Disclaimer: Miss Author does not own PJO/HoO.

thx to all the people who reviewed:
Saving Grace - thx, i'll need that good luck. i think that lukas and his buddies will meet some horrible monster in denver...
Reyna23 - um ok
vball17girl - wait, what do you mean?

that's it? i think you can review more than that people!

i need help with the quest. i have no idea about what should happen. any ideas? if you review an idea and its really good, i'll pm you a free sneak peek at the next chapter :)

"Once I tried to eat without a spoon for a day & it was really hard. Liam is the man!" -Zayn Malik

I hear the beat of my heart getting louder Whenever I'm near you But I see you with him slow dancing Tearing me apart cause you don't see Whenever you kiss him...

Lukas stumbled off the train, panting, at a stop in Chicago.

"Gah!" Lukas shouted. "I hate trains."

Lukas thought he heard a soft whisper of a laugh from behind him but both Jessie and Peris were in front of him. He whipped around to see who was laughing at him, but all he caught was a barely noticeable wisp of dark, almost black, hair. Frowning, Lukas turned back to his friends, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Jessie asked. "All I can hear is Peris's stomach growling." Peris gave her a fake offended look and she laughed.

"No, no, not that. A laugh." Lukas frowned again. "Nevermind. Must be nothing."

"Come on, we have an hour before we need to board the next train. Might as well find somewhere to eat," Peris said looking up at the clock above the platform sign.

With an uneasy feeling, Lukas followed his friends out of the train station and to a small café a few blocks down.

The café had small double glass doors and windows lining the sides. The name of the café, Café Claro, was painted in a soft baby blue color above the doors. The inside looked neat, orderly, not over-crowded, but not deserted either.

The three of them walked up to the register.

"Um, hot chocolate please," Lukas ordered looking up at the menu.

"Me too," said Jessie.

"Me three," said Peris.

"Three hot chocolates? Okay, that'll be fifteen sixty-two," the waiter said, punched a few keys in her register, placed Lukas's money in the register, printed the receipt, and gave it to Lukas. Lukas nodded and led Jessie and Peris to a small table near the back. He faced to doorway with Jessie on his right and Peris across from him.

As he sipped his hot chocolate and burned his tongue, a girl in a dark hoodie and jeans with her hood pulled over her head walked in. Lukas thought he saw the bottom of a purple shirt peeking out from under the hoodie. He couldn't see her face, which bothered him because she seemed like someone who would be ready to fight to the death to protect herself at a moments notice.

"Hey, does that girl seem suspicious to you?" asked Jessie. So Lukas wasn't the only one who noticed the girl. He nodded to Jessie.

"It doesn't matter. There are enough witnesses here that she won't attack us. Besides, we outnumber her three to one. I'm willing to bet that is she's a demigod, she was sent to spy on us if anything," Peris said glancing back at the girl as he stirred a few marshmallows into his drink.

They finished their hot chocolates in silence, then marched back to the train station.

Once on board the next train, and the train was chugging its way east, Lukas said, "You guys go on to sleep. I'll keep watch." Peris nodded thankfully and was snoring in seconds. Jessie however just frowned.

"Hey, Lukas. I need some advice."

"About what?" Lukas snorted. "If its how to get campers to hate you, then I'm your man."

"No, but…well, I really like this guy and I don't know if he likes me back. What do I do?"

"Tell him you like him then ask him if he likes you."

"Lukas, I really like you. Do you like me?"

"You're kidding, right?"

"No,"

"Oh, um sorry. Well, I guess. Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"This is awkward. Um, sure, I like you too."

Jessie was silent for a second then said, "Would you be my boyfriend?"

"I don't really think this is the time for that," Lukas avoided the question awkwardly.

"Well, we might die on this quest. Or at least go crazy with fear. I though maybe we could enjoy it while we can."

"Good point. Um, sure. I guess…why not?"

Jessie smiled so brightly that Lukas felt guilty. He wanted to tell her that he had a crush on Tally, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her.

"I-I think I'm going to…going to sleep now."

"Okay, good night." Jessie smiled and Lukas fell asleep, even if it was only to avoid more awkward questions.

~oOo~

When Lukas woke, the train was stopping at another train station.

"Are we already in Denver?" Peris mumbled. Apparently he was just waking up as well.

"Yup," Jessie said. Then she smiled and winked at Lukas. Lukas nodded back to her. He kind of liked her. She wouldn't be that bad a girlfriend, but Lukas couldn't help wondering about Tally.

Climbing out of the train, Lukas panicked. A girl in a dark hoodie and jeans was leaning against the wall right in front of him. He could see her eyes. They were electric blue. She pushed the hood onto her shoulders and shook out her dark hair.

Lukas gasped. The girl smiled. "Hey, Lukas. Miss me?"