Rise of House Neptune

Epilog / Alternate Ending

Chapter 47

10 years Post Battle of New York

"Consul Jackson, I need you to take deep breaths. Your wife has been very strong in her pregnancy and there is no reason to be nervous." The legacy of Apollo told Percy as he paced causing the ground to tremor slightly with each turn he took around the room.

"I'm not nervous healer, are you nervous?" Percy asked frantically.

The healer looked to his left seeing a woman dressed in finely tailored clothes, and a symbol of Praetor on her toga, "Percy, sit down. You are going to bring the medical wing down with an earthquake if you don't relax."

Reyna, who had only become more beautiful in her age, was looking highly amused watching her usually composed leader look frantic. Her longtime partner, and husband had two children by this point. While he had chosen to retire from his position of Praetor after a few years of service, Reyna was proving to be a career politician, and a guiding voice to the future generations. With the help of her counterpart and Consuls she was on the verge of shortening the term limit to five years, and make the enlistment age 15. Needless to say a lot had changed in the last 5 years and demigod life expectancy was on the up.

Trying to find his nerves Percy finally took a seat as his longtime friend Michael Kahale clapped his arm with his massive hand, "She's going to be fine, Perce."

"He looks like he might vomit." Another man said, chuckling in the corner.

Percy glared at Nico, but before he could chide the Ambassador to Pluto the healer returned, "Consul your wife is demanding your presence."

Percy paled, making Nico laugh, while Michael and Reyna chuckled. Percy turned to Michael mumbling, "Have I ever told you how much I miss the war? That sounds so much easier than what is in front of me now."

This made the man bellow a laughter as he clapped Percy on the back, "Go on, oh mighty Consul, the rest of the old crew is waiting for news. Go bring forth the next champion of Rome, so we can begin our celebrations!"

Percy stood to his feet and felt shaky, and Reyna just shook her head fondly at the man as he followed the healer back into the room. The last thing he heard was Nico laughing, "I got 10 drachmas that he passes out."

Trying to drown out Nico's words as he followed the healer he tried to start a pep talk in his head. You are the Champion of Olympus. You defeated Titans, won the war, led Rome to a golden age, married one of the most beautiful women in the world, you can bring your own child into this world.

The screams of his wife caught his attention as he came into a room that had three other healers working in synchronization moving quickly. Other than holding Bianca's hand and getting screamed at Percy could hardly remember a single thing about his child coming into the world, but what he would remember to his dying day was holding a little blue eyed baby in his arms.

"It's a boy. Consul Jackson, Consul Jackson, congratulations. He seems perfectly healthy." The healer said, "Have you two decided on a name?"

Percy's eyes shifted from his baby boy to his wife, and her smile told him everything he needed to know, "His name will be Jason."

-----

Alternate Ending

The night Bianca and Percy returned to Camp Jupiter they truly partied. The two gathered the guard, and led them in celebration. There was dancing, with each other, members of the guard, and the citizens of New Rome. All the citizens too. The children, the adults, the elderly, all of them. There was drinking. There were toasts. There were no more tears though. Getting to say goodbye to their friend was more therapeutic than anything else. It now felt like they were going to be able to move on. It wouldn't be easy, but they could do it. It felt very possible, and the two were looking forward to bringing in a golden age together.