Percy Jackson One Shots and Short Stories

#54 - Stuck With U (Part II)

My Seaweed Brain, she thought fondly, smiling to herself.

"Oh, Percy," she whispered. "I don't think I've ever been that afraid in my entire life."

"I was horrible," Annabeth sniffled. "You made dinner. You've been nothing but incredible, and all I've done is get annoyed at you. I'm sorry. When you wake up, you can crash as many of my conference calls as you like."

"You mean so much more to me than any of that," Annabeth breathed. "I love you so much."

She wasn't sure if she imagined it, but something a lot like a smile crossed Percy's face. The contagious positivity made her smile too.

Even asleep, Percy was her comfort.

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Piper sat up, her hand gripping a pillow uncertainly. It was the most unsettling feeling, being under anaesthesia. The epidural administered to her spine had been painful, but nothing compared to the contractions she'd suffered through.

Piper had to keep her eyes from drooping, exhaustion starting to overwhelm her now that the pain wasn't there to keep her awake.

"Okay, Piper, we'll be starting the procedure soon," Dr Harrow told her, giving her a reassuring smile. Piper mustered what energy she had remaining and returned it weakly.

Coming to the hospital had been the best decision ever. Sure, Piper was still nervous about the state of the coronavirus and her baby's birth into the middle of it, but she felt safer and much more secure here.

The glass door slid open, and Jason walked through, eyes flashing both anxiously and with excitement. His hair was covered with a surgical cap, and he was wearing a green dress of sorts to cover up.

None of that mattered. Piper would know those blue eyes anywhere.

"Nice outfit," Piper informed him with a laugh.

Jason sat down beside her, taking her hand. "I'm thinking of getting one for myself," he said humorously.

Piper couldn't help the nervous speeding up of her heart as a nurse drew up the green sheet over her stomach, blocking of her view of anything below her upper ribs.

"You should probably stay on this side of the curtain," Dr Harrow advised Jason before she disappeared behind the sheet, just the top of her cap visible over it.

Jason exchanged a nervous look with Piper. She gripped Jason's hand tightly. "I can't feel anything below here," Piper whispered. "It's so weird."

"We're about to become parents, Pipes," Jason breathed.

Piper sucked in a sharp breath like she'd been punched. The last 12 hours had been an utter mess, what with agonising contractions and worrying about the baby, that Piper hadn't actually thought about what would happen when he came out.

She was going to be a mum. Piper made a silent promise to herself that she'd aim to be a better parent than her own mother. No unneeded fashion advice or butting into the baby's life.

"Doing a lateral incision now," Dr Harrow voiced, for their benefit. A lot more medical talk that neither Piper nor Jason understood ensured behind the curtain, but Dr Harrow made sure to keep them updated on her progress.

It felt almost eerie, Piper thought. After hours of pain, now she just felt...nothing.

Jason helped. If he hadn't been there, Piper would probably have freaked out completely without any chance of calming down.