Percy

"You've got it, Wise Girl." I tell her as I stroke her back. She tightens her fingers around the looped rope hanging from the ceiling. "Are you ready?" I ask. She nods.

"It's going to hurt, Annabeth. I can't do anything about that." Will tells her. "But you've got Artemis' blessing for a fast birth. It'll be over with the first push."

"O-Okay!" She gasps. "This is exhausting even without the pushing. How did Piper do this twice?!"

"You can do it. Tell me when, and I'll grab your hand. As soon as I do, push, and you're done."

"She's crowning, Annabeth. Whenever you're ready."

"Okay." Annabeth nods. "One, Two, THREE!" I grab her hand and my heart clinches as she screams and pushes. A few seconds later, Will brings the baby out of the water with a smile. A second later she starts crying, both pulling at my heart and making me think it's the most beautiful sound in the world.

"You're done, Annabeth. Catch your breath and swig some nectar. Percy, want to come get your daughter?" I smile and kiss Annabeth's temple, then go grab Charlie from Will.

"She's perfect, Annabeth." I tell her as I clean Charlie up. "Absolutely perfect."

"Can-Can I hold her?" She asks, reaching out her arms.

"Of course!" I say and bring her over. Annabeth holds her close and puts her against her chest.

"Charlie." She says and Charlie stops crying as Annabeth strokes her nose. "Percy, can you hand me some Nectar, please?"

"Of course, Wise Girl." I say and hold the cup up to her mouth so she can sip the straw. After a few sips she looks loads better.

"I'll give Y'all some time with Charlie for now. In a few minutes I'll be back to cut the cord. Let me know if you need anything." Will smiles at us and heads out.

"Charlotte Isabella Jackson." I whisper, leaning down to kiss her head.

"Help me get out of the basin and into the bed, please?"

"Of course. Here." I say and reach down into the water to pick her up. I will her dry and carry her over to the bed, then climb in next to her as she snuggles against me with our daughter in her arms.

…..

Annabeth

Thanks to the nectar, a few hours later Piper and I are ready to go home. But, neither of us are ready for the storm of people. So, since the Hospital is honestly pretty comfortable, we decide to stay a couple of Days. When we're both rested and ready to go and introduce our children to everyone, We all load up in Percy's truck. Thankfully we don't need car seats yet since not many people drive in New Athens, so Piper, Jason, and I just get to hold the babies while Percy drives.

"I can't believe you were carrying twins!" I tell Piper.

"Me either. We've got a lot of shopping to do. I already called Lacey and asked her to head into town and get some clothes for a baby boy to tide us over for now. I can't believe you went into labor the same day as I did!" She laughs.

"So what are you two going to name your son?" Percy asks as he pulls out of the parking lot. Jason and Piper share a look and then smile.

"We decided to name him after two people. His first name is Thomas, we'll call him Tommy, after my Grandpa Tom. The second…"

"We decided to name him Jackson for you, Percy." Jason finishes and smiles at him. Percy stops at a stop sign and looks back at him.

"Seriously, Man?"

"We're serious. Thomas Jackson Grace." Percy's eyes get a little misty, not for the first time today. He clears his throat.

"I'm honored. Thank you. Both of you, really."

"Well, Selena's middle name is Elizabeth, it's only right." Piper winks at him. Percy starts driving again and a few minutes later we roll up to our houses.

"Ready to go meet your big brother, Charlie?" I coo to her as Percy opens my door and I carefully climb out. "He's so excited to meet you. So is your grandma Sally, Your uncles and aunts and cousins."

"Is there anything Y'all need? Are you sure you don't want to come with us? Everyone's already here" I ask as Jason and Piper start heading next door to their own home.

"No Thanks. I want to wait until my dad is here to introduce Selena and Tommy to everyone. Until then, I just want to get these babies down in their cribs and take a nap." She laughs. "We'll see Y'all tonight." They wave and head home.

"Let's go." Percy kisses my temple, hands me Charlie then we go in our front door.

" Mom!" Percy calls. "We're home!"

"IsshehereIsshehereIsshehere?" Luke calls out as he runs into the foyer. Percy grabs his shoulders before he can run into me.

"Woah, Luke!" He laughs. "Yes, Charlie's here. Let's go into the living room so you can meet her, Okay? Where's everyone?"

"I'm right here. Everyone else is in the living room" Sally smiles at us. "Malcolm and Maryanne had to hold Max and Ella Claire back so you wouldn't get trampled. Same with Lassa and Noah. Is that my granddaughter?"

"It is." I smile as we move into the living room. I see my brother holding two kids by the wrists, Maryanne smiling at us, Leo's leaning back with Echo curled up in his side, Lassa and Jesse are smiling at us as we walk in, Grover and Thalia are having a thumb war, Hazel's napping in Frank's lap, Estelle is sitting next to Paul while he braids her hair and Reyna and Nico are talking to Chiron, in wheelchair form off to the side. I startle and stop when I see Poseidon and Athena sitting with everyone else. Poseidon relaxed and laid back, Athena proud and regal.

"Aunt Annabeth!" Ella Claire exclaims when she sees me. "Is that Charlie? Can I see her?"

"Please?" Max adds. I smile at my niece and Nephew.

"Pretty please?" Estelle joins in.

"Yes." I smile at them, then look around the room. "Hi everyone!" I wave. "Alright kiddos, I'm about to let Lukas hold her. Y'all can sit on either side. Alright, Luke, let me show you how to hold her." I say and place her gently in his arms. Immediately, he stills in a way I've never seen him do before other than after intense playtime or when he's sleeping. He looks up, his ice blue eyes twinkling.

"She's so beautiful."

"She is." Ella Claire says as she leans her head on Luke's shoulder to look at Charlie. "She has Uncle Percy's green eyes!"

"They were my eyes first." Poseidon jokes, getting up and walking over to clasp hands with Percy. Athena also rises and comes over to give me a hug.

"I love you, Mother." I whisper to her. She kisses my cheek.

"I love you too, Darling."

"So you really did decide on Charlie?" Leo asks. I nod.

"Charlotte Isabella Jackson." Percy smiles at him. "Charlotte for Beckendorf. Isabella because Bianca's middle name was Isabella." Nico actually smiles at hearing that.

"That's so beautiful." Hazel tells him as she yawns and wakes up.

"It really is." Frank agrees.

"Well, I think it's a wasted opportunity to name her Actual Proof I had sex with Annabeth Chase." Leo laughs. Echo scowls and swats his chest.

"Leo." She scolds. "Not appropriate."

"Humor rarely is, miss no longer cursed camouflage."

"I told you I hate that name." She says, but I see a small smile on her mouth as she leans forward and kisses his cheek.

"What color is her hair under the hat?" Max asks.

"Blonde like her mother's?" Athena asks, getting up and coming over to hug me. "She really is beautiful."

"Her hair is actually Black." Percy smiles. "But that can change. Lots of times babies are born with one color of hair and as they grow it changes to another. Personally, I agree with Athena. She'll probably be Blonde like Annabeth."

"Or it will stay this gorgeous black like her Daddy." I wink at Percy, who's smiling gently at Ella Claire leaning on Luke.

"Want to hold her, Claire Bear?" I ask. Her eyes light up and she nods.

"Me next!" Max says as Luke places Charlie in Ella Claire's arms. Charlie makes a gurgling sound as she laughs, being put in her cousin's arms, making Ella Claire light up like a Christmas tree. Percy pulls out a phone and takes a picture. I raise an eyebrow at the look on his face.

"What?" He smirks at me. "How cute would it be if twenty years from now he's putting another baby in her arms and we had these pictures side by side?"

"Let's not think about my Claire Bear having kids anytime soon, Percy. That's a long way off." Malcolm says.

"Agreed." Maryanne nods.

"Not as long as you think." Sally tells him. "Blink, I dare you."

"Aww, don't say that, Sally. At least let me pretend Estelle will stay little forever!" Paul jokes.

"I love her so much already, Aunt Annabeth!" Ella Claire tells me. "I'll be the best big cousin ever!"

"I'll be better than you. My turn!" He says, and sits down next to her, allowing us to help Ella Claire shift Charlie into his arms. As we do one of Charlie's arms comes loose from the blanket and she flails out, hitting Max square in the nose. Ella Claire holds her stomach and falls back laughing as I secure Charlie in my arms and Max rubs his face.

"At least we can tell she's smart." Ella Claire laughs.

"Ella Claire." Maryanne warns. I look around the room and realize all the people who still want to hold and meet my daughter, so I sigh but force a smile and put her into Sally's arms.

"I'm going to go take a nap." I say. "Y'all just bring her to me once you're done." Percy looks over at me.

"Are you sure, Wise Girl?" He asks. "Why don't you take her with you?"

"It's okay, Percy. Just bring her to me when she's ready to sleep or nurse." I kiss him on the cheek then Charlie on her forehead. "Thank Everyone for coming. I'll be up in a little bit." I say and Hug my mother tightly one more time. "Thank you for coming, Mama." I tell her, feeling vulnerable enough to use the most special way of referring to her. She clasps me tighter too.

"Of course, Darling. I couldn't be more thrilled about her. Get some rest. I love you." She tells me, then disappears in a thin gray mist. I then head to the bedroom, among a chorus of byes.

"Alright, Max, give her to me." Maryanne says right before I close the door. I go into the bathroom and take a full 9 yards shower, exfoliating and washing my hair and scrubbing down. Once I get out and dry off I slip on my robe and towel dry my hair before braiding it back. Thanks to the Nectar healing any damage done to my body during the birth, a lifetime of fitness before getting pregnant and yoga and palettes during, I didn't gain much weight. Thanks to constant moisturizing, no stretch marks. So looking in the mirror, I smile at seeing myself again, not a pregnant woman who felt like a cow. But I think of that little girl in the living room and smile brighter. She was worth every second of the last seven months.