I can't get enough of Tratie...

The Call

I looked into the eyes of my soon-to-be-killer.

It was a demigod. I had probably known him before, but that didn't seem to stop him. His eyes showed nothing but hate.

Bright pain flared in my ankle. I couldn't move it, and if I couldn't move, then I was finished.

Accepting defeat, I closed my eyes and waited for the sword to enter my body, for it to end my existence in the mortal world. I focused on the last bliss I couldn't find in my mind distancing myself form the sound of clanging swords and the smell of acrid blood.

I pictured faces of the ones I loved: my dad, my siblings... even the one person I would never be able to tell, and I waited and waited and waited.

Nothing happened, but then some one rolled me over. There was a moment before I felt a hand brush back some of my hair and caress my cheek.

I took a deep, shaky breath and heard a voice above me. It was saying one word: my name.

Katie.

It took me a moment to realize that it wasn't in my head but in real life. I opened my eyes. My sight was hazy at first, but then it started to focus and I saw one face... the third face.

"Travis?" I whispered. He let out a huge breath of relief. Travis was kneeling right over me with his sword in his scabbard. His brow was creased in worry, and his curly brown locks were tangled and covered in monster dust. Still, he looked handsome.

"You're alive," he said quietly. I nodded.

"Yeah," I said. It was getting hard to speak. "Where's-" I started, but I cut myself off finding my answer. The demigod who was about to kill me was lying a foot away. "Did you...?"

He nodded, but his eyes showed pain, "Yeah, I looked over and-"

"Look out!" I exclaimed and tackled him knocking him out of the way as a chunk of rock fell right where Travis was sitting. The pain in my ankle flared up again.

"Ah!" I hissed at the hurt.

"What happened?" Travis asked. He was lying right next to me propped up on one elbow.

"My ankle," I grimaced. "I... it hurts."

Travis was silent for a moment as he looked around in haste. Then he spoke up, "I need to get you outta here." He was kneeling again. "The Empire State Building isn't far from here. No doubt you probably can't walk. I'll have to carry you." I nodded. "Which ankle?"

"Left," I said sitting up. I held my arms out to him and he helped me up careful not to disturb my left ankle. I climbed onto his back, and he took off to the Empire State Building.

I could feel Travis's heartbeat as he carried me in his tan arms. I could also feel his toned muscles and his soft hair as it brushed against my face. His breathing was fast and erratic from activity, and he smelled of sweat and old Axe.

Finally we arrived at the Empire Sate Building, and he sat me down on a cot. I rolled up my pant leg and examined my ankle after taking off my shoe. My foot was swollen and bent at an impossible angle.

"Ouch," Will Solace said as he walked over. "That's a break."

"Can you splint it?" Travis asked. Will raised his eyebrows at the two of us but shrugged nonetheless. "Yeah, I figure I can. I mean," he smiled and sat down with two splint and an ace wrap, "I'm a healer after all."

I held onto Travis's hand as Will set my foot, and I probably crushed every bone in his hand until Will stopped his procedure and gave me a piece of Ambrosia.

"Don't expect it to heal right away. It'll take a while." I nodded and he walked off to help out Sophia from Athena.

I sighed and propped up my ankle. Travis rubbed his thumb across my knuckles. It was then I realized that we were still holding hands. I looked into Travis's eyes. I had always loved its color: deep blue. It reminded me of sapphires and the night sky filled with a supernova.

"I have to go back," he said. My heart sickened with grief.

"I know," I said quietly, but I secretly didn't want him to go. "Good luck, Stoll."

He nodded and stood up. He was already making his way toward the battle when I reached out, grabbed him by the shirt, and smashed his lips onto mine. He started to kiss me back.

I pulled back, but our noses kept touching. I stared into his gorgeous eyes and could've counted every eyelash. He smiled his signature, crooked smile, and I couldn't help but smile too.

"Come back?" I asked. He nodded breathless. "promise?"

"I promise I'll be back; just call."

Ah, I love that song so much, but it makes me sad... Oh, I could do a whole section of one-shots just on songs! Yeah-ya!

Who watched Iron Bowl? I did 'cuz I was there! Sadly, Auburn didn't win... Poo... Aw well WAR EAGLE!

Brooke