Percy is Number 5

Ch. 10

Disclaimer:I'm not cool enough to own any of this stuff you recognize.

The days passed quickly at the hotel. I became friendly with the owner and his family, and after a few days, he had pity on me, and gave me a job cleaning the facilities in exchange for food and a room. After a few weeks, I was finally getting into a nice routine, but I knew that it could not last.

Thanksgiving was last week, and December was soon into the second week when I decided I needed to leave, to keep them and myself safe. With danger looming over my shoulder, I had no clue when they would catch up to me. After working in the kitchen, I used some of my free time to surf the internet for any information I could get. There was some disturbances going in every part of the world, buildings falling down, murderers, but none of them seemed unnatural.

I was scanning through Europe's news when Sophia came up behind me and leaned on the chair.

"Whatcha looking at? Something interesting in Europe?" I exited out of the tabs and shook my head.

"Nothing really, just keeping updated on the worldly news." I laughed and went upstairs to get ready for bed. The less she knew the better, same for Damian and Mr. Eastman. I could feel her eyes on me as I walked up the stairs and tried to shrug it off. I knew she liked me, but she looked so much like Annabeth and it hurt to think about it.

When I got up to my room, I went through the usual checking of my bag, the chest, Riptide in my pocket, the news articles that might help me find others, and the food that I had been storing up as I got ready to leave. I pulled the orange stone out of my pocket where it sat comfortably every day, and yet it stayed the same dull color, which meant safety for me right now, but the center seemed like it was wanting to begin to glow again. That didn't make me feel safe.

As I wrote down everything I needed, where I would go, the choices were unclear. I could try to make my way to Camp Half-Blood, but that would involve flying which isn't the best idea. I could take a bus train or boat, but that would involve paying or sneaking on, both if I got caught, would raise questions, and a big flag in the air to Luke and the Mogadorians saying -Here I am!

I groaned and lay back in the bed, letting my head hit the pillow. That's what I would miss most when I left here, the constant pillow under my head. I closed my eyes for a moment and let my thoughts float throughout the room. I felt free finally, but I knew there was danger to being free.

I opened my eyes to find my pen floating in the air in front of my eyes. I blink my eyes rapidly, and shake my head, and yet there it stays. Curious, I plucked the pen out from the air and then let go, to have it fall to the ground uninterrupted. Something clicked inside my mind and I realized I must've done that.

I closed my eyes and focused on lifting my thoughts and focusing them on the pen. When I opened them again, the pen was floating. I laughed in delight; I must have some sort of mind control. I watched as the pen flew through the air as a knock came at the door.

Distracted, the pen slipped from my mental grasp and it went flying towards the door, embedding itself in the frame of the door. I jumped off the bed and over to the door, plucking the pen out of the frame and shoving it into my pocket before opening the door.

Sophia stood in the hallway, in a nice outfit, a blouse and skirt of some sorts, something I had never seen her wear and makeup; that was a first. She smiled and it reminded me of Annabeth so much… I threw the thought away and turned my attention back to her.

"Hi there, what brings you here? Does your grandfather need me to fix something?" She giggled and shook her head.

"No. But there is a festival tonight, with lights and dancing, I was wondering if you would like to come with me." My eyes widened and I scratched the back of my head. My hair was getting shaggy, it needed a cut soon and I wanted to dye it a different color soon too.

Her smile faded as my silence grew to a few seconds and she looked past me into my room. My backpack was strewn all over the bed with papers and maps I had printed off, news articles that might help me find the others(a kid with a glowing leg at a swim party from the beginning of the year, and a story from the East about a real god) and all my food that I had been storing up.

Tears began to form in her eyes. "You are leaving. Without saying goodbye? Fine, I understand." With that, she turned on heel and ran down the hallway. I stood there frozen before shutting the door and slamming my head on the wall. I always manage to screw things up.

Sighing, I put all my papers together and shoved them in my pack with everything else, and then I headed downstairs. I was going to leave tonight, the decision was final. I couldn't get too attached(or was I already too attached?) or they would get hurt, it happened every time.

Damian was manning the register when I came down. He stared at me as I hopped down the last three steps, his stare only intensifying as I walked closer. George chose that time to come out of his office and look at me. His eyes only looked tired, not angry. He motioned for me to come in his office and I did so, trying to avoid the terrible stare Damian would not give up.

I sat at his desk and he placed his head in his hands. "My granddaughter, she likes you. But you, you are in love with someone else, are you not?" I just looked down into my hands. "I can see it in your eyes, one who looks like her, but is not her."

I sighed and looked up at him. "I'm running from someone, well someone-s. Sophia, she is nice, I do have someone else, but… it's complicated." I leaned back in the chair. "I just, I don't want anyone to get hurt."

George twirled a pen between his fingers. "I cannot force you to stay. The only thing I ask is that you talk to Sophia before you leave. She will want to know why." I nodded and stood up. With a firm shake goodbye, I left the office, not looking back to where Damian was surely staring one again.

Sophia was out by the well, washing her face with water. I coughed loudly as to alert her to my presence and she gasped, only to scoff and turn back. Reluctantly, I walked closer and put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched at the touch, but did not say a word.

"I'm sorry." I started. "You… I… I'm sorry. I have to leave. Trust me, it's for the best." With that I turned and left, not waiting for my emotions to get the better of me.

That night I left, not waiting for the sun to come up to light the way. The night was colder than it was when I was traveling with Nico, well as cold as South America could get, but I ignored the weather and kept on moving. In the next day I made it across half of the country by foot when I stopped to take a lunch break.

My plan was to try and cross the borders with the least amount of struggle possible. To aide me in this idiotic plan, I had managed to get my hands on an illegal passport that looked somewhat realistic. The problem was, I didn't know where the hell I put it.

Frustrated, I dumped everything from my bag onto the ground and scrounged through what I had. In the bright sunlight, something caught my eye and I realized it was an old drachma that managed to hide in my bag. My curiosity got the better of me, and I took out an old water bottle, and manipulating the water in a way I still didn't know how to control, I threw the drachma in, whispering her name.

The water shimmered, and then there she was, blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, laughing at some joke the kid next to her said. I allowed myself a soft smile when her eyes suddenly met mine and my name broke through the water.

"Percy?"

Just then, a large hand grabbed me from behind and broke my concentration, and before everything went black, the only thing I saw was her face falling towards the ground.

A/N: Wow, really bad fail, I am really sorry. Life is really hectic right not and I haven't had enough time to type and edit as I have wanted to. Lacrosse just started which really kicks my schedule, but I promise, I have been reading your reviews and I hope you like this chapter. I will hopefully have another chapter which will be much longer by Easter as a treat, but I just wanted to have this up for you guys. Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, favorite and just read this fic. It really does motivate me. Also, same as the last chapter, the terms for the Lorien side of the story is that I haven't read the 4thbook and I probably never will, so whatever happens in the Lorien universe is now of my own creation :) so enjoy!

A/N: Edited 5-26-15