Emma

Ella shivered as we entered the apartment, it was a small little place with two bedrooms and a bathroom. We'd chucked Ella's stuff here right before we'd left for the restaurant to 'celebrate'. This was where she thought she'd be living. Poor Ella, in a matter of days she'd be whisked off to Greece, back to Mount Olympus. She'd be leaving everything behind, and all for a world she'd just been forced into.

"You can take the couch for tonight," I said, pointing towards the old blue couch. It had a couple bits of stuffing poking out here and there, and you could see the outline of a broken spring. Ella wrinkled her nose. "Don't worry it's more comfortable than it looks."

"Then why don't you or Amy take the couch?"

I shook my head, no way was I sleeping on that thing.

"Then how do you expect me to be sleeping on that if you won't!" Ella snapped.

"Cause you have nowhere else to sleep," Amy tossed Ella a pillow from her room, her blue eyes piercing with concern.

Ella had gone through a lot today. She'd found out about a new world, she'd been attacked by a monster, and she didn't know it yet but more was coming her way. Tomorrow she'd find out about the move… and the other person. But that was for tomorrow.

"I'm going to bed," I yawned.

"Night, night," Ella giggled.

"Sleep tight," Amy chimed in.

"DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE!" We chorused. I know it was cheesy but back at Creighton it had been a comfort, something to distract us from the loneliness of the night. It was a constant in a sea of misfortune.

I retreated back into my bedroom. It was the only place where I really felt safe. I'd painted the walls a nice light blue, that had some deeper tones of dark blue, it reminded me of the ocean. The only place I really felt I belonged. I flopped onto my bed, part of me couldn't wait to get back to Olympus. See my friends, even my family. But there was one person who I needed to see.

I glanced over at my bedside table where a small glass bowl held a bunch of drachma's.

I grabbed the bowl, and headed towards the bathroom, passing by Ella who just shrugged and gave me a funny look.

I turned the faucet on, and shut the door. Part of me thought I should bring Amy in, but the other part, the selfish part knew that I wouldn't.

I managed to get the water going enough, (using some force, and a little water manipulation) into a nice steady stream, perfect for an Iris message.

"Oh Iris, goddess of rainbows, let me talk to Jason…" I tossed a drachma into the stream and watched it dissolve, nothing happened, "yeah…"

I closed my eyes, "Shit. Jason, where are you when I need you?"

"Here!" I jumped back, grinning at me from a slightly fuzzy Iris message was my brother, Jason.

His shaggy, sandy blond hair was tossed casually over his eyes. A look I knew he liked it because it made him look windswept, like he'd been on the beach all day. Which, he probably had, judging from the deepness of his tan. His sea green eyes, that matched mine, glinted mischief in way that mine never would. And somehow, just seeing his face made everything okay.

"Gods, Jason you scared the shit out of me," I whispered, looking closer at the holograph, I hadn't seen my brother in weeks. Slowly I tried to take in every detail of his face, he hadn't changed, which left a reassurance in me.

Good, I knew if he hadn't changed, than my life wouldn't fall apart. Growing up Jason had taken the place of my parents, who'd basically disowned me the day I was born. He'd been the only person I knew for sure loved me, and the only person I knew for sure I loved. Jason was the one person in the world who could make me feel better.

Jason laughed, "Sorry, Emma. You know I wouldn't scare you on purpose."

I smiled, "I know."

"So how are things with Ella and Amy?"

I watched as his tanned cheeks turned slightly rosy.

"Oh come on, just say it," I groaned.

"Alright, how's Amy?" Jason laughed, his cheeks brightening even more.

"Does someone miss his girlfriend?" I teased, using my mock baby voice.

If possible Jason's cheeks went from a bright red, to a crimson state of embarrassment. I had no clue as to why, though because they'd been dating for as long as time. They'd known each other since they were babies, Jason was a year older than Amy, and they'd started going out when Amy was twelve. But in the nine years of their relationship, Jason always got embarrassed bringing it up in front of me. Which made no sense because they were the perfect couple. Jason's goofy leadership balanced out Amy's more serious exterior.

"So how is Amy?" Jason asked again, clearly wanting to know.

I frowned, I knew he was dating her but we hadn't talked much, it was like I didn't even matter. His expression softened.

Instead he asked, "how are you?"

I smiled, I didn't like attention from most people, but being alone with Jason and just talking… I craved that more than anything in the world.

"I'm okay, had a bit of a rough day."

He raised an eyebrow in concern, "oh yeah?"

I nodded, "we told Ella today." Jason nodded as if this explained it all. "She took it pretty well, I don't think she would have fully believed us though. Not unless the monster had attacked us."

I watched as Jason's fists clenched and unclenched, his brotherly instincts kicking in.

"Who?" he gritted his teeth.

"Lamia, Queen of stupidity, and bad fighting techniques," Jason laughed, his smile showing ease and happiness.

There was a knock on the door, "Emma?"

I watched as Jason's smile faltered, going from ease to longing in a moment's notice.

"What's up in there?" Amy called through the door.

"Just chatting with Jason," I frowned, I had been hoping to avoid this. Any time we had to talk would instantly be wiped out if Amy go ahold of him. I loved Amy, she was like a sister, and literally my best friend in the entire world but Jason… Well he was just Jason.

"Oh, tell him I love him," Amy said.

I felt my stomach clench up, I could tell she wanted to talk to him, but wouldn't dare intrude on us. She was too nice, and by not opening the door I was too mean. I sighed, and swung the door open.

Amy still hadn't changed out of her clothes, she wore a black long sleeve, cable-knit sweater and a casual pair of blue jeans. She was standing awkwardly, with both hands in her pockets, slightly slumped over, accentuating her thin, wiry frame. She looked worn out, her blue eyes dim, and the bags under her eyes clearly showed she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in months. She smiled hesitantly, and at first I thought she was looking at me, I was mistaken. If you followed her gaze, you could see it was clearly settled on my brother. And if you looked at him, his eyes were taking her in like he'd never seen a pretty girl before.

"Hey," she whispered, I took this as my cue to leave.

Slowly slipping out, I placed another golden drachma in her hand, and took the rest of the bowl with me. They couldn't talk forever, and not on my money. As I left, I took one last look at them. Jason looked happier than I'd ever seen him.

With me, he had this ease, and this protective brotherly quality. But one look from when he was with Amy and you could just tell he loved her. He just lit up, he was laughing now. His eyes were sparkling, and he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Amy was the same way, she looked happier and less tired, more free. The bags were starting to disappear, and the lively Amy that I knew was shining radiantly through.

"I missed you," Jason whispered, I left them alone after that.

As I lay down on my bed I could feel a nudging sense poking at me, asking me if Jason loved Amy more than me. I knew it was a different kind of love, but still, I'd always been his favorite girl. And as selfish and unreasonable as it sounded, I didn't want that to change.

I clapped my hands, and watched as the lights dimmed. There was an almost moonlike quality glistening off my walls now, imitating the way light rippled across the ocean at midnight. I could almost hear the waves crashing against the sand, and feeling right at home, I crashed into a deep sleep.

I'm pretty sure that if you're a mortal, and not a freak, you have regular dreams. The kind where you get to kiss the guy you like, or if it's scary, someone's chasing you and you can't run.

Those are just dreams, and they vanish the moment you wake up. For anyone magical dreaming is more hellish than being awake. First of all, you have no control over what you see, especially if you're a child of Poseidon, who's dreams are as uncontrollable as the sea. And it's not like you can escape from them when you wake up, because whatever you're running from in your dream, you're most likely running from in real life too.

Tonight's dream was different, I couldn't see at all. It was pitch black, but I could still hear.

"Hello," the voice whispered, just hearing it gave me a pounding headache.

"Uh… hi?"

"You must be Emma, pleased to make your acquaintance," the voice was raspy, and guttural. Very male.

"Who are you?" I shouted, as if whatever it was wouldn't be able to hear me otherwise.

"Be patient, little one. Your time will come soon, for now I need you to leave."

Immediately I felt a surge of urgency to get out of this dream, wake up now.

"My time?" I said, instead.

"Yes, your time. Now I repeat, leave. I was looking for someone else, I was wrong to summon you here."

"You summoned me?" Usually I eavesdropped on people, they didn't ask me to come into a dream state and talk to them. Especially not people who said things like 'your time'.

I wondered if I was talking to a god. But then again, there would probably be more light. After all, I knew most of them, and they didn't all hate me. And even the ones that did, they would be more forward. At least tell me who they were.

"Good bye, Emma," the voice whispered.

I woke up, and my head was pounding. Apparently that didn't stop in the dream.

I slipped out of bed, and headed towards the living room where Ella was snuggled up on the couch watching Saturday morning cartoons.

"Sponge Bob, really?"

Ella gave me her best Sponge Bob laugh, and then in a more Squidward voice, replied, "yes, there is nothing on, you dimwit."

"Hey!" I protested, whacking her playfully over the head.

She giggled, then let out a tired sigh.

"So was last night all a dream?" She asked.

I flinched, for a moment mistaking it for my dream. My headache thumping even harder, if that was possible. I could feel a knot form in the pit of my stomach.

"Yeah, last night was real, monster and all."

She nodded, looking slightly crestfallen. I think she wanted it to be fake, so that she wouldn't have to deal with the consequences. So she could keep living a normal life. Too late, life would never be normal again.

"Why were you and Amy in the bathroom last night?" Ella frowned, I guess she had remembered me taking the golden drachma's to the bathroom.

"Iris messaging my brother," I shrugged.

Ella knew my brother… sort of. She'd met him a couple of times, and seemed to really like him.

"Iris messaging?" she crossed her arms, clearly she didn't not like being in this new world.

"It's where you use water and light to create a 'rainbow' and toss a drachma in it, and get the goddess Iris, to send someone an Iris Message so you can have a conversation."

"So like a really weird cell phone…" Sure, put it in mortal terms, it'll make it so much easier adjusting to being a defender.

"No, nothing like a phone."

Ella rolled her eyes, and pushed a strand of messy blond hair from her eyes.

"I barely understand the mortal world and now I've got to learn all over again," she mumbled, with a murderous intonation.

"Morning!" Amy smiled.

The fact that a person could be up and dressed at nine in the morning on the weekend seemed impossible to me. But there was Amy, a living breathing example of it. She looked more refreshed, probably talking to Jason all night had refreshed her energy. Too bad I hadn't talked to him long enough for him to refresh mine.

"Where are your pajamas?" Ella asked, gesturing at the fact that she was fully ready to start the day.

"I think the question should be 'why am I not dressed, Amy. I have a big day ahead of me.'" Amy smirked, I swear she thought she knew everything. Which was true, but still…

"So when is our special guest arriving?" I asked, raising an eyebrow to Amy.

"Soon, so put your damn clothes on!" She pestered, I think she lived to pester me.

"Who's the 'special guest'?" Ella asked, eagerly.

"Shhh…" Amy rolled her eyes at Ella, who scowled.

"Both of you get dressed, now."

I sighed, and rose from my place on the couch.

Ella followed my lead, and while she headed to the bathroom, I headed to my room.

I pulled out a blue tank top and some jeans, and paired it with a warm, white cardigan. Last night had been unusually cold for summer in New York. But it was spring, and the days changed rapidly as ever, last night had been cold, today was summer weather.

I walked over to the mirror, and examined my outfit. It was okay, she would still judge me for whatever I wore, so it wasn't exactly as if it mattered. But still, I wanted to look presentable.

I stared at myself in the mirror, making sure that there was less for her to pick over.

My makeup was fine, I didn't wear much of it. Just some mascara, eyeliner, blush, and lipstick. I didn't look ghastly or anything, I mean at worst, my blush was too pink for my skin. But I tanned easily, so it was hard to find a blush that really complemented my skin, and toned down my tan.

My hair was the only thing that ever bothered me. It was a good color, chestnut brown, with streaks of auburn running through the whole thing. But it was still too short for my liking, falling just past my shoulders. Last year I'd thought I looked good in a bob, I now realized it had been the biggest mistake ever.

I ended up just pulling my hair back in a ponytail, like always. I was boring and routine. I trudged out of my room, where I could already hear voices.

"Emma!"

Authors Note: Sorry this chapter was boring, it's kind of a set up chapter to get you introduced to more characters. ALSO, PLEASE REVIEW!