Val's POV

Alaska waved me over to her when I saw her. I told Percy that I'd talk to him later.

"Well look at Miss I Just Got Claimed." Alaska smiled at me when I walked over to her.

"How did you know?" I tilted my head confused. She just laughed at me.

"I know you're new and all, but it doesn't take long for things to travel around camp here."

"Oh." I said. She laughed a bit more.

"Well why don't I show you your table then we can go hangout at the beach with a couple of my friends. I know you'll like them. I can just tell."

"Uh, sure but I'll have to stop by my cabin first."

"That's fine. Do you need a bathing suit or are you covered now that you've got your own cabin?"

"I think I'll be fine." She showed me to my table. After I had given m sacrifice to the gods (thanking my mother for the amazing cabin) I sat down and just thought. I haven't had that much time to just think about things, and to be honest I had a lot to think about. That's when his name crossed my mind. Barron. I got so caught up with the camp I forgot. Oh gods. He is planning something and I haven't even told anyone. Should I? I mean he is my closest friend. He kept all those secrets though. Although he did it so I wouldn't have to get involved. How did he know? He said to contact him, and that I would know how, but I can't just iris message him can I? Oh shit now I'm freaking out. This is exactly what I need. As soon as I begin to settle down a bit I just have to remember a very important detail. Maybe I'll just tell Percy. I could live with that. That way I wouldn't be keeping it a secret, but I also wouldn't necessarily be telling everyone. Wait. Whose side am I even on? Ugh I'm confused again. I make a frustrated growl and begin eating my food angrily. I'm sure I looked pretty funny to anyone watching, but I don't give a damn. I felt as though someone was looking at me. It could be more, but there was definitely someone looking at me. When I take my glare off of my food to direct it at whoever could be looking at me I realize it's Nico. He looks confused. I soften my glare. I get up and give my plates to one of the nymphs that I pass on my way out of the dining pavilion. I first start out walking, then speed walking, then jogging, then I just straight out sprint to my cabin. I slam the door closed and jump on my bed as soon as possible. Crap. I have to go to the beach area with Alaska and her friends soon. I huff a bit just needing to get away from everyone even if it's just for five minutes before I get up and search for a bathing suit of sorts. I grab the first thing resembling a bathing suit and change as quick as possible. I then grab a loose shirt and a pair of shorts to wear over it. I guess I can just wait here and Alaska can come find me when she's done eating. After a couple of minutes I'm able to get myself under control again just in time too because I hear a knock at my door.

"Coming Alaska!" I yelled as I got up to go answer the door, but when I opened it I saw someone else. Standing in my door way is the one and only Nico Di Angelo. My face almost instantly pulled into a frown.

"You're not Alaska." I stated simply.

"I never thought I was." He replied. I leaned back and crossed my hands across my chest while raising a brow at him.

"Is there a reason you came over here or am I just supposed to accept your presence because I have places to be?" He sighed at me.

"It's just that I saw you all upset at lunch without any reason. It was strange."

"So?"

"Well I don't think you're going to tell me, but can I know why?"

"Why do you want to know?" I ask skeptically.

"Because I know you aren't to glad to be here, but I'm sure that people don't just get angry at their food for no reason." I scoff at him.

"Well I wasn't angry at my food if that's what you are implying. I just have a lot going on that doesn't directly involve camp."

"And what would that be?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Oh wouldn't you love to know. Maybe Percy'll tell you, but you'd have to wait until I actually tell him. Either way I'm busy right now, so hope that Percy will tell you." I walked away from him off towards Percy's cabin because I didn't know exactly where the beach was, or where they were going to be, but I sure as hell didn't want to stay in my cabin anymore.

"Hey Val what are you doing over here? Couldn't get enough of Jackson I see." I laughed at Percy.

"No I'm trying to find Alaska I just don't know where she is. She said she was going to the beach after lunch and invited me along. You just happen to live by the beach here."

"Sure Sure." Percy said looking at me suspiciously before he broke out that Percy Jackson smile.

"Well are you going to help me or let me get lost?"

"Alright follow me I think I know where they'll be." As we were walking down the beach I decided to do what I was thinking about earlier. I told Percy about Barron and everything he had told me. His face took on a more grim expression the longer the story became. After a while or so we finally saw Alaska with a group of people. Percy told me he'd talk to Chiron about it, and that he was glad I had told him. Finally Alaska showed, running up to me she asked, "Where have you been I went to your cabin, but you weren't there?"

"I came here to the beach where I had gotten lost and was escorted by Percy over here." I motioned to Percy.

"Oh, well come on now that you're here I can introduce you to people." She said while waggling her eyebrows. With that Percy took his leave, and I followed Alaska to their beach spot. As we were walking I couldn't help but think of my friends; there was Kaylee who I miss dearly, Jade the overenthusiastic dork, Daniel my right hand man who could turn any situation into a happy one, Maria one of the sweetest people I know and will probably ever know, Sasha the girl with all the answers, and Patrick who excelled at practically anything he put his mind to. Gods I miss them.

"Val this is Derick son of Zeus, Chelsea daughter of Nyx, Savine daughter of Themis looks like you aren't the only titan-blooded person here, James son of Hephaestus, Kevin son of Thanatos, and Sonny daughter of Apollo. This is the crew." They each respectively waved as I nodded accordingly only partially listening while silently wallowing over the friends I had left behind.

"Who wants to swim? Cause I sure as hell do!" With that Alaska took off towards the water with who I thought to be Savine, Sonny, Kevin, and James. I sat on the beach blanket they had left out. Joining me were the only ones left. The girl that I presumed was Chelsea took a seat next to me with Derick on the other side of her.

"So you're new to camp huh?" The dark girl beside me asked.

"You could say that." I said disenchanted like. She gave me a small smile.

"I don't know if this will help, but I don't want to be here much either. I love my friends, but sometimes I like the quieter life." I turned to look at her. Her eyes made her seem far away almost nostalgic.

"What do you mean the quieter life?"

"Well I used to live with my dad out in a really wooded area in Washington. That's where he met my mom. He was hunting; he takes me sometimes too. It's just that sometimes I miss the quietness the woods provided. The woods here don't have that same silence. They also smell funny too." She smiled at me this time.

"Why don't you go home then?"

"I can't. My father would rather have me here. At least for another year or so. He doesn't think that training me to hunt was good enough to protect myself. I've been here for about two years. I go back sometimes on holidays and my birthday, but I'm never allowed to stay for too long. He worries so much about me. Says I look just like my mom. I don't think it helps that I'm his only child."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Oh don't be," she said waving me off dismissively. "I just didn't want you to think you were alone in this whole 'wanting to be home' thing you've got going on."

"Thanks, I think?" I asked instead of just flat out saying. She giggled at me.

"You sure are funny though. Even when you aren't trying to be, and yes it was a compliment." I turned to look at Derick who was just gazing at the waves and his friends playing in them as they crash.

"Why don't you go in the water?" I ask him startling him a bit out of his trans.

"Isn't it obvious?" He said while looking at me. I just gave a puzzled look. Chelsea laughed some more.

"He's a son of Zeus Val. It's not the wisest idea to go into the ocean." She giggled some more when she had finished.

"So?" I said. Now they looked confused.

"What do you mean so?" Derick asked.

"I mean so what that your dad is Zeus and it isn't 'the wisest idea' to go into the ocean. I thought Zeus and Poseidon were brothers and had worked out their problems since the last titan war."

"It just is." Derick said shrugging his shoulders before returning his gaze to the waves.

"Bullshit." I got up and began stripping to just my bathing suit. Both Chelsea and Derick watching me questioningly. I get up and turn back to them.

"Come on!" I said.

"What?" They both said at me.

"We are going for a swim and that is final."

"You're crazy you know that?" Derick said as he got up.

"Does it look like I care? If I don't die in the ocean seeing as I have titan and greek blood in me which happens to have underworldly origins I have a feeling you'll do fine." I grabbed his hand and started to drag him towards everyone else. Chelsea running to catch up to us. Derick let me drag him up until the water began to run past his feet. That's when he pulled back hesitant to enter. I rolled my eyes.

"Seriously, I don't see what you have to be afraid of. I know you want to come into the water really badly. You may be a son of skies, but I can tell the water calls to you." He looked up at me nervous.

"Ugh look watch me. See how I'm getting farther out. Nothing is happening, so you get your skinny white ass out here." Chelsea laughed again as she ran past me then diving into the waist high water swimming to the rest.

"You know. You make a wonderful first impression."

"So I've been told now come on." Slow step after another he was finally in waist deep water.

"See, no problem. Now we are half way there." I began to wade myself farther out when he grabbed my arm.

"Can we just stay here? I know nothing is going to happen and stuff, but I would really like to just stay here for right now." He asked almost pleadingly.

"Fine, but only cause this is probably the first time you've been in the ocean for longer then 2 minutes." I said smirking at him. He gave a sigh of relief at my consent. I then began to sit down.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Sitting down."

"Why?" He asked perplexed.

"Because I can't go further out because of a certain someone and I like to relax."

"Oh, that makes sense." Derick then began to do the same as I did. Now that we were sitting in the water it came up to our shoulders. The little waves weren't much to throw us off though, so it was really relaxing. Time seemed to pass. we seemed to have spent hours at the beach when it felt so short. I was able to get my mind off of my friends, and really focus on the ones that were trying to make my life here every bit easier. Alaska proved to be the Kaylee I was living without. I don't know what I would do here if it wasn't for her. When dinner rolled around we all put whatever clothes we had brought with us and headed to the pavilion. Instead of staying there we grabbed our plates, sacrificed the goods to the gods then walked out choosing to rather enjoy a nice dinner under the setting sun at Zeus' fist. I found myself liking these new friends more then I imagined though. I wasn't expecting any of this. Around ten we all started heading to our cabins. Mine being a bit further out everyone except Chelsea and Derick were left. Turns out Chelsea's cabin is really close to mine, and the Zeus cabin was also closer then I thought. I was just a quick walk past my garden area through the bit of woods that lay behind it and I would find myself outside the Zeus cabin. Chelsea gave me a kiss on the cheek goodbye and left me with Derick. He looked a bit nervous and shoved his hands into the pockets of his swim trunks.

"Um, ijustwantedtothankyou." He said mumbling.

"What did you say?" He took one hand out of his pockets and rubbed at the nape of his neck where the shaggy blonde hair ended looking everywhere but me.

"Uh, I just wanted to thank you."

"Why?"

"It's just that no one not even Alaska could really get me into the water let alone for that long. I really appreciate it."

"I don't know about that. I'm sure you would have gone in eventually on your own."

"You have such high hopes for people." I roll my eyes at him.

"You have some pretty low expectations of yourself for being a son of Zeus." I smiled a bit at this.

"It's only with a few things."

"So water isn't just the only one?" I ask curious now.

"Well there's girls, family, and people who have high expectations of me."

"Pretty long list you've got there. That's practically the whole camp. Apparently including me."

"You could say that." We smiled a bit at each other.

"Well I'm glad I could fast forward you through your water phobia. Maybe next time you'll go farther then waist deep."

"Yeah, maybe."

"Goodnight Derick."

"Yeah I'll see you tomorrow?" I scoffed at him.

"Like I have anywhere else to be."

"You really do make one hell of a first impression." He gave me a crooked smile.

"You sure say that a lot. Are you trying to imply something?" I asked.

"No, no. It's just nice."

"What?"

"You're... different. More different. It's nice." This kid just keeps getting my eyes to roll.

"Whatever airhead. Get going before you float away." I said while walking away from him going our seperate ways.

"Sweet dreams little miss witch."

"You have some terrible nicknaming abilities." I laughed as he disappeared from sight. Entering my cabin I quickly got changed and ready for bed. As I closed my eyes I had no idea what was going to happen, but one thing was for sure. I can't quite tell you how 'sweet' my dreams really were.

SO GUESS WHO IS TERRIBLE AT KEEPING PROMISES THIS GIRL. ANYWAY I'LL TRY TO GET BACK ON TRACK WITH MY SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY UPDATES IT'S JUST I HAD A REALLY BUSY WEEKEND AND IT COMPLETELY THROUGH ME OFF, NOT TO MENTION SCHOOL DIDN'T HELP. YOU DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT ALL THAT THOUGH BUT IF I HAVE A DELAY YOU CAN GUESS THAT EITHER SOMETHING RIDICULOUS HAS GOT ME OR SCHOOL.