To Guest- thank you!

And thank you to Amanye- I'll do that thing we talked about here ;)


"My mom's place is nearest." Percy told them. Annabeth nodded in agreement while Louisa scowled. She was fine. Just a broken ankle.

"I can walk." She growled as they tried to help her up, snatching her arms away and glaring at them. Annabeth shot a glare back. Percy didn't look convinced, but he had quickly learnt not to argue with this unclaimed demigod. She was violent. More-than-Annabeth-violent and he hadn't even thought that was possible.

Louisa pushed herself to her feet, wobbling and grimacing. Still, she refused their help, limping off on her own.

"She doesn't like us, does she?" Percy asked quietly, massaging the back of his neck. Annabeth sighed.

"I don't think she likes anyone."

"I can hear you." Louisa glowered at them over her shoulder. Percy gave a half-hearted wave and a crooked smile, but she looked forward and carried on limping. How she didn't fall over, they weren't sure, but Percy somewhat respected her for just dealing with it.

They reached his mother's apartment ten minutes later. Thankfully, no more monsters appeared out of the crowds and tried to eat them or steal their left shoes- what was it with left shoes? Percy asked himself.

Louisa leant against the wall as Percy fumbled in his pockets for his key. She had paled considerably, but she was too stubborn to ask for or accept help.

"Mom?" Percy called as he walked in.

"In here, Percy!" He smelt blue cookies and smiled, his stomach rumbling in agreement. It was nice coming home to blue cookies.

Sally appeared, drying her hands on her 'Best mom' apron. Her smile faltered when she saw their battered, bruised and grubby frames.

"Hi." Percy smiled. Sally mentally shook herself, waving them in.

"Hello, Annabeth. What happened?"

"Couple of empousi and dracaenae." Sally pursed her lips. "They're dust now, it's OK." Annabeth shrugged indifferently and turned back. "Lou, come on. Sally doesn't bite."

"Can I have a cookie?" Percy asked.

"Five more minutes." Sally laughed. "Who's Lou?"

"Friend of ours."

"Demigod?"

"Yup."

"Claimed or no?"

"No." Sally wrinkled her nose and moved towards the open door. Louisa was still leaning against the wall, heavier than before, doubled up and grumbling Ancient Greek curses.

"What did you do?" Sally asked kindly, trying to take her by the arm and help her inside. Louisa yanked her arm away and sent an icy look at Sally.

Louisa narrowed her eyes at Percy's mother. Why was she just staring at her?

Sally was quiet for a good five minutes; staring at Louisa, mouth agape while awe and mild fear riddled her features.

"What?" Louisa demanded angrily, her temper reaching a new height.

"Mom, you OK?" Percy tucked his hand in the crook of his mother's arm, frowning at Louisa as if it were her fault that his mother had seemingly lost it.

"I-Is… is… Lou… short for anything?" Sally eventually choked out.

"Louisa." The second her name left her lips, a green glow erupted through the hall. Percy blinked the sudden flash from his eyes, feeling as awestruck as his mother once he had.

He didn't get a chance to say anything further as his mother let out a startled, somewhat relieved sob. He had to catch her as her knees buckled.

"Mom?" He asked worriedly. Her eyes were closed, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

"Percy…" Annabeth called softly. He looked at her over his shoulder and then back at Louisa.

The trident hologram was fading, but it was still visible.

He had a sister.

So cool!

"Mom, come on." He urged kindly, pulling his mother's arm about his shoulders and lifting her to her feet. "Annabeth, get Mom a tea, will you?" Annabeth nodded and vanished into his home. He glanced back at Louisa- his new sister- and tried to keep his voice as level as possible. "Come on, Lou. I think we need to talk."

"No." She defied outright.

"Your ankle."

"My mom's on her way." Louisa bunched her fists. "I ain't stayin' here." Sally opened her eyes then.

"Your… mom?" She struggled to get the words out. "Did… she adopt you?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"When?"

"What's with all the questions?!"

"When?" Sally persisted, trying to stand up straighter. Louisa muttered another foreign curse and glared at Sally defiantly.

"I was in an orphanage 'til I was five. I ran away 'n' was adopted when I was nine."

"You survived four years on your own?" Percy quizzed.

"Yeah. So?"

"But… that's dangerous. Especially for… kids like us." She seemed to like glaring at people more often than usual today.

"I don't care." She put her weight on her uninjured ankle and started to turn away.

"Wait!" Sally called, finding strength from somewhere. She pulled away from her son and hurried forward, grabbing Louisa by the wrist. It was a miracle the daughter of Poseidon didn't lose her balance as she whirled round in anger, drawing her wrist back harshly. "Please…" Sally's voice was soft and trembling. "I… just want to talk."

"Well, I don't." Louisa started to leave again. Percy returned to his mother's side, supporting her by the elbow with a warm, comforting smile. His mother still appeared to be debating with herself about something, her eyes shining evidently with tears.

"You're twins!" She blurted out, her grip tightening on Percy's arm. Louisa stopped on the first step down, hand on the rail for balance. She didn't look back. "Percy," Sally looked at him, reaching up with a shaking hand and caressing his cheek. "I'm so sorry, I should've told you. Poseidon said… he said not to and…"

"Twins." Louisa repeated. The word tasted bitter on her tongue, horrible. "You kept him 'n' got rid of me then?"

"No!" Sally sobbed. Annabeth peered around the doorframe curiously. "I didn't get rid of you! Poseidon took you away while I was sleeping!" Annabeth disappeared and returned moments later with a wad of tissue. Sally murmured her thanks, dabbing at her eyes before continuing. "I… I wanted to keep both of you! I would have struggled to manage, but… you were my children… I couldn't bear the thought of giving you up- either of you." She shook her head, hiding her face in the tissue.

"Nice ta know ya stayed in contact." Louisa shot back, disappearing down the stairwell.

Percy and Annabeth managed to coax and distraught, almost hysterical Sally back into the apartment. Percy sat with her, talking in soft tones and reassurances. He understood that Poseidon had to take one of them and that it was for their own safety, as well as Sally's.

He didn't understand why Louisa had stormed off.

OK, being put up for adoption and 'abandoned' for nine years wasn't ideal, but she could have tried to be a bit more lenient. Her biological mother was there and willing to make amends, yet she had merely walked off.

It took a good half hour to calm Sally down. Her hands still shook as she sipped at her tea, but she was better.

"My gods…" Sally scolded herself under her breath. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't see me like this."

"Mom, it's OK." Percy smiled. "We're all allowed crazy moments." Sally gave a small, grateful smile and held her arms out to her son.

"I should've told you about her."

"Did Dad say not to?" Percy felt his mother nod against his shoulder. "Better if you hadn't then." Sally sniffled.

"I woke up that first morning home and found her cot empty." She drew away from her son, wiping at her eyes with a fresh tissue. "Poseidon had left a note- too dangerous to keep both of you. Best if you were separated until the time was right."

"Did he say what… dangers they would bring?" Annabeth asked softly.

"He didn't go into detail, but opposites clash, he said. Louisa would grow up too reckless, too confined in a home life. She needed a sense of freedom, of… self-improvement or some rubbish." Thunder rumbled in the sky, but Sally ignored it. "You were the easier option." She smiled weakly at her son. "Not easy, but easier. Less likely to be destructive."

"Two sides of the ocean." Annabeth chipped in. Sally nodded in agreement.

"Poseidon told me Percy would be a calmer, more manageable version of the sea. That's why he excels in controlling water, healing and the likes. She is more likely to be the… other side of the sea. Hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes."

"All that jazz." Percy mumbled.

"That storm." Annabeth offered, her eyes narrowly as she thought furiously. "That wasn't you!"

"I told you it wasn't me!"

"But it wasn't Poseidon either, I get that now. It was Lou."

"But she didn't do anything. She was just…" Percy strained his memory.

"Arguing with someone, wasn't she?" Annabeth frowned. "One of the Hermes lot." Percy hunched his shoulders. "Oh, you're helpful."

"I'm going to go and have a lie down." Sally decided.

"Let me know if you need anything." Percy said. Sally thanked him and tottered off to her room, closing the door behind her.

Percy instantly turned to his girlfriend, his eyes shining excitedly. "I have a sister!"

"I know."

"That's so cool! I should find her." He jumped to his feet, but Annabeth was instantly in his way.

"Whoa, Percy. She could be anywhere by now. Her… adoptive mom was coming to get her, remember?"

"Oh…" His smile faltered slightly. "I'll find her." He vowed.

"You're going to IM her, aren't you?"

"Yup." He grinned. Annabeth rolled her eyes at him, but he had the idea now and there was no changing his mind now.

"Alright, but make it quick. She'll come back here just to skin you." For some bizarre, Seaweed-Brain reason, he found that funny.


So… how's this?