Secrets and Homework

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Disclaimer: I don't own PJO

Percy's POV

I'm worried about Sophia and Hallie. A Cyclops actually had the guts to approach Sophia! If Greg wasn't there to pull her away, I don't even want to know what would've happened. I'm positive it wasn't Tyson, because the last time I talked to him (last week) he said that he was going to be in the Forges for at least another month, and after that he was going back to camp.

We were back in our apartment and I needed to send Chiron an Iris Message. I couldn't help but notice my daughters watching me as I walked into the bathroom. Annabeth led them into the living room, where she was sure to ask about their day, and help with homework.

Annabeth's POV

I can always tell when one of my daughters likes a boy. Right now, it's written all over Sophia's face. I know who that boy is, too; Greg Smith. I would ask her about it later, though; now I was helping them get through their homework.

"What is your homework, girls?" I asked them.

"Well, I have a worksheet in math that I have to complete, then I have to type up a lab report for the disgusting dissection we did today on the heart (ick), and then I have to write an English paper on the Greek gods," Hallie answered first. I grinned at the mention of her relatives; she had no idea she was talking about her own relatives.

"We'll do the paper last. Start with the math; that doesn't require typing," I instructed. Then I turned to Sophia, "What's your homework?"

"For History I have to complete a stupid worksheet about the Trojan War (bore), in math I have to answer all the problems on textbook page 357, for science I have to do something for the genetics unit I told you about earlier, and for English I have to finish my classwork," Sophia told me.

"What's this homework you already told me about?" I asked; I didn't remember.

"Well…," she looked at me carefully. Even Hallie looked up from her math, "I have to find out my family tree up to my great-grandfather and write down their physical characteristics so we can learn about punnett squares all over again! I swear; I've been learning about punnett squares since seventh grade!"

How will I get out of this one? I will just have to lie, "Okay. Your father's dad's name is Phillip Pearl. He has jet-black hair and sea-green eyes, just like your father. Phillip's dad was Craig Cogs, and his mother was Rhonda Just. Craig had blue eyes and black hair, and Rhonda had green eyes and black hair. My mother's name is Alyssa Smart, and she has black hair and grey eyes. Alyssa's dad is Zeke Sky, and her mom was Mea Source. They both have black hair. Zeke has electric blue eyes and Mea had grey eyes. All have Caucasian skin. I will start on the ones you know so well when you are finished writing." Sophia scribbled this information down on a piece of paper. Hallie just stared at me in shock; her mouth was wide open.

"Hallie, close your moth; you'll catch flies," I instructed.

"Mom, I have a question. Why does everyone have different last names? I mean the ones who had the children together?" Sophia asked.

"They weren't married," I replied simply.

"So, Phillip, Zeke, and Alyssa are still alive?" Hallie asked.

"Yes. They will be alive for a long time sweetie," I answered.

"Such peculiar last names," Sophia murmured. I made them up under pressure, so what do you expect?

"Sally Jackson Blofis had brunette hair before it was grey, and her eyes change color with the light. I guess you could put grey. Frederick Chase had blonde hair before it was grey, along with brown eyes. I'm not sure about Grandma Blofis's mom and dad; you'll have to ask your father or Grandma herself. Grandpa Chase's mom, Jamie Finn Chase, had blonde hair and blue eyes. His dad, Chad Chase, had blonde hair and brown eyes. All Caucasian," I informed her. Sophia was less enthusiastic this time, and Hallie had returned to her math homework.

"Any siblings?" asked Sophia.

"No," I lied. All these secrets are starting to get to me; I'm glad I'm tough enough to not crack.

"These are the family members you've been keeping secret? What's the big deal?" Sophia asked.

"I'm an honest person, girls, so I'm going to tell you straight. Those are their characteristics, but not their names. I have to talk to a lot of people before I tell you their true names. Only the people on the side of the family you know well are the exact truth," I confessed. Hallie and Sophia looked disappointed.

There was an awkward silence. Hallie decided to break the silence by asking me a question about her homework, "Mom, I don't get this one, can you help me? 7(2p + 3) – 8 = 6p + 29." I helped her. It was simple, but I didn't mention that to her.

Once I was done helping Hallie, I watched them do their homework for a while. Then Percy shouted, "Annabeth; could you come here please?" I walked over to the bathroom, but Percy was no longer there. He was in our room. I entered.

He was sitting on the bed, and when I walked in, he patted the space next to him. I sat, "Nico, Aura, Thalia, and Theodore are worried about their children too. They're worried that they're next, and that they might not be as lucky as Sophia and Greg were," Percy informed me.

"So you talked to Tommy," I concluded; I remembered that Tommy was going to talk to them.

"Yes. Chiron believes that 'the time for them to know is close, closer than we might think.' Well, I was hoping for another few years, but if he says so, I've got to trust him. Poor girls; they have no idea the danger," Percy added.

"Yes; poor Sophia and Hallie. You do realize that Greg and Sophia are the same age as you were when the battle occurred," I pointed out.

"Annabeth, I think I got that. I thought you would come up with something better, considering who your mother is. Remember that the battle was on my birthday, and it was because it was my birthday that the battle broke out," he teased. "I think we should be joining our children about now." He pecked me on the lips, stood up, and held out his hand for me to take.

I wanted to kiss Percy more. I took his hand, and pulled him back on the bed. I threw my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. He kissed me back. I fell back on the bed, laying down, pulling Percy with me. He kissed me passionately, and then broke away with his evil grin. I knew that grin.

"Percy!" I hissed, "The kids are in the next room! No!" I don't want to know what Sophia and Hallie would think if they walked in to their parents undressing each other.

I waited for my breathing to become regular. As soon as both Percy's and mine were, I straitened out my shirt and opened the door. Sophia looked very interested in an empty glass that she was holding. Hallie looked interested in her own.

"Were you guys listening?" I accused.

"No-," Hallie started.

"Yes," Sophia interrupted her, "What battle? Who's Chiron? Know what? What danger? So Cyclopes really do exist?"

"How about we start with finishing your homework?" Percy suggested. Sophia grumbled and picked up her pencil, "Grandma's mom, Heather Brown Jackson, had brunette hair and blue eyes. Grandma's dad, Kenneth Jackson, had black hair and grey eyes. All Caucasian," Percy informed.

"Any siblings?" asked Sophia with a bored voice.

"No," Percy could tell the truth. Humph.