This Moment

Chapter 4- A Question and A Whole Lot of Pain

Chapter 4- A Question and A Whole Lot of Pain
🌊-Percy
I decided to stay with my mom for a few days, take a break from Camp Half-Blood. We just hung out and talked about camp, Annabeth, blue cookies, camp, my dad, Tyson and camp. It felt good just talk to her again. She made me blue cookies to eat (which were delicious), and we watched movies.
I had been staying there a week before I decided to talk to Annabeth again. Face to face. I went back to Camp Half-Blood, snuck into the Aphrodite cabin while they were at archery, and stole the slip of paper which had Annabeth's address on it from Piper's bed.
Then I took off to her place, via Paul's car that I borrowed. What greeted me when I arrived were muffled screams. I kicked the door down to see Annabeth hyperventilating in bed. Her stomach had ballooned out, and she was clutching it like it hurt a lot bad.
"Annabeth?" I asked. She glanced at me with pure pain in her eyes.
"Percy?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" She let out a groan of pain.
"Talking to Will about it - then you broke up with me - and Aphrodite sped up the process." She managed to get out through gasps of pain. I rushed to her side and I picked her up bridal style. Then I carried her out of the apartment and down two flights of stairs to the bottom of the building where I placed her in the back seat of my car, and drove off to Camp Half-Blood.
One thing I learned about driving with someone that's about to give birth: They scream and curse at you the whole way. I arrived at camp and took her to the infirmary. Will took one look at Annabeth and directed me to a small room where there was a bed, jars of ambrosia and nectar, and a chair. I lay Annabeth on the bed, and sat down on the chair next to her.
"Breathe, Wise Girl, breathe. Deep breaths." I soothed her, as Will prepared.
•••
📚-Annabeth
It was two hours ago when it happened. Something kicked my stomach, sending a jolt through me. I knew it was just the baby, but I got scared. Then I saw the puddle of water surrounding me. No, that wasn't water. Oh no. I was going into labour.
"ARGH!" I screamed, as pain flared in my lower region. My breaths became quick and fast, and a scream was ripped from my throat.
"Annabeth?" A voice asked from the doorway. I glanced up.
"Percy?" I croaked.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked. Worry was etched on his face. I groaned in pain.
"Talking to Will about it - then you broke up with me - and Aphrodite sped up the process." I managed to choke. Everything after that was a blur.
I remember Percy carrying me to his car, then speeding off to Camp Half-Blood, pain, Will looking at me with wide eyes, and one final burst of pain before a shrill shrieking sound replaced my screams - the cry of a baby. But that wasn't the only baby's cry. Another one followed. Twins. I'd given birth to twins.
•••
Athena stalked into the room. No one but Percy, Chiron, Will and Piper had been allowed in yet. Poseidon had visited just before, promising that he's be back. "So these are my grandchildren." Athena observed, then glared at Percy. "Your fault."
"What?" Percy threw his hands up in the air. "She didn't tell me!"
"I was scared." I admitted. "That you'd leave me."
Percy bent down over my bed and kissed my forehead. "I wouldn't leave you." He said softly.
"Enough with the romance!" Athena snapped. Then turned to Percy. "I believe you had something to ask her?"
Percy blushed, then got down on one knee beside my bed. Athena turned away, a small smile etched on her face. Realisation hit me like a snowball being hurled at my stomach. "Perseus Jackson." I warned. "If you propose to me, I will personally make sure that I'll be there until the very end to annoy you."
Percy blushed, and pulled out a ring. "Annabeth Jackson." He declared.
"Jackson?" I protested. "Is that the best you've got? Though I suppose it has a nice ring to it."
"Then how about instead of just the name Annabeth Jackson having a nice ring to it, you could have a ring on your finger." I stared at him, and he gestured to the ring. "Go on."
eThe ring was pretty. It was simple: a gold band with a sea green diamond embedded in it.
"Look, just how many people is there on earth?" Percy asked.
"Seven billion-"
"I'm not asking!" He smiled his troublemaker smile which made me mentally groan. "But I am asking, if you would do the honours of being my wife?" He gave me his signature puppy-dog eyes, which I couldn't ever say no to.
"Yes." I laughed. "Yes!"