Yes, I know it's been ages since I last posted anything, and no, I don't have an excuse (apart from that things have been really busy at work and I haven't had a lot of free time).
Review responses:
hproxx1999 - You're welcome!
For hproxx1999. I couldn't have created this without your help. Thank you.
Disclaimer - As much as I wish I legally owned the Percy Jackson series, I'm not Rick Riordan. Not even in my dreams.
~May 23, 2020~
"You can't seriously expect me to believe that you haven't thought about what you'd want to call our son since we found out the gender three weeks ago, Percy".
I shrugged, staring at my blonde-haired wife over the top of the cup of (decaf, thanks to Annabeth deciding that if she had to suffer missing out on the coffee she loved, then I had to suffer the same thing) coffee in my hand. "Okay, I'll admit that I have a couple of names that might work, but I'm not sure which one I like more".
"Alright, tell me the first one you've thought of".
I glanced down at the list of four names that I'd made, and then glanced back up at my wife. "Michael. For Michael Yew, who we lost in the battle of Manhattan"
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Michael? Do you really want our son to be named Michael Jackson, Seaweed Brain? What other names have you got?"
I glanced down at the paper on the table in front of me for a second time. "Lee, for Lee Fletcher"
"Lee Jackson? No. What else have you got?"
I sighed, though I was inwardly relieved. She'd shot down the first two names on the list that I'd come up with, just as I had suspected she would. This was a good thing indeed, since those were the two that I'd slipped in there just to check whether she was actually paying attention or not. Now that I knew she was, it was time to get to the two more important ones. "Lucas. Lucas Jackson".
"Lucas Jackson?"
I nodded. "Named after Luke Castellan, naturally. He may have done some terrible things while he was working for Kronos, and he may have tried to destroy Olympus, but he was a hero in the end, and I think it's only fitting"
Annabeth smiled warmly. "I agree, it really is a good way to honour him. However, I think we should discuss all of our available options before we make a decision"
Again I nodded. That was the Annabeth I'd fallen in love with, as logical as ever. "You make a very fair point. Okay, the final name of the four I came up with is… Robert, Bobby for short".
"And who would we be naming him after?" my wife queried, though I could see by the way she was looking at me that she was only asking to confirm what she thought she already knew.
"Partly after Bob, formerly Iapetus, the Titan who helped us to make our way safely through… well, you know where… 10 years ago".
I paused; Annabeth's nod all the confirmation I needed that my blonde-haired wife remembered what I was talking about. An experience that I sincerely doubted either of us would entirely forget, no matter how hard we tried to. "And also partly after Bobby Chase, your brother" I added softly.
Her grey eyes widened at my words. "You really wouldn't mind doing that, Percy?"
I reached out one hand, cupping her face tenderly, and smiled at her. "Of course I wouldn't mind, Wise Girl. I know how much your family, especially your brothers, mean to you. And naming our son Robert is the perfect way to honour that and a good friend of ours at the same time".
Annabeth smiled back at me, leaning in and pressing her lips momentarily against mine in a brief, though passionate, kiss. She pulled away a few minutes later, smiling softly at me again. "How about we name him Robert Lucas Jackson? That way we get to name him after the Titan who saved our lives in… you know where… as well as my brother and Luke".
I considered it. "I like it, but I think we should seek a third opinion first. And I know exactly who to ask".
Turning to the black-haired girl who was playing happily with a small toy doll that Calypso had made her for Christmas the year before, I called gently to her. "Zoë, could you come here for a second please?"
The girl looked up, nodding immediately. "Coming, Daddy".
She came running over, immediately throwing herself into my arms, and I laughed, lifting her so that she was sitting on my lap, my arms wrapped protectively around her. I pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of our daughter's head, nodding to Annabeth. "Zoë, do you remember when your father and I told you that you were going to have a little brother in about four months?" she queried gently.
"Yes, mommy"
"Well, your father and I have been discussing names and we think we've finally found the perfect one, but we'd like to know what you think first, since you're going to be a big part of this little guy's life. His name is going to be Robert (Bobby for short) Lucas Jackson".
Zoë wrinkled her nose slightly. She only did that when she disagreed with, or was concerned about, something (or when she was in a thoughtful mood, though this was rarely), so both Annabeth and I were immediately concerned that there was something wrong with the name. "Something wrong, Zoë?"
"Bobby? Like Uncle?"
Annabeth nodded. "Yes, sweetheart, exactly like him. And Lucas like the man who saved me when I was a little girl"
Our daughter wrinkled her nose again, this time definitely thoughtful. After a couple of seconds she spoke again. "Like it".
Annabeth and I smiled at each other, and I pressed another soft kiss to the top of my daughter's head. "Good, that settles it then. His name will be Robert Lucas Jackson".
So there we go. Please, feel free to leave a Review, they make me very happy (and that might make for faster updating but who knows?)
Also - I love writing five year old Zoe Bianca Jackson. She's so perfectly adorable.
This week's songs:
Somewhere Only We Know - Keane
Wreckage - Amy Bezunartea
