HELLO! I'm SO SORRY it took so long to update... It's just that with school and stuff, I haven't had much time for writing... SORRY!

Cockapoo, I will be SURE to have more AlisaxNico and LaylaxMalcolm but I've got a few things to sort through first... I'll add a bit of that into the next chapters! PROMISE! I love fluff too... xD Thanks! (: :)

GLN3 I will get them together! I PROMISE I WILL! I've gotten a few comments about it so I'll introduce them as a couple soon! :D (: :)

Thanks Faith! Yeah, I know my updates are usually short. I've sorted things out (sort of) between Nico and Layla so I can kind of move on now. Kind of. xD (: :)

Thanks guys for all the support. My original plan was to make this a short little story, maybe 20 chapters. But, you know what? Since I've actually got people who like it (which is a shock to me since I've never written anything before) I'll keep going with it! :D Thanks again guys!

Disclaimer: I am Aphrodite, I own all. I also own Helen and Paris. They were SO CUTE! Why couldn't they keep them together? Why do MY favorite couples get ripped apart? At least I've got Layla and Malcolm. They seem to promise a bit of action... :)

WHY AND HOW DO THESE IMMORTALS GET ON MY COMPUTER?

REAL Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Clarisse, your dad still looks pissed. Maybe you should go talk to him before he blows up...

I know that although the boy's have calmed him down, I will never be accepted by Nico. Yet, at the same time, I can't say I'll ever accept him as a brother either. I know that it's not his fault but, after having lost my brother, I can't say that finding out about a new one will be that great for me. If anything, I'll just push him away. I know I can't take the hurt of having him around, especially since he's younger than me.

I find, however, that this may just be unfair to him. Maybe I'm being childish and I should just suck it up. It's been nearly fifteen years since my brother's disappearance. I should have gotten over it by now; I should have just accepted it. But to this day I still hear the small voice, feel his small hands in mine. Since the day at the ice-cream shop, I can even see his face. I remember full memories now and they hurt more than anyone could ever imagine.

These memories, things as simple as a walk in the park to as complicated and full of worry as my mother's attacks on the two of us, threaten my sanity as well as my physical wellbeing. I just hope I don't get one of these memory attacks during something important like capture the flag. I just hope they stop.

It's these fears, these fears of memory as well as of rejection, which separate me from Nico. These are the "what if's" that currently complicate life.

"Sorry," Nico mumbles to me from across the table. Although we weren't happy with it, camp rules dictated that I had to sit at my own table. This meant sitting with Nico.

"Pardon me?" I ask, wondering if what I just heard could possibly be real. Did he actually just apologize for this? None of it's his fault so why is he apologizing.

"Sorry," he repeats. "For earlier. I shouldn't have freaked like that."

"I-It's fine," I say, my voice cracking. "Not your fault."

"But it is," he continues. "I shouldn't have flipped. It's just that..."

"I know. I heard about... her."

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry for your loss. I know how it feels. Truly."

He looks down at his food, picking at it slowly.

"She was all I had left after mom died," he sighs, refusing to make eye contact with me.

"My brother disappeared although I know he's dead. He was the only reason I kept living, only reason I tolerated my mother. I knew, one day, I would avenge his death. Somehow. So I stuck around at home, survived my drunk mother for years until I knew I wouldn't last much longer. So I ran and turned up here," I tell him, almost crying by the time I'm done.

"I'm sorry. I never knew."

"Most don't, it's okay. I hope you don't mind keeping it to yourself. I don't want anyone to know, it's kind of private."

"Yeah, I get it. I don't tell many people about Bianca either. Only the people who were around at the time know about her."

"It must be hard for you. But don't blame Percy; it's hard on him too."

"Yeah, I know. But, when you watch someone die... it's hard. You find someone to blame just to keep your mind off the fact that it was your fault. It's like... passing the blame so you don't have to face it yourself," he says, his eyes lifting to mine again before dropping them back downward. "I know it's my fault in reality. I bugged her so much that she became a huntress and went with them on the quest even if she knew the risks. I was stupid for letting her. I was so stupid."

"No," I say calmly. "You couldn't have done anything. She would have gone either way. It was her choice. But I know what you mean about blame. I've always blamed my mom even if I knew it was my fault. I had snapped at her for hitting him and I guess she abandoned him somewhere because of it. She wouldn't let me call the police or anything but I tried. Every time I called they gave me the same answer. They said he didn't exist and that there was nobody by that name. Eventually, I stopped calling but to this day I haven't given up. I'll always look for him."

I stare down at my food, no longer hungry. I leave Nico behind as I head over to the Hades cabin.

"I saw you talking to Nico," Alisa says, panting slightly from running after me. I stop, surprised, and turn slowly around to see her.

"Hey, Alisa," I say, attempting to keep my voice steady and trying futilely to keep her from noticing the tears that still fall down my face.

"Stop changing the subject," she laughs before noticing my bloodshot eyes. "Have you been... crying? Again?"

"No," I say, mentally patting myself on the back for not stammering or stumbling with my words.

"Don't lie to me," she says, stepping closer. "I can tell that you've been crying and there's no denying it. You look like you've just come back from a funeral."

"I've got to go..." I trail off.

"I'll go with you," she says.

"I'm going to my cabin," I continue, hoping she'll leave me alone.

"I'll come too," she insists.

"Nico's coming later so we can get ready for capture the flag."

"I've been in Hades cabin with Nico before. It's nothing new. He's my boyfriend, by the way."

"Dammit! Don't you know how to leave someone alone?" I snap.

"Jeez," she answers, slightly shocked at my outburst. "I'm just trying to help. But you know what? You can go rot in Hades for all I care!"

I watch as she stomps off.

What have I done? I'm so STUPID!

DON'T WORRY! THINGS WILL TURN OUT OKAY! I PROMISE! :)