บท 1: Surfing on suffering
Percy Jackson stared at the roof of his cabin. Clearly lost in thought despite the cries of the infant coming from the crib next to his bed.
Percy's foot slowly started rocking the crib. Percy's movement was gentle, despite the cold look of
fury frozen on his face.
It wasn't the only thing about him frozen. His mind helplessly transfixed on one single moment.
It was the battle for Camp Half-Blood. For they're home, Annabeth was as beautiful as ever. Slashing monsters to pieces at blinding speed.
Her and Percy were exhausted to the bone. A mere shadow of what they would usually be on the battlefield.
Something that wasn't apparent to they're fellow half-bloods. They were the greatest heroes of the era, they didn't need help.
Right?
Percy cursed as a hellhound managed to swipe at his side. Leaving several deep gashes in his skin.
"Well this is a nice day." Snarked Percy as he beheaded an Empousai.
"Yeah the sun is shining the world is ending who knows we might even see a rainbow." Shot back Annabeth smirking.
Percy managed a tired laugh "this could be the end."
"We've thought that before." Annabeth replied running through a dog headed demon with her sword.
The earth trembled under they're feet.
"This time I think it might actually be it." Percy said ever the pessimist.
"It isn't, we still have to make our lives in New Rome remember." Annabeth replied somehow managing to sound dreamy as war and death rained around them.
"Well when this is over, how about we get married?" Percy offered his idea half carried by the sheer amount of adrenaline coursing through his brain.
"That, is the best idea anyone had today." Annabeth laughed. Completely agreeing with Percy's impulsive plan. Oh maybe we could not get married to piss off Hera."
"Or get married and not invite her." Loudly laughed Percy.
"This is why I love you." Giggled Annabeth, the two fighting around each other in a deadly dance. None could get passed them as life fueled them again.
"I can't wait to tell my mom." Percy exclaimed smiling like a fool.
"I can tell my dad, but I couldn't care less what he thinks. After all you only live once."
"With you I could live half a life and still it would feel like a hundred lifetimes."
Percy's words brought a new kind of warmth to Annabeth's soul.
"Let's try to live a full one first." Annabeth spoke blowing a strand of hair from her face.
The son of Poseidon pulled power from the nearby lake. Creating massive waves that swallowed every monsters close to it. If there wasn't so many people Percy could have leveled half of the army in a few moments.
Suddenly the earth rumbled, not it rippled like a giant had thrown a stone in a lake. Only for it to implode sending spikes of stone and minerals flying in all directions.
Percy easily deflected a spike of gold going as fast as bullet, but a piece of silver flew past his ear. And his heart stopped.
The battlefield turned into a high pitch buzz as Percy slowly turned around. His sword slipped past his hand. Annabeth fell on her side in Percy's arms. The son of Poseidon instantly pressing his hands on the bloody piece of metal.
Annabeth chocked on a sob from the pain. "No,no,no NO! Stay with me come on wise girl you've walked away from worse."
"Annabeth managed a smile." Her mind still working a thousand miles an hour. The daughter of Athena had studied many things in her short life, including anatomy.
She knew she was done for.
"Maybe I can." Annabeth gently grabbded Percy's bloodied hands.
"Don't go there." She managed to speak fiercely "not even for me."
"The fleece!" Percy exclaimed triumphantly "if you do that the camp could be weakened too much to be repaired." Sadly smiled Annabeth wishing she couldn't find any flaws in Percy's logic.
"Oh seaweed brain, I know it's asking too much from you, but you can't doom the world of so many just for me."
"Watch me." Percy denied his eyes overflowing with tears.
"Please Percy, you know what the right thing to do is, you always have."
Percy looked between the love of his life and the Golden Fleece. It wasn't that far away, he could carry her she could live!
But how many would die in exchange for her life?
Percy looked back at Annabeth, who smiled knowingly, albeit weakly. Tears streaming down her face.
"It's okay." She breathed "the best years of my life were spent with you, but you keep being happy you understand me. You keep living."
Percy nodded, knowing full well he was lying to her by saying he'd be happy.
He gathered his love in his arms pressed a brief kiss to her lips, holding her hand to his heart, his forehead pressed against hers.
Annabeth found it in herself to smile slightly.
"I love you." She breathed weakly gasping for air.
"I love you more." Percy replied chocking back on a sob.
....
"Annabeth?" Percy felt her last breath brush against his cheek, but it wasn't the end of the daughter of Athena. For she managed to do one last thing that would change the world.
Her chest glowed brightly, a string connecting her and Percy's heart.
Next thing all knew one more cry joined in the cacophony of swords and battle cries.
The cries of a newborn enfant.
Percy was so shocked he didn't even see Festus swoop down to snatch Gaia out of her element. Shackily he reached down and gathered the baby in his arms. The blood on Percy's hands staining the pristine and pure skin of the child.
His mother's blood.
The child kept crying confused and terrified by the chaos surrounding him. Percy looked around himself and swiftly rolled out of the way of an incoming warhammer.
The son of Poseidon snarled and punched the cyclope in the guts. Making the stupid brute double over. Next the enraged demigod swiped his hand like a claw at it's face. Ripping out it's eye in one swift motion.
The cyclope cried out in agony before falling to dust. Percy stood over Annabeth's motionless body their child held protectively in one arm, while the other was busy ripping to pieces everything even somewhat threatening in his viscinity.
Percy kept going blindly killing everything that had the misfortune of even glancing at him, until the battle was suddenly over. In a massive fireball, Percy crouched down curling over his baby. Shielding him from any potential fire and the deafening sound that came along with it.
The battle was over Percy softly bounced the crying infant. The son of Poseidon softly crying himself at the loss of his love.
The remainer of the seven ran towards him ready to celebrate. Until they saw what had happened.
Hazel covered her mouth in horror, Frank was too stunned to say or do anything, but look helplessly in Nico Di Angelo's direction.
The son of Hades shook his head sadly.
Grover Underwood broke through the crowds. His eyes quickly filling with tears, but he didn't let his grief stop him.
He ran to Percy and wrapped his arms tightly around him. Not asking why there was a baby in Percy's arms.
He was just there for him.
It took several people to pull Percy away from Annabeth's body. Even more to coax him into letting go of his child so Will could examine him in an infirmary.
"I can't." Weakly said Percy. His arm protectively locked around his child.
Will and five other demigods tried to pull Percy's arms away to no avail.
"Percy" came Chiron's voice. The demigod turned to the old Centaur, by his older and even more tired look than usual he was aware of what had happened.
"Remember you only have friends here."
Percy's hold slowly relaxed. Will handled the baby with care. Taking his weight cleaning him and all the other tests needed to make sure babies we're healthy.
"Well your certainly less fussy than Satyr baby." Chuckle Will trying to somewhat calm down the situation.
"How?" Percy asked no one in particular as the swaddled child was handed back to him.
"Gods aren't the only one capable of making miracles." Chiron smiled sadly strocking the cheek of the child. "His birth may be unorthodox, but by all means this is yours and Annabeth's child in every way possible."
"He's beautiful." Smiled Hazel rubbing Percy's shoulder in an attempt to be comforting.
"What are you going to name him." Grover asked trying his best to keep his attention from Annabeth.
Thing was he was holding the reminder of her life and of her death.
Now there he was, his son was three weeks old and he hadn't found a name yet.
There was a knock on his door.
"Come in." Percy tiredly called "but be quiet, I just got him to sleep."
Thalia Grace stepped inside the room holding a bag lined with fur in her hand.
"You look like shit." She greeted, Percy knowing that it was her special way of asking how he was doing.
"I'm trying." Percy replied sitting up.
"I got you something." Thalia said raising the backpack.
"I don't need a backpack." Percy replied "I'm dropping out of school to look for a job."
"Percy we both know you just gotta say the word for your dad to send you a shipwreck filled with gold. You don't need to be so harsh on yourself."
Percy didn't reply.
"By the way it's not a backpack, she opened the bag lined with real soft fur. "It's a backpack and a baby sling."
Percy raised an eyebrow "where did you even get that?"
"Artemis made it, lady might be against making babies herself, but she sure loves them to death."
"That actually sounds really useful." Percy chuckled weakly. Thalia matched next to the handmade crib.
"Tyson?"
"Tyson." Percy confirmed fondly.
"I heard about Sally."
Percy's tiny smile suddenly left him.
"I know it doesn't change a thing, but I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, me too."
"It's-"
"Not my fault and yada yada." Percy said rolling his eyes having heard the same words over and over again.
"It's really not, you couldn't have known monsters were gunning for your apartment." Thalia sternly reminded. "You found a name yet?"
Percy shrugged "I was thinking of what Annabeth would have wanted."
Thalia hummed "probably something normal for a first name and something extremely fucking pretentious as a second name."
"No swearing around the baby." Percy instantly replied.
"Oh come on he'll hear those words some day."
"Okay vodka aunt." Percy scoffed a tiny smile spreading his lips.
"Hey I'll have you know I'll be the best vodka aunt ever." Claimed the daughter of Zeus looking down at the child "right baby?"
The child merely drooled sleeping peacefully.
"See even your baby agrees."
Percy laughed a little. Something he desperately needed.
"You are ridiculous."
"Says the the guy who punched Dionysus through a wall because he woke up your baby from his nap."
"Your just mad you weren't there to see it." Percy shot back unimpressed.
Thalia stared at him in silence for a few moments. "Okay your completely right. I missed what could have been the most satisfying moment of my immortal life."
"Well he keeps making comments about my child they'll be plenty more." Darkly replied the son of Poseidon.
"You know you don't have to do this parenting business alone right? There is like literally an army worth of people ready to babysit whenever you ask."
"Tyson is already always down for it. He found out he could breathe underwater too."
Thalia raised an eyebrow "already? Demigod powers don't usually show up so soon, I'm guessing even less for a legacy."
Percy shrugged "his parents alway knew what to say to the odds." Percy said smiling down at him.
The child suddenly opened his eyes.
His stormy grey eyes.
"Oh Percy." Sighed Thalia her heart clenching painful, feeling only a fraction of what he must have felt each time he looked down at his own son.
"It's okay, with some luck he got her brain too." Percy said looking down at him with only fondness in his eyes.
"You know Artemis would probably pay you to babysit him right?"
This comment ripped a smile from Percy.
"I'll keep that in mind."
He and Thalia stood in silence for a few moments. "Do you want to hold him."
Thalia sat down "I'd love too."
Percy gently grabbed him and layed him in Thalia's arms.
The child fussed a little at the stranger, but the daughter of Zeus rocked him a little.
"Oh I am so going to teach you how to kill someone with their own finger." Cooed Thalia, the baby sending her a toothless smile "aww you'd like that wouldn't you." She gushed tickling his chin.
"If only I had a camera." Percy laughed at the uncharacteristic attitude of the lieutenant of Artemis.
"Hey this is a premium adorable miracle baby, hardened combatants and everyone get to gush over that." She huffed knowingly.
Percy laughed again, Thalis internally smiling herself. Glad that something could still make him smile.
"You know, I think I just found something."
Thalia let out a confused sound as Percy grabbed his child and raised him above his head staring straight into his eyes.
"Matthew Solomon Jackson." Percy's face split into a wide smile, the widest he had since the end of the titan war.
"Now that, sounds like something Annabeth would have named her child." Thalia stated with her own smile.
"Yeah." Percy said pulling Matthew to his chest.
"Well, I couldn't stay long sorry, I have to go back."
Percy nodded gratefully at his cousin "we'll see you again soon Vodka auntie." He said with a smirk.
Thalia shook her head "this is gonna stick to me like tree sap isn't it?"
"I mean you'd know more than me having been a tree and all." Shrugged the son of Poseidon "smartass." Fondly insulted Thalia giving Percy and by extension Matthew a hug.
"You be good for your dad." She ordered the infant nodding at him like they were making a deal.
With that Thalia left leaving father and son alone.
"Your not going to sleep anytime soon are you?"
Matthew let out a tiny sound.
"I'll take that as a no." Percy chuckled eyeing the baby bag.
The prince of the sea strolled around the slowly reconstructing camp half-blood. His child safely strapped to his back.
"I'm gonna need to thank Artemis for this." Percy said to himself chuckling.
"The stitching could use some work." A voice claimed behind him.
Percy spun around Riptide already in sword form. The blade aimed straight at Athena. Who did her best not to look offended.
"Do you really think me capable of harming a child? My grandchild no less?" Demanded the goddess.
"You disowned Annabeth for not wanting to commit genocide, I'm not putting anything past you or the gods."
"I was not in my right mind." Athena claimed crossing her arms.
"Sure." Percy scoffed not lowering his sword. "What do you want?"
Athena spun her fingers, weaving a piece of paper into existence. "I did not believe my children able to produce children the way I do, but this child simply proves that the love you had for my late daughter is the purest anyone could have."
She handed the paper to Percy. The son of Poseidon quickly snatching it. It was a check, with enough zeros to make Percy lower his sword in shock.
"This along with the bank account I have opened for you everywhere. Will be more than enough for you to live comfortably and pay for his education." Then she said something that Percy would have never expected in a million years.
"I am sorry for the way I treated you. I truly believe this child is beyond lucky to have you as a father, as long as you don't change that is."
Percy bit his lip "do you want to hold him?"
Now it was Athena's turn to look surprised. "If you don't mind."
Percy removed Matthew and gave him to the nine feet tall goddess. His child looking even smaller and more fragile in her arms.
"His name is Matthew, Matthew Solomon Jackson."
Athena smiled "did you know Solomon was one of mine? I hope he'll show himself just as wise and kind."
Matthew promptly grabbed a large strand of her hair and tugged on it with all his might.
Percy had to force himself not to laugh as the dignified goddess tilted her head in his direction. Her pained expression clear as day.
"I keep forgetting how much children love to grab things." She grumbled gently prying Matthew's hand open before handing him back to Percy.
"Live well Perseus Jackson, not just for her, but for him as well." Wisely advised Athena before disappearing in a flash of light.
Percy looked down at his sleepy son and smiled.
"That sounds like a plan." He told himself sitting down next to the Athena parthenos.
Not knowing his parental troubles were just beginning.
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