Second Chances

Grandma Sally

It wasn't long before I had loaded myself, Luke and a bag overflowing with baby essentials—a bag of which I swear Chiron pulled out of nowhere—into the Camp Half-blood van and were on our way to mom's apartment. Unfortunately, that trip to Manhattan was also my crash-course in changing diapers. Lets just say Argus was not happy...

If I was being honest, I would admit that I was kind of nervous about seeing mom again. I mean the last time I saw her was before Hera kidnapped and brainwashed me. The last time I spoke to her was when I was in Alaska and now I'm going to show up at her front door with a baby; who isn't technically mine—well, he kinda is... 

Gods, Mom's going to kill me!

"We're here." Argus grunted from the front as he slowly pulled the van to a stop outside an apartment complex. I muttered a thanks and quickly grabbed the kid and the stuff and got the Hades out of there. With my backpack slung over my shoulder, the baby bag in one hand and the baby in the other I gazed up at the drowsy building looming over me, the sound of the Camp Half-Blood van pulling away became nothing more then a fading sound in the wind.

I gulped. "Alright," I said down at the snoozing kid—gods I wish I was the one that was sleep. "Here goes nothing."

I wasn't really surprised when the elevator was broken, forcing me to struggle up the multiple flights of stairs. Somewhere along the way, Luke woke up and started whimpering and I couldn't blame him, I was hungry as well. "Nearly there." I muttered determinably, literally dragging the baby bag up the last flight.

I sighed. Made it! Standing outside the front door, I could nearly smell the cookies Mom use to make me when I was younger. Home. "Okay." I tried to stomp down the nerves that were silently trying to take control. I don't know why I felt nervous, I mean I'm just coming home, I'm pretty certain I have done more crazy and dangerous stuff than this.

But, what if they reject me?

No. Don't think like that! They love me. And they will love Luke... I hope. Speak of the little devil, said person gave a little whine from the crook of my arm, forcing me to look down at his squishy head, his little mouth wobbled. Little. Never thought I would use that word to describe Luke. "It's alright kiddo. Ready to meet Grandma Sally and Grampa Paul?" He didn't answer, instead he gave me this blank look that kind of made me feel like he knew something I didn't...

"Okay." I let the baby bag drop to the ground and readjusted Luke in my arms, before knocking. If I strained my ears enough, I could just make out the sound of pots and pans clanging, and the tap closing.

"Coming." A distant voice called, followed by feet hastily making their way to door, stopping short when it opened. It took a moment for the ageing woman on the other side to realise who I was, and quite honestly, I nearly didn't recognise her either.

"Percy?" She gasped almost breathlessly, her hand covering her mouth in shock and eyes widening like... well, like a fish.

"Hey, mom." She let out a muffled squeak and dragged me into an awkward hug; between my increased height, the baby in my arms and the obvious bump showing on her stomach...

Bump on her stomach?

When she finally released me from her viper grasp, I was able to get a good look. Sure she looked a bit older, a few more grey hairs but it wasn't like she was getting fat—I mean; gaining weight. Gods Perce, you don't call your mother fat!

"Ah..." After concluding that mom wasn't gaining weight from eating too much food, my brain jumped to the only other logical conclusion it could think of. "What's happening here?" I went to touch her belly but stopped half way, instead opting to stare at it until I was sure it was real. Mom just laughed. It was the nice, lighthearted laugh that seemed most prominent in my childhood memories. Memories before Smelly Gabe and before the whole demigod-thing. Back when it was just me and Mom. Life seemed a lot more simpler back then... Now look at us.