Becca
I try to calm myself as I sit on the tailgate of Percy's Silverado waiting for him to come out. Tricking him into sleeping with me last month Didn't go as planned in more ways than one. Yes, I was able to break him and Annabeth up, but even once they split he still Didn't want me. I clutch my stomach, carrying the 6 week old fetus with Percy's DNA. It doesn't matter, I'm not keeping it. I have an appointment tomorrow to take care of the whole mess. No, none of this turned out the way I planned. I don't even know why I'm telling Percy. But he is the one who got me pregnant. I guess he should know.
I've been sitting on his tailgate for about an hour when I finally see him walk out his apartment door. He's looking at the ground, spinning his keyring on his finger.
"Hey, Percy." I say shyly. Shy is a new one for me. I'm normally confident and forward. But when he woke up and realized I wasn't Annabeth and kicked me out…Well I'd never been afraid of Percy before then. But he really scared me.
Percy looks up at me and freezes. He gets a look on his face that makes my heartbeat explode, but not in the way it used to when I'd see him. It scares the shit out of me.
"What do you want, Becca?" He asks. More like Snarls. I take a shaky breath and sigh.
"Okay, I guess I deserve that. Look, I'm not going to stay for long. I just came by to let you know…I'm pregnant. It's yours. You're the only guy I've slept with in the last couple months who didn't use a condom." I say. His face goes from a snarl to just…kinda blank. Like he's processing I guess.
"You're sure you're pregnant?" He asks.
"Yeah. Skipped my period, went to my OB. They confirmed it."
"And you're sure it's mine?"
"I'm sure. It doesn't really matter, I'm taking care of it tomorrow. I just thought I should let you know.'"
"What do you mean, taking care of it?" He asks, his voice suddenly low. I shake my head.
"I'm 18 years old, Percy. I can't take care of a kid. I have an appointment at Planned Parenthood, so you don't need to worry about it."
"No." He says, voice still low and kinda scary. This is a different Percy than the kind, goofy guy from my high school. Evidentially that was a side Annabeth brought out in him. And I never will. Instead, I bring out a side that's scary and Dangerous.
"What do you mean, no, Percy?"
"I mean that this is just as much my child as yours, and you don't get to kill it just because you don't think you're ready to be a mom. Actually," He gives a short ironic laugh. "On that point I agree with you. So you don't have to have anything to do with the baby beyond carrying it to term. I'll take it from there. But you don't get to have an abortion."
"It's my choice, Percy! You don't get to tell me I can't do this."
"Like it was my choice to sleep with you, Becca? Like Hell I don't get a say in this. "
"Do you have any idea how much toll a pregnancy takes on a woman's body? Beyond the weight gain, it'll affect my hair, my teeth, I won't be able to drink alcohol or caffeine, wear high heels, party, anything until the baby's born."
"You have no idea what it's like to lose an unborn baby." He says. I roll my eyes.
"Oh, right, and you do?" His eyes flash at me, but a look of pain crosses his face. Oh.
"You want to know why Annabeth left for a month when you tricked me into sleeping with you, Becca? Because two months before that we just lost our baby. So yes, I do know what that's like. And I'm not going through it again." There's still anger in his voice, but not on his face. I take a deep, shaky breath.
"You promise to take care of everything as soon as the baby's born?"
"Yes."
"Then…I guess alright." I concede. It's only 9 months. I look up at Percy and relief is all over his face.
"Good. Do you have a ride home?"
"I can call a taxi."
"I'll drive you. Come on."
…
After a short drive across the city to my townhouse with one stop at Percy's mom's apartment where he told me to wait in the truck, we pull up in front of the townhouse my dad is renting me while I'm in college.
"Thanks for the lift. I guess I'll call you when I make my first appointment."
"Stay here." He says and reaches behind him to grab a duffel bag. He then gets out and walks inside my townhouse. What is he doing? A few minutes later he comes out, bag in hand, and gets back in the driver seat. He puts the truck in reverse and starts backing out.
"What-Where are we going?"
"Montauk. Since you're carrying my child, there's some things you need to know about my…family history. It's a long story."
"Okaaay." I draw out. Montauk is like 4 hours away. He packed me a bag, so I guess we're staying overnight. Could there be a chance for things between us after all? I hide a small smile.
I try to make conversation with Percy, but he won't talk to me. So I try to play music, but he shuts the radio off. Eventually I just fall asleep. When I wake up, Percy's parking on the windy beach of Montauk next to an old cabin. He puts it in park and comes around to open my door. I smile at him.
"Just a reminder. You're carrying my child. That's where our relationship starts and ends. Clear?" He tells me. The smile falls off my face.
"Crystal." I answer. But then why did he take me to a get away at a private beach house? We walk up and I see a girl, maybe 13, and a boy, maybe 16 sitting on the porch swing.
"Hey guys." Percy says and they look up. "Did you bring everything?"
"Yes." The boy answers.
"Are you doing okay, Percy?" The girl asks him. She has a thick southern accent.
"We'll talk later, Lassa. I'm going to go for a swim real quick, clear my head."
"Can I go with you?" She asks.
"Swimming?" I interject. "In this weather? You guys really are insane." Percy looks at me and something of a smirk plays on his lips.
"Becca, meet my little sister Lassa Jackson and my Cousin Will Solace."
"Hi." Will nods to me coldly. Lassa just purses her lips.
"Yes, you can come, just give me a couple minutes first." Percy tells her.
"Sounds good." She says and he walks towards the ocean, not even bothering to take his clothes or shoes off before plunging into the water.
"So. You're her." Lassa says coldly.
"Her?"
"Her. The girl who date raped my brother and made his marriage fall apart. Then when you found out you were pregnant your solution was to kill his unborn child."
"Wow, judgment much?"
"Yes. Because of you my brother's wife may never speak to him again. She won't let us even talk to her to give her the details. And you had so little thought to your own child's life you were going to throw it away without even thinking about it. I'm mad enough to judge you a lot more than you're used to people telling you to your face."
"Now listen here -" I start, but Will cuts me off.
"Stop it. Both of you." Will says quietly. "Lassa, You don't want to stress her out. It could hurt the baby." She purses her lips but nods.
"I'm going to go check on Percy." She says and runs towards the ocean, diving in just like her brother did.
"They'll be okay."
"Who are you people? Why did you meet us here?"
"Well for one, we're Percy's family. You'll see why else later."
"Oh. Okay. So are you on his mom's side or his dad's?" I ask. He gives a short laugh.
"I don't always go up the family tree with my cousins. It can get confusing quick. But with Percy, my grandfather is his dad's brother. So that's not too hard."
"Oh. Got it."
"Let me get your bag." He says and goes to the truck to get the duffel Percy packed. We head inside and I see a perfectly nice, cute, and clean cabin. Will takes my bag into the bedroom and sets it on the bed, leaving me to first thing I see is my comforter and pillows. I pull them out expecting little room for anything else, but then I see all of my toiletries and products from my bathroom on top of my clothes. I make the bed and put my stuff in the bathroom, wondering how on earth all this fits in that one duffle. I go and see what few clothes Percy must have been able to fit in there, but instead every time I pull something out, there's more underneath it. By the time I'm finished I'm pretty sure he threw every piece of clothing I owned into this bag, including my curtains and the curtain rod from my bedroom, even all my books. How on Earth did it all fit in there? And why did he pack so much?
"Settled in?" Percy asks me and I jerk my head up.
"Uhh…yeah. How'd you fit everything in that bag?" I ask.
"Magic." He answers. I roll my eyes.
"Right, sure. Really though, why did you pack everything I own?"
"Come here. I've got some explaining to do about my family."
….
One Cheesy orientation video and a whole lot of talking and crying as the world as I knew it breaks, and I just sit in shock at what I learned. Percy and his sister Lassa are the children of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Little g god. Not capital. Capital G God is real though, at least Percy and Lassa believe he is. And this Solace kid is a son of Apollo. The gods are real, and still around, and I'm carrying the grandson of one. A legacy, they called it. The child of a demigod.
I sit quietly and try to be still as Will does my first pregnancy checkup and Percy explains the rules to me.
"We put off a smell. Not nearly as strong as we used to, thanks to Lassa, but it's still there. Monsters exist too, and they are constantly trying to kill us. But since you're carrying the grandchild of Poseidon, the sea should mask its scent. You can take ambrosia and nectar, but only while you're pregnant. The baby's godly lineage will protect you, and it can heal almost anything. But be careful, too much can burn you to ashes. We brought you a plate and cup from Camp Half Blood, so you just say what you want to eat and drink and it will appear. But I had a twist added to the magic, so it won't give you anything you're not supposed to have while you're pregnant. You need to avoid any technology-"
"What?" I interject.
"Technology. Cell phone, television, internet, all of it is like sending a flare up for monsters to find you."
"You're crazy. I can't go 7 months without my cell phone!"
"Five." Will says.
"What?"
"Demigod pregnancies are 7 months total. The baby develops faster as a defense because it's helpless in the womb."
"Oh…Well either way, I thought you said the Sea would mask the scent. I can't give up technology for 5 months!"
"You can and you will until my niece or nephew is born." Lassa tells me.
"You can't make me!"
"You got yourself into this, Becca." Percy tells me quietly. "To protect yourself and my son or daughter, you can give up your phone for a few months." He says. I squirm under his gaze and try to shrink back into the couch.
"Fine. But what if I need something?"
"There's a landline if you want to call any of your friends to come visit. Those are safe enough. And you can Iris Message me if there's anything you need."
"Iris message?"
"Iris is the goddess of the rainbow, and one of the messengers for the gods. If you make a rainbow and throw in a drachma, just say "Oh Goddess accept my offering" And the name of the person you want to talk to, It'll connect you."
"Oh."
"But for your own safety and the safety of the baby, you can't leave the beach. I'll get some help covering the costs of the cabin. But you need to stay here until the baby is born. I'll come by at least once a week to check on you. Will is going to be here at least once a month for check ups."
"5 months is a long time to live by myself. Why can't I just go to that camp you guys all go to? You said it's safe there." Percy laughs dryly.
"Because there are a lot of people at that camp who'd like to kill you. And at the Roman camp, there are a few who actually might after the baby's born. So no."
"How can I be so hated at a place I've never been to?"
"Because everyone at the camps knows the full story of how you got pregnant. Annabeth grew up at Camp Half Blood. So did I. And the Roman legion is about honor more than anything else, and their execution methods are very old school." He answers. I open my mouth to say something back, but the words stick in my mouth. I never thought tricking him into sleeping with me would backfire this much.
"What's the date of conception?" Will asks.
"October Third." Percy answers.
"Then your due date is June 26th. So far the baby's healthy, but you need to do a detox from the drinking and weed you've been doing in the last six weeks." He says and Percy gets a dark look on his face.
"I didn't know I was pregnant until yesterday, Percy. And how can you even tell I've been drinking and smoking weed?" I ask Will.
"I'm the son of Apollo. He's the god of medicine. I know things." He looks at Percy and smiles. "Like I also know the gender." Percy's eyes go wide. "Want to know?"
"Yes!" Percy and I say at the same time.
"You're having a son."
…..
I wake up and look at the clock on my nightstand. It's 3:02. Realizing I'm just going to toss and turn if I try to go back to sleep, I get up, go to the kitchen and grab that magic cup and plate Percy gave me.
"Hot Chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows." I say and it appears in the cup. "Hot Fudge Sundae and a Hot Hershey Brownie." Just like the Hot Chocolate, It shows up on the plate. I could get used to this.
I'm about to go back to my room to eat when I see Percy is sitting on the porch, looking out at the ocean. Hesitating only a second, I head out to the porch.
"Can't sleep either?" I ask. He looks up at me and shrugs.
"I haven't slept in months." He tells me, fixing his eyes on the Ocean. Despite me sleeping in my silk lingerie, he seems determined to look away. Stings more than a bit.
"Chocolate?" I offer. In the dim light, I see he almost smiles. He takes the mug from me.
"Blue Hot Chocolate." He says, and I see the color change.
"What's with the blue?"
"Something between me and my mom."
"Got it. So…We're having a son. Any names come to mind?"
"I was thinking Luke Charles Jackson." He says. I scrunch my face up and am about to say Hell No when I remember the story he told me about the war, and Luke and Beckendorf.
"I know you want to honor your friends, Percy, but Luke Charles? That doesn't flow good. Besides, I dated a guy named Luke once. I don't want to give my baby the same name. And Charles is just so outdated."
"Well what were you thinking?"
"Something new age. Maybe Jamie? Or Jax"
"For a boy? No. And Jax Jackson? Definitely not. Becca, why do you even care? You said yourself you don't want to keep the baby."
"I guess I shouldn't. But I can't let a kid be named Luke Charles. How about this: You pick the name, and I just get veto power?"
"I guess fair enough."
"How about…Lukas? Lukas Chase?" He suggests. My stomach sinks a little when I remember Annabeth's maiden name is Chase. But It's not the worst name in the world.
"I guess that could work."
"Lukas." He says and actually smiles. My heart twinges realizing how long it's been since I've seen him smile, even if I don't see him that much.
"I'm sorry, By the way. For everything." I say quietly. He purses his lips and stays quiet for a long time.
"I forgive you."