AN: This is the last chapter… but then there's the epilogue! I've had so much fun writing this story and while I'm upset it's coming to an end I'm also excited. Sorry about any spelling/grammar mistakes.

Sorry about the really, really long wait. I've been feeling a little down lately. That's my only excuse really. I promise the epilogue will be updated much quicker.

R&R…

Chapter Twenty-Three

A Week Later

Annabeth

Thomas Fredrick Jackson. Percy and I agreed to let Ocean pick his name and we couldn't hide our relief when she called out 'Tommy'. We were expecting her to say a made-up name that sounded terrible but she surprised us. She had been so excited when she visited a little after he was born with Silena.

She instantly started bossing everyone around and acting like she was Tom's mother. It was adorable to watch before I finally gave into sleep. It was a fast birth but still as painful as it was with Ocean. Though, I forgot the pain as soon as I held my little Tommy for the first time.

Percy was great. He let me hold his hand but I didn't break it this time- he kissed me for that after. It was scary as I still had a month left until my due date but Tommy was the perfect size. If I hadn't given birth then he would have been gigantic a month later.

"Are you ready?" Percy asks just as I finish zipping the bag up.

"Yeah," I grin as I turn to find him holding our baby. Today we're going home after spending the week at the hospital because Tommy was a little premature. "Is he sleeping?"

"Yeah. I've just got him to sleep. I figured it would be good to have a nap before we arrived home and everyone started fussing over him," Percy replies.

"Good idea," I say with a yawn.

"You tired?" he asks.

"Just a little," I admit, throwing the bag over my shoulder and heading to the door. "But I don't mind."

"I'm sure one of the guys will baby-sit so we can catch up on some sleep. I can't wait for everyone to see him," Percy smiles, excitedly. "I think we should have another one."

"A baby? Maybe in a few years when Tommy is a little older and we are all settled in the care home," I reply. "We are going to have a lot of kids to look after. Things are going to be hectic."

"We'll manage. The inspectors will be coming in a few months. The care home will be finished by then and we'll get settled in. All we will need is the kids."

"We need new rules, too," I add as we reach the car park.

Percy lays Tommy in his car seat and straps him in while I get in next to him so I can watch him while Percy drives us home. "Are we going to keep the 'no dating between two care home kids' rule?" he asks as he drives off.

"Now that we are older you have to admit that it wasn't a bad rule. We don't want kids sneaking into each other's rooms and getting up to stuff," I explain.

"But we have separate floors for each sex. Besides, there will be two to a room. No one's going to get up to something when someone else is in the room aswell. We'll ban a female and male being in the same room alone after a certain time. How about that?" he asks.

"I guess that would be better. We won't have any kids running away then," I smile. Percy chuckles.

"We'll put locks on their windows," Percy half-jokes.

"They'll feel like animals. Locked in. We could just put in an alarm and it'll wake us up if someone is trying to escape."

"That's a good idea," Percy comments.

"That's why you call me Wise Girl," I grin, stroking Tommy's chubby pink cheek while watching him sleep.

We arrive at the care home around fifteen minutes later. Percy opens the door for me while I gently pick up Tom and get out of the car. Percy grabs the bag I'd packed my hospital stuff in and closes the door before following me up the path to the care home door.

We don't even have time to knock before the door swings open and we are pulled inside, everyone cooing over our new baby. All of our friends decided to gather to welcome us home. "He's adorable!" Calypso gasps, peeking over Thalia's shoulder.

"He's got Percy's nose," Juniper says, smiling brightly.

"Mommy!" a loud voice calls over the others in the room. Ocean pushes through the small crowd and grins when she sees me holding her brother.

"Your home!"

I laugh. "Do you want to hold your brother?"

She nods, abruptly, and Percy sits down and pulls her onto his lap so she's sitting down before I gently place Tommy in her arms.

"He's so small," she whispers in awe.

Thalia nudges me in the side.

"How are you doing?" she asks, rocking her own baby in her arms.

"I'm great. A little tired but I'm so happy," I grin.

"You're starting to sound cheesy," she replies and I laugh.

"That's Percy's fault," I say and she nods in agreement.

"We finished the rooms downstairs and we've nearly finished the third floor," Nico speaks up, coming to stand next to Thalia.

"That's great. Thank you so much, guys. It would've taken so much longer if it weren't for all of your help," Percy says.

"We're happy to help. It should be finished in a few weeks, anyway," Grover adds.

"Enough about the care home. We have a new baby!" Silena squeals. "Can I hold him next?"

"You can all take it in turns and if anyone wants to baby-sit…" Percy trails off, hinting.

"I'll baby-sit!" Silena says, immediately.

"You already have a house full of kids. Are you sure you'll be able to manage?" Percy asks.

"Of course. I have Beckendorf to help," Silena insists.

"That's awesome. When we get too tired we'll drop him over," I say and she nods, excitedly.

"It's crazy how much things have changed," Nico says, changing the subject. We all nod in agreement.

"Ten years ago Percy was the new guy," I reply.

"And you didn't talk," Luke adds.

"You ran away!" Rachel says.

"It seems that the drama only came when Percy arrived," Thalia laughs. "It's all his fault!"

"Oh, come on. If it wasn't for me Annabeth still wouldn't be talking and we wouldn't have run away and ended up here," Percy replies.

"I'm happy you came," I say and go over to kiss Percy on the cheek.

"Oh, talk about cheesy!" Thalia exclaims and I roll my eyes.

"And if daddy didn't meet mommy I wouldn't be here or my Tommy," Ocean speaks up.

"That's right, sweetie," Percy chuckles.

Everyone takes it in turns to hold Tommy and by the time he's ready for a feed everyone has had a hold. "Let's leave them alone to get settled in," Thalia orders, being her usual bossy self.

"We'll be over to help finish this place up in a few days," Grover explains.

"That's good. Thanks," I say. We say our goodbyes and five minutes later the only people left are Percy, Tommy, Ocean and I.

"Why don't you come help me make pancakes while mommy feeds Tommy?" Percy asks Ocean.

"But it's late. We are meant to have pancakes at breakfast!" Ocean giggles.

"That's not true!" Percy gasps, dramatically. "In this house you can have pancakes whenever you want."

"I like pancakes," Ocean adds.

"Then let's get cooking!"

Percy and Ocean leave the room while I take the seat Percy had been sitting on minutes before. I start feeding Tommy while I think about the past. What Thalia said before was correct. The drama did only come when Percy came. But if he hadn't come then I wouldn't be here now, holding my son in my arms.

Yes, it's been a roll-coaster. Things haven't been easy. We've lost people we love but we've also added people to our list of loved ones. But being here, right now, feels perfect. Who knows where I'd be if Percy hadn't moved into the care home ten years ago.

Maybe Chiron would still be alive. Maybe I'd be married to another man. Maybe I wouldn't have any kids at all. I'd never go back and change what happened, even if it meant losing Chiron. I'll miss him forever and regret not saying goodbye to him.

A forgotten memory comes back to me and I smile a little as I remember what my mom once told me: Every cloud has a silver lining. She was right. My parents died and Percy saved me from becoming a lonely mute. Chiron died and now I am as happy as I can be.

I have two children and the best fiancé I could ever have.

This is my home.

This is where I belong.

AN: Kind of a weird ending, I think. But what do you think? Epilogue next chapter! Review!