A/N: I really like Freddy's mom. Actually, I've been considering on doing "mini-spinoffs," just writing a couple of stories about the half-bloods' mortal parents just for fun. Which should I do first – Emma and Lucy (Freddy and Adrianna's moms) or Anna Cabot, Ker's mom? I like Ker's aunt Maria.

Another one of my personal favorite things about my own series (so humble, I know): Bunny's conflicted feelings for Percy Jackson. She hates Jack more than Athena does.

I have been ordered to ready a puppy.

Freddy POV

"Hi," Rose's younger sister – the one with the black hair, Katy something - said, half shyly, almost sheepishly. "You won't remember me."

"I remember you," I replied, a little bit more coldly than was polite.

Katy didn't notice. Instead, she smiled. "I was the very confused and overwhelmed daughter of Aphrodite who was afraid of Ker."

"She's scary at first glance," I admitted. "But once you get to know her, she's amazing."

Katy took a shuddery breath. "I know."

"What did I miss while I was… gone?"

She paused. "Well, you've met Nina, have you not?"

"Uh, yeah. The one with the black hair and the freaky eyes."

Katy cocked her head. "Freaky eyes?"

"Haven't you ever noticed? They look like fire." I could've sworn Nina could have set a forest on fire just with a glance.

She frowned. "No, I never noticed that. Well, she's my brother's girlfriend. Let's see, how much have you missed? Well, Rose and Jack had a brief, ridiculous, and pointless relationship. The Bunny you remember had been exposed as Persephone, so the Bunny you came trotting up with is the real Bunny, Bunny Parker. Gina joined the Hunters because of Jack's connection with Rose, and she was back within two weeks." She smiled. "Well, it's all a very long story."

I swallowed nervously, knowing I would regret asking this. "How did Ker… um…"

Katy was tactful enough to catch on quickly. "She was protecting Nick. Penelope's half insane, and I haven't even seen Nick lately." Her eyes widened and she raised her eyebrows. "Have you been to see your sisters yet?"

xxx

If you haven't had Camryn Jacqueline Masen, eldest child of Emma Masen and Poseidon, hook her arm around your neck in her own little version of a hug, you haven't lived.

"Freddy!" she squealed. Camryn never squeals. The bigger surprise, however, was Camille, who was smiling and twirling her hair around one finger.

I grinned. "You dyed your hair? What did Mom say?"

She laughed, a tinkly little bell sound that differed greatly from Camryn's, which was loud and full. "She paid for it."

I smiled, kind of sad. I missed my mom. She'd had a hard life, and I have to admit, she did kind of bring it upon herself. She had the twins when she was sixteen (she was pretty lucky – infant mortality rate is way higher when you're a teenager, and so many twins are lost as it is, but then again, I'm going to bet that Poseidon pulled a bunch of strings with Hera.) And then, get this – she had me when she was seventeen. After that, she and her best friend Lucy Powers – Powers-Pierce, now – dropped out of high school to support themselves, and Lucy was pregnant anyway. Basically, my mom's late teenage years sucked.

Adrianna Powers came trotting up, hugging a book to her chest. "Has anyone seen Bunny lately?" she asked, looking worried.

"No," Camryn answered. Camille and I shook our heads. She had made a couple of jabs at Jack, a couple at Adrianna, and then she'd disappeared. She was probably talking to Chiron or Dionysus. Or playing pinochle and complaining about the rules and/or the pronunciation of the word "pinochle."

Adrianna frowned, then shoved the book at me, grinning wildly. It was titled Anthology of Greek and Roman Myths. "Open this to page fifty-three."

Across the top of the page was the title Orpheus and Eurydice.

"Great," Camryn muttered. "You're going to get him killed. Again."

Rose POV

"You suggested what?" Katy shrieked.

Adrianna grinned deviously. "I'm getting him through the Door of Orpheus."

"How?"

Adrianna pointed to the flute case sitting on her bed. "I still need to relearn how to play a lot of the notes, but I starkly remember one piece I had a real knack for."

"Which one?"

Adrianna grabbed the compilation of flute music from under the instrument and scanned through it. She found her page, and displayed it to Katy. "It's by a very nice man by the name of Christoph Willibald Gluck."

"'From Orfeo ed Euridice,'" Katy read.

"If it takes more than that, I'll play the Cancan, which is from Orpheus in the Underworld and by Jacques Offenbach. Jack says the first song will be enough, though."

"Oh, of course Jack's in on it," her sister muttered reluctantly.

"Yeah, actually, he's probably dealing with your mom right about now. I hope he punches her."

Katy and I glowered, but secretly, I totally saw her point.

"What?" Adrianna bristled. "She deserves it. Bringing Matt down here is just cruel."

Anthony and Nina poked their heads in the door. "Guys, it's getting late. Have you seen either Bunny or Jack?"

"I saw Jack this morning, but not since," Adrianna replied. "Go ask Gina."

"She doesn't know either," Nina said softly. "No Bunny?"

"No Bunny," Katy confirmed.

"That woman's foul, Anthony," Nina snapped. "You're too innocent."

"Jack played a hand in Bunny's death," Katy said, clearing her throat. She very tactfully kept the statement vague, because if Percy Jackson found out we'd corrupted his darling little son and now he was a sort-of murderer, well, we'd all be dead and buried by sunrise.

No one in the room was very surprised, because Katy had told me earlier (but at the time, I'd been shocked) and Anthony and Nina already knew.

Nina's face paled slightly and Anthony's completely drained of any color. Nina stuttered, something rare for her. "You… you don't think… she, uh…"

"Jack'll be fine," Adrianna said confidently. "He's quick as a whip, and Bunny's worse than Ker when she picks up a weapon.

Nina still looked unconvinced.

"Don't worry, Nina," Anthony said, in his rare seriousness. "You haven't grown up with Jack. I have, and Adrianna's right. He'll hold his own. Don't forget who his parents are."

That night, Sunshine, Hades's daughter, woke up screaming bloody murder.

A/N: Heh. Hehehe. HEHEHE…