Alternatively

Accepting Maybe

There wasn't a time when Annabeth thought her life would turn out like this. From running away to foraging in dumpsters, from getting chased to camp to living in (albeit well intentioned) isolation, from harrowing quests to fighting her way through literal hell to...a lovely apartment on the Upper East Side.

Not to mention the other perks that included -but weren't limited to- one Percy Jackson, job security, and reasonably priced sushi down the street.

Still, as unbelievable as her life seemed, there would always be something thrown in that would be almost too good to be true. These things just don't happen to demigods, to her.

She could hear him humming down the hall, a low rumbling hum that was so tender she couldn't help but smile. Working a towel through her wet hair, Annabeth crept to the open bedroom door and watched her husband slowly waltz around the room. He bounced their baby in his arms, softly smiling down. Everything looked so big compared to her, from the blanket she was swaddled in to the arms of her dad. She had been born underweight and while it was common and easy to fix, they worried.

They worried about a lot of things.

"Look," Percy murmured, turning to the door. "Mom's here, you see?"

Annabeth bit her lip, pushing off the door frame to meet them in the middle of the room. "Did she get a good nap?"

"I think she may go for another," he said gently as Megan's eyes struggled to stay open.

"Oh," she caressed her soft cheek. "Sleepy little girl, aren't you?"

Their daughter yawned, little arms stretching before settling down again. Her yellow blanket reflected the afternoon light streaming through the window and brought out the pink in her skin. Percy's thumb was brushing soothingly over the tufts of hair, careful and practiced. There wasn't a lot to go from, but it started to look like she was taking after her father's messy waves.

"I was gonna go get take out, does Thai sound good?"

She nodded, swaying in time with him as he rocked the baby. "How'd you know I'm craving curry?"

"I didn't," he snorted. "I wanted curry."

"You're just stealing my good taste."

"Can't steal what you never had."

She wrinkled her nose at him. "You can't hide behind the baby forever."

"No kidding," he shifted Megan out of a sunbeam. "Soon she's gonna be punching me too, just like her mom."

"Yeah," she sighed, holding her finger out for tiny, restless hands to latch on to.

Her grip was strong and only getting stronger, which was a relief. When they first brought her home, they worried her reflexes weren't up to that of a normal baby. The doctors said she just needed time and extra love and care, and Annabeth knew they were right, but she couldn't help it. Her brothers both had been healthy babies, and Estelle was nothing short of perfect; she didn't have a clue when it came to deviations from the norm. Books and articles and tutorials were helpful to a point, but she found it best talking to Sally.

She did raise two great kids, after all.

"Were you just singing that song from Tarzan before?"

Percy laughed sheepishly and she took note of the halo of light around him. "Yeah, I've had it stuck in my head."

"Better you than me," she slid her hands between his arms and the baby, carefully lifting her up. "At least you can carry a tune."

"If that was you fishing for a compliment, you've come up empty."

She smirked, shuffling to the crib. "It wasn't, but thanks for your honesty."

Arms snaked around her waist as she bent over to lay Megan down comfortably. "But I can say you're a lovely person whom I let steal all the covers. And you're the smartest person in every room you enter."

"Hm," she hummed, making sure the baby wasn't going to fuss. "I know."

"So arrogant," he pouted, chin resting on her shoulder and his face flush against hers. "Can't even compliment you right."

"It's endearing, right?"

He snorted and gave her a peck on the cheek. "If you say so."

They stood there for a few moments and Annabeth chewed on her lip; there was a lot they couldn't plan for when it came to raising Megan. New Rome had a slew of legacies and she and Percy both sought out as many as possible, seeing what sort of life their daughter might be destined for, but it wasn't that simple. Some children had abilities, some seemed completely mortal. They couldn't say the level of attraction she would have on monsters, couldn't predict all of the hurdles she would have to face.

Then, of course, were the human problems of figuring out how to raise her, what was the best way to nurture her, who they wanted her to see when she looked at her parents. Hell, Annabeth almost lost her mind deciding whether or not they should take her to camp with them when they visited. She didn't want to expose anyone to a life of pain and fighting just to survive, but she couldn't not prepare her for a probable "maybe".

A low rumble thrummed through her, Percy's absent humming stealing her from her rising panic.

She watched as he trailed a finger down the slope of Megan's little nose, touch delicate as air. His arm hairs caught the afternoon sun as it stretched across the room and she let her eyes wander, following the ray of sun as it dazzled across the wall. Dust  gently swirled in the light, glowing and floating in and out of focus.

Be in the moment.

She could feel Percy's heart beat against her back, feel his voice at the back of her neck and hear it close to her ear. The air conditioning clicked on, a subtle drone filling the apartment as she pulled the blanket over Megan. It made her fuss a little, squirming and forming the swells of cries.

"Look," she murmured, spinning the mobile above the crib. "See the pretty pegasi? See the hippocampi?"

"She has no clue what those words mean," Percy huffed a small laugh, holding the baby's hand.

She shrugged, smiling as Megan's eyes locked on the delicate bits of shiny metal shimmering in the light. "Don't care, it's working."

"I don't get why she loves it so much," he mused. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Oh," she breathed, watching as her eyes would drift closed...then snap back open to watch the mobile. "She just misses her Uncle Tyson."

"You're right."

She turns her head, raising an eyebrow at him. "When aren't I?"

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes.

Before she could say another word, she heard her phone ring from the other room. She was content letting it go to voicemail, but Percy eyed her.

"Could be that guy from that place you needed to talk to."

"But-"

"Go get it," he nodded to the door. "I'll make sure she gets to sleep."

She grumbled and griped but squeezed her way out from under him, hurrying to catch it before the call dropped. "Yes, hello?"

"Oh, good, Mrs. Chase, is this a good time to discuss the Michealson deal?"

"Um," she peeked across the hall into the golden room.

Percy was speaking softly into the crib, leaning on his elbows and turning the mobile. Warmth spread through her chest; he was so genuine and beautiful. He was going to be a perfect father.

"Mrs. Chase?"

"Yeah," she muttered. "It's not a good time right now, I will call you back tomorrow."

She hung up before he could respond, returning to the moment she hoped would last forever.