"Give it back!"

"No!"

"I had first!"

"It mine!"

"Mommy said share!"

"Grandma gave to me!"

"Please, stop fighting, or I will have to put it away and neither of you will get to play with it," Annabeth tells her children who are fighting over a helmet.

"Make her give back, Mommy," Sani cries.

"Bring it to me," Annabeth says holding her hand out for the helmet.

"But..."

Annabeth flips her fingers in a give it here motion and Sophia grudgingly walks the helmet over and places it in her hand. "You sit here," she motions to her daughter putting her on the sofa to her left. "Now, you sit here," she continues putting her son on her right.

"What..." Sani starts to say something when Mommy puts her finger to her lips then sighs. Anubis trudges over and lays at Annabeth's feet pushing up against them. She lifts them up and the dog rolls under them like a footstool. She puts her head against the back of the sofa and closes her eyes.

Sophia leans out and sticks her tongue out at her little brother. When he sees her, he does the same thing.

Without opening her eyes, Mommy says, "You're only making it worse for yourselves." Sophia sits back and crosses her arms over her little chest while Sani kicks his feet on the cushion. "Such a good dog, Anubis," Annabeth says softly recognizing the best of her children.

When Percy enters the cabin about twenty minutes later, both Sophia and Sani are sitting with their heads resting against their mommy's sides. Except for the sound of Anubis breathing, the cabin is silent. "Where's your phone? I gotta get a picture of this," he says standing in front of his family.

"It's on my desk, but they're in time out," his wife says staying exactly the way she is right down to the closed eyes.

"Ut oh, what did you do now?" he asks the kids.

"I was playing with the helmet, and Sophia knock me down and take it..."

"Took it," Mommy corrects.

"Took it and..."

"It mine. I told you not to play with it," his sister jumps in and cuts him off.

Annabeth looks up at Percy, and her eyes scream how do we stop this fighting?

Percy takes the helmet and puts it up on a high shelf then he does the same thing with both of their sets of armor. Finally, he grabs a chair and pulls it up on the other side of Anubis. "Now, we've talked about the two of you fighting with each other all the time."

"Sorry, Daddy," Sani says.

"Sorry only works the first time," Percy says remembering what his mom used to tell him.

"We not really mad," Sophia now says.

"If you're not mad at each other, then why do you keep fighting with each other?" Daddy asks.

Sophia looks at Sani, and he looks at her then they both shrug their shoulders.

"Are you just trying to get attention?" Mommy asks.

"Get attention now," Sani says.

"What do you mean?" Percy asks.

"Before baby," he says patting his mommy's belly.

"You think we won't pay any attention to you when the baby gets here?" Annabeth asks not really wanting to hear that her own children would think that.

"What makes you think we would stop paying attention to the two of you? You're our babies," Daddy tells them putting a hand on each of their legs.

"Sophia, did we stop paying attention to you when Sani came along?" her Mommy asks.

"No," she answers truthfully, "but..."

"But what?"

"I not come from you belly," Sani answers for his sister.

"So both of you think that because we were blessed to be given both of you and didn't create you ourselves like the baby that we won't want you anymore?" Daddy asks.

"Might still want," Sophia says, "but not same."

"You listen to me, both of you," Annabeth says taking their hands and trying to look at both of them at the same time. "Daddy and I love both of you just as if you were from my belly. Nothing could ever change that. We're going to love the new baby too, but not any more or less than we love both of you."

"Mommy's right. You are our big girl and a our big boy. When the new baby gets here, it will need more care. Sophia you remember when we first got Sani, and he was too little to do anything," Percy reminds her.

"Tiny and crying," Sophia remembers.

"The new baby will be like that too, but it won't grow up fast like Sani. He was just special that way. Still you to are our babies too. We'll still be a family just like we are now. It's just that there will be five of us," Annabeth says.

"Seven," Sani corrects. "Not forget Nubis and Mrs. O'Leary."

"You're right. Seven," Percy says with a smile.

"Come here you too," Annabeth says getting each of them to stand on the sofa so she can put her arms around them. "We love you so much. We don't want to spend time punishing the two of you for fighting just because you want attention. We want to spend time playing with you and snuggling with you because you're good."

"You too tired to play sometimes, Mommy," Sophia tells her.

"The baby makes Mommy a little tired right now, but it won't always be that way," Daddy tells them moving over to the sofa and putting his arms around all of them.

"Maybe we spend too much time training and handling camp stuff. Maybe we should go someplace, just the four of us so we can rest and play," Annabeth suggests.

"It's too cold for the cabin at the beach right now," Percy says.

"I have an idea, but you might think it's crazy," Annabeth says. Percy looks at her waiting for her to explain. "What if we went to the Triple G Ranch? We've stayed in touch with Eurytion. He's got the place turned around. I bet he'd love the company, and the kids would love the animals."

"We'd have to contact him. Make sure it's okay with him," Percy agrees.

"Would you like that?" Annabeth asks the kids.

"Yeah!" they both shout jumping up and down and clapping.

"Can Nubis and Mrs. O'Leary come?" Sophia asks.

"I'll asks," Daddy promises kissing her cheek.

"What are you doing?" Iris asks her oldest.

"Putting powder on her," Butch answers.

"You do realize that the bottle is not a onetime use. She's not supposed to be white as snow when you finish," his mom says taking the bottle from his hand.

"I don't want her to chafe," he says.

"Chafe?" Iris asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Aphrodite said that since she's a girl she has really delicate skin and..."

"Aphrodite," his mom says shaking her head and lifting her naked granddaughter into her arms. "That goddess wouldn't know chaffing if it bit her on the butt. She's never let her skin touch anything less than pure silk."

"So she doesn't need powder?"

"She needs powder but just a little bit," his mom says blowing on her to get some of the powder off.

"I'm trying," Butch says.

"I know you are, and you are doing a wonderful job. You're a good daddy. Just a little less powder and stop listening to Aphrodite," his mom suggests.

"You're back," Leo says running into Frank and Hazel as they sit together on a bench at the lake.

"Just a little bit ago," Hazel says standing and giving him a hug.

"How was the death summit?" he asks with a chuckle.

"We didn't do a whole lot, since we don't really have any death skills," Frank says. "But we met a lot of interesting people."

"I bet," Leo says.

"How's Crystal?" Hazel asks.

"Anxious," he answers. "And excited. The more time she spends with her brother's baby the more she wants ours to get here."

"And to think, you guys were mad when Hera made you pregnant," Frank says with a grin.

"Just be glad Juno doesn't butt into your life, grandson," Leo tells him. "Hey, when's the wedding?"

"We haven't set a date, but I think everyone at Camp Jupiter will be mad at us if we don't get married there," Hazel tells him.

"Well, Crystal and I want to be there, so just plan a little recovery time, and, uh, I promise not the blow the place up this time," he chuckles then takes off toward his own little cabin he shares with his wife.

When Leo enters, he hears his wife talking to her father and figures it must be their bi-weekly father/daughter IM.

"He just figured it out I guess," Andy is saying when Leo walks up and kisses Crystal's cheek.

"Did he seem mad?" Crystal asks her dad.

"Zeus always seems mad," her dad laughs.

"But I mean did the threaten you or anything?"

"What's going on now?" Leo asks getting concerned.

"Zeus jumped Dad's case today because he just realized that he's got three kids with three different goddesses and can't believe a half-blood has the nerve," she explains.

"But your an immortal now," Leo points out.

"I might be immortal now, but I'll always be a half-blood. You know Zeus can't stand it when one of us does something godly," Andy says with another chuckle.

"You didn't answer my question," Crystal points out, "about threatening you."

"He just told me that I'd better not have any more unless they're with Nike. Which he's already warned me before not to ever hurt her. He's still way over protective, and she's not even his daughter," Andy explains. "You don't have to worry about me. You know how much I love my wife. I don't plan to ever be with anything but her ever again," her dad assures her.

"How are my sisters?" his daughter asks.

"All good. Azure has started lessons with the Muses and Andreana is pulling herself up on the furniture now," her dad says with a proud smile.

"I'm glad Zeus isn't really mad," Crystal says.

"Me too. Wouldn't want to spend eternity as a monkey or something," he laughs. "I'll let you go, so you can spend the evening with your husband."

"Goodnight Dad. We love you guys," his daughter says.

"Tell Nike we said hi," Leo adds as he puts his arms around his wife.

"I will," Andy says then runs his hand through the image to end the message.

"I worry about him living on Mount Olympus sometimes," Crystal says turning to face him and forcing his arms out farther to accommodate her large belly.

"You're dad can take care of himself," Leo says. "Besides, Zeus won't ever do anything to tick Nike off. She's his good luck charm."

"I guess you're right," she agrees.

"How about we go in the bedroom and I rub your back," he offers.

"You're too good to me," she smiles then follows him.

"You're totally sure it won't be a problem?" Percy says looking at the image of the son of Ares.

"We would love the company," Eurytion says. "So would Orthrus. Mrs. O'Leary has been here before with Daedalus. He likes her. I'm sure he'll do fine with her pup."

"Her pup is also a son of Cerberus," Percy points out.

"Don't worry, Orthrus is a pussy cat," Eurytion continues.

"Okay, well I guess we'll see you tomorrow then," Percy says feeling relieved that it worked out and he doesn't have to tell the kids they can't go.

"I'll let the horses know you're coming," the son of Ares says with a laugh.

"Bath time," Percy laughs.

"You ready," Sherman asks stepping inside the Hephaestus cabin door.

"Yes," Nyssa says grabbing her jacket and heading toward him.

"You two have fun," Jake says with smile. Sherman smiles back but doesn't say anything.

"What's the blanket for," she asks noticing it over his shoulder.

"I thought we might want to stop in the woods and sit for a while," he says casually.

"I know a good spot," she says taking his hand and leading him.

They don't talk much as they walk. An occasional comment about their day is all either of them says until they get to the spot Nyssa had in mind. Sherman spreads the blanket and they both sit down. "You know," Sherman starts, "This is our third date."

"If you can call them dates," she smiles.

"I was thinking we should take it to next level," he says then kisses her.

"What do you mean?"

"You know," he says kissing her again this time on her neck. He continues to kiss her eventually lying her back on the blanket.

"I don't..." she starts to say, but he kisses her so she can't finish her sentence. She doesn't really put up a fuss until he tries to slide his hand under her shirt. "Sherman! What are you doing?" she says grabbing his hand to stop him.

"Come on Nyssa," he says, "you know you like me."

"That doesn't mean I'm ready for what you're trying to do," she tells him.

"You're not a little girl," he snaps.

"So."

"Why else would we be going out if we weren't leading up to this?" he asks.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe to have a good time," she answers.

"That's what I'm trying to do," he says trying to kisser her again.

"Sherman, I'm not ready for that right now. I don't even know how serious about me you are yet," she explains.

"Why do we have to be serious?"

"So you're not serious? You just want to get laid?"

"Not just," he answers.

"Maybe I should just go home," she says starting to get up.

"Don't be that way," he says grabbing her arm.

"Let go," she snaps.

"Nyssa, stay," he says sharply.

"Let go before you get hurt," she says again.

"Me get hurt?" he laughs.

"Sherman, don't do this to us," she continues a little softer this time.

"What us?" he says, "You don't seem to want there to be an us."

"Just because I'm not ready for sex," she says. "Doesn't mean I don't want there to be an us."

"Just go home," he says now letting go of her arm and shoving it away from him. "Run back to your brothers."

"I don't need to run to anyone. I can take care of myself. Ohhhh, I can't believe I liked you," she says angrily.

"Yeah, well, I can't believe I liked you," he snaps.

"You're just like your dad. Everything has to be about what you want," she says as she turns to go.

"What's wrong with that?" he says. "At least my dad isn't alone like yours."

"You're a jerk," she says then storms off.

"Gods," Sherman says pounding his fists into the ground in frustration.