A one-shot after The Lost Hero and before The Son of Neptune. Leo, Piper, and Jason realize something with their family tree. It's from Piper's point of view.

Our Family Tree

Leo, Jason, and I were sitting on the beach late at night, goofing off and laughing while we had our free time, to get away from the stress of building the ship. Poseidon seemed happy toady, and the ocean was a mellow light green color, gently lapping the shore with white-capped waves.

Jason was lying in the sand, hands behind his head, occasionally smiling contentedly at me or egging Leo on to do something idiotic. Of course, Leo could never stay still and was standing up, sitting down, messing with the sand, splashing us with seawater, but never, ever, EVER stopped talking.

"So, I was talking with the Stolls today," Leo said excitedly.

"Oh gods." Jason instinctively groaned.

"This is actually NOT prank-related!" Leo defended himself. "Well, our conversation slowly progressed to that, but that's not what I'm talking about!"

"How do you find the time to prank everyone at camp and build a giant warship at the same time?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"Because I'm amazing? Or is my charm? No, I think it's because I take my work seriously. You know how serious I am." Leo said, puffing up his chest ever so proudly.

Jason and I both snorted derisively. "Yes, you're the epitome of a working man." Jason laughed.

"Ah, but that's where you are wrong, my kind sir!" Leo exclaimed in a scholarly voice, pacing back and forth. "I'm a working manly man!"

"The difference?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Well… I'm more handsome and clever. Those losers ain't got nothing on me!"

"Anyways, you were saying something about your conversation, Mr. Manly Man?" Jason prompted.

"Well, you know how Aphrodite rose from Ouranos' blood and sea foam?" he said.

I made a face. "Yeah… kind of gross, don't you think?"

"'Gross' is what I'm getting to, Beauty Queen." He explained patiently. I scowled at the annoying nickname that he always insisted on calling me, but I listened. "So that means Aphrodite is Ouranos' daughter, and since the Titans are Gaea's children, the Titans are sort of Aphrodite's half-siblings. If you're her daughter, they're your half- uncles and aunts, so their children, the gods, are your half- cousins, and if you look particularly at Zeus and his children," Leo glanced meaningfully at Jason. "His children would be your half- nieces and nephews."

Silence.

I made a gagging sound. "That's so… Gross! Why did you have to bring that up?" Jason's my half-nephew?

Jason looked slightly repulsed. He began to slowly speak as if just realizing something. "But wait… Leo, if you dad's dad is Zeus, Hephaestus is my half-brother and you're my half-nephew. And if I'm Piper's half nephew, you're her great-half-nephew. And if Hephaestus and Aphrodite are married, you guys would be stepsiblings, right?"

Whoa. "What is with all these inter-family relationships?" I shrilly asked, rather disgusted. This was a lot to process. I mean, I had known enough about Greek mythology to know all the marriages and general family tree, but the full implications had never really hit me.

"Hey, Zeus married his sister and Hades married his niece." Leo pointed out, shrugging.

There was a long, awkward silence between us as we brooded over what Leo had just shown us.

Finally, Jason broke the silence. "Good thing the godly side doesn't count."

"Amen."

This is just my thought put into story form. Rather disturbing, huh?