"Daddy?" asked Lucy when they had reached the car. "Where's Mommy?"

The question caught Percy so off guard that he nearly choked on his water.

Percy had never really adressed the subject of Rachel with Lucy. Oh sure, Lucy had seen a picture or two here and there, but he had always managed to divert the subject.

His friend who had gone to school with him was a psychologist, and he had told Percy that it was best to tell Lucy about her mother when she was a bit older.

Like six or seven, maybe.

But Patrick had not taken into consideration the fact that four year old girls are very curios.

"Because," continued Lucy. "Anna and Ella and Emmy and Cara and Gracie all have a Mommy and a Daddy. But I just have a Daddy. Why?"

"Um," said Percy, trying to think of an answer. "Want to get ice cream?"

Lucy wrinkled her nose. "But it's March." she complained. "Also, what happened to Mommy?"

"No." Lucy reminded him. "It's Friday Movie Night. But why aren't you answering my question?"

"Your mother….. she um, left after you were born." Percy said. He hated to lie, but he didn't want to tell Lucy her mother had died. And it wasn't technically lying.

"Where did she go?" Lucy wanted to know. "And why didn't she come back?"

Percy's throat tightened. "She went to visit her brother. And she didn't come back because…. because her brother needed her."

Rachel's brother had died at the age of two, after drowning in the lake. Rachel had a few pictures, but she never mentioned him very often. It was a tough subject for her, and Percy understood that.

"Why didn't she take me?" Lucy inquired. Even at the age of four, Lucy was a smart girl with a lot of questions.

Percy sighed again. The doctor said that Lucy had come dangerously close to joining her mother, but there were some things you didn't tell a four year old.

"She almost did." Percy said. "But I didn't let her."

"Why not?" Lucy said.

"Because I needed you.

—

After dropping Lucy off at his mother's house, Percy headed off to the coffee shop to meet Annabeth.

The place was called the Lotus Cafe, and Percy had been going there even before he met Rachel.

Upon entering, Percy spotted Annabeth in a corner, and sat down.

"Hey, wise girl!" he called. Annabeth smirked a little and said hello.

"So," said Percy. "Want to get something to drink?"

"Um, sure." said Annabeth, getting out of her seat.

"No!" Percy cried loudly. Annabeth stared at him, her eyebrows raised.

"I mean," Percy corrected. "I'll get it for you."

"Oh." said Annabeth, her face reddening.

"So, what would you like?"

"Some tea, please."

Percy ran up to the counter. "Hey Grover," he called to his friend. "Can I get some tea, please?"

"Iced or hot?" Grover asked.

"Um." said Percy. "Iced or hot?" he yelled over to Annabeth.

"Hot!" she called back. "No sugar, please!"

"She said hot, and no sugar please." Percy repeated to Grover.

A look of amusement appeared on Grover's face.

"I know, man. I heard her."

"Oh." said Percy, a small bit of red appearing on his cheeks. "Can I also get a small regular coffee please?"

—-

Five minutes later, Percy returned to the table with Annabeth's tea, and coffee for himself.

"Thank you." said Annabeth, blowing on her hot drink. Percy smiled in return.

"So," said Annabeth. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No." Percy answered thoughtfully. "But I do have a lot of cousins, since my father was one of six kids.

"Oh, that's cool." Annabeth said absentmindedly. "I too, have a lot of cousins, and I also have two half- brothers."

"Yeah." said Percy sighing. "I actually haven't talked to my dad in quite a few years, but I'm pretty close to my cousins."

"I'm not that close to my mother." said Annabeth. "She left me with my dad after I was born."

"Oh."

"How's Lucy?" Annabeth asked, trying to change the subject.

"She's good." said Percy. "Always asking questions, though. You know?"

"Yeah." said Annabeth smiling. "My niece, Isabelle- well, she's actually my cousin'sc daughter- asks so many questions I can barely keep up with her."

"Yes." Percy agreed. "But sometimes, their questions don't have answers they're ready for. Sometimes, the answers are ones you don't even fully understand."

A/N: Thanks for reading, and please review!