Hey guys. I know I haven't finished The Cursed Demigod yet. Trust me, that will be finishing soon (as soon as I can get my thoughts out of my head and onto the computer, actually. Curse writers block.) But I had this idea about Luke/Kronos having a kid during the time that Kronos had possessed Luke. I know it's a bit of a shot in the dark, but what can I say. My mind is crazy. The bulk of this story will be in the year 2016, except for the prologue and maybe some flashbacks.

Hopefully you enjoy it. And please tell me what you think about it.

I do not own anyone or anything from PJO, HOO or Rick Riordan.

Gaining Trust

Prologue

20/4/2009 – Lenox Hill Hospital – Maternity Ward – Room 5

He looked down at the boy, amazed at how small he was. Even the doctors had said that he was small for his age. But he was long. Just by looking at him you could tell he was going to be a sprinter when he got older. And he looked so much like his father… so much like him… it was hard to believe. It was also hard to believe that he had missed the tiny hands and soft skin of the child the last time he had had a child. The last time he had seen a child of his, he had been chopped to pieces and thrown into Tartarus. But looking at his son without the fear of a prophecy hanging over the boy's head, looking at his blond tuft of hair and his pink skin, he realised he had been missing something. Too bad he couldn't go soft now. Not when he was on the verge of becoming King of Olympus and thus the world.

The boy was in his mother's arms, sleeping soundly despite his rude awakening into the world. She had him wrapped in a blue blanket but his vassal wouldn't let him hold the boy for fear of him being eaten like the last time. He didn't mind. At least he got the distant feel of the boy when his vassal got to hold him.

Presently, he was looking at the mother. She, too, had blonde hair but her eyes were a soft green colour. His vassal had chosen her for some ungodly reason, but he had approved. He had to give the boy something before his end. So he gave him the girl and now the baby. But time was running short and there was an army that needed controlling. They needed to go.

" Luke?" the girl asked, noticing her loved one moving to the door. " What's wrong? Where are you going?"

" Please, Amanda. You must understand. I need to return to work. The boss doesn't know I'm here." Luke replied, turning to face the blonde. He really was a good liar. Must have been because of his father.

" At least help me name him."

" I wish I could, but I really need to go. Just promise me you'll give him my surname."

" I promise."

Amanda then watched Luke walk out of the room with a sigh. She returned her gaze to the baby boy she was holding once the door was once more closed. He was only hours old, but it was clear that he was going to look a lot like his father. But what unsettled her slightly was when he opened his eyes. The large irises weren't a sky blue like she had seen in Luke's eyes, nor were they a green colour like her own. They were an unsettling deep hazel colour with no other colour to contradict it. There was no two ways about it. They were gold. But looking into the boy's eyes, she instantly knew his name.

" Well, my son. I'm going to name you after your father and your grandfather. I'm going to name you Jaden Luke Castellan." She said, seconds before a nurse walked into the room.

20/6/2009 – Amanda's Apartment – 2:30pm

It had been two months since Jaden's birth and his mother was just getting ready to place him on the couch to watch some TV while she did her usual housework when there was a knock at the door. Not having expected anyone over until next week, Amanda went to see who was at her door. So it came as a surprise to find Jaden's father, Luke Castellan, standing on the other side of the door.

" May I come in?" He asked, wearily.

" Of Course! You'll have to excuse the mess. I was just about to start cleaning up."

" That's okay. Where's Jaden?"

" Sitting in front of the Tele. That thing is one hell of a babysitter when you need it."

Luke laughed, entering the apartment and going over to his son sitting in front of the Television. He had only been able to see him once a month, twice if he was extra lucky, because of the incompetent fools that were enlisted in his army, but Amanda didn't need to know the full details. All she had to know was that he had a busy job. But he did make sure to steal a few wads of money every now and then so that it didn't seem like he was ignoring his son. He knew what that felt like all too well, and he didn't want that fate for Jaden.

" You look tired. Coffee?" Amanda asked.

" Definitely. You won't believe what they've got me doing at work."

" Oh? Do tell."

" Nah. Just thinking about it gets me worked up. It's that bad I just want to… kill someone."

For a split second, Luke's blue eyes turned to gold, matching the colour of his son's. Jaden sensed the change around him and quickly became restless. His father's change seemed to be the cause of a few things that happened at that instant. First of all, the kettle boiled faster than normal. Then the TV changed the program to something that had been on in the mid to early 90's. Luke didn't recognise the show, but somehow he knew that it had aired on Australian Television. But it did have some kind of weird dragon puppet thing. The third and final thing that happened was that Jaden's eyes glowed a dangerous gold and the baby suddenly found himself able to see the scar on the side of his father's face clearly. One thing was for sure, though. Luke had not been the one to cause these things to happen.

" That's odd." Amanda exclaim from the kitchen.

" What is?" Luke asked, instantly calming the situation and giving Jaden a nearby toy to chew on.

" Nothing, my love. I mustn't have realised that I'd already switched the kettle on. The usual; one coffee, three sugars and no milk?"

" Yes please."

19/8/2009 – Amanda's Apartment – 8:30pm

Amanda sat in front of the TV, tears streaming down her face. Jaden was safely tucked up in bed and sleeping; the black dog and red dragon plush toys his father had given him last visit guarding his dreams. The Television was screening the night's family movie, Titanic, but that was not what was making the tears fall. In her hands, she held a soft blue letter; wet from the tears that fell from her cheeks. Stifling her cries, she read it again, praying that it was not true.

To My Dear Sweet Amanda,

I hope you and Jaden are doing well. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for myself. I got in a bit of a jam with the big boss a day or two ago – he figured out what I was doing and what had happened. Now he's banned me from ever seeing you again. But, being me I said that I'd still find a way to see you and Jaden. Things got way out of hand from there. I admit, he threatened to kill me. However, he did give me the decency to speak to you one last time through this letter. So it is that I have to tell you that I can no longer see you. Please, believe me when I say that I really am sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I promise that if I ever get another chance, I'll do it right. I won't let it happen again. But I fear my life is coming to an end. I love you. I really do. And Jaden, too. I'll never forget him, or you. The both of you have made my life bearable and I thank you for that.

I've given this letter to an acquaintance of mine in the hopes that he never has to send it. However, if he has sent it and you are reading this, please know that I was thinking about you every second that passed without your presence. Tell Jaden how much I loved him, for me. Tell him about me. Never forget to tell him about me. And if he ever does ask why I disappeared from his life and yours, tell him a little white lie and say that I died in an accident. Please don't tell him that I was murdered. I don't want him taking revenge for my death. I truly am sorry it had to end this way. Always know that you meant an awful lot to me. Both you and Jaden.

But I must ask you of one last request. When you start sending him to school you may need to send him to a special camp. I never thought I'd say this, considering my own past with this camp, but it is the only place that can, hopefully, help him. I wish I could explain more, but I cannot. I'm afraid that the big boss may be proof reading this after it happens. Thank the heavens if he does not. He, at least, owes me that privacy.

Now I must say my final good-byes. I don't know exactly how to express my deepest sorrows at not being there for either of you. And my love for the two of you cannot even be expressed in words. My last gift to you is a golden caduceus necklace which, I pray, will help protect you. My last gift to Jaden is my dog tag. I know it's not like the usual dog tag, but I assure you it will help protect him. Make sure he always wears it and never loses it. Both are enclosed in the envelope. I love you both so much. I miss you both so much.

My deepest love and regrets,

Luke.

Okay, so if you think it was a little out of character, I would like to let you know that I was trying for a different approach to the Lord of the Titans. Updates may not be as fast as they have been for some of my other stories as I have a lot going on in my world.

Anyways, hope you liked. Please review and let me know what you thought.