Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson world or characters, or anything related to the Greek Mythology world etc., I'm just a fan :)

Annabeth

Oh, if that seaweed brain is not dead already, she'll murder him.

Annabeth couldn't tell what she was more - angry, or just so, so sad.

But one of these emotions came very naturally to her, and the other made her want to scream in agony and sob into her pillow.

So when his sister came back, returning after being lost to them, and brought Nico along with her, but not Percy, Annabeth chose anger.

But obviously she wasn't going to take it out on Penny.

Oh, no. She's saving it all for Percy.

The two came to the camp by foot, Nico looking worse for wear, and Penny somehow not so much, although she was completely filled with sand. As they went down the hill and both of the girls looked at the other with irrational hope in their eyes, they both knew that Percy was not back yet.

Penny frowned with worry as she reached Annabeth and pulled her into a hug, and Annabeth hugged her back, feeling a bitter taste in her mouth.

/

"How did you two get to New York?"

Penny and Nico looked at each other before Nico shrugged. "We got out of the Labyrinth close enough, and we, er, drove here."

"Drove here?" Chiron leaned forward, watching his camper and Nico closely.

"Yes," Penny played with the hem of her jacket in her fingers, "by bus."

Well, there were acting strange.

Annabeth never thought someone could look so nervous when answering how they moved from one place to the other.

Annabeth looked at Chiron, who nodded mutely.

As much as the two looked guilty and clearly hid something, Chiron didn't spot a lie in their version.

Well, not that she suspected Penny anyway. Or Nico for that matter. But they lost too many people, were in too much of a danger. Everyone experienced impatience, irrational anger and paranoia more often than usual nowadays.

As much as it was hard for Annabeth, Penny was probably suffering more. Annabeth sat slowly next to her friend and hugged her shoulders. "How are you, Penny?"

It seemed like exactly what the girl needed as she immediately gave into the hug and held onto Annabeth, whimpering softly.

"I'm so worried for him, Annabeth," the girl sighed miserably, "I don't know how I'll cope if he doesn't come back."

"My dear girl," Chiron sighed and leaned forward, his face etched in worry as Annabeth stroked Penny's back, gaining some power herself from the hug, "do you know anything? Has anyone told you, or did you dream -"

"I really don't know where he is, Chiron," Penny shook her head, "I wish I did."

They were all quiet, as Nico looked up to the centaur. "Do you know anything?"

"Annabeth told me where he went, and what happened there afterward is obvious to all," and he gestured to a newspaper, on which the front page was covered with a big picture of mount St. Helens after the eruption.

Where was he, where was he, where was he.

Her days were haunted, and bleak. So bleak. Empty really.

She couldn't focus on anything, couldn't read (a task that was always difficult to dyslexic demigods), couldn't practice fighting in the arena and refused to join her siblings in their activities. Instead, she watched the shore, irrationally hoping that he'd appear out of the sea. Yes, it was absurd thinking, but being next to the sea in these times when she was worried for him and had no idea where he was made her calmer, more focused.

Block it, she ordered herself.

Really, her logical side knew that when she's so unsure where he was, obsessing about him was redundant. She should focus on other things instead.

Like, like Nico Di Angelo.

They were all so sure, especially after the Labyrinth, that this boy was lost for good. Even was he to survive, no one thought he'll come back to the camp.

Claimed demigods who were children of gods with no cabins never really felt comfortable in their camp. It didn't happen too often, but the camp had the occasional child of Nemesis, or Enyo, and they'd reach camp, spend in it a few summers and then disappear. And it would be fine, too, because they were usually children of minor gods, so their auras weren't that much of a problem and they didn't attract that many monsters.

But Nico, or any child of Hades really, was a very different subject. As one of The Big Three, Hades was no minor god by any means, and his children were powerful and quite the monster-magnets. It seemed almost prejudicial, that they had no cabin in camp for him. Technically not an Olympian, so no recognition to him.

Well, in their former meetings with him, Nico seemed acutely aware to that unfairness, filled with bitter resentment and energy to fight the whole system, so much so that it was a wonder he didn't join Luke.

But now, after returning with Penny, he was like a whole new different individual. The two seemed close, taking care of each other and helping each other, and Nico accepted his sleeping arrangements in Hermes' cabin with strange serenity, and Annabeth even heard him mumbling to Penny 'there are worse things and worst hosts'. He gave his father each night an offering from his food, and he seemed more confident and more centered. Still gloomy, still kind of dark in character and in energy, but altogether collected. It was surprising, how he became all of that after just a few days in the Labyrinth with Penny.

"How did it happen?" She asked Penny, who became more restless, more antsy and more panicked with each passing day. But she still managed a smile, albeit a small one.

"We… we helped each other, saved each other. We would both be lost without the other. And… that made both of us connect. And I think having such a connection with someone made him realize people obviously could care for him. Not that he should've thought otherwise, the tool," she smiled fondly, but her smile wiped off quickly. They were sitting together ashore, Penny joining her after four days of nervous anticipation. "Where is my airhead brother?" She murmured, rubbing her face.

A lump formed in Annabeth's throat. "He might… he might be -"

"No!" Penny scowled, her fist closing on some sand and throwing it forward so it flew in the light sea breeze, "don't say that. Do not say that."

"Penny…" Annabeth's voice horsened with grief, "it's a week and a half tomorrow. You… you need to make him a burial shroud. That's how things are done."

"NO!" Penny stood up abruptly, and Annabeth's breath hitched as in front of her the waves rose and hit the shore angrily, creating walls of water at least five meters tall, "if I'll have to make him a burial shroud, I'd have to make some for me as well."

"PENNY!" Annabeth was horrified as she stood up too, "you don't mean that!"

"I, I…" her eyes glistened as she shook her head desperately, "I don't know what I mean anymore. But if he dies, or, or doesn't come back, I… a big part of me will die with him, that's for sure. My childhood, my humor, my optimism… to name a few."

And she strode away from her angrily, leaving Annabeth to wonder what would die in her if Percy wouldn't come back.

Her heart thumped against her chest demandingly, implying he might not survive such a hit.

Penny

Yes, Apollo told her he wasn't dead. But he also told her he wouldn't necessarily come back!

And as more and more days passed, it seemed more the latter than the former.

"Mom," she sobbed into the Iris message as her mother appeared from the other side, not looking much better, "mom mom mom -"

"I know," her mom was weeping, her eyes red, her face swollen and her hair sticking to her face. Her bottom lip was trembling as more and more tears splashed her face, "I know, honey, I know."

"It will end me," Penny murmured honestly, and her mother's head snapped up as terrible rage darkened her features.

"PENELOPE JACKSON, you will say NO SUCH THING!"

Penny's heart stopped in shock from the outburst, but her mom shook her head, awful despair, rage and agony twisting her features.

"Do you think, do you think it's easy for me to-to lose one child?! You'll make me lose both?!"

"We haven't lost him yet!"

"Haven't we?!"

Penny buried her head in her hands, not answering.

Percy, Percy, Percy… her mind cried, come back. Come back.

Before we all go insane.

Percy

Calypso was sweet, so very sweet and kind and compassionate… but he couldn't.

He just couldn't leave them all behind.

How would Penny survive without him? She wasn't weak in any way, but… well, he wouldn't survive her death, so how would she survive his?

And Annabeth, Annabeth…

He had to go back. He couldn't ditch them when they needed him most.

He also couldn't let Penny be the demigoddess from the prophecy.

No, he'll come back. He had to. And he did.

/

Hours later, his wooden raft washed up at Camp Half-Blood.

He had no idea how he got there. At some point the lake water just changed into salt water. The familiar shoreline of Long Island appeared up ahead, and a couple of friendly great white sharks surfaced and steered him toward the beach.

When he landed, the camp seemed deserted. It was late afternoon, but the archery range was empty. The climbing wall poured lava and rumbled all by itself. Pavilion: nothing. Cabins: all vacant. Then he noticed smoke rising from the amphitheater. Too early for a campfire, too. he ran toward it.

Before he even got there he heard Chiron making an announcement. When he realized what he was saying, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"- Assume he is dead," Chiron said. "After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked his twin sister, Penelope, to do the final honors."

He came up on the back of the amphitheater. Nobody noticed him. They were all looking forward, watching as Penny took a long green silk burial cloth, embroidered with a trident, and set it on the flames.

They were burning his shroud.

After doing so, his twin crumbled to the ground, shaking her head manically.

"I can't believe he's gone, I can't believe he's gone! My twin brother, the bravest, strongest, kindest hero anyone could dream of meeting! I'm not sure how to move on, I'm not sure I can, I…" and she looked up, and Percy's heart dropped at how awful she looked. Her face almost unrecognizable, swollen and red and stained with dry tears, her hair unwashed around her face.

But then she noticed him and it was the fastest, most rapid and extreme change in emotion he witnessed in his life.

"PERCY!"

She sped up to reach him as around her heads turned and people gasped.

"PERCY!" She roared, crushing him with a hug so tight his bones cracked and his limbs lost feeling. Not just that, but she tackled him to the ground, laying on top of him and crying desperately into his shirt. "You're back-you're back-you're back-you're back-"

"Penny, you're back back back!" He grinned at her, her hug softening somewhat and allowing him speech, "last time I was around you were lost too!"

"We're united again…" she beamed into his shirt and tightened her arms around him again.

"Percy!" Beckendorf grinned. A bunch of other kids crowded around them and watched the scene in amusement. Chiron cantered over and everyone made way for him. "Penelope," he appeared above the siblings, grinning down at the scene, "please, allow your brother breath. Although I must admit, I don't believe I've ever been happier to see a camper return. But you must tell me -"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Annabeth interrupted, shoving aside the other campers.

Penny pulled away from him with a liberated laugh, grinning like mad and remaining on the floor as Percy stood up slowly to face Annabeth. He thought she was going to punch him, but instead she hugged him so fiercely he - again - couldn't breath for a few seconds. The other campers fell silent.

Annabeth seemed to realize she was making a scene and pushed him away.

"I - we thought you were dead, Seaweed Brain!"

"I'm sorry," he said. "I got lost."

"LOST?" she yelled. "Two weeks, Percy? Where in the world -"

"Annabeth," Chiron interrupted. "Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? The rest of you, back to your normal activities!"

Without waiting for them to protest, he picked up Annabeth, Penny and Percy as easily as if they were kittens, slung them on his back, and galloped off toward the Big House.

Annabeth

Well, he was back.

He was back.

But he was… infuriating as usual.

Where was he, anyway? What island can he disappear to, to reappear on a raft, looking so confused and… and distant? Who healed him, why was he away for so long?

Penny seemed too over the moon to be suspicious, but Chiron looked like he, too, knew that there were some details missing from his story.

"You've been gone two weeks." Annabeth's voice was steadier now, but she was still pretty shaken up. "When I heard the explosion, I thought -" You died.

"I know," he said. "I'm sorry. But I figured out how to get through the Labyrinth. I talked to Hephaestus."

"He told you the answer?"

"Well, he sort of told me that I already knew. And I do. I understand now."

He told them his idea.

Penny looked at him unsurely. "Will she… will she agree? She barely knows us."

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "It doesn't matter if she'll agree. Percy, that's a crazy idea!"

Infuriating, infuriating, stupid moron!

Not only was he gone for two weeks, probably getting cozy with a beautiful titaness, now he wanted to bring his mortal girlfriend into Annabeth's quest -

Chiron sat back in his wheelchair and stroked his beard. "There is precedent, however. Theseus had the help of Ariadne. Harriet Tubman, daughter of Hermes, used many mortals on her Underground Railroad for just this reason."

"But this is my quest," Annabeth said. "I need to lead it."

Chiron looked uncomfortable. "My dear, it is your quest. But you need help."

She does not need any help!

"And this is supposed to help? Please! It's wrong. It's cowardly. It's -"

"Hard to admit we need a mortal's help," Percy said. "But it's true."

Oh, HE needs to shut UP.

Annabeth glared at him. "You are the single most annoying person I have ever met!" And she stormed out of the room.

And soon enough, they were on their way to Manhattan to add his mortal girlfriend into Annabeth's quest.

Penny

She sat between Percy and Annabeth in the van, Nico sitting in the front next to Argus, and boy, was this an awkward drive.

Neither Annabeth or Percy spoke, and Argus, who drove them, couldn't, so she was to somehow carry the entire conversation with Nico while they stared at the windows.

"So," she mumbled nervously, Nico peeking at her from the front seat, "how do you feel about returning to the quest?"

"It's weird," Annabeth said shortly.

"Yeah," Percy was even shorter, muttering that single affirmation, his eyes wandering to Annabeth's angry face and then back to the window miserably.

She wanted to roll her eyes.

Her brother was so clueless.

He just didn't understand how Annabeth clearly liked him, or maybe he did but didn't know what to do with it.

She knew he must be confused. He clearly liked Annabeth, but she started to suspect he wasn't too indifferent to that mortal, Rachel, either. And until he made up his mind, both of them, possibly the three of them really, would probably get hurt.

Well, she'll pick his love-problems every day over her impossible, really silly wishful thinking, but that's a different subject altogether.

"Er, Nico, how about you? Ready to hit the road?"

His eyes laughed at her as he grinned, and it was a good look on him. She really missed the old, overjoyed, can't-shut-up Nico. As Apollo said, he was a cute kid. "Penny, you don't have to fill the silence."

She deflated on the car seat and glared at him. "Yes, I do! This is awkward!"

The awkwardness finally lifted somewhat as Percy, and eventually, Annabeth too smiled at her antics.

When they finally reached home, their mom jumped Percy with such force Penny was surprised he stayed standing. But perhaps after Penny's little bear-hug from camp Percy learned how to stand tall and strong and not crumble to the ground when emotional relatives crushed him.

"I knew you were all right," their mom said, but she sounded like the weight of the sky had just been lifted off her shoulders, a sensation Penny was familiar with, "I mean, I did, but I talked to this one, my other child mind you, and she was so grim and discouraging…" and she pointed at Penny who shrugged, chuckling. She then pulled her daughter for a hug as well, "and you! Don't think I forgot how you scared everyone by disappearing without living a trace!"

Both her children laughed into her embrace.

"Both of you are fine. Both of you are fine. I'm over the moon."

Then she noticed the two other teenagers that stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Oh, hey!" She pulled away from her twins to grin at the two guests, wiping a tear, "Annabeth!" And she pulled the blond into a hug. "And you must be Nico! Come in, all of you!"

She sat them down at the kitchen table and insisted on feeding them her special blue chocolate-chip cookies while they caught her up on the quest. Both twins tried to water down the frightening parts, but somehow that just made it sound more dangerous.

They told her about the beginning of the quest. When they got to the part about Geryon and the stables, their mom pretended like she was going to strangle Percy. "I can't get him to clean his room, but he'll clean a hundred tons of horse manure out of some monster's stables?"

Annabeth laughed, Percy eyed her wistfully, and Penny had to fight hard to hold back laughter.

If her brother used to be clearly fond of the blond, now he seemed besotted.

Gods curse them, they should just get together and be done with it.

Penny told her of all that happened to her once she separated from the group, and all that happened to her with Nico, skipping Hermes' part.

It felt too personal, and too fragile for her skeptic friend and her overprotective mother and brother. The only one slightly in on it was Nico, and even he didn't know the specifics. But for some reason, she got the feeling from Nico that he wouldn't judge her, a feeling the others didn't give her.

But she told them about Apollo. Their mom knew he taught her and Percy driving, and knew his intentions to be mostly friendly. Besides, he said they can tell it all once there was a resolution.

Well, Percy was back so all was resulted.

"How nice of Lord Apollo to help you!" Sally smiled with surprise as Percy frowned at his sister.

"Yes. How… nice," he seemed suspicious, and she almost laughed in his face because he was so off.

She wasn't indifferent to Apollo, but he wasn't the one who -

Annabeth gaped at her. "So, so you knew he wasn't dead? And you didn't tell me?"

She frowned back at her, not wanting her friend to think she kept her in the dark on purpose. "He broke the rules when he told me that. To, to prevent further damage, he made us swear on the Styx."

They were all quiet for a few seconds. Finally, Annabeth nodded and gazed at the floor.

Perhaps to move the conversation back to safer waters, Percy finished it up with their mission from Hephaestus.

"So," their mom said when they were done with the story, "you got lost in a Labyrinth, wrecked Alcatraz Island, made Mount St. Helens explode, and displaced half a million people, but at least you're safe." That's their mom, always looking on the bright side.

"Yup," Percy agreed. "That pretty much covers it."

"I wish Paul were here," she said, half to herself. "He wanted to talk to you both."

"Oh, right. The school."

So much had happened since then that they'd almost forgotten about the high school orientation at Goode - the fact they'd left the band hall in flames, and their mom's boyfriend had last seen them jumping through a window like fugitives.

"What did you tell him?"

She shook her head. "What could I say? He knows something is different about you two. He's a smart man. He believes that you're not bad people. He doesn't know what's going on, but the school is pressuring him. After all, he got you admitted there. He needs to convince them the fire wasn't your fault. And since you ran away, that looks bad."

Percy eyed her, and she nodded immediately before looking down guiltily.

"We'll talk to him," Penny promised. "After we're done with the quest. We can…"

Percy nodded to her, "we can even tell him the truth if you want."

Their mom smiled. "You would do that?"

Percy shrugged. "Well, yeah. I mean, he'll think we're crazy."

"He already thinks that."

"Then there's nothing to lose."

"Thank you guys. I'll tell him you'll be home…" She frowned. "When? What happens now?"

Annabeth broke her cookie in half. "Percy has this plan."

With reluctance, he told their mom.

She nodded slowly. "It sounds very dangerous. But it might work."

"You have the same abilities, don't you?" He asked. "You can see through the Mist."

She sighed. "Not so much now. When I was younger it was easier. But yes, I've always been able to see more than was good for me. It's one of the things that caught your father's attention, when we first met. Just be careful. Promise me you'll be safe."

"We promise," They smiled at her.

"Now," she rubbed her hands together, "I've made beds for you four, I've - don't argue! I want you well rested, and you're staying!"

"Mom!" The twins protested as Annabeth and Nico exchanged looks, "we've already rested in camp!"

"Yeah yeah, when was that? When you almost got lost to us for good," and she eyed her daughter, "or when you almost blew up and died?" She frowned at her son.

"Mom, this is out of the question!" Percy jumped to his feet, "we must go! Now!"

"Saving the world will wait a day, Perce," and she now had tears in her eyes, "you're growing up to fast and if I have you two here, you will at least eat dinner!"

Percy gaped. "But, mom -"

"It's alright, Perce," Penny's eyes were on their mom, "let's stay for dinner. But only for dinner mom, we must be on our way afterward."

"Yes, only for dinner," she smiled back at her. "Now come on. I've made a tasty dinner, I promise."

Nico

"Your mom is nice," Nico smiled at Penny as the two sat on the couch while Sally and Annabeth drank a cup of coffee together and spoke happily, basically ignoring Percy as he sat next to them and looked between them with confusion.

"Thanks," Penny's eyes glinted, "she's the best. A bit overbearing at times, but still the best. The person I am today is all thanks to her example."

"You're alright, yeah," Nico teased and they both laughed, leaning back on the couch. "Hey, Penny?"

"Yeah?"

"When all of this is over..." he played with the hem of his shirt, "what... what will happen with me? I mean, I... I can't stay in camp."

He really couldn't. Ever since Bianca died, there was no place he felt at home in, Camp Half-Blood not being an exception.

In fact, these past few days with this sensitive, nice demigoddess have been the only exception.

She frowned. "Of course you can. You can stay in Hermes' cabin."

"And it's nice enough, as I'm sure you can agree," and he smirked at her as she looked down with a smile, shaking her head, "but it's not a permanent place for me. I don't feel at home there."

"Don't feel at -" and she stood up abruptly, "wait here."

She walked to where her mom, brother, and Annabeth sat, and leaned down to whisper something into her mother's ear. Her mom looked at her with surprise, and then Penny added another thing straight into her mother's ear, and Sally bit her bottom lip and nodded, before turning around to smile at Nico.

He smiled back, confused.

Then Penny bounced back to him, beaming at him. "Good news. During the year... you can live with us!"

Rachel

Rachel had a habit of getting herself into trouble. It was apparent in everything she did. Schoolwork, in which she didn't "live up to her full potential" ("Oh, Rachel, you're so intelligent, why aren't you putting in more effort?"), in her insistence to do street art even in, well, less legitimate places, and in her choice of friends, all of which her parents definitely did not approve of.

Part of it was to stick it to The Man, yes (in her case The Man wasn't just the government and social norms, but also her old man) but it really seemed like part of who she was at this point.

So another part of her life she was causing trouble in was apparently her love life.

It was one thing to crush on a dim-witted, though admittedly cute and funny, half greek-god idiot, but another to have his almost girlfriend hating her guts.

Yes, Rachel always got herself into the funniest situations.

Like now for example, as she guided the weird group, that consisted of a sheepish, clearly puzzled Percy, a furious and venomous Annabeth (and wow, that girl was truly scary) and the quiet Penny and Nico, Percy's twin and the son of the God of the Dead.

Coolio, how fun was it to be Rachel.

/

"I'm not truly the other woman, am I?" She asked Penny with a whisper as Annabeth glared daggers at Percy as he tried to get her to talk and be nice again.

They were all following Rachel's lead, and she looked back at the angry Annabeth and at the anxious Percy before returning her eyes to Percy's twin who walked beside her.

Penny sighed and tried to give her a smile. It looked more like a grimace. "No. Not really. They weren't, they weren't going out."

Penny was nice to her. She seemed to have an attitude of not getting involved in her brother's love-life and she didn't play favorites, even if she and Annabeth were clearly close friends.

But even she couldn't lie, apparently, and mask Annabeth's obvious hatred toward Rachel.

"And… and anyway, thank you for coming," Penny added with a somewhat nervous smile, "I bet it was quite weird, to be asked to this quest."

"Wait, you guys," Nico stopped them suddenly, his eyes wandering around the room, "something feels funny."

"Funny?" Percy repeated as Penny advanced to Nico with a worried frown.

"Yes, I…" his hands moved to rub at his stomach, "something feels… wrong. You don't feel it, then?"

They all shook their heads.

"When did this feeling start?"

"When we passed that alcove," he pointed at the alcove behind them. Then he walked forward, not saying another word to them, and walking as if in trance. He walked on the dusty ground, ducking at a sword sticking out from the wall and walking into one of the brown doors in the wall across from them.

Staring after him, the four others gaped a bit before following.

"What's going on, Nico?" Penny asked him as son of Hades continued to navigate, seemingly on a whim.

"I just…" he looked down at his stomach, "I go where the sensation gets stronger. It's insanely unpleasant. I feel like this one, whoever has created that sensation… has cheated death many times."

He led them through two more doors, before they reached a narrow room, with a dark, dusty setting and a musty smell. In the middle of the room stood a man with short grey hair and a clipped bird.

Percy gaped and took a few steps forward, pointing weakly.

"Quintus!"

A/N

Hey everyone!

This one addressed the twins' complicated relationship and its darkest implications. I addressed it briefly in Book 1, when Penny was kidnapped, but this was a deeper, clearer insight into it. The way I see it, the abuse, life risks, and constant and extreme changes made Percy and Penny quite dependent on each other since at times they were the only stable thing in each other's lives.

Wow, what a week. I'm exhausted. In fact, to update, I'm giving up on some very precious hours of sleep. I hope y'all appreciate it ;)

Oh well, show must go on, eh?

I've made some advancement in Book 5 and in the general direction this story would take. I'm super proud of all that's to come. Hope you all will enjoy it as much as I did writing it :D

Namely, it will move more into the AU world and I hope this chapter was proof enough. Let's just say this part of the story will take a different direction from cannon from now on, and so will Book 5 and HoH.

Also, who's the child of the prophecy is not an assured thing, and you're all are invited to guess.

(Choosing Penny is the obvious choice BTW...) (Or is it? Perhaps choosing Percy is as he was the original one?) (Maybe it was Tyson all along? ;) )

Anyway, as always, thank you all for reading, and thank you to all that reviewed, followed and favorited. You're honestly the reason I go through the effort.

Guest 1- Thank you for that amazing review! It made me giddy, I'm so happy my writing comes across well :)

xxHelly-chanxx- Thank you so much for taking the time to review! I appreciate it immensely. And yes, it's not easy. I mean, some of these things I write are as long as a short-to-medium novel, and yet still I cannot tell most I've written such a thing. But sharing it with all of you is the advantage.

Lady Liberty- The First- Thank you for your kind words! And I've read your first chapter, it was a very original concept :)

Guest 2- My god, thank you from the bottom of my heart! It's reviews like yours that keep me going... First of all, I'm happy you feel this way as I strive for nothing but to have good characterisation, as my stories are usually character-driven and relationships-driven. So, if my characters and my characters' relationships come across as genuine, that means the world! Also, I'm glad you like the building relationship between Hermes and Penny! It truly is only the beginning, so stick around ;) Oh, and as for Poseidon... Yeah, he's going to be quite protective. Apollo said it best - once he finds out Hermes' true intentions toward his daughter, Hermes won't have any favors left with him...

Arkytior's Song- ugh, you're the best! Thank you for always reviewing :) And I hope this chapter and the next ones will show you where I'm taking this story :)