EPILOGUE
Two years later,
Perseus Jackson, more commonly known as Percy, sat nervously on one of the numerous hospital benches, fiddling with the edge of his shirt. His twelve year-old son Pierre Isaac sag beside him, looking excited while his mother, and Percy's ex, Reyna Arellano, was trying to stop his foot from tapping.
"Seriously, Percy, you've been present in three baby deliveries and you're more nervous than the one giving birth? Now I can see why Annabeth didn't want you there with her," said Reyna.
"Can't help it, Rey."
Annabeth Chase - no, scratch that - Annabeth Jackson was currently in the delivery room, giving birth to their second child. They had married around a year and a half ago after Percy had made sure that Annabeth - the girl from his teenage years - was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
All his friends were present. His cousins Thalia Grace with her younger brother Jason, who was with an attractive woman named Piper McLean; Grover Underwood and his wife, Juniper; Calypso and her husband, Leo Valdez; Nico was there, too, with a blonde guy named Will whom Nico introduced as a friend. Reyna was Annabeth's maid of honor while Grover was his bestman. Pierre brought them their ring and the ceremony was held in an old church outside of the city, where the support group Percy once attended held its meetings.
Annabeth looked stunning in her cream-colored wedding gown, which front reach just below her knees while the back was trailing a few feet behind her. She looked perfect as Frederick Chase, and surprisingly, Annabeth's birth mother, Athena walked her down the aisle. Percy could remember his knees shaking as he waited for his bride to be at the altar. It was as if every moment of his life had lead to that moment.
They exchanged vows right before the eyes of their family, the very same vows that thousands of couples had already made prior to them. They made a little alteration, though, and omitted the "'Til death do us part" because after everything they went through, everyone knew that nothing could truly separate them.
After the priest proclaimed them as husband and wife, and after all the celebration, they went home to their newly purchased house and started their lives as Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Starting then, Percy knew happiness; he had the perfect wife, an amazing son and very supportive friends. It seemed that life couldn't' get any better.
He was wrong.
Eight months after their wedding, Percy woke up to Annabeth screaming. He jumped from their bed, ignoring the fact that he was naked as the day he was born, and raced to their bathroom.
"What?" he asked, bewildered. "What is it?"
Tears were running down her cheeks as she held a pregnancy test kit on one hand, showing him the two lines confirming the wonderful news. "I'm pregnant, Seaweed Brain!" she announced.
Percy was speechless. He just grabbed Annabeth's face and kissed her hard on the lips. Annabeth wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him back, only to pull back when she noticed that he didn't have any stitch of clothing on.
"Why are you naked?" she demanded.
Percy rolled his eyes, giving her a malicious grin. "Come on, Wise Girl, don't pretend like it's something you don't like seeing . . . and touching."
"Shut your mouth," she said, shoving him out of the way. "And, oh, you better get ready," she shouted from their room. "You need to leave early; I'm taking the car!"
"Yes, ma'am!" he shouted back.
A phone ringing broke Percy's thoughts. He looked beside him to see Reyna turning her phone off, her face red, but not before Percy saw a picture of a brown-haired dude with blue eyes grinning at the camera.
"Who's that?" he asked. Reyna shook her head, flustered. "Hey, if my bestfriend starts dating again, I've got to approve."
She rolled her eyes at him. "So you could threaten him like you did the last one? No thanks."
"You like him," Percy said. It was more than a statement than a question.
Reyna exhaled. "I do," she said. "He's . . . he just gets me, you know? He knows about Pierre and he adores him - which, for me, is a really big factor." Reyna paused. "He knows about my past and accepted me; he's a bit too serious and big on following his plans but he's a big softie . . . I - I think I really like him."
Percy smiled. He was glad that Reyna was happy. She had finally come to terms with who she was and who she is. Now she wore her scars proudly, along with the name Reyna Arellano. She was also starting to counsel young girls who went through some sort of abuse. With that, the spa she was managing, Pierre to look after, Percy was happy that she still had the time to meet with someone.
Although, as she pointed out, the last one didn't really end well. Percy talked to the guy and told him (threatened him?) that he'd better make Reyna happy and be good to his son. The next day, she told him that the guy didn't call again.
"Hey, all I did was talk to the guy," he protested.
"Yeah, right."
A door opened and both Percy and Reyna stood up. The doctor removed her face mask, revealing a kind face, and said, "You can see them now."
Percy nodded his thanks and let himself in the room, Reyna and Pierre following him. Lying on the bed was his wife, clearly, exhausted from the delivery, but looking content, nonetheless. On her arms, wrapped in a pink baby blanket that Reyna gave, was his daughter.
Once again, Percy felt that type of happiness he felt only twice before. First when Aedan Noah was born, next was when Pierre Isaac. He knew that nothing could really match that emotion - the feeling of a balloon swelling in your chest; his throat tightening, torn between giving a chuckle or sobbing in contentment; the sensation of gravity shifting and the world suddenly revolving that one tiny body.
She was easily the most perfect one she saw in his life - of course same thought occurred to him when he first saw Noah and Pierre. She had dark hair, which she clearly inherited from him. Her face though, was clearly taken after her mother, which, to Percy, made her look more beautiful.
"Oh, she's so beautiful," Reyna cooed, looking at his daughter from the foot of Annabeth's bed.
Percy leaned forward and placed a kiss on Annabeth's lips and doing the same to his daughter's. He then slowly picked her up and settled on his arms. She squirmed a little, but kept on sleeping. Once again, Percy felt like he was holding the world in his arms.
He didn't get to enjoy the feeling, though, because then, Pierre started tugging on his arm. "Can I hold her, Dad? Can I, please? Can I?" he asked, practically bouncing in excitement.
Percy chuckled and carefully handed him his sister, showing him the way to correctly hold her. Reyna's arms were outstretched and assisting her son. "She's pretty," Pierre breathed. "I think I love her already." Everyone in the room laughed. Percy sat beside Annabeth and she wrapped her arm around his lap, both watching Pierre. "Hello, little lady. I'm your big brother . . . ahem, your handsome big brother."
That brought another round of laughter within the room's occupants. Reyna tapped her son's shoulder and took his baby from him. Babies are fragile and Reyna knew she shouldn't let a twelve year-old hold on for long. "What's her name?" she asked them, rocking the baby in her arms.
Percy and Annabeth looked at each other. Truthfully he couldn't come up with a name. He didn't come up with his sons' names. If he was the one, he thought they might've ended named Marlboro and Slade. He honestly tried to think of one for his girl once they'd found out from Annabeth's ultrasound, but he was out of ideas. That was if he didn't count Amphitrite or Chanel.
Then Annabeth came with the perfect name for her. "Aeda Noelle," she said.
Reyna smiled. "Hi, Aeda Noelle. Welcome to your family."
The air wasn't cold, thankfully, otherwise Percy wouldn't have known how to keep the baby in his arms warm.
Aeda Noelle had turned two months old and was already a handful. Percy told Annabeth that their daughter was nocturnal creature who was asleep during the day and was awake and very much active at night. Even though he had barely slept the past weeks, Percy was perfectly happy. Raising Aeda was different than raising either Pierre or Noah. For once he had more experience with babies, but it wasn't just that . . . raising his daughter was somewhat gentler.
Presently they were at the cemetery, paying Noah a visit. Percy thought it was time for Aeda to meet her older brother. They were sitting under the shade of a tree. Reyna and Annabeth were talking while Pierre was entertaining his sister. Her black hair now was starting to rain in ringlets over her eyes, her gray eyes startling. Whereas both Pierre and Noah took after their father, Aeda was a miniature Annabeth, except for her hair. Her cheeks were rosy and loved attention. Just like what her brother was giving her. Pierre was tickling her belly and she was smiling widely at him.
Reyna stood up from her place and excused herself, saying she had to make a call. "Who is she talking to?" Percy asked his son, nodding to where Reyna was standing.
Pierre grinned. "Him," he answered simply.
Him, which meant her boyfriend. Percy had met the dude and he had to admit that they looked good. He didn't flinch when Percy half-threatened half-asked him what he planned for Reyna in him. He looked him in the eye and answered in a steady voice that he planned on making her the happiest woman on the planet.
"You like him?" he asked Pierre.
Pierre shrugged. "He's cool. He always brings me chocolate every time he visits."
Percy put on a face of mocked anger. "I told him not to," he said. "This guy will seriously have to do a lot to get back on my good graces. I mean, giving a hyperactive kid chocolates? He's insane."
Aeda suddenly wailed, kicking her stubby arms and legs, demanding her Dad's attention. Percy chuckled and kissed her between her eyes. "Sorry there, my princess." He stood up slowly and settled his daughter more comfortably on his arms. "Come, my lady, you are to meet someone special."
The grave stone where Percy stood close to read Aedan Noah Jackon. A bitter-sweet smile was on his lips. How he wished Noah could be here. He knew that once Aeda grew up, he would be the protective brother she would need.
"Hey, buddy," he said softly. "I want you to meet someone." Aeda cooed from her place and yawned. "She is a special, special girl and I know that wherever you are right now, you will be watching her."
The wind blew softly against his frame and Percy shifted his body to shield his daughter, who was now already asleep. "We're happy now, but would be a whole lot happier if you were here," he told the grave stone, marked with his son's name. "And I want you to know that even with your sister and in the picture and our lives to live, I will never forget you, buddy. You will forever be in my life, in my heart.
"I love you, buddy. Always and forever."
I love you, too, Dad, the wind seemed to whisper back.
A pair of arms wrapped around his waist and he looked back to see his wife smiling at him. She carefully took Aeda from his arms, which was a good thing because Pierre chose that moment to play-tackle his Dad. His weight wasn't enough to throw him off balance but Percy still grunted from the force.
He grabbed Pierre on a headlock and rubbed his knuckles on his head. "Knock it out, Dad!" he complained. Percy let him go, both of them grinning. He then noticed Annabeth holding his sister. He then batted his eyelash. "Daddy, can you pwease lift me up?" he asked in a childish voice.
He and Annabeth laughed but Percy complied, lifting Pierre up which caused his eyes to widen. Pierre was no lightweight but Percy was fit enough to hold him there. He then placed an arm around Annabeth's shoulders and kissed her forehead. He did the same to Aeda and to a protesting Pierre. Looking back to his sons' grave, a smile formed on his lips. "Buddy, this is your family," he said.
They stayed there for a while, holding on to each other and to the memories of their departed love one. Their life hadn't been easy; there were betrayals, anger and resentment but love far outweighed all negative emotions. Through the course of their family life, they all learned acceptance and letting go, but most of all, they all learned what being part of a family truly means, and Percy was truly grateful for that.
It had been painful, but in the end it was all worth it. For now, Perseus Jackson, more commonly known as Percy, was happy, and he believed he would be . . . always and forever.
A/N: First, I sincerely thank all of you for being part of NEVER LET ME GO, for sticking with me from the beginning until the very end. Thank you guys for giving me the opportunity to write for you, to chance to grow, not just as a writer, but also as a person. I consider this story one of my best accomplishments and you guys are one of the reasons.
Special thanks to TinaDaughterOfPoseidon23, CimFan, Nora Frost 'the crazy one, ADayWithNoLaughterIsADayWasted, Blackwing-Darkraven, Pug1998, RachelChaseJackson . . .and seriously, to all of you guys. Please don't get mad if I was unable to include your name but know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart (no matter how corny that sounds.)
We have grown up with Noah, Pierre, Reyna, Percy and Annabeth and now we're off to our next adventure - new characters (with the same name) and a darker, more emotional roller-coaster ride, so I will ask you guys to NEVER LET ME GO as we deal with DEMONS.
See you guys! :D