SECOND PLACE IN NYC SPELLING BEE‼‼!

Thank you, Reese123, for telling me what to study… she's the reason I made it through all of the rounds!

Bonus chapter, 'cause I feel happy and benevolent. A bit short, but since it's SO early… Well, as my teacher would say, tough noogs.

Disclaimer: Me no own Percy Jackson.

Enjoy!

Percy opened his mouth automatically. The automatic response came out. "Congratulations, Mom," he said, giving her an automatic hug.

His mind was whirling. Pregnant? How could that be? His mother was... 37. Oh. Maybe not so crazy.

He wrenched his mind to the present. His mother was staring at him expectantly. Paul had come in at some point.

"What?"

"What what?

"Why are you staring at me?"

"Well, you didn't come to find out that I was pregnant, did you?"

"No, I… um…" That was typical Sally. Cared about her son more than she cared about herself. How was he supposed to tell her now? Sure, his mom was reasonable, but didn't pregnant people have weird hormones?

His mom squinted her eyes at him. "Are you sick? You look a little pale. "

No. He had to tell her. This was his mother, and she deserved to know.

"Mom… It's-it's bad…" Paul turned to leave, but Percy said, "No, Paul… Can you stay?"

Paul turned around again. "Of course."

"Wait, what's this bad thing?" Percy's mother interrupted. "You didn't get Annabeth pregnant, did you?"

Percy flushed a deep red. "Mom! We haven't - haven't - haven't done anything! "

"Well, then, it can't be that bad. "

Percy sighed. "I just came back from the hospital." Paul's eyebrows furrowed, but Sally gasped, pointing to Percy's bandaged arm, to is still pale visage, to the just visible, bandaged port on his on Percy's chest.

"I… um… I just came back from chemo… Chemotherapy…" Paul's face dropped as the realization hit him. Sally went white, but Percy kept going. "I have Stage Two osteosarcoma - bone cancer - in my right arm, my humerus."

At the "C-word", Sally slumped. Paul caught her as she hit the floor. His tear filled eyes met Percy's as he carried his wife, bridal style, to the couch.

"I just don't understand how you're paying for it," Paul said suddenly. Sally was sipping water on the couch and was just watching Percy.

Percy sighed. "I used my college money."

Paul was aghast. "What?"

This must be the English teacher in him.

"Paul, how am I supposed to pay for it?"

"You're supposed to ask your parents!" Paul cried.

"Paul," Percy started, "You're an English teacher, and my mother's an author. No offense, but you have enough trouble as it is. Now, especially, with a new baby on the way, I can't ask you for money. Cancer treatment is expensive!"

"But… There's no way there's enough money in your account to pay for all of that!"

"There's an organization helping me. And Chiron told me yesterday that they don't actually need the profits from the strawberries this year. He said that he was aware of my 'financial background' and that he would help pay for it."

Chiron had said this that morning, just before Percy had left for chemo. "I can't think of a better place to which the profits should go," he said, just the slightest quiver in his voice. "I don't know how much it will help, though; we didn't make so much this year."

After protesting profusely, Percy had finally accepted, mostly because, for starters, he would be late the chemo and Chiron wasn't budging, and secondly, he really did need it pretty badly.

Percy could see that Paul was relenting. However, he seemed to need a little push.

"Paul," he said quietly, "Think of the baby."

Paul sighed. "Fine," he said.

Sally was quick to add, "But if you need anything, just say it!"

"Okay," Percy said, but inwardly, he thought that he would make sure to make do.

Sitting on the subway contemplating life, the universe, and everything, Percy's thoughts turned to his father. I'm not going to tell him, he thought. I barely know the man. Sure, he's my father, but I haven't spoken to him ten times in my entire life. Anyway, I have no way of reaching him. This decided, Percy blinked away the fatigue from his eyes and rode home.

"Will," Percy said, meeting the Apollo counselor on the way to the dining pavilion.

"Hey, Perce!" Will grinned. Then the grin fell as he furrowed his eyebrows at Percy. "You okay? You look a little… pale."

"I'm tired," Percy admitted. "But what I really wanted to ask was if you possibly a guitar I could borrow? I want to try my hand."

Will beamed. "Mind being a few minutes late for dinner?" Percy glanced toward the pavilion. Only Jason and Piper were there, and they'd probably have to wait for Hazel again, anyway.

"Nope."

"Good." Will swerved over to the right, headed for his cabin. He threw the door open wide and let Percy into the still sunlit room. When he saw Percy's eyebrows draw together in confusion, he said, "It's designed to hold as much sunlight as it can for as long as it can. I designed it, actually. Beckendorf built it, though. He built this, too." He pushed a large treble clef mirror on the wall and the entire section sank into the floor. The room was brightly lit. About 40 guitars hung on the walls. Keyboards rested on their stands. Two grand pianos were in the corner and six violins, four cellos, and eight violas were hanging from stands, there bows resting on a tuning peg.

"Wow," Percy said. "Do you mind if I borrow one?"

Will grinned. "Take it. It's yours. We have so many, and guitar is going out of fashion, apparently. It's a shame, really. I always liked the sound of an instrumental piece."

"Thank you so much," Percy said.

Will took an acoustic guitar off the wall and handed it to Percy. "Thanks," Percy said again.

"Of course," Will said. "Music isn't exclusive to the Apollo cabin. They're just stored here." He frowned at Percy. "Are you sure you're not sick? You really do look pale. Do you need something?"

Percy ignored the voices in his head shouting 'Yes! Tell him!' and said "No, I'm just a bit tired. Thank you, though."

Percy discovered a new thing at the table tonight. He was hiding the fact that he wasn't eating from Annabeth, who would definitely have yelled at him. He discovered that since the plates were sort of magic, he could almost just wish away the pieces of food on his plate. One piece at a time. No one saw that Percy wasn't eating. No one knew.

Just wanted to introduce the idea of Percy being able to play music.

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