Heather swayed in her hammock, pushing herself lightly with one foot. Pollux sat on the floor near her, watching her with a worried frown.
"Do you want anything to eat?" he asked. Heather hadn't left the cabin for nearly two days, and the counsellor was becoming more concerned by the hour. Heather did not so much as look up when she gave a despondent "no." A quiet knock sounded at the door and Pollux rose to answer it, never letting his gaze leave his half-sister. Sighing, he opened the door and was surprised by who he saw waiting outside.
"Dad?" Pollux gasped. Heather froze where she laid.
"Hello, Pollux," Mr. D said. "Thought I would come by. The other 'heroes' in this camp have irritated me to my limit today."
Pollux stood aside to let his father in. Dionysus calmly entered the cabin, and-much to Heather's frustration-walked to her bunk. She turned away with a stony expression, and he calmly waited for acknowledgment. Pollux watched, his eyes flickering from one to the other with worry. Finally, he slipped out, letting them know he was just getting breakfast and would come back.
"The madness isn't permanent," the wine god said, breaking the silence. "You're not strong enough to do that yet. It should wear off by the end of the week, if not sooner."
"Thanks for the tip," Heather replied spiritlessly, her voice muffled into her pillow. "There's one thing off my conscience. You can go back to whatever you were doing before you butted into my personal life."
"I am your father," Mr. D argued. "Isn't it my job to help my children?"
"No," Heather snapped, standing up angrily. "Your job is to go around, making people drunk and throwing crazy parties. Your job is to stay aloof from the mortals and let them live their lives. Your job is to be faithful to your wife."
Heather attempted to stomp past him, but Mr. D caught her arm and held it tight. She tried to pull away, but he did not budge.
"Do you know what my job is?" Mr. D's eyes flashed purple as he stared into Heather's blue ones. "My job is to sire heroes. Its what the gods do: have demigod children to keep the mortal world safe. Adriane understands that. She's not jealous like Hera."
"Did you ever think that I don't want to be a demigod?" Heather asked, not flinching from the god's fierce gaze. "All I ever wanted was to be normal, and when I found out that I wasn't, I accepted it. But I never asked to be a hero. I don't want to save the world. I just want to live my life the way I was supposed to: go to school, to college, get married, have children of my own, raise them...but I don't get that life. I don't get it because you took a fancy to my mother and took advantage of her drinking problem. I don't want to be a hero, and I don't ever want to be your child!"
Mr. D's hold on her arm slackened, and she stalked away, shoulders stiff, her face stony.
"It's because I'm a god, isn't it?" he called after her. Heather hesitated at the cabin door, but did not answer, walking out into the sunlight. Mr. D sighed and followed her out.
Pollux stared after his half-sister helplessly as his father stood beside him. The pair watched her go, then looked at each other.
"This is going to take some work," Mr. D remarked.