Unexpectedly Expecting (Previously Known As Unexpected)

18 - Percy.

Our first night on the way back to New York, we stayed in a little motel that we found on the side of the road. Annabeth was tired (she always is), so we decided to stop for the night.

"We can go a little farther and stay somewhere nicer if you want, Seaweed Brain," she told me.

"No," I dropped our bags on the bed. "You need to rest. That's more important."

She slouches, putting a hand to rest on her stomach. "Are you sure?"

"Absoluetely."

She takes the right side of the bed, like she always does, and grabs the remote. "They have cable in here?"

I grab a brochure off of the nightstand. "Few channels."

She scrolls through looking for something, then sighing and giving up. She tosses the remote on the matress. "You wanna watch something?"

I drop myself on the matress, making it squeak and sink. "What's on?"

She blows a stray hair from her face. "Absolutely nothing."

"That can't be true." I grab the remote out of her hand. I begin to scrool through the channels. Disney, Animal Planet, HBO, yadda. "Nothing interests you?"

No answer. I look down and see that she's fast asleep, her back flat against the matress, her arm draped over her stomach. She developed a little snore over the last few months, and I've learned to love it. It's adorable, almost like she's a kitten purring in her sleep. She wouldn't really like that analogy, but it's the best one I can think of. I bend down and press a kiss to her forehead. I lay down and pull the covers over the both of us.

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I woke in the middle of the night to Annabeth thrashing and muttering in her sleep. At first it was almost nothing, but it progressed. She was crying and rolling around, her hands clenched into fists.

"Annabeth!" I tried to shake her to wake her up. "Annabeth, wake up! Wake up!"

After about 5 minutes of trying, her eyes fly open and she sits straight up out of bed, nearly head-butting me in the face, or my nose. She's covered in sweat and tears are streaming down her face. She gasps for breath and clenches her stomach and I can feel the babied kicking up a storm as I hold her. "It's okay. It's just a dream."

I pull her face away from my shoulder and look at her. "What happened?"

She shakes her head. "I- I don't know. I was being chased and... I think it was J..." she trailed off for a moment. "Justin. I don't know what he wanted, but... he wanted it from me."

I pull her close again and tuck my nose into her hair. I don't know what Justin would want from her, but he clearly wants something.

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We leave again early the next morning. Annabeth never went back to sleep after her nightmare, so I stayed up all night comforting her.

"Sleep, Seaweed Brain," she tells me. "I'll drive."

I shake my head. "No, I'm okay. You sit. I'll just get some coffee from McDonald's or something."

"McDonald's without Nico?" Annabeth puts a hand on her chest and speaks in a saecastic tone. "He'd never forgive you."

I laugh and help Annabeth up into the car. I throw out duffle in the backseat and we take off. I get some coffee from a gas station about a mile from the motel (a mistake I will never make again) and Annabeth fell asleep after about 10 minutes.

This is going to be a looooooong drive.

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5 nights. 17 hours. 47 minutes. 4 seconds.

That's how long it takes to get from San Francisco to Manhattan with a 7 month pregnant 18 year old girlfriend.

I do not reccomend.

Yes, I love spending time with my Wise Girl, but in her current... situation, I feel like I can't help her. I don't know what it's like to be a woman, much less pregnant.

We finally pulled up in front of my mom's apartment and I felt a weight of relief. My mom knows what it's like to be pregnant, so she can help. And Paul knows what it's like to deal with pregnant women, so he can help.

I help Annabeth get out of the car without falling on the street. My mom comes out the door and she immediately wraps her arms around me and nearly crushes my ribs when she squeezes me. "I thought I saw you guys pull up!" Her gaze shifts to Annabeth. "Oh my gosh, Annabeth, you look amazing! How are you feeling?"

Annabeth sbrugs. "I've been better."

"I know the feeling. I gave birth to Percy, after all."

"Hey," I say as Annabeth laughs.

Mom welcomes us in where Paul is waiting for us on the couch. He smiles when he sees us. "Hey, guys! Good to see you."

The house is decorated in Mom's fall decorations; hand towels with leaves on them, cornucopias on the table (brings back unpleasant memories), the smell of cinnamon and apples in the air.

Paul shakes my hand and gives Annabeth a hug. My mom steps up and says, "Percy, why don't you go and put your guy's stuff in your room?"

I nod. "Alright."

Mom makes Annabeth take a seat on the couch while I go put mine and Annabeth's bag in my old room. Nothing has changed, really, and I'm happy. A lot of things are changing, but I'm happy this one thing is the same.

It's good to be back.

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Chapter dedicated to Cyclocross2008. As promised, I will reveal the baby names, but not tell you the genders.

If it's a boy and a boy, their names will be Ethan (no, not their friend Ethan, the Greek name for wisdom) and Cruze.

If it's a boy and a girl, it will be Cruze and Sailor.

If it's a girl and a girl, it will be Sailor and Sophia.

Yes, I already know what the baby's genders are. I just can't say.