Chapter 1: Possessive

A/N: Okay, so here I am, trying to attempt studying for a social test when it hits me…Why do I even bother? Lol. So instead, I have decided to branch out of my usual angst, and do a happy, free of most conflict, torture and rape story. But don't expect too much happy sunshine, I'm only a human after all, and I am addicted to angst.

Disclaimer: Seriously? You are actually asking me this?

Archie was seriously debating with his inner self with this one… To swim for Atlanta, or not to swim for Atlanta? That was the major question at the moment.

Her goddess like form beckoned him into the water. Her red hair was still in spikes, having not been wet yet, and her lithe body was being displayed in a green and white bikini. Archie almost growled when he noticed other people looking at her.

'Come on Arch! Pull yourself together man! She's just a girl…' Archie thought. He shook his head immediately, knowing the lie in his last statement.

Atlanta was anything but 'just a girl'. She was his best friend, who he just happened to have the biggest crush on ever. Actually, that was an understatement. Archie was totally in love with her. Not that he would ever tell her that though.

"Please Archie. Just get in the water you big wimp!" She called pleadingly. Archie debated on yelling at her or just giving in. Since she was standing at the end of a fairly sturdy looking dock, he complied and went to her.

Just as he reached her, he noticed Theresa cheering him on. Archie gave Jay a huge conspicuous wink and lifted Atlanta up.

"Archie!! What are you do-" Atlanta shrieked as Archie unceremoniously dumped her into the water.

The red head reached the surface, sputtering and angry. She glared at her best friend and quickly concocted the best plan ever.

"Oh, I will so get you for that!" She cried, swimming high speed towards the dock. Just as she reached the wooden planks, she struck out, lashing onto Archie's ankle. Atlanta grinned and viciously yanked him into the water.

Neil came to the surface.

"Dude! The hair!" He whined. Atlanta growled and turned to see Archie sitting calmly on the beach waving to her. Damn Him!

Atlanta swam for the shore, vengeful thoughts flitting through her brain. She reached the sandy beach and picked herself up. Archie scrambled to stand and run away.

"Try and run, water boy." Atlanta murmured before taking off after him, full speed.

She caught up with the purple haired warrior in a few minutes. He turned and tried to back up, preparing for Atlanta to strike him.

But Atlanta was just so much more creative than that apparently.

Throwing herself into Archie, Atlanta pressed herself as close as possible. Archie's mind nearly exploded with the feel of her soft form pressing into hers. Just as he was wondering if he had been killed and sent to heaven, Atlanta wrenched herself away. Archie looked down at himself to see a soaked through shirt and shorts.

"Atlanta, I will get you for this." He growled playfully, "You should run."

"Oh, I'm so afraid Mister I'm So Scary! Besides, if I ran, could you catch me?" Atlanta replied glibly. Archie grinned.

Atlanta backed up. She knew that grin well. Archie wore it every time he actually beat her at something. She turned tail and fled as fast as she could towards the surf where she was safe from the purple headed monster.

Atlanta could not understand where Archie had gone. He was not behind her, but it wasn't possible for him to be ahead of her. Maybe he was just waiting for her to get curious and turn around.

'Nice try Arch. You can't catch me…' She amended her last thought as her heart sped at the sight of a figure in front of her. 'In a race…'

Archie had definitely caught her attention. And he might have just won her heart. Not that she would ever admit it.

The figure turned out to be a tree. Atlanta by this time was moderately worried for her best friend. But then again, Archie of all people could take care of himself.

Atlanta was so very close to the water when a foot tripped her. She fell straight towards the sand, expecting impact. It didn't come.

Arms wrapped around her as she fell onto a familiar person. He had caught her. In his arms.

"Archie?" Atlanta asked breathlessly. Archie raised an eyebrow.

"Expecting someone else were you?" He asked. Atlanta knew he was kidding, but she could have sworn she saw jealousy enter his expressive blue eyes.

"Maybe… There was Josh, and Derrick, and Sam..." Atlanta replied, begging for a jealous rage to spark in his eyes. She didn't get exactly what she wanted.

Archie flipped her so he sat beside her, while she lay in the sand. He looked amused, rather than angry or jealous.

"Oh, sorry. Guess I didn't see them I was so busy with Alice, Emma and Christy." He retorted.

Atlanta fumed internally, determined not to let her jealousy show through. If there was an Alice, she was going down.

Apparently, Atlanta took too long to reply because Archie started tickling her until she couldn't breathe.

"Stop!" She pleaded, "Stop Archie!"

Archie was relentless in his pursuit of torturous bliss. Atlanta felt Goosebumps rise where he had touched her.

He stopped and let her regain a semblance of composure.

"I'm going for a run, wanna come? If you can keep up that is." Archie goaded her and Atlanta knew it. She took the bait, hook, line and sinker.

"You are gonna be left in my dust." Atlanta replied as she sped to the other side of the beach. Archie took off after her, pleased with himself in diverting the other guys' attention elsewhere.

Atlanta was his… she just didn't know that yet.

Said red head was getting a little nervous. Archie was behind her somewhere and Atlanta knew leaving him too far behind was a mistake. At least if he was here, none of the rather imposing men staring at her would be making catcalls or wolf whistles.

Atlanta stopped to see if Archie would catch up when a man in black shorts walked up to her. He was built and good looking, but he looked somehow…cruel.

"Hey sweetheart, wanna take a walk with me?" He asked suavely. Atlanta had to give him credit, he was a smooth talker. Even so, Atlanta could handle herself. She was just a little unsure of his five cronies standing behind him.

Mr. Smooth Talk reached out a hand that was brushed away. Atlanta had never been so happy to see Archie.

"Back off my girl." He said tensely. Surprisingly, the beach boy backed off.

"Sorry man, didn't know she was taken." He replied apologetically.

"Don't worry about it. But piece of advice, see that red head?" Archie pointed to Theresa, "Don't touch her either. Or my buddy will rip a strip off you."

"Thanks for the advice." The guy said. Him and his friends walked away without so much as a backward glance.

Atlanta was a bit stunned. Not only by the extremely angry and jealous set of Archie's face, but by the way that imposing man completely backed off when Archie showed up. Atlanta was grateful, but also a little angry that Archie had just totally treated her like his property.

"Sorry Lanta." Archie turned to her. Atlanta was shocked. Since when did Archie apologize for anything he did? And it isn't like he did too much wrong.

"For what?" Atlanta replied.

"Treating you like nothing more than a nice piece of ass." Archie informed her. Atlanta was shocked into silence. First, he apologizes, and now, he reads her mind.

"So I'm a nice piece of ass now huh?" She managed to strangle out. Archie grinned.

"Yeah and the surfer boy terminator noticed. I'm hoping you didn't actually want to go on a walk with him?"

"Are you kidding me? He gave me the creeps. I am surprised he didn't argue with you. I mean, he was bigger than you…" Atlanta was trying not to blush. She was almost positive her cheeks matched her hair.

"Nah, no one messes with you or Theresa much anymore ever since Dav-" Archie clamped his mouth shut.

"What?"

"Never mind, let's continue our run!" Archie answered. Atlanta growled.

"Tell me Archie!"

"Well…Do you remember that David White kid that was pretty much stalking Theresa?" Archie asked nervously. Atlanta did. He was the scariest kid ever. He used to draw pictures of Theresa, and when they would get to the brownstone, they would be under her pillow. Those were the weeks when Theresa had slept in Atlanta's room.

But suddenly one day David had completely stopped and avoided their entire group like the plague.

"Yeah…" Atlanta replied.

Archie shifted, "Well, Jay was being all stupid about it, and I got really sick of him complaining…. So I fought him and told him to stay away from Theresa. No one really messes with me anymore." Archie omitted the fact that he had actually beat up David because he had started drawing Atlanta.

"Really? You did that for Theresa?" Atlanta asked, her eyes amused and somewhat confused. She thought Archie hated Theresa. Atlanta fought back her niggling jealousy over her best girl friend.

"Yeah…" Archie answered, running a hand through his hair. If he told her that he did it so all other boys would avoid her and Theresa for the rest of their lives, she would want to know why. And then he would have to admit that he had an 'Achilles Heel'.

And it wasn't actually his ankle. It was the red head at his side.

"So you are telling me, that huge guy backed off me, because you beat up some scrawn over Theresa…?" Atlanta summed up his carefully crafted half truths.

They sounded so much better when she didn't sound so skeptical. Archie decided to add a few key words.

"No, I'm saying that all guys back off when another guy tells them too. It isn't too often that another guy will hit on another guys' girl when he is right there. Plus, I am known as kind of possessive and scary and Jay rants about other boys and Theresa more than he rants about Cronus." Archie immediately regretted the last sentence. Atlanta's eyes were shining with that mischievous light again.

"So how did you come to be known as possessive and scary? Just how many boys did you beat up? And since when does Jay care more about Theresa being whisked away by another boy than Cronus?" Atlanta wondered. Archie grimaced. Jay was going to kill him.

"Well…Let's just say I beat up a few more than David… and yes, I know, the Leader 'I must-kill-Cronus-bot' actually has more teenage boy in him than we originally thought." Archie replied distastefully. Atlanta gasped.

"That nerd that felt me up? That other jock that tried to swipe Theresa? The boy who asked me to dance three times in one day? The kid that wanted me to marry him and bear his offspring?!" Atlanta exclaimed. Archie flushed.

"First of all, Jay was the one who beat up the Theresa swiper. I may have had a hand in the rest of them."

Atlanta grinned. Archie went around beating up other boys because they liked her! Awe. What a softie. The grin was hidden almost immediately.

"Don't I have my rights to choose who I want?" Atlanta snapped. Archie turned his head towards her, his blue eyes blazing in anger.

"And did you want any of them? If you recall correctly, neither Herry, Jay or I ever touched Pan, because he made you happy." Archie retorted hotly. Atlanta was taken aback immediately by the hatred blazing in his eyes.

"Yes. That's true. Sorry. But I'm not anyone's property Archie. And although I am grateful you got that guy off my back, I am not helpless." Atlanta seemed sincere about the apology, but scolding about everything else.

"I know. But it's so much more satisfying when I do it." Archie replied thoughtlessly. He wished he could turn back time and take that back. He didn't mean to let Atlanta in on the little tidbit that he hated any boys that so much as thought about his best friend with nothing less than a turtleneck and parka on.

Atlanta was angry again, "What?"

Archie sighed. "Sorry. Let's just go back to the group."

Atlanta huffed and stormed away. Although Archie notices she didn't stray too far away from him.

Atlanta noticed the death glares Archie sent at men who even glanced her way. The men never glanced back after being on the receiving end of a possessive dagger sharp scowl from Archie.

Atlanta grinned internally again. Archie was jealous! Man, this was the greatest day ever… First, he flirts with her the entire day, and then he totally told some huge beach boy to back off his girl!

The red head sauntered back to Theresa, triumphant gleam in her stormy eyes. Archie followed behind her, her silent warrior and tender protector.

I mean, sure Atlanta was a big tough girl that could protect herself and all that…but come on!

Who doesn't need a purple haired dork in shining armor every once in a while. Especially one who gets really jealous and pouts when you ignore him.

Archie trailed behind Atlanta, a bit depressed since she appeared to be ignoring him and grinning like a fool at everyone. Arg! Did he have to spell it out for her??

She ran back into the water, where Archie trusted Herry to watch for future dangers to Atlanta's innocence.

If anyone was going to educate that girl in the matter of boys, it was definitely not going to be a blonde surfer. Not if Archie could help it.

Archie walked back towards their groups' blanket with ice creams in hand for all his friends. He waved them out of the water, waiting for them all to come rushing to him for their treats.

Herry was the first one there (surprise, freaking surprise) and quickly snatched his rocky road from Archie. He was almost done the cone in one bite. Archie shuddered.

"Whoa, Herry. Remind me not to make you mad…you might eat me or something." Archie muttered. Herry laughed and finished his cone just as the rest of the crew sat down.

"Here, Theresa a strawberry cheesecake. Jay, vanilla (boring butthead lol) Odie, chocolate and Neil, a frozen yogurt, in mango."

"Oh, thanks Arch! So much better for my complexion!" Neil exclaimed. Archie handed Atlanta her usual tiger tiger and started eating his own chocolate chip cookie dough.

"How do you know all our favorites so well?" Theresa asked mid-bite. Archie shrugged self-consciously.

"Well, I don't know. Ever since I was in the orphanage, I took every step to remember everything about my friends. I don't know why, maybe just a reflex." Archie explained.

"You were in an orphanage?" Jay asked, surprised. Archie remembered a bit late he had only shared that knowledge with Atlanta and Odie. He didn't really want anyone's pity.

"Yeah."

"What…what happened to…?" Theresa didn't finish her sentence.

"They left me at the steps. It doesn't really bother me anymore. About them leaving me I mean. It used to bother me, I mean; I couldn't understand what type of person could leave a baby. But now, I suppose I don't care, because all that I have of them is their genes." Archie said. He knew the real reason his parents abandonment didn't bother him anymore.

It was all to do with the fact that the best family he had ever wanted or asked for was sitting all around him.

"You've got us now Archie." Archie smiled nicely at their resident Drama Queen. He knew it was true, as surely as he knew all of their favorite ice creams.

The trip home was long, considering it was a two hour drive. Herry stayed awake and drove his beautiful truck to the brownstone, studying each of his friends intently. He put them into categories, gave each of them a summery.

The warrior. A strong, unsure teen. Someone who grew up with no one, and yet somehow managed to retain the protective, caring characteristic so commonly found in tight knit families. A boy who loves someone with all of his being at such a young age, when his ancestor womanized and used all who tried to care.

Archie was leaning his forehead on the window, his arm tucked beside him tightly so the beautiful red-head at his side could lean on him.

The runner. A hotheaded youth, someone with no reservations about her rights. The woman, who will sacrifice herself to no one person, yet holds complete trust in the volatile youth at her side. Someone who knows how to care, but does not know how to be cared for.

Atlanta slept deeply, safe within the confines of her mind and the reach of Archie. Her usual night terrors did not surface as long as she knew she was with her best friend. Since the age of two, Atlanta had had the most terrible night terrors. She would wake up screaming and crying and sometimes, she wouldn't be where she had fallen asleep. They had not completely stopped in New Olympia, although they were less frequent and definitely less terrifying.

Atlanta had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with Archie. Sometimes, she would wake up in tears, only to remember she was safe, falling asleep once again into the most peaceful dream. The one time he had left the brownstone for a weekend, she hadn't slept at all. She couldn't.

So now, with her head on her shoulder, she slept more deeply than she had since...well, forever.

Herry turned his gaze from the peaceful runner to the brains of the group.

The brains. The smallest, and seemingly the weakest, but truly the glue of the group. Who would always be there for you when you were hurt? The boy who had no belief in the word mistrust. Someone who had complete faith in those he cared about. The boy who seemed to be the weakest link in their group, but in the end, he would always be the strongest.

Said boy was sleeping in the back of the truck, his precious laptop beside him, protectively enclosed in the crook of Odie's arm. Neil watched him, his face a strange twisted expression Herry had never seen before. Herry sighed, knowing full well that if he asked Neil if he was okay, he would just make some comment about being locked in a truck with no humidity for his skin.

The beautiful. The one with a mysterious past. The one who seems to care only of himself and his beauty. He seemed to be hiding something behind his vain façade. But only someone watching closely could ever tell. He was sad. He wanted something, but what? What could you give someone who pretended to only need himself?

Neil looked carved into marble as his blue eyed gaze traveled the truck. He made eye contact with Herry, quickly snatching his mirror to stare into it instead. Herry smiled bitterly. Why would Neil not let them in? Was he just that way, or did he just not like them?

Herry sighed as he looked to his leader. And the stunning strawberry blonde at his side. Her head was on his shoulder, and his arm snaked around her waist.

The leader. The most serious of us all, the one with the weight of the world on his shoulders, literally. The one who we trust beyond a doubt, and would follow to the end of the world for. He loves the woman at his side immensely, but refuses to acknowledge that bond for fear of her being harmed. But does he trust himself as much as we trust him? Or as much as he trusts us? I think not. He believes in his friends, the gods, the good of people, but not he bravery of himself.

Herry smiled, knowing full well that the day Cronus disappeared would be the day that Jay would turn around, grin at his best friends and ask Theresa to marry him. Said clairvoyant would immediately say yes and probably cry. But until the day came that the great leader dropped his responsibility, he would never put the woman he loved in danger.

The fighter. The kindest one. The one without flaw. The one in the group that everyone loved, even Archie. The one that would always be there, the dependable. Like Helen of troy, the physic was beautiful and kind, wishing only for someone to love her. She had found the man she wanted, but was constantly tortured by his apparent indifference to her. When would she realize he loved her so much he couldn't endanger her? The tortured psychic fighter.

Herry smiled at his tired rag-tag group and fingered the wheel of his truck. They were all teenagers, all bitter about something, and yet they carried the world upon their seven shoulders. They may have family out there somewhere, but their true family, the family that no matter what would move the world to see them, was right here, right now.

And Cronus was not going to stop them. Herry grinned. Oh man, he needed to chuck something at the god of time right now. The descendant of Hercules felt invincible.

The brawn. The protector. The friend. The brother.

Atlanta lay on Theresa's bed, lazily stretching her muscles. The day at the beach had tired her out, and her nap in the truck had re-energized her. Unfortunately, what the red-head wanted was to go boarding with Archie, not be locked up in Theresa's room for interrogation.

"Okay, Atlanta. I know something happened, because you were grinning all day. So spill. Everything." Theresa demanded, smiling lazily herself. Atlanta made a show of shrugging and being relaxed about it.

"Nothing. We wrestled-"

"And you were in a bikini!" Theresa sang happily. Atlanta scowled.

"Don't interrupt or I won't tell you." Atlanta was pleased when Theresa sat at attention, "Okay, So then we were racing and I went too fast and there was this scary guy who tried to hit on my and touch my waist."

Atlanta paused for dramatic affect, and Theresa bounced silently.

"And then!!!" Theresa encouraged.

"And then Archie came and told him to back off his girl. He was all like, 'sorry I touched your girl man.' And Archie looked soo jealous. But he said no problem and when the guy walked away Archie and I started arguing and guess what???" Atlanta said rushed. You could tell she was happy and excited, no matter how unconcerned she appeared.

"What!?" Theresa cried.

"It turns out that all those crazy guys that hit on us stopped trying because Archie and Jay beat them up!! Remember that guy that swiped you?"

"Yeah…" Theresa replied.

"Jay went insane apparently and told him to back off."

"What! No way! This is the same Jay I know right? The I-must-have-no-feelings-because-I am-an-android Jay?" Theresa questioned.

"Uhh Yeahhhh." Atlanta answered, giddy.

The girls processed this for a moment. Both of them vibrated from happiness and excitement.

"He called you his girl?" Theresa asked. Atlanta grinned and nodded.

"Wow…. And Jay beat boys up for me?"

"Yep! So I think we should go to that new scary movie, right now." Atlanta said. Theresa grimaced at the thought of a scary movie but grinned at the thought of Jay's arm around her soon.

"Alright. Let us go rouse the boys from their state of lethargic comas." Theresa agreed.

Atlanta dove off the bed and raced downstairs, headed straight for the couches that held her purple haired warrior and the others.

A/N: I think It will be a three-shot. With long chapters filled with fluff. I'll update soon. Also, I have nothing against blonde surfer boys I swear lol. And, I should have the epilogue to Despair out soon and the sequel to I'm Not That Person too. Please review.