Meet the family

Amileah Blofis sighed at her brother's snide remark. "Can't you shut up?"

The minute younger boy took this into consideration. "I probably can, but..." He said, dragging out the 'ut' sound. "I really don't wanna."

Amileah groaned. "Joshua, you are a sixteen year old boy, have you not learnt that 'wanna' is not an actual word."

Josh replied very maturely... by poking his tounge out.

Amileah groaned once more. "Mum! Joshua is being stupid!"

"Mum!" Josh mimicked. "Get over it sooky-lala!"

Their mother pulled the car into a parking space, put the parking brake on, and turned to face the twins. "I don't care if he farted rainbows! I'm trying to drive in heavy traffic!" Nicolette ran her fingers through her coffee coloured hair. "Please, when we are staying with my brother, best behavior."

Even if they were sixteen, they still got the 'best behavior' chat before they went anywhere.

"Paul's wife Sally is a wonderful lady --so I've been told-- so please, behave. Sally also has a son about your age." Nicolette drilled her children.

At the end of the speech the two sixteen year olds placed their right hands over their heart and held their left hand in the air. "We solemnly swear that we with abide by your rules." They said in unison. It was an inside joke that had began several years ago but still ran.

Nicholette cracked a smile. "Well then, let's go!"

+++

"Nikkie!" Paul Blofis cried and wrapped his arms around his younger sister.

"Hello Paul." She greeted back.

Paul introduced the three to Sally Jackson-Blofis, and in return Nicolette introduced herself, Amileah and Joshua.

After the introductions Sally excused herself to finish making dinner, Nicolette going with her, Paul decided to wash up before dinner was ready.

Amileah was reading her book, whilst Josh was trying to talk to her.

"Can you not see that I'm reading?" She eventually asked him.

"I can see the book in your hands, but at the moment you aren't reading it."

Amileah groaned --something she did often-- and turned back to her book.

"What's it about?"

Amileah glared daggers at her brother, wanting to take the clisedpst sharp weapon --sharp anything-- and stab it in his eye, maybe that way he'd learn the hard way about the contents of the book.

"Stuff."

"Oh really?! I'd never have guessed. What's going on in the story?"

She was about to awnser with a sarcastic comment when Paul returned to the room, she put her book away deciding it would be rude to keep it out.

"So, did you two enjoy the trip?" He asked.

Amileah had only met her uncle Paul a few times prior to this, and wasn't sure how to connect with him. "Yeah," Josh lied, "it was okay."

"Six hours in a car with him," Amileah jerked her finger towards her brother, "is absolute torture."

Paul laughed.

+++

"So Sally," Amileah began. "Mum was telling us you have a son. What's his name?"

Sally's smile turned sour as she glared at her potatoes. "Percy."

"Where is he?"

Sally looked about ready to cry, "summer camp." She spat the words out as if they were venomous.

Amileah began to open her mouth to ask when he would return when there was a soft tapping noise at the door.

"Ummm... I kinda forgot my keys..."

"'Kinda' is not a word."

"Of course you would know."

"Of course I would. Here, I have my keys."

"You have keys to my Mum's place?"

"Well duh, I can over once a week when you were gone."

"So you did miss me."

"No, I came for Sally's cooking."

Sally laughed.

"Whatever." There was a click and the door opened.

"Bow down mortals! Perseus has returned!" In walked a black haired boy. He had not seen them yet as he was looking at the open door.

Someone coughed fakely from the doorway. "--Bringing his beautiful queen with him!" The person giggled and she became visible.

A waterfall of blond curls cascaded down her shoulders.

"ANNABETH!" Sally cried wrapping the girl in a hug.

The boy closed the door behind her. "Yeah hey mum, I'm here too. I'm definitely feeling the love."

Sally's arms released 'Annabeth' and she turned to the boy.

"Perseus Jackson, you are lucky we have guests." Sally's tone was low and dangerous, buy gentle, like if she raised her voice someone might die.

Amileah had the feeling that if someone was going to die, it would be the boy.

The boy --Perseus she assumed-- turned to the table.

"Hey how you going?" Was what she expected him to say.

Instead he said, "oh food!" Before diving his hand towards the chicken.
"No." Sally grabbed at his wrist. "Perseus Jackson, you smell as if you crawled through damp sewers full of burnt rubbish and rotted fish corpses. Go shower now."

He had an annoyed look on his face. "But-"

"No. Buts." Sally cut him off. "Shower, now."

Perseus stormed off in the direction of what Amileah assumed was the bathroom.

Sally turned to the girl. "Annabeth, you are most welcome to use the other bathroom if you wish."

Annabeth smiled. "Yeah, that'd be great, thanks. I have to go scrub the smell of Percy out of my nose." Sally laughed.

Annabeth too headed down the hall, towards the other bathroom.

Sally sat down, her smile so large, Amileah was scared it would fracture her face.

+++

Perseus (or Percy, Amileah wasn't sure) came out of his room wearing a pair of jeans, slightly gone at the knee, and a plain blue tee.

Sally had dished up an extra two plates filled with food. Percy sat down at the plate that was piled high with food that was -- for some reason -- blue.

He picked up his fork and began to eat. Annabeth chose that moment to enter the room. She wore a pair of denim shorts and a orange tee shirt, which was quite obvious she had stolen from Percy.

She sat down beside Percy. "Thank you Sally." She said.

Sally waved her hand in the air. "Nonsense Annabeth, you are almost family..." Sally left the sentence hanging midair and Percy and Annabeth's cheeks grew a shade of red more vibrant than that of a baboon's backside.

All watched as Percy and Annabeth finished eating before asking questions.

"Are you okay?" It seemed the most obvious question to Sally, yet it meant a lot more.

Percy nodded. "Yeah mum, we're fine." As he nodded, she noticed something on his forearm.

"Perseus Jackson, what in the name of Poseidon is on your arm?!"

Percy looked down at the SPQR mark, he remembered the pain he felt as it was seared into his skin.

"Ummm... well..."

"Is that a tattoo?"

"Maybe?"

"What in Olympus told you to get that?"

Percy took a moment to access the question. "Well, when in Rome..."

Sally raised her eyebrows. "Do go on."

He heaved a sigh. "When in New Rome, do as the New Romans do."

Sally nodded slowly. "I don't understand."

He sighed again, his eyes flickered towards Amileah, Joshua and Nicolette.

"Ummm..." He began, "Annabeth?"

Annabeth giggled. "What Seaweed Brain, is trying to say, us that its not just us out there. We had a camp in San Francisco this whole time, they were us, but different, and as Percy mentioned-"

"Roman?" Sally guessed. Annabeth nodded.

"So, after... Aunt H, took Percy, she swapped him with this Roman, Jason Grace. Jason was the head of that camp, much like Percy to us. Aunt H told us it was for the better of the camps, but, we still hate her."

Sally laughed. "As long as you are safe."

Percy laughed. "That's not all mum," Percy took Annabeth's hand in his.

They lifted Annabeth's left hand revealing a golden band. A single diamond was inlaid on the ring.

Sally and Paul's eyes went wide.

Sally look as if she was going to have a heart attack.

"My baby," she cried. "He's all grown up."

"Oh, mum." Percy got up from where he sat and walked around to Sally. He grabbed her from where she was sitting and held her tight in his arms. "I know, I've grown up -- probably faster than you wanted -- but it happened. I know, I've put a fair amount of stress on you -- a lot recently. I know you always though I'd be your baby, but I've grown up. I'm sorry mum, for always taking it for granted that you'd love me, because I look at others and realize that I'm not so bad off. I'm sorry, because I used to blame you for marrying Smelly Gabe, when you did it for me. I'm sorry mum, for causing you all the trouble I have.

"I've never been the best son, but you've always been the best mother anyone could ask for." Percy's attempts to sooth her had done the opposite, Sally's whole body shook as she cried onto Percy's shirt. Percy didn't mind as his own tears ran down his cheek. "I love you mum."

Amileah smiled at the boy. She was never good enough to say something so heartwarming to someone it made them cry, she was never good with words, she was as good as one of President Snow's avoxes when it came to words.

And that, was how Amileah Blofis, met her step-cousin Percy Jackson and his fiancé, Annabeth Chase.