I edited this 14-10-2014
i wrote this ff way before reading BOO and now I edited it bc I cant go against canon, I simply cant. and I just finished BOO and well... I might discuss it with all of you later.
BOO SPOILERS
SPOILER
SPOILERS
BOO SPOILERS!
Annabeth was having the morning off because she felt terrible.
She barely had morning sickness when she was pregnant with Sophia, she remembered wanting to spit something out because the smell or taste suddenly didn't appeal to her but never actual throwing up. This second baby was getting her all the symptoms and she didn't like it one bit.
"Agh. I'm sorry" She said to Percy while he held her hair and she vomited some more. "I've made you late, again"
"I think I'm staying" He said concerned.
"It's normal Perseus" She replied and went to the sink to wash her mouth. "Fortunately the first trimester is almost over"
"I want to stay, you also have a cold" She leaned on his chest and groaned in pain.
"But your work-" She argued and he put his arm around her and helped her to bed.
The fact was she wanted him to stay and tend to her, with kindness and love, like he always did when she was sick.
"They can handle things without me for a day, I'll call and say that you're ill, you can't stay with Sophia like this. She walks now and it harder to keep up"
She managed a smile while he tucked her in bed. He caressed her cheek and then palmed the bump. It was already noticeable, and that was another difference with the first pregnancy, Sophia didn't seem she was there for at least very well into 15 weeks
"Your kid is giving me a hard time" She complained and pouted, he laughed.
"Why are they always my kids when they do something wrong? Sophia was suddenly my kid last week when she grabbed the flour from the cabinet and covered herself with it" She laughed a little; she didn't realize she made that distinction. "And I still believe you were the one who forgot the baby proof safe to that door"
"No, it wasn't me! But they are your kids when they misbehave because you're the troublemaker" He kissed the top of her head and smiled.
"Rest, Love" He told her "I'll do your chores today and until you get better. Now I'm going to check on this girl, I don't want her cover in flour again" She nodded and he walked out.
"Sophia?" Percy found his daughter sitting on the floor in pjs with her bottle of milk in her hand and a handful of cheerios between her legs. She wasn't very good at walking still, she stumbled forward to him. "You have to be a good girl today, yeah? Your mommy is not feeling well; you have to help me make her feel better"
"Dada" was her only answer. She didn't say many stuff even though they tried to encourage her; she managed well by signs, so she didn't need to talk. Her only words at almost 13 months were mama, dada and yum.
"Good" Percy replied.
Percy started out doing the house chores that Annabeth did in about an hour and a half before going to work. Those involved some cleaning and tidying, doing laundry and some other house stuff and after that she got Sophia ready to take her to Sally.
Percy wondered how could she do all that stuff in the short amount of time because he was barely able to watch his daughter and do other stuff. Laundry alone was requiring too much work, separating the pieces of clothing into different piles by colors. It's not like he wasn't good with house work, he was very good and helpful, Annabeth wouldn't have it any other way but he could do it when his kid was not around.
He turned the tv on for his daughter the moment he realized it was probably the best way to keep her in one place, the baby tv channel showed bouncing colorful fluffy balls singing a song and she stood staring completely absorbed.
"Stay put" He told her and went to prepare tea and toasts for Annabeth.
"How are you feeling Annabeth?" He asked and set the tray on her lap.
"A little better, thanks" She smiled "did you finish?"
"I know I said it before but you are seriously amazing. How in Hades do you managed to do all those stuff within an hour and a half? I can barely watch Sophia and breathe at the same time," his wife laughed and intertwine her fingers with his.
"She's sneaky" Annabeth said.
"And very quiet" he agreed "One second she's there and the next she's gone"
"What is she doing now?"
"Watching tv" He replied waiting for her to be angry, she didn't like her watching too much tv. "It's the only way to keep her sitting for ten minutes" She nodded and didn't argue.
"Is your mom picking her up?"
"No, I told her I'm watching her today"
"If you think you can handle it"
"You think I can't?!" He asked faking hurt feelings.
"I never said that!" a smug smirk appeared on her face and he nodded
"Uh-huh! You'll see, I'm proving myself today"
"Wait until we have two kids" She said and sighed then winced
"Fighting to keep it down?" He asked, she had barely taken a bite from the bare toast.
"Sort of" Sophia came stumbling to the side of the bed where her mother was lying "Hey, baby" She smiled down a her
"Mama" She threw her arms out for Annabeth to get her on the bed. Annabeth picked her up and Sophia sat beside her, grabbed her toast and started munching at it.
"Her hair is getting so long" Annabeth commented and brushed her fingers through the golden curls on her daughters head.
"Let her be. Her hair is too cute"
"I don't think I could stand watching someone cut it"
"I was thinking taking her grocery shopping and you can sleep while we are gone. We are kind of short on everything"
"Oh! I was supposed to go today, don't worry, we'll go tomorrow. We can leave on take out for a day, I think"
"But I want to go"
"Percy I really think you're going to get lost in the supermarket" She admitted and he rolled his eyes.
It's not like he never do the house stuff, he just wasn't as fast. He went to the supermarket regularly but it took him a while longer than her.
"Ha-ha! You're such a tease. I have gone on my own before, Smartass"
"Okay, Kelp Head. Don't forget anything"
"Ehh...would you make me a list?" She laughed.
"If you bring me my computer"
"No, no computer today"
"But I have the list there!" She rolled her eyes
"Oh, right!" He went to get her the laptop and a piece of paper. She wrote with riptide a super long list of things, clarifying which ones to buy.
"Okay Sophie say goodbye" Annabeth kissed the top of her head.
"I love you, be a good girl. Don't cry for dad"
"We're going to have fun right?" Percy asked her and hoisted her up in his arms. "Okay, I'm taking this away"
"Agh, please, I need to..." She started holding onto her laptop. "Percy!" Percy pulled from the other side harder.
"No, sleep, I'm serious. Relax for a minute, you do too much" She crossed her arms and sighed, defeated. "I'm hiding this thing. Don't go looking for it" He warned and tucked her in then kissed her cheek, she smiled at both of them.
"I love you!" She called when they got out of the room.
"Love you too"
"How hard could this be? See, Soph?" He turned the stroller in another aisle. "We are almost done"
His daughter had behave pretty well while he shopped but now she wasn't staying sitting down, she wanted to walk. Of course she wanted to walk, it was all she wanted nowadays, now that she learned how.
"Okay, just for a minute. Then you're back in the stroller"
People and women in particular tend to look and awed at Sophia a lot when they were out. Seeing the little toddler stumble around the supermarket in that sweet navy romper was not different and he went around getting a lot of compliments for his daughter.
"Your kid is cute" Say a voice and Percy turned towards it. The 'woman' was far down the aisle but Percy's brain went hardwire.
"Holy Hera..." He muttered and grabbed the baby quickly and pushed the stroller around "You've got to be kidding me"
Encountering an Empousa was not on his supermarket list, he cursed while he tried to find his way out. Sophia was wriggling in his arms, not happy to be carried.
"Perseus Jackson!" The familiar voice called.
A big pile of tins exploded as the monster made her way towards him, pushing people and food. He run faster. Usually he would faced the monster while Annabeth grabbed Sophia and watch from a distance or they set the stroller away from the action and both took care of it, but Sophia was not strapped to it now and Percy cursed himself.
They had monsters encounters regularly so they were used to it. They had set a plan a long time ago, before she was even born. One of them would get her out of there if things got too ugly and the other will fight the monster. They almost always went together everywhere but they had had alone encounters with the baby, too.
The monsters didn't want to get the famous Percy and Annabeth but their baby too. They didn't pose any threat to the kid when she was out with her grandmother because she didn't smell so demigodishly but the whole family was another thing, Percy alone was smelly enough for the three of them.
"And here I was thinking today was going to be a good day" He said to his daughter as he run to the exit with the monster chasing him.
He tried to wheel the pram around to the exit when he remembered it was fully loaded with food that he had to pay. He cursed loudly in greek and left it behind "that's the last pram I'll buy, I'm serious"
"Where are you going Percy Jackson? Scared?" Kelli yelled.
"Me, scared?" He yelled behind his shoulder and laughed getting out of the supermarket.
Thank the gods Empousai were slow...He crossed the street to hide in the park but somehow when he looked behind his shoulder the stupid Empousa was there.
"How in Hades...?" He got his sword out now.
"Hello again" She said in that stupid girly voice.
Why in Hades was she still dressed as a cheerleader anyway?
"Agh! Ready for me to kill you yet again? Gods! You know, you should stay put, dead. It's been what...four years or something? And you still come back" He fake a yawn and Sophia tried to fight the hold he had on her. Kelli hissed and Sophia started crying.
"Oh! Adorable little Sophia, it's a pleasure to meet you at last. As soon as I came back I heard it all over the monsters news"
"Aha…"
"Yes Percy Jackson, the word has gotten around; I wanted to meet the little shit. Baby Jackson..."
"Baby Jackson-Chase" he corrected
"Agh! Your face is as disgusting as your mother's and those eyes…"
Percy was getting angry, thinking hard a way out. He should have listened to Annabeth and stayed inside; going grocery shopping was a bad idea.
"What's it like to have the two worst demigod parents around?"
"You mean awesome?" He asked with bored expression. "She's crying because she can't stand your ugly face"
"Set her down and I won't touch her"
"Yeah right, and you expect me to believe that?" Kelli got closer to them and he backed slowly.
"Look at me in the eye" the monster invited and Percy stared at her "do you want to kiss me?"
Percy made a disgusted face. No, the last thing he wanted was to kiss her. He remembered her well in her true monster form, a donkey leg? Come on, that wouldn't temp anyone.
"Kelli dear, can't you see that doesn't work on me anymore?"
"What, are you into men now?"
"No, but the last few times you tried it nothing happen"
"So you're into men" Percy laughed.
"No, I'm not. That might be a possibility for other demigods, your preys are cut in half for the gay men, I never thought about it before. They must be so good at killing empousai"
"Kiss me!" Kelli insisted
"I'm into Annabeth too much" He shrugged "Sorry"
Kelli roared
"Aren't you tired of dying?"
"This time I WILL WIN"
"Okay, sure" he rolled his eyes.
Kelli threw herself at him and he swung his sword, making an arch ready to slay.
"Typical Percy Jackson move. Where's your sidekick? It's a pity she's not here, I wanted to kill you three together, and it would be like so dramatic"
"Annabeth is nobody's sidekick and yes, I'm so sorry she's not here too. It would make this funnier. We were wondering where you were, we thought you got tired of us killing you and went after other demigods. It's been four years...last time, was it at the shopping mall or something?"
The talking strategy was the only he had in mind now, he was still thinking.
What would Annabeth do?
Percy went forward and swung his sword; Kelli backed and bared her teeth and claws.
Trying to hold Sophia while she cried and wriggled and holding his sword was a bit hard. This would be so much better if he had the baby wearing strapped at his back. He could move freely with that.
Options? Not so many. Gods
He walked backwards with his sword extended so the empousa stayed at two arms length. He set Sophia on the ground
"Please please baby. Stay there for dad"
Kelli laughed "aww it's so cute to see you act like a daddy Percy Jackson. It makes me want to kill her first just to see to what extend it affects you"
Percy gritted his teeth. And advanced on Kelli making her to back away.
No monster ever had laid a finger on his baby and would never as long as he lived. He didn't have boundaries to protect her and Annabeth.
"You're so full of empty threats. Since the moment we met, you never caused more than a scratch"
"We'll see Perseus"
They started fighting then, Kelli baring her teeth and trying to claw at him. He tried to put a space between the monster and his daughter but he couldn't go too far. Sophia was still crying, calling him from time to time.
While he fought he tried to keep an eye on the baby, looking from the corner of his eye.
She was still there, sitting on the ground, crying. This would be so much better if she couldn't walk. He didn't want her to go towards him but also he didn't want to lose her! This was Central Park! It was huge. Anyone could just grab her and take her with them. He was scared out of his mind.
He couldn't lose the baby, Annabeth would kill him! He wished so much to be back at their apartment safe.
"Sophie come aid your daddy!"
"Sophia stay!" He warned looking back for half a second. He tried to use the most authoritarian dad voice he could. When he looked his heart sunk...she was standing up closer to the action. "Stay there!"
But of course, she was barely one, is not like she did as they say all the time. She was just a baby.
He moved towards the monster but putting a bigger distance between himself and his baby. She was walking towards him now, he cursed.
Which god should he pray to take care of her? He considered Hera, wasn't she the family goddess and all, she should protect the integrity of his family but her hatred towards Annabeth made him doubt what the goddess could do with the child in her power…
"Lady Athena please! If you're listening! Please. Don't do it for me. Do it for Sophia or Annabeth. Please your granddaughter!"
Kelli laughed between hissing teeth "Who are you? Did you just pray to a stupid goddess to help you?"
"Do not insult the goddess Athena! And I was not praying for me I was-why am I even explaining something to you?"
He looked around for a source of water. He found a little drinking fountain not far from where they were.
Kelli made him turned so he was now watching his daughter that was on the right. She had stopped crying and was looking around the park, watching him.
He prayed so much she was under the mist, if anybody saw her standing there alone, teary eyed...this was the kind of thing people call social services for.
Athena was clearly not answering to his prayer or she should be here already. He had to swallow like 15 years of pride to actually pray to her! He hated the gods. They would call you to help them if they've got a split nail but they never came to your aid.
In the millisecond he had been watching his baby. Kelli attacked him and her claw got to his shoulder, reaping his shirt and skin off easily. He screamed as his sword fell of his arm
He called the force of water and it took her in not before her teeth got into his arm as well.
He cursed loudly and tried so hard to drown her but somehow she was still fighting her way out the whirlpool. He let go, feeling his arm heavy, when he looked down, it was a bloody mess, literally. The flesh was thorn out, disgustingly.
It seemed so stupid to be injured that way, he was Percy Jackson for the gods sake but he was distracted, his daughter was more important than his wounded (literally) pride. Seems like he was no longer a hero, he couldn't against a stupid monster.
He looked back at his daughter that was closer to a tree, she was crying hard again. Percy grabbed his sword again and went to finish the monster.
This was starting to feel ridiculous; the last time he'd gotten more than a scraped knee for fighting a monster was like two years ago.
"Percy!" He heard someone call from behind
He killed the stupid Empousa that was gagging on the ground; she dissolved in a puff of disgusting yellowish dust.
Done, but it was a lot harder than it should have.
He barely had time to look up and find Sophia wasn't there anymore. He frantically looked around the park.
His baby!
"Oh my gods"
"Percy!"
He stumbled forward to find Nico Di Angelo right in front of him. Was it…when the last time he'd seen the guy?
Nico caught his good arm and helped him down before falling against the concrete.
"Nico!" He struggled against his arms that held him down. His eyes tried hard to focus
"I think you're losing consciousness, it's just the blood loss, don't worry, you're okay" he told him "I'm calling-"
"Nico! My baby!" Nico drew back from him kinda weird out "My baby! Please!" He gripped the front of his black t-shirt with bloody fingers. "Sophie!" He cried desperately "Sophia! Nico please help me! Go look for her"
"Oh gods, Sophia! Right! Don't worry. I'll find her" He said quickly and stood looking around the park. He looked back at Percy he was struggling to stand up and look for her himself. "Stay there. I'll find her"
Percy got to his knees and pulled himself up only to find the concrete against his face again. He certainly was never bitten by an Empousa, what were the effects?
"Sophia!" He gasped trying to sit up.
"Percy!" Nico shook him awake and he opened his eyes. It was hard to focus on his face. "I found her!"
A bright light hurt his eyes and he saw a flash of blonde hair.
His daughter in the arms of a lady.
"Thanks for showing up on time" He said bitterly and tried to sit up. Athena leaned forward to inspect him, her eyes cold.
Sophia threw her arms out to him; he could see her teary cheeks. Athena held her firmly but it was Nico who take the baby off her arms and set it beside Percy on the ground.
He sighed in relief. "Sophie" the baby set her head on his stomach and he held her with his good arm. He didn't want to look down at the other, it hurt too much. "thanks" The goddess look at him with her usual i-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about-and-I-don't-care look. "You answered my prayer, thanks"
"Take them home" Athena said to Nico
"No, not home" Percy said "take me to my mother's Nico, please. Annabeth is pregnant" he said as if that explained it but the goddess didn't seem to get it.
"Take them home" Athena said again
"Didn't you hear me?" he argued but it came out really weak. The goddess didn't even seem to hear him
Nico touched his arm and they were shadow traveling.
"Percy?" it was his wife's voice from their room.
His head was spinning but it was his wife.
"Nico! Why did you bring me here?"
"I-I didn't" Percy looked to his other side. Athena was standing with her arms crossed, who let her tagged along? He wanted to yell at her, Annabeth was going to freak!
"Mother!" Annabeth let out, quite not getting why the goddess was in their living room but then she looked over to the couch where Percy was lying trying to keep his eyes opened. She shirked in horror "Percy!" her hand covered her mouth.
He wanted to tell her he was fine but one look down and it confirm he was far from fine, was his arm changing color?
Sophia started crying, still hugged to his good arm.
"Sophia!"
"She's fine" Nico said trying to reassure her. "He's the one hurt, don't worry."
Annabeth looked at Nico as if he was crazy, oh totally fine...her husband was with a major cut in his arm that was more purple than red. She ran to the kitchen and came back with an emergency kit.
"Annabeth, don't worry. My…I mean, Will is on the way, he's close" Nico tried to reassured her.
Will Solace, the former counselor for the Apollo cabin…in their days. He was a good doctor.
"What happened?" she asked looking at each person in the room. She grabbed Sophia that was wailing and cradled the baby to her chest. With her free hand she took a square of ambrosia and gave it to her husband.
Nico came down to inspect Percy's wound, tearing the rest of the shirt apart to get a good look at his cut. He knew stuff about medicine, of course he did.
"An Empousa" Athena replied.
Annabeth heart rate was only speeding up and she was already sweating for the nerve racking situation. She tried to breathe and calm down, Will was on the way. He could handle this, yes; relief started flowing to know that a skilled healer was less than ten blocks away.
Annabeth leaned closer to see Percy's wound as well and had to suppress the urge to cry out. Percy could see the tears glistening in her eyes and he tried to speak up
"Shhh. You'll be fine," she grabbed his hand and rubbed gentle circles on his palm.
Percy tried to grin to lighten up the situation "A stupid Empousa got me…what has become of the great Percy Jackson, eh?" he breathed out for the effort of talking; she noticed his chest going up and down unevenly.
Annabeth managed a small smile and Sophia turned in her arms to look at dad as well "See Sophie, he's fine" she said more to reassure herself and kissed one of the baby's chubby hands.
"So much for nothing Soph, look you scraped your knee" and it was true, Sophia's knee was a little red from a scrape.
"That's nothing, will put a bad aid and-"
"Err…" Nico started and cleared his throat. The child of Hades was, if possible, even paler "Annabeth I think you and Sophia should…go to another room"
"What?!" she asked
"Annabeth, get out of the room and take the baby" Athena said firmly. The goddess had been standing out of the way but when she leant to see the wound as well she saw that his wound wasn't superficial.
"Go" Percy said, he wanted to sound angry or at least more like a command but it came out weak and strangled.
Athena grabbed her arm and pulled her back but Annabeth pushed her off, when she looked up to see her husband's arm, she felt like puking but for a whole other reason. Percy's hand went numb against hers; he wasn't grabbing hers like a second ago, his eyes were closed.
Athena took Sophia from Annabeth's arms and started walking away.
"Oh gods" she bit on her lips with new tears pooling on the corners of her eyes. Nico went to open the door and Will did not even great anyone and got straight to work. Probably he was already imagining the danger of the situation.
"Annabeth, this can be harmful for your baby. Both actually, both babies" Will spoke to her without looking back. She could hear the concentration in his voice…the concern. Will had deliver Sophia, (and will most probably deliver the new baby), of course he was concern.
Athena was the one who pushed her out of the room with Sophia in her arms.
The last thing she heard was the healer asking Nico if he saw exactly what happened because it was important information. The bedroom door slammed shut before she heard the reply.
"Annabeth get yourself together" Her mother said.
She looked at her mother like seriously? You're telling me to calm down when my husband is...hurt and I'm freaking pregnant!
She didn't say anything and grabbed her daughter from her mother's arms, the baby was crying again.
Annabeth sat on the bed holding her baby to her shoulder, caressing her back but she was crying too bad herself, how could she calm her kid down when she couldn't even breathe properly.
"Oh please, please Apollo. I'm begging you," she whispered under her uneven breath.
They were almost 28...but they were demigods. Freaking demigods were not supposed to live until adulthood and they went against all the freaking odds to get to this point in their lives. It was stupid to ever think that they were safe away from death, they weren't, and death was always a very present thing in their lives. Another friend, another shroud they watched burn into smoke going up to the sky. They were living the dream here, 28 years old and alive and married and with a beautiful daughter and another little one on the way, with wonderful jobs…
Annabeth pressed her lips together to stop the sobs coming out of her mouth, she was clearly affecting Sophia, at her one year of age her daughter could perfectly tell when a situation was distraught, and she couldn't think how this stress could be any good to the baby on her belly, either.
She shivered intensively. Thinking about Percy…gone, about burning his shroud. She had done that once before and burning it now would be a hundred times worse…they had a daughter, she will be watching. Not a daughter, two kids.
How could she manage to go through that and then come back to this house where everything was so impregnated with him and his life. No, it wouldn't be then. He was so full of life and he would be taking it with him.
When she came back to the house everything was going to be so empty. No shoes and socks in the doorway, no more pancake smell on Saturday mornings, no more wake up kisses or dances in the kitchen, no more listening in against the doorframe to the stories he told their daughter for bedtime…
She couldn't face life every single day for the rest of her life without him. Raising their kids without him…Sophia was only one year old; she wouldn't even remember ever meeting him. The other one would never be in his arms…
She felt her heart crushing and contracting…no, no. No.
That was not going to happen. No, they were growing older together; they would both see their babies grow old and go to college and then get married or become great people and then maybe their grandchildren.
She pulled herself together the next second and cleaned the baby's teary cheeks and her own.
"Shh, shh Sophie. It's going to be alright. Everything is alright. Daddy is going to be fine; he's got a scrape too. Nothing too bad, we'll see him in no time" She kissed her and kept whispering soft words to her.
She got up and went over to the diapers and wipes she kept in her nightstand for quick middle of the night diaper changes. Annabeth stripped her daughter out of the dirty clothes; some of Percy's blood had gotten the romper.
"Sorry," she told her daughter that was complaining and wriggling while she wiped her butt "That must be cold"
She talked gently and caressed her baby's stomach "Lest get some clean diapers, shall we?"
Skillfully she attached the adhesive straps and helped her sit.
Aggressively she tried to ignore her emotions and the goosebumps she got thinking about Percy in the next room.
She watched her kid all the time she walked to the corner where the clean laundry was sitting and got a pink wrinkled pj out.
"Look what I have here! Isn't this the pjs granny got you? They are pretty and pink"
Sophia started smiling and talking baby gibberish while Annabeth dressed her
"That's more like it, a happy babe. Can you say pink?" more nonsense and she chuckled "that's a hard word, right?"
After that she sat on the bed with her baby and Sophia put her head against her shoulder and she put her arms around her. The kid must have been so tired that she fell asleep after a few minutes of rocking her gently.
When Annabeth looked up she realized her mother was still there in the room! Athena was looking at her intently, a calculating look.
"What?" she asked softly, caressing her daughter's blonde curly head.
"You're good at it" Athena said
Annabeth looked at her trying to comprehend where the goddess was coming from. To find any way how the phrase wasn't a compliment, or wasn't it?
Athena was standing in the middle of the room, irradiating her aura but Annabeth had paid very little attention to her, she almost forgot she was there.
The goddess looked so out of place at her home, in the bedroom she shared with Percy (and sometimes with Sophia). She should feel ashamed at how messy the whole house was.
This bedroom was full of toys, the bed was unmade because she'd been lying on it, a million dirty tissues peppered the floor and the bedside table where a baby bottle and a pacifier were sitting, and her computer was running in the middle of the bed with an AutoCad blueprint.
Athena got closer and leaned to inspect the floor plan Annabeth had been working on her laptop and gave it a slight nod of approval.
"I might have doubted you at first" she said finally, not even a slight tone of regret in her voice. "I see now how...you do. You do have it in you"
Annabeth didn't know what to reply. Thank you? She had doubted her capacity to mother a child... Maybe she should be thankful the goddess recognized it. It wasn't often your godly parent recognized they were wrong.
"Annabeth, you are one–you are my most successful child" she said in the same neutral tone. Annabeth realized how her mother never said she was her favorite child, just the most successful one that in theory had to be the same thing "alive, at least. And a mother"
Putting her title as mother on a second category didn't come unnoticed to Annabeth.
Athena was not one to do or say things lightly. This was all very though through. And she couldn't express how wrong she was. Mother was one of the best things that had happened to Annabeth, it filled her, and she needed her baby now as much as Sophia needed her. For almost two years she had been trying to fulfill that need of becoming a mother and now that she was couldn't be more content with it.
She wanted to be successful at it more than she wanted to be successful at anything she ever done. She was an architect but she was also a mother and being one was the best form of architecture.
She was building another little life inside her and she thought the love she had for Sophia would split to share it with the new baby but it didn't divide in two, more like her love doubled, grew and expanded.
Annabeth didn't say anything; it was all very confusing right now. She could tell her mother was impressed by the fact that she could still be a successful architect and a mom at the same time.
No, Annabeth got it. How the great goddess Athena could be thinking that you couldn't be two things at the same time. That wasn't it. Not when Athena was the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill…that was being more than two things at the same.
The goddess knew everyone could be two things at the same time.
The great goddess Athena had only questioned Annabeth's capacity to mother a child.
Maybe she was projecting herself too much on Annabeth, seeing herself as a mother…yeah, no, mommy Athena was never a figure; she didn't have that motherly self. She would protect her children when it was of her convenience, Annabeth only had to remember Daedalus and how she cursed him, a rightful curse, but still, she could have pitied him.
Yet, Annabeth was human and different; she might have not seen it at first, but her mother self was always there, buried deep down in her heart. Her whole story with families was what buried it even more but then Percy arrived and he only helped to spiked it and brought it to the surface.
"Why thank you, I guess" she replied and sounded like she had a cold for crying "Why are you even here?" It came out of nowhere and kinda rude. She didn't want to be rude to her mother when she was being so...open? Nice? Even if she had to pick this distraught situation for it.
"Alas, apparently Perseus decided he couldn't fight the Empousa and keep an eye on his kid" She said as if he was incapable and such a thing was unheard of. How dare he not do both things?! "He prayed for me to come get her"
"Oh" Annabeth replied trying to picture Percy battling while trying to keep Sophia safe "thank you"
"I'm her grandmother. Of course I'd come"
Annabeth simply nodded and stayed quiet after that.
Annabeth started muttering to Apollo again with her eyes closed. Concentrating all her heart in the prayer.
"Apollo says shut up. He can't concentrate"
Annabeth opened her eyes and stared at Nico that had opened the door, a small smile on his lips.
She stood up and hug him, with little Sophia between them.
"Thank you for being here Nico"
"I was just–I didn't do anything. Will-"
"Of course you did" she kissed his cheek.
Will appeared on the hallway next to the door "Come on, the danger is over" she hugged Will briefly
"He's going to be alright?" She asked to no one in particular while she walked fast towards the living room.
"Lord Apollo!" She bowed uncomfortably trying not to drop her kid. He dismissed the gesture as if it wasn't necessary, but as a god Annabeth knew he wouldn't have it any other way.
"That's alright, I came to save the day" he pushed a hand through his hair, messing it up. He grinned widely.
"Apollo" Athena said from behind Annabeth "not completing that punishment our Father imposed?"
"Hey! I didn't know you were here. What's up, Wisdom? And no, I'm out of punishment right now, I can get out sometimes"
"So...how is he?" Annabeth interrupted, trying to see her husband over the god's shoulder.
"My son here made a huge deal, Percy wouldn't be breathing if it wasn't for him" he said and Will had quite a proud expression. It was weird to know that Apollo was his dad when he looked so young. Annabeth turned and smile gratefully at Will, he looked drained, his blond hair in a mess. "But I must say, you were very insistent. Your voice kept me from continuing my business, I had to come over"
"That was all very good of you Apollo" Athena said and Apollo grinned and winked at her. Athena rolled her eyes
"I'm sorry" Annabeth said not a bit of regret in her voice "but Thank you Lord Apollo"
"I know, I'm the best" he got closer and touch Sophia's cheek. "Cute kid. You know, I think I heard Percy this morning too and I'm feeling so generous" he touched her baby bump "there, no more morning sickness or cold. I'm the coolest of what?!"
Annabeth felt her sore throat and snot get out of her system. No more heartburn...he was really cool.
"That is cool!" She agreed "I swear, we'll burn something in your honor. Thanks"
"Better be big. Maybe buttery popcorn. Mmm, I love buttery popcorn"
Annabeth nodded and he laughed and moved out of the way for her to see her husband. All her worry slipped when she saw him peacefully sleeping on the couch. A white bandage covered his upper arm and wrapped around his shoulder.
She kneeled beside her husband and felt his forehead and cheek.
"He won't be able to use the arm properly for two days, maybe three. There's a prescription I left over the table, 1 every twelve hours. A bit of nectar or ambrosia and he would be good as new" Will said and Apollo pointed at him with a big smile like 'hey is this my kid or what' he clasped his son on the back and then rubbed his scalped.
"Um, father..." Will pulled away and grinned, then walked over to Nico and grabbed his hand.
Nico looked uncomfortable for the whole situation, but he always looked that way. He was clearly relief as well; he was staring at the rejoined family.
Annabeth stroked Percy's hand, and kept kissing his cheeks.
"Oh! I feel a haiku coming!" The god announced in a high tone
Athena snorted but it was Percy, to everyone's surprise, the one who answered "I'm very grateful for your appearance lord Apollo, really, I am. As fast as the sun! but let's not wake up Sophia, she had a stressful day"
"Oh, the little one is sleeping, right." He lowered his melodical voice "I'll send it to you later. I might even write a haiku in her name."
"We are honored" Percy replied with a small smile, he was still very pale. Annabeth kissed his cheek again.
"Well, the sun is raising somewhere and I think my autopilot just broke. Gotta get to work, eh Athena? Don't go telling on dad or he might extend my punishment another eon"
"You're late in China" was her only reply.
"The sun is made of me. I'm the sun" he flashed his white dazzling smile "and I'm never late...everybody else is just early"
The Lord disappeared as fast as he came. After Annabeth hugged the breath out of Will he sat on a chair next to the sofa, Nico sat on the arm of the chair and he grabbed his hand, rubbing small circles as the color returned to Will's face slowly.
"Get well" Athena said leaning over Annabeth shoulder to look at Percy. He looked surprised but smiled at his mother in law and there was almost a trace of a smile in her lips. Probably those two words meant a huge deal, it wasn't usual to hear nice things from her.
"Thank you." He said "And thank you for coming"
She turned and Annabeth surprised her mother with a hug as well, (Annabeth blamed it on the emotional drain…hey! She was pregnant, pregnant girls have their hormones all over the place) the goddess gave her a tight lipped smile and patted her shoulder then kissed her granddaughters head.
"Goodbye Sophia" she told the baby in ancient greek.
"Nico" Percy called when the goddess disappeared. Sophia was now lying against his side, wrapped in his good arm.
"We…should go as well" he said we with a little embarrassment.
"No, wait...Thanks."
"It was more of me being there at the right time"
"What were you doing there?" Annabeth asked, it hadn't occurred to her that he might be doing something important.
"Going to the underworld the regular way. I never use the stairs anymore; I thought I might as well do"
"Oh"
"The entrance we used that one time?" Percy asked
Nico cracked a smile remembering it, "yeah"
"Nico...I know it's been a while–"
"Don't worry–" he started shaking his head.
"Since before our wedding... I always meant to talk to you"
"Percy, really...it's alright. I thought you would find it weird, even when you said you didn't...well, I didn't believe you. I wanted to be on my own for a while. I'm only coming to terms with myself, after all this time! I felt so gross for a long time and...Sorry,"
Will wrapped his arm around Nico's and shook his head at the over two as if 'can you guys believe this? My boyfriend is an idiot'
Annabeth hugged the son of Hades, "Nico! How many times do we have to tell you?"
"I know, right?" Will commented with his head against Nico's arm. "he's stubborn. It's been years and he's still apologizing"
"I know, arg! I know..." Nico pressed his lips together "I'm sor-"
Will glared at him and Annabeth put her arms on her hips and shook her head. Percy just smiled, he could see how much Will liked, no, loved Nico. It was just there plain and simple in his blue eyes.
"I swear if you apologize again…" Will started and marked his words with a light punch.
Nico smile a little and then shrugged "everyone around had been trying to tell me for a long time. It was hard to tell...you," he looked at Percy now but then he dropped his gaze "but I had to and I feel like I still have to be uncomfortable around you. Even when I...liked you when I was a kid"
"Please don't," Percy told him "you don't have to be uncomfortable or anything, it's okay."
"I know but still"
"Still…still, he's an idiot, this boy of mine" Will said still slumped against the son of Hades's strong arm. Nico rolled his eyes but his pale cheeks blushed deep red.
He could never get over Will calling him his. They only started in a full relationship recently only because he had been doubting for years if he should actually commit to something with a boy so good like Will, thinking he didn't deserve such a guy. He thought denying him and his feelings would make him eventually go away to find someone nicer and cuter.
Nico glanced down at Will still kinda snuggled against his arm, he can see how tired he is for performing such a healing magic. His lips curled up in a smile and he felt like kissing him so much.
Annabeth laughed, a warm fuzzy feeling spreading on her chest and everyone looked over at her. She couldn't help it, the two boys looking at each other…that's simply too cute.
"Well, Nico, I can assure you, the only thing you did when you told him that you liked him was to enlarge his already huge ego. I'm telling you, he wouldn't shut up about it!" Annabeth was smirking with her hand on her hips.
"Not true!" Percy protested "well, maybe a bit true, but I mean come on…I was so fluttered that you found me remotely cute" Annabeth rolled her eyes and Nico flushed red, then Percy started laughing "ouch! Ouch, it hurts"
"Dude, don't move. Doctor's orders!" Will chided glaring at him.
Nico tried not to smile at that
"Don't push as away! It's been more than a year. Last time we saw each other was for Sophie's birth" Percy said "you didn't even bring Will along…that time"
"that's because the guy was all like…no, we cant and stuff. Like…gods! I tried to tell him Nico, you're stupid I like you, you like me, the end. He kept blabbing about how I deserved better. He just simply couldn't understand that I didn't want-that there's no one better"
"Awwe" Annabeth rushed over to hugged Nico pressing him to her pregnant belly because he was sitting down "Gods Nico! I really thought Percy was the biggest idiot in history!"
"Hey!"
"Seaweed Brain it's the truth"
"I'm complaining because I don't want that title stolen" Percy said and Nico chuckled and wrapped his other arm around Annabeth's back.
"I'm sorry guys…"
"there he goes apologizing again" Will rolled his eyes
"No, Will, I mean it…I'm sorry that I was away but I needed the time but I now regret how I missed all this time with Sophia, with you guys, with all my friends. Annabeth, you're pregnant again, I didn't even congratulate you and Sophia was so tiny last time I saw her"
"That doesn't matter" Annabeth intervene "you're still her godfather, you will always be"
Nico smiled, "really?"
"Dude your boyfriend is so…so bone headed!" Percy smiled over at Will "of course you're her godfather! What? You thought we would replace you? We told you when she was born"
"I don't know. Have you guys thought this through?"
"there he goes again." Will rolled his eyes and smiled up at him. Nico couldn't help but grin stupidly back.
"Duh, more than you think. It was decided a long time ago" Percy clarify.
Sophia stirred beside Percy and opened her eyes to find the four of them looking down at her.
"Gee, thanks" Nico whispered unbelievably. Sophia yawned and Percy kissed her cheek.
"She's cute guys. Good handiwork" Will commented.
"Aw, thanks that's my good genes" Percy said and Annabeth scoffed.
"And she's like…healthy. I can feel it from here, she has a strong immune system" Will added
"She's healthy alright. Didn't even catch our viruses this winter. Annabeth's been sick for a long time and she hangs with Sophie most of the day. Not even a single snout"
"Nico, will you be around more?"
"Yeah, I promise" Nico touched the babie's hand and got a chill when she closed her around his finger. Sophia used her other hand to rub sleepy eyes "Percy she's got your very own eye color, she didn't before..."
"That's because we're not born with the eye color that stays. The color settles during the first year" Annabeth explained
"Oh."
Sophia sat up and started protesting, Nico looked puzzled at the parents and Will laughed at his boyfriend's expression. The idiot probably thought he had provoked that.
"Oh-uh, that's hunger alarm" Percy said
"Nico, do you wanna hold her while I fixed something for dinner?" Annabeth said seeing right through him.
"Err, sure" Annabeth settled the baby in his arms. "Aren't you scared I might drop her?"
"You won't drop her" Will and Annabeth said at the same time.
"Hey girl. How's one year old life going? Are your parents giving you enough sugar?" Will asked and Nico thought he was going to melt in a puddle of feelings, he couldn't hide his smile.
Will put his hand over Sophia's belly and then he placed it over her back, as if listening to her heartbeat without a stethoscope, then he opened her mouth to inspect her teeth.
"Watch it, she bites hard" Percy warned and Will smiled when he got a good bite on his forefinger.
"Do you tend kids over at the hospital?" Annabeth asked
"Not as much as I'd like. I love kids but I just go where I'm needed the most" Will replied and Annabeth nodded.
"Well, you're welcome here with Sophie anytime. Nico should come often, he's the godfather anyway and you should come too" Annabeth looked pointedly at Nico who nodded "and you know…I'm only three months pregnant but that offer we made when I was pregnant with Sophie, that still stands"
"Ugh, no. I told you guys, I'm like honored and all…I don't deliver babies anymore"
Percy laughed at Will's disgusted face. "That's too bad, Annabeth really trusted you on that one, and she wanted you to"
"And I swear, I would really do it…I mean, gods it is an honor, it's your kid but I don't know. I'll think about it"
"It's okay, I won't press" Annabeth said with a smile "But if you change your mind…"
Annabeth went into the kitchen and Percy did his best to sit up.
"Dude, don't stress it" Will told him "Doctor's orders"
"Easy there" Annabeth said, when she came back with a cracker for Sophia. "You gave me quiet a freak out. You idiot! You are never going grocery shopping alone again. At least you're not taking my kid"
"Sorry" he replied genuinely "I was so scared...for Sophie, but I can't still believe Kelli got me"
"Kelli! I knew it"
"Yes, it was her. She's so gonna enjoy that she bit me next time she reforms."
"Let's hope it's a long time"
Nico sat down with Sophia in his arms; the baby was thoughtfully enjoying her cracker happily.
"Annabeth? Is there a cracker for me?" He pouted and Annabeth laughed at her husband and Nico smiled.
"Of course, Perseus. Nico, Will, you're staying for dinner" Annabeth went in the kitchen again without waiting for an answer.
"Annabeth...I have to tell you something. Promise me that you won't get mad"
"Yeah I promise" She replied from the kitchen
"No, say it meaningfully"
"Okay, I meaningfully promise I won't get mad. What is it?" She asked.
Percy bit his lip and looked at Nicoand Will like oh-uh.
"I lost the stroller again…"
"Seriously Seaweed Brain! That's the third in six months!"
"You promised!"
The couple laughed at the parents, and Nico felt so happy and a bit overwhelmed. He sat against Will's legs on the floor and Sophia went over to her toys and started giving him stuff and talking gibberish to him. She even intended to share with him a bit of her cracker with drool, he declined but she insisted and Will laughed, caressing his dark hair lazily.
She then dragged a big toy that made noises and flashy lights and had different shapes to stack over.
"That's her telling you to play" Percy gestured with his hand as if go. Nico looked at the parts as Sophia handed him a cube and she tried and failed to stack over a star. She looked a little frustrated and she frowned just like Annabeth did. The son of Hades looked at the baby amazed.
"Darling should I explain this game to you?" Nico glared at Will that had a mischievous smile.
Sophia looked up at him with those cute green eyes when she put the shape correctly and the toy flared up with lights and noises; she started clapping at herself and looked rather please as if saying 'ha, see what I did there!' she waited for him to catch up and congratulate her.
"Wow…Sophie!" he said with a smile
"Wow, you're a genius Sophie" Percy said beaming at his baby.
"Well done babe" Will clapped and Sophia smiled to have everyone's attention.
Percy and Annabeth started bickering. Annabeth saying how he should have listen to her once in her life because she told him not to go grocery shopping.
"And did he listen? Of course not." She said looking at Will and Nico "and now we don't have a pram again. It's like he doesn't know we have another kid on the way. We are going to need a freaking stroller!"
Percy started excusing himself.
"Okay, now you better tell me the whole story Kelp Head"
BOO GUYS! like i assumed, nobody important died. we had minor deaths, like octavian :) or the hunters :( but then none of the 7 or reyna or nico. everyone alive!
imo Nico's confessiong to Percy was...kinda rushed. too rushed. It didnt feel natural, My nico would have totally being awkward and scared and it would have taken him years to actually come up to percy and tell him that (thats why I rewrote the fic above) I felt that in boo rr wanted to wrap everyone's love story up and thats why he introduce Will and made nico come out to percy that way. Dont get me wrong! I love solangelo! you can see it clearly here in this edited ff. i love will, he's character took me completely by surprise and i liked him and i loved how well he connected with Nico. I would have loved to see nico happy about making that new friendship and feeling accepted at camp but then kinda saying okay, now im going to think about coming out to everyone but in my own time in my own terms. it was just too fast, not natural for his character.
other than that I completely loved his pov. he and Reyna were sooo good.
all in all...mmm, boo wasnt as good as I expected. I liked it, I just love MoA or HoH more.
now, another rant...there wasnt enough percy or annabeth in the book and I know there's the whole drill 'its not everything about percy and annabeth its not their series blablabla' but it kinda felt like they were around but never talking, they dont have enough lines. we missed on Annabeth being smart like she always is, she wouldnt even comment on stuff like in other books. Percy only made jokes, that i guess its fine but the guy has his moments where he's smart and has a plan, or at least he had, in this book nothing...
dont get me wrong. I liked it. and there are some specific parts that I loved, like Percy talking to Leo, like there's 5 books and thats the first they talked, im not kidding. i love piper and annabeth solo quest. and Reyna Reyna Reyna. I liked the book, I just didnt love it.
tell me in the reviews what you thought of boo.