Happy New Year!

Okay, for this chapter, I do mention Hazel daughter of Trivia. She'll be called Hazel maybe two times, but then it switches to Hazie, which is probably what she'll be called from now on, just to keep down confusion between her and Hazel Levesque.

Halley knew everyone else thought she was an idiot for going out to find Piper when the daughter of Aphrodite had specifically said not to. But Halley was known for being impulsive, as most half-bloods were, so she didn't really think about what she was doing before she had already hoped a plane to New York, and then one to Paris, where she knew Piper had been with her dad. She was currently sitting on a bed in a semi-snazzy hotel. It was the middle of the night, and she had just sent Dakota and Annabeth her text message asking for help.

Dakota had said he'd be coming to help, but Halley had no idea when he would get here. If he had been at his house when he had gotten her message, it would probably take a long time for him to be able to get to Paris. If he had been anywhere near the east coast, he'd get here faster.

"Gods, Dakota," Halley muttered. "I wish you'd get here already."

"Someone call for the amazing son of Mercury?"

Halley looked over to the open door of her balcony. Standing there was Dakota, a giant smirk on his face.

"Dakota!" Halley exclaimed, jumping off of her bed. She ran towards him, but stopped short in front before she hugged him. "How'd you get here so fast?"

"Nico helped me," Dakota explained. "He shadow-traveled me here, but he couldn't stay."

"Nico?" Halley frowned for a second, but then shook her head. "Whatever. I found out where Piper's staying, but it'll be a bit difficult to get in."

Dakota raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge? How hard can it be for two of the sneakiest children of Mercury to break into a five-star hotel in Paris?"

"Not sure," Halley said, reaching for her messenger bag and digging out her sword. "It'd be easier if the hotel wasn't being guarded by Gaea's followers."

"It's being guarded?" Dakota asked. "Why?"

"Because Dirt Lady doesn't want us getting to Piper?" Halley responded with a shrug. "Either way, I have an idea of how to get to her."

Halley flashed a smile at her brother, a smile all of her other friends were scared of, but Dakota had never feared because it always lead to some whacked out plan that had about a 95% chance of not working.

"You know, one of these days I'm going to end up dying from your insane plans," Dakota muttered, "Let's just hope that day isn't today."

…

With their winged shoes, Halley and Dakota got to Piper's hotel in no time.

"I don't guess you know what room she's in, do you?" Dakota asked. "Or are you planning on just walking through the front lobby and asking for the McLeans' room?"

"That's exactly what I was planning to do," Halley retorted as she hovered in the air. "And if they won't tell me what room they're in, I'm going to threaten them with my sword."

Dakota rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because they'll totally be able to tell that it's a sword."

"Be positive, Bro," Halley joked. "Anyway, I do happen to know which room Piper is in. She's in that room there, peeking out of the window. But don't worry, I can tell she's being careful."

Dakota looked where Halley was pointing. Close to the top floor, at one of the rooms with a large balcony, he could barely make out the head of a teenage girl with short brown hair.

"Okay, so your plan?"

"Remember how you got into my hotel room?" Halley asked. "Yeah, that's basically all I've got."

"Land on the balcony and knock? I figured you'd be more creative, Hals," Dakota smirked.

"She'll see us before we knock," Halley said, starting her descent down to Piper's balcony.

Dakota rolled his eyes again and followed her. He didn't know Piper as well as Halley did, but after the past year he had gotten to know her fairly well.

The two of them landed on the balcony silently, keeping their hands close to the hilt of their swords, just in case. Unlike what Halley had thought, Piper hadn't seemed to notice they were there.

"Okay, new plan," Dakota whispered. "Send her a mind message to let us in."

Halley frowned. "Fine," she grumbled.

She closed her eyes. Dakota could sense her sending her thoughts out towards Piper. In no time, the daughter of Aphrodite stuck her head out the door. She smiled brightly and gestured for them to come in. Halley sent Dakota a confused glance and then followed Piper inside.

…

The hotel room was incredible… and very large. Piper was wearing pajama bottoms and a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt. She didn't say anything, which only peaked Halley's curiosity.

"Is everything okay, Piper?" she asked.

Piper looked up at her. Her eyes looked like she wanted to say something, but she sighed and looked back down at her feet.

Dakota raised his eyebrow. He sent Halley at thought message.

Hals, I don't think she can talk.

What? Halley responded. That's… is that even possible?

Why don't you ask her? Dakota said.

Halley bit her lip and looked back at Piper. "Piper…" she started slowly. "Did… did something happen to your voice?"

Piper's head shot up. Her eyes were wide as she gave Halley that charade sign that someone had guessed right by pointing at her nose with one hand and Halley with the other.

"Oh, great," Dakota muttered. "First we have a fire user who can't use fire anymore, and now we've got a charm-speaker who can't speak."

Piper looked at them both in shock and confusion. When her message didn't really get across, she stomped her foot in frustration.

Halley glanced at Dakota, then back at Piper. "I have an idea," she said. "Piper, I'm going to connect both of our minds with yours, so you can talk without the crazy charades, okay?"

Piper nodded slowly. It wasn't like Halley had never communicated to her mind before.

Halley had no problem connecting their minds. She sent a message to Piper to let her know it was working.

Okay, can you tell us what happened?

Piper bit her lip and nodded. It was a couple of days ago. Dad and I had been hanging out in the city all day, and had stopped at this café for lunch… She told them the story of what had happened the day she lost her voice.

"What café?" Dakota asked out loud.

I don't remember, Piper said. My guess is that it was poison, but I hadn't eaten anything all day, and I doubt someone at the café would've known who I was to know to poison my drink. Her eyes widened. Unless…

"Unless what, Piper?" Halley asked.

There was something about that weird lady with the hat, she answered. She was sort of familiar. But it wasn't a good familiar.

"You said she spoke both French and English fluently, right?" Dakota asked.

Piper nodded. But there was a familiar ring in her voice, like I'd heard it before. I just don't know where or when… Oh gods! That's it!

She jumped off her bed where she'd been sitting and ran over to where her suitcase was.

"Piper?" Halley and Dakota asked at the same time.

She was older than me by just a little, but any good make-up artist can make herself look older if she has the right materials. Especially if those materials just happen to be magic.

"Magic?" Halley asked. "Do you mean you think that this lady is a half-blood?"

Not just any half-blood, Piper said. She lifted out a camera from her bag and started scrolling through the pictures. She stopped on one and closed her eyes. A daughter of Aphrodite. The one who hates me more than just about anyone.

She held the camera up towards Halley and Dakota. They both walked over and leaned down to look at it.

It was a picture of the Aphrodite cabin, but Piper had zoomed in on one face in particular.

Drew's a charm-speaker. She knows better than anyone that we're nothing without our voices. She was the lady at the café. She's the one that poisoned me.

"Drew's working for Gaea," Dakota muttered.

"Crap," Halley commented.

…

"Are you sure?" Annabeth asked.

On the other side of the Iris-message, Halley nodded. After talking with Piper, she'd been busy IM-ing. Right now she was currently talking with basically everyone else who was in Percy's apartment, though only Percy and Annabeth were really visible. Jason and Leo were somewhere behind them, and they had mentioned something about Nico being passed out on the sofa.

"What Piper said makes sense," Halley said. "We all know Drew hates Piper…"

"But we never figured she'd ever side with Gaea," Percy grumbled. "Even though basically everyone hates her."

"I IM'd Chiron," Halley said. "He said that Drew hasn't been at camp in over a month. It has to be her."

She glanced back over her shoulder to where Piper was sitting. "Piper says that she's positive that it's Drew. The fact that she was able to easily disguise herself and that she was fluent in French." She frowned, listening to Piper. "She also said something about Drew calling her 'dear'."

"That's Drew," Leo's voice called out. "She loved calling people names like that. Course, she never called me anything like that… she doesn't really like me."

"Who does she like?" Annabeth grumbled.

"She likes Jason," Leo pointed out.

Jason muttered something incoherent and Halley snickered. Dakota stuck his head into the Iris-message picture.

"I don't see why she would," he said. "There isn't anything good about…"

"Dakota, I would shut up if I were you," Jason yelled.

Dakota laughed and Halley rolled her eyes. "Like that would ever happen." Then she tilted her head to the side, listening to Piper again.

"Piper says that no one likes Leo, and that Drew would probably do anything to get at her out of the way."

Leo and Jason stuck their heads into the picture.

"No one likes me?" Leo asked in an irritated tone. "Piper's gone crazy! I'm a very likeable person."

Everyone started laughing at him. Leo grumbled something they couldn't hear and walked back out of sight.

"Can you get Piper to come over here?" Jason asked Halley once the laughter had died down.

"I'll try," Halley said as she turned around. "Piper! Come over here."

There was a pause as she waited for a response.

"She wants to know why," Dakota answered before Halley could. That earned him a smack on the back of the head.

Jason looked slightly hurt. "I know she can't talk, but I still want to see her."

Percy and Dakota started snickering. Halley grinned.

"Piper says she's in her pajamas and doesn't want to come over here," Halley said.

"We've seen her a lot worse," Leo shouted. "Like covered in blood, mud… heh, that rhymed."

Five groans came from both sides of the conversation.

"Tell Piper it'll be okay," Annabeth said reassuringly. "We all know what she's been through."

Piper finally stuck her head into the picture. Jason grinned when he saw her.

"Hey Piper," he said.

She smiled faintly and shifted her eyes towards Halley.

"Piper says hi," the daughter of Mercury supplied.

"Guys! I think I have it figured out!"

Reyna's voice came out of nowhere. Jason, Percy, and Annabeth spun around madly looking for her, since she seemed to have spoken form their side of the line.

Suddenly, she appeared behind them. Her long blonde braids looked a little frazzled, like she had just jumped out of bed. That probably wasn't the case, but Reyna had a certain look in her eyes, a look that showed she was eager about something.

"I talked to Hazel," she said.

"You mean Hazie, right?" Halley asked. "Daughter of Trivia?"

"Of course," Reyna said, a little confused. Then her eyes lit up as she figured out what Halley meant. "Oh, yeah… I forgot her…"

"Who?" Percy asked.

"I'll talk about that in a minute," Reyna said. "But right now I have to tell you what I learned."

"Did you figure out a way to get my powers back?" Leo asked.

Reyna shook her head. "Sorry Leo," she said. "But I did figure out how you possibly lost them."

"How?" Leo shouted.

"Hazie mentioned that the only way you could really lose your powers would be if a god or goddess stole them…"

"I bet it was Khione!" Leo exclaimed, not even giving Reyna a chance to finish.

Reyna raised her eyebrow. "That's what we thought too," she said slowly. "But there's a problem. You can't get them back unless you get them back from Khione… It's like when Jason's and Percy's memories were stolen."

"Oh, great," Leo grumbled. "I'm going to be flameless forever."

Halley frowned and looked over at Dakota and Piper. Then she turned back to the Iris-message.

"How long are you guys planning on staying there?" she asked.

They looked at Percy, who shrugged. "Mom and Paul are away for a while, but I'm sure they'll be fine with you staying over."

"Okay," Halley said, "we'll be to New York as fast as we can."

With that, she waved her hand through the message.

Piper looked at her with questioning eyes.

What are we going to tell my dad? she asked.

"We'll just have to explain to him what's going on," Dakota said. "Hey, do you think I could get some Kool-Aid?"

Piper sighed. Check the fridge, she said, pointing at the small kitchenette. Then she looked back at Halley. I still haven't explained the whole 'demigod' deal.

Halley rubbed her temples. "Ugh, Piper… Okay, well, the timing and method aren't perfect, but we have to tell him Piper."

Are you going to? Piper asked.

Halley grinned slightly. "Don't worry; I'm good at explaining things to make them make sense."

…

It was about five o'clock in the morning when they woke Tristan up. He wasn't happy, especially since it was Dakota that had woke him up.

"What? Who are you?" he had asked in alarm.

"Piper's friend," Dakota had responded. "She told me to wake you up. She… well, there's something you need to know, Mr. McLean."

They had him sit down on the couch in his room. Piper sat beside him while Halley and Dakota remained standing.

"You don't know us, Mr. McLean," Halley started. "But we're two of Piper's friends. We… we came here to help her out."

"What do you mean?" Tristan asked. "She just had an allergic reaction. She should be fine."

"That's not true, sir," Dakota said. "Look, it's sort of hard to explain, so I'm going to let Halley take care of the explaining."

Halley sat down on the coffee table in front of them, looking at Piper for an idea of what to say.

"Piper was going to tell you this the day she lost her voice," she started. "You remember being kidnapped and rescued?"

"Not really," Tristan replied. "I just remember it caused a lot of problems."

"Well, sir," Halley said slowly, "The thing is… you were kidnapped by, a… a giant. Piper and our friends Leo Valdez and Jason Grace saved you."

"A giant…" Tristan murmured. "You mean from like those Greek myths?"

Halley nodded. "Yes… except that it isn't a myth sir. You've heard all those stories about demigods, right?"

"Yes…" Tristan said. "But those stories aren't true."

"Sir… I know it's hard for you to understand, but they are. Piper… Piper's a demigod. So are Dakota and me."

Tristan frowned. "That's crazy. Impossible."

Halley, can you connect my mind to my dad's?

Halley studied Piper for a second. That wasn't a bad idea. Halley had never tried to really connect to a human mind before, but it was definitely worth a shot.

She concentrated for a second, focusing on connecting the two minds with her own. That normally worked best. It took a second, but she was eventually able to do it. Halley gave Piper a slight nod to tell her it had worked.

Dad, Piper said. Halley's telling the truth.

Tristan jumped when he heard his daughter's voice in his mind. "Pipes… is that really you?"

Yes Dad. Halley's a daughter of the Roman god Mercury. She can connect people's minds so they can communicate without speaking out loud.

Tristan looked up at Halley.

"She's telling the truth sir. And she really is speaking to you," Halley said.

Tristan looked back at Piper. "I… I sort of remember… you're mother is a goddess?"

Piper nodded. My mom is Aphrodite, she said with a slight smile.

"Aphrodite…" Tristan's eyes widened. "I fell in love with the goddess Aphrodite?"

Halley and Piper both nodded. Dakota smirked.

"That's a pretty big score, man," he said.

Tristan was too dazed to pay attention, but Halley shot her brother a glare that read "shut up, before I hurt you".

Dakota and Halley are here to take me back to the States, Dad, Piper said. It'll be safer.

"What do you mean, Pipes?"

It's too complicated to explain right now, but being a demigod isn't easy. We always have to be careful. Some of us have to be more careful than others. I didn't lose my voice from an allergic reaction. The truth is, as a daughter of Aphrodite, I have the ability to charmspeak, which basically means I can be very persuasive. Someone doesn't want me to be able to do that, so they put… something in my drink that day that made me lose my voice.

Tristan glanced over at Halley, not quite sure what Piper meant.

Halley scratched her head. "Uh, a two summers ago, Piper, five of our other friends, and I had to sail to Greece on a quest. We… we sort of made some enemies that aren't very happy with us. We think that those enemies might be behind this."

"Oh," Tristan replied. "So now you're going to take her back to the States?"

"Yes sir. Like she said, it's safer there for us. Besides, we have a friend who might be able to figure out how to get Piper's voice back."

Tristan nodded. "When will you leave?"

"As soon as we can," Dakota said.

"Take my jet," Tristan said, pulling out his cell phone. The three half-bloods instinctively scooted away, even though they all had phones of their own. Tristan frowned when he noticed. "Is something wrong?"

"Demigods and cell phones don't always mix well," Halley explained. "We have phones, but we try to avoid using them if at all possible."

"Oh," Tristan said again. Then he proceeded to dial the number for his pilot. When he hung up, he looked up at the others. "Get your stuff. I'll go with you to the airport."

Piper smiled at her dad and hugged him. Dad, I promise, everything will turn out okay.

Halley grinned and opened her mouth to say something similar, but Dakota elbowed her. He sent her a private message.

Hals, we can't promise that things will be okay, so keep your mouth shut.

Halley frowned at him and then turned back to Tristan. "We're ready to go whenever you are…"

That's when the windows crashed in.

Cliffy! Whooo!

It's been forever since I've written a good action scene, so I figured it was about time. Review!