What Comes Next: A Percabeth Fanfiction

Chapter Ten

-Percy's POV-

Athena kept her promise. Annabeth was so happy since that day.

I had proposed on June 25, a good couple of days after the solstice so the gods could calm down before the heart attack I was going to give them by proposing. Now it's July 1, and tonight we're celebrating Jason's birthday but all day long we know we'll be stressing because it's the one year anniversary of our fall into Tartarus. We also had our first baby appointment together today.

I was nervous as hell.

And to top it off, Athena was coming with us.

I could tell Annabeth was overjoyed to finally have her mother here for such a big moment, which made me happy. I guess.

Our doctor at the hospital is a daughter of Apollo, and she's the only one who truly knows our situation and who our parents really are.

So the look she gave us when we showed up for our appointment was priceless when we introduced her to Annabeth's mother.

We sat down in the waiting room while Annabeth went up to the counter to fill out the paperwork and stuff. i was impatiently tapping my leg on the floor which i thought would annoy Athena, but she only smiled at me and said everything was gonna be okay, in a motherly tone.

What the Tartarus is with her? I thought she hated me.

She led us into a back exam room with a medical table for Annabeth and two other chairs next to it. The monitors next to the medical table kinda freaked me out, like it was the only thing keeping me from knowing if my child is healthy or not.

Actually, it is.

"So what kind of things can we learn now?" I asked the doctor, who told us to call her Chelsea.

"Well I can tell how far along she is, and depending on that, the health and possibly the gender of the baby."

Athena looked at her anxiously, and I thought, gods, if she's nervous I should be a wreck! (Which I kinda am.)

I thought back to what the doctor said, and something stuck and echoed in my head. Gender.

I haven't thought much about whether I wanted a daughter or a son. I suppose I don't want one more than the other, I could teach them both how to surf, and both how to not stress out about tests once their mother helped them study. But I can protect my little girl from her first heartbreak should a boy ever dare try, yet I can play baseball or football all day long if Annabeth will let me.

Annabeth laid down on the table and the doctor asked her a few questions like how often do you have morning sickness? are you eating right? taking your meds? Geez, I'm glad its not me being interrogated.

Finally she told Annabeth to lift up her shirt for the sonogram. She told her that the liquid she needed to put on would be cold for a second.

The doctor applied the gel and started moving the scanner-object around her stomach, which started showing a little bit. It was a few seconds before the doctor spoke again, which was making me and pretty much everyone else in the room more worried.

"It's healthy!" Chelsea grinned. "About 7-8 weeks along already, and I can't really tell the gender yet, but in 2 weeks I most likely will be able to tell. It's developing perfectly so far, congratulations you guys!"

We were all smiling, especially Annabeth. Healthy was just what we wanted to hear. As we were on our way out, Chelsea called, "Hey guys, do you want a printout of your sonogram?"

I turned back into the room andsaid,"Thanks, but can I have a couple copies?"

On the cab ride home (with a non-monster driver), I took out the original copy of the sonogram and showed it to Annabeth.

I whispered into Annabeth's ear so her mom couldn't hear, "I don't care if it's a boy or girl, bright or not-so bright, aquaphobe or swimmer, only that he/she is healthy, and knows that we will always love and protect him/her.'

Annabeth whispered back, "I love you, Seaweed Brain."

"I love you, too, Wise Girl."

Once we got back to camp, we said good-bye to Athena, who promised to keep in touch. But before she left, I pulled her to the side and hugged her. "Thnk you, Athena, you don't know how much she has missed you. One thing though, before you go back to Olympus, can you give this to my dad?" I handed her an envelope that read 'To Granpa, From ...'.

Athena had tears in her eyes. " It would be an honor, Jackson. And I am truly sorry about my behavior at the group meeting. You really do love her and will protect her even when I cannot. I swear on the River Styx that I will keep in touch, and believe me when I say I will be expecting a wedding invitation when you two get to that chapter in your lives. You can contact me by iris-message anytime, which tell Annabeth I will message her often."

"Always," I smiled. Athena walked over to Annabeth, hugged her and said good-bye and was gone.

Later that night, we went over to Jason and Piper's apartment, which was in the same building as ours, just on the first floor. The party started at 6, and it was 6:30 when we got there and the party was in full swing.

When Jason told Piper about his decision to become Greek, she was ecstatic. That was on the 2 year anniversary of them going out. They moved into the building two days after Annabeth told them she opened the building for residents. Jason volunteered at the camp training campers. Piper worked as a teacher at the elementary school, and I know she's really good with kids, so she might be our #1 babysitter when the baby is born.

So, the party was supposed to be a surprise, but Leo kinda ruined it by putting the music on too early and too loud. "We Are Young" was playing when we got there, and Leo was singing it out loud and it was obvious he wasn't a son of Apollo.

Thalia came to the party, which made Jason very happy. Also there were me, Annabeth, Leo, Piper, Hazel, and Frank. Hazel and Frank live in the actual New Rome, but with Reyna's and Chiron's permission, Leo built a transporter-type thingy (if you ask Leo, be ready because he'll give you an hour long explanation behind it and its confusing name) that connects New Rome and New Greece. Both transporter ends were in the center of town and were open for anybody's use, and it helped unite the two camps after the war with Gaea, so Hazel and Frank visit extremely often along with other Romans who have friends here, and vice-versa for us Greeks. I don't think Jason's used it more than twice.

We all laughed and had a good time. Then it was time for presents, and I had one for everybody.

"Hey guys, can I say something real quick? I have something for everybody," I then went around giving everyone a copy of our sonogram and all the girls squealed.

"Oh my gods, you guys, congratulations!" Piper smiled.

"Well, do you know the gender?" Hazel asked.

"Not yet," Annabeth answered. "We haven't talked about it yet but I think I wanna be surprised."

"Me too," I said as I took her hand.

After the party, I walked with Annabeth back to our apartment.

In the living room, in front of our huge window, I pulled Annabeth down to the floor. I opened the curtains and stared out into the starry but clear and calm night.

I sat down close to Annabeth and whispered into her stomach, still staring out into the night.

"Let's say hello to the stars for our friend Bob."

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If you didn't get that last part, it's from the House of Hades sorry I know I said no spoilers till November 25 but I have to break that promise since it was one year since Tartarus.

Okay this may make you cry but you have to understand that last part to get this: Iapetus was Atlas's father. Zoë Nightshade was Atlas's daughter. Iapetus is Zoë's grandfather. "I can see the stars, my lady." "Tell the stars hello for me." I am so sorry.

If you did get it and are crying, I'm so sorry.

BUT COME ON IT WAS AN AWESOME CHAPTER AAANNDDD IT WAS THE SECOND IN THE SAME WEEKEND!!

(bye the way you guys are so awesome by the comments and reads and votes I'm getting and I love seeing the 'who's reading' feature grow <3)