Hey, sorry this has took so long. School exams and my new found obsession with the Vampire Diaries are to blame.

I have to go and do the washing up so this will have to be a quick A/N

I hope you like it.

Dedication: Luna Jackson

Baby Sitting

Thalia POV

25 minutes after Grover and I arrived at the pool house Percy finally climbed out of the water.

"Calmed down?" I asked. He sure should have after half an hour of nonstop swimming even faster than his usual, un-naturally fast, pace.

"Nope! I still can't stand still and I really should be out of breath after all that. But at least I can control it now. Maybe it's a good thing, I mean we know Nico will give us the run around and you won't go after him,2 he was talking fast but not so bad that I couldn't understand him, not quite. I just hope that he isn't as annoying as he used to be when on a performance rush.

"Come on, the concert is more or less over, we might as well get our stuff before every one comes out of classes," I proposed.

They all nodded their agreement and we dawdled back to our lockers.

Percy POV

We got to the lockers and the bell went just as we opened them. We quickly grabbed what we needed, including Grover's arms, and made a mad dash for the door and marginally escaped the tidal wave of teens and tweens and carried Grover out of the building with milliseconds to spare.

"Okay," Annabeth started, "Please tell me it's not always like that. It's just a first day excitement thing right?"

"I'm afraid it is," Grover sighed, he normally waits in his classroom until the halls have been deserted.

"You'll get used to it," I told a very worried looking Annabeth with a small smile. I realised afterwards that I was still talking at 90mph. Annabeth looked blank so Thalia translated before turning to me.

"Come on, we only have 10 minutes," my cousin tugged at my arm before running off down the street.

"But Thalia!" I stopped there knowing she wouldn't listen to me. As she got further away I called, "I'll catch up!"

"I gotta go Percy, birthday party at the home tomorrow, I need to get a present," Grover explained.

"Oh yeah. It's Tyson's seventh isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"I've got his present at home, text me in the morning and remind me to bring it will you?" I requested.

"Sure," he smiled. I noticed Annabeth still standing there, and looking slightly awkward.

"Thanks. Later G-man," he nodded and walked away. I turned to Annabeth, "So how'd you like Goode?"

"So far so good, but I haven't really spoken to anyone but you three," she answered with a shrug.

"You'll make friends, don't worry," I assured her. "Well I'd better catch up with Thall; I've got somewhere to be and she's tagging along. See you tomorrow," I smiled.

"Bye," she replied and I turned to walk away. "Percy!"

I turned back and saw her face was tinted pink with embarrassment.

"You couldn't tell me how I get to the elementary school could you?"

I smiled, partly at the coincidence and partly because of her embarrassment (she's so cute when she's embarrassed), "I'm heading there to pick my little cousins up. Come on."

She smiled and fell into step beside me.

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and hit speed dial 2.

After a couple of rings a familiarly demanding voice sounded, "What?!? Where are you? They'll think you've forgotten them Percy!"

"Thall! If you would just shut up for a minute! Nico and Bianca go to the Hang Out. We have half an hour so I'll meet you at the cafe across the road," I told her. She would now this if she ever paid attention to where we are going.

"Okay, see you. And can you at least try to talk slower," she hung up and I slipped the phone back into my pocket shaking my head.

"So what are you going to miniature Goode for Annabeth?"

"I have to pick my little brothers up from some club my mom signed them up for."

I coughed a laugh, "Well there is only one club that starts on the first day back. The Hang Out."

"What's the hang out?"

"It's kind of like a youth club for younger kids. For the parents that can't get to the school straight away. Like, youth club meets day care."

"So if your cousins go to the Hang Out why do you have to pick them up?"

"I don't always. Bianca and Nico go because they like it, not because Uncle H. can't pick them up." I realised I hadn't really answered her question and continued, "There are bored meetings this afternoon. The go on longer than the meetings other companies have. The meeting started at two and probably won't finish 'til six."

"Why the Hades does it take so long?!" Annabeth asked in shock. I smiled at her curse but didn't comment, just answered the question.

"Think about it Annabeth. The board is made up of three brothers who rarely agree on anything, two sisters who try and fail to calm the aforementioned brothers down when they start arguing but end up just getting dragged into the argument, and then about four other businessmen who don't want to get on the wrong side of any of the five people who not only own half of the city but are also at the President's ear. So naturally they stay quiet. And then you think about how many businesses the family owns, so how many issues they have to discuss and then they disagree on then and it goes round in one big cycle."

"Wow! I think that would have made my head spin even if it was explained at less than 90mph!" Annabeth laughed and I laughed with her. After that we just dawdled and I pointed out where a few things were, kind of like the tour of the school, except this time we were both making jokes.

"And this is The Five Ring Cafe. I usually hang out here when I'm on pick up duty and sometimes when I'm bored on the weekends. They do the best milkshakes in the state," I assured her.

"How do you know?" Annabeth asked with a smirk, "I mean, have you been to every milkshake bare in the state?" she looked triumphant but I just had to ruin that, I just had to see the look when I told her.

"Umm, all but one. A new drinks bar opened just outside the city a few days ago. I'm going down to check it out this weekend," I said matter of factly. As I pulled the door open and held it gesturing for Annabeth to go through.

"Yeah okay," she laughed as I bit back the smile that was struggling to wait just that little bit longer. Annabeth look at me and her sarcasm vanished when she saw I was serious. "Seriously? How do you manage to go to every one of them?" she asked amazed.

"One of the journalists for one of the magazines the company owns needed a pioneer for an artical she was doing for kids' favourite drinks. Since then every time a new place opens I go to see if they can beat my local. If it's far away I make a day of it with Thall and Grover." I shrugged.

"Well if you can why not?"

"You could come this weekend if you want."

"I don't know, I'd have to ask my parents. Maybe," she was stumbling over her words and I wasn't sure why.

By this time we had gotten to the counter.

"Mr. Olympia!" the Julie the waitress exclaimed with a smile. Julie was about fifty and had worked here since Dad opened this place, like, twenty years ago. She's known me all my life and used to get me from the club if Mom or Dad was running late, "I barely saw you all summer. I was getting worried about you."

"Oh no need to worry Julie, me and Dad went to the beach house with Triton for the whole of July while Mom and Paul were on their Honeymoon and then I spent a lot of time with them." I told her smiling.

"Aw you're such a good boy Mr. Olympia. How I miss the days when you used to come in here for your birthday tea parties," she pondered.

"Yeah, there were photographers desperate to get pictures of the rich kid's party even when I was six," muttered slightly bitterly.

Julie chuckled, "Who's your friend?"

"This is Annabeth, she just moved here. Annabeth this is Julie, my favourite waitress since I was five."

"Oh, Mr. Olympia, you're too sweet. How you haven't been snapped up by a nice girl yet I don't know. Nice to meet you Annabeth."

"You too," Annabeth smiled.

"Julie, you've known me since I was five years old, can you please drop the 'Mr. Olympia' now?" I pleaded.

"I'll try, but in my day you were formal to the boss no matter how old he was."

"Ah but I'm not the boss," I pointed out.

"Yet. Tell you what Percy as I missed you on your birthday this year I'll bring you, Annabeth and your cousins some cake and ice-cream, on me."

"You don't have to; you know I have the money for it."

"It's a birthday present. No go sit down."

I nodded and thanked her before leading Annabeth to my usual table where Thalia was sitting.

"Hey Thall."

"Hi Thalia."

"Hey guys. I see you got the intro to the doting waitress," Thalia said to Annabeth nodding towards Julie.

"Yeah. She seems nice," Annabeth noted.

"Hmm," was Thalia could come up with.

"Don't be so stuck up Thall. She's bringing a load of free cake ice-cream and milkshake for us and she's never been anything but nice to you," I lectured my cousin.

"Yeah I know, I just think it's weird the way she dotes on you Percy."

"Speaking of doting on me, hide me!" I squealed in a whisper as I saw the cousin I avoid as much as possible out of the window. Thalia and Annabeth both looked up and I dived down to hid under the table in the next booth just before the tall sixteen year old with glossy chestnut hair curling over her shoulder and bright blue eyes shining. As much as I hate to admit it, she is gorgeous. Not in a I-want-to-date-her way, that would just be sick, just in a way that I noticed she was good looking, but in my opinion that depended too much on all the designer products and clothes she had.

"Thalia!" she called with fake kindness.

"Aphrodite," Thalia huffed.

"Thalia's friend," Aphrodite barely glanced at Annabeth, which for some reason angered me. "Thalli sweetie, do you know where our adorable little Percy is? I saw an amazing shirt that would look incredible on him and I simply have to find him so he can try it on," I grimaced. Please oh please Thalia for once come up with a decent excuse for me.

"Okay, first off my name is Thalia NOT Thalli!!" she growled at her older sister.

"Oh whatever. You know you love it really. Besides why don't you talk like that when Percy calls to Thall or Thalli? Anyway, do you know where he is?"

"At his mom's place. He hasn't seen her since the party and she wanted to talk to him about something," Thalia shrugged, "Now if you don't mind I was in the middle of a convocation with Annabeth."

"Fine," the cosmetic queen pouted, "tell him I was asking after him. See you later," she blew a kiss and turned on her four inch stilettos to walk out of the little cafe.

"Not if I can help it," Thalia muttered.

"I heard that," Aphrodite called in a sing song voice as she clacked out of the door.

I waited a few seconds before emerging from my hiding place.

"Thank you so much Thall, I owe you one," I told my cousin.

"You bet you do," she replied evilly.

Just then Julie came over with a tray in each hand, both were piled high, "Here you go sweeties. Mr. Ol-" she stopped there seeing my look and corrected herself, "Percy are you in a play or something?"

"No, why?"

"Oh it's just that you're talking fast and can't seem to sit still," she raised her eyebrows at me.

"Thalia? Why don't you explain?" I smiled sweetly at Thalia.

"I merely suggest6ed that Percy sing a few songs for our grade," she explained innocently.

"Oh my," Julie chuckled, "Maybe I shouldn't have brought so much sugar over."

"Don't worry, I'm sure Nico will polish it off before I even get a look in," I smiled and nodded towards Nico and Bianca crossing the road next to a pair of mousy brown haired twins.

"Oh dear, I'll warn the cleaner," Julie laughed as she went back to the counter and the door opened for the four kids to come and join us.

"Percy!" Nico yelled and ran up to me, "Is any of that for me?" he asked hopefully.

"Well hello to you Nico, hey Bianca. Good day at school?" I asked purposely ignoring his question.

"It was fun actually," Bianca told me as she flopped into the seat next to Thalia, "There's this new girl called Phoebe, she is so cool and guess what, she had a medal for archery at this medieval summer camp she went to, how cool is that?"

"Awesome. Guys this is Annabeth, she's new to. Annabeth my cousins Nico and Bianca," I gestured to them in turn. "Nico who are your friends?" I asked looking at the identical boys behind him.

It wasn't Nico who answered though, "They would be my little brothers, Matt's in blue, Bobby in green."

"Hi," They said simultaneously before turning to their sister.

"Hey Annabeth," Matt started.

"Guess what," Bobby continued.

"Nico," Matt

"Who is really fun by the way," Bobby

"Taught us this awesome game!" Matt

"Mythomagic!" Bobby.

"He's the best he even gave us some of his trading cards!" both.

"Do they ever talk normally?" Thalia asked Annabeth.

"Only when they are ill and on the three time in their lives that they have been apart," she sighed, "Well I hope you said thanks. This is Percy and Thalia."

"Percy, you didn't answer my question," Nico stated with puppy dog eyes. I laughed at him.

"Hang on, I'll answer once I've called your Dad." I took my cell out of my pocket and dailed the number for uncle Hades' PA.

"Hello, Olympia Industries, this is Mr Hades Olympia's PA, Margret speaking. How can I help?" the familiar and polite voice answered.

"Hi, this is Percy Olympia-Jackson. How safe is it for me to talk to Uncle Hades at the moment?" I asked.

"Well Mr Olympia-Jackson your uncle and father have just agreed on something so I'd say that it is safe so long as your call is expected, is it?" she inquired.

"Well I normally call when I have the kids so he shouldn't be too shocked."

"Just a moment then," I heard her walk into the office and say, "excuse me but there, is a call for you sir. Your nephew regarding your children?"

"Hello Percy?" Hades spoke into the phone.

"Hi, I was just wondering if you knew how long the meeting will be lasting. When will Nico and Bianca need to be back?"

"Well Zeus has a whole book of things to talk about so I think it might be a while. Do you have much money on you?"

"Yeah plenty," I replied knowing what was coming next.

"Then could you keep them occupied and get them some dinner. I will pick them up from your father's when the meeting is finished and pay what I owe you yes?"

"Sounds good. Later Uncle H. And good luck with Uncle Z." with that he hung up.

"Okay, so Annabeth, would you and your brothers like to stay and help get rid of this lot?" I offered gesturing to the trays in front of us.

"Please Annabeth?" they asked.

"Sure why not," she answered with a grateful smile.

"Well in that case, one cake and one ice cream each. Then we can go somewhere to burn off the energy," I told them and everyone started to dig in.

"Percy? Can I choose where we go?" Nico asked around a mouthful of cake.

"We can go anywhere, any of you want – within reason. There are only two conditions," every face at the table turned to me. "I pay and Bianca has to act like a kid, not a mother."

They all nodded agreement and there was utter silence while everyone ate.

"All done?" I asked five minutes later.

"Yeah."

"Yup."

"Yep."

"Ah-hah."

"Yarp."

"Good. Now you lot decide where you want to go while I convince Julie to let me pay. Annabeth, you and your brothers are invited too," I smiled and walked towards the counter.

"Mr Olympia I am not accepting any money. That was my present to you," Julie said before I could even open my mouth.

"Well as we're back to 'Mr Olympia' I order you, as your future boss, to accept this money," I tried.

"Nice try kiddo, but I'm not taking that," she smiled. I sighed, if there was one thing I knew about Julie she was stubborn.

"Hey Kenny!" I called to the waiter in his twenties who was walking behind her.

"'sup little O?" he asked giving me a high five.

"Ah same old, same old. Here," I put $25 in his hand, "this should cover my bill, give the change to Julie." I smiled and walked back to my family and friends.

"So where are we going?" I asked them.

"We want to go to Mythoworld" Nico said with the twins nodding their heads in agreement.

"Thall?" I asked.

"Mall?" she suggested like she wasn't really bothered. I looked at Bianca and Annabeth they nodded.

"Mall sounds good," Bianca shrugged.

"Okay, so we walk around the Mall for an hour, I'm not carrying any bags, and then we'll go to Mythoworld until Nico calms down enough that he won't trash my house. Everyone okay with that?" I asked.

They chorused yeses and we left.

We got to the mall and the boys ran to the sweet shop, "Come on they sell trading cards and statues in there!" Nico yelled over his shoulder.

"Nico!" I yelled.

"Bobby! Matthew!" Annabeth yelled.

None of them heard. "It's okay, I'll go after them and won't let them get any sweets. Go have fun and I'll meet you back here in 15 minutes."

Annabeth nodded and I ran, thankful that my buzz still hadn't worn off.

Within thirty seconds I was behind the boys. I grabbed hold of Nico's and Bobby's shoulders. They both jumped.

"Now what if it was some weirdo who grabbed you and not me hey? What if I hadn't heard you say where you were going, because none of the others did," I warned them as they turned to face me.

"Sorry Percy," The twins said.

"Yeah sorry," Nico said and he hugged me around the waist.

"It's okay kid. Now, pick a pack of cards each. No sweets and I'll get you two a starter pack each when we go to Mythoworld as long as you behave. Deal?"

"Deal," the three of them said.

"Cool, now go pick you cards so we can meet the others," they did and we went back to the mall enterance. The girls were waiting there and Annabeth was fuming.

"BOBBY!!! MATTHEW!!! WHAT THE HADES?!!?" she bellowed at them.

The boys in question shrunk back from their sister's rage, "Sorry Annabeth," they mumbled.

I put my hand on her shoulder, "Annabeth, calm down. They just got a little over excited, that's all."

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"So, what shop are we going to next?"

We walked around the mall for an hour. Thalia brought some chain necklaces, Bianca got a green and black skull and cross bones cap and Annabeth got a book on architecture. I picked up a new basket ball with a really cool cartoon killer shark on it.

"Can we go to Mythoworld now?" Nico asked getting impatient.

"Does anyone want to do anything else first?" I asked. No one did so we got a taxi to Nico's favourite place in the city.

When we got there I kept a hand on Nico's shoulder as we got through the crowded enterance so that he wouldn't run off. Once we were through I thought it would be safe to let go.

"So what do you want to see first boys?" I asked them.

"Umm... The Hades expedition!" with that the boys took off. I went after them and caught two eight year old shoulders. The twins were there, but not Nico.

"Where is he?" I asked urgently.

"He was right in front of us," they told me. I pushed them gently towards Annabeth.

"Stay here," I sternly told Bianca.

I ran into the crowds. I did two laps around the Hades expedition, and the ones near him. I went to the shops which sold the statues and cards. I went to the ice cream stand and the bathroom. But Nico was nowhere to be found.

So let me know what you think and what you want to happen.

I've got to go.

Love Thalia x