Percy's POV
Luke was two now and Annabeth was pregnant with our second baby. She was due any day and everyone in our house was ecstatic for the new baby. What made this pregnancy easier for Annabeth was not only because the first one was done, but that Piper was going through everything with her too. Piper was about eight months pregnant and the girls had been thinking up baby names for months. As for us, we decided on Zoe Thalia for a girl and Charlie Iapetus for a boy. The Graces seemed to be leaning towards Elliot for a boy and Elise for a girl.
Luke had taken his first steps at nine months and began to say 'dadda,' around twelve months and 'momma' at thirteen months. He was beginning to look more and more like Annabeth with each passing day. His hair was golden blonde just like hers and was super curly at the ends. I took Luke to work a lot now, mainly because everyone asked me to and I hated leaving him for the day. He toddled everywhere, and picked up just about everything within his reach.
I took Luke to the park this afternoon since Annabeth was in work mode, and Luke and I had been wired with energy all day. "Sings!" Luke shouted pointing at the swings.
"You wanna go swing buddy?" I asked pointing towards them.
"Yes!" Luke clapped his hands in excitement as I walked over to the swings and sat Luke down. He rocked frantically back and forth, "push dadda push." He ordered with a smile on his face.
I pushed him forwards and each time he would scream, "higher, higher dadda!" I laughed with him, I loved how happy he was all the time, he almost never cried or was fussy.
"Side, side dadda!" Luke pointed towards the big green slide. I stopped the swing and carried him over. I helped him climb up the play set and sat him down in my lap. Luke laughed and laughed as we barreled down it and when I got a butt full of wood chips at the end.
"Again." Luke pointed at the slide. We did this ten more times before I checked my watch, the time read six thirty, dinner would be ready soon.
This time I picked him and sat him down towards the middle of the slide so he could go by himself. "No dadda no!" Luke shrieked as I set him down by himself.
"Luke, it's fun. I'll catch you." I encouraged him.
"No fun!" Luke huffed and crossed his arms. Something Annabeth does a lot when she's mad.
"Luke look, it's fun, you can be a rocket when you come down." I had said the key word, he loves it when I flew him around like a rocket.
"Wocket?" Luke asked.
"Yes, but only if you go down the slide." I bargained.
"Wocket?" He asked again, now eyeballing the bottom of the slide.
"Yes, now come on, mommy is getting dinner ready." I added.
Luke pushed himself cautiously down before he hit the fastest part of the slide and let out an ear splitting scream of fear. Before he launched into my arms, "Luke blasting off in 5...4...3...2...1....BLASTOFF!" I shouted, turning Luke's tears of fear into shrieks of laughter as I ran him around the playground and all the way home.
I let Luke press the button to our floor and he pushed open the door, "oh no rocket ship Luke is out of control!" I shouted as I entered the apartment. I bumped Luke who was giggling loudly into walls in search of Annabeth. I ran into her office and sure enough she hadn't moved from when we'd left an hour ago. "Attention Luke, we are reaching the mothership! Look out!" I yelled, laughing with my son.
"Momma! Wook! I'm a wocket!" Luke shouted to his mother focused on her drawings.
"That's nice dear." Annabeth mumbled, not looking up. I set Luke down who looked very disappointed and confused with his mother.
"Annabeth, is dinner ready?" I asked, already knowing it wasn't.
"In a while." She answered blankly.
"Why?" Luke asked, tugging on her sweater.
"Luke, you are seeing your mother in a work trance. Nothing can break it." I bent down to him.
"Why?" Luke asked, saying his new favorite word.
"I don't know son." I answered pulling him away from his mom.
"Momma!" Luke shouted trying to break the trance.
Within seconds after Luke shouted for her, Annabeth yelped, "oh my gods! Ow!"
"Annabeth, are you ok?" I asked, releasing Luke who ran and hugged Annabeth's stomach.
"Hey buddy, when did you get here?" Annabeth asked, hugging him back.
"You're kidding right?" I asked her.
"No, seriously when did you get here?" She asked again.
"Like five minutes ago, what was ow for?"
"What do you think seaweed brain?! The baby kicked me!" Annabeth hissed. Luke retaliated from his mother's arms and backed away. He hated hearing his mom yell, (that makes two of us). "Luke, it's ok. I'm just tired, come here." Annabeth outstretched her arms again.
"No yelling?" Luke asked, peeking his head from behind my legs.
"No yelling, I promise." Annabeth got out of her chair, and sat down on the floor.
Luke looked up at me for reassurance, "where's my promise?" I asked her.
"Percy." Annabeth sighed.
"Pomis dadda." Luke said, praise the gods for him on my side.
"Ok, I'm sorry Percy, I won't yell." Annabeth apologized.
"Good." Luke smiled and he ran into her. Annabeth gave me smile over Luke's shoulder I hoped our next baby was just as sweet as he was.
"I'm hungry momma." Luke said, completely unaware of his power over his mother.
"Same here, what's for dinner wise girl?" I smiled.
"I was thinking pizza." Annabeth barked, trying to stand up, I offered her my hand and helped her up.
"Pizza!" Luke cheered jumping up and down. I led Annabeth into the kitchen and the three of us enjoyed frozen pizza and strawberries. At seven thirty, it was time for Luke to go to bed.
"Do you want me to tuck him in or would you like to do it?" I asked Annabeth, who was beginning to fall asleep on the couch.
"I'll do it." Annabeth sighed, but made no effort to stand up.
"Luke, say goodnight to mommy." I whispered to him.
"Goodnight mommy." Luke whispered, I took his hand and helped him into his dinosaur pjs and I brushed his teeth. I tucked him in his little bed with the rocket bed sheets and kissed his forehead. "Am I a brubber yet dadda?" Luke asked.
"Not yet, maybe tomorrow buddy." I answered.
"You said wast night." Luke pouted.
"I'm sorry, you'll be a brother tomorrow, I promise. Now get some sleep, love you bud." I stroked his hair.
"Pomis?"
"I promise. Goodnight Luke." I walked towards the door.
"Wuve you daddy." I heard him say, I smiled at him, already falling asleep clutching his toy rocket.
I returned to the couch where Annabeth was fast asleep, I wrapped my arm around her after covering her with a blanket. She snuggled her head into my shoulder, and soon enough I fell asleep.
---
Around two in the morning I heard Annabeth wheeze and moan. "Percy! It's time, we have to go now!"
I sprang into action, I sent Annabeth towards the elevator while I ran into Luke's room. He was sound asleep but I carefully picked him up and rushed to meet Annabeth in the elevator. "Is the car seat ready?" Annabeth asked through gritted teeth.
"Yes wise girl, everything is ready." I reassured her, as we moved as fast as we could to the car and I sped to the hospital.
---
"My water just broke, there better be a room open!" Annabeth growled at the reception desk lady.
"Ok, Miss, we are getting one now. But you can't bring children into the delivery room." She said, looking at our son still asleep in my arms.
"Well, then this baby is gonna have to wait until morning. Oww! Oh my gods! This thing is killing me!" Annabeth shouted waking up Luke.
"Annabeth, shh. Calm down, it's gonna be fine, I'll call my parents right now, we'll make this work." I answered in a mellow voice, I heard Luke moan into my shoulder.
"Daddy?"
"Shh, son, go back to sleep, it's still dark out." I hushed him, the last thing I needed was for him to wake up.
"Why is it sunny out daddy?" Luke rubbed his eyes.
"There better be a room ready or I think this baby is coming out in the hallway!" Annabeth shouted, clutching her stomach.
Luke perked up immediately, "baby? Where?"
"Not yet, but the baby is coming soon."
"I'm sorry Miss, they're getting the room ready now." The pudgy lady behind the desk said, trying to calm the storm that was Annabeth.
"I don't care if it's cleaned or not I just need the room!" Annabeth bellowed, the entire lobby went silent, and Luke buried his face into my shoulder.
"Why is momma yelling, daddy?" I heard him mumble.
"Because mommy is hurting." I answered, trying to keep hold of my grip of Annabeth's hand.
"Why?"
"Because the baby is kicking her."
"Stop kicking mommy, baby!" Luke shouted, I heard a few laughs from the people behind us.
"The room is ready Miss, but your son will have to wait out here." The lady said as nurses wheeled out a stretcher for Annabeth who clambered on top it. I whipped out my phone and called my mom, the phone kept ringing but she never answered. Then I called Paul, sometimes he leaves his phone on in the middle of the night, I remember my mom always complaining about it whenever I saw her.
After four rings he finally picked up. "Hello?" He answered groggily.
"Paul! You need to come to the hospital right now! Annabeth is in labor!" I raised my voice into the phone.
"Oh, ok. We'll be there...wait, Annabeth is in labor?" Paul seemed to have the realization of what was happening.
"Yes, we need you down here now to watch Luke."
"Oh god, ok we're leaving now! See you in a few!" Paul hung up, I asked the reception desk lady to watch him until my parents arrived, I gave Luke a quick hug and he began to cry as I bolted out of the lobby to find Annabeth.
Annabeth's POV
"Mrs. Jackson you've gotta push." The nurses encouraged, I didn't remember having this much pain when I had Luke, it must've only been with the second kid.
"Where's my husband?" I demanded, gripping the bars of the bed.
"He's making a phone call, he should be here soon." Someone answered.
"Tell him to get off the damn phone and help me here!" I snarled. Just then the door burst open and Percy ran to my aid and gripped my hand.
"I'm so sorry, I got a hold of my parents, they're coming to watch Luke. I'm here now, come on honey, you can do this. You did it with Luke." Percy tried to calm me down but I felt like a volcano ready to explode, he was sweet to try but I couldn't control anything anymore.
"Luke wasn't this painful." I gritted my teeth, I didn't want to be angry, I wanted to be calm and not shout at Percy, I wasn't even sure why I was acting this way. Stupid hormones. I thought angrily.
"Hey you can do it, I'm right here now, I'm not going anywhere, you're the strongest person I've ever seen, if anyone can get through this, it's you Annabeth. I love you so much, you can do it, push this baby out so you can hold it for the first time." Percy encouraged, clasping his hand over mine.
I pushed with all my night and heard an ear splitting scream. "You did it wise girl! I'm so proud of you." Percy kissed my hand, I heard ringing in my ears and the word was fuzzy but I smiled because it was over, I was exhausted.
"Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, congratulations, it's a girl." One of the nurses said, turning around to reveal a pink bundle.
I outstretched my arms and the crying little girl stopped instantly after touching me. She was the cutest little girl I've ever seen, she had tiny little black hairs on her head, and she looked exactly like Percy. "Hi Zoe." I whispered, kissing her forehead.
Percy leaned over and stroked her little head, "hey mini me." He whispered.
"You know she's a girl right?" I beamed down at her.
"Yeah, so, there's no reason she can't be mini me. You can't deny it, she looks just like me." Percy chuckled, and kissed my cheek. I handed Zoe to Percy and within seconds after he held her, she slowly opened her eyes, now she really was the female clone of Percy. She had Percy's sea green eyes, just like Luke did.
"Percy, I'm sorry I yelled, I don't know what came over me." I apologized for earlier.
"Hey, it's ok, this is very emotional and I know you can't control it, don't worry. Look what we got after it all. The most perfect little girl I've ever seen. Next to you anyways." Percy smiled.
"Yeah, you're right. Should we bring in Luke and your parents?" I asked him, I wouldn't be getting Zoe back anytime soon.
"Yeah, send them in." Percy didn't look at me when he said that, he was like this with Luke, but not to this extreme. Maybe fathers have some kind of connection with their first daughter, because never in my life had I seen Percy act like this.
I told the nurses to send in our son and Percy's parents, I heard them in hallway call for the Jacksons. Sally asked if it was a girl or a boy and the nurses said we had a girl. I heard Luke rumble down the hallway, "mommy! Daddy!" His green eyes lit up with happiness and excitement when he saw us, Percy looked up from Zoe and grinned at his son.
"Where's baby?" Luke asked, trying to see on my bed.
I lifted him up and told him he has to be quiet and calm down or he couldn't see the baby. "Luke, meet your baby sister, Zoe." I whispered, pointing at the pink blanket on Percy's arms.
"That's no baby. It's a blankie mommy." Luke giggled.
"Look closer buddy." Percy half whispered.
Luke leaned over and his eyes bulged with excitement. "Ooh, I'm a big brubber!" Luke cheered.
"Shh, Luke, you don't want to make her cry do you?" I heard Sally's voice from behind us. I'd completely forgotten they were here.
"Hi Sally, hi Paul. Thanks so much for coming, I'm sorry it was so late."
"Oh it's no trouble, you can't coordinate this perfectly, I know that." Sally beamed down at us.
"Percy, let your mom hold her." I turned to him, already in love with how fascinated Luke was by his sister. Percy looked up and handed Zoe to his parents.
"She looks exactly like her father, I hope she's more well behaved than he was." Sally joked, smiling down at Zoe.
"Hey, mom. That's not true, not entirely that is." Percy pouted.
"Well, if she is, then she'll turn out wise just like her father." Sally added. Luke snuggled between us and fell asleep. Soon enough, after I had Zoe back in my arms, the four of us drifted off to sleep on the hospital bed.
---------------------------------- A month and a half later--------------------------------------
"Luke, stop throwing food on the floor, you're teaching your sister bad habits." I scowled at him, Percy was at work, he offered to take Luke today but I said no. Now I was starting to rethink that decision. Zoe's pregnancy had been the most hot tempered I've ever been in my life. She is already way fussier than Luke ever was and I was stressed and tired all the time. I have lost my temper more in the last month than I have in my whole life.
Zoe started to cry, "Luke! What did you do?!" I shouted, I bit my tongue, I shouldn't have yelled. Luke hates it when I yell, especially when I yell at him.
Luke started crying now, and I swore in Greek.
I ran into the kitchen and picked up Zoe from her play crib and started rocking her, she might've already stopped if Luke wasn't crying. "Luke, honey hush. You don't need to cry, I'm sorry."
"Mommy! Why mad at me?!" Luke howled, tears streamed down his face.
"Lukey I'm not mad at you. I'm sorry for yelling." I apologized, Luke stopped crying and raised his arms up. I sighed and sat down in the rocking chair in the corner, Luke clambered up and sat down on my lap. Zoe, unfortunately was still crying.
"Make baby stop." Luke said, squirming around my lap.
"If I would I could, Luke." I sighed.
I heard the door open and Luke vaulted off my lap and made a beeline for the door, "daddy's home! Daddy's home!" Luke shouted jumping up and down.
"Hey buddy, how was your day?" Percy picked him up and spun him around the room.
"Ok, Soe keep crying. Mommy is mad." I rolled my eyes at his comment, I was so tired I couldn't think straight.
"Where's mommy?" Percy asked.
"Sitting." Luke barked.
Percy walked into the room to find me in the rocking chair with Zoe shrieking over my shoulder. "Hi honey, busy day?" Percy asked, he was trying to make me smile but I couldn't handle anything right now.
"Yes, here take your daughter, make her stop crying!" I shouted. Luke went silent.
"Annabeth, calm down. Just take a deep breath and put Zoe down." Percy tried to rational but that wasn't going to happen.
"No Percy! I've had it up to my head with kids for the day! I can't stand it! She won't stop crying and every time she does, Luke starts!"
"This wouldn't have been a problem if you had let me take him to work this morning." Percy raised his voice.
"That's just like you Percy Jackson! Just trying to prove a point, I've had enough, take her right now! I can't do it!" I shouted.
"Annabeth—" Percy began but I wasn't taking any of it.
"She's just like you Percy! Loud and obnoxious, one of you is hard enough to handle, two is too much!" The words slipped out before I could stop them but I was just so tired and angry I didn't even feel remorse about them.
"Go outside!" Percy shouted. My heart stopped, Luke was ready to cry, Percy never shouts.
"Have fun with your kids, Jackson!" I shouted, storming out of our apartment like an angry teenager.
I heard Luke crying for me, but I refused to turn around. I needed some air and some quiet time. As soon as I steeped out of the main lobby everything about what I had just said hit me like a tidal wave and I began to cry. I didn't mean any of what I had said, I was a terrible person for saying it.
I ran around the park, feeling mocked by all the perfect families at the playground. After nearly an hour of walking, thinking and crying, I finally gathered up the courage to face Percy and my kids in the apartment.
It was seven thirty, Luke should be going to bed, and Zoe should be asleep. I quietly opened the door to the unusually quiet apartment. "Percy, Luke, Zoe." I called to the quiet apartment, the lights were off, the kitchen light was on, on the refrigerator was a handwritten note;
Annabeth,
Just got a phone call from Jason and Piper and we are at the hospital. I took the kids with me and we left some spaghetti for you in the fridge, See you then when you're ready.
Love,
Percy, Luke and Zoe
I grabbed my wallet and hailed a cab to the hospital. I ran into the lobby and saw my family curled up on the chairs, Percy perked up when he saw me. Zoe was sound asleep in Percy's arms and Luke's head was nestled deep into Percy's blue jacket. I cautiously approached him, and gave him a shy wave.
"Hey, you came." Percy said, not giving me a smile. I didn't expect him to, but it was the first time I remember him not smiling when he saw me.
"Hey yourself, is this seat taken?" I asked.
"Nope, but you may to move Luke, he's been asking for you, he wants to know if you're still mad at him."
I picked up Luke and sat him down on my lap, he leaned towards Percy but continued to sleep. "I'm not mad, at him, or Zoe, or you. I'm sorry Percy, I snapped. I was having a long stressful day, I didn't get much sleep the night before, I should've let you take Luke to work today then none of this would've happened. And I'm sorry I yelled at you, you're the best friend, well, husband I could ever ask for. I didn't mean any of the things I said." I apologized, resisting the urge to lean onto Percy's shoulder.
"Hey, it's ok, you apologized, and came back, just like I knew you would. I'll take the day off tomorrow and you can go have a day to yourself, cause you deserve it wise girl. I accept your apology, and no matter what you say, I'll always love you."
My eyes filled with tears, I leaned over and kissed his cheek, "I love you too. And thank you Percy. I know exactly what I'm going to do tomorrow." I smiled, resting my head on his shoulder.
"And what's that?" Percy asked.
"That's for me to know me you to find out seaweed brain." I chuckled.
"Is anyone here for the Graces?" A nurse asked.
"We are." I answered.
"You can come in, and for your information Mr. and Mrs. Grace had a baby boy." The nurse said, holding the door open for us to follow her. Percy carried Zoe and the diaper bag and I carried Luke into the room.
"Hey Piper, hey Jason." I whispered, grinning, but not as big as Piper.
"Hey guys, I want you to meet Elliot Tyler Grace." Piper whispered, cradling the baby boy.
"Jason, Piper, congratulations." Percy congratulated, he clapped Jason on the back with his empty hand.
"Is that what's in store for me?" Jason asked, eyeballing the load Percy was carrying.
"Yep, but it's worth it." Percy looked at me, "make sure you help her in every way you can."