So I was doing research for this story since it's set in 1999. I wanted it to be set at Dillon's Beach Resort in California, as the nature of a beach owned by a resort and open to the public for a small fee, with cottages you could rent out, seemed perfectly in tune with the Alexander family image. That being said the resort seems to not have opened until 2001 if Wikipedia serves correct.

I'm going to set the story on this beach anyway, under the reasonable-ish assumption that there were cottages/cabins available to rent before the resort opened.

I do not know. I have never been to California. Nonetheless, enjoy.

It was the last birthday present he would ever receive, but he didn't know that. He was four years old, you don't just know that kind of thing as a four year old. He was excited, it was promising. It was really the first time they'd ever technically gone on vacation as a family. They'd packed into a 1998 BMW 5 series, their newest car, because goodness knows the Alexander family couldn't survive without a new car every three or four years. About six years ago Victoria Dawn Alexander would have gotten a convertible, specifically a mustang convertible, however, it wasn't exactly a family friendly car, and this one served them nicely. Little Octavian was in the back dozing, tired from the long trip. Okay, so it was less than two hours. But the quieter he was the better. If the little boy upset her husband now the whole trip would be ruined. She glanced back at him and then towards Steve. He'd insisted on driving and she hadn't wanted to say no. Sometimes it was a little dangerous saying no. And this trip, their first trip, their last trip, it was an important trip.

It was more important than she ever could of imagined. They pulled up to their cabin around 12:30, Octavian just starting to wake up, hugging his stuffed raccoon and mumbling about being hungry. She placated him with promises of food as soon as they settled in to their cabin. It was all she could do to not check her phone. This trip was for family, not business, and it would agitate both her son and her husband if she put family aside for her business. Apollo knows she couldn't be happy or successful or career minded without someone in her family becoming agitated. And if someone in her family became agitated someone else would become agitated and the world might end and whatever. She sighed as she lifted Octavian from his booster seat. He smiled widely at her and hugged her neck. It was so very nice when both of her boys were happy...

"Come on kiddo, let's go see our cabin." He clung to her and the stuffed raccoon, and headed to the door, Steve unlocking it for them.

"Thank you dear," She said, kissing her husband's cheek before stepping inside, still struggling not to check her phone for information regarding her restaurant chain. This week had to go perfectly, had to go right, both for her business and her family. If anything went wrong she would never forgive herself. If for even a second she stopped showing signs of perfection and strength... She felt her son's chubby fingers tracing the lines on her arm.

"Mommy what's it say?" He asked for the hundredth time.

"SPQR, dear. It means Senatus Populusque Romanus. The senate and the people. When you grow up you're going to enjoy power as a legacy of Apollo. You're going to make me and your father very proud. I bet you're going to be a Praetor."

"What's that mommy?" The sleepy, hungry little boy asked. Her husband looked at her, like go on in we don't have all day, although they did, that was the whole point of a vacation.

"Well," She said, walking inside and looking around,

"It's a man or woman who has most of the power at Camp Jupiter. When I was thirteen I became Praetor." Octavian's eyes were wide and he nodded.

"I'll be praetor too mommy. I promise."

"Good." She kissed his forehead.

"I believe you." Steve cleared his throat, making it obvious he wanted no part in discussion of praetorship or gods in general. While Victoria had found comfort in the gods, and happiness, and power, his life and his family had only suffered at the hands of the gods. To spare the three of them any more pain she tactfully switched the conversation to lunch.

"We brought lunch meat and bread for lunches, what would you like Steve?" The discussed food for awhile while Octavian explored the new house, which was much smaller than the Sacramento mansion. This place was much cozier. He followed his parents into the kitchen and looked around while his mother made sandwiches. As interesting as it was to watch his mother cook- she usually never did- it was much more interesting to look at the kitchen. On the refrigerator there was a paper screaming FUN and some things he couldn't read, on the wall there were tacky seashell decorations, and on the counter there was a thing of knives. Inwardly, without realizing it, he made a mental note of the placement of the knives. Of course, as a little boy who's sandwich was ready, he didn't really notice that he made a mental note of that. And neither of his parents noticed him briefly studying the shiny knives. Their minds were as preoccupied as his. After lunch they would hit the beach for the first time and, even though Octavian had gotten expensive swimming lessons, Victoria hadn't been swimming in what felt like forever.

So after they'd eaten she went to change into her swim suit and left Steve in charge of Octavian. It wasn't necessarily the best idea. He would probably be fine though, most likely. All Steve had to do was change Octavian into his swim trunks, and as long as the little boy didn't fuss, the vacation would continue to go seamlessly.

She came out in her suit, her husband and little boy already ready. Steve had opted out of going swimming, so he merely set Octavian down on the sand and watched the boy and his wife head toward the ocean. Octavian took tentative steps on the sand, slipping and almost cutting his foot. Victoria picked him back up.

Seamless.

Little did she know, things couldn't stay seamless forever.

This is going to get a lot darker... This chapter was definitely light, forshadowey, and a little bit redemption giving for Victoria... Oops? I don't know. It's hard to hate her right now.