Annabeth

The week goes by too fast. We just get to have blissful and uninterrupted time together, Percy saying his arm was hurting worse than he expected it to as a way to get out of work. Everyone at the station know's that's a load of shit, but Everyone's so happy for him no one, not even the captain, cares. So we spend the week sailing, swimming, having sex, watching movies, lots of time cuddling, and eating our favorite foods that Maya so graciously packed for us. Percy even surprises me by taking me to some private uncharted Islands he and Lassa found while sailing together last year. Just like at the end of our first honeymoon, when the time comes to go home I'm not ready.

I lay in bed with Percy while he wills the boat to take us back to Tybee Island, relishing the feeling of my skin against his. He's holding my hand, playing with our intertwined fingers. He moves his head to kiss my forehead, taking a deep breath through his nose to smell my hair.

"Annabeth?" He mutters sleepily.

'Yeah?"

"Can we talk about having kids?" He asks, making my heartbeat speed up.

"Sure." I say, trying to sound calm.

"Why don't you want kids anymore?"

"Because we have Lukas. I don't want him to ever think I'd love another kid more than him because it's biologically my child."

"He won't. He's not even three. Pretty soon I'm not sure he'll remember a time in his life when you weren't there for him."

"It's not just that, Percy. I'm also afraid. I've lost so many people in my life. Luke, Selena, Beckendorf, countless others. And I live in so much fear of losing the people still here, you included. But I've never felt grief like I did when I lost our son. I don't know if I can go through that again." Percy's silent for a minute.

"We should pick a name for him." He says quietly.

"What?"

"We never named our son. It feels wrong. He should have a name, even if he isn't here with us." He says. I sigh.

"Yeah. That's bothered me for a while too. Any ideas?" He sits up and faces me.

"I've thought about it before. I'd thought about Charles Luke or Luke Charles for Lukas, but that was pretty quickly shot down by Becca who said it didn't flow. And I think she's right."

"Remind me what Luke's full name is? He told me once- wait. Chase! Luke Chase Jackson!" I laugh. "You named him after me!"

"Well, Lukas Chase Jackson. But yeah, I did." He grins. "Anyways, back to naming our baby."

"I haven't really thought about it. At least not for a long time"

"What about the names we were talking about before we lost him? I remember I liked Jesse, even before we met Jesse James." He tells me. "It means Gift from God. As short a time as we had him, he was a gift."

"True. Jesse Jackson. I like it. What about a middle name?" I ask, clutching my stomach in memory of him.

"I remember you liked Gabriel. It means Hero."

"I did. So Jesse Gabriel Jackson?" I ask. A smile tugs at the corner of his lip.

"Jesse Gabriel Jackson." He confirms, then lays back down pulling me with him.

"How much longer until we get back to Tybee?"

"Long enough to keep talking about why you don't want kids anymore." He answers. I sigh. "You can't just live in fear, Annabeth."

"I know. But I also don't know how not to."

"We can pray about it together. You can trust God and trust me. And even if you have to go through grief again, I'll be here to comfort you. And I'll do a better job than last time, I promise." He tells me. I snuggle closer.

"I love you."

"I love you too. I can tell I haven't completely won you over yet though. How about a compromise?"

"What kind of compromise?"

"We don't actively try. You track your cycles and know what the best days to avoid having sex are. But we don't use protection either. No birth control, no condoms." He smirks. "Which we haven't been doing this past week anyways." I giggle and kiss his chest.

"I think that sounds good, Seaweed Brain. You're really ok with waiting until I'm ready?"

"Of course I am, Wise Girl. I want to get you pregnant. I want a house full of kids. But I want you to want that too."

"House full? How many kids are we talking about here?" I ask. He laughs.

"I'm thinking about three to five." I whistle.

"That's a lot of kids, Percy."

"It is. And Luke will be an amazing older brother. The kids will be there for each other and help each other out. Maybe a big house instead of an apartment, on the beach in New Athens. You and Malcolm are still planning on building a New Athens, right?" I laugh.

"You've been thinking about this a lot, huh?"

"Annabeth, I've been thinking about this since I was 16." I tilt my head up and kiss him gently.

"Yes, Plans for New Athens are in the works. As Pantheon Architecture gets more high end business, we'll eventually be able to donate the funds and build it. We've already got the plans. It'll have housing, schools and a college, a hospital, restaurants, shops, a beautiful downtown, parks and playgrounds and lots else. It'll be the perfect place for demigods to settle down and raise kids. Even better than New Rome!"

"Watch the Hubris, Wise Girl." He jokingly chides. "But it sounds amazing. When does construction start?"

"Hopefully, by the end of Next year. Malcolm and I have been talking to Frank and Hazel about building, they think they'll be able to spare a good bit of the legion and New Rome volunteers. Have it done within 2 weeks!"

"That's amazing. I can't wait to see the house you designed for us."

"How do you know I designed a house for us?" I tease, lightly biting his collarbone.

"Cause I know you." He chuckles and kisses me again. "And because I know you, I know it'll be perfect."

END OF PART VII