ALEX CLOSED HIS EYES AND LISTENED as the November wind rustled the pine needles of Thalia's Tree. The final rays of the sun warmed him as he sat back against thick, gnarled bark. He rested his head between two ruts in the pine tree, allowing himself momentary peace.

He'd given Peleus the evening off. The dragon had thanked him with a nuzzle and puff of smoke before taking off, wings beating like winds from a storm.

Sleep eluded Alex. His heart ached at night, lying in bed alone in the extra room of the Big House. Two months into his tenure as Senior Counselor, many of the older campers still resented his position.

Drew Tanaka led the resistance. He couldn't really blame her. She'd taken Silena's betrayal hard; her idol, her sister, her friend had been lying to them for years. Drew had changed after that, after becoming head counselor. Something had snapped. She went from fiercely loyal to Camp Half-Blood to fiercely loyal to herself and her clique. Needless to say, Drew didn't see the former traitor now leading their counselors favorably. Her charmspeak didn't help matters.

With Mr. D gone, he and Chiron held down the fort. Somedays, Alex wished Percy would come back. Though he hoped the kid was enjoying his Sophomore year uninterrupted, they could've used him. The whole camp looked up to Percy. Alex couldn't hope for half the respect he got from the long time Campers.

Another gust of wind hit him across the face. Alex opened his eyes. The sun had started to set, clouds moving to cover the purple and red watercolors spilled over the sky. The knot in the pit of stomach twisted and grew. A lump formed in his throat as he watched the colors fading.

She had promised. She would come home. One of these days.

Alex had seen Ophelia only once since September. A teen daughter of Hecate, Ione, had been living in the streets for a few years. She needed a home. Ophelia had brought her here.

Alex treated Ione as family. Though she joined Tyler, Lou Ellen, and Leah in Cabin 20, Alex made sure all of them got whatever they needed.

She'd left so fast. Ophelia had promised to come back. Promised.

Promised.

Neither Mist nor shadow shifted as he sat against Thalia's Tree. In the distance he watched the road, knowing few if any cars would trundle past. He needed the monotony.

Dionysus hadn't been seen in weeks. He'd been recalled to Olympus for another meeting. As much as Alex hated working with the lazy god, the disruption to routine made life more difficult.

The half-bloods wanted rest. They needed rest. Years of warfare drained the teens. None of them had normal childhoods. Few, at least. Certainly not those stuck year round.

But Alex didn't know how to help. He sighed. The scent of strawberry and bonfire settled in his tongue. Giggling and the whirl of a breeze forced a smile on his face. The wind nymph jostled his hair before disappearing.

Cabin activities helped sometimes. Alex tried to mix up training, combining groups that usually didn't work together. And smaller versions of Capture the Flag. Without the full complement of Summer campers, they couldn't play it nearly as well.

They seemed to like Assassin. Alex had put all the names of interested campers into a hat and assigned them each a target. Their job: eliminate their target and then take their target's victim as their next. No weapons or magic allowed. Campers had to throw a balled up pair of socks.

But then there was the Hephaestus problem. No matter how cautious they were, they kept getting injured. Nyssa had sprained her ankle three times over the last month. Jake had broken his finger in September. None of their gadgets worked. Alex had never seen anything like it, and whispers of "the curse of Cabin 9" spread through the camp.

Alex stretched. With a deep yawn, he watched the sun dip below the horizon. Despite all the bad, despite the struggles and resistance, at least the campers had each other. Many of the head counselors, especially Travis, Connor, Will, Kitty, Jake, and Lou Ellen, believed in his mission: build one family, not twenty families. A family where no one got left behind.

Alex startled at a quick puff of air and a tiny flash on his left. Standing tall in a purple nylon long sleeve shirt and black track Adidas pants was Hermes. He had his arms over his chest as he looked out at the last remnant of sunlight.

"You're waiting for her?"

Alex let out an audible sign, not moving from his spot against the tree. "You disapprove?"

"No. But I know Eris and Hecate enough to tell you that you may have to wait a while."

"I know."

His father didn't respond. Night had fallen. For a brief moment, Alex allowed himself to believe Ophelia would appear beside him in all her broken glory. But she didn't.

He looked up at Hermes. His father, massaging his head and closing his eyes, sighed. Was he in pain?

"Are you ok?"

Hermes looked at him, eyes hard and face steely. "Migraine. It'll go away eventually." The wind blew his slightly curled dark hair. He let out a tiny scoff. "Zeus has lost it."

"We're not allowed on Olympus?" Alex felt his throat tighten. He held no love for the Olympians, but to refuse the children of the gods access to paradise would be terrible.

Hermes shook his head. "More than that. We've been forbidden to talk to our children." He grabbed his head against, a wave of pain crashing over him. He hissed a sharp intake of breath. "No Iris calls, no dreams, no letters."

Alex stood up. He pushed away from the tree, running his hand over the Golden Fleece. "No contact? Are you serious?" A burning anger fueled his chest. The gods had finally begun to repair the damage they'd caused their children through neglect. "That's insane."

"There are some commands I cannot disobey. Not right now," Hermes said. "This is one."

Alex looked at his father. Beyond the pain and nausea from his migraine, Alex saw a deep sadness. Hermes looked on the edge of tears. Probably a combination of the head pain and the command from Zeus.

"How long?" Alex said.

Hermes shrugged. "I don't know."

An unspoken 'forever' hung in the chilly air between them as they faced each other but feet from Thalia's Tree upon Half-Blood Hill. Alex felt himself holding back tears. His throat stung and his eyes watered. Alex had not expected to be devastated by this news. He had been without a father for so many years, hating him along the way.

"Your mother, she was so excited when you were born. She chose your name," Hermes said. He grabbed his head again but pushed it off. "She named you after Alexander the Great. She knew you would conquer. She knew you would lead. I never doubted her."

Alex didn't know what to say. A wave of grief and memory weighed on his chest as he steadied himself on one of the tree branches. He could almost feel his mom beside him, golden blonde hair almost brown from dirt and grime, a few scrapes on her knees, but always laughing.

"Keep your siblings out of trouble," Hermes said. "More are coming your way."

Alex took a deep breath. This god, his father who has been ever present and yet ever absent, stood before him in visible pain. With a deep breath he took a few steps forward. Alex had never hugged a god. But if he would never see Hermes again, if this was it, he needed it. Closure.

Hermes stiffened at his touch. The god radiated heat even standing still. But after a moment, he returned the hug.

When Alex pulled away, he nodded. "You've done Luke proud."

Hermes paused. He chewed on his lip and gave a quick nod back. "And you've done your mother proud."

A gust of cold wind pushed them atop the hill. Hermes sighed. He grabbed his head again, massaging his temple.

"I need to see Apollo about this," he muttered. "Good luck, Alex."

"And you."

Hermes disappeared as quickly as he'd come. Alex found himself alone in darkness. No Ophelia. No Hermes. No Kitty. He had his thoughts to himself.

Not long after, the sound of hooves against beaten down grass pulled Alex's attention back to the camp side of Half-Blood Hill. Chiron ambled up to him.

"You haven't heard from Percy recently, have you Alex?"

"No." Alex narrowed his eyes, shifting where he stood with a hand on the plush Golden Fleece. "Why?"

"I'm not sure." He frowned. "I can't put my finger on it. I wonder if Annabeth can get in contact with him. I'll send her an Iris message in the morning."

Alex nodded. If anyone knew where Percy was, it would be Annabeth. Taking a deep breath of the cool, autumn air, he tried to dismiss his anxiety.

He tried to will Ophelia to his side. They needed her here. He needed her here. She promised to return. She promised.

Someday. But not today.

Alex turned to Chiron. "You heard the news from Olympus?"

Chiron nodded.

"We're on our own, then," Alex said. He let his lungs fill with cold air and the scent of strawberry. "We'll be fine."

They would be fine. As he looked down at the camp, illuminated by campfires, torches, streetlamps, and the occasional string of fairy lights. Someone had started a sing-along. They would be fine.

Alex would make sure they were fine. He massage Vindication on his wrist. He had accepted his role as eternal soldier. Years ago, he'd killed for Luke, his brother. Now, he would kill to defend any one of these kids. They were family. Alex didn't give up on family.

THE END

See Appendix A for Character Portraits

See Appendix B for Final Thoughts

See Appendix C for Sequel Info

Much love.