Seeking Happiness

I was just finishing up collecting a tub of sea water to soak the branch in when the iris message came. I didn't even let Piper finish speaking before I sprinted back to my cabin. The whole way there the words echoed through my head, "Annabeth's sick" then she said something else like "don't panic" but I didn't stick around long enough to hear about that. I didn't care if it was something as simple as a common cold, sick was sick and I wanted to be there for her.

I ran straight up to my door where Piper was waiting outside waiting for me. I was just going to walk by her but she put her hand on my chest making me stop to look at her. "Is she okay? Whats wrong?" She sighed, which wasn't very comforting. "Percy, I honestly don't know what to tell you. She seemed just fine, but then out of the blue she just ran to the bathroom and hurled. Now I don't think I need to explain to you how the birds and bees work, I think you understand that better than I do. BUT, although it could just be a stomach bug, you need to be prepared for you know... the other possibility. I got her a test, and I've given her some privacy."

I tried to keep my composure while she was talking, but I think it must have slipped a little because she looked at me like I was fragile. I brushed past her into the cabin, the second I got inside I could hear her in the bathroom. Now it was my turn to sigh. I quickly went over every single time we had sex, we had been safe, she was extremely thorough in making sure of that. My hand hovered over the door handle for just a moment, then I heard her whimper and I snapped back into myself.

I gently opened the door and walked over to where she was hunched over the toilet. I sat behind her and took her hair in one hand and rubbed circles on her back with the other. Neither of us spoke, we just sat there. On the floor I saw it, that little blue plus sign that was going to change everything. She finished and leaned back into me holding my hand. I just looked at her, and brushed a single tear away from her cheek. "Percy I'm sorry."

That was the last thing I expected to hear from her. "What are you sorry for ? It's not like you planned this. And besides we can make this work, I already proposed to you, we'll just get married a little bit sooner." She sniffed and gave a week nod, "I guess." I pressed my lips to her forehead, "Now you listen to me, I am going to take care of you, I am going to be there for you every step of the way. I always wanted a family with you, hell why not start it now right. Don't think of this as a bad thing, this is a great thing. That right there," I placed my hand on her stomach. "is a piece of us, and if I'm lucky it'll be just like you."

I held her and rocked her for a couple of hours before she fell asleep. I carried her over to the bed and tucked her in. As much as I wanted to climb in beside her I couldn't. I needed some air, I needed the sea, I needed my dad.

I walked over to the water and closed my eyes, "Dad, I know you're probably busy, but this is really important. I need to talk to you." When I opened my eyes I could see a man about a dozen or so yards out walking towards me. There was no question, it was my dad, in his classic tourist looking t-shirt. "Perseus..." I could tell by the way he looked at me he knew. "Come here son." I walked over to him and did exactly what I didn't want to do, I cried. "Now Percy none of this, you are a demigod, while I understand this is scary, it is an adventure that you must except."

We both sat down on a large rock, "I just don't understand, we were careful..." He put a hand on shoulder, "That would be my fault, most forms of birth control don't exactly work when it comes to the big three. We're notorious for having lots of kids, its in our DNA." I nodded soaking that in, "So what now, I mean don't get me wrong I always wanted this, I just thought we'd be a little older you know." Poseidon laughed, "Nonsense you are a man now, I have complete faith that you are going to be an amazing father. But if I could give you some advice, take care of Hermes son as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more people will die."

"I'm sorry, did you just say.. die? Please tell me you said something else like pie, nothing ever bad happens with pie." He started to walk back to the water, "One is already beyond saving, but save the rest while you can." I started to chase after him, "WHO? Who is going to die?" But he was already gone, and I felt worse than before I came out here.

I headed over to the big house to check in on Luke, to see if his condition had worsened. I prayed that he was in his right mind, because my chat with my dad didn't exactly help. I walked down the stairs to the basement, and found that all the lights had been turned off. "Luke? Luke you down there?" The door slammed shut behind me. Oh shit, this was not going to be good.

Notes