"This is awesome! Whoo, I love ships, do you love ships? I just think their swell. This one time I went on a boat ride with my uncle but that was just on a sail boat. Not like this though! I wish that I lived on a boat that would be pretty cool. I mean I'm not saying anything about camp, but I like boats. Wait let me correct that I LOVE boats! By they way why is the place where people do their "business" on a boat is called the head, and not the poopdeck? I've always wondered that- whoa that's a cool sail? What's it called? Whoa what's that? So anyway I want to-"

"Grover shut up! Or I will so help me, Poseidon; I will kill you with a tidal wave." Pearl snapped.

"Don't tell him to shut up; it's practically his first time on a boat like this." Percy snapped back at her.

"Oh you got something to say pretty boy." She flicked her sword out and it shimmered a crystal blue light in the sunlight.

"Come on you two this the third time this morning you've been at this, why can't you just back off." Annabeth said she put her head on Percy's shoulder and stared adoringly at him. I looked away my heart pounding. Stupid Fates.

"Yeah…fine." Percy set Riptide down on the table. Pearl looked at her. Like she had stolen something from her, Pearl rolled her eyes and gave a quick irritated breath. She swung her legs over the deck rail then hopped onto it. She balanced herself perfectly, then began to walk like a trapeze. I watched in amazement as she leaned down and touched the water. Phoenix walked up from below and wrapped his arms around her. Pearl screamed then started to laugh. Phoenix had started the whole Pearl and him as an item back at camp a few days ago shortly before we left.

It kind of made me uncomfortable being with all these couples. I couldn't help but feel sick to my stomach. I wished I could be with Jake, I missed my mother. I still hadn't cried. My mind frozen still as if she were alive. I stared into the ocean it was so big and vast, how could Percy and Pearl live in harmony with it. I was highly afraid of it. Does heartbreak burn you that bad?

Penelope don't want, it's not the end. It's just the beginning. The voice whispered in my head. I looked around and saw everyone else was preoccupied. Had it been my own thoughts? I continued to stare out into the distance. It would be about a week and a half Percy and Pearl had estimated, when we reached Greece. I couldn't wait to get off this boat already. I wished there was some reason why I had to be this daughter of Pan, why couldn't I be a heartless Aphrodite daughter? Or a over confident Ares child? I just didn't get it.

I went to go talk to Grover, tired of being alone. Grover sat on a stool playing chess with a nymph. I saw a fig tree in the corner of the deck. Of course! Grover was so deep in the game he didn't notice when I walked over and said his name really loud in his ear.

"Whoa!" He toppled over in his chair, the little nymph giggled. She leapt up and danced back into her tree. I laughed and held out my hand to him. Trying to conceal my smile.

"Be quiet Penelope, if you weren't Pan's daughter I'd take you right here right now." He clenched his little fists and I laughed a little harder.

"Ok I'm sorry Grover. My apologies."

"It's fine, but I was right in the middle of beating Fig!"

"I know I'm sorry." He gazed at me and smiled.

"It's ok, come on I want to talk to you." He led me down below where we could talk. I sat down on the bunk and sighed. "What's wrong?"

"I wish I could say, Grover I really wish I could."

"Try."

"Ok well I guess it's mainly becoming this whole god person, I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. Who I'm supposed to be. I don't even know myself anymore? I don't know this girl, she's not me. I'm not her. I think I'm falling for a boy I can never be with. I'm jealous of Pearl and Phoenix, I'm tired of being the only single girl on the ship. I miss my mom… but I can't cry, because that would be failing for my little brother Jake. Oh and by the way he's not even demi, but he can see through the mist, so life is going to be so hard for him. I don't know how to protect him from monsters. I don't even know really how to protect myself. It seems that bruises and cuts aren't the only things killing me." I felt a lump growing in my throat. Grover gave me a look of sympathy. He sat down next to me,

"Tell me Penelope, who's this kid…?"

"I uh…" I couldn't say Percy and Grover were best friends. "I can't tell you."

"Can I take a guess?"

"Yeah, sure go ahead.

"Maybe Perseus, I'm just throwing names in here. Or could it be me, since you can't tell." He smiled, but he knew it was the first answer.

"Grover- I don't- I can't…I don't know what to do!" I finally let it out, they all came out, everything. Mom, couples, goddess, Jake, myself, monsters, everything. I put my face in the pillow and sobbed, tears running everywhere. I couldn't help but bawl, I was pathetic crying in front of Grover, but he was the only one I felt comfortable doing it. He patted my back then gently played with my braid until I looked at him.

"Grover do you think its bad I'm in love with him?"

"Not at all, it's not bad Penelope to fall in love with the untouchable people. You know Juniper used to be Rodney's girlfriend. So I just kept the strong feelings I felt for her deep inside of me. Until one day they broke up, and guess who was there to catch her when she started to cry?"

"You."

"That's right, see so even the perfect relationships end."

"But it won't Grover, he loves her so much. He's so loyal and strong, and I want him all to myself. I want him so much…" I wiped my tear stained face with the back of my hand.

"If you love something let them go…if they love you back they'll come back." He patted my back one last time and then got up and then walked out of the room. Into the kitchen. I thought about what Grover said, I'd heard a quote kind of like that, "If you love something set them free." But Grover had added his own touch. I sighed again and went to the bathroom. Then washed my face so the puffiness would go down a bit, I patted it down with a washcloth then slapped more sunscreen on and stepped up the ladder to the deck.

Ug, great just great. One more thing to wrench my heart out, thank you! They were kissing standing in each other's arms kissing! Who does that in front of everyone! I looked around…oh wait it was just them. I knew I wasn't supposed to look which made me want to look longer. I wanted to take my falcata and throw it at her. Just to get her off of him. Annabeth gently pushed him away and whispered something in his ear. He smiled and nodded and looked lovingly into her eyes. Stinging my heart once more.

I had to stop looking, I really had to. It would kill me. I turned around and went to look for Pearl. She sat at her desk, tracing the path of something on a map with her finger.

"Pearl?"

"Mm?"

"Have you ever liked a guy so much, but you couldn't like him because he was with this other girl. Who you know he'll never break up with her- sorta situation?"

"Ummm, hmmmm, yeah I'd say that's happened to me before."

"What did you do?"

"Well I tried everything, sword fights, impressive body, tans, dying my hair, being nice to children, I seriously tried everything! But you know he never even looked at me when she was around. We were pretty close, but when in came down to him, her, and me. She was always the winner. Always. I would cry my eyes out every night, because gosh dangnet I loved him! But he would never ever even remember my name when she was around. But you know one day I really took a good look at her, and said well I can either embrace it or fight it. I love him, and I want him to be happy. If she makes him happy then that's what I want. So I left, he's called me a few times over the past few decades, turns out he got married to her, and they live in a mansion in California."

"Oh…" Not really making me feel any better.

"Well anyway does that answer your question?"

"Yeah, it covers most of what I had in mind…or at least some of it."

"Listen Pen, Percy and Annabeth probably aren't going to last as long as you think. Sometimes you have to be there to catch the fish when they jump." She smiled and then turned back to the map. I thought about what she said, "I love him, and I want him to be happy. If she makes him happy then that's what I want." Is that what I wanted though? Was that how I felt? I hoped so, but a little voice inside of me told me it wasn't. I had a feeling these type of things had a way of making themselves known whether you like it or not.

Finally night came and everyone settled in for bed I went to my cabin. Which I had been wanting to decorate, but just never felt it the mood for it. I lay down on my bed. I stared up at the ceiling. I closed my eyes and then opened them, I looked at the clock two hours had gone past. I had fallen asleep and hadn't even known it. A glimmer started in the air. Then a brilliant gold washed over the room. A beautiful woman with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes looked at me. Her hair was done up in an elegant bun, it had a few grey hairs in it. A few strings hung loose of it. She wore a golden dress that slightly moved at the bottom of it. It moved along her feet like an invisible breeze ran through it. She had a few wheat stalks woven to her back. She looked at me and smiled.

"Hello Penelope, I'm Demeter, goddess of harvest and grains."

"Wow, nice to meet you ma'm, big fan, big fan." I said and I bowed.

"How kind of you dear." She smiled, but then she took something from a whicker basket she held in the crook of her arm. She held it out to me a golden wristlet.

"What's this?" I asked taking it from her.

"That was your mother's when she was your age."

"My mother's? Listen Demeter not to sound mean or anything but aren't you like really old?" She laughed then pulled a string of hair away from a spot on her neck, a symbol was traced on it. I read it immediately, the Greek letter for family. My mind filled with millions of questions. I backed away slowly.

"Who are you?" I asked cautiously.

"Your mother…Penelope was…a goddess herself…" She trailed off and sighed when she saw me backed against the wall.

"She was a-a what?"

"A goddess, her sister was Persephone. I'm your grandmother."

"Oh my God, oh my God. Lord in Heaven what the hell!" My breath came out it quick breaths. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! I will not believe it. The feeling of franticness washed over me once more.

"Penelope, sweetheart. Your fine, it's ok, I know it's a lot to take in. But it's not that bad."

"You- Mom- no! I- I- what- ahhh!" I gasped trying to grasp something. Demeter wrapped a warm arm around me and helped me to my bed. She sat me down and quickly fabricated a piece of bread,

"Eat. It will calm you down." She patted my back and my breath came out shakily but I slowly bit down into the soft freshly made bread. It warmed my whole body and spread around me like a blanket.

"What is that like godly bread?"

"It's made with ambrosia." I was silent and finished the bread.

"So I'm a goddess… plain and simple."

"Yes, well very close to being one. You need your great grandpa's approval. But yes, quite close yes."

"Great…Wait why did I almost die then when I was drowning in Miami?"

"Because dear, you're a type of demigod. Not quite god, but not quite demigod. You see your mother, never liked having the same type of abilities as Persephone, so she went to Zeus and requested she become mortal. Some of her godly powers remained, but she never was as powerful as she had once been. So when Persephone was kidnapped by Hades… I was alone without any of my daughters. I tried visiting Lona, but she never ever wanted me to come without touching distance of you or Jake-"

"Wait Jake, he's a child of my mother…"

"Yes he's quite like you, not quite demigod, but not quite god."

"Who's his father?"

"I'd rather not say…it's a little awkward, in godly terms."

"Tell me, please."

"He's the son of well uh…"

"Who?"

"Eros…"

"Cupid! He's related to the flying kid with pink arrows! My little brother is not- ug that means he's related to Aphrodite…"

"Yes, love, that's exactly right. That's his grandmother." Demeter's golden glow shined brightly through the dark ship cabin. She took one last thing out of the basket she held. She held it out to me. "Take it and if you need me, call. I'm here for you my darling." She laid a hand on my cheek, and then slowly began to fade. Her golden glow disappeared and soon it was just me standing alone one more. I glanced down at the object she had given me. A necklace.

It belonged to my mother. But this time it shimmered a light glowing from it. Not green, but golden. When I flipped it glowed green. On the front with the golden side it showed the beautiful face of my mother. When I flipped it once more, the handsome face of a man. The form my father had taken to win my mother over. I pinned it around my neck and it clinked with the medallion that also hung there.

I lay down. I was a demigod but I wasn't. I was a goddess but I wasn't. What was I? Only Demeter knew, and she didn't even want to talk. So my brother Jake, wasn't totally defenseless. He was the same way as me. His father as much as I hated to say it, Eros. The god of lust. Yuck. That was all I could say. But one question in my head remained.

How could I do what everyone said I was supposed to do? I obviously wasn't this girl.