Well, I sincerely apologise for how long it took to get this chapter out. A mix of crazy work schedules, Christmas shopping and writers block left me in a bad position. So, I hope this chapter is to everyone`s liking. It`s a bit on the slow side, but things are about to seriously heat up!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of COTT. I write purely for pleasure, not profit.

Chapter Eight

"Would you guys keep it down? We`re going to wake him up!"

Too late for that, I suppose. My mind is in a haze, and the words barely get through but hear them I do. I can`t tell who spoke, but the murmur of voices indicates everyone must be around. It makes me feel secure...safe. I try to lift my eyelids, but they seem to weigh a thousand times heavier than I remember. So do all my limbs. The only thing that does seem to be working is my voice, but even that comes out a mere grunt when I try to speak. It`s not particularly loud, but someone seems to notice. A hand suddenly finds mine, soft and warm. I`d recognise that hand anywhere.

"Come on Archie...come back to us."

I`m trying, I really am. It`s a battle, and it seems to take forever, but slowly, I get my eyes open. Everything`s so bright, and a sharp pain hits the back of my eyes. I turn away from the light, groaning. God, don`t I feel pathetic.

Blinking and slowly getting adjusted to the light, I turn to my left towards Atlanta`s presence. She`s a bit unfocused, but she`s there. That`s all I need to know.

"I-" I can`t speak it would appear. I start into a coughing fit that burns my chest and pulls at my injuries. My free hand gravitates towards my chest and grips the blanket that`s wrapped around my body. I can feel my chest is wrapped in something else as well...bandages I think. But, what...? I blink a few more times, clearing the tears that the coughing fit has brought on, and look, really look at where I am. I`m laying on what feels like a couch, and it feels vaguely familiar. The room around me is large, with shelves of books...I`m in Chiron`s room. And speaking of which...

"Just lay still, and don`t try speaking for now." The ancient centaur advises, walking into view from behind me. "You lost a lot of blood, and if you move about, you may tear the stitches."

"But, wha..." I cough again, and Chiron frowns.

"Idiot, didn`t he say not to talk?" Atlanta scolds, but I can see the tears in her eyes as well as the worry. "You almost died...again! So just..." she cuts off as the tears fall. She buries her face into the blanket and doesn`t say anything more.

What can I say? I couldn`t anyway, or she`d probably have my hide. Looking off to my right, the others are here as well, even jay if you can imagine, either standing or seated on the wide steps by the large double doors. Our leader is watching me, his expression unreadable. Even his eyes, which I can usually read so easily, is blank and almost hollow. Just knowing where I am, and who I`m surrounded by, makes me feel cold and hollow myself.

"Where`s Angela?"

Chiron sighs in irritation. "Please, Archie..."

"No!" I yell, though my voice is still soft and sounds as though I`ve gargled glass shards. Trying to sit up, a hand firmly grabs my shoulder and sits me back. Looking behind me, I follow the yellow clad arm to Jay's stoic face. How did he get over here so fast? Shrugging out of his grip, I sit back up, just to spite him.

"Archie, please stop!" Atlanta's voice makes me freeze, and I look at her. Now that my vision is better, I see her hair is a mess, and her eyes are red, as though she's been crying for a while.

"How long?" The question takes her aback, and she doesn't answer.

"What?"

"How long have I been out of it?"

This time, she doesn't look so surprised, but again she doesn't answer. She looks up at Jay, the question on her feature. She must know I won't like it. After a moment of tense silence, Jay is the one who finally answers me.

"You've been out about twenty hours."

"Oh, hell no!" Throwing the blanket back, I move to stand up and get the hell out of here when two more hands land on my shoulders. These ones use a bit more force and even though I try to fight back, I'm not strong enough to get loose. Glaring back, I then realize I'd never be strong enough.

"Calm down buddy!" Herry begs me, holding me still, the others behind him watching with worried expressions. When I first met the guy, he couldn't control his strength to save his life. Now, I can feel his strength, but he's not crushing me like a bug. Thank God for that!

"Let me go! I have to find her!" Then something else filters in from the back of my mind. "And what the hell? You all took your sweet ass time responding!"

Everyone looks away, and I think I may have overstepped a boundary or two. Kinda like walking on a landmine, really. One false move, and I could get my head blown off. Knowing Jay, he`s probably chew it off, like he`s oh-so-famous for . I know I should apologise, but right now I am way too mad to really think about doing anything except finding my sister...again. That word is starting to become a really annoying.

"If you want to put the blame on anyone, blame me."

The voice is one I haven't heard in a while, and it shocks me into silence. Turning to the now open double doors and...what the hell? Can`t my life just be bloody normal for one day?

"I thought it was you..." Standing in her brown habit-like tunic, gold eyes silted and angry, Galenthias is giving me her most intimidating stare. Her wardrobe managing to hide the majority of her physique, I can only imagine the feathers of her jet black wings ruffled in irritation.

The humanoid black cat servant of Hecate walks over, no...more like glides over to where I am, then deftly smacks me upside the head.

My head effectively relocates the pillow, quite harshly really, and the world starts to spin in my sudden horizontal position. "Jeez! Ow! What the hell was that for? If anything I should be smacking you!"

"Hitting a lady is uncouth, Archie!"

"Lady, my ass..." I mumble, and am rewarded with another smack across the face. Thank god her claws are retracted! And it`s really just occurred to me how often I`ve been thanking God lately. By now I should owe him one.

"Hey, take it easy Gal." Theresa, for once, is on my side about this. "He`s hurt after all. You might rip something!"

She harrumphs and swishes her tail. "It`s truly less than he deserves."

Theresa sighs and rolls her eyes towards the ceiling. "Be that as it may...he`s still hurt. You have to be careful if you want to hurt him."

Thanks a lot there, teammate. "Listen, as much as I would love to sit and chat about how friggin` fragile everyone thinks I am, there`s more important things here!"

"Would you just stop!" Another smack across the face nearly has me seeing stars, and I`m about to comment when I see the culprit. Eyes still moist, Atlanta`s glaring at me, a mix of anger and sorrow. "Please just stop! I can`t take this!"

"`Lanta..."

"You promised me! You promised me you`d be safe! And then we find you like this? If Chiron hadn't..." she chokes up and looks away.

My temper more than cooled down, I gently take hold of her chin and turn her my way. "If Chiron hadn't what?"

"Archie, you were dying!" she coughs. "You crashed on his table! He had to get your heart beating again...if he hadn't..." with that she can no longer say anything more, and her voice is lost to her sobs.

"If he hadn't, you'd be dead...again." Jay lays it bluntly before me. "And without your medallion on, we would have never seen you again, even in the afterlife."

"I..." what do you say to that? That I feel like the world's biggest ass-hat? Laying a hand on Atlanta's soft hair, I grip my other hand around her arm. I hope it's at least giving her some comfort, cause it's sure grounding me to the here and now. She just keeps on crying...then what Jay said really hits me. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Chiron is the one who answers. "We Gods new long before Cronus that the prophesy of you children would come to pass, so we began crafting the tools we knew you would need thousands of years ago. When the Gods created the medallions, there had been the emergence of many new religions, each fundamentally alike, yet vastly different. Those who had used to believe in us turned to others to worship, which was quite troubling to say the least." He paused to shake his head. "So, we put into place some...fail safe's, you could say. With these new religions, we had to make sure you arrived in our Underworld, the one Hades ruled, or the power of the medallion's regenerative abilities would be useless."

While I'm listening, memories come rushing back. "I thought it was a dream..."

"What was?" Odie asks, puzzled.

"Before I woke up that brief moment, I was having a really weird dream. At least I thought I was dreaming...now I'm not so sure."

Chiron looks slightly alarmed. "What did you see?"

Usually dreams are fuzzy, but I remember every detail. "I was in this weird place. Like a void, you could say, and everyone was there. Atlanta, Jay, everyone...even the other Gods. But it's like no one could see me...then you, Atlanta..." I take her hands from her wet face and grip them in my own. "You kept telling me to go back, that I didn't belong there."

"Absolutely astounding!" Chiron's looking at me funny. Remember when I described myself feeling like something growing in a Petri dish? Feeling's back! "That must have been what some religions refer to as Purgatory."

"Wait, like The Divine Comedy?"

"No, no. There's nothing funny about it."

It's called literature, Chiron! Check it out sometime. "Your soul must have been being prepared for your religions afterlife. Of course there is a must lengthier process involved, from what I know of the religion, such as purification by fire."

Oh, fuck that!

"Because you were there merely a moment by our time, and was brought back, you no doubt had what many near-death survivors refer to as 'having your life flash before your eyes.'"

Well, from what I saw, there wasn't much. "But what about what Atlanta said to me there?"

"In some faiths, Purgatory is an odd place. As you had yet to be purified, the only way your body could have been revived is if you fought your way out, with your mind portraying Atlanta as some sort of guide."

"Sort of like how Virgil guided Dante."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

I give up. Really, I do. But then I think on what Chiron just said and I smile then. Really smile, not that shit-eating grin I'm apparently famous for. "See Atlanta?" She lifts her eyes to mine. "You saved me. I owe you everything."

"I am sorry I could not get to you in time." Galenthias suddenly pipes up. "I could not leave, on my master's orders."

I had always wondered what had become of her, and her words just now make me curious. "So, you were back on the moon with Hecate?" Holy crap, saying something that remotely dumb sounding makes me feel like my room should be padded.

She sighs and her ears seem to wilt. "Helping you those few months ago was...risky. My master knows and despises your group as you humiliated her, but I had to help you after you had helped me. Your actions that day saved my life Archie and I was in your debt."

"Even if I was the one who had injured you..."

"Yes. After I had taken Atlanta from the battle that night, I knew my debt was paid. I had to return, or feel my master's wrath." If possible, her ears fall even further. "I received it regardless. During our time together, though, you had become a good friend. Seeing you in trouble like that, I had to act. Hecate tried to stop me, which is why I was too late." She looks like she could crumble any moment. Can cats cry?

"Gal..."

"We're sorry as well."

I glance at Jay, who looks about as bad as Gal does at the moment. I'm not about to let him off so easily though. I mean, Gal was on the moon, and she got there faster! "What's there to be sorry about? I mean you kicked me off the team, so I'm not your problem, right?"

"Archie, I-"

"No, Jay." I try to stand, but Herry pushes me down again. I can feel my temper flaring, so he might want to take a few steps back. "I thought you of all people would have my back, being the leader here. You were too busy worrying about Cronus this, Cronus that. I get the guys a pain in your ass, but there was something about this you didn't like, even if it was important to me. Why?"

"Archie..."

"I don't want to hear your excuses! Just tell me why, when the most important event in my life is playing out, that you wouldn't help me?"

"I was scared, alright?" he explodes, throwing up his hands. "We...I was still nervous about Cronus being silent for months, and you suddenly wanted to leave and...I didn't know what to do."

"Jay-"

"Plus," he interrupts, "you had died once already...and it almost killed the rest of us."

There's nothing I can say, or even attempt to say, so he keeps going. "Do you have any idea what we were going through when you died? It crushed us, and not just because we lost a teammate, but because we lost a friend as well. We didn't know what to do! I didn't know what to do!"

Wow, I think I just broke him. And isn't that just the worst feeling in the world. I tend to forget that he says and does things because he's the leader and he's always thinking of the future of our little group. I've been so focused on myself and what I needed to do I had almost forgotten he's sometimes an asshole for a reason. He puts so much onto himself and expects only the minimum...

"When you started saying you wanted to leave, the only thing I could picture is that you would be on your own. You would be vulnerable, and though you can easily take care of yourself, my mind went back to the crushing feeling of having a friend's life end on my watch. I couldn't let that happen...I couldn't."

Despite Herry's hands on my shoulders and Atlanta's mumbled protests, I slowly get to my feet and walk over to our leader, who now has his back turned to me. I think I have a good idea as to why. I put a hand on his shoulder and wonder why it always takes an emotional battle of wills to make things right between us. "I...I had no idea this was hurting you so much. I didn't want anyone involved because, I mean, look what happened last time my family was involved. I had no idea it would turn out like this. It was supposed to only be an in and out, get reconnected so we could keep track of one another, then leave her to the life she has." I may have a crushing grip on him now, but he doesn't complain. "It was never supposed to be like this..."

He still doesn't say anything, or turn to face me. I don't blame his in the least. "Most of my life, I've been making it on my own. Even living with my grandparents, I was almost completely independent. Working with others was, and sometimes still is, a foreign concept. I never really had any friends...I'm sorry my actions hurt everyone so much."

The last bit was really projected to everyone here, and I turn to the rest of my gang. There's a mix of emotions among my friends faces, even a few wary ones. I don't blame them. It'll take a while to regain everyone's trust no doubt.

"I'm the one who's sorry." Jay finally turns, eyes red. "I'm the one who acted rashly. I picked a fight, which was stupid to begin with, knowing your lineage and their anger issues." I just raise a brow. "And it was more than just wrong kicking you off the team. It felt like I was kicking you out of our lives. I don't blame you for going to Germany covertly, because it's my fault. It's mine..."

"Whoa, whoa!" His self pity has officially gone too far, so I'm going to have to wake him up. Usually he pisses me off, but he's still my friend; a friend I just broke into pieces with my self-centered attitude. I broke him, so I gotta fix him! "None of this is your fault! It was my decision to leave! And who the hell was supposed to know Cronus was over there, stalking my sister like the closet pedophile we all knew he is. I couldn't see it, and I know there was no possible way you could have either."

"Why though?" Theresa suddenly speaks up, and the two of us glance her way. "Why would Cronus be after Angela? It makes no sense to me."

"It's because she's my sister." I glare at the floor, thinking back to my encounter with Cronus in that German alley. "He thinks that maybe...maybe Hera got it wrong."

Neil, who has miraculously been paying attention and not admiring himself, looks even more confused by the moment. "I still don't get it."

Herry shrugs as well. I figure I better explain. "Think about it...I'm the only person here who has a sibling. What if Hera got it wrong and chose the wrong person? Both our names start with an 'A', we're both a descendant of Achilles. I mean, what if he's right? What if I'm not the one who should be standing here?"

"What`s this nonsense then?" Chiron, who had been watching the talk with quiet calm, now erupts. I don`t think I`ve ever seen him angry, and now I know to avoid it in the future. Red faced, he stomps over to me and Jay furious. "You dare to question the Gods?"

"Uh, no! I mean, oh jeez don`t hurt me!" Manly, real manly Archie. I can even feel Jay next to me shaking a bit. "It`s just, how does she know?"

"She is the Queen of the Gods, that`s how!" I`m going to die. I`ve pissed of a centaur, and now I`m going to die. I`m starting to get lightheaded, and maybe I should sit down but no sudden movements, Arch. I`m pretty sure centaurs can sense fear... "Why would you think something so absurd?"

"I`m the only one with a sibling, so...it was a thought?"

"Preposterous!" Chiron scoffs. "Just because you have a sister doesn`t mean anything. Thorough research was done, and we had a thousand years to figure it out. Do you deny your teammates and your lineage?"

"What? Of course not!"

"Then enough of that kind of thinking. And sit, for goodness sake! You suffered a grievous injury and should be resting!" With that he grabs my shoulders and shoves me, albeit gently, back onto the couch.

"It`s the same type of thinking that Cronus is doing!" I blurt out, which gets some looks. "That`s why he took Angela. He thinks that if he can train her as a hero like us, he can use us against us. He thinks she`s the destines hero."

"He`s always one to think outside the box, however wrong." We all turn to see Hera standing in the doorway, regal as ever though now she`s wearing a frown. "I`m not sure how he managed to find your sister, but his thought patterns are troubling."

"He said he used the same resources we did..."

"That`s it!" Odie yells, making me jump. I had almost forgotten he was there he was so quiet. "That has to be where the virus came from!"

I stand and walk over to him, much to Chiron`s displeasure. I just wave him off, staring at the young genius. "What do you mean virus?"

"When we detected your SOS via your PMR, we jumped to go after you. Thing is, the machine was infected with a nasty virus that took me almost ten minutes to eradicate." Taking off his glasses, he cleans them on his red sweater. "I have no clue as to where it came from or what it even was at first. Now I think we all know."

"Cronus, most definitely." Jay must be seeing red. He always does with this type of conversation. "He must have hacked into our computers, learned what we knew and tried to slow us down with the virus." He looks meaningfully at me, a troubled expression on his face. "That`s why we were so late in getting to you. If we had been just a little bit faster...He was probably surprised to see you."

I give him a strange sidelong glance, but Odie jumps back into the conversation. "The virus was implanted moments after you had gone though. He probably had no idea you were there already."

"Yeah, well he does now. He has some bruises to prove it. When it comes to my family, I do nothing half-assed." I smirk, but then another thought crosses my mind and it disappears. "Wait, that bastard also has my whip!"

"Don`t tell Hephaestus that." Chiron mumbles. "It`ll take months to make a new one."

"We have to wait until you`re healed before we do anything." Atlanta grabs my uninjured arm, steering me back to bed. "If you don`t get some serious rest, your body will start shutting down again. At the very least you`ll open your wounds."

"I can`t do that." She starts to protest, but I spin, grabbing both her wrists gently. "I know you`ll think me an idiot-"

"Too late to start thinking that, moron!" she struggles a bit, but I know if she wanted to she could easily break free. "I`ve known you were an idiot for a long time."

"That stings, you know?" she just shakes her head. "I can`t sit here and do nothing when I know Angela`s out there with Cronus. I have to get her back!" Still, she looks unconvinced. "You know I`m a fast healer, and I promise to take it easy now that I have the rest of you to watch my back."

"We always did. You just tended not to notice." Herry`s voice is soft and nearly inaudible but I hear him nonetheless.

"Believe me, man, I did notice. I was just too much of a jack-ass to be the team player type."

"Hey, you said it, not me." Herry smiles.

Releasing Atlanta, I turn to take in everyone around me. My teammates, my friends, and the people I trust most in the entire world. Atlanta, Odie, Herry, Theresa, Neil, Galenthias, and the other two immortals. I finally land on Jay, the oh-so-fearless leader and self-proclaimed pain in my ass. "So how about it, buddy? Can I re-enlist in this team, or are there tryouts?"

He just smirks and shakes his head. "Archie, it wouldn`t be a team without you, you know that right?"

"I had a good idea, but I felt I had better clarify first." I hold out my hand and he takes it in a firm shake. I`m tempted to call re-do`s and spit in my palm, but the thought leaves as quick as it came.

"Now," he says, all business once again, "let`s go get your sister back!"

Well, unfortunately I know I won`t be able to get another chapter out before the end of the month, so Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Also have a very merry New Year!

Until next time!

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