A/N: We all remember Annabeth's dream, right? Well, I started doing some research, and I found the perfect monster to play the spot! It's called an Undine. It's only description is that it appears usually has a beautiful woman. So, I figure, why not expound on it? Also, a good reviewer (poo, I forgot which one...:P ) asked if Annabeth was ever going to tell Percy about it (the dream). And I got to thinking - why not? It'd add to the story, even though this is still a LONG shot in the dark. :)

Anyway, I just thought I should clarify the fact that I'm describing this monster myself before anyone goes making accusations or questioning my ways. ;]

I'm just special like that...

Me: I need to get started on my homework.

K: Well, then, why aren't you?

Me: *groans* I'm lazzzzy...and I also don't own PJO.

Annabeth's POV

It took forever (around two months, with my c-section and all) to finally decide who was going to stay home with Hayley. We didn't have a full time sitter yet, and most of the ones we would choose were either working full-time jobs or had their own kids to worry about. (Thalia, Katie, and Sally to be exact.)

Here's what we finally figured out: Move my office into the other spare room.

My Johnny Cash CD played in the car as we drove to my old office to get everything from it that I'd need.

I bit the end of my bottom lip nervously. "Are you positive we just couldn't move all of your classes into the house?"

Percy tried to stiffle his laugh, but still smiled. "Annabeth, it wouldn't be very wise to do that, now, would it? Besides, I couldn't teach class and feed Hayley at the same time."

"It wouldn't be too hard!" I pointed out, starring ahead. "I mean, all that you'd have to do was hold her in the crook of your arm and prop her bottle up with one hand while you used the other and your voice to teach."

Percy smirked and glanced at me. "No, Annabeth Chase-Jackson."

I crossed my arms and scowled at him, which made him snort and continue driving.

"Gah," Hayley said, pointing to my work building as we pulled up into my parking space.

I smiled. "This is where Mommy used to work, Moon. Now we have to go get the stuff. You ready?" Her green eyes sparkled as she glanced about the car. She didn't respond, but I really hadn't expected her to.

Percy and I got out of the front, me getting Hayley from her carseat and carrying her inside. My building was huge; a true archetectural anomily. Hayley's eyes went wide as we walked inside, darting this way and that, trying to take it all in at once. I laughed as I held my hand behind her neck, so it wouldn't over-wiegh her.

We continued walking, someone stopping me in the hallway to the office. It was Miranda, my assitant.

"Oh, Mrs. Jackson!" She exclaimed. "Is this Hayley? She's so cute!"

I smiled nervously. Miranda had never seemed that right in the head to me, but I never complained. She was definitely someone who kept the conversation interesting on long, boring days.

"Yes, this is - "

"Her eyes are so pretty! They look just like Percy's!"

"Well, she is Percy's daughter..." I giggled nervously, wanting to seriously get Hayley away from Miranda. I didn't need her mind messed up just yet. "But, anyway, Miranda, we need to get going." I slid past her and continued on walking towards my office. Percy followed behind me, shaking his head in an annoyed way as Miranda waved and said, "Bye Percy, Hayley, Annabeth!".

"She scares me," Percy mumbled in my ear as we walked into my office and started taking down the boxes I had already pilled up. I placed Hayley in a small craddle someone had given me at work and I had never bothered to bring back home.

As we started putting trophies and pictures and books into the boxes, Hayley started fussing.

"What's the matter sweetheart?" I asked, standing and taking a box full of books with me. She peered up at me, and I saw her trying to form something with her mouth, but she couldn't get it out yet.

She closed her mouth, looking utterly frustrated, and started making noises from behind her lips. Hmm, hmm, hm. Huh, it sounded a bit like Folsom Prison Blues from the Johnny Cash CD...oh.

I smiled. "Do you want some music, Hayles?" She made a somewhat jerking motion toward the door, and I would've swore her eyes were practically begging as she tried to say 'yes'.

"M'ab!" She finally squeeled, and I could tell by the glare that I had in her eyes she was irritated that she couldn't talk yet. With a smile still on my face, I walked out of the room, and back down the hall, placing the box in the car and getting her CD out.

I ran back, catious not to get caught in another Miranda trap. I was about to enter the room, when a loud cry pierced my ears. I ran inside my office, Miranda standing there with Hayley in her arm.

Except, that wasn't Miranda. It was the creature from my dream, scaly claws and all. An undine. I should've known.

"What are you doing? !" I screeched, yanking my knife from its sheath. Pure murder burned in my grey eyes. "Put. My. Daughter. Down." I commanded, raising the tip of the celestial bronze tool to her chest.

She hissed at me, and all I could remember about the undine came floating back to me. Retched sea-dwelers, usually apearing as beautiful women in the mortal world. She knew I wouldn't have expected a thing.

"You've done a good job," I commented, Percy now backing me up with Riptide fully elongated.

"What do you mean, daughter of Athena?" she asked, her tongue like a snakes flickering back and forht between her sharp, razor-blade like teeth.

"Hiding from me for that long," I shrugged. "Takes true skill, I guess. Now, about my daughter?" I lunged forward and tried for a stab. I got a centimeter from her chest when her mouth snapped at me, nearly taking off four of my fingers.

My strategic mind immediately started planning. I had five major goals: Take the monster down, get my daughter back, make sure she was okay, stab the creature to death, and then make sure her remains got back to Tatarus itself.

And there was only one way to do. "Percy," I whispered out of the side of my mouth. "When I count to three, aim your sword for Hayley."

"What?" He asked, an epic what the heck face on his features. "Annabeth, are you crazy? What if celestial bronze can kill her like us?"

"That's the plan. One..." I started targeting as Miranda started for us both, looking at us like we were nuts for not even trying for escape. "Two..." Miranda's claws became something from a horror movie - pitch black and motionless, glinting with a scent of death on its very texture. I glanced at Hayley once more, her eyes studying the situation with ease. I could tell from her expression, she was about to scream.

Hold it in, hold it in... I thought deperately. Just for a couple more seconds... "Three!" I shouted, and Percy, although it seemed to defy his every will, took aim for Hayley and launched himself forward.

Miranda, doing as I expected, recoiled from him and hid Hayley behind her. That's where I came into play.

As she and Percy were distracted, I rounded her in one swift movement, stabbed her in the back which brought on something that cannot be described as a shriek, or a scream, or anything I would even call a sound. But it was awful - a screech and yelp and anger scream combined. As she fell, I yanked Hayley from her grasp, and climbed to the top of my old desk with one step. I craddled Moon softly as I glared at Percy.

"Kill her." I stated, no emotion in my voice or eyes. "Kill her now."

He didn't need any convincing. With one swipe, the beast was gone, turned into yellow sulfer dust and gone in a matter of moments.

Cumbersome silence filled the room. Percy offered me his hand, which I took and hopped down off the desk. We both stared at Moon, her eyes looking at us, back and forth, back and forth.

"Gah?" She finally said, her gaze piercing.

I cracked a small smile, as did Percy. That when I noticed a small gash in her forehead - not one that would need stitches, but one that would definitely cause a scar as she got older and matured more than she already was.

I touched it softly, which made her cringe slightly. "Shh, shh," I said, looking at it closer. "It's okay, Moon. I promise." I lifted her up to me and kissed her forehead. "It'll always be okay."

We got the rest of the boxes packed, along with the basonet, in an hour flat. The ride home was filled with silence - we didn't even have the CD going. Hayley didn't seem too interested in if either it was on or not. She was looking out the window, examining the mixture blending of grass and trees.

Eventually, Hayley looked into the rearview mirror, and I could once again see her lips trying to form ditorted words. What she finally came up with was, "D'ats wirl s'dearwee."

Percy looked at me with a questioning glance, while I smiled slyly. "She said that girl is scary." I said, smiling wider. "She said that. My little girl said that."

"Annabeth, she's two months old. It's just babble." Percy said. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't care what you say. My daughter can talk at two months old. She's such her mother's child."

Percy chuckled. "That she is."

Another silence filled the car, and my mind kept drifting back to my dream. "I..." I began slowly. "I know why the undine attacked." I said.

Percy looked at me. "What?"

I took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "Months ago, when we were at the hospital, the next day...I had a dream that night. The undine visited me, and warned that Hayley was going to become something that she wasn't." I paused as his eyesbrows knitted together like they always do when he's worried. It made me remember that time in the second Titan War, when I first saw how cute he was up close, with his eyebrows like that.

"And...I didn't believe her. I didn't know she'd come and try to take Hayley, but she did. I should've known she'd try something like that..." I made an irritated face. "Zeus, I feel so stupid! Isn't a mother supposed to know when their kids are in danger? Geez!" I felt awful now. I knew I shouldn't, but I did.

"Annabeth, you don't know everything, no matter how smart you are." Percy pointed out, pulling up in the driveway.

"But I'm the daughter of Athena! I should know these things..."

Percy smiled as he parked the car. "Wise Girl, it'll be fine." He kissed me, and when he pulled away, I was going to say something when, suddenly, Moon began laughing hysterically, which made us laugh too.

"M'das wirl, M'das wirl!" MJ shouted, laughing in between her slowly forming words. Percy glanced in my direction.

"Mama's girl, Mama's girl." I said.

"M'das wirl!" Hayley shouted again. We couldn't help but continue laughing all the way into the house.

So. I finished my homework! Yay! Thank God! So...

Hope you enjoyed! :D

~Future