Note, I'm skipping a lot of flavor text and background info, I figure if you're reading a fan fiction about a book, then chances are you've read the book and know, at least in part, that information.

I own none of the characters, not even the OC I made as she is part of the PJaO books and anyone is free to duplicate her for their own stories. Writing a story using characters from published books, I certainly can't complain if someone likes my idea enough to run it in a different direction, but please, no slash.

Rick Riordan and Patricia Briggs own all characters.

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The gun on the cover image is what I based Terry's on. It's a real weapon that fires real shells, shotgun in the case of the gun in the picture. Terry's has more decoration, including an engraving of the Drakkon she killed on the handle (made of Drakkon Ivory) and Greek lettering spelling out "End of Infinity" along the barrel. It's also a lot more powerful, but then, most of the weapons used by demi-gods are.

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A Disturbing Sandwich

ADAM

We head downstairs and I have Nico put his stuff in one of the ground floor bedrooms. As I often have pack members staying over, my house has lots of extra bedrooms. We head into the kitchen and I open one of the coolers that have temporarily replaced my nice steel refrigerator so I can make us some sandwiches.

Nico looks at me; "So, do you want to start off the awkward conversation, or should I?"

"You just did, thanks."

He gives a short bark of laughter, "Yes, I suppose I did didn't I. So, which part of their conversation would you like me to elaborate on, or do you want to talk about something completely different?"

"Let's start with what YOU think is the most pressing issue for you guys."

"In all honesty, I haven't really thought about it. I've never really been much of a pre-planner when it comes to my life. Being the son of death in a society were almost no one survives past twenty doesn't lend itself to major introspection. Having said that, I have a tendency to agree with Percy, though I think that the biggest problem with retaining independence isn't going to be age, I'm proof of that, but resources, namely food and money. We've got some, and Percy can always summon the bounty of the sea if need be, and Terry could always build stuff for people, but ultimately, those aren't going to cut it for long run, at least not without some adult intervention. If nothing else, holding the patents on Terry's inventions in trust until she's eighteen. Maybe we can get Hestia to have Julius to do it, he's already a part of our society?"

"Well, for someone who says he's not given to introspection, you came up with that pretty quick. Something to remember, you are going to need some type of schooling. If nothing else, you talking about the differences in world war two means our worlds aren't identical, so you're going to need to relearn history, plus, I'm thinking you haven't had much formal education in the first place. And what you have had, the records aren't going to be accessible."

"I thought that was why we were pretending to be friends of your daughter who found ourselves in a bind? As for school, I attended grade school in the early forties, but everything was about the war effort, and the last three years since we emerged from wherever my sister and I were, I've had about two, maybe three months. For most of that time, Percy was right, I spent it wandering around the underworld, or the 'Labyrinth of Daedalus' trying to learn about the world on my own terms. Turns out, that wasn't so smart, though it did turn out for the best in many ways. Maybe I can summon a ghost of a teacher who's willing to put up with us to teach us?"

"I really hope you're joking about that. I've already had child welfare called, so tomorrow they're sending someone out. The two they're sending are both part fae, so you don't have to hide that you're not a plain normal mortal, and they can help come up with a descent cover story, but you will have to go to school, especially now, with us being under such close scrutiny. By the way, avoid answering questions from Cantrip, they've gotten way too power trippy for the tastes of the supernatural community. They were supposed to be a government funded department for cultural understanding and to act as a bridge between humans and fae at first, then werewolves. Somewhere, somehow, they got law enforcement powers and also developed a tendency to hire some of the most bigoted people in the government. We can't avoid totally, them being curious about you, but let's not give them too many reasons to inquire into your past."

"I was planning on giving a different, and sarcastic answer every time someone asked me anything about my past, that way I could slide the truth in and they'd automatically disbelieve it, if not actively place it on the; we're not even going to investigate pile."

"Interesting, but what happens if you ever have a case where you need them to believe you? If you get in the habit of lying all the time, then people always consider you a liar. From there, they tend to start thinking of you in a more and more negative manner. Then, when something really bad happens, they blame you, and nothing you say will be believed."

"Ok, I guess you're right on that, like I said earlier, not much for planning out the path of my life. What else you got?"

"Your friends mentioned the possibility that you're now immortal, what's your take on that?"

"If we can survive for the next couple of years, sure why not, though I hope we can at least age to our twenties. I've got enough problems with my preferences to have to deal with being a little kid at the same time. That's just creepy."

"You could always date a fae. Yo-yo girl might not be to your taste, but there are several other fae who disguise their power behind facades of childhood. If nothing else, I doubt the new Columbia is actually a little girl."

"Interesting idea, but I'd like to avoid that if I can. I've had a bad experience with a preteen sociopath that had supernatural powers. I don't ever want to see another 'Field of Limbs' again!"

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really, let's just say that after I killed her, I escorted her soul to Hades and insured that she spent eternity being buried 'ALIVE' except for her hands and feet and having someone mow them off twice per day. What?! So I inherited my dad's sense of irony."

OOOKKKKAAAYYYY! Nico has a rather brutal sense of justice.

That was not something I wanted to ever hear. Bad as the comment was, I couldn't detect the slightest hint of a lie. He'd really done that. On the one hand, I'm horrified at what he said, on the other, I'm genuinely curious about what the 'she' did to make him so angry, even as I realize that the answer would probably make me sick.

I'm also worried about the mental health of the kids. All five of them seem to suffer from one condition or another. God, I wonder if Sam can recommend a good psychologist who can deal with the supernatural. Maybe there's one that is a werewolf and wouldn't mind moving out to the tri-cities? Mercy has often made jokes about the mental health of various members of the pack, and on several occasions, she's said it were it wasn't a joke. Maybe these kids just gave me an excuse that wouldn't actually set off more resentment in the ranks. I've got to remember to ask Sam about that.

"How about we move the conversation to a saver topic. Though to end that topic, I'd like you to talk to Warren and his mate Kyle. I'm pretty sure their life experiences aren't anywhere close to the same as yours, it might help to talk to a couple of trustworthy gay men to help you deal with what you're going through. Now, let's see, how much can you tell me about Percy and his powers?"

"Don't make the mistake of getting into a fight with him. You will lose, badly. There is only two ways he can be hurt. One, find his weak spot, his Achilles heal if you will. It's not his heal by the way, at least I hope he didn't choose such an obvious location, Luke's was under his upper right arm, the only person who has a clue about Percy's is Annabeth, and she is his other weakness. Not only would her death destabilize him emotionally, far worse than just a lover would, but any attack she makes ignores his immunity. And she's got more than enough skill in battle to not accidently hit him, just so you know. Even before he had that going for him, he'd managed to defeat several titans. Hades, the incident he mentioned about my sword, the three of us are the most powerful half-bloods in the world, or at least we were, and Thalia and me both, combined and in full health were barely managing to hold our own against Iapetus. Then along comes Percy, barely alive from injuries and poison he'd suffered, as well as exhaustion, and he absolutely trounces Iapetus on his own. He'd also beat Atlas, and not just tricked him like Heracles, but actually beat him in combat, and several others as well. Yeah, there's a reason that EVERYONE in our camp has a crush on Percy, to one degree or another, even Clarissa. Half of the completely straight, never consider a guy if their life depended on it people wouldn't even hesitate if Percy showed an interest in them."

Nico is giving me a lot more information than I think he realizes, thanks to his crush, he's bragging about his powers. On the other hand, even if he's overstating them, and I really hope he is, then Percy is a grade-A major power that I really do not want to become a threat. It also confirms my earlier suspicion that Percy is an Alpha of considerable ability.

"It sounds like he'd do very well as a werewolf. I've already taken note that he is a very dominant person, though, like Bran, he doesn't dominate unless he has too, he just IS dominant. Can he talk to horses? It looked like he was with Riverwind."

"Not only can he talk to them, but they seem to become more intelligent when he's around, both in the present and for what has transpired in the past, and I've never seen any that wouldn't obey him either. In a society that tends to make use of horse like creatures, he is an excellent spy."

"What about your hat and sword? Can you tell me about those?"

Now Nico is looking hesitant; "Not really that much, really, what you need to remember, dad probably booby trapped them in case anyone else should try and use them, or if I tried to use them against him. Beyond that, all I'm confortable saying is that my hat isn't actually alive like your daughter Jesse was saying, that was simply how her mind interpreted the affect, and once she said it out loud, it began to affect the rest of you the same way. Sorry again about that, but I'm not to Percy's level when it comes to fighting, so I like to keep as many advantages as I can."

"What about your other powers?"

"Before today, I had limited control of the dead, spirits or animated corpses and can shadow travel. Same with my sister Bianca. I have another half sister, Hazel, who I've never told the others about, she can control the earth and summon it's wealth, though anything of value she summons is cursed by the greed of her mother who forced our father to give her that power. Personally, I'm not sure I'd trade with her. As of today, I'm not entirely sure, I can feel the earth around me, I know every single line, cable, pipe or vent under your property, as well as were everything is buried, and I've somehow gained the ability to name all the plants around here, but I'm not really sure how far those abilities go."

"Why haven't you told the others about Hazel?"

"That's really complicated ok. But it basically boils down to the fact that she died before my mom did. I never knew about her until I was searching the underworld for Bianca. I met Hazel, she'd taken half the load of sin from her mother so she wouldn't be condemned to eternal punishment, but that meant that Hazel was barred from paradise as well. I decided that since Bianca had already chosen reincarnation, even though she had earned paradise, and I couldn't help her anymore, that I'd help Hazel instead. Since there was this big prophecy thing that just happened, and Percy's choice of reward from the council, that there was no way I'd be able to convince anyone at camp half-blood that she was just an unknown, new to camp. During my walk about in the underworld, I learned of another camp that the council kept separate from each other for all of our safety, the way it was set up would be easier for someone to join without revealing parentage. And since she was technically an escaped soul, dad couldn't acknowledge her without reclaiming her as well. So, that's where I sent her and why I never told the others, both because they shouldn't learn of the other camp, especially Annabeth, but also so they don't learn I have helped souls escape the underworld."

HMMMM… It's going to take some time for my mind to stop reeling from that little tid bit.