The driveway up to the land Jackson had purchased was nearly two miles long. Weaving through the forest, the lone dirt path darted in and out of the tree line. It was a beautiful drive, but Isabella couldn't enjoy it. She didn't want to be doing this. Didn't want to be here. Why did she have to be the one to initiate contact with the new guy? Sure they were technically neighbors, but given how large his property was, and how tucked back into the woods it seemed to be, she doubted she'd ever actually see the guy.

Not that she'd really want to.

Really, this should have been a job for one of the other families. One of the ones who actually gave a damn that there was a new guy in town. They were just lumping this on her because her family wasn't as respected or influential as the others. Most in her position wouldn't have tolerated such blatant disrespect. But she wasn't as…temperamental as some of her contemporaries. It didn't behoove someone in her position to think with her baser instincts.

That was how you got caught, or killed. For people like her, though? It was usually both. She turned the final corner, and got her first real look at the farm. She'd never been on the property before, but knew it had been decades since someone had set foot on the old farmland. Brok had clearly been busy over the last couple of months. The layout was simple enough, a large stable was tucked away near the tree line. A single building in the shape of a large "U," it was white walled with a deep navy roof that gleamed beautifully in the late morning sun.

At the tails of the "U," were the doors to the stalls, each of which led into a gated pasture. Bright green, well-trimmed grass and water troughs lined the white picket fences at the rear of each of the small pastures. The pastures were divided by yet another gated area. This time, the gate was in a large circle, and was covered in dirt rather than grass. She could see what looked like a large equestrian track about an acre away from the pastures.

The driveway led past the pens and along the edges of the farm and past yet another pen, this one far larger and spanning all the way out to the trees. It was maybe two or three acres long, and as Isabella drove she could see at least a dozen horses galloping through the field or lazing casually in the sun. Oddly enough, she couldn't see any farm hands or workers around the field. Maybe they were all working inside the stalls or something.

The driveway led up to a simple home. Nothing too ostentatious, but rather a simple, fittingly ranch-styled home. Like the stalls, the home was white-walled with a deep navy roof and with sharp navy trim. She thought it was rather charming in its own way. Likely the home of an older couple if she were guessing right. It just seemed a little too subdued to be anything else, and she was starting to like this less and less with every passing moment. She didn't want to be the one to tell the Council that the people they're so concerned about were a couple of geriatrics. She figured that would give some of the more…ambitious even fewer compunctions about it in that case.

She sighed, resting her head on the steering wheel for a second. She was tempted to just leave. To turn around and simply tell Jed to fuck off. This wasn't her problem and he wasn't her boss. He might have been the "Mayor," but it was little more than a title without much real weight behind it. At least politically. But she didn't need to be making enemies right now. Not when things were still relatively peaceful. Not when the families were actually coexisting for once, at least in Paradise at any rate.

So she would play along, for now at least. If for no other reason than to keep the peace.

Deciding that she had put it off for too long, she unbuckled her seatbelt and hauled herself out of the car. Farms had a distinct smell, she decided. She couldn't say for certain, as this was the first farm she'd ever been to, but she was fairly sure that she was right. It just smelled like a farm should smell like. Like animals, like freshly-cut grass, and hay, like the outdoors. It was an oddly pleasant combination of smells she decided.

She approached the door, and knocked three times. Then, she suddenly felt rather foolish. It was the middle of the day, and she was at least vaguely aware that farmers usually worked from sun up until sundown. What were the chances he was even in the building? She didn't think it was a particularly high likelihood. But at least she could say that she had made a good faith effort at reaching out. She came here, she tried to greet her new neighbor, and had been unsuccessful. The others couldn't get too pissy about that.

Well that wasn't strictly true. They could and most likely would get petulant about it, but they certainly couldn't say that she didn't try at least.

She turned around and began to make her way to the car, only to nearly get knocked on her rear end as she slammed into the sturdy chest of the large man behind her. She stumbled backwards, losing her balance, and was saved from toppling to the ground as a large hand darted out and grabbed her under the arm, securing her safely.

"Are you all right?" Asked the man. He had a deep voice, kind and soothing, but Isabella barely registered it. She was far too confused. How had this man snuck up on her like that. She should have heard him coming, or at the very least should have smelled him coming. Her sense of smell was one of her greatest strengths. One of her most important self-defense mechanisms. She should have smelled him coming from over an acre away, and yet she hadn't noticed anything. And she most certainly would have noticed him. He was too unique, his scent too…different. Like sea-water mixed with steel. It was strange, and yet relaxing all at once.

She blinked, mutely registering that he was talking to her, looking down at her in concern. His hand was still on her arm, though not menacingly. It was more of a reassuring gesture, as though he were concerned she was going to collapse on him.

"Ma'am…are you all right?"

She shook her head, and tried to smile. Gently prying her arm free from his grasp.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry about that." She brushed a strand of her red hair from her eyes as she took in the man's appearance, her eyes actually registering him for the first time. He appeared to be right around her age. Maybe twenty-six or twenty-seven. He was tall, but not overly large, standing at a little over six feet and was strongly built. Wide shoulders with a powerful looking body.

His short black hair poked out from under the brim of his faded New York Rangers baseball cap. He had bright sea-green eyes, and a face that was cleanly shaved.

"My name is Isabella Connors," she introduced, extending a hand out to the man, "I'm looking for the owner of the property, Percy Jackson."

The man eyed her hand for a moment, before ginning and gripping her hand in his own. His hands were calloused and coarse, and his grip was strong. Firm. Confident.

"Well Ms. Connors, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too…" she said, pulling her hand free and staring at him expectantly, "I'm sorry, I never got your name?"

He chuckled, it was a deep and rumbling sound. A little like rolling thunder, and he crossed his arms over his plaid work shirt.

"Sure you did," he teased, "You just said it."

"Oh…" Her face flushed in embarrassment, "I'm so sorry Mr. Jackson…I just thought…well-"

He chuckled and waved off her embarrassment with an errant hand.

"Happens all the time, don't worry about it. I'm pretty young to be getting into the business, so I get it." He cocked his head to the side, peering behind her and at her car.

"You my new neighbor?"

She nodded, "I live…well I suppose not down the street." She smiled sheepishly, "But down the road."

"I thought I recognized your car," smiled Percy. He gestured behind her, "C'mon inside, I was just heading in when I noticed you. I have a pot on, you like coffee?"

"I don't really…" she started to say, before biting her tongue. "You know what, coffee sounds lovely."

"Awesome!" He beamed and stepped around her, opening the unlocked door and stepping inside. That was odd, but she supposed he did live out in the sticks a bit. Probably just felt safe enough all the way out here that it wasn't necessary to lock his doors when he was still on the farm.

The inside of the home was fairly spartan. They walked into a small entrance way, and she followed Percy through the hall and into the small kitchen. It was a relatively simple kitchen. Nothing too over the top, and all of the appliances looked relatively plain and ordinary. There was a small, handsomely carved table in the corner of the kitchen, with four equally handsome chairs seated around it. The table abutted a large window that shone out into the field beyond. Through the window, Isabella watched as several horses pranced around. Two looked as though they were chasing one another around, almost like a game of tag.

"They're like overgrown children sometimes," said Percy, drawing her attention away from the horses. She sat down in one of the chairs as Percy reached into a pantry cabinet and withdrew a pair of mugs.

"I've always heard horses were pretty smart creatures," she observed casually.

"Cream and sugar?" He asked over his shoulder,

"Please."

He nodded, placing a pair of steaming mugs of coffee on the table before turning back to the kitchen and he began rummaging through the refrigerator. As he grabbed the cream and sugar, Isabella grabbed one of the mugs, an older looking purple mug with gold trim and pulled it towards her. The smell of the coffee was like heaven. It was light, and aromatic. Fresh. Clearly not store bought.

"A far cry from Folgers," laughed Percy as he set down a ceramic jar of sugar and a small carton of creamer.

"It smells lovely, where did you find this?" She asked as she began to add some light cream and sugar.

"I have a buddy in the coffee industry." Percy explained, taking a seat and dumping a more than generous portion of sugar into his coffee. "He sends me free samples all the time." He leaned forward, a playful expression on his face. "I think he's just using me as a test market so he doesn't have to pay for one."

Isabella giggled before she could stop herself.

"So," began Percy, pouring an equally healthy serving of creamer into his coffee. "How long have you lived here?"

"Five years," she answered, lifting the mug to her lips and taking a healthy sip. It was heavenly. There was no bitterness, or lingering aftertaste she normally associated with coffee. It was divine.

"I moved here with my daughter from Boston."

His smile broadened, "What's your daughter's name?"

"Cassidy," said Isabella, reaching into her clutch and grabbing her favorite picture of her and Cassidy. It was a candid picture, taken by one of her friends on their last trip to Boston. She probably shouldn't have been showing pictures of her baby girl to what counted as little more than a total stranger, but she couldn't help herself. Not only was there something oddly comforting about Percy's presence that made her want to trust the man. That and she was always willing to brag about her baby girl.

Percy grabbed the picture and lifted it to his face, his expression soft. "She's a cute kid. How old is she, seven-eight?"

"She's eight, and she's the cutest kid," she corrected seriously, "And I'll accept your apology at any time."

Percy laughed, and then he laughed even harder when he saw that she was completely serious.

"All right, you have my sincere apologies," he chuckled. "Clearly Cassidy is the cutest kid on the planet, and nobody even comes close."

"You're goddamn right," she said, poking a finger in his chest. In spite of her attempt to be serious, she could feel the corners of her lips tick upward, threatening to break her expression, but she kept strong. Though she could tell that Percy, somehow, could see right through her.

She finally allowed herself to smile at him. She was enjoying herself, feeling relaxed around someone that wasn't her daughter for the first time in…well she didn't even know how long. But unfortunately, she had a job she needed to do. As much as she was genuinely enjoying her time with the enigmatic farmer, she wasn't there to make a friend.

"So, Percy," she began, "What brings you all the way out here? I mean…Paradise isn't exactly much more than a dot on a map. What made you decide that this was where you should plant your farm?"

"I didn't pick the spot," he shrugged. "I have…a friend. He's got a fair bit of money and he owed me a fairly substantial favor. He knew that I wanted to get into the equestrian business and offered to front the money for the land. He's the one who picked the land." He chuckled uncomfortably, rubbing at a space behind his ear.

"To be honest with you, I didn't even know the name of the town until I got here. He just gave me the coordinates for the land and told me that everything was taken care of."

That…didn't make any sense, and felt more than a little suspicious. She focused more intently on him. Trying to gauge his face for any sense of deception of falsity. But oddly enough…she didn't see any deception. He wasn't telling her the full story, of that she was certain, but she could hardly fault him for that. Still, that didn't mean that she didn't have any questions.

"And you just agreed to it, not even knowing where you were moving to?"

He laughed, "Well it sounds a little ridiculous when you say it like that."

"That's because it is ridiculous." She said with a shake of her head, "I couldn't…I can't fathom moving somewhere and not knowing where I was moving. Not knowing whether I would like it or not."

Percy shrugged. "I don't know," he idly played a finger along the rim of his mug as he stared out the window. He watched, a proud and satisfied expression on his face, as a pair of his horses trotted aimlessly past the window. A small smile played on his lips.

"Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith."

"I think I'd sooner know where I'm leaping."

"That's certainly the safe answer, but not necessarily the fun one."

"I have a daughter, I can't afford to be anything but safe."

"Nor should you, I'd have some questions if you felt differently."

Isabella smiled. She seemed to do that a lot around this man. It was strange. She'd heard platitudes like that before. Many times, as a matter of fact, from a number of other men. She had grown accustomed to most saying what they believed she wanted to hear. But she thought this man, Percy, meant what he said. At least she thought so. She had been wrong before, but…she trusted him at his word. She couldn't explain why, only that she was certain he was telling the truth.

"So seriously…you just uprooted your life, moved away from…wherever you were and came here all without ever once seeing the property?"

Percy shrugged, taking a hefty gulp of his coffee.

"I trusted his judgment."

"I don't think I trust anyone enough to uproot my life like that without even knowing where I was going."

Percy laughed, "I think you have a little more to worry about than I do."

She giggled, "So how long have you been in the ranching business?"

"As of today?" Percy looked down and checked his watch, "About…six hours."

Isabella, who had been in the process of taking a sip of her coffee, choked.

"Excuse me?" She spluttered.

He laughed nervously, "Yeah…kind of just figuring it out as I go right now."

Isabella blinked. Maybe there really was something to some of her more paranoid compatriots' concerns. That someone would just uproot their life, move somewhere they'd never visited, to engage in an enterprise that they'd never actually participated in…it was frankly ridiculous. It was so ridiculous…that she was actually reassured. You didn't lie about not having any idea what you were doing. You lied about the opposite. You said that you'd spent months looking around the country to try and find the best possible plot at the best possible price point. You'd say that you and your family have been in the business for years. That you grew up around them.

You wouldn't admit that you had never worked in this business before. You wouldn't admit that you hadn't picked the property out yourself, and you sure as hell wouldn't admit that you'd never actually visited the property before moving there. It was the sheer absurdity of the statement. The ridiculousness of what he was telling her, that led her to believe that he was telling the truth. Either that, or he was the single best liar that she had ever come across.

But she didn't think he was lying. Of that, she was fairly confident.

"You're…a very strange man. You know that?"

Percy laughed, a big booming sound that sent a shiver of…something up her spine.

"Probably one of the nicer things I've been called," he admitted. "But yeah, I know."

They fell into a companionable silence. Strangely enough, she was rather comfortable, in spite of the fact that she had only known the man for a handful of minutes.

"You ride?" Percy asked abruptly,

"Pardon?"

"Horses," he said, gesturing over his shoulder, "Do you or your daughter ride at all?"

"I learned when I was younger," she admitted. "But Cassidy doesn't know how. The nearest ranch is…or I suppose was, at least a two hour drive away."

Percy smiled broadly at her, "Well, I'd be more than happy to be her instructor."

"I thought you said you'd never done this before."

"I've never sold or raised horses before," he corrected, "But I did grow up around horses, trained horses, and trained others on how to ride horses. I'm a novice when it comes to business, sure." He shrugged, " But, when it comes to the animals themselves? There's no one better in the world."

It was the simple way in which he said that made it all the more believable. The kind of casual that only someone who truly believed what they were saying could create.

"Well…I think Cassidy would love that." She heard herself say, much to her own confusion. What was she doing? What was this? Why was she just agreeing to allow her daughter to spend time with a man she didn't know for hours at a time? What was it about the man that threw her off balance so easily? Some of her thoughts must have shown on her face, because Percy frowned.

"And you are more than welcome to stay for the lessons," he tried to reassure her, "You probably wouldn't be too comfortable leaving your kid with a total stranger unattended." He chuckled nervously, scratching behind his ear.

Isabella didn't quite fight the soft giggle that escaped her lips. There was something rather endearing about how uncomfortable he looked. He smiled, and her stomach clenched uncomfortably. She felt heat rush to her cheeks, and she averted her gaze, trying to focus on something, anything, to distract herself.

"I didn't see anyone else working the fields when I came in," she said, fishing around desperately for a new topic of conversation. "Where is everyone?"

He shrugged casually. "There isn't anyone else."

Isabella stared at him. "You're not seriously going to suggest that it's just you working the ranch," she said in disbelief. She didn't know much about farming, and knew even less about horses. What she did know was that one person couldn't possibly tend and care for an entire ranch all by themselves.

Once more, Percy shrugged. "I'm serious. This farm is just me, myself, and I."

"Your parents didn't come with you?" She gawked, "Family, friends…" She glanced down at his hand, and didn't see a ring, "Girlfriend, boyfriend?"

He snorted. "Mom's passed, dad's a deadbeat." He said it so casually, that Isabella was thrown a little off-base by how seemingly little he cared about it all. "Don't have many friends, but the few I have I wouldn't trust near my horses any farther than the entrance to the stalls. And I'm single, haven't been on so much as even a date since I was probably twenty."

Isabella didn't quite like how happy that little tidbit of information made her. But she buried that for the moment. Things were getting infinitely more curious.

"Okay…so you just moved here, without knowing where you were going-"

"You're not letting that go, are you?"

"And without any help, no family to help with the move, and with no one to help you run the ranch?"

She leaned back in her chair, taking an absent sip of her coffee.

"I can't decide if you're really brave, or really stupid."

Percy barked out a laugh. "You wouldn't be the first to say that to me." He leaned back in his own chair, one arm lounging casually on the neck of the fixture as he stared out the window.

"One of my friends said something really similar, ya know? Told me that I was being an idiot moving all the way out here, in the middle of nowhere, all on my own. But it just felt like the right choice, ya know? I've always been something of a risk-taker…and now that I'm here…now that everything is built and the horses are here and roaming around…I can't help but feel like it really was the right choice after all. I've only been here for a couple of hours, but I already feel more at home than I have in a long time."

They sat and talked for some time. By the time Isabella was in her car and leaving the Jackson Ranch, the sun had already begun dipping down below the horizon. And as she drove back to her house, she came to a couple of realizations. First and foremost, Percy Jackson was most certainly not what he appeared to be. Of that she was certain. He was hiding something. What? She didn't know, but she was certain she was right. Her mother had always told her that she had a sixth sense for things that didn't seem right, and at that moment, her sixth sense was screaming that something was not right about that man.

But at the same time…she didn't think he was dangerous. At least, not to her and not to the town. He seemed…comfortable. Happy. The type of man who wanted to just live his life and live it happily.

She sighed, pulling into her driveway. She could see the light in Cassidy's room was on, and Jackie the babysitter's car was still in the driveway. She would need to report this. She just hoped that someone didn't try and do something too stupid. She knew better than most what could happen when a supernatural decided to take matters into their own hands.

She just didn't know who she was more worried about.

AN: As always thank you to Double for being the best on the planet, this story literally wouldn't exist without him and he's the best. I'm discord with a bunch of other awesome authors, link is in my profile so come check us out some time. Any hoo, enjoy the new story.

Love you,

LilDB