"Butch, wait up," Jade calls out to her brother.

Butch stops and watches her walk toward him. He figures by now word is out all over camp about his little situation and he knows his own sister Jade can be a bitch sometimes. He really doesn't want to deal with her.

"Butch is it true?" Jade asks actually showing concern.

"Is what true?" he asks not wanting to volunteer anything she doesn't know.

"That you and Drew broke up," she says.

"Yes it's true," he says.

"Are you doing okay, I mean whose idea was it to split?" she asks.

"I guess you'd say it was mine," he tells her.

"I know I'm not your favorite sister, and you don't have to tell me what happened, but you are my big brother and I love you. Drew is one of my best friends. I was hoping the two of you would work out. After Mom made me go home last summer, Drew was the only person from camp that would talk to me. At first she was upset like I was, blaming everyone else. When she started dating you though, she changed and she got me to see that if I changed and was nicer to people, everything would be better. People could actually love me. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. The two of you were good for each other."

"She didn't tell you why we broke up?" he asks finding that hard to believe.

"Not really, she just said something happened that you couldn't accept. She said it was her fault and she guessed you didn't really love her like she thought," Jade tells him.

"Thanks for your concern," he tells his sister. Jade stands looking at him. He can tell she doesn't really know what else to say. "I don't want to talk about it right now. It's not anything personal against you. I don't want to talk to Crystal or anybody. You've changed Jade, become a way better person. If Drew helped you do that, that's great. I hope that when this all comes out, and it will, that you won't take sides. I'd hate to see you or even Drew go back to the way you were before."

"You'll always be my big brother," Jade says then gives Butch a hug.

"Thanks for letting me know you care," her brother says then kisses her forehead.


Nico is lying on the floor in cabin 13 with his son asleep on his chest. When Thalatta snaps a picture, he glances over at her. "You could have warned me," he says with a grin.

"Then it wouldn't have been this adorable," she says getting down on the floor next to them and showing her husband the picture.

"Is your father still coming over?" Nico asks.

"Yes, he should be here very soon," she tells him.

"Did he ever say what this was about?" he asks.

"Only that it had something to do with my grandfather and Haiti," she explains.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see then," Nico says the pulls her face to his and kisses her. Thalatta cuddles in next to her two men and they wait. When her father arrives, they have all dozed off and do not hear him knock, so Palaemon lets himself into the cabin. He doesn't have the heart to wake them up as they make such a sweet picture. He uses his daughter's camera and takes a picture of them then sits back and watches them for a few minutes. Nico is the one that wakes first.

"Dad, sorry, we must have fallen asleep," he says a little embarrassed.

"Don't be sorry, I was enjoying the sight. You make my baby very happy Nico. I could not ask for a better son-in-law," Palaemon tells him proudly.

"Babe, you're dad is here," Nico whispers to his wife.

"Daddy," she says looking over and finding her father sitting on the sofa watching them. She then sits up and gives him a hug. "How's come you look grown?" she asks since he usually looks like he's about eight.

"I thought it more appropriate for the matter," he explains then caresses her face. The look in his eyes is so caring that she can tell something is bothering him.

"What is it, what's wrong?" she asks.

"Nothing is wrong my beautiful Thalatta. No matter the outcome of what I have to tell you, you need not do anything that would change your world."

"That sounds a little ominous," Nico says.

"Your grandfather is ill," Palaemon says. "He reached out to me asking of your survival."

"Did you tell him I survived?" Thalatta asks thinking that since he killed her mother and threw her into the ocean he doesn't really deserve to know.

"I explained that you did indeed survive through the grace of the gods, but that at the moment your tiny feet touched the water, he no longer had any right to claim you as his grandchild," her father explains.

"Is he claiming that he all of a sudden cares?" she asks.

"I don't know if he cares or if it is his people. With your mother's death and your disappearance, there is no one to take over when your grandfather dies. While the position means nothing in the governing of the country, those who remain loyal to your family wish to continue the line. You then young Attisain are next in line for the throne," he tells her.

"I don't want the throne," Thalatta says. "I don't want to be a Haitian princess."

"I think you would actually be the queen," Nico tells her.

"That's even worse," she says reaching for Attisain. "My place is here. I'm a mommy and a wife. I help those lost at sea. That's all I am father. I am Thalatta daughter of Palaemon, granddaughter of Leukothea, a loyal subject of Lord Poseidon."

"Don't forget daughter-in-law of Lord Hades," Nico says softly.

"I am Greek father. I wish to lay no claim to Haiti," she insists.

"I understand, and it is not my wish to change your mind in anyway, but you are your mother's daughter. Your mother understood her place but chose you over her country. She paid for that choice with her life. I don't want you to make a decision without thinking what it could mean in restoring your mother's honor to her people," her father tells her.

"They never deserved my mother," Thalatta says angry about never getting to know her mom.

"Your grandfather did not deserve your mother. It was not the people who killed her because she fell in love with me and had you. That was him," Palaemon reminds her.

"Daddy, I cannot do this," she says as tears come to her eyes. "I was not raised to be a queen."

"I understand," her father says then kisses her.

"Are you upset with me?" she asks softly. "Do you think I'm letting Mom down?"

"No, she would never expect this of you. Your mother was a free spirit. I supposed that is what allowed her to fall in love with me. She would want you to follow your heart above everything else. She would love Nico and Attisain. She would understand that your place is here where you are truly loved."

"Thank you for understanding Daddy," she says giving him a hug.

"I love you my beautiful daughter. Nothing you could ever do would change that. Now may I hold my grandson since he is waking?" her father asks. Thalatta places her son in his arms then smiles and grabs her camera.


"Connor, how you surviving alone this summer?" Percy asks catching up with the son of Hermes on his way to practice.

"I'm not alone," Conner says.

"You know what I mean, without Travis," Percy tells him.

"I am capable of managing on my own," Conner says looking down at his feet, "But I do miss him."

"I was messaging with Reyna a couple of days ago, just to get an update on Camp Jupiter and Willow, and she said Travis and Katie were getting along very well. Katie says Travis is even acting like a grown up now," Percy says with a chuckle.

"Are you saying I'm not?" Connor asks.

"No, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that you've still got Tate, Chris and some others here that will pull a good prank with you."

"I guess," Connor says then glances toward the arena. He spots a man in a brown delivery suit standing at the entrance. "Good lords, what have I done now," he says recognizing his father.

"I think he might be here to talk with me, but come on," Percy says and both guys take off trotting toward Hermes.

"Dad," Connor says hoping he isn't about to get into trouble.

"Hello son," Hermes says with a grin. "Percy, I came as soon as I could when I got your message from Iris."

"Thank you Lord Hermes," Percy says.

"Connor your mother says you aren't calling home often enough," Hermes continues now looking at his son again.

"I call her every couple of days," Connor insists.

"Yes, well maybe she was referring to your brother," the god says.

"Ssshe sssaid Travisss," Martha insists, "You know, the one at Camp Jupiter."

"The one who'ssss too busssy with that cute girl to call home to mommy," George adds.

"Alright fine, so I made a mistake. Everyone is allowed a first time," Hermes tells his phone.

"Firssst time?" George says and to Percy it sounds like there was a chuckle. Can snakes chuckle he wonders.

"Dad, do you think I play around too much?" Connor now asks his dad.

"Is that possible," Hermes says with a chuckle. "To play round too much, I mean. Life can't be all about work. Lords know I spend far too much time working. When you get a chance to play, you have to go for it. You finished school, you maintain your battle skills, if I never told you, I was proud of how you carried yourself during TWII…"

"TWII?" Connor asks.

"Titan War II," his father explains.

"Oh."

"I know that you will always stand up for me. It might be about time you started to notice the young ladies, but that doesn't mean you ever have to stop playing around," his father continues.

"Thanks Dad," Connor says then gives Hermes a hug. "I'll leave you alone to talk with Percy then."

"Connor," his dad calls out as the boy starts to walk away.

"Yeah Dad."

"I love you."

"That was really sweet," Percy says to Hermes after a shocked Connor enters the arena.

"Well you know, I don't want to lose any more. So tell me, what can I help you with?" Hermes asks.

"I don't really know how to start," Percy says a little nervously. "Annabeth and I, we started trying to get pregnant."

"I see," Hermes says with a grin. "Want a little help with that do you?"

"No, actually we don't want any help with that," Percy says. "It's just that we kind of figured that it would happen right away, like with everyone else around here, but it hasn't. Annabeth, well we actually, were just a little concerned that something might have happened to us when we were in, you know, Tartarus that is preventing it."

"I'm not really a fertility specialist, but…" Hermes starts.

"Actually we were thinking about your son or daughter or…"

"You mean Hermaphroditos," Hermes asks.

"Yes, see we don't want anyone to just make us pregnant. We really want to do it on our own, but we would just feel better knowing nothing is wrong. We thought that maybe Hermaphroditos would be able to check us both out and make sure," Percy explains.

"Ssshe'sss sssuch a sssweet boy," Martha chimes in, "He would be perfect for that."

"Little confusssed if you ask me," George adds.

"No ssshe'sss not," Martha scolds. "He'sss got it all figured out."

"I think my boy would be honored that you asked for him," Hermes says.

"He won't be like his mom and just make it so we're pregnant will he?" Percy asks.

"Not if you don't want that. He will be able to tell you if there is a problem and probably even fix it if there is, but if you want to leave conception in your own bodies, he'll do that," the god assures him.

"That's exactly what we want. Thank you Lord Hermes," Percy says offering his hand.

"Now don't be shocked when he shows up and looks exactly like Aphrodite," Hermes says with a smile.

"We understand," Percy says then heads into the arena for practice.


Piper is just finishing up her pre-inspection review of the Aphrodite cabin. Even though she lives in Hera's cabin, she is still the counselor for her mom's cabin and always makes sure they will pass inspection. Mitchell is sitting on the edge of his bed waiting to be dismissed when she spots him.

"Mitchell, can we talk?" she asks taking a seat next to him.

"Sure Piper, is something wrong with my area?"

"Of course not, I like your hair by the way," she says with a smile.

"Mom did that to me," he says running his hand through it again but unable to undo it.

"Mom stopped by last night before she went home," Piper starts.

Mitchell is sure their mom must have told his sister what they talked about, but he just looks at her not saying anything.

"She told me you were going through some stuff and to be there for you if you needed a big sister," Piper continues.

"She didn't tell you what I was going through?" he asks.

"No, Mom would never betray your confidence like that, and you don't have to tell me what it is. I want you to know that if I can help, or even if you just need somebody to talk to, I'm here for you," she tells him.

"Thanks Piper," he says giving her a hug. "I do want to talk to you about it when I get it figured out in my head."

"I'll be here for you," she says kissing his forehead.


Drew comes from the restroom close to the arena wiping her face. A couple of other girls, one from Athena's cabin and one from Hermes', are giggling and whispering as they walk past her. "What!" she snaps at them, "Haven't you ever seen anybody get sick before?" The girls don't answer and run on ahead. Drew suddenly feels the urge to vomit again and runs back to the toilet.

"It's okay," a voice says then someone is holding up her hair.

"It's not okay," Drew cries and sits down on the bathroom floor to sob.

Annabeth kneels on the floor in front of her. "Are you pregnant?" she asks softly. Drew nods her head. "Should I get Butch for you?"

"He doesn't want me or the baby," she sobs.

"Should I get Piper?" Annabeth asks.

"It's my problem," Drew insists and tries to get herself together.

"You don't have to do this alone," Annabeth tells her.

"Annabeth, I've messed up so badly. I was stupid and I messed up and I am alone. Nobody likes me and now I'm having a baby and nobody will like it either," Drew says sadly.

"That's not true," the daughter of Athena assures her. "You've made changes in your life that many people here respect, including me. You don't have to do this alone."

Drew looks up at Annabeth not sure she's actually hearing her right. "You're still family Drew," Annabeth continues, "Now do you feel like you can stand?" Drew nods her head, so Annabeth helps her to her feet. "Let me help you back to your cabin. You should rest."

"Thank you Annabeth. I know I don't deserve this," Drew says taking Annabeth's arm.