9Hey! This is my fist time putting anything on the internet so please forgive me for any mistakes! I'm still learning. I hope it isn't to bad.
"Do you, Ruby Anne Wince, take Perseus Jackson to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do."
"And do you, Perseus Jackson, take Ruby Anne Wince to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do."
"Now, by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
8 months later
I relive that day, over and over. The happiest day of my life. The day I became Mrs. Ruby Jackson. If only I had known.
If only I had known I could never replace Her. That when she came back to him, after all those years, that he would leave me.
Now, two months later, I still wonder why I thought he was different. If she had already been born would he have left? I don't think he would.
So instead I sit here, in pain, waiting for him to file for a divorce. Surely he will. Why would he still want to be married to me when he had Her?
I thought he was different. That he loved me. But maybe I was just the best distraction.
But as the days pass, I can't let him go. I stop answering the phone. Let the money in the bank dwindle.
And when I go into labor I drive myself.
Rose Catherine Jackson is born May 12. Daughter of Ruby and Percy. But she doesn't have anyone but her broken mother.
I do my best, but I finally go for help. His mother is the best help I can get. She is caring when I explain to her what he did. She takes me in. Helps me.
He never does file for divorce. But that makes it harder. How can I move on if he won't let me?
I can't.
I nearly trip over a toddler as I bring in the cake.
Luckily Jason is there to grab the little one as she makes a mad dash for the kitchen. I flash a grateful smile before turning my attention back to the party.
It's Rose's third birthday. Three years have passed. I finally filed for divorce, but with no way to find him it was never legalized. So I could never move on. Until I met Jason.
He was broken over his girlfriends death. I was broken over Percy. He never even knew Percy had married me. And Percy had never mentioned Piper's death.
We bonded. Now two years later we're closer than ever.
I watch them as we sing happy birthday. He crouches beside my daughter. Smiling and laughing as she claps her hands, wide green eyes shining.
"Make a wish Rosie." He tells her.
And my heart fills with love for this man.
The one who accepted my daughter and I.
And suddenly I'm angry. Angry that I can't be happy with the man I love. That Percy left me and his daughter. Just because the woman who abandoned him came back.
I watch Rose open her presents. Her long black hair and green eyes reminding me of her father. And Jason, watching her with blue eyes full of love.
And I swear, I'm going to make things right. I'm going to officially let him go.
"What are you doing Ruby?" Jason exclaims as he come into the kitchen later that night.
"Letting go."
On the kitchen table is everything to do with Percy. Letters, photos, wedding mementos, random nick-knacks. And I'm stuffing them into a safe.
"Jason, I want you to lock this safe and hide the key. Don't ever let me find it. Destroy it if you want. I don't care." I note how crazed I sound, how panicky. But it has to be done, that chapter of my life is done.
"Ruby." He takes my hands in his own, hugging them to him. "What are you doing?"
"I hate him. He left me without even filing a divorce. I can never move on. I can't even be happy with you. Everyday I look at my daughter and see him. He left me, his wife, for her. How could he do that to me?"
"Ruby." Jason says calmly. "I hate him for hurting you. You are beautiful, smart, loving, strong. Everything I love. I will never understand how he could hurt you. But that was his mistake. In leaving, he lost you. He lost his daughter. But everyday I'm grateful. Because I got you and Rose. And that's the biggest blessing I could ever ask for."
"I love you Jason. And that's why I'm doing this. Because I have to let him go."
*Percy
My pulse pounds as I near the door. It's been three years since I saw my mother. Three years since I left my wife and unborn daughter.
I hesitate before knocking. But she's my mother, I need to see her.
For a long moment nothing happens. And then the door opens. She looks the same as I remember. A little more gray hair, but still my mother.
I feel a rush seeing her smile. But it fades quickly. She's holding a little girl. Maybe two or three with long black hair and bright green eyes.
She looks like Ruby.
"Percy."
I look back at my mother. Her eyes have teared up but her mouth is drawn in a tight line.
"Rosie, go find Grandpa." She says, setting her down.
Grandpa. So that must be…
For a moment the beautiful little girl just stares up at me. And as I make the connection she seems to get ten times more beautiful. She is my daughter. My flesh and blood. Mine.
My mother nudges her and she turns and runs back in on little toddler legs, hair bouncing.
"That's-"
"Your daughter? Yeah, it is. Where have you been Percy?" My mom demands. "Two letters! Two! That's all I got. You could've been dead! And Ruby! You left her Percy!" She scolds me, folding her arms.
"I-"
"You left your pregnant wife without anything! For a woman who abandoned you! Walked out of her life with no explanation! You broke her heart! And no contact for three years!" Tears are slipping down her cheeks as she shouts.
"Mom, Annabeth, I had to be with her-"
"THE LEAST YOU COULD HAVE DONE WAS DIVORCE HER! WHEN YOU DIDN'T RUBY WAS SO HOPEFUL YOU WOULD COME BACK! SO CONVINCED YOU STILL LOVED HER! SHE SAT THERE, EVERYDAY, WAITING FOR YOU. SHE DID YOUR LAUNDRY, ALWAYS HAD DINNER READY! AND YOU NEVER CAME BACK! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO HER?"
"Mom, I'm so sorry." I try.
"Don't tell me sorry. Tell her." Her voice softens. "Why Percy? Why would you do that?" She's sobbing now, something that breaks me.
And now I'm crying. I don't want to, I try to stifle the tears, but I can't.
"Percy, you broke her heart so badly, she nearly killed herself."
"What?"
"When Rose was eight months old she slit her wrists. She had fallen into such depression she just couldn't take it anymore. She had wrote out a will leaving Rose to me. In her letter, she said, and I quote, "Maybe when I'm perfect he'll love me. Because someone like him doesn't deserve someone like me. I understand why he wanted someone better, but I will love him forever."
I'm struck with horror. I imagine Ruby, beautiful, lively, energetic Ruby. Not believing she was good enough. Dead because she thought she wasn't good enough. Dead because of me.
"It's a good thing Jason came along. I don't know where she would be now." She says, wiping the tears off her cheeks.
"Jason? Jason Grace?"
"Yes." She exclaims suddenly. "Now that you're here you can sign the divorce papers and they can get married!"
"What?" I'm struck by surprise, that was not what I was expecting to hear.
"You're still legally married. She tried everything, but without you to sign the papers there was nothing she could do. She tried to say that you were missing but those letters you sent ruined that. And now you can sign them and she can marry him!" She's ecstatic. Her eyes are still full of tears, but she is smiling. She looks hopeful, like maybe there will be a happy ending.
"Jason and Ruby? Want to get married?" I feel lost, like I can't catch up on what she is saying.
Her smile fades as she appraises me. She suddenly looks tired, making me realize just how old she looks.
"Percy, what happened with Annabeth?"
"She changed. She wasn't my Annabeth anymore." I tell her sadly. "She didn't like the fact that I had moved on. I was to blind to see that. She could never let it go. And every time I mentioned wanting to see them she flew into a rage. I couldn't get a chance to leave until now."
"Sally! Ruby will be here any minute!" A voice calls from inside.
"Percy! I don't think Ruby will want to see you right now. Go, we'll talk later." She says quickly.
At the last moment she pulls me into a hug. "I missed you." she whispers before closing the door.
Sorry to anyone who read the first draft. I uploaded the wrong one. And I'm sorry it's so fast paced, I just wanted to get everything out there. The rest won't be so random. I also apologize that this chapter is mostly dialogue. And to anyone wondering, there will be Percabeth(a little). And I'm still deciding on whether or not I will put Camp Half-Blood and all that wacky mythology in this story. Now that I'm coming down from my adrenaline high I realize this chapter wasn't very good. But hopefully you'll give me another chance. Thank you!
