Praetor's legacy

Chapter 6

After the extremely awkward meeting had adjourned, Percy was feeling very anxious. He knew that he had to talk to Annabeth, privately. And he had no clue what he was going to say.

He of course loved Annabeth. She was right up there with his Mom. But there were 2 other people who were also now up there. Aidan, of course was tied with them. He loved him as much as any 16 year old father could love his son. And the last person was Reyna.

He didn't just love her because she gave birth to their child, but also because of the little things. He loved how on a windy day, her hair would fly around her head like a dark halo. He loved how even when she was giving orders, her voice would sound caring. He loved how she was strong, and also weak. He loved how she would do anything for anybody she loved. Just like him.

They had so much, too much, in common. They would go to the ends of the earth to help the ones they loved, although he doubted that that was Reyna's fatal flaw. Only Percy would have that rotten of luck to have a fatal flaw such as that.

He saw that his feelings toward Reyna were returned by her. She just had a better way of hiding it.

And Percy knew that he had a decision to make.

But he also knew that he shouldn't have to think about making a decision. When you date somebody, you aren't supposed to like or love anybody else but them.

If he chose Reyna, he would hurt Annabeth.

If he chose Annabeth, he would hurt Reyna, and by default, he would hurt Aidan as well. As his son grew older, he would wonder why everyone else's parents were together, or ever had been together, and why his had never even tried.

But Annabeth was his best friend, and his girlfriend. She was the one he would always go to in times of crisis. She was his rock. He didn't think he could give that up. Because honestly, who would be stupid enough to give up that much commitment and trust?

Then Percy realized something. He had hurt Reyna in the past. He and Annabeth were the ones who had destroyed Circe's Island on their quest in the Sea of Monsters. He had forced her to change her entire way of life. He had hurt her, almost beyond repair.

But he had hurt Annabeth, as well. He left her for 2 weeks when he was stranded on Calypso's Island. He had left her alone for 9 months, without her knowing where he was, too. He didn't have a choice in either of the matters, but he still hurt her. Percy also didn't have a choice in the matter when he hurt Reyna, either. Annabeth was the one who, in her desperate attempt to turn him human again, had let loose angry pirates on Circe's Island.

He still had nightmares about that. As if there wasn't enough to worry about.

Reyna or Annabeth? The mother of his child who he cared about deeply, or his best friend for almost five years who he was in love with?

Percy was never good at making big decisions. Take the First Great Prophecy for example. He didn't even realize he had made the life changing decision until afterwards when Annabeth reminded him. And he didn't think an off-the-top-of-my-head decision was going to work in this situation.

Why did everything have to revolve around him? Was this the fate of all heroes then? To have hard decisions pushed onto them, with no choice in the matter?

He didn't know what he was going to do. He was so confused, even more than usual. How could anybody make that large of a decision? How could anyone be stupid enough to try?

He loved Annabeth. But he loved Reyna, too. And he didn't want to give up either of them.

What the hell was wrong with him?