I got so many lovely comments that I decided to update again today :)
I'd like to thank everybody who is taking the time to read this and review, it means so much to me!
Hope you like this chapter as well, disclaimer's the same as always.
~thegirlwiththetrident

Chapter eleven: Watching

After debating for a while, the four friends decided to let Penelope sleep.
They all knew that she needed the rest, and that she was going to need it for when they told her the truth about herself in the morning.
"Do we wait here?" Piper asked, and Leo nodded.
"I'll do it. You guys can go back to the cabins, if you want to."
But now that the shock had worn off, the others seemed to be quite eager to spend sometime in the ship as well, and decided to stay the night.
It was probably a good idea, as this was going to be their home soon, and so Leo divided out the rooms and then laid the table in the dining hall, using the magic golden plates and goblets.
He then got out of the ship and searched for the fountain tap which he'd found installed here, and could be used to send an Iris-message.
Taking one of the golden drachmas that were placed beside it, he tossed the coin into the rainbow and said "Oh goddess accept my offering and show me Chiron at the Big House"
The rainbow obliged, and soon Leo could see the centaur, who was sitting inside the ping pong table room, eating a bunch of celery.
"Hello Chiron" Leo called and the teacher looked up
"Leo" he smiled and waited until Leo had explained all about finding Penelope and that their theory had been proven right, asking whether or not it was okay that they spend the night in the ship.
"Yes, yes, that will be fine" the centaur told him "and maybe you would like to explain it all to Penelope when she awakes, and we'll have a counsellor meeting later."
"Okay" Leo said, waved his hand through the message, returned on board and called the others for dinner.
"The rooms are seriously cool, Leo!" Jason said, grinning and clapping a hand on Leo's back.
The girls nodded in agreement and Leo felt pleased that his friends liked his work.
"They're not as good as mine" he winked, but the others just rolled their eyes and Piper shoved him playfully.
"Let's eat" she said, grabbing a plate and ordering a huge salad.
The rest of them followed her lead, and soon they were seated around the table, eating delicious food and discussing the upcoming game of capture-the-flag.
Leo was trying to secure himself some proper allies this time.
"I don't know, Valdez" Jason said, his voice in mock thought "I'm not sure I want a cabin on my team that can't even defend itself against two girls"
"Excuse me?" Annabeth said, throwing a cheese cracker at him. "Are you saying that two boys would be more of a challenge?"
Jason ducked, but the cracker got stuck in his hair. Piper laughed and got it out for him, and Jason smiled ruefully at Annabeth "Sorry"
Annabeth stuck her tongue out at him but then giggled and said
"I wouldn't be sure about Leo's cabin though either"
It was so seldom that she was in such a good mood these days, that Leo decided to let the comment pass him.
"You'll be eating your words" he simply told all of them, and cleared the plates away.
After a few more minutes of light banter, Jason and Piper got up, yawning.
"We'll see you tomorrow" Piper said, and followed Jason out of the room.
"As if they're going to sleep" Leo muttered and Annabeth laughed.
"I remember when Percy and I -" she broke off, her face falling.
Leo had thought it was bad for him watching Jason and Piper but only then did he realise that it must be so much worse for Annabeth.
"Come on" he told her, wanting to distract her "I'll show you the control room"
She nodded and together they made their way to a room full or wires and thick cables, that criss-crossed all over the floor.
"Wow" Annabeth said, admiringly "And there's a system to all of it?"
"Mostly" Leo joked.
He proceeded to explain some of the essential controls and functions to Annabeth, and found that she was quite interested, really.
It was nice to talk to someone about this, and soon they were immersed in deep conversation about they way things were built, and structures kept up and all sorts of other mechanical or architectural stuff.
After an hour or so, Annabeth yawned, and they headed back upstairs, extinguishing the lights in the hallways, leaving only a few flames lit.
Before she went into her room, Annabeth gave Leo a brief hug.
"Good job, Valdez" she smiled, gesturing around her. Then, she quietly closed the door.
Leo stood there for a moment, a warm feeling inside at Annabeth's praise which was rare and therefore all the more valuable.
He opened the door to his own room, but hesitated. Then, he turned around and headed in another direction, stopping in front of the room where Penelope was sleeping.
They hadn't closed the door, and so Leo could go in without making a noise.
He knelt down beside the bed, and watched Penelope, her eyelids closed and her breathing even.
Her dark hair was tangled all around her face, and her mouth stood lightly open, but all of this only made her look cute, Leo thought.
"Who are you really?" he whispered, so quiet it was almost inaudible.
There was no answer, of course.
For a few minutes, Leo simply stayed there, not really thinking anything.
Then, as quietly as he had come, he left, silently pulling the door shut behind him.
He was about to turn away, when something on the door caught his eye.
There was an engraving there, which definitely hadn't been there before:
Two torches, with dancing flames above them, and coloured in the same deep, dark, ocean blue colour that Penelope's claim mark had been.
Well, Leo thought to himself as he walked away to his own room, that certainly settles the matter.