Second Chances

Our Own Paths

Safely landing back on solid ground, I felt like I was going to be sick, but the baby started crying. Again. Dear gods! I'm not cut out for this! I tried cradling him, back and forth, making funny faces at him, begging that he would stop crying before he woke up everyone in the camp.

"Ah, Percy, I see you have returned, and not alone by the sound of it." My head shot up at the sound of Chiron's gruff voice. A playful glint in his eyes. Damn it!

"Did you know? Did you know about this?" I nodded down, indicating to the baby still sobbing and squirming in my arms. Chiron just laughed.

"I might have heard something about it through the grapevine." Mr. D "In fact," he now stood, towering over me like a horse on steroids, inspecting the kid with calculating eyes. "I might have been the one to suggest you as the perfect candidate as Luke's guardian." I gaped up at the old centaur. The betrayal. How could he?!

"B-but why? Why me?" I didn't understand, I couldn't be the perfect candidate. I knew nothing about raising kids! I followed him, as he casually made his way down the hall to his office,  completely unaffected by the fact that he had signed me up to babysit a de-aged traitor, who use to have the biggest vendetta against Olympus.

Why were The Fates so unkind to me? Just once in my life, could they just leave me alone?

Chiron chuckled. "Listen, Percy, I chose you because I knew no one else would be brave enough to raise Luke. He's hurt too many but you were the only one who realised him as the true hero of Olympus. I chose you because I know that you will have the best influence on him, the boy needs a real father figure; someone he can look up to, someone who can save him from the darkness. I believe that person to be you. You have constantly proven to be the best of us. Be the person to save Luke when no one else is willing to do so." He paused, giving off that creepy, ancient, absent-minded look. "Besides, I have a feeling that you will need him just as much as he needs you."

I wanted to ask him what he meant, but he stopped me with a show of his hands. "I'm sure you have many questions, Percy, but just remember that The Fates do everything for a reason," I wanted to argue that The Fates only do things for their self-amusement. "but right now, I think it's time you went to bed. Both of you." I looked down and realised that the baby had finally stopped his wailing and was now peacefully asleep in my arms, his tiny fist clutched tightly around my index finger.

<•>

"Percy?! Percy! For the love of Olympus, wake up! Percy!"

I groaned. I hated waking up. I mean seriously, after everything I've been through, don't I at least deserve a sleep in? I'm only human!

"Percy?! PERCY! Perc-" had I had it my way, I would have happily ignored the constant knocking but a sudden ear-piecing howl jolted me from my slumber, my hand instinctively searching for my pen. Immediately, my ADHD brain jumped to the only logical conclusion; an attack, and so with the little grace I could muster; I quite literally stumbled from the cozy confines of my bed and headed for the door, fully armed with a ballpoint pen and my pyjama pants.

And then I tripped. I tripped over the damn thing making the utterly hellish noise; the baby.

"Percy? Are you alright? What in the name of Athena is going on in there?" I groaned as the memories of the previous evening came flooding back. Why was it always me? Between the unyielding knocking and the baby's abominable screams, I could confidently say that I will be getting one Hades of a headache today. Great. "PERCY! Would you just open the damn door!" The knocking continued, furiously picking up pace. It made me want to bang my head against the floor until I blacked out—then I could spend the day in the infirmary; the nice, peaceful infirmary... "PERCY!"