"You weren't able to talk sense into him?"
"Well, we kind of tried to kill each other in a duel to the death."
"I see. You tried the diplomatic approach."
― The Sea of Monsters

Chapter 4: The Diplomatic Approach

Page 6

They named me and my sister after two of the months of summer where our parents had some of their best and worst memories. We were not supposed to end up being twins, they were only expecting one child. A girl named Summer or a boy named Luke. But we are two, and we are both part of the same season, the same body, only twice.

First, I saw my dad.

He came early in the morning to the cabin. I had just brushed my teeth.

"I come in peace," he started, arms raised in surrender.

"Hi, dad."

"Hello, baby."

"Oh no, you're babying me."

"Come sit with me for a moment," he said as he walked towards my bed.

"Dad-" I started.

He cut me off. "Come on, Julie, let's talk. I mean, it's me here, we both know I'm not that great with words."

I sighed. "Yeah, okay."

I sat down next to him, he draped his arm over me. "So, how you feeling?"

"I'm good, dad."

"Are you really?"

I gave him a look, one that I'm sure he recognizes from my mother's face. "Of course I'm not good, dad."

"Yeah, I thought as much."

"Great, so how do we move one from this point?"

"I don't know, your mom is the one that usually does these things. I'm the fun parent."

"Where is mom, actually?"

"At the big house, Chiron is assigning posts."

"Hmm, when did you finally arrive?"

"Last night. It wasn't a very pleasant ride, as you can imagine. I told Annabeth that I was the one who wanted to talk to you when she brought it up."

"Gee, thanks."

"I'm guessing you're not very thrilled about the decision she decided to make."

"You guess?"

"Well, yeah."

"Good guess, dad."

"May I know why?"

I sighed once more. "You know why."

"Julie, I really want to know what you think about this." He looked at me and I could see that he meant it.

"I just…" I stopped for a moment, really thinking about what to say before actually saying anything. "Well, I never really fit in here, dad. I'm not a demigod. I'm that one big elephant in the room with no special qualities what-so-ever. And that's when I actually decide to do something active the camp has to offer, because when I don't, I'm out there in Rachel's little cave deciphering riddles and prophecies. Closed off and lonely. I barely have two friends that I don't annoy with my brooding, and then there's, of course, my great goddess of a twin, who is everybody's favorite poster child. And who, thank gods, I'm finally not being confused with because of my recent hairstyle change. And I'm supposed to live with all of that from now on for the rest of my life? I'm probably missing out on a few other things that are bothering me at the moment, but, yeah, that's basically what comes to mind right now."

"Wow," dad said after a moment. "That's… that's a lot to register."

"I'm sorry, dad. I know you have ADHD."

"That's alright, girl. The least I can do is try to focus on you, right?" He said. "I really had no idea you felt this way, July."

"I guess I'm a pretty good actress."

"Or we're lousy parents."

"Dad, no, don't say that, please. Do not pick that card."

"Okay, I won't, but really, Julie, I didn't know. We just…" He thought for a moment, then continued. "A few things have been going on recently. Big things, okay? Things that I can't really tell you right now-hey, I will-" he added after seeing the look I gave him, "just not now, but what I'm trying to say is that I need you to trust this decision for now. Your mom is under a lot of stress. We are doing this for your own good, baby. You and Luke and June, we're trying to do what's right here. To keep us all safe."

I let his words sink in. We sat there for a while, his arm around my shoulders in an effort to comfort me.

"That was pretty good, dad."

"Oh gods, really? Because I was so nervous about this, I was practicing all the way just to make sure…"

I laughed with him.

Page 10

They named Luke after an old friend, or so I've heard. My mom and dad don't speak of him much, but those very few times when they do, a faraway nostalgia glistens in their eyes and they lose themselves in a memory. In the end, they both always say: "He was a hero."

That morning talk with Dad actually did miracles to my mood. I felt a little less tense, though a bit more curious as to what he was hiding from me. What could be so menacing as to pose a threat to Percy and Annabeth Jackson?

"… and then I raped your Pegasus," finished Valentina, looking me in the eyes.

"Wait, what the Hades?"

She laughed. "Yeah, you were very lost in thought. Don't worry, your flying horse is safe. I was just a little irritated that your thoughts interrupted my soliloquy."

We were having breakfast in one of the benches outside the mess hall.

I chuckled. "I'm sorry, Val."

"It's okay. What's on your mind?" She shoved an entire piece of bacon inside her mouth.

"Just something my dad said this morning." Then, as she bit off almost half a pancake, I added, "Oh my gods, how are you not fat, you're always eating."

"It's a blessing. A simple combination of stable metabolism and continuously running for your life from monsters. Oh, okay, so you had a talk? How did it go?"

"It was okay."

"Your dad is great," she said.

"Yeah, I know he is." I smiled, then asked. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"I have no idea," she replied. "Since all activities start tomorrow. And, of course, we always start with archery, which drains me."

"Oh, please, you're great at it," I rolled my eyes at her.

"I am, that's why it drains me. They're always expecting more of me."

I heard someone call my name distantly.

Valentina looked down behind me and smiled. "We have company."

The tiny image of Esperanza II came to view. She was running towards us.

"July!"

I stood down from the bench and scooped her up as soon as she landed in my arms, then spun her around as she giggled. "How's my little troublemaker?"

Little Esperanza was but 5 years old. She was Leo and Calypso's second child.

"July!" she screamed. "We're looking for you."

"Who's we?"

She giggled some more. "Emma and Diego and Abigail, all of us. You didn't say hi."

"Well, I did not know you had arrived."

"Come! Come! Come!" She started chanting, then she looked at my company and smiled some more. "Valentina!"

Valentina was smiling back from the bench. "Hello, little Latina sister from another mister."

"Come!"

I guess we knew what we were going to do next.

Page 117

Besides Luke (14 years old), June (16 years old) and I (also 16, of course), there are seven other known children of demigods:

Jason and Piper's: Emma (4 years old), Thalia II (13 years old), Dustin (15 years old) and Lucas (17 years old).

Leo and Calypso's: Esperanza II (5 years old) and Diego (10 years old).

Frank and Hazel's: Abigail (4 years old).

I didn't see my sister for the rest of the day, which was unusual, but completely fine. I was still going to see her every night anyway.

Page 42

We used to be Sisters

A coin, two sides of a same

Now we're just Whispers

Of each other's names

Just before the sun went down, Hunter Di Angelo came looking for me at my usual spot beside Thalia's Pine Tree.

"I knew you'd be here," he started with that familiar smile of his.

He was carrying a picnic basket.

I couldn't help but smile back. "Well, here I am." Then, I added. "It's that for me?"

"It's for both of us, you selfish month."

I laughed at my old nickname. "Yeah, okay, occupation title."

He sat next to me, leaving almost no space between our bodies; making me feel conscious about my arm and how warm it felt next to his.

I usually try not to think about these things, they drive me crazy. It's just so easy to be with him.

"Did you bring strawberries?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes. "How can I ever forget?"

"Yes," I sang. They're my favorite fruit. Just like oranges are his.

The sun set and we didn't even notice. We sat there as the sky changed colors and night came upon us, talking about old myths and other insignificant things while eating.

Until we packed the basket and went down to the campfire, arm in arm, just as we used to do when we were kids, like an old married couple.

Page 38

They named him Hunter after Nico's sister, Bianca. For whom he never lost love and respect. And wishes the same courage and affection for his son.

Page 146

He's not really a hunter

He doesn't live up to his name

But he still caught my heart

And made it tame.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am so sorry for the long wait. College has started again, not to mention that I got terribly sick recently and am falling as asleep as I write this note. I just wanted you guys to know that.

Thanks to every single one of you who have reviewed this story, you guys are amazing. Keep up the good work.

I love you all.

Thank you once more.