Chapter 1
A single light cast an almost eerie glow around the near-empty kitchen. The apartment was silent aside from the quiet shff shff shff of flour-dusted hands kneading dough over and over again. Then the soft thumps of the dough being picked up and dropped on the counter. Once, twice, three times, rolled gently into a large circle. He turned to grab the dough scraper from where it rested beside the trays of cooling blue cookies. Chocolate chip, as always, though there were a few M&M’s for Estelle.
Percy carefully separated the dough into even chunks, before setting them aside in their trays. Soon there was bread baking in the oven. He boxed up the cookies and pulled out more homemade pastry dough as he prepared for making the scones Paul loved.
Shuffling from the hallway caught his ears, but he continued with his baking, the gait familiar to his ears. A head of blonde curls soon sat in front of him, plucking a blue cookie from the tin. His sweater hung off her shoulder as she ate. Annabeth didn’t ask, she already knew. His mom and Paul would as well. There was always a soft sadness when they woke to the scent of a bakery in the morning. And while Percy would always, always, love his mother, it was oddly enough Paul who looked at him with pride shining in his eyes when he looked over the fruits of Percy’s sleepless nights.
Sally Jackson was a wonderful woman, but while she had her writing, for the longest time it was fighting that Percy used to cope with, well, everything. She didn’t quite understand that, which Percy was forever grateful for. But she also didn’t understand why his restless hands had turned to baking either. She understood putting a pen to paper, to write out a story so achingly similar to her own trauma that she could heal with her characters. She was happy that he liked baking, happy that he found something that calmed him, but still had a look of sadness because she knew it meant he couldn’t sleep.
But Paul did understand, in a way his mom didn’t. He wished the same as her, as all of them, that he could get through a full night’s sleep. But Paul was a teacher, and he’d seen students wither away despite him trying to help. He’d seen what unhealthy coping mechanisms had done. Paul had gotten a degree in psychology because he desperately wanted to help his students. Seeing Percy put his restless energy into baking and creating as opposed to the fighting he’d done all his life, it made Paul proud.
Annabeth took his hand from where he paused in cleaning the counter. They sat in that dimly lit apartment kitchen as they waited for the pastries to finish. And they were not happy, but they were content, and for those precious peaceful moments, that was enough.
Mornings were thankfully slow. Paul sipped his coffee and ate his scones as he read his favorite book– A Wrinkle in Time . It wasn’t quite up Percy’s alley, but he liked hearing Paul read it to Estelle. Speaking of, the agent of chaos herself was sleepily munching on her own scone, stuffed bunny tucked under her arm. His mom was gathering her papers. She was meeting with her editor that day for the next book in her series. It was an excellent hit. Annabeth was reading her own book– a Greek translation of marine biology. Percy thought it was hilarious that he’d managed to get her interested. Her hand was laced loosely with his as usual.
“Thank you again for taking Estelle to school, kids,” Sally said with a sweet smile as she pulled her hair into a respectable bun. She pressed a kiss to Paul’s cheek, and Estelle, Percy, and Annabeth’s forehead.
“Of course, mom,” Percy said with a smile, the bags under his eyes somehow looking lighter than they really were. “Can’t let Stella miss her first day of first grade.”
“Love you, Essie,” Paul said, kissing Estelle’s forehead. “Gotta head out, let us know if you need anything!”
“We will,” Annabeth said, putting her book down to smile at Paul and Sally. The two waved at their children and left the apartment.
“Come on, Stellar Star,” Percy said, lifting Estelle from her chair with ease. “Let’s get your shoes and backpack. You’re going to love first grade, and dada’s just the school over.”
Estelle nodded, slowly waking up.
“Are we taking Mrs. Lea?” She asked as Percy gently pulled her hair into pigtails.
“Sorry, Stella,” Annabeth answered, handing her her backpack. “But no can do. We’re taking you down to your bus stop, okay?”
Estelle pouted, but nodded.
“Great. Here, Percy packed you your lunch.”
“And cookies to share with your class!”
Estelle grinned brightly, taking her lunchbox and slipping on her shoes. She grabbed Percy and Annabeth’s hands as they walked out of the door, though they paused for Annabeth to lock the apartment behind them. They carefully trapeze down the stairs, gently swinging Estelle when she tripped, the six-year-old bursting into giggles as they swung her once before setting her down on her feet.
Sooner than any of them would like, they arrived at the bus stop with other families in the area. For the most part, the parents ignored the strangely intimidating teens, but they got a few disapproving looks, one woman clutching her cross as she tugged her child away.
“Percy, Bethie,” Estelle whispered loudly when she realized. “People are staring at us again.”
“I know, Stell,” Percy said.
“But staring is rude!” Estelle huffed, giving the parents the stink-eye.
The staring parents blushed brightly and turned away, the others that had not stared either nodding sagely or stifling their giggles. Percy smiled at his sister and Annabeth’s mouth twitched up as she stared ahead.
“Very good, Estelle,” Percy said, ruffling her hair. She giggled.
“Bus is here,” Annabeth announced as the yellow school bus rolled up to the curb. A stop-sign swung out next to it as the doors opened, revealing a weathered face smiling kindly down at the students, brown skin stretching into crows feet and clear laugh-lines as he smiled.
“C’mon, kids!” He called cheerfully. “Time for the first day of school!”
Parents hugged kids goodbye and waved them off. Percy and Annabeth both crouched down to hug Estelle, Percy kissing her head.
“Have fun, Stellar Star,” he said, sea green eyes bright. Estelle beamed up at him and nodded, missing his cheek in return. She skipped onto the bus, pausing to offer the driver a cookie.
“Thank you, deary!” He said. “Looks delicious!”
“My big brother made it!” She cheered before heading off down the bus. She pressed against the window, smiling at her brother and sister, before she squinted behind them.
A man in a strange robe stood on the sidewalk, people flowing around him as though he wasn’t there.
She pointed behind Percy and Annabeth instead of returning their waves. Before the bus drove off, she saw their faces steel into seriousness, Annabeth’s hand falling to her hip and Percy’s into his pocket. Estelle settled back into her seat. Satisfied that her brother and basically-sister were warned and safe as they can be, she turned to talk to the kid next to her.