PJO/HOO One Shots

It's Not Christmas Til You Come Home

A/N: The video is just a cover because I can't find the original but it is on Spotify and it is lovely!
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Annabeth cursed under her breath, feeling the baby kick viciously as she leaned over on the ladder to adjust the tree topper. It was a shimmering golden star that rained glitter all over the floor and drove her absolutely nuts, but Percy had insisted on getting it because he claimed it was the "perfect finishing touch to the Jackson Christmas." Well, that and he promised he'd vacuum every speck of glitter himself. Not that Annabeth could with that belly in the way anyways.

Annabeth felt a sense of gloom wash over her at the thought of her husband. Percy had been gone nearly 9 months now, and with the due date fast approaching, Annabeth feared he'd miss their baby's birth. He'd already had to receive the news he was becoming a father from where he was assisting overseas, and it was hard enough to communicate with the time gap.

Percy had enlisted in the Marines straight out of high school, fearing his grades wouldn't be enough to get him into college. He and Annabeth had fought tooth and nail over it, but in the end, there was nothing Annabeth could do but submit to the inevitable. Bootcamp was hard, but Percy had written her every day, so it was liveable. But then he was deployed to Japan, and it was like someone had taken a chunk of Annabeth from her and left her with a gaping hole in her heart. Percy was rising above the ranks though, and Annabeth couldn't help but be proud of him. And then- Annabeth hated to admit she was happy about it- Percy had been injured in the field and was medically discharged, and it was like everything was right again. He was hers... he was home.

He and Annabeth went and did all the things they couldn't do while he was overseas. They got married at 22– Annabeth had insisted on waiting until he was done with service, bought their first house, and Annabeth graduated from her master's program with Percy there to watch. Percy went back to school to get a degree in marine biology. Three years later, they started trying for a family.

Unfortunately for them, Percy was still a valuable asset- injured or not- and occasionally went back every now and then to assist with things he specialized in. He was too loyal for his own good, and while Annabeth did love that about him, she loathed how it meant he'd always go back to them. He felt it was his duty.

Annabeth pushed back the tidal wave of resentment that forced its way up her throat. She was proud of Percy and all he'd done, but she wished there was a way he could do his job without physically being away from her. It wasn't her first time away from him, but it was her first Christmas without him, and it was like someone had poured salt over her open wound.

Annabeth shook her head and leaned over again to straighten a hanging photo of her and Percy. Unfortunately for her, her stomach hit the ladder especially hard, and Annabeth felt fear grip her heart as she wobbled about. Fuck, she really should have asked for someone to help her decorate.

Just then, the door burst open, and all Annabeth could register was a feminine and masculine voice screaming her name in unison, "ANNABETH!"

Annabeth gripped the ladder tightly until her knuckles turned white, taking a moment to close her eyes and catch her breath as it steadied. When they fluttered open again, Annabeth was met with a stern Jason standing at the foot of the ladder and an appalled Piper standing nearby.

"Annabeth, what the hell were you thinking?" Piper snapped at her from where she stood near the sofa with her arms crossed and brows furrowed. Underneath the façade, worry shone through Piper's kaleidoscope eyes.

Jason shot her an apologetic look, crossing the room to murmur to his wife. "Annabeth," Jason said, his voice stern but gentle as always, "I told I'd take care of all the heavy duty stuff."