So sorry for not uploading as often. I honestly don't know how I'm so busy. But I should be uploading more often now because I've worked ahead.

Thank you so much to the new reviewers and favorite-ers and followers! Seriously, you guys are so great!

I own nothing.

The next day, sun shone through the open windows on the busiest scene I've ever seen in the morning. At my house we all woke up sluggishly, not even trying to speak in a civil tone to each other until after breakfast. Here, laughs and shouts rang out in the chilly morning air. Somebody shook my shoulder again and I looked up at George's bedhead. "C'mon, Sleeping Beauty. Get up."

I glanced at his watch and sat up slowly, muttering obscenities under my breath. "And why," I asked, gritting my teeth, "exactly, are you unceremoniously removing all happiness from my soul at such an ungodly hour?"

"Are you always this eloquent in the morning?"

"Nah, I've been wanting to say that to somebody forever. But my family loves me- so they don't rip out my cheerfulness-at seven o'clock in the morning!" Between each spurt of speech Grover burst into laughter while I pulled jeans over my shorts and rummaged through my bag in search of a t-shirt. The first one I found was midnight blue, printed with A Starry Night, Anthony's favorite painting. I'd stole it from his room to use as a pajama shirt last week. I held it to my nose. It smelled like him. I sighed and pulled the shirt over my tank top, then joined George at the door.

He glanced at my t-shirt. "Van Gogh?"

"Mm-hm," I grumbled, squinting at my suddenly-bright surroundings.

"Not a morning person?"

I glared, my tone nearly dripping with sarcasm. "Now, what would give you that impression?"

He laughed again. "C'mon. Breakfast." He set off at a run to catch up with the Hermes cabin, and I groaned, following him at a much slower pace.

Nico smiled at me on my way through the columns with my cabin, and I gave him an exaggerated glower, squinting at the bright sun. He grinned even bigger and I stuck my tongue out at him. It was a childish gesture that we'd exchanged for years. He shook his head, rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue back at me. Campers nearby shot us strange looks and the smile on my friend's face dissolved into an expression that was almost sullen. I frowned, but he wouldn't look at me. I bit my lip and turned to follow Cabin Eleven through the breakfast buffet line.

While I picked at my whole wheat bagel, I observed Nico with a new interest. When we were alone in our graveyard, there was nothing to do but talk to each other, and he was almost always cheery around me. It took me awhile to realize that I'd never seen him around other people.

Annabeth and Percy were friendly enough with the son of Hades, but all of the other campers gave him a wide berth. When I'd come to camp, I'd expected a 'Nico di Angelo fan club', and dozens of girls surrounding him at every opportunity.

What had I been thinking? That just because I thought he was so amazing, everybody else at Camp Half-Blood did, too? That since I was dazzled by his warm brown eyes, and his shaggy dark hair that every other girl swooned when he walked by? I frowned, indignant, watching a girl who looked about nine stare at Nico, as if scared he would pounce. They didn't know him. Who were they to judge?

Then I watched Nico's expression, and wondered if I'd been blind this whole time. The look he gave the girl was just short of a snarl, and she scurried away. His expression changed, almost guilty when he caught me watching him. I looked away, quick as I could, and took a bite of my bagel. It tasted too much like the food my mom used to pack in my lunch. I stood, walked over and scanned the food choices again, checking for anything with an unfamiliar taste, anything that wouldn't remind me of home. I snatched a bowl and filled it with dry Fruit Loops, told my glass to give me milk and smiled. That was better.

George sat down next to me after his chat with a girl at the end of the table. He was blushing. "Okay, so as soon as we get back we need to clean up for inspection. It's usually pretty hard for us, since we're such a big cabin. You're best off hiding your stuff under some bed."

"Okay, for a minute there I was about to compare this to military school-"

He grinned. "You kidding? This is Camp Half-Blood. We point and laugh at military school."

I laughed. Really, truly laughed for the first time since I'd arrived here. I held a hand over my mouth and gasped through giggles, tears streaming down my face. He smiled.

After inspection, George happily handed orientation duty over to Nico. He nodded solemnly and nearly ran to join his girlfriend at the archery range.

Whispers followed us on the way to the lake. Eyes turned toward us everywhere and campers frowned as if Nico walking around with another person were a rare sight.

"Why don't they like you?" I finally asked my friend.

Nico looked at me, a bit startled. "What do you mean?"

"All the other kids act like you're some kind of unpredictable animal. I mean, except Annabeth and Percy."

Nico looked at the ground. "Yeah, Annabeth and Percy are great. But then I've known them longer than any of these kids."

Nico bent down to pick at his shoelaces. "It wasn't so bad after the Titan War, when me and my dad were accepted into Olympus by Zeus himself. That was a good time. I actually had friends for a little bit. But demigods are kind of like the gods. After a while, and a year at home and everything, they just forget. Especially since they don't really want to remember that they're in debt to a son of the least favorite god. And I'm afraid I don't really help them want to get along with me."

I frowned. "No, not really."

He looked at me. "You saw that little girl, didn't you?"

I bumped his shoulder. "Yeah. I mean, you need a breath mint?"

He looked at me like I was crazy, and I blushed. "You know, um, because you kind of bit her head off- oh, never mind."

He cracked up. I glared at him, annoyed. "It sounded a lot better in my head, I'll have you know!"

Nico tried to apologize, but he never really stopped laughing until long after lunchtime.

So yeah. Not much, I know, but I felt like I had to write this as sort of a response to some of the suggestions/ questions that have showed up in the reviews. So tell me: good change? Bad change? Anything you'd like to see different? I'm writing this for you, after all.

AND NOW COMES THE PART OF THE SHOW WHERE I GET YOUR ATTENTION! Hopefully that worked. Okay, so I had this crazy idea while me and a friend were watching Aladdin (yes, I watch Disney movies on Friday nights. Don't judge.). So I just put the new chapter up, and I'd love it if you'd take a look. It's called Not What You'd Expect. Rated T because I'm still kind of paranoid, and not sure where it'll go.

So again, thank you! More than I could even say. Please, please, please review, and please check out the Aladdin story. It's a bit different, but I have big plans for it if anybody reads it!

Thanks bunches.

-natalie.