The Librarian

Names, so many names. Not that I didn't know them already, of course, but meeting them all in person was so... different, so... real. Nico ran me around the room introducing me to everyone, they were so different from how I had pictured them.

He led me to the kitchen first, where the fire had finally been doused by Percy, who had rushed there upon entry to the room.

"Nico!" One of the girls cried, flinging herself into his arms. I couldn't see much of her - she was not a very tall girl (like me), only coming up to his shoulder - so only her frizzy caramel hair peeked out from her soot-blackened jacket.

He released her from his embrace and grinned. "Hazel, this is Kimmi. Kimmi, Hazel."

She grinned up at me, her smile so infectious that I couldn't help smiling back. "Finally!" She crushed me in a hug, taking me by surprise. "I've been waiting for ages for Nico to find a girl!"

She released her tight embrace as a blackened face peeked over the white counter top. "A girl?"

I glanced at Nico, he was bright red, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't much better. "Yes a girl!" He said "Don't act so surprised, Annabeth, just because you and Percy have been together so long!"

"Annabeth?" I interupted, nudging Nico slightly in an attempt to get him to quiet. "Nice to meet you, I'm Kimmi."

"Nice to meet you too!" She smiled, extending a hand that I shook, noticing a wave-etched wedding band on her left hand.

"Annabeth you burned all the cookies!" Percy wined, popping up beside his wife.

"Well I suppose you want to make another batch then?" She turned on him, hands on hips.

"Well I guess I was hoping..."

"Perseus Jackson! I am not your personal chef! If you want more cookies then you can make them yourself!" She yelled sternly. "Gods know why you need any more sugar!"

They continued bickering as Hazel led me away by the elbow. "Leave them to their squabbling, I'll introduce you to the others. Nico!" Her brother turned, startled from looking at the boy I guessed was Leo, who was playing some violent video game on the now-fixed television. "Go play, I'll look after Kimmi." He obeyed and Hazel laughed a rich laugh that brought the image of dark chocolate to mind.

She led me past Jason to the sofa where the other girls were still playing pass-the-parcel, calling to him on the way past. "Jason, please put down my boyfriend!"

I stared, startled at the cat I could now guess was Frank. "Is that cat-?" I began.

"Frank? Yeah." She sighed. "Boys, right?"

I laughed and we joined the circle of girls gathering on the dark carpet, they shuffled to make room for us.

"Guys, this is Kimmi, Nico's girlfriend." Hazel introduced me. My blushed deeped at the word 'girlfriend'.

There was an echo of 'Hello' 's and waves.

"Calypso." A girl with hair of golden caramel and eyes of gold introduced herself, I shook her hand. "But you can call me Cally."

I smiled. "So you were rescued!"

She frowned. "Yeah haven't you read-?"

"Uh, uh." I shook my head. "Last book comes out October so don't you dare spoil the ending!"

She laughed, rocking the baby she was holding. "I wouldn't dare!"

"I'm Reyna." A tall girl with dark hair extended her hand. "And don't worry, I wouldn't dream of spoiling the book!"

I smiled. "Good!"

Piper laughed from the opposite side of the circle. "Well you already know me! But this here is Noela." She gestured to the baby. "Percy and Annabeth's daughter."

I leaned across the giggling baby. "Nice to meet you too, Noela." She grinned at me and I grinned back.

The others began to chat about demigod politics, praetors and the like, with the soundtrack of Percy and Annabeth bickering and Leo and Nico killing zombies echoing in the background. Perhaps they were more normal than I gave them credit for.

Notes