Hrm. Well. I dedicate this chapter to all those lost in 9/11/01. I, thankfully, did not know anybody who died or was injured.
Did you notice that 9/11 is ironically, the phone number we call in an emergency? 911.
Oh, and thanks AnnabethHasItInForHer, For being the 200TH REVIEWER!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ALL! For letting me know my writing doesn't completely stink and I'm talking to no one. :)
Disclaimer: Sigh, I can't believe I have to say this AGAIN. Whatever. Nope. I refuse to do this. I do not want to. I refuse.
Chapter title: Dinner date: Part two.
The next morning, after I thanked my mother for letting me stay at her 'house', I went downstairs, brushing my hair, my bag slung over my shoulder, trying to put another shoe on and brushing my teeth.
At the same time.
It was hard, almost impossible, I had to stop, put the shoe on, brush a tooth, and brush my hair, then continue my trample down the stairs. I entered the kitchen to see Caleb making breakfast (which Athena could've done in a few seconds), and my mother watching him with obvious distaste. She didn't like how I insisted him stay here, and she especially didn't like how he was now cooking breakfast.
"Caleb!" I said, staring at my mother with pleading eyes that I hoped said, please don't incinerate him to dust! But ended up probably saying, Don't incinerate me!
"Yeah?" He said, turning around.
"Would you mind if Ath-I mean my mom took over breakfast? It's kind of her thing."
"Oh. Okay." He said a bit too cheerily. He handed Athena the spatula. "Here."
"Thank you, Caleb." Athena said, her voice icy.
I swear, his pancakes were a bit burnt and kind of purple when we had breakfast that morning.
-o-
Now, I hate flying. It's the most horrible thing in the world. All the turbulence, plus the risk of falling out of the sky. I mean, it's a flying metal box. How the hell do they get it off the ground?
Don't answer that.
Anyway, the point is, Flying sucks. Give me a cruise, (with Percy), give me shadow travel, (With Nico), or even a car. Anything but flying. But of course we had to be at Percy's house by six o' clock for dinner. So no other choice but flight.
Of course.
So there I was, gripping the armrest so hard my knuckles were turning white, clenching my teeth, and trying to tell the flight attendant that I don't want a freaking beverage.
"Are you sure? We have Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Fresca, Coca-Cola, Diet coke-"
"I know what you have! I don't want anything!" I hissed. My eyes were shut tight, and I swear my fingers were leaving indents on the plastic.
"Not even a selection of our alcoholic beverages, such as a Margaritas, Martinis, beer-"
"Shut up!" I growled. I had had enough. I was sick of being swooned over by all the men in the plane. I was sick of being stared at by all the girls, obviously wishing I knew them. I was sick and tired of all of this. I just wanted to be a normal girl. Well, as normal as a demigod could get. Why couldn't I have refused Chris's offer? Why do I need to fall in love? Why couldn't I have stayed single?
Because the Fate's are cruel, that's why. "Just go away. Go away now. I don't want any freaking drinks. I don't want one of you're freaking snacks, and I certainly don't want you around me. Just go away. Go away, go away. Go away!" Yeah, I was having a hissy fit like I was a two year old. But at the time, I didn't care. I just wanted to be alone. I needed silence, I needed solace. And I needed it now. I stood up, despite the warnings of the flight attendant and the sign that said, Please remain seated. I straightened my shirt. "I am going to the bathroom."
When I got in, I put the seat down and sat. I put my head in my hands and cried.
For the first time since after Percy and I broke up, I cried. My mascara ran down my face, tears streaked my face, my eyes turned puffy and red, and I cried.
I cried with nine years of hate, anger, love, and built up emotion, and it came out like a river.
When I was done, I washed my face as best I could with wipes and semi-wet toilet paper. I emerged from the bathroom and took my seat once more.
The flight attendant was gone.
-o-
"Are you okay?" Caleb asked. Despite my efforts my eyes were still tomato red and as puffy as a cloud.
"No." I answered, and thankfully, that was the only answer he needed.
-o-
Finally, finally, we landed. It took ages, but when we touched down in Newark, I was the first one off that flight. I booked it towards the bathrooms, where Caleb met up with me a few minutes later.
"Annabeth!" He called.
"Yeah?"
"You got out of there so fast I thought I lost you."
"Yeah. Do you have the dress?"
"Uh... yeah. Here," He handed me a large dry cleaning bag and a medium sized box. "Makeup in the box, dress in the bag."
"Gotcha. I'll be back." I said, lugging the bag and box into the bathroom. I took the handicap stall, hung up the bag on the hanger, and unzipped it.
My eyes widened. It was a bright orange shirt and washed out bootcut jeans. Bright orange shirt...
I smirked. I pulled on the jeans and exited the stall. I opened the box and got to work on my makeup. I hoped that Gigi and the girls would approve. I brushed on some gray eyeshadow, some lipgloss, and some eyeliner. I didn't put a large amount on, I hate makeup. I prefer not to pollute my skin with colorful lines. Although, I admit, sometimes it's kind of fun. I took the black nail polish and extremely carefully I wrote thirteen letters. When it was dry, I went back into the stall and changed shirts. I put my old clothes in the bag and put the makeup away. I put my jacket over the shirt and left the bathroom. I handed the bags to Caleb, who draped them over his shoulder and put the box in a small pocket in his backpack. We left the airport, hailed a cab, and relaxed. I stared out the window, blankly staring at the snow covered scenery.
"That'll be thirty two fifty six."
I turned toward the driver. "What?"
"Thirty two dollars and fifty six cents."
"Oh." I dug around in my bag and brought up a fifty dollar bill. I handed it to the driver.
"Here's 'yer change."
"Thanks. Bye." I said. I exited the cab. I looked up at the tall brownstone apartment. I hadn't seen the place in nine years. I brushed a lock of hair out of my face and took a breath. "Here we go," I mumbled to Caleb. "Again."
-o-
"Annabeth!" A very pregnant Sally Jackson opened the door. She wrapped her arms around me. "How nice to see you! And on Christmas Eve, no less."
"Mrs. Jackson!" I said. My voice sounded fake. "You're... expecting?"
She broke into a wide grin. "Yes. Isn't it great?"
"Do you know if what it's going to be?"
"No. We want it to be a surprise."
"That's great!" I said, smiling. "Since when, though?"
"Since about eight and a half months ago."
"Shouldn't you-
"No. Sit, sit." She said, beckoning to the table. Percy was sitting, fiddling a flower. He handed it to me.
"What's this?" I teased. "Is Percy Jackson actually being romantic?"
"Shut up." He said, but I could hear the smile in his voice. A bell dinged.
"Oh, that's dinner! I hope you guys like blue noodles!" Sally grinned. She got up, but Paul got up and grabbed her arm.
"I'll do it."
She waved him off. "I'm pregnant. Not immobile. I can do it."
"What if you fall?"
"I've been walking for a long time, Paul. I think I can walk the two yards to the oven."
He sighed, but let go of her arm.
Blue noo... what? But sure enough, Sally placed a pan full of blue lasagna on the table with garlic bread, (Normal color.), and stuffing, (Also normal color.). The smell practically knocked me off my feet. It smelled a thousand times better then Athena's food, which is saying something. The fumes wafted up to my nose, daunting and teasing me. Take me. You know you want to. Please.
Sally smiled, and I was trying my best not to drool on her lasagna. "Can we uh..." I licked my lips. "Eat?"
"Of course! Dig in."
That was it. No prayer, no polite discussion. I picked up my fork and practically stabbed the pasta. I shoved a piece that was way too big into my mouth, all too aware of the camera's little red dot in my peripheral vision. But truthfully, I didn't care. Because this was Percy and Percy was... well... Percy.
"Oh!" Sally smiled. Her blue-green eyes sparkled gleefully. "She's kicking."
"She?" I asked, just as Percy said, "What if it's a boy?"
Sally rolled her eyes. "She's my baby and until we know for sure, I am calling her 'She.' Because 'She' has 'He' in it, so it's only fair."
"Can I feel it?" I blurted it out. Percy's mother nodded, and I pushed back my chair, which made a terrible screech against the tile floor. Nobody seemed to mind, except for Caleb, who winced and used one hand to rub his ear. I made my way through the cramped and tiny kitchen and knelt next to Sally's chair. "What do I do?" I asked.
"Don't be shy, Annabeth. She won't feel it. It's not going to hurt her." She took my hand and placed it on her stomach, where I felt a small kick on my hand. For the first time in months, a real smile broke out on my face.
"She's kicking." I whispered.
"Yeah," Sally said, her voice almost cracking with joy. "The miracle of life."
-o-
"So. When is your mom due?" I asked Percy after dinner, when we were both alone up in his room.
He shrugged. "I think about two weeks after Christmas. Why?"
"It's so... weird. I mean, you're twenty-six-"
"Twenty-five."
"Twenty-five, and this baby is going to be so little, a day old! It's gonna be twenty-five when you're fifty. It's like... a less intense version of the Bella and Edward love story."
He raised his eyebrows. "You're a fan of Edweird Sullen and Belly Spawn?"
"Bella Swan and Edward Cullen."
"Whatever. Stop changing the subject. Are you?"
"I read the books," I defended. He looked pointedly at me. I rolled my eyes. "And saw the movie..."
"Twihard!" He accused me.
"No! And how would you know what that was?" He blushed. My eyes widened. "Twihard!"
"No!"
"Yes!
"No!
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"Damn!" Percy shouted. "How come that always works in movies?"
"Because their movies...?"
"Still."
"Percy, back on the subject. Isn't it just the slightest bit creepy?"
"Yeah... it is a little creepy I guess." He agreed. "But it's a baby. It's cute. It's delicate."
"True. What do you want to name it?"
"It's not my decision."
"That's a pretty long name."
He rolled his eyes. "Very funny. If it were up to me, I would want to name it Madeline, if it were a girl, or Danny or Nick if it were a boy."
"Those are good names!"
"I guess."
"Why are you so down?" I asked.
"I'm just tired. My mom wants us to be 'prepared' when the baby comes, so she sets our alarms for two in the morning. She makes us let them ring for an hour, and if we turn them off then she'll dump a bucket of cold water on our heads."
"Tell her you should try to save electricity and not pollute the Earth."
"I've tried everything, Annabeth. It's getting to the point where-"
"PERCY!" Paul shouted. Percy and I jumped. I had never heard Paul shout before, and I'm pretty sure Percy hadn't either.
"What?" Percy called back.
"Come down here!"
"What did you do?" I hissed. He shrugged, but got up and exited to room. I was hot on his heels. When we arrived downstairs, I saw a panting Sally and a panicked Paul.
"What's wrong?"
"Me and Sally have to go."
"Sally and I," I corrected him. Everybody stared at me, and I blushed. "Sorry. Force of habit."
"Go where?" Percy asked his step-father. "What's wrong with Mom?"
"I'm in labor, sweetie." Sally said between breaths. Percy's eyes popped.
"Well, I'm not staying here!" He said. "I'm coming with you!"
"No, you have to stay with Annabeth."
"I don't mind coming." I said sheepishly. "Really, I don't."
Sally looked pained and her hand floated up to her stomach. "I don't know..."
"Mom, I'm not a kid. I'm coming with you."
"All right," She agreed. "Now Paul, come on. I can't wait a second longer. Did you call the- Arhghg!"
"Yes," Paul answered, knowing what she was going to ask. "They said an ambulance is on it's way."
"Okay." She took another few breaths. "Oh gods, this hurts."
Percy turned towards me and waggled his eyebrows before turning back to his mother. "Mom-"
The phone rang. It shrieked through the house obnoxiously, causing extreme silence except for Sally's ragged breathing and the sharp tone. "Can you get that?" Paul asked me. I nodded and headed to the source of the ringing.
"Hello?"
"Yes, you called previously about a woman in labor."
"Yeah...?"
"I am extremely sorry, but we are unable to make our way to you in this weather. It is physically impossible, and if we had any other way to get to you we would."
"What do you mean, the weather?" I asked.
"Have you been outside? The snow is at lease four feet deep! The streets are blocked off! We can't get to you, I'm extremely sorry. If you hold I can get a nurse who can walk you through home-birth-"
I dropped the phone, which clattered to the ground leaving nothing but a dial tone.
"What did they say?" Sally asked between contractions.
"We have to drive you to the hospital. The snow is four feet deep."
"Damn," Paul cursed, which shocked me more then him yelling. "Well, Percy. I hope you can drive well."
"I have to drive you to the hospital?" Percy gasped. Paul nodded.
"Yeah. Lets go."
-o-
After a lot of screaming, pushing, and tears, me and Percy finally got to see his new sibling. He now had a beautiful baby sister.
"What should her name be?" Paul whispered when we walked in. Sally was sound asleep on the fluffy hospital bed.
"You're asking me?"
"Well, yes." He said. "She is your sister."
"What about... Madeline?"
"That's good. Annabeth? What do you think?"
My jaw dropped. "You're asking me?"
Paul nodded.
I peered at the small infant. "She looks like Kelsey."
"Kelsey Madeline? I like that."
"Mmm...?" Sally stirred. She opened her eyes, which were now a light brown. As soon as she was fully conscious, she stretched her hands toward Paul like a small child. "Give her to me."
He obeyed, gently placing the child in her arms. "We were discussing names while you were asleep."
"What'd you come up with?"
"Well, Percy has Madeline-"
"I like that."
"And Annabeth has Kelsey."
"I like that."
"So we came up with Kelsey Madeline."
"I love that." She said. She shifted the baby. "Is that your name? Kelsey Madeline?"
As if in answer, the baby yawned, which turned into a a soft smile, before her eyes closed and she nuzzled closer to her chest.
"Yes. That's her name." Sally said officially. "Paul, do you like it?"
"I do."
"Good." She placed a light kiss on her baby's forehead. "Kelsey Madeline... Hi Kelsey."
"A Christmas miracle."
-o-
"Annabeth, pick your man." The rose burned like fire in my hand, and I couldn't bear to hold it any longer. It was four days since the birth of Percy's sister, and it was the news on all the magazines. Chris Harrison's voice rang in my ears, slinking through my body and freezing everything it touched. I coudn't move, let alone speak. "Annabeth..."
It rang in my head, and I forced myself to lift my head up. I met Percy's eyes, then Nico. I could feel Thalia's breath on my neck, her invisible hand clenched around mine.
The petals on the rose seemed to morph in my eyes, turning into a picture of me and Percy, then me and Nico.
"Pick him," Thalia breathed in my ear. I nodded.
"Right. Right." I felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt as if a pillow was suffocating me.
"Nico," I choked out. "Will you accept this rose?"
Wow. That was emotionally draining. Anyway, no. This is not the end. Nico and Annabeth have to still get married. This is not the end. I promise. Thank you for reading this chapter, I know it took a while. :D
But thanks for sticking with me. Again, this is NOT THE END. :D
Disclaimer: Sorry. I don't own anything. :(
Now review. Or I won't update.
Naw, Just kidding. Of course I'll update. But seriously, REVIEW!