A/N: I'm glad everyone is enjoying this story. I know I didn't do that great a job in Truth be Told, considering I didn't mention a great deal about the truth part. I might end up re-writing some of the chapters. Anyway, glad you're all enjoying Inner Demons.

Italics - a creature's thoughts (try and guess what ;) )

Archie glanced down at his PMR. The date read March 15.

"Beware the ides of March. Great," Archie muttered sourly.

Who knew a stupid classroom note would end up being right? He trudged through the woods outside the city. It was dark, is was cold, and it was down right pointless. Archie kicked a rock that was lying in front of him.

"Jay and his big ideas. It's cold enough to skin a griffin and Jay wants us to search for something Cronus probably didn't even stage."

Archie growled. He walked on. He didn't notice a small shadow lurk out from underneath the rock that he kicked.

This one is special

Archie sighed. There was nothing out here. He pulled his hood up and shoved his freezing hands into his pockets as he headed back to the truck. The others were already there.

"Find anything?" Jay asked.

Archie blinked.

"What do you think?" he asked. "I told you this was a waste of time."

"Archie's right, Jay. This doesn't seem like something Cronus would do," Theresa said.

"That doesn't mean we can let our guard down," Jay pointed out. "This thing kills. I don't want to lose anyone else."

Theresa stiffened as another vision hit her.

"Theresa, are you having another vision?" Jay asked.

"I don't know," Theresa replied as she rubbed her head. "I didn't see anything."

"Nothing?" Odie asked.

Theresa shook her head.

"That's weird," Atlanta commented.

"Can we go back to the dorm, now? This cold isn't good for my skin," Neil said.

Herry unlocked the truck and the team climbed in. He started the truck, shifted it into drive and stepped on the gas. The truck headed back for New Olympia, the woods fading off in the distance behind them.

The drive home was quiet. Jay and Theresa sat up front with Herry. Neil, Odie, Atlanta and Archie shared the back seat. Archie had a window seat and was currently staring up at the sky. Atlanta, who was sitting next to him, gently touched his mildly scarred left hand. She frowned. His hand was colder than usual.

"Archie, are you okay?"

"Hmm? I'm fine."

"You're freezing," Atlanta whispered, not wanting to alarm the others, especially not Jay.

"I'm just cold from being outside," Archie reasoned.

He slipped his hand into his jacket pocket. Atlanta didn't press the matter any further. Archie was on edge all of a sudden.

Herry pulled the truck into the Brownstone's garage.

"Welcome home," he said, turning the engine off.

Everyone climbed out and headed inside.

"Who wants hot chocolate?" Theresa asked as everyone walked into the dorm.

Five hands went up. Theresa looked at Archie with a confused look. He had never turned down an offer for hot chocolate before.

"Arch? You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. The fresh air just made me tired," Archie replied. He turned to Theresa. "Thanks anyway, but I'll pass."

He headed up to his room. "That dude needs to work on his exits," Neil commented after Archie had left.

"Maybe he's sick," Herry said.

"Herry, Archie doesn't do sick," Odie pointed out.

"Archie's never turned down hot chocolate before, even in the summer," Herry replied.

"Maybe he's love sick," Neil said in a dreamy voice and lend close to Atlanta.

"Get real, Neil," Atlanta instructed, pushing the blond away from her. "Archie doesn't do any kind of sick. Even love sick."

But, she couldn't help but worry. Stacey and the car crash woman had both become extremely cold before they met Charon. That, and they had become pale. But, Archie had always been pale.

"I'm going to check to see if he's okay," Atlanta said.

She made her way up to Archie's room.

When she got there she knocked on the door. A moan answered. Atlanta opened the door and slipped in.

"Archie? Are you feeling okay?" she asked, walking over to the bed.

"Yeah. Just a little cold, that's all."

Atlanta sat down on the bed. She gently touched Archie's cheek. A cold shiver shot down her spine. He was far too cold.

"Arch, do you want me to get you some hot chocolate? It might warm you up a bit," Atlanta offered.

"Okay," Archie replied.

Atlanta got to her feet and made her way downstairs.

Theresa was in the kitchen mixing mugs for the team.

"Theresa, can you make some for Archie?" Atlanta asked.

"Sure," Theresa replied. She opened the cupboard and pulled out another mug. "Changed his mind, did he?"

"Sort of. He's still a bit cold from the night's excursion," Atlanta explained.

Theresa mixed another mug of the steaming hot chocolate treat for her cold friend. When it was done, she handed two mugs to Atlanta.

"Thanks."

The red-haired Huntress made her way back to Archie's room. When she stepped inside, Atlanta felt her heart stop. Archie wasn't moving.

She rushed over and placed the mugs on the bed side table.

"Archie?" Atlanta said, grabbing his shoulder. "Archie?"

She shook her friend. A moan escaped Archie's throat. He turned over.

"What? I'm sleeping."

Atlanta breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't scare me like that," she said. "I brought you some hot chocolate."

Archie pushed himself into a sitting position and took one of the mugs. Atlanta touched his cheek again. At least he warming up. Archie took a hold of Atlanta's hand and kissed it.

"Did I tell you that I love you, recently?" he asked.

Atlanta shook her head.

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Arch."

Atlanta sat down beside him and cuddled into him. He had warmed up a lot in the last few minutes.

"Achilles magic," Atlanta told herself.

Being the descendant of Achilles not only meant that Archie healed faster than everyone else, but it also meant he could never get sick. Which was a blessing and a curse on his part. A blessing because he never had to go through the joys of having a cold, but a curse in that, as a child, he had been considered a messenger from Hades. A child of darkness.

Soon, Archie had warmed back to his original temperature. Nothing was going to happen to him. Atlanta promised herself that if anything did happen to him, she would travel to the Underworld to bring him back. But, right now, she was enjoying being in his presence and knowing that he was still with her.

I'm not saying anything. You know what I'm going to say. And I have no comment on who's going to end up being infected.