Piper and Frank sat in the dinning hall, talking. Hazel sat in the corner, tapping her plate with her fork. Grabbing a water bottle and a slice of pizza I sat next to her and waved a hand in her face. "You awake?" I asked.

Hazel jumped. "Oh! Leo!" She looked at me. "You look a lot better."

"Thanks," I was a bit confused.

"I watched Jason carry you into the infirmary."

"Ah," I winced.

"What happened anyway? No one's really sure..."

I glanced at Piper, who was listening in. She smiled on me as if saying 'I didn't want to say anything without you knowing'. I was grateful.

"When the ship lurched I smacked my head on the railing. Guess I didn't really notice until after all the action."

"Got it." Hazel nodded and I downed another water bottle. "Thirsty much?"

"Bit dehydrated yea," I smiled. "I've got to get this pizza to his royal seaness." I grinned and waved goodbye.

Percy accepted his food with a thank you and I took over the helm. The second my fingers touched the wheel I felt better. Most of the controls were fried or damaged and I wiled away the rest of the afternoon trying to fix it.

I would like to mention that Festus is a magic boat and for most people it would take weeks to get across the entire Altlantic. Considering we had been blown thousands of miles of course we were making good time.

Once the sun began to set on the horizon Piper walked up on deck and sat down next to me. "So," she bumped me lightly with her shoulder. "You going to bed tonight or am I going to have to knock you out?"

I looked up from the controls and rolled my eyes. "Someone's got to look after this hunk of junk," I stroked the dashboard lovingly. "I'll take nightshift and sleep tomorrow."

"Leo," she rolled her eyes. "You are running into your third night without sleep. Can't you put it on auto or something? Jason's been sleeping all day. Let him watch for a while."

I was reluctant but to be perfectly honest I was exhausted. Piper was right. This little sleep was my third night and I was running on fumes. "Fine," I relented. "But only a few hours. I want to be back up by midnight."

"Good," Piper smiled, "I'll go get him."

The next up deck was Frank and Hazel. "Leo!" smiled Hazel, hanging on Frank's arm. "It's so nice out. I'm jealous sometimes. You get to be up here all day."

"And all night and all day and all night," I yawned, stowing my wrench.

Frank chuckled. Looking at him I felt a little jealous. Not for Hazel of course, I had met someone... else on the island of Ogygyia. I was jealous for a different reason. With his new magical upgrade I now looked like a three year old next to him. He was buff, Percy was talented and Jason was perfect. How was I going to look now?

"Something to say Zhang?" I challenged teasingly.

"You've got six other people on this ship."

"So Piper keeps telling me."

"And I'm pretty sure we're all friends now. So why don't you ever ask for help?"

"When you grow up in nine different homes you get it pounded into your head that there's no one really around to trust," I smiled. "I'm getting there. Baby steps Zhang."

Hazel smiled and walked over, helping me stand. "So are you going to ask?"

"Jason's coming up." I nodded. "You to go for your mini date. Don't let me intrude." They both blushed deep red as I chuckled. "I'll leave the love birds alone. I would never want to watch you two kiss."

"I'm going to kill you Valdez!" Frank called after me as I slid downstairs.

On the way to the dinning room I passed Jason. "Hey man," Jason greeted. "I was just going to go up on deck."

"I wouldn't intrude," I snorted. "Frank and Hazel are having their make out session."

"I'll be very sneaky then." Jason laughed. "Night buddy."

"Night."

I headed into the dinning room where Annabeth was tenderly kissing Percy, having obviously just shared a joke.

"My eyes!" I cried, backing into the hall. "They burn!"

"Leo!" Annabeth gasped as I walked back into the room.

"To much kissing!" I gripped my throat. "I'm gonna be sick."

"Very funny."

"No, really you two should be glad Hedge isn't here! He'd have your heads." I continued to snicker quietly and grabbed a water from the eternal cooler and chugged the whole thing right in front of their eyes.

"Thirsty?" Percy asked, finishing off his dinner.

"Just dehydrated."

"You drank two entire ones this morning and about five this after noon," Annabeth gave me a look that was so motherly I had to turn away. "I would say you're a bit more than dehydrated." She stood walking to me. "Are you sick?" She put a hand on my face.

"I'm fine," I protested.

"You're really clammy." Annabeth looked at her hand.

"So Percy's acting like my dad and between you and Piper it's like I have a mother again." I rolled my eyes, feeling the pang in my stomach. "I may be basically an orphan but I don't need you to be my parents." I walked out.

"Leo!" Annabeth called after me.

I knew they didn't deserve it but I couldn't help it. Fawning over me like I was a baby drove me nuts. This ship had divided into three couples and me. I didn't need parents. If you didn't count Hazel's seventy plus years in the underworld I was the youngest as well.

Trying to shake away my dark thoughts I collapsed into my bed. "G'night," I said to Festus.

'Night' clicked Festus. But I didn't hear it. I was already asleep.

"Leo?" A voice hissed in my ear.

"What?" I turned over, still fully clothed and fell off my bed. "Ow!" I groaned.

"Come on bud," Jason offered a hand and I took it, standing. "Sorry, I didn't see the time so it's a little after two."

"S'fine," I yawned. "I probably needed it." Five, maybe six hours of sleep. I felt dried out.

But I didn't notice until I tried to walk. Pain filled very inch of me and I bent over, gripping my neck. "Ah," I gasped in pain.

"Leo?" Jason touched my shoudler.

But the pain had faded. It felt almost like someone had stabbed me. "Nothing," I waved him away. "Nothing."

"If your sure," Jason waved, sending me a backward glance.

I walked back up to the deck still rubbing my neck. What had happened? For a moment there I couldn't breathe and it had hurt so much.

'Your body will betray you.' said a soft voice in my head.

"Shut up," I told it, staring up at the moon.

five reviews already? You're all wonderfull. And a special thank you to those who leave long reviews.

Six this time? :)

(P.S. I know the chapters are short. I like to pace myself. They will get a little longer later on.)