"How did you do that?" Percy asked quietly, sitting down next to Beck and peering at the tiny bundle in her arms.

Beck shrugged, brushing Estelle's little curls back gently. "I've always been good with babies. She seems to like me."

"You know..." He smiled. "She's kind of your sister too. In that weird, wonderful way this family works."

Beck grinned. "She likes me better than you anyway."

Percy rolled his eyes. "You don't know that."

"She's been crying every time you try to take her out of my arms." Beck pointed out, rocking slightly to keep the child asleep.

"That doesn't mean anything."

"That's girl code, buddy. Sisters before misters."

Percy rolled his eyes. "If that were true Annabeth would like you too."

Beck laughed. "Annabeth does like me, actually, we just show our like for each other in a different way."

"By trying to bite each other's heads off every time you're in the room together?" He snorted. "Yeah right."

An Iris Message shimmered into view in front of them.

"Speak of the devil, she shall appear," Beck quipped with a grin.

"If anyone's an embodiment of evil, it's gonna be you, kid." Annabeth snickered.

"Look Blondie-"

"I'm gonna point out, not for the first time, that you're blonde too, Beck. Upgrade your insults." Annabeth tugged her ponytail out and began to braid her curls.

"Mine's fake." Beck stuck her tongue out. "At least I'm smart enough to know that-"

"See, this is what I mean," Percy interrupted. "You guys don't have to be so mean to each other, I wouldn't want two of my favorite girls to hate-"

"Shut up, Jackson."

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain."

He rolled his eyes and got up. The Iris Message shifted so Annabeth was still looking at him.

"So what's up, Wise Girl? What did you need?"

"Oh!" She shook her head, freshly done braid flying. "Sorry, the little one distracted me."

"I'm the same height as you," Beck called. Annabeth ignored her.

"Leo showed up!"

"What?!"

Estelle woke up and began to cry. Beck rolled her eyes and got up, beginning to bounce her gently.

"Yeah!" Annabeth was grinning. "He showed up on Festus a couple of minutes ago. And you'll never guess who's with him!"

"We'll be back in twenty minutes," Percy promised. "Let him know I'm coming."

"You got it. See you soon, Seaweed Brain!"

"See you, Wise Girl."

Percy slashed through the message as Sally came back into the room. "Mom, we've gotta head out. Someone showed up at camp who we kind of thought was dead."

"Oh goodness! Well that's wonderful, here let me take Estelle." She went over to Beck and took the crying baby. "Come visit again soon, let us know and we'll be ready for you."

Percy kissed her cheek. "Love you, Mom."

"Bye, Sally." Beck smiled.

"Goodbye, sweetheart. Paul, the kids are leaving!"

He peeked out of the hall. "See you soon, I hope!"

Percy nodded. "Definitely. C'mon, Beck."

•Back At Camp•

Percy and Beck walked around the Big House after parking the bike. Beck had shed her leather jacket, but Percy kept his on.

There was a large metal dragon near the pavilion, with a large group of people next to it. Percy broke into a sprint almost immediately. "Leo!"

A loud voice with a trace of a Spanish accent stopped speaking in the group for a few moments, then a short boy with wild hair and grease-smudged skin broke through the outer barrier of people.

"Percy!"

Beck smiled as she watched her half-brother embraced the boy that he seemed to know very well. She jogged over to meet up with them.

"You're alive!" Percy exclaimed, letting go of Leo and holding him at arm's length. "I thought-"

"Oh I did." Leo grinned. "Ka-boom up in the sky. But Hazel helped out, and so did Festus."

The dragon made a metallic clanking noise. Percy chuckled.

Annabeth joined them, taking Percy's hand as he let go of the shorter boy. 

"Hi, Wise Girl."

She smiled. "Hi. Look who's with our Repair Boy."

Percy looked over Leo's head to the group. Beck looked too.

A girl in a white t-shirt and flowing jeans stood at the edge of the crowd. Her hair was long and cinnamon colored, pulled into a loose ponytail. 

Beck looked back at Percy. It seemed he knew this girl, and she was expecting to see a smile, but Percy's face was hard.

Something had happened.

"Calypso."

"Hello, Percy," she said quietly.

"Oh right, I forgot you two knew each other!" Leo grinned.

"We did...." Calypso seemed unsure.

Annabeth looked up at Percy. He was still staring at Calypso.

"Perce? What's up?"

Percy let go of Annabeth's hand and walked over to Calypso. He was several inches taller than her. Beck noted that his fists were clenched tightly.

"You cursed my girlfriend."