Yo! What up? *in awkward not really ghetto but trying to sound ghetto voice* Yeah... Sorry. I'm trying to practice for a role in an upcoming skit I'm in where I'm a ghetto angel. Don't ask. Just know I'm gonna need to work on my ghetto... Lol! I had a panic attack while riding a horse today... My trainer/"big sis" has been letting me ride her horse lately. I had to ride him today in a video for a project. This was only my third time riding him. And my first time riding him at the speed I needed to [a canter (which is faster than a trot but not quite a gallop for nonhorsey people)] I was way nervous and he picked up on my nerves and went faster, which only made me get more and more nervous, then have a panic attack while on him. I calmed down in record time and no one was hurt. But it freaked me out. I don't want to be scared of him. I don't want to be scared to canter. But I am... Oh well. I looked like crap in the video, but who cares?!

So... To stay true to my apparent routine, because my OCD can't handle not doing it and my ADD needs a routine to stay better on track...

LeicoAllTheWay:: Yay! I has a half-seester who loves Scorpion! *also ignoring all rules of grammar in fangirlness* Oh, I Googled it, and Happy+Toby=Quintus, because Happy's last name is Quinn and Toby's something that ends in "tus" that I can never remember... Thank you for the support! I am so encouraged by your review! Love you too! *hugs Leico* Can I give you a nickname other than Leico? Leico is a ship... Hmm... AwesomeSisterOfRusso'sRainbow is too long... Suggest a nickname for yourself! *hugs ... Again*

MiyaCook13:: No, it's not Japanese... I just realized it does that and inserts random question marks where I put emoticons... :( Thank you for the verse! It really encouraged me and made me feel better and remember to pray! And I felt closer to God because of it! :)

BOOKButterfly11::
Oooopppsss... So I JUST realized I've been calling you the wrong name all along! I'm SSSOOOOOOOO sorry! Will you PLEASE forgive meeeeeeee? *pleading and begging on knees in front of BOOKButterfly11* *gives BookButterfly11 a blue chocolate chip cookie in bribery* But can I still call you Blue? It can be my nickname for you! :) You will be my Blue and no one else can call you Blue. Just me. MY Blue. *blushes* Sorry. Rambling and getting over-possessive there... *blushes again* I'm so glad yall are behind me, and am ESPECIALLY glad it's not literal, because then you'd be dead and I'd be sad and yeah. I'm rambling again. I do that lots. And I get off track. Like I am now. Blame my demigod ADD... I'm also glad that you're insane too! I guess it comes with being a demigod and not living at camp year-round... We seem insane to the mortals. But what if WE'RE normal and they're the insane ones? PLOT TWIST! I love doing that! :) Love you, Bluey! :) *hugs MY Bluey and gives MY Bluey another blue chocolate chip cookie* *realizes I'm not only getting over-possessive again, but that it's also over a person* Sorry! *blushes* I'm gonna shut up now and write chapter seven! Don't hate me, Blue!

Chapter 7 Malcom's POV (a new POV... Testing it out. Let me know how ya like or dislike it!)

Paige was lying in a bed in the infirmary, sobbing in pain. I took my hand off of Annabeth, where it had been more to steady and ground me than to comfort her. My fists clenched at my side. I had always been Paige's protecter. Her big brother. The one she looked up to. But I hadn't been there when she needed me most today. Those bullies were going to PAY.

I slowly unclenched a fist and gently placed the hand on Paige's head and gently stroked her hair. It was matted and wet from sweat caused by pain. She writhed in pain on the bed.

"Ssshhh. You're OK, Paige. It's Mal. I'm right here... Sshhhh..." I tenderly rubbed her forehead, massaging her temples. She relaxed a bit, but I could still tell she was in pain. Tears silently streamed down her cheeks.

"Oh, Paige," I muttered to myself, "what kind of mess did you get yourself into?"

Paige's POV

Malcom came over and comforted me. The emotional pain faded to a dull ache. Mal was the one who comforted and protected me. While Annabeth could be counted on to help me sort through any problem and to understand, or at least try to, Mal was the only one who could comfort me and make me feel safe. I felt stronger, and more safe with him around. I was prone to anxiety attacks without him by my side, since losing Star.

Star. I had been avoiding thinking of him since Mal had come over. But it didn't work. Tomorrow was what would be Star's birthday. "He would be sixteen." I thought and my heart began to ache more.

But then I remembered Mal was by my side. He was with me. With Malcom, I felt invincible. I tried to sit up, but it didn't work. For one, it hurt WAY too much and I collapsed back onto the bed in pain. Second, Mal wouldn't let me sit up.

"sshh. Paige, lie back down.. You'll be fine. I wont leave your side. I promise." He murmured. Annabeth stood off to the side of the room, looking like she didn't know what to do.

"Annabeth" I rasped, hating how weak my voice sounded. She came running over. "You can go. Mal is here. You don't have to stay. I'm fine." She looked like she wanted to stay, but I convinced her to leave. My throat was on fire after saying just 14 words. The sheer effort made me exhausted. At Malcom's prompting, I fell asleep.

Malcom's POV

Paige sounded so weak. My poor little sister. I rubbed her back gently as she drifted off to sleep. She slept until after dinner. True to my promise, I stayed by her bed. Annabeth brought me dinner. I ate, then I fell asleep in a chair next to her bed.

The next thing I knew, it was around 6 am the next day and Paige was rasping out my name in tears. I hated how weak she sounded and looked. I gently touched her cheek,
"I'm here, Duckling," I murmured, using my nickname for her, "What's wrong?"

"Mal..." She sobbed and trembled, "I-I had a n-nightmare th-that I l-lost you a-and then I w-woke up and y-you didn't w-wake up..."

With her words, my heart almost broke. My little sis had needed me and I had let her down. "Ssshhh... It's ok... I'm here... Go back to sleep. I'll stay awake and I won't leave... I promise."

It took half an hour of my rubbing her back and singing some quiet songs for her to drift off into a dreamless sleep. I was worried sick for my little sis... She was so hurt and... Vulnerable... And for once, I couldn't come up with a plan to fix it...

Wow! So, I personally LOVE this chapter! I got to play with the Paige/Malcom sister/brother relationship, which is always a fun one for me. Mostly because I've always wished for an older brother, and I live vicariously through my characters... What did yall think? Was anyone out of character? Did ya love it? Hate it? Indifferent? I want everyone's opinion on it and suggestions for how to make this more plot twisty! We've got the whole working through the loss of Star, which, along with the bullying, will continue throughout the story... But because I'm me I need more plot twists... I'm not getting BORED with it, just... Uneventful... Repetitive? No... Um... Stale... Idk... Something. So, help! Please review and stuff and yeah, bye for now!

DISCLAIMER:: last time I looked in a mirror, I wasn't Rick Riordan... :-(