Epilogue

3.45 AM – August 18th

Annabeth
"Percy. Percy, get up," I groaned at the man. He refused to budge and I was seriously contemplating throwing a bucket of water on him, the only issue was I couldn't make it to the garage on my own.

"Ugh . . . Annabeth, go back to bed!"

"Perseus Jackson, so help me god, if you don't get your ass up right now I am going to squeeze this baby out right here!"

That got his attention.

"What? I'm up, I'm up," he screamed at me, throwing the covers back and jumping up out of the bed.

It was in that moment that another contraction hit and I doubled over into his arms.

"For real this time?" All I could do was nod. "How far apart are the contractions? Water break yet? Are you positive it's for real this time?"

"Oh my god, shut up Percy," I groaned into his chest as the pain that started in my back surged forward across the top of my abdomen and then down to my pelvic floor. I wasn't to the hard part of having this baby and already I was done.

The pain eased and I looked up at him with tears in my eyes, "I am sorry. I've never been in this much pain in my life."

He kissed my forehead and forced me to sit on the edge of the bed. "Don't move. I'll be right back."

"Yeah, 'cos I'm really going anywhere," I deadpanned.

"Don't be an ass," he yelled from the bathroom.

He emerged, several minutes later, unruly raven hair brushed to the best of his ability, face washed, eyes bloodshot from a lack of sleep (he should have thought about that before staying up until one-thirty playing video games with my brothers) and fully dressed in his black Ecko sweatpants and a plain gray tee.

"Are you going for a jog?"

"Be nice to me, or you will squeeze that baby out right here!"

I was about to flip him the bird when another contraction hit and my hand went protectively to my belly.

"Ha! Serves you right for being mean to me," he exclaimed, moving toward me, the toiletry kit in hand, explaining as he went. "The only thing not packed. Figured you wouldn't want dragon breath while in the hospital."

I wanted to yell at him to shut up, but the best I could do was concentrate on the vent grate in the floor in an attempt to ignore him.

"Shit, I should have been timing those."

The contraction finally eased up and I looked down at my phone. "Eight minutes. They are getting closer and a lot more painful."

"Come on. Let's get you to the car."

I gave him a weak nod and stood, taking a step toward him, only to stop dead in my tracks.

"Come on Annabeth, I can't get you there if you just stand here!"

"My water just broke," I said in a panicked whisper.

"That's it," he cried, slamming the toiletry kit into my chest, "definitely time to go! Hold on Beth," he said, scooping me up in his arms and making his way to the staircase, "its baby time!"

"You are such a dork," I replied with a slight laugh, praying he wouldn't drop me on the way down.

5.25 AM

Percy
The doctor just left, she is fully effaced (whatever that means) and seven centimeters. She is refusing the epidural and is asking that only Mom and Thalia come in before the baby gets here. Since she is the one doing all of the work, I will fully abide by her rules. Don't get me in trouble! I will let everyone know by text when the baby gets here and when you can visit. Love you all, Percy – P.S. If I left someone out, please send this text along to them.

I hit send on the massive group text and prayed that I had hit everyone. I turned back to look at my wife as she tried to breathe through the contractions that were hitting her almost nonstop. Instinctively I pressed my thumbs into her temples and began massaging gentle circles and she relaxed under the pressure.

"What do you need me to do?"

She huffed several times in a desperate attempt to catch her breath. "Get this baby out," she cried quietly. "I'm exhausted and I don't think I can hang in there much longer."

I kissed her forehead and began rubbing her back. "All I can do is get a nurse and pray you have time for an epidural babe."

A small cry left her lips and I was grateful that she couldn't see my face as tears began to well in my eyes. I had never seen her in this much physical pain before and part of me wondered if some of her pain was stemming from the fact that her mother wasn't here with her through this whole experience.

"Can you ask them if I can get up and pace the room? I can't lie here anymore."

"On it." I dashed out of the room and almost ran into the nurse headed back toward our direction. "Can I get some help in my wife's room?"

"Sure, what can I help you guys with?"

"She was just checked a few minutes ago and is only seven centimeters, but she's been lying in the bed for hours. She wants to know if she can get up and pace the room?" I asked, shrugging and hanging on to the doorknob.

"Let me check her again and we can go from there."

My head nodded as I wasn't sure what else I could do. I was feeling absolutely worthless as I held the door open for the fourth nurse that had entered our room this morning.

"How you doing Mom?"

"I would be doing a lot better if I could get up. I can't lie here any longer."

Tears streamed from Annabeth's eyes and I tried to remain strong, moving back toward her side so I could help in anyway the nurse asked.

"I am sure you know the drill by now," the nurse said quietly as she pulled on a glove.

Annabeth groaned and I held her hand as the nurse did her thing.

"Alright mom, you are at seven centimeters still, and since you aren't on an IV, I am going to let you pace the room. Dad, if anything seems off, you come out there and flag one of us down immediately."

I nodded and grabbed Annabeth's other hand and helped her into a sitting position. She immediately got up, placed her hands on her lower back and began to pace the room as the nurse left, shaking her head in the process.

"Is your goal to walk this baby out?"

She whipped her head around and glared at me. "I don't want to hear a word out of you! You did this to me!"

Part of me wanted to cower in the corner of the room but instead I moved so that I was standing in front of her and wrapped my arms around her.

"I'm sorry," she cried into my chest as she leaned heavily into me. "I don't know why I keep being so mean to you!"

"You're in labor, babe. You can scream anything you want at me."

"Please don't give me that option because I most likely will."

We stood like that for several minutes, me rubbing her back as she cried into my chest, contraction after contraction taking over.

"Why won't this kid come out?"

"I don't know, love, you have only been pacing for like two and half minutes."

"Shut up. You really aren't helping any."

"I know. Now walk to your little heart's content."

My phone buzzed across the room and I left her to her pacing. She seemed a little more relaxed now that she was moving again but I was still worried. I couldn't help it. We were bringing a life into the world sometime today and everything was about to change.

I picked up the phone to see that both my mother and Thalia had text. Thalia was asking for my room number while my mother was letting me know that she would be here in about an hour and half.

"Annabeth, be prepared, Thalia is about to bombard you with her presence."

"Thanks for the heads up," she growled at me, pacing the floor even faster.

Moments later, Thalia stepped in the door only to be rushed by Annabeth.

"Tell me how you did this! How on earth did you make it through this alive?"

"Woah, Blondie! Chill. First off, why are you up? Go get comfy and get the epidural. Make things easier on yourself," Thalia whispered, trying to coax Annabeth back toward the bed.

"I can't! I don't want the epidural but I need this kid out and I need it out now," she cried, going back to the pacing.

Thalia looked over at me for help and all I could do was shrug.

Annabeth stopped at the foot of her bed and started bouncing, a couple bounces on the right foot and then over to the left and then back again as she glared at Thalia.

"What are you doing? You know you can't jiggle a baby out right?"

"Says who? And what is it with all you mothers out there who won't give us new mothers any insight? Why won't you tell me your secrets? How the hell did you make yours come out?"

Annabeth bounced even faster and I jumped up, moving quickly behind her to massage her shoulders. The movement slowed as I felt her relax ever so slightly.

"Ummm, Blondie, I had him evicted. Served him with papers and everything!"

"You aren't helping at all Pinecone Face!"

"Oh shut it Percy! Seriously Annabeth, I'd give you insight if I had some, but love, remember, I had an emergency C-section. I didn't get to go into labor or anything. Therefore, I have no secrets to spill."

A groan escaped Annabeth as she doubled over, grasping at her bump while cries of pain escaped her. I did the only thing I could in the moment and massaged her lower back, asking Thalia for help with my eyes.

"I'll be right back."

"Hurry," I pushed as she ran out of the room. She returned moments later with a frantic looking nurse in tow.

"Alright Mom, back in bed with you," the nurse replied with an all too chipper voice and Annabeth responded with a groan and almost falling to the floor. The only thing keeping her standing was the fact that my arms were right there and I was able to grab her before she crashed to the floor.

Before I knew what was going on, the nurse had ushered Thalia out of the room, had Annabeth back in the bed and ready to give birth, and was flagging down our doctor, all while I was still standing to the side of the bed as Annabeth tried not to scream through the contractions.

The morning was an absolute whirlwind. Annabeth spent over an hour pushing with very little progress and I could sense the frustration in her as well as in the doctor and there was absolutely nothing I could do to help.

"Alright Mom, we have a couple of options. We can try for just a bit longer with the pushing, baby is still good, heartbeat is fine, but I am worried about you. I'm worried we are going to have to knock you out and rip this baby out."

"I don't want a C-section! Percy, tell him I absolutely don't want a C-section." She looked up at me with panic in her eyes and I looked up at our doctor, the deer in the headlights look plastered on my face.

The doctor was about to speak but Annabeth pushed herself back up for the next contraction. I always knew she was strong but she grabbed my hand, squeezing so hard that I actually cried out in pain. That pain was worth it though, as in that moment the most amazing thing in the world happened. Three more pushes was all it took and our precious baby entered the world; a bundle of flailing legs and arms and lungs that could rival a playground of preschoolers.

12.30 PM

Annabeth
Something on my chest moved and my eyes bolted open. I had to blink several times to clear them but as they drifted back down, they stopped on the messy mop of honey colored hair. A sigh of content left my body and the baby shifted, trying desperately to get comfortable once again.

Percy's arm tightened around my waist and as the baby fussed, he immediately brought his hand up and rubbed the baby's back. I smiled as he calmed the baby and yet continued to sleep, draped over the side of my bed.

A light knock on the door pulled me from my euphoria as Sally's head popped in the crack.

"Hey sweetheart, may I come in?"

I nodded at her as she smiled down at me. Her hands went straight to her mouth as she caught sight of the sleeping babe and tears sprang into her eyes.

"Oh, Annabeth, I am so sorry I wasn't here sooner. My flight was cancelled and . . . and . . . I'm just so sorry!"

"Sally, calm down. I swear, its okay. Now pick up your grandbaby."

She didn't hesitate and immediately scooped the baby up off of my chest, sitting down carefully next to me.

"Stats?"

"Seven pounds, four ounces and nineteen and a half inches."

"Are you going to tell me what it is or are you going to make me strip this poor kid to find out?"

I couldn't help it, but a laugh escaped me, startling the baby while Percy still slept like a rock next to me.

"I know you want to know. Everyone wants to know but we will tell you all once we have a name." The smile on her face fell slightly. "I know, I know. We are being the worst kids ever, but I want everyone together when we make the announcement."

"You two have made it so difficult to even do normal shopping for this kid!"

There was another knock on the door and my nurse walked in with a big smile on her face.

"Grandma, I assume?" she questioned Sally while checking on my vitals.

Sally beamed and nodded, all without ever taking her eyes off the tiny baby in her arms.

"Well, I hate to do this, but this gorgeous little one needs to head down to the nursery for just a little bit. It's time for the hearing test. We tried earlier, but this one was all lungs at the time and wasn't having anything to do with it."

"Oh fine," Sally almost whined, handing the baby over to the nurse. She then ran a hand through my curls before leaving a kiss on my forehead. "Get some rest and text me when you get up."

"Thanks Sally," I replied, stifling a yawn. Before I knew it, she was gone, as was the nurse with my newborn and I settled in next to Percy.

I wasn't sure how long I slept, but when I woke, Percy was still next to me, only this time he was holding the baby, talking quietly.

"Hello Mommy. Someone over here has been waiting rather patiently for you to wake up."

I sat up slightly, holding my hands out as he placed the baby in them. I pulled the newborn closer, taking in the sweet smell. Jasper smelled like this in my arms, though not as sweet. Maybe it was because he wasn't mine, but my baby smelled so much sweeter.

My heart skipped a beat as I watched the little face in my arms. I had been waiting nine months to see that little face. So much like mine in shape, with golden hair a few shades darker than mine. The features on the tiny face all belonged to Percy, even the unmanageable mop of hair.

I watched as Percy ran his fingers through the silky mess and I leaned in, allowing my forehead to rest against his.

"Have you figured out a name?"

"I think so," I replied quietly, watching the sweet face in front of me.

"So, out with it."

I pulled my head away from Percy's, just far enough to leave a kiss on the baby's forehead. "Happy birthday Elijah Chase Jackson." I then moved to Percy and left a small kiss on his lips and whispered, "Happy birthday, Daddy."

He returned the kiss and then with the most serious look on his face asked, "How are you going to top next year's birthday? I mean I could knock you up again but there's no guarantee that you would give birth on my birthday again."

"I can't believe you ruined such a special moment! Here I named your son and you're rambling on about topping next year's birthday!" He stopped my rant by kissing me, and pulling away several minutes later as our son let out a cry that could bust ear drums.

He went right back into father mode, kissing his crown and smoothing his hair. "Shhhhhh. Don't cry," he cooed as the baby began to relax. "Happy birthday, Eli. I love you more than you will ever know."

AN

MrsPercyJackson3 - Thank you for being the push that I need from time to time. And thank you for fixing all of my comma issues because apparently, I am allergic to them! (insert my LMAO emoji here ok)

Pearls in the Abyss - Well, I guess your question was answered! Hehehe. Thank you for the review, and I had to find our girl in there somewhere. I knew she needed to stand up to that woman at some point. You can only take so much in life before you blow.

I hope you guys enjoyed this fic of fluff. There may be another, but not for a while. I have some stranded on an island writing to finish. My beta WILL kill me if I don't finish that, and I am afraid of that threat because she knows where I live ;p So until we meet again, thanks for tagging along, even if I was slow as snails getting this up!

x0x0x rhi*