Hey, I'm back with a new chapter. This ended a bit abruptly, because I've kept you guys waiting for a while and I wanted to get it out.
Annabeth started laughing.
"This-this can't be legal," Octavian protested, ignoring Annabeth's laughter. "There are definitely laws against a parent treating their child."
"You know full well that only applies to medical doctors," Dr. Lawrence said patiently. "Now, Reyna gave me a little background information on your disagreements. If you'd all just step into my office, we can start."
She gestured for Percy and Jason, the two closest to the door she had entered the lobby through, to enter. They glared daggers at each other.
"You first," Percy said through his teeth.
"Make me," Jason snarled back.
Reyna caught the secretary's eye. The blonde stood up and walked over to the boys. She grabbed them both by the back of their shirts and practically flung them into the office. Reyna offered the former legionnaire a rare smile. "Thank you, Maya. Alert me if you need anything at all."
She left the building, leaving Hazel, Annabeth, Piper, Frank, Octavian, Dakota, Leo, and the centurion from the second cohort standing in the lobby glaring at each other. Jason and Percy stood in Dr. Lawrence's office, as far apart as possible.
"Well, go in," Dr. Lawrence invited, gesturing at the open door. The teenagers stopped glaring at each other to glare at her. Finally, Hazel took a deep breath, and strode through the door.
Slowly, the rest of the group followed her in, finding spots to stand in. Soon, only Octavian and his mother were left, Octavian staring at the office as if he was afraid that once he entered, he could never leave.
Slowly, he entered the room.
Dr. Lawrence stepped in after him, closing the door behind her.
The office was large, with a desk directly opposite the door and a large window taking up the majority of the wall on the right. Two long couches faced each other with a couple of chairs scattered throughout the room. Dr. Lawrence crossed the room and took seat at her desk.
Not a single one of the teens had taken a seat. They stood scattered around the room.
"Take a seat," Dr. Lawrence suggested, gesturing at the couches and chairs. Dakota and the centurion from the second cohort obeyed, dropping onto different couches. No one else budged. Dr. Lawrence paused, pursing her lips.
"Reyna has told me you need to learn to work as a team."
As soon as those words were voiced, the room erupted with protests.
"Work as a team?" Percy demanded. "I'm perfectly fine working in a team. The key part of that is team. I don't like being ordered around by this guy right here."
"Ordered around?" Jason spluttered. "I don't order people around! I say the things that I think are best! We need some kind of discipline!"
"You expect me to work with her?" Hazel shrilled. She winced at the high pitch of her voice, but went on. "I'm sorry, Dr. Lawrence. But Piper here is willing to charmspeak people to get her way. She is manipulative, selfish, and she – "
Piper cut her off. "Selfish? I only want what's best for everyone."
"Namely you," Hazel hissed. Everyone else started struggling to make themselves heard over everyone else's voice.
"Going to Greece is not what's – "
"I don't even know why this guy's mad at me!"
"You keep setting things on fire – "
"He's psychotic! He uses stuffed animals to tell the future!"
"She's a knife wielding lunatic! And she's – "
"Bert claims I'm a useless centurion because I drink Kool-Aid and am from the Fifth!"
"Sugar water with extra sugar! He twitches too much to wield a sword properly!"
Dr. Lawrence tried to intercede to no avail. Perhaps it was better to let them get their anger out before they could begin.
Ten minutes later, they were still yelling, their voices going hoarse. Finally, they gave up on yelling and plopped down into seats. Dr. Lawrence smiled. "Who would like to go first?"