I wait until I can hear that Mom has gone to bed before going out to confront Luke. Truth be told I waited as long as I possibly could, I am so dreading this. I pull on a sweater as I head out the fire escape to meet him. I can see him in profile staring out over the city at the skyline. In my mind I flashback to the first time that I ever laid eyes on him. It was when I first got to camp, before I was 'claimed' as the daughter of Poseidon, all newcomers not claimed by their parents have to stay in the Hermes cabin as you well know. I remember so clearly it seems like only yesterday that Annabeth was pushing me through the door of cabin eleven and I was tripping over my feet like a fool. I remember the subdued laughter and the other campers sizing me up, but above all I remember Luke helping me to my feet and welcoming me to camp. I remember looking into his eyes and seeing understanding there, he knew what I was going through; how hard it was for me to accept what was going on. I sometimes think he's the only reason that I didn't try and run for the hills. Sometimes I wish I could've sensed what was going on, I knew he was bitter about the gods but I didn't realise just how bitter he really was. Hermes was right I could've saved him then but do I have any hope of saving him now, do I want to save him?

Luke senses me and turns to face me snapping me out of my flashback. He frowns at the expression on my face.

"What are you thinking?" he stalks slowly over to me and carefully lifts his hand to my face slowly tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"The day that we first met." He smiles, its beauty only marred by the thin scar on his face.

"I think about that all the time, it was one of the best days. Ever."

Luke goes to step closer to me and it's like I'm stuck unable to move my body, I want to step away from him but I can't. I know its Aphrodite's doing. He can tell something's wrong and stops, tilting his head to one side an expression of confusion etched on his face.

"What is it?"

"Aphrodite."

"This about the game?"

I'm struck dumb, he knows about the game? How? I shake my head in disbelief and step away from him.

"How do you know?"

"It's why I'm here. I know you went to see my father and I know what he told you. You know how I feel about you now."

"Yeah about that… I'm not sure I follow." My cheeks begin to flush and I turn away from him. Why am I reacting this way? This conversation is so awkward I'd rather be thrown weapon less into the Ares cabin than be dealing with this right now. He reaches out and strokes my cheek again and I can hear the smile in his voice.

"I still can't believe you didn't know. It drove me mad at first and I sort of hated you. I had all these plans for camp, for myself and then you came along. That's why I gave you those shoes I wanted you out of the way; you were ruining everything I had planned." I'm too scared even to breathe I don't want to break him out of this monologue.

"I am sorry for trying to kill you, like I said I was confused and conflicted. There I was with all these plans unfolding perfectly, then you came along with the power to destroy everything I wanted and hoped for and I almost didn't care. I knew what you were before we even met, knew you could ruin everything but when I laid eyes on you that first time I…" he pauses and I can sense him stepping closer to me. He places his hand under my chin and turns my head, tilting it until I look into his eyes.

"I couldn't help myself; I saw in you so much of me when I first arrived. I remember the way you looked so lost and afraid. All I wanted to do was sweep you away with me and make you feel better. I'd never felt like that before. I remember the way we used to talk about the gods; you were just as bitter as me. Resentful for the life you were dealt with no chance of escape. I know you felt the same like we were forced to bear a punishment for their indiscretions."

"I still don't understand why you tried to kill me," I gasp the words out fearful of his answer.

"Because I hated what I was feeling. That you would ruin me just because of my feelings. Like I said I started to not even care about anything that wasn't to do with you. It was maddening. And then when you got back from the quest I realised that it was the only way to stop you."

"You've lost me," I shrug apologetically and he softly chuckles.

"You believe in Olympus, in the gods for some reason I'm sure I could never understand. You are the complete opposite of me; at first I toyed with the idea of asking you to join me. After the quest I knew that would never happen, knew you would never join me. You love them don't you, the gods?"

"I guess, I mean they are my family."

"I will never understand that and that's what made me summon that scorpion. I couldn't bear the fact that you might die for them, aiding them in their cause. Don't you see that they don't care about you? Hasn't Hermes' game taught you anything? We are nothing but pawns to them, how can you stand that?"

"Sometimes I don't think I can," I sigh and release my face from his grasp and turn to look out over the city, "I hate them too you know, we all do occasionally. But you forget, they are our family the only one we'll ever have. I know they've slighted you but they haven't exactly been all warm and fuzzy with me either."

"So how can you still obey them let alone care about them?"

"Because they're my family."

"So?"

"So that's it, all there is to it. They are my family so I will protect them no matter what."

"I just don't understand…" He runs his hand back and forth through his hair in frustration. I can see the anger on his face. Anger at me, at not understanding me and feeling helpless trying. I know because I feel the same about him. How can we be so alike and yet so different?

We stand side by side looking out at the city in silence. I lean my head on his shoulder and feel his arm circling around me. He pulls me close and hugs me as hard as he can, it's almost painful. He tilts my head up to his and begins to lower his lips to mine. Part of me knows that I should stop him, that it's only Aphrodite causing me to feel this way about him. But there's another part of me, a very tiny part of me that wants this. So I let him kiss me.