A/N: Hey I tried to update fast! Thank you for the reviews I loved them. I will be updating steadily, at least twice a week. If you are confused about anything, ask me and I will try to explain it. I'm sorry if my Greek mythology is a bit mixed up, I tried.

Good News and Bad News

By Anya

When they reached the brownstone house the 7 teens all pushed through the door. Swiftly Jay and Theresa took up half of the long couch while Herry and Calli took the other half. Neil lounged in a loveseat by himself and Atlanta and Archie were left standing in the center of the room arguing over an armchair.

Theresa had had enough of their bickering and really, really wanted to watch the movie so she screamed, "Will you both just shut up?! Either sit on the floor or kick Neil off the couch." Atlanta looked at Archie making a silent mutual agreement with him. They advanced upon Neil who girlishly screamed and stood up. Laughing they sat down on the loveseat. Neil stalked out of the room only to come back moments later with a pile of blankets.

He sighed, "You are so lucky I'm nice, I get abused here! Sorry guys there are only four blankets." He handed them out taking the largest warmest one for himself. Jay rolled his eyes and picked up the blanket. It was almost too small for just him, there was no way he could put both him and Theresa under it.

"Why exactly do we need these blankets?" asked Herry. Neil raised one perfectly sculpted eye brow and took out his PMR. Fingers moving lightly across the keypad, so he wouldn't break a nail, he texted Herry. Snatching his PMR, Herry read the message.

It said:

Well we are trying to get the lovebirds in here together duh!

Herry smiled brightly. That was a great plan and Herry was dead set upon achieving the goal. Glancing over he saw Neil's plan had worked fantastically with Theresa and jay. Theresa was leaning on his chest as he covered them with the blanket. Smiling contentedly they both stared expectantly at the screen.

Jumping from his spot by Calli, Herry asked what movie they were watching. Getting a mixed answer Herry went with Theresa's choice knowing she'd end up getting what she wanted anyway. Beauty and the Beast was about to start. (A/N: that's for you Belle!) Turning to go back to his seat he saw Archie and Atlanta arguing quietly over the blanket. 'Not again!' he thought exasperated.

Jay watched from his place on the couch as Herry physically lifted Atlanta and put her beside Archie. Before either could respond he placed Archie's arm around Atlanta's shoulders and dropped the blanket on them. The tag-team duo both opened their mouths to argue but Herry cut them off.

"Shut up, you are both warm and have the blanket. Also the movie is starting."

"I hate this movie." Archie grumbled but did not remove his arm from Atlanta's shoulders. Surprisingly she as well did not slip out of his reach. Instead she seemed to lean into it.

Theresa was gloating silently inside. Here she was sitting with Jay's arm around her and his head on hers and on the next couch over her best friend was sinking into Archie's embrace. Wait! Was that fear that had just flitted through Atlanta's eyes? No way it couldn't be. Theresa dismissed the thought and glanced to Calli to see if she was having fun. A strange sight met her emerald eyes, Calli was wearing a glazed over expression much like Theresa's when she got a vision. Suddenly Calli snapped her head around and looked at Atlanta sending her a death glare. If looks could kill Atlanta would be laying in her coffin right now.

'What a strange night!' Theresa thought deciding that no matter what happened she was going to have fun.

Atlanta noticed Archie was getting increasingly tense, almost like he was angry. Wondering if he was angry at her she asked, "Do you want me to move?"

"No" he replied softly, "I just hate this movie."

"Why?"

"Shut up guys, you are like totally ruining the movie for me." Neil whined. Archie snapped his mouth shut and glared at the TV. Atlanta sighed softly and told herself she would beat it out of Arch later. At the part where Belle gives herself to the beast for her father's freedom, Archie removed his arm, muttered a 'sorry' and stomped upstairs. Atlanta looked worriedly after him and then waving off Jays concerned glance followed silently.

She knocked softly and entered his room. She noticed him immediately; he sat with his forehead pressed against his window. His face showed no emotion but his eyes seemed cold and… sad. 'But Archie is never sad!' Atlanta thought, 'I have seen him angry and happy and worried. But never sad. Something must be really, really wrong.'

Abruptly Atlanta stopped, realizing she knew nothing about Archie. He was her best friend and she barely knew him! The feeling that Atlanta wanted to learn everything about Archie came burbling up.

"Archie what's your favorite color?" She asked randomly while sitting on his unmade bed. She had always guessed blue since that's what he wore. Or maybe purple. Atlanta stifled a laugh when she thought of Arch's purple Mohawk. For some strange reason she just couldn't see him without the hair style or color.

'Without that purple mess he calls hair, he wouldn't be my Arch.' Atlanta cut off that train of thought, 'Where the hell did that come from? MY ARCH?? You've got to be kidding Atlanta!' Shaking her head ferociously to rid herself of those thoughts Atlanta looked up to see the person in question beside her on the bed. He looked amused.

"Where did all the sudden interest about colors come from 'Lanta? You planning on becoming a fabulous artist?" Atlanta grimaced at Archie who was silently laughing at her.

"You know how challenged I am with paint Arch! I just wanted to know 'cause I don't know anything about you. But if you wanna be a dork…go for it."

"Fine! You go have fun watching Beauty and the Beast." Archie snapped. He turned away too quickly to see the look of hurt cross Atlanta's face. Eventually he heard her voice from what seemed like far away so lost was he in his thoughts.

"Why do you hate that movie Arch?"

Sighing, Archie sat down again, cursing the day he had met the red-head who, whether she knew it or not, had taken complete control of him. Him and his heart.

"Well this beautiful, young, smart girl completely throws her life away for her slime bag of a father."

"Yeah, but she got a happily ever after…"Atlanta objected softly. At the heart of Atlanta's tough, kick-butt exterior was a girl who wanted her own fairytale as bad as Theresa did. But what Archie said next upset her more than she cared to admit.

"There are no such things as fairy tales, or magic, or happily ever after Atlanta. Those are just stories made up so little girls will go to sleep happy."

"Don't you believe in anything Archie?!" Atlanta scowled, replacing her hurt visage with an angry mask.

"Yes, I do as a matter a fact. I believe in the law and strength and my friends." He glared at her.

Spitefully Atlanta replied, "So what Arch. You don't believe in happiness or love at fist sight? I pity you." Turning to bolt to her room Atlanta was stunned when Archie pulled her back.

"Yellow or Red. I don't really have a preference." Atlanta stared at him blankly until it clicked somewhere in her brain that Archie had just agreed to answering her questions.

"Why?"

"Because my mother put yellow everywhere when I was young, I remember it used to annoy me to no end to have such a girly color everywhere. I really miss it now." Atlanta was about to ask about his last statement but he had another answer coming her way. "I like red because it reminds me of you and my sister. She was adorable and could get away with almost anything, but she had a fiery little temper. Just like you." Archie blushed at how that came out.

"Did you mean the temper or the adorable; she could get away with anything?" Atlanta giggled at the new shade of red Archie's face escalated to. He looked at her slightly sheepish and gave her an answer that sent a thrill through her spine.

"Both."

'Why am I all of a sudden feeling this way? Maybe it was just the way his hair sometimes flopped into his eyes today. Or the way he didn't pay attention to Calli. Or maybe the way he protected me in the last fight. Wait!' Atlanta thought, 'he protects me in every fight. And his hair always does that. And he never ignores me for another girl. What does this mean?' (A/N: Debated on leaving it there but I need to show some of the plot lol)

Atlanta blushed a bit and lay back on his lumpy bed.

"How do you sleep on this thing? Never mind, I don't want to know. Okay I have more questions." She warned. He leaned against the wall and smiled

"Alright bring it on."

"What did you mean by you miss your mother and why is your sister a 'was'? Where are your family and what were they like? Tell me everything!" Atlanta almost bounced with giddiness. Archie smiled but his eyes returned to that haunted, sad look.

"My mother and my sister are dead. My mother was really pretty and the 'ideal parent'. She had brown hair and tanned skin. She always read stories to my sister and I and she was really short.

"My sister was very unusual. She had raven black hair and skin so pale you could almost see through her. Happiness and innocence radiated from her, but I hate to admit that she could almost beat me up at the age of 5. Of course I was only seven at the time!" He added hastily. Atlanta laughed at his cover up. He returned to the descriptions, a wistful smile on his lips, "Yeah, she had a temper to match her eyes that one. At some points it seemed like she was the very definition of an angel but when she got angry her eyes turned to burning lasers. A modeling company wanted to put her on the big screen at an age of 4 but mother wouldn't hear of it. 'I don't want my daughter exposed to the violence, drinking and drug using in Hollywood!' Too late for that, "Archie murmured bitterly, "But it was my sister's eyes that were so unusual. They were coal black. The irises were the same color as the pupils."

Atlanta tried to picture a girl with hair as black as night with eyes to match? Some people really hit the gene lottery. I mean sure Atlanta was thin, athletic and strong but she had no curves or hair to die for like Theresa.

"Okay. What was your childhood like?" Atlanta stared at Archie as he remembered. Suddenly his face turned scary. He looked so angry, like all he wanted to do was hurt someone. Atlanta had only ever seen that's look when they met Cronus. Why would he have it on his face now?

"When I was with my mother, it was wonderful. But after she died life wasn't so great. I was forced to grow up fast. No more stories and no more family." Archie replied bitterly. Sitting silently together thoughts rushed past Atlanta's brain. Trying to sort out all her questions was starting to give her a headache.

"How did your parents die and, where do or did you live?"

Archie sighed, "They were murdered and the body of my sister was never found. Sometimes I hope she'll just appear one day. I don't live anywhere Atlanta."

"But you have to live somewhere!" She blurted, "How will I know that after all this is done, and Cronus is captured, we won't see each other everyday?" Archie almost laughed at her statement. She shouldn't worry about that, 'I would travel to the ends of the earth just to see her.'

"I will come live in your city and we can visit every weekend. How's that?" Archie compromised, feeling like he got the best part of the deal. Atlanta smiled hugely.

"Cool, but where will you live?"

"Well I have more schooling now so I could probably get an okay job and then I will live in some apartment." Archie assumed out loud. They both smiled at the possibility of more races after Cronus was done. If Archie wasn't there to compete against her, Atlanta thought she would stop running.

Beep! Beep! Beep! A loud noise wiggled its way into her brain and Atlanta found she had been sleeping. Awaking with a start she saw Archie dead asleep against the wall and the time to be around 8:00 pm. 'No way!' Atlanta blushed, 'We got home at 4:30 and Beauty and the Beast would finish at 6. I have been in arch's room alone for way too long. Theresa is going to annoy the hell out of me tonight.'

Snatching her PMR which was still making strange beeping noises she saw Jay had told them to go to the school immediately. But Calli is still here! What are we gunna do?

"Archie wake up!" Atlanta screamed at him. He almost flung himself to a standing position and brought his whip out at the same time. 'Impressive.' Thought Atlanta.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He questioned immediately. She waved her hand at him brushing off the questions.

"We got to go to the school fast apparently." They raced out the door and down the stairs. "Let's take your bike!" Atlanta yelled. Archie nodded and they both sprinted out the door and towards a large blue bike. Archie jumped on and revved the engine. Atlanta sat behind him and put a helmet on both of their heads.

"Hang on!" Archie shouted and took off. He felt Atlanta's arms clasp his waist and almost fell off the bike. 'Concentrate Archie, your other friends are in danger!'

Jay paced Hera's room rubbing his head. Why the hell did Cronus have to show up now? Calli was sitting on the couch and she looked not surprised in the least. Where were Archie and Atlanta? And Hera…the goddess was never late. Just when jay had his arm around Theresa, stupid Cronus had to show up and ruin it. He really hated that guy.

"Hello children." Hera greeted, "I have good news and bad news." She stared at Calli expecting a forthcoming explanation from jay. But jay was not expecting what Calli did next.

"Greetings Hera. I'm sorry to have come so unexpectedly. What has it been, a few centuries at least?"

Hera smiled softly, "I missed you child, you have changed so much, what daughter are you at now?"

"Oh, more than I can count and each have been worth the pain." Calli responded sadly. Hera came to the brunette and embraced her fondly.

"I never did want what happened to you Cassandra, believe me." Calli nodded and one small glistening tear fell from her eye.

"It has worn off a little Hera, with each passing generation, I am believed more and more. But none believe my prophecies yet." Hera nodded and turned back to the sunned teenagers. Chuckling softly at their confused faces Hera explained quickly.

"Calli is a descendant of Cassandra the Prophetess. Apollo cursed her for scorning his adorations upon her and none believed her prophecies after that. Cassandra saw the Trojan Horse for what it was and tried to warn the others. None believed her and the deaths of thousands were on her shoulders. She tried praying to Athena for help but Ajax came and before the great statue he raped her. I don't think I have ever seen Athena so angry. She punished the entire Greek army because not only had Cassandra been praying but she was a priestess. Eventually a child was born of the rape, another prophetess who no one believed. The descendants of Cassandra know every thought that their ancestors ever had."

"You mean, they all have the memory of the…rape and yet they have children of their own?" Theresa stuttered.

"No, unfortunately every woman in Cassandra's line was born of rape. Another family curse." Calli whispered softly.

"Well aren't you afraid?" Theresa asked. Calli turned her eyes on her and you could see her back had straightened and her eyes were accepting.

"Yes, terrified. But you forget that I have more memories than I can count of rape." Theresa looked at the ground and almost let a tear fall for Calli.

"Enough of this depressing subject and on to the good news. Cronus is not behind this meeting, I think." Hera informed them. The teenagers cheered and looked expectantly back at Hera for the bad news.

"There is a group of men who are going around killing many of the people of the town. Normally I would not involve myself in the goings on of the town but this has to do with Archie. I need you to go get them and either put them in jail or…"

"Or what?" Herry asked nervously. Hera swallowed.

"Or kill them." She finished. The teenagers gulped and sat down. A large bang came from the door and Theresa screamed. Atlanta and Archie flew in and stopped breathing heavily.

"What's up?" they chorused.

I'll update this weekend! Perhaps put up another oneshot too.

Ciao!

Love Anya, of the Paradox-Barbarian-Princess gang.