So here it is, chapter two, as promised! This is short, for which I apologise, but I can only promise much more next week! Hope you're all enjoying the story :)
(also, it's my birthday tomorrow, and if I woke up to some more reviews that would make my day! Thanks!)

Chapter Two

The Americans lurked on my doorstep for the rest of the day. I had to stop John from physically removing them from the property; I wouldn't tell him or Alex what this was about and, while they got this – they each had a bundle of issues with their own mothers – it didn't mean they were ok with being in the dark. Alex had retreated to his room but he kept emerging with increasingly bizarre excuses for going downstairs. John sat at the foot of the stairs glaring at the door as if it had personally offended him. Subtlety did not run in my family.

I was watching through an upstairs window when the boy, Percy, who had been pacing up and down the front path for the past three hours or so, whirled to a stop, saying something angrily to the girl before reaching into his pocket and drawing a pen that instantly morphed into a sword.

Oh, hell no.

I was downstairs in an instant. The boy was on my front steps, clearly about to demand I open the door, when I stepped out. It threw him for a moment but not for long.

"You're coming with us!" He cried, voice tight with frustration.

I scowled at him and pressed forward, forcing him to stumble back down the steps. "Think again, munchkin; I have a life, friends, a family here and there's no way on earth I'm leaving that to join your little demigods-unite outreach program."

He waved his sword around a bit, as if he was used to resolving these sorts of confrontations with violence and didn't know how to handle it when his opponent was both female and unarmed. The girl put her hand on his arm, standing on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear and he frowned, but put away the sword.

"Helena, I understand your anger," She said, "it's natural to be upset-"

"Upset? Upset! Oh no, you misunderstand me. I'm not upset. I'm pissed. You both come here and just expect me to roll over and meekly agree to going with two strangers, both of which look like I should be the one looking after them! What are you, fifteen? And what kind of demigods travel this far without a protector, huh? Are you looking to get yourselves killed? So no, I don't think that I'll be going anywhere with you just at this moment, but thanks ever so for the opportunity."

"Percy's the son of Poseidon, I'm the daughter of Athena." I paused, my hand on the door knob. Despite myself, I was impressed. A son of the Big Three in the flesh?

"My, how interesting. Do your parents know about your tempestuous love affair?" They both flushed bright red. "It's very exciting and all, but what's your point?"

"We are more than capable of taking care of ourselves," The boy had his say now, looking confident again, "and you, if needs be. And we're nineteen."

I had been exaggerating about their youthful appearance; I had rightly thought they were my age or older at first sight. They seemed mature in some aspects, but very young in others. Clearly, like many other demigods, they were used to fending for themselves; making their own decisions about their own fates. But then the boy would look at the girl, suddenly unsure if what he was doing or saying was the right thing and she would smile reassuringly but the second he looked away, indecision splashed across her face. They had grown up before their time; another reason I had always been so set against going to demigod schools.

They had a few in the UK with very small numbers, seeing as the gods' were mainly focused on the Superpower of America, heaven help them. Heaven help them. Heh. Anyway, I'd been recommended for these since I turned eleven and met a baby hydra at an animal farm. The mother had been keeping her whole demented brood there anyway, something to do with a readily available source of food or something, but nobody would listen to me when I tried to explain they weren't there because of me. I've tried it all; furtive, but zealous, little bands run by middle-aged mothers of long-deceased demigods, the more violent, military-style action groups that met on weekends to go for twenty mile jogs, and the worst of all, the only coherent, organised demigod support England has to offer; Goodwill Academy.

The three weeks I spent at Goodwill Academy were the worst of my life. Me and about eight other children were forced into Classics lessons, learning the Latin our brains weren't hardwired for, the crazy Headmistress predicting the unity of the Greek and Roman demigods without realising it. We had lessons specific to our parents. I was taught to become a lady, in the most horrific, Downtown-esque way possible. Some girls are born to enjoy looking pretty and walking nicely and waltzing (for fuck's sake, actual, waltzing). I was not.

I broke out and hitchhiked from Surrey to Warwickshire and I hadn't considered banding together with other demigods since. Any and all attempts at organising demigods into something coherent were a bad idea. Sure, greater numbers, greater protection; I got that. But the fatal flaw in that plan; more demigods = more monsters. Simple maths. Goodwill had attacked regularly by any passing empousa. I was hardly ever attacked – I hadn't seen a monster, barring my stint at Goodwill, for four years – I was safer on my own. I'd always been safer by myself; there was no way I was going with demigods to get myself killed. That would destroy John and Alex; I couldn't do it to them.

That's when I heard the sirens. John must have looked out of the window and seen the boy waving his sword around, or whatever the Mist had warped it into. Either way, bye bye demigods.

"And I think that's your cue." I smiled; I'd been taught to be polite, after all. "Please to meet you etcetera, etcetera. Do give my regards to Aphrodite."

I watched confusion turn to comprehension, on the girl's face at least, as she grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him back down the driveway.

Thank god that was over.

McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseid on: Thank you for the review! Hope you enjoyed the new chapter :)