"Michael Yew." Piper said the name slowly and deliberately. She had a feeling this was a name she should know. Maybe someone Will Solace had mentioned once or twice? But she couldn't quite place her finger on it. The boy just offered a shrugging smile.

"New here?"

"Kind of," Piper admitted.

Chiron cleared his throat. "I think it's best for the two of you to speak in private. Would you like any refreshments Michael? Piper?" Both politely declined. "Very well. I will be outside should either of you need me." And with that, he trotted out, closing the door behind him.

"Want to sit down?" Michael asked. Piper obliged and sat in the chair across from his.

His eyes seemed to bore into her with pinpoint precision. If she had to guess, she would say he was an archer, or at least had some experience with a long range weapon. His face was a mask of weariness and despair, like someone who had gone through Tartarus and back only to find that what he was looking for wasn't there anymore. She wondered just where he had been, and how he'd been able to survive outside the camp.

"Chiron said you were a former camper."

"Yeah, you could say that."

"What happened? Did you leave?" Piper questioned.

Michael shook his head. "Not exactly. It's more like I died, at least, that's what everyone assumed. Chiron filled me in on everything that happened since I went missing. Then he said there was someone who could help me, I assumed he meant Drew..." he trailed off weakly.

"So you know her? Drew, I mean."

"Of course I know her, she's my girlfriend," Michael sad defensively. For a moment, there was a spark in his eyes. Then it faded as he slumped back in his chair. "At least, she was. I guess I can't have expected her to wait for me after all this time."

Piper wasn't sure she'd heard that right. "Your what?" she choked. The idea of Drew Tanaka having a steady boyfriend just seemed...so at odds with everything Piper knew about her. Hadn't Drew been all for the heartbreak ritual not that long ago? She decided not to bring that up, at least not yet. She didn't want to hurt the guy or make him upset. He'd clearly been through a lot.

"Where were you before you got to camp?"

"Manhattan. We were fighting Kronos's army, defending Mount Olympus. That was over four months ago." Michael said sullenly. "One minute, I was leading my cabin into battle, the next, I was falling, then everything went dark. I woke up on dry land, but when I went back, everyone was gone. I must've passed out from my injuries because the next time I awoke, I was somewhere entirely different. Someone had taken me in…saved my life." Michael visibly shivered. He pulled the blankets closer. "I guess I was gone much longer than I had thought."

"And Drew was waiting for you?"

"She was with the Aphrodite cabin, defending the Midtown tunnel." His face darkened as a thought suddenly seemed to enter his mind. "She's not...she's not dead, is she?"

Piper shook her head. "No, she's alive. She's here."

Michael looked very relieved. "Good. You know, sometimes just thinking of being with her again got me through it all. Every trial and challenge I faced was easier knowing I had a life with a girl like her waiting for me. So…when can I see her?"

Piper hesitated. She'd been avoiding this, but eventually she had to tell him. About how Drew had been to her cabin mates, and how she's seemed horribly depressed for the past week. "Listen Michael...I don't really know how to tell you this. Drew...well, she might not be the person you remember. I know I haven't known her very long, but ever since I got here, she's-"

"What are you talking about?" Michael snapped. His eyes seemed to be shooting arrows through her. And most decidedly not of the Cupid variety. "You just don't know her like I do."

"Michael please," she pleaded. It couldn't be good for him to be exerting all this energy. He still looked very weak and pale. Then she got an idea. How she could help Michael heal up and get some backstory about Drew at the same time. Drew wouldn't talk to her. But maybe Michael could provide some insights. "Tell me about Drew."

"What?"

"Tell me everything. From when you met her to your last memories with her. Once you've finished, I'll tell you what I know."

She tried not to put too much Charmspeak into her words, she didn't want to coerce him. But at the same time, she was curious. Michael brushed a clump of hair put of his eyes. "Fine. But as soon as we're done, I want you to take me to her."

"Deal," Piper agreed.

Michael ate a square of ambrosia as he shifted in his chair. "The first time we met...I was just fourteen. Percy, Annabeth and Clarisse had just come back with the Golden Fleece a couple weeks ago. I was at the archery range with my cabin..."

The day was sunny and cloudless. All seemed well with Camp Half-Blood again now that the Fleece had been found and now reinforced the Camp's magic borders once again. Chiron was back, and barring some unforeseeable event, there wouldn't be any more quests this summer, so the campers were free to go back to regular training. In Cabin Seven, head counselor Lee Fletcher had decided they should use this time to help their newest member, Will Solace, with his archery, which he was struggling with.

"You may be more of a healer than an archer, so don't worry if it seems too challenging," Michael Yew had told the younger boy encouragingly. "Lee won't embarrass you too much," the junior counselor assured, though he knew for a fact Lee did have a mischievous side, as he would find out for himself later that day.

Lee had led them out to the range, they lined up in their usual order, Lee at the far end, Michael next to him, and the other boys in order of seniority. The exception was Will, who was lined up next to Michael so he could give the new kid archery tips. Things were going normally until Michael saw someone out of the comer would his eye. Normally, he could keep his aim laser focused, but something about this person seemed to demand his attention. He turned his head a fraction of an inch so he could get a better look. Two girls were walking towards the range. Michael recognized the first. Silena Beauregard, senior counselor of Cabin Ten. But it was the girl next to her that took his breath away. She looked young, maybe 12 or 13, yet cute or pretty didn't seem like the right word for her. She was truly beautiful. Her soft looking black hair fell gracefully past her shoulders, contrasting with her chocolate brown eyes. He guessed she was new, because he would've noticed someone like that sooner.

Silena stopped and said something to her, then she suddenly started dragging her towards the archery range. Michael nocked an arrow and fired, hitting the target dead center even while he was distracted. Having Apollo's divine accuracy sure could be a lifesaver sometimes.

"Hey, Lee!" Silena chirped gleefully.

Lee lowered his bow and regarded the girls for the first time. "Hey Silena." Then he turned to the other girl, "and...you must be new."

Silena beamed. "This is Drew Tanaka. She's only been here a few hours. And she really wanted to meet you guys."

Drew turned bright red at that last part.

"It's nice to meet you Drew, welcome to Camp Half-Blood. I'm Lee Fletcher." Lee smiled. Too late, Michael realized he hadn't quite gotten away with his earlier glance without notice. Lee put his arm around Michael and pushed him forward. "And this is my best pal, Michael Yew."

Now Michael was the one blushing madly. He awkwardly extended a hand. "Hi Drew."

"Hi Michael," she replied. The moment their hands touched, it was like pure electricity coursing through his whole body.

"It's great to have you here," he said sincerely.

"Thanks. It's great to be here."

"Well, we'd love to stay and chat boys, but I've gotta show Drew the rest of the camp," Silena said. Michael had hoped he would get more time with Drew, but the new girl seemed eager to move on herself. He sighed as he went back to archery. But he couldn't concentrate. He had a crush on the new girl.

Drew had a lot of time to think while she was out here sitting on the shore. Usually those thoughts just revolved around self-pity, anger, and sadness. Today though, for some reason, she found her thoughts turning to an old memory. Her first day at camp. The day she met two important figures in her life.

Drew was used to people noticing and befriending her for her looks. In elementary, it hadn't been so bad. But by middle school, it seemed people were only interested in her for what her looks could do for them. When when she was 13, she'd gotten into her first real relationship, and to put it simply, the ending had not been pleasant. Yet again, Drew had been used and then thrown away when she was no longer useful. From then on, Drew wanted the feeling of being in love, but she was afraid of any kind of commitment.

As bad as it was not having any real friends, her home life hadn't been much better. Her father had always been bitter over Drew's mother leaving them soon after she was born, and he usually ended up taking that out on Drew herself. He sent her to the best schools, she should be getting better grades. Forget about friends, he would tell her every time she brought up her situation at school. People are just a means to an end. You can't trust them for anything else. Drew didn't want to think she could ever end up as cynical as her dad, but things certainly weren't getting any better where she was right now.

When she arrived at Camp Half-Blood, she viewed it as a fresh, thought admittedly confusing start. Apparently she was a demigod, meaning her mother was in fact an Ancient Greek goddess. This was quite a thing to dump on a teenager, especially one who'd been taught to tie her entire self-worth to her image and prestige. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to crawl in a hole out of embarrassment or go back home and shove it in all those pretentious prep-school girls' faces. As soon as she arrived, she was taken to a tall, ominous looking wooden house, where she met a centaur named Chiron and a pudgy faced man named Mr. D, short for Dionysus, god of wine. The names vaguely rang a bell, but she didn't know much about Greek mythology except that apparently, it was real. And after the usual round of questions about how the gods could exist, why no one else could see this world of mythological creatures, why ancient deities would have children with mortals etc., it was time for her to tour the camp, though Drew didn't know who would volunteer to do that.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. Chiron opened it, and in walked a tall, graceful looking girl with long brown curls and sky blue eyes. She exuded confidence, yet also kindness.

"Hey Chiron, I noticed-" then she saw Drew. "You're new here, right?"

Drew nodded. "Yeah."

"Silena, would you please show Drew around camp?" Chiron asked the girl.

"I'd love to. So your name's Drew?" Silena asked.

"Mm hm, Drew Tanaka."

The girl smiled. "I'm Silena Beauregard, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Drew immediately found herself admiring Silena. She seemed to have a glowing aura about her, and a genuiness that few people had ever shown Drew. They'd started with the cabins. Silena told Drew that once her godly parent claimed her, she would be assigned a cabin. For now, she would stay in the Hermes cabin. Drew asked if Silena had any ideas ablut who it could be.

"I have my suspicions." she said coyly.

"But you're not going to tell me."

Silena shook her head and Drew pouted. The older girl laughed.

"My mom's Aphrodite. If there's one thing we love, it's a healthy dose of drama and tension."

Drew wasn't sure quite what to make of that, but she let Silena lead her around the U shape line of cabins while the older girl explained what god each cabin was for and named some notable occupants of each. Drew caught Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Clarisse La Rue and a few others. By this point, she wasnt really paying attention, because she had noticed the archers. They were over half a dozen boys, all lined up and firing their arrows in sync. The summer sun cast them in a golden light, they almost seemed to actually be a part of the sunshine itself. She stood atill for a moment, unfortunately, Silena noticed.

"Apollo boys, they sure are dreamy, huh?" she sighed.

"Um, kind of, I guess."

"Want me to introduce you?" Silena asked suddenly, a giddy grin on her face.

"No, you really don't have to-" but Silena was already dragging her towards the range in spite of her protestations.

"Hey, Lee!" she greeted cheerfully.

The first in line, a tall boy with short blond hair and blue eyes, turned towards them. "Hey Silena," he said. Then his eyes moved onto her. "And...you must be new here."

Before Drew could say anything, Silena was already introducing her. "This is Drew Tanaka, she's only been here a few hours. And she really wanted to meet you guys," she said excitedly. Drew turned red as a tomato. Silena just had to say that last part. Now they would probably think she was just some fangirl or something. Lee regarded her again and smiled.

"It's nice to meet you Drew, welcome to Camp Half-Blood. I'm Lee Fletcher." Suddenly he threw his around the shoulders of the boy next to him and pushed him forward. "And this is my best pal, Michael Yew."

Michael looked absolutely mortified, just like she'd felt a moment ago. She couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. He was shorter than Lee, with messy black hair and dark brown eyes. He was sort of wiry, not especially muscular or anything. And yet Drew felt an attraction towards him. It thrilled her, but with her past experiences, also incited anxiety.

"Hi Drew," Michael said awkwardly, extending his hand.

"Hi Michael." Drew reached out and took it. The feeling as their hands touched was so different from other boys she'd had crushes on. It was more powerful, almost overwhelming. She quickly pulled away. No feelings, she repeated the mantra over and over in her mind. No feelings. Yet somehow, the words rang hollow.

Michael shuffled nervously. "It's great to have you here."

He sounded sincere when he said it. Drew wanted to believe him. "Thanks. It's great to be here."

Silena saved her. "Well we'd love to stay and chat boys, but I've gotta show Drew the rest of the camp." Drew was relieved when Silena led her away from the archery range. But no matter where she went from now on, as long as she was at camp, she knew she couldn't completely avoid seeing Michael. Or deny the fact that despite her promises to herself that she would not get into another serious relationship, the feelings she tried to bury could not stay hidden forever.