After yesterday's tearfest I figured I would post the next one so we can have a little warm and fuzzies. Some angst but mostly fluff! XOXO
Annabeth suffered from nightmares that left her paralyzed with fear. Since Percy had witnessed what had happened to her, he knew to hold her and what to whisper to make the dreams fade away. He stroked her hair and kissed her face. She would fall asleep again in his embrace but she was never really free of the terrors.
Percy and Annabeth were always happy to welcome visitors at their house on the beach. Grover and Juniper brought their adorable baby satyr, who loved to chew on Uncle Percy's hair. The first time Piper visited, she had news for them. It seemed that Jason wasn't completely gone after all. His daughter Grace had the same blonde hair and bright blue eyes as her father, with her mother's darker skin. Percy said she was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen.
Even Nico put aside his fears as he and Will adopted an eighteen month old baby girl that they decided to name Zelene. Annabeth smiled at the sight of Percy holding the little girls in his arms, and her longing only grew over time.
She wanted to give Percy a child so badly. He hadn't mentioned it in ages but she thought it was time to visit the doctor and see what could be done. Maybe they could get some help, if necessary.
She didn't tell him why she had an appointment, only asked him to come along. He agreed, never upset that she wanted him by her side. When they called her name, she grasped his hand and followed the smiling nurse to the back room.
Percy's leg shook anxiously as he looked around the office. His brow furrowed as he saw posters of pregnant women, and made a face at the sculpture of the birth canal on the counter.
"Um, honey, is there something you need to tell me?"
"Don't get too excited," she sighed. He cocked his head at her tone.
"We're here to see if we need any help."
"Um...help?"
"Medical assistance, Percy. We have been trying to get pregnant for almost 2 years. I just want to know… why it's not happening."
"But-" the door opened and the doctor entered.
"How are you doing, Annabeth?"
"Ok. This is my husband, Percy. I thought it would be good for him to be here."
"That's great. A supportive husband is vital in this process. So, what brings you in?" Annabeth quietly explained how hard they had been trying and her concern that something might be wrong.
"Let's run some tests, ok? And you can put this on so I can just have a quick look." Annabeth nodded and slipped her clothes off while the doctor stepped out. Percy blushed as he handed her the paper gown to put on.
"Oh for Hades sake, Percy, it's not like you haven't seen me naked before!"
"I know that, it's just… never mind."
"Here," she tossed her bra at him and he fumbled, looking at her with wide eyes. She laughed as she climbed onto the table and crossed her arms, wishing the office were warmer.
"Why do you think there may be problems," he asked softly, rubbing her arms for warmth.
"It's like I told her. We have been trying for awhile and I'm just worried. What if… there's too much damage? From all the battles and such? What if I can't get pregnant?"
"Then we can adopt. Grover was begging us to take Zinnia just the other day."
"Be serious, Percy." His smile faded at her serious tone.
"Hey," he cupped her chin. "We'll figure it out. Whatever happens, we will figure it out together. Ok?" She nodded and he kissed her forehead. The doctor returned and asked Percy to stand at Annabeth's head while she did the exam. She ran some tests and that was that. Annabeth would receive the results in a few days.
Percy took her straight home and made love to her right there in the living room, assuring her she was all he needed.
When the results came, Annabeth fell to her knees and cried for Percy. He ran inside and dropped to his knees beside her.
"What is it? What happened?" She was inconsolable and couldn't speak. He wrestled the crinkled papers from her clenched hand and smoothed them out to read.
Scarring in the fallopian tubes. Trauma to ovaries. Impossible to conceive.
Percy dropped the letter and pulled her close.
"It's ok. Annabeth, it's alright. We don't… I don't need a baby to be happy. I have you. That's all that matters." But she continued to cry, her hand unconsciously pressing to her belly, where there would never be a tiny demigod.
They visited Rachel, who embraced them both and told them to go straight to Apollo. So Percy took his wife to Olympus and grasped her hand as they waited in Apollo's gardens.
The god appeared and bowed his head in respect.
"Percy Jackson, it's been some time since we have seen you."
"Yeah well. Married god and all. I don't like to hang around here much," Percy said casually. Apollo turned to Annabeth and took her hands.
"Annabeth Jackson, Mother of Earth and the World's Hero. You're troubled."
"You know why I'm here, Lord Apollo," she said softly. "You know why I've come."
"I do but I'm afraid I won't be much help. Babies just aren't my thing."
"Apollo, you're the god of medicine and the god of prophecy," Percy said impatiently. "Can you at least tell us if it really is impossible, like the doctors are saying?"
"Nothing is impossible, Percy Jackson. You should know that. You're a god."
"Cut the cryptic shit, Sun God." Annabeth lay her hand on her husband's arm and he sighed. "Look, we're… we're tired of mind games. Of being pawns. You know good and well that's why I don't come here anymore. I've always dreamed of a normal life with Annabeth and that dream includes a child. Is it possible or not?" Apollo gave him a long, hard look before taking Annabeth's hand into his own.
"I see a long road of misery."
"Check," Percy mumbled.
"Sacrifice."
"Double check."
"Pain."
"We've both got that covered. Can you-"
"Percy," Annabeth whispered, shaking her head.
"But also great happiness. Such great love that not even Aphrodite has seen. A gift that will make the sacrifices worth it." Percy raised his brow.
"Then the doctors are wrong?"
"Mortal doctors do not know everything, although they certainly think they do. In any case, anything is possible in medicine. But I will make you some herbs to drink that will make the scarring dissipate over time. It will take patience, from both of you. It won't happen overnight. But I foresee the Son of the Sea God with a child in his arms. That much is clear." Annabeth tried not to get her hopes up but Percy squeezed her hand comfortingly and she quickly wiped at her tears.
"Thank you, Lord Apollo," she said softly. Apollo looked up from the herbs he was mixing and his face softened.
"You are called the Mother of Earth, Annabeth. It would give me great pleasure to see you as a real mother one day." He tied the herbs into a little velvet bag and gave it to her. Annabeth and Percy both bowed in thanks before Percy made them vanish in a tidal wave.
The god had not been lying when he said it would take patience. But Percy enjoyed trying, and he tried to convince Annabeth to relax and just let it happen. She became obsessed with tracking her cycle, making sure they were able to go several times when she was the most fertile, and even kept track of what positions to use. Percy brushed her hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead.
"Just let me spoil you until we our gift comes, alright? We just have to be patient."
"Your sister asked me again when we are having a baby," she said desperately, making a red X on her calendar. "That's the fifth time this month."
"Stella is just old enough to actually want to be an aunt now. She doesn't mean any harm by it."
"I know, Percy, I just… I see how you look at Zelene and Grace and Zinnia. I want you to look at OUR baby like that."
"I will," he promised. "I will spoil her rotten and love her more than anything. But you can't rush this because that isn't good for you. Apollo said we will have a baby, Annabeth. Let's trust the gods and leave it to the Fates."
Ironically once she stopped worrying so much is when it actually happened. Annabeth noticed something was wrong, after one day of missing her period.
"Percy!" He had been walking along the beach with his father, and ran into the room, his eyes wide.
"What's the matter?"
"Can you take me to the store?"
"I just brought groceries home last night."
"Not for groceries." Percy was still as clueless as ever. He frowned quizzically and rubbed the back of his forehead.
"Ok, um…"
"Percy! We need a pregnancy test!" His green eyes nearly bugged out of his head.
"Wait. Are you serious? You're… you think…"
"Let's go," she said impatiently, pulling her coat on.
"Ok! Yeah! Let's go! Oh. Wait. Hey Dad! We will be right back! Soon. We will be back soon." Poseidon watched, bemused, as his son fumbled and stammered, following Annabeth to their car.
Percy purchased about twenty and Annabeth was laughing too hard to stop him. When they got back home, he urged her to start taking the tests immediately. He started to follow her into the bathroom when she twirled around and held her hand up to his chest.
"I think I can do this part on my own. You stay here."
"Oh… right. Yeah, I'll just be-" he looked around but as soon as the bathroom door closed, he plopped down onto the floor in front of the door. When Annabeth came out, he looked like a frantic puppy dog. She snorted and shook her head.
"Did you take it?"
"Yes Percy, I took it. We have to wait ten minutes."
"Ok but did you just do one? Cause maybe it would be better to do, like, two or three just to be safe."
"Percy," she laughed, pulling him up. "One is enough. And we will find out in about ten minutes."
"Gods almighty," he breathed, pulling her hands to his chest. "Feel how fast my heart is going right now."
"I know you want this desperately, Percy. Please don't be disappointed if-"
"I've already told you I won't be," he cut her off. "We just keep trying. It will happen in its own time." But she could tell he was shaking with anticipation. He tried to pretend that he would be fine but she knew he would be crushed if she wasn't.
He leaned down to kiss her and moved his hands down her back. They drifted lower until they cupped her ass and she breathed into their kiss.
"Slow down Seaweed Brain," she stroked his cheek.
"You make me lose all my logical thoughts," he shrugged.
"Not that you had many to begin with."
"Hey!" She grinned and nipped at his neck. His trembling hands rested on her hips and she could feel his arousal growing against her belly. The timer went off and Percy's head shot up.
"Is it time?"
"No Seaweed Brain, I just set a timer to see how long you would kiss me." His eyes narrowed.
"I don't like your cheek, Mrs. Jackson. I may have to spank you later."
"Mmhm," she leaned up to kiss him before tugging on his hand. "Come on." She lead him into the bathroom, where the test was turned upside down.
"Oh gods, I can't look at it. You have to do it." Percy, who had done this before, casually flipped it over and squinted at the flashing screen. He tried not to let her see how much his hands were shaking.
His wide eyes found hers and she knew. She would have known without the happy tears streaming down his cheeks or the broad smile that lit his face up.
He tossed the test aside and scooped her into his arms, whirling her around in a circle while he threw his head back and laughed.
"I love you, I love you so much," he said over and over. She laughed, gripping his neck for dear life as he spun her around. As soon as he set her down, she tugged him down to her and claimed his lips. His hands moved to her waist as she backed out of the bathroom, tugging him with her. She fell back onto the bed and he fell down on top of her, careful not to crush her underneath his sturdy form. He tore his lips from hers and attached them to her neck, sucking at her throat and making her arch her back, wanting more. Percy kissed his way down to her stomach, lifting her shirt up and nuzzling her belly with his cheek. She shivered at the feel of his facial hair on her skin.
"Hi there, little one," he whispered lovingly. "My name's Percy. I'm your daddy. I know you don't really have ears yet but I hope you can hear me, cause I love you so much and I can't wait to meet you. I've waited my whole life to meet you." He planted soft kisses across her stomach and she grinned as she fingered his dark locks.
"So, um, baby? If you could, I don't know, turn away or close your eyes or...something. I really want to...um, make Mommy feel really good. But it's not something I really want you to see. We will talk about it later. Like, when you're forty. That would be good." Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"You are such a seaweed brain." Percy fell upon her, like a wave crashing on the sand. His lips were everywhere, his hands roamed over her body and removed her clothes as quickly as he could. She frantically pulled at his shirt, needing to feel his skin against hers. She purred as he suckled at her breast, Percy's eyes locked on hers. He didn't look away as he tongued her to near insanity nor when he slid inside her, keeping his thrusts even and controlled.
"Percy, please! Harder!"
"I can't, Annabeth… the baby-"
"Is the size of a seed! She can't feel anything! I need you! Please." He bit his lip, wanting to obey his wife's wishes but still scared of somehow hurting his child. He pulled out, then slammed back in and she threw her head back and cried out. Since Annabeth lived for control, it wasn't long before she pushed him back onto the bed and wasted no time in climbing on top of him. He sat against the headboard, his hands on her hips as she held him steady and slid down. His eyes fluttered as he was encased by her heat again but he tried to hold them open so he could enjoy the sight of her bouncing breasts. This was definitely one of his favorite positions, mainly for that reason. She controlled the pace and she wanted it fast. Percy titled his hips and she screamed as he hit that special place deep inside her.
"Oh! Shit Percy, yes!"
"Annabeth," he grunted, his fingers digging into her thighs. "Fuck, you feel amazing."
"I'm going to cum," she whimpered, arching her back. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned down to suck at her breast. He gently nipped at her nipple and she screamed, clenching tightly around him and surprising him with her intense contractions.
"Oh sweet nectar of the gods," she panted, draped over him like the golden fleece. He held her, still throbbing inside her, until she was able to move. He was torn between wanting to take her gently and just wanting his release. Deciding that gentle loving was more important at that moment, he lay her back on the bed and kissed her inner thigh. She quivered as his lips came closer and closer to her wetness but he pulled away and pushed his cock deep inside her. She moaned, tossing her head and gripping the sheets. Percy loved seeing his wife this way. Uninhibited. Breathless with want. So fucking beautiful.
"I'm going to cum," he whispered before he nibbled at her ear. She opened her eyes and wrapped her fingers in his hair, pulling him down to her. Her hand moved to grasp his ass and she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him in deeper.
"I love you, Percy."
"I love you- ah! Annabeth!" He grunted and gave a few more shallow thrusts before he stilled and collapsed on top of her. He gasped and flew up, pulling out and moving to his back.
"Don't want to squish-"
"Percy Jackson, if you start treating me as if I'm made of glass, we are going to have some serious problems."
"You're more precious than glass," he whispered, rolling onto his side. "More beautiful than all of the jewels in the world. More precious than gold. And this," he moved his hand to her belly and her face softened.
"This is our tiny miracle." She covered his hand with both of hers and kissed his bicep.
"You are going to make such a great daddy."
"Mother of the Earth," he remarked, knowing that would earn him a scowl. He laughed when it did. "Quite a title, Wise Girl."
"I've got a few of those now," she yawned. He nodded and lay his head on her breast.
"Mother of the Earth. The World's Hero. Demigod extraordinaire. Wife to the Minor god of water."
"Mommy," she said, already falling asleep. Percy smiled and rubbed her stomach.
"Yep. That one's my favorite already."