Maija

Nate returned just as we were starting dinner. "Report." Hades said gruffly.

"Zeus is having Hecate working on the spell, but they hadn't broken it when I left, and they can't find Zelus." He sat down next to Zoey, and slumped in his seat.

"What do you mean they can't find him? He's a god for crying out loud!"

Nate cringed slightly at his father's loud words. "I don't know! He went off the map."

"So what, he's in space?" Alex asked sarcastically.

I snickered under my breath. "How are we suppose to find him then?"

Everyone sat in silence, trying to find a way to find a god not even Zeus could find. How in heck were we suppose to do that? We have no leads to a possible location, we can't track him, how could-

"I had a dream about him." Alex piped up. "They were in a cave, it must have been where they were hiding."

"Run through your dream." I told her.

"Well, uh," She scratched her head. "He wasn't formed, he was just a voice. I saw three others standing off to the side, and a boy with his back to me. The voice was coming from the fire pit in the middle of the room."

"Something useful?" Hades grumbled. I glared at him and Persephone smacked his arm.

Alex continued, unfazed. "He said 'Welcome to Hell.' I assumed he meant the Underworld because that's where he was entrapped, but now..."

"Is there anywhere in Greek Mythology that is similar to the Underworld?" I asked.

"No." Hades answered immediately.

"What about in the U.S.?" I turned to my friends.

"You just asked us about a thousand cities in America," James laughed gently. I sighed and dug into my food, knowing I couldn't think on an empty stomach. Everyone else seemed to agree and began eating as well.

Oh, remember that myth where if you eat in the Underworld you have to stay there? Well, the spell Zelus put on didn't keep him from zapping in food like he did before Alex woke up because something told me the first night he did not want us to stay in the Underworld forever.

Suddenly, half way through the meal, Alex perked up considerably. "Maija!" She called to me excitedly. "Remember that project we did in Michigan History, were we had to choose a city in Michigan to do a report on?"

"Yeah?" I asked, not getting what she was pushing at. "So?"

She scoffed at me and rolled her eyes. "You did Paradise, Michigan."

"I am still failing, to see your point."

"What city did I do?" She pushed.

I rubbed my temples, "I'm not in the mood for 20 questions, Al."

Alex waved it off. Huh, she seems to be taking harsh comments well suddenly. "I did Hell, Michigan!"

I sat up. "He literally meant Hell!"

"Where is Hell?" Jake piped up.

I held up my hand to represent Michigan and pointed to a spot just under the first joint of my thumb. "Right about here."

Jake smiled broadly. "It's by Jackson? That's my home town!"

"He stayed right in our backyard." James commented almost at awe.

I took his hand and rubbed circles on his knuckles with my hand. He smiled down at me and I returned it. I was jumped out of my 'lover gaze' as I am sure Aphrodite would call it by Alex making fake gagging sounds and pointing in her mouth with a horribly goofy disgusted look on her face. I laughed out loud at the sight, especially with Jake copying her actions-badly-behind her. His face was almost as funny as hers!

The act sent everyone into some sort of laughter. Persephone giggled softly, Hades tried to hid his laughing but was doing a bad job, and everyone else was full out laughing. All the past seriousness evaporated and everyone was smiling, which was a nice change.

The rest of the night was spent with smiles, laughter, the thoughts of taking down Kronos were pushed for tomorrow as we enjoyed ourselves for once.

Alex

We went to bed late that night. I knew prolonging what we had to talk about tomorrow was a bad idea, but seeing everyone so happy...I held my tongue. Now I was walking back to my room slowly when I realized I was doing the same thing myself. I laughed at to myself, but didn't speed up.

"Did I miss the joke?" I smiled and stopped, waiting for him to catch up.

"No, I was just laughing at myself." My smile grew when he tentatively took my hand and we started walking again in a comfortable silence until we arrived at my bedroom door.

"Goodnight Jake." I told him, my back to the door.

"'Night," I saw his eyes flash down to my lips, they lingered there for a few seconds before snapping back to my eyes. "Sweet dreams."

I rolled my eyes at his cheesiness, but loving every second of it. I decided to give him what he had been wanting. I patted his cheek, my thumb caressing his cheek as I moved it to the back of his neck. I tangled my fingers in his dark, black hair and pulled him down to my level.

His lips tasted lightly of mint and the Italian sauce we had just had for dinner as well as his own unique flavor, I loved it. Ever since he had kissed me in the arena earlier, I had become addicted.

As stupid or sudden as it was, I think I was in love with my best friend, and I realized, I always had been.

My heart still ached from Dylan's betrayal, and I didn't know if I was ready for a relationship with him just yet, but I knew what I wanted. I wanted someone to lean on, someone I knew would hold me when I was sad or depressed, to share my happiness with, my pains. I wanted something permanent.

I had told Maija that I was doing alright, and I was-now. I had Jake to hold me when the thought of that bastard came back up, and the heartbreak. He was caring enough to listen to me rant, just like Maija does on a daily bases. 'I really should thank her for that.' I thought absentmindedly. I was distracted by my thoughts when Jake bit my lower lip. 'Wait...who was I talking about again?' I sucked in air in surprise, but my expression wasn't the only one.

When I gasped, an echo of three others followed. I turned towards them, finding myself face to face with my friends. Zoey was trying not to gag, in fact she was faking it like I had at dinner when Maija was acting all lovey dovey with James. Speaking of, Maija stood their with her arms crossed over her chest; a smirk tugged at her lips and her right eyebrow raised. James was behind her with a slightly shocked expression, but other than that he wasn't very expressive.

I licked my lips in anticipation, wishing they would say something-or at least stop staring at me. Jake was completely useless, and I couldn't move with him still pressed against me from our kissing position.

Finally I turned my head back to it's normal straight forward direction, my neck was stiff from the odd angle it was at in order to look at them, because of my position I had to place it on Jake's shoulder; but that I did not mind. "Please say something." I whispered, even at the low level it echoed through the hallway.

"It's about time." Maija's grateful voice violated my eardrums. My head snapped up, but soon learned that was a bad idea. My forehead connected with the underside of Jake's jaw. He brought a hand up to cup the injured area while our oh so nice friends burst out laughing, but at least the tension and uncomfortable silence had dissipated.

I laughed lightly and reached up to kiss the offended skin gently, Jake smiled down at me. "Come on love birds," Maija piped up again. "Time for bed."

Zoey smirked as she passed me, James slapped Jake on the back in what I could only imagine was approval; it pushed him into me with Maija copying Zoey close behind him. Just as she was about to turn the corner, she placed her hand on the wall and looked back at me. "Separately."

I felt my face heat up, and Jake's chest vibrated with laughter. "That was so embarrassing." I groaned, my head thumping against his chest.

Jake continued laughing and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me into a hug. I returned it by wrapping my arms around his waist. We swayed slightly as Jake gently shifted from foot to foot. "And painful, did anyone ever tell you you have a hard head?"

"Gee, thanks." I muttered sarcastically. "What a nice friend you are."

After the last sentence, Jake paused. "Friend?"

I sighed, reaching behind me to turn the door knob and leading him into my room. I climbed onto the bed and reorganized the pillows so I could sit against them comfortably. Jake sat down by the end of the bed, a foot or so across from me.

At first I just looked at him, my head slightly to the side as I gazed. Finally he couldn't take the silence anymore, "Alex, friend?"

I looked down at my hands. "Honestly Jake, what did you expect from me? I was just dumped yesterday!"

"Then why did you let me kiss you, then kiss me just now!" He violently gestured to the door.

"I am confused Jake!" I exclaimed. There was a pause where we held each others stare. I swallowed to wet my dry throat and continued. "I am not ready for a relationship yet."

"I'm sorry if I forced you into something." He said sincerely.

"No Jake," I rejected immediately. "No." I licked my lips as thoughts raced through my head. "No." seemed to be the only word I was capable of forming.

Suddenly Jake's expression softened, his shoulders relaxed. "Alex," His voice cut through my constant whispered 'no's. "I'm here, and I'm not leaving anytime soon. When you're ready, so will I."

I looked up, tears threatened to drop. I sniffed and nodded. Jake opened his arms to me and I gratefully slid into them, welcoming the warm embrace. "Thank you." I whispered.

"You never have to thank me." He whispered back, giving me a squeeze. I started to doze off, easily done in the warmth and safety of my best friend's arms, when I felt the light pressure on the top of my head as Jake kissed my hair.

My eyelids became to heavy and snuggling into his embrace, I gave into the growing urge of sleep.

Yeah, I'm sorry its a little short and the last two were more filler than anything, but I'm trying to get back into the habit of updating somewhat regularly. I'm going to try to update at least every week.

Reviews make me smile.

Yours with love,

Arty