Author's Note: let's give a round of applause to my awesome beta reader AlvaBlueFyre! She is so freaking cool with her story it's called Book One Arrival. Its sooo good ya'll should check it out!

Ever since the raid, nobody has ever felt so well fed and cozy. We all got food to last us for weeks (if we didn't press ourselves to eat more than enough), and so many lighters and knives that each of us could have two of each. Justin had gotten us actual milk and juice during the raid that my mouth was watery when I saw the two whole gallons of liquid. "I'm in Olympian heaven…" I said to Ethan once I took my first full gulp of milk in weeks. "Damn this tastes so good…" I forgive myself of selfishness and held the gallon above Eclipse's head so that he could do a waterfall of the milk.

Mmm… Eclipse licked his snout free of any white liquid and began searching the floor for any stray drops.

"Alright now I think that's enough for tonight." Justin took the gallon of milk from me and told everybody get ready for slumber. "It's already past midnight anyway." He said.

"But I'm not tired." Connor whined like a little kid.

Justin shot the Stoll brother look then shook his head, walking out of the room murmuring something about "taking care of Silena being easier than this."

"Well then…" Connor got us all up and headed to the room where we all slept since sleeping in the main room was a little dangerous with all the fragile windows there. Everybody got to their usual spot on the ground or along the walls and dragged up whatever warm blankets we could claim.

"Good night lads." I sighed once we had all gotten comfortable and warm. "Sweet dreams and don't let the bed bugs bite."

"You too Selene, good night," Lee rolled over on his side, back facing all of us.

"Night." Everybody else said.

We all curled up tighter in our blankets and listened to each other's breathing, a rhythmic music falling over all eleven of us. The darkness in the room was barely a bother since I could still see all of my brother's faces in the distance. There was Chris lying on his tummy with hand palms as a makeshift pillow. Connor and Travis, the blood brothers sleeping side by side with each other for comfort. Beckendorf, the darkest body in the midst of us all but still using a bright white blanket to keep himself warm. And then there's Lucas… damn Lucas.

He was sleeping on his side with elbows bent and hands under his head, whole body breathing slowly in the music of a heart's beat. A small blanket was pulled over his torso and that cinnamon scent of his… that strong, rich, and plentiful cinnamon scent of his. It was always so good and nice and reminded me of biscuits being sold back in London. I wonder if he knew that I always felt calm whenever I smelled cinnamon.

When I had first met the family, the original members I mean, (Justin, Lee, Beckendorf, Chris and Ethan), Lucas hadn't even come into the picture by that time. But then the exact day I left the family to go back to the streets, Chris had discovered Lucas. The poor boy was only half conscious when Chris found him inside an abandoned alley, terrible for me to think that Lucas was passed out and almost dead before Chris fed him ambrosia and nectar.

"Where am I?" Lucas had asked. There was a small red welt on his forehead. "Who are you? What am I doing here?"

"Shhh. Don't talk; save your strength." Chris took a first aid kit out and tended to Lucas's wounds the way he had been taught; Gauze up the big fleshy cuts, add infection fighting cream to the red burns, set in place the dislocated body parts; given the extra practice Chris could be just as good as Lee in doctoring.

"Alright now, I'm going to carry you okay? Try not to cry out in pain." Chris set his arms under the boy as Lucas squeezed his eyes shut, biting on to a rag to keep his sanity.

"w-wait," Lucas said, "Wh-where are you taking me? My parents won't do anything to help me."

"Well don't worry then," the smile on Chris's face was only one of hope; "I'm taking you home."

That was the first night that Lucas Cashier met a half blood of the family. Thanks to the ambrosia and nectar he was given, the ten year old was back on his feet within the next morning. No more bruises, cuts, or scrapes coating his skin so he decided to go out into the night and watch the New Year's Parade. Only instead he saved mine and Eclipse's life from two Cyclopes, no hesitating when charging into action to save a fellow half blood.

"I didn't care if I died," Lucas said to me, "as long as someone else survived for me."

I nodded and took a sip of water, blinking a bit to show that I understood.

Lucas shook the black hair out of his face and gazed somewhere else, lost in thoughts through the look of his eyes. We were at the Apartment sitting out on the fire escape, blankets wrapping around our bodies as we watched the sun rise through the skyscrapers. It was only slightly chilly and Eclipse was back inside watching over everybody else. I figured that I could relax at this moment and not have to worry about what the usual street kid has to worry about. It actually felt nice I guess.

"So what's the deal with you?" Lucas asked after a moment of silence. "How did you come to be a runner?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Runner?"

"Runaway," he explained. "People just say 'runner' instead to keep the cops clueless. Well, most of the time anyway but you know what I mean."

"Oh…" I thought about saying something else, something to change the subject since I didn't exactly want to explain what happened before I met the family.

"It's okay if you don't want to say," Lucas sighed. "I get it if you want to keep your life a secret."

"I…" damn what could I say? "No, actually I was deceived by a fourteen year old Daughter of Hermes who ditched me when the coppers came knocking on our door. Oh and also my parents set me out to sea in a box that I stayed in for a month before coming to London. After that, I stayed in an orphanage for six years under the custody of banjaxed nuns who would commit a blag for money!" Yeah right, he would just think that I was a barmy.

"Did you have siblings?" Lucas randomly asked after a moment of silence. He seemed wistful to know the answer for some reason.

"No." I immediately said. "I don't think so. Siblings were just… not in my life." I couldn't consider Angela a sister anymore and the girls at the orphanage where just a total pain in the flange. No way was I going to consider them as siblings.

"What about you?" I asked. "Big or small family?"

Lucas shrugged and looked away; there was a cloud in his baby blue eyes. "No siblings. Just a mom and step dad."

"Were they nice?" stupid question yes, but when you're a demi god/goddess, parents are not always the type to take you out for ice cream every Saturday. They just tend to not get the award for Best Mom/Dad of the Year okay?

"My parents were… unlike any other people." Lucas started off. He was slow at choosing his descriptive words. "They had a… unique way of raising me."

I raised an eyebrow but didn't push with words. Obviously this subject was something Lucas didn't want to talk about anymore.

"Selene! Lucas!" Ethan called from inside the Apartment. "Where are you guys?"

"Out here! On the fire escape!" Lucas called back. He sighed heavily and his shoulder's dropped. I guess our time together was over.

Lucas stood up from his spot on the fire escape and opened the window behind him, disappearing into the building before I knew it.

In my heavy British accent I said loudly to myself, "Well Life, m' old fruit, it's time to admit that you're sending me off my rocker and getting me on my face to head off to the queer street with all of the other claret blaging loops." (Translation? 'My life is crazy and mad and I feel very drunk/ stoned about it so I know now that I'm going into a very bad situation later on.'

"Oh and Selene?" I looked behind me to see Lucas poking his head out the window.

"Yeah lad?"

He gave a wily grin and switched his American accent to a British one. "Happy Valentine's Day, may Aphrodite and Eros know where to aim when it comes to your ass."

I threw my water bottle at him a millisecond before he went back inside.

Author's Note: Alright Arora, I hope you like this scene. I've tried really hard to make it good…

The night was still busy as Valentine's Day was going on its full course; cars were honking loudly, people were yelling at each other, and restraints were busy with serving dining and laughing couples. It was only the family feeling sober as they all stood in a circle around a water fountain, the rest of the park around them empty and deserted.

Each family member held a red rose by their heart, Eclipse including as his was thorn less and gripped in his teeth. The hour was late and the mood was sad, for the family had not come to this sprinkling fountain for just no apparent reason.

"We've all lost somebody we once loved," Justin said out loud. He was staring at the shinning water in front of him, the rose's scent wafting up his nose. "I think we should remember them on this special day of love."

Everybody else nodded and looked down every once in a while, tears staring to pool in their eyes. Lucas took this chance and glanced at Selene, both kids breathing slowly and ignoring everything else around them. He could tell that she was thinking deep thoughts, maybe remembering her two dead parents. He pursed his lips together and gripped her hand; the act not of love and want, but of comfort and reassurance.

And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

"I want to give remembrance to my mother," Justin said. He stepped up and laid his rose in the fountain water, liquid pooling out of his own eyes. "Mandy Cook." He whispered.

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight…

Malcolm decided to step up next and lay his rose in the fountain, ignoring everyone else staring at his wet gray eyes. "Elisa Hernandez." He said out loud. "Friend and long lost love."

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand

Beckendorf took up the lead afterward, laying a rose for his poor missing mother. "Janice Beckendorf."
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

"Molly and Mary Rodriguez." Chris said. He laid his rose gently in the water next. "Someday may I find you two girls alive again."

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming

Lucas took a step closer to the fountain and stared at the water, his eyes scared on what to do. Unlike the others, Lucas had loved no one before joining the family. He figured he should at least give the rose to his father as a sacrifice. "Hermes."
After Lucas had let go of her hand, Selene knew that she was going next after he had taken his turn. Clutching her rose tightly before letting go, she dipped it into the cold water. "Angela Morris." She said bitterly.

Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything seems like the movies
Selene glanced down at her wrists, the tiny scars hidden beneath her jacket.

Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive…

Next came up Connor and Travis, nobody questioning them as they both put their red roses in the water together. "Sandra Stoll." They whispered in unison.
And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
Lee was hesitant to go next but he worked up his own courage to do so. The blood colored flower in his hand covering the lemonade scent of his bracelet, Lee Fletcher did everything he could to not say the name with spite. "Leona Fletcher."

When everything's made to be broken,

As the last half blood to go, Ethan couldn't think about how much longer he could go on crying for his deceased father. "Timothy Nakamura." He said. Ethan carefully set his own rose in the water and let it float toward the others, the fountain's water now decorated in red flowers.

I just want you to know who I am.

Down on the ground sitting patiently, Eclipse whimpered with the last rose in his mouth. His yellow eyes were clouded in tears as well and as soon as that first teardrop went to hit the ground, Selene burst out sobbing as well.

"I don't want the world to see me /Cause I don't think that they'd understand." her tears may have been so strong but her voice was still just as melancholy. "When everything's made to be broken…/ I just want you to know who I am."

Brave and gentle Eclipse touched his nose to Selene's shin, looking up at his master with warm, hopeful eyes.

I just want you to know who I am.
Eclipse gave another low whimper as Selene looked down at him, their eyes moving on to a new understanding.

I just want you to know who I am.

Being as brave as a lonely half blood or demi goddess in despair, Eclipse padded up to the running fountain and dropped his rose among the others.
I just want you to know who I am.

The rose floated on top of the surface and gathered itself among all the other flowers, the group of them all making a make believe pool of red blood.
I just want you to know who I am.

And so, the family watched the roses the whole night, lost in deep thought as Valentine's Day seemed a thousand miles away. Tears were shed in every one of them, some more than others. Lucas didn't regret being the first one to clutch Selene's hand because when the new moon reflection shinned in the water, she gripped his first. Giving him a reassuring look, she sang again to everyone else.

"Je veux juste que vous sachiez qui je suis… I just want you to know who I am."