guy! I am your dad. I'm sorry I wasn't there all these days. That you had only your...mom" Percy stopped.

His mom. Whom he had tried to hate all these months but who had managed to occupy his mind more times than he kept count of. It had always annoyed him how she would be all that flashes into his mind every point of the day.

He was angry that she hadn't told him about the possibility of Calypso being alive and for being the reason for all hardships Calypso had faced as he had assumed. He felt betrayed and cheated that she would keep something so important from him.

But now after knowing the truth he couldn't forgive himself. He had made a huge mistake which he might never have a chance to mend. She had loved him unconditionally, heart and soul and how had he reciprocated?

"We need to find Annabeth. I need your help finding her." Reyna said.

"Yes we must." Thalia came forward. " That girl thinks too much about others and too less about herself. We have to find her."

"And we will." This was the first time Nico spoke. His voice was firm and confident.

"We are going to do it together." Frank said.

"Yes." Jason said and turned to Reyna, "Reyna we need to know what happened exactly. Tell us every little detail."

And Reyna began...