Annabeth:

I nervously watched the clock, as seconds turned into minutes when they ticked away.

I felt uncomfortable sitting on the wax paper, waiting for my doctor to come back in.

I didn't know why I had come today. I knew what I'd be told. Hera had made that part abundantly clear. I guess it just still hadn't set in yet, and I was worrying that it never would. Percy understood, and Sarah would probably when I picked her up from school today and told her.

But it didn't feel real to me.

Percy had told me that me what I had told him years ago.

That a lot of people out there adopt. That there are plenty of great children out there, just waiting for a loving family to accept them into their hearts and homes.

He was right. It had worked out for Sarah and her adopted parents. They might not of liked each other, but they did love each other. And I loved children, pretty much all children. It didn't have to be mine. And why would I want to go through another pregnancy?

But I did want to go through another pregnancy. I wanted to have my own child.

And I knew Percy didn't really want to adopt either.

He wanted his own child. He wanted to feel the baby kick, and he wanted to see the resemblance between him and his child. He wanted to be able smile and say that the child took on too many characteristics from him. Percy wanted a new real Jackson.

If only I had agreed before now. If we had started trying for a child before I turned thirty. Or if we had just conceived a month ago!

Then I wouldn't be here.

I almost cried as I stared down at my stomach, but I pulled it together and continued to stare at the clock.

I was trying to imagine what the doctor would say when the door opened.

Hera hadn't been specific about what they'd say. She just told me the message underneath.

I glanced at my doctor, and I knit my eyebrows in confusion.

Why was she smiling?

"Annabeth, I have some good news."

XXXXX

I quickly typed in the numbers I had memorized into my cell phone.

I mashed the send button and waited for someone to answer.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

"Oh come on! Answer!" I tapped my foot impatiently.

Ring.

Ruh-

"Hey, Annabeth. Have you picked up Sarah from school yet?"

"No," I shook my head as I sat down on a nearby bench of the park.

"Oh, what is it then?"

I smiled so wide that it almost hurt.

"I just got back from the doctor-"

"Oh, are you okay?" Percy interrupted, "I know that must of hurt."

"Percy-"

"I know, I know, Annabeth. It'll be alright though-"

"Percy, there's something I need to tell you!"

"What?"

I paused, letting myself enjoy the glorious moment.

"I'm pregnant, Percy."

I could hear a thud, which sounded like Percy had dropped the phone.

But, it didn't take long until there was another rustle, and Percy was back on the line.

"But how?"

"I don't know."

"Are you sure it's not a false positive?"

"I thought that, too! I made the doctor test me three more times. And I even bought three more tests and took them after I got out! And six out of seven were positive!" I smiled even more as I looked down at my stomach, "I'm pregnant, Percy."

"I-I…" Percy trailed off.

"I'm going to try and see if I can see Hera tomorrow. See if it's really true."

"I don't want to get excited until we know, okay?"

I pushed my hair behind my ear.

"I know, Perce. I just wanted to tell you, in case it was true."

As if on cue, I saw the same little devil goddess I had seen yesterday.

"I'll call you back, Percy," I hung up the phone before he could object, and I shoved my cell phone into my purse.

I tried to be fast with my walk, even though my heels were so high. But it was much faster than the run I had tried to manage yesterday when I was running away from this evil goddess.

Hera didn't smile when she saw me. But she didn't frown either.

She just stared as I approached her and crossed her arms.

"Hello, Annabeth."

"Lady Hera," I bowed, and I glared at her as I looked up.

Hera smiled at me, her cruel smile.

"I thought you said that you couldn't lift the curse."

"I can't."

"So, I'm not pregnant?"

But Hera's smile turned into the motherly smile which only made sense because she was the goddess of mothers.

"You are, Annabeth."

I stared at her.

"But how?"

"You're going to get a call tomorrow," she pointed towards my purse, where my phone was hidden in a pocket, "and the doctor is going to tell you that you are six weeks along. And your birthday was five weeks ago."

Oh.

My.

Gods.

"The baby should be fine. Your body isn't very strong. But you should be able to carry it."

My eyes continued to water, and I held my stomach tightly.

"Congratulations, Annabeth."

Percy,

I continued to watch the game, though I wasn't very interested in it.

But I had to find something-anything- to distract me from Annabeth's call earlier today.

Pregnant.

It was impossible.

Hera herself had told us that Annabeth and I were through with our childbearing days.

And never mind the odds of six to one that Annabeth was pregnant.

Hera made me one hundred percent shore that Annabeth wasn't pregnant.

But I wanted her to be. I wanted us to have another child.

A little girl preferably, but I'd love to have a son anyway.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

I looked that way just as a little girl climbed on the couch and hugged me tightly.

"I saw this pretty woman today!" Sarah began.

I knit my eyebrows in confusion.

"And she told me that I was going to be a big sister? Mommy says it's true!" Sarah hugged my neck again, and I pushed her wild curls out of my eyes to see Annabeth, who had snuck in after Sarah had attacked me with a hug.

"Did she?"

"Hey, Sarah," Annabeth tried to seem upbeat, "Can I talk to Daddy alone for a minute?"

Sarah shrugged and went up the stairs, and I waited until I knew that Sarah was in her room before I began.

"You told her?"

"Percy-" Annabeth began.

"You can't be pregnant, Annabeth!" I whisper-hissed, "Why are you getting Sarah excited for something that can't happen?"

"But I am pregnant!" she whisper-yelled.

"Hera said-"

"Hera said that I couldn't conceive after I turned thirty. That was five weeks ago," Annabeth poked her stomach, "This happened six weeks ago."

I continued to stare.

"The goddess herself told me that the doctor was right," Annabeth pointed to the sky.

"So, you mean…" I couldn't find the words to finish it.

"I mean, you're going to be a dad again."

I was about to respond when I blacked out.