The two of them work together putting the finishing touches on a nursery they have carved out inside their cabin. The black obsidian crib, which she strongly protested at first, is beautiful. The pastel colors of the bedding even out the darkness of the rock, and there is enough padding to protect the baby when it gets big enough to scoot around inside and bump it's little head against the sides. The mobile Auntie Crystal and Uncle Leo made is attached to the head of the crib over the lavender baby pillow. The little dolphins that hang from half of the strings are beautiful. The skulls that hang from the other half, in most people's first opinion, would be distasteful at the very least, but with the way they were created are actually adorable.

She takes a seat in the rocker after a few minutes and rubs her belly.

"You okay?"

"Yes," she assured him.

"You don't look it," he tells her.

"I've never given birth before. I'm just a little nervous about it," Thalatta tells her husband.

"You'll feel better when your grandmother arrives and Annabeth gets back from her dad's," Nico says then kisses her.

"How about you, Daddy, are you really ready for this?"

"Sure," he says casually.

"Really, Mr. I Never Really Had a Parent," she questions with a knowing smile.

"I… I'm not scared," he tells her truthfully. "I've watched Percy with Sophia and Grover with the girls and little Percy. I can handle the physical parts of taking care of them. As for the emotional part, I love you so much, and I love our baby. Isn't that all it really is, love? I've always had that, Bianca loved me more than anything, Hazel loves me, and even Dad has shown it in his own weird Lord of Death kind of way."

"I suppose you are right, but you forgot to mention the most important person who loves you," she says softly.

"Oh yeah, Percy," he says with a grin.

"Wrong," she says then playfully hits him with a pillow.

"You," he says then kisses her, "Thalatta di Angelo love me more than anything."

"And don't you ever forget it," she says kissing him back.

"Steady," Chiron says gently. "Never take your eye off your target." Just then the bow is released and the arrow goes sailing through the air. The centaur is pleased with the arch, and when it hits dead center, a squeal of delight goes up behind them.

"Look at how good you've gotten," Iris says happily clapping her hands. "You're as good as Daddy."

"Better," Chiron says ruffling Tharin's blue crop of hair. "At least better than I was at your age."

"When can I go into the woods," Tharin asks, for about the third time this week alone.

"Maybe when your brother Butch returns for camp," his mom tells him. "If your father, Butch, and Leo all agree to go with you and make sure you are safe…"

"Mommy, you just said I was as good as Daddy with the bow," he protests at being put off again.

"As good as Daddy when Daddy was little like you," Chiron reminds him. "You're mother is right. We aren't taking any chances."

"Not fair," Tharin says then trots over to the porch and lies down in the shade.

"What did we tell you about pouting," his mom says sweetly.

"Nobody like a pouter," he answers but still has his head low.

"Your big brother will be back day after tomorrow," Iris tells him, as she lifts his chin with her palm. "Right now I believe it is time for you run along to Crystal for your lesson."

"Yes, Mommy," he says then stands and gives her a hug. "Thanks for helping me Daddy," he says hugging Chiron as well.

"Always son," Chiron says hugging him back tightly.

"You do realize that you have to let him go into the woods eventually," he tells her once their son is out of earshot.

"I know but he's so special, I just can't bring myself to do it. When Butch and Leo are here and the three of you can all keep an eye on him, I promise I'll let him go," she says then rests her head against his arm. Chiron kisses the top of her head.

Later that same afternoon, Chiron and Mr. D are sitting on the porch when Connor Stoll walks down Half-Blood Hill toward the big house. "That is an odd site," Chiron says of seeing only one Stoll boy.

"Maybe without the other, we won't have as much mischief," Mr. D says wishfully.

"Good afternoon sirs," Connor says, as he climbs the steps.

"Mr. Stoll," Mr. D says barely looking up from his cards.

"Did your brother get safely off to Camp Jupiter this morning?" Chiron asks.

"Yes sir," Connor says with a touch of sadness in his voice.

"Cheer up," Mr. D says, "You have other brothers at camp."

"It's not the same," Connor says and leans against the rail.

"I did not realize your brother was so interested in the Roman arts," Mr. D says.

"I think he's more interested in a certain Centurion Gardner," Connor says. "After what we went through last summer, I think he decided to go be with her and see what happens."

"I see," Chiron says with a smile.

"Is Chris around?" Connor asks.

"Yes, but he is no longer living in cabin eleven," Chiron tells him.

"Where's he going to be living?"

"He built a cabin for his family. He and Clarisse are living at the bottom of the hill below Rachel's cave," the centaur explains.

"His family?" Connor says.

"Haven't you talked to Chris since last summer?" Chiron asks.

"No, what do you mean family?"

"Your brother is going to be a Daddy in a couple of months," Mr. D says.

"A couple of months!" Connor says shocked. "Are they married? Ares will be pissed if they aren't."

"They eloped on the last day of camp last summer," Chiron says. "Grandpa Ares is excited."

"Clarisse a mom," Connor says shaking his head at the thought.

"Your brother Evan arrived about an hour ago. I'm sure he is anxious to meet you and for you to show him around."

"Yes sir," Connor says then heads off toward the Hermes cabin.

Connor doesn't expect Evan to be sitting right inside the door when he gets to the cabin. A son of Hermes would be going through everybody else's stuff given the chance. Of course he's not sure what to expect from a son of Mercury.

"You must be Evan," Connor says, as he comes through the door.

"Yeah, you Connor?"

"Yep," he says tossing his bag onto his bunk and extending his hand to his brother.

"I saw a couple of beds that didn't look claimed, but I didn't want to assume," Evan says.

"That one is available," Connor says pointing at Luke's old bed, "And I guess Chris won't be using that one any longer," he says pointing at the one next to it.

"Chris, he's the one that married the daughter of Ares?" Evan asks.

"How'd you know about that?" Connor asks since he just found out himself.

"Chiron mentioned it. He said he would be a good guy to talk to even though he didn't live here in the cabin anymore," Evan explains.

"Chris is the oldest, now," Connor says looking at Luke's bed.

"I know all about Luke," Evan says, "As far as I'm concerned, all that matters is the choice me made at the very end."

"I agree, but it's hard to think past the four years between when he left here and that final few moments of his life," Connor tells him.

"I guess when you knew him before and had to accept the bad times, it would make it hard," his brother agrees.

"I looked up to him, wanted to be just like him. It was devastating…"

"If you want me to take Chris' bed that's fine," Evan says heading toward the bed.

"No if you want the other bed, maybe it's time. If you take it, it won't be Luke's bed any more. A constant reminder, you know," Connor says.

"If you're sure," Evan says and tosses his bag on Luke's old bed. "I guess I should put my stuff away. I head you guys have a pretty strict inspection policy."

"Yeah, we don't want to be breaking it on the first day," Connor agrees and dumps his bag on his own bed.