Leo

We got to the hotel at around midnight. Percy and Annabeth were fast asleep, Percy's arms securely around her and her head against his shoulder. It was kind of intimate but also kind of not. We had almost lost Annabeth back there. I wanted to hug her and keep her safe too. But I was glad that Percy was there when I couldn't be.

I shook Percy's shoulder lightly and he woke up, squinting.

"Come on, man, time to get some real rest." I whispered, getting out of the car. Percy picked Annabeth up tenderly so she wouldn't wake up and she snuggled into him in her sleep. I smiled. Oh, she so liked him.

I checked us in and, thankfully, this place did have two beds. There was even a room with a pull-out couch/bed but it was extra money so I denied. We weren't made of moolah after all.

Percy set Annabeth down on the bed and pulled the covers around her, checking her leg to make sure she hadn't bled a lot and then tucked her in. He looked at her so softly, with a small smile on his face, that I couldn't help but think She's in good hands if they really do get together. I felt at ease knowing that Percy could be the one she ended up with.

I went to the bathroom to wash my face off. I had my small bag of clothes and put on some shorts and kept the same tee shirt on. I knew I probably smelled from the past days but I didn't bother with a shower until the morning.

"I starfish, bro, so either you sleep on the floor or you sleep in Annabeth's bed. Far away from her I might add." I pointed to him, reprimanding, but ended up grinning as I flopped into bed.

Percy was red and shifted slightly on his feet, glancing over at her he said, "I don't want to make her uncomfortable."

I rolled over, burying my face in the pillow, "Well, it's either that or sleeping in the floor bro."

Now, I'm sure a lot of you are surprised that I was letting him sleep in the same bed as Annabeth but it wasn't like they could do anything anyway. I was right there. Plus, I liked my bed to myself so I could stretch out to all four corners and move around in my sleep freely.

Percy didn't pull the covers around himself, instead slept on top of them and fixed Annabeth's sheets so she was better covered. He fell asleep with his back turned to me, facing Annabeth, still wearing the clothes he'd been wearing before.

I settled into the bed and hugged my pillow. Finally, rest.

()()()

I was woken up at seven by Annabeth falling out of the bed.

To be honest, it was hilarious. I would have laughed if I hadn't been so concerned at the moment that Percy had done something. I wondered if my judgment of him was that wrong.

But it wasn't him. He startled awake and, when he noticed she had fallen, got up to help her. But Annabeth was gasping for breath, clutching her heart, and she ignored him.

"What happened?" I asked her, leaning over the side of the bed.

"Um... Nightmare." Annabeth said, letting Percy pull her up. She was embarrassed so I decided not to press for more even though I knew a nightmare probably wasn't the reason she fell out of bed.

"Well, I'm awake." I decided, looking at the clock, "We should decide where we're going next--"

"Virginia." Annabeth said immediately. She blushed harder when Percy raised his eyebrows at her. I almost laughed. Oh, I couldn't wait for them to realize they like each other.

"Why Virginia?" I asked.

"Well, firstly, it's where... It's where I grew up." She said quietly. I grinned.

"So that's why you get an accent when you're upset!" I laughed. She turned red out of anger.

"I do not get an accent!" She shot back.

"You do."

"Don't."

"Do."

"Don't."

"Okay, children, stop fighting." Percy laughed, "So, Virginia. Okay. But what will we be doing there? Is there a safe place we can hide from Luke?" He asked, "And, how are we going to deal with Luke in the first place?"

"We'll get to that." She promised, "But I want to check on someone first."

"Who?" I asked.

"Her siblings." Percy guessed. Annabeth looked down.

"I abandoned them. If... If Luke catches me... I don't want them to remember me as that."

"Annabeth you were seven." I reminded her, "You don't have to do this. You don't have to go back there."

"I want to." She shook her head, "My little-" Her voice cracked and she swallowed, "My little sister is about sixteen now." She looked down.

"Annabeth... Do you even know if they're still with him?"

"He won't let them leave. Malcolm... Maybe... He just turned twenty two."

"And, do you think your little sister would even remember you?" I asked. I knew I had struck a nerve when Annabeth winced and turned away. She always tried to hide her emotions.

And, just as I thought, when she turned back her face was stony and emotionless, "I can't leave her with him any longer."

()()()

"It'll take about eight hours." Percy said, looking at his phone, "And that's only if there's no traffic."

"That's not too bad." I shrugged, "I can get some money really quickly."

"Speaking of that, how are you two getting money?" Percy asked.

"I have my ways." I shrugged, "My old babysitter died a while ago. She left me a bank full of cash to play with."

"That's a pretty good babysitter." Percy blinked.

"She was alright." I shrugged, "Anyway, we try not to deplete our funds any more than we need to. It's not like we're filthy rich. I didn't even find out about the card until my tia told me about it. I think she was trying to spite me that both of the people closest to me had died but I headed to the bank the next day with Annabeth and we got my card. I was sixteen, but for a while we had nothing. Nine years, actually."

"But we lived in foster homes a lot of the time." Annabeth assured Percy, "It's not like we were starving on the streets for nine years."

"Oh, yeah." I nodded, "Well, anyway, I think it's about time for some new clothes, don't you think?" I looked over at Annabeth, "I can go pick some up. Your jeans are ruined and so is the top you were wearing."

"If we're going to be traveling so long, yeah." She nodded. Then she turned to Percy, "Need anything?"

"Besides what we all know you want and need from--" Annabeth slapped a hand over my mouth without even looking back at me. Percy was blushing but he nodded.

"I've got my own money though. I'll come with you." He said.

"We only shop at the best." I stood, waving at Annabeth, "Walmart, here we come!"

()()()

We always got money out at ATMs when we were low because we didn't like using the card and being able to be tracked. I got out several hundred dollars and Annabeth put it in the coin purse, carrying it in her backpack.

"Not the safest." I said to Percy, "But at least we have money."

Percy and I went to the men's section and Annabeth parted ways with us. Percy watched her walk away with a sappy look in his eyes so I shoved him into a rack of clothes playfully.

"C'mon man, you can stare at her butt later."

"I wasn't staring at her butt!" Percy turned red, dusting off his clothes.

"Oh you so were."

"Shut your trap, Leo before I shut it for you!"

"Ooh so scary." I patted his back and traipsed off to the jeans, "Now, we usually only get the essentials. Two or three tee shirts, pajama pants, undies-- Get that mental image of Annabeth out of your head quickly, Perce--, and a pair of jeans. I need a new pair of shoes as well since my sole got ripped when we were in that forest."

Percy was red from my comment but nodded, "I guess I'm going to be with you for a while." He said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Very long while if you don't want to be hunted by Luke's gang." I agreed, trying to find my size. How come they never had jeans for short, lanky guys? Every pair I found either dragged the floor or was too baggy to be of any use. Percy, however, being the slim and tall guy he is, found his pair of jeans immediately and proceeded to the tee shirts. I blew a raspberry at his back.

I finally settled on a pair of pants that was in the very back and went to find Percy. He was looking at the plain white tee shirts.

"Hey, man, c'mon. You don't want to look like you're an extra in Grease do you?" I motioned him over to the other shirts, "C'mon, lets impress Annabeth shall we?"

()()()

Percy decided on a couple of tee shirts that weren't much to look at and I got some graphic tee shirts. To be honest, we had no idea how to impress Annabeth.

Annabeth, being Annabeth, was done before us and had used very little money for her outfits. But she only got a flannel blouse and some tee shirts and jeans for her everyday outfits. She also got some other stuff. Like a pair of tennis shoes and socks. But nothing fancy. If it had been another girl, I smiled, I probably would have been broke by now. But Annabeth wasn't like that.

As soon as Percy saw Annabeth walking up to us he practically buried his face in the tee shirts. I patted his back sympathetically.

"You boys aren't done yet?" She asked, gesturing to the basket of clothes the held in one hand.

"No, Percy wants to impress you." I rolled my eyes and Percy turned red, turning to the long sleeved shirts.

"Shut it, Leo." He muttered.

"I'll help." Annabeth offered, coming at stand next to him. He blushed harder.

"And I'll leave because I am not going to sit here while you two flirt." I backed up towards the shoes, trying to find my size.

I'll have you know, I have large feet for a 'small' guy.

When I got back, Percy hadn't stopped blushing but he had his clothes all ready. A long sleeved tee shirt for sleep, pajama pants, underwear-- I seriously hope Annabeth wasn't there when he picked those out--, his jeans and a tee shirt. He also had a hoodie that said Whale I'll be Darned on it and had a picture of a very happy whale as well but I started laughing at the sight of it and it soon became the funniest thing in the world to our little group. He made sure to get it.

We were in and out of there in a little over thirty minutes because of the indecision Percy and I had been victim to. We all piled in the car with snacks. Annabeth and I also got rid of our old, ruined clothes in the dumpster out by the side so we wouldn't have too many things.

Percy wanted to drive so automatically Annabeth won rights to shotgun. I pouted but loaded up in the back with our bags.

I wanted to stay awake and watch the road as we travelled but I couldn't. I was drifting off in minutes and the last thing I saw before I fell asleep was Percy's fingers brushing against Annabeth's hand on the armrest.

I wondered, then, for the millisecond I was still awake, what had actually happened while I was gone.