Dear kind readers,

I apologize completely for not updating for almost two months now. There is no excuse for what I have done. Please don't hurt me though, and if you must know I am also working on chapter nine right now.

Ok now on with the story!

Chapter eight: Sleeping actually SLEEPING!

Jay and Theresa hurried down the long hallway that led out of the library and into the main hallway which leads to the fountain. Theresa felt an awkward gloom hanging around the two of them. Theresa sensed something that made her feel uneasy. Something with a large sense of hatred and forbidding. Something totally and utterly evil. Theresa had sensed this before when Jay had kissed her in Chiron's study. At first she had paid the feeling little attention but as she had stepped out of the library the feeling was at its strongest. But when Jay looked up at her sensing her distress, the feeling was purified.

When they finally exited the school Theresa could feel Jay become tense. Theresa looked up at Jay with concerned eyes. Although he had seemed pretty happy when he had seen her in the study, he definitely did not seem happy now. His eyes gave her the feeling that he was worried, confused, and perhaps, scared? She had never thought Jay to be afraid of anything. She had always thought that she would need Jay and not the other way around. She always saw him smiling especially when he was talking with her. But now he was not smiling. Now he was starring of into space, frowning, and lines of worry never ceasing to exist on his face. Looking back down, they continued walking silently through the crowds of people passing by.

Theresa bit her lip. Although Jay was beside her right now she felt sort of distant from him, like he did not know she had even existed. She had that feeling whenever he was obsessing over Cronus, which was always. She hated how much Cronus would torment Jay whenever they were close to defeating him. And she could tell that Jay did not either. It put so much pressure on their young leader's shoulders, and she could tell he was breaking. Once she had heard him scream out in agony during the night. She rushed over to investigate and found Jay sitting up in his bed all sweaty and jumpy. He had told her it was nothing to worry about and that she should go back to sleep but when she returned to her room she never even slept. It was most likely a nightmare about Cronus. She thought bitterly. Remembering her own nightmares about Cronus she choked back silent tears. She HAD to see Persephone and soon. She MUST find out whether these were just dreams, or horrible visions of the future.

"Hey Theresa," Jay asked suddenly looking at her with those brown coffee like eyes. Those eyes that were usually so calm and collected, but were now lifeless and worried. "What happened in the clearing? How did you get hurt so badly?"

Theresa sighed, she new she would have to explain this someday but she was hoping it would not happen so soon. But before she replied she paused. Jay is already stressed out enough by Cronus, Theresa thought as Jay continued to star at her, if I tell him what happened, would he not get just more worried? Yes of course he would, and THEN he would start blaming himself over what happened. Well I know one thing for sure, I am definitely NOT telling him about the dream I had. Maybe if I just tell him HALF of the truth, he won't know the difference, will he?

"You see," she mumbled quietly still not daring to look at him. "I do not exactly know what happened. I was searching for Cronus as you ordered when all the sudden I felt something. It felt so cold and horrible, so lifeless and dull. I was beginning to feel scared so I tried to turn back. But I had gone so deep into the forest and tried so hard looking so forest that I did not recognize any where I was. Suddenly I felt pain everywhere. Unbearable pain that felt worse then death. I felt pain in my arms, legs, feet, hands, body, everywhere. But the worst pain was in my heart. It hurt so horrible and so painful that I felt as if I was dieing. And then I fainted."

Once Theresa had finished she looked up to see Jay's reaction. At first he said nothing, all he did was keep on looking strait forward on the road, as if he had not even been listening to her. "I am so sorry Theresa." He murmured not daring to look at her. "If I was there you would not have gotten hurt and have had to feel so much unbearable pain. I am truly, truly, sorry."

Theresa scowled at him. See, I knew he would blame himself, which is such a JAY thing to do. "I CANNOT believe you!" She nearly yelled at him. "Why do you have to think that everything is your fault?" Jay just looked at her oddly his eyes brows raised as he was being accused. "I do not!" He protested. Theresa rolled her eyes. "Oh really, do I have to make a list? I am sure it will be a very LONG and DETAILED list."

Jay laughed at her sarcasm and rubbed the back of his head. "Ok maybe I do obsess a little bit, but just a little!" Theresa felt like she was ready to smack him. He could just be so stupid at times to not even notice his own obsessions. But she never did.

As soon as she was ready to tell him off again, someone whizzed past them, knocking Theresa over and causing her to fall on top of Jay. Theresa gasped as she stood up. "There is only one person who can run THAT fast. Atlanta!" Suddenly they saw the red blur come back again and form into a solid form. It was indeed Atlanta.

"Terri?" Atlanta said, "Is that you?" Theresa nodded and smiled at her friend. Atlanta squealed in delight and grabbed her into a bone crushing hug, a hug so powerful it would make Herry proud. Theresa stuttered not expecting her friends' actions and gasped for air as Atlanta hugged her more tightly. Jay laughed at the sight of them and tried to pry Atlanta off of her. "Hey Atlanta as much as she may miss you I do not think she will be particularly happy if you break every bone in her body." Finally noticing her friends' distress she immediately let her go. But as soon as she did she started babbling.

"Oh my gosh Theresa! You have finally woken up! Oh I missed you sooooooooo much! You would not believe how boring it has been around here lately. All Herry ever does is eat. All Odie ever does is work on his computer, and Neil. Ugh Neil has not stopped looking into that damn mirror of his! And Jay! All he ever did was stay in that Study! He has not left it once not even to eat! And no one has cleaned the dorm without you or Jay to bother us about it so it stinks! Ugh it smells like an old gym sock! Oh I can't wait to tell the others you are home!" And without even pausing to take a breath she grabbed Theresa's hand and dragged her behind her at top speed. But Jay did not have to run to catch up because it so happens that Theresa was holding onto his hand the whole time.

O-O-O-O-O

Sometime later:

Once Theresa had returned the team had thrown a HUGE celebration party. Every one was extremely happy for Theresa's return. Once she had returned into their lives, the team started to act like their old normal selves. Archie and Atlanta fight five times a day, Neil is obsessing on his looks, Herry sleeps on the couch and Odie sits around all day staring at the computer. Everything was normal now in the groups' life and minds. No that was not true; they were just pretending it was alright. In everyone's minds, the horrible scene in the clearing was playing over and over again in their minds, as if they had just seen Theresa's body lying there in the clearing. All the gods had asked Theresa many times what had happened in the clearing but Theresa told all who asked that she was under strict orders from Hera to not tell anyone else.

So what had happened in the clearing was keep a mystery from everyone for the last couple of days. Yesterday both Jay and Theresa went back to school. Jay got into a lot of trouble since he did not finish his homework from the week before, but both he and Theresa had a lot of homework to do.

Now it has been almost five days since Theresa's awakening and almost no one has seen Jay since then. He was hardly at school, and if he was He would not even be paying attention and refused to speak to anyone. He did not wait for the others once school was over and rushed down to the basement when he got home.

All night Theresa laid awake thinking about what happened. Replaying the whole scene in her head. To her, the last few days have been like a blurry dream. She would come home from school, eat, do her homework, try and coax Jay to come out of the dump he was hiding in, and sleep. And she could not take it anymore. This was just becoming insane. All night Theresa just laid down, her eyes wide open, refusing the will to go to sleep. She was too afraid she would have one of those horrible dreams about that man, and Cronus, and Jay. So she did nothing that night except lay awake on her bed.

If this is the only way to stop these dreams, She thought, then that is what I must do.

In the morning she had dark circles under her eyes and her arms and legs were num and weak. But still Theresa was happy; she definitely did not have any bad dreams last night.

Theresa let out a small yawn as she gathered a pink robe and wrapped it around her small waist. She looked towards her window expecting to see beams of bright yellow sunshine blazing through the windows. So she was very shocked to see that the sun was not yet up, and in fact there were a few dull stars clinging themselves to the sky. Surprised, she looked at her clock and gasped. Time had gone by really slowly for this girl, she thought it was about 9:00, but actually, it was only 4:30! Slowly and yawning all the way Theresa made her way towards the bathroom. Might as well get up now, have not got much sleep anyways. She thought as she opened the door and walked in.

When she was there she splashed some water on her face and stared at herself in the mirror allowing the crystal clear water to drip down her face.

Ah man, she groaned as she saw how bad her idea about not having to sleep, I look completely horrible! Ugh this is definitely not a good start to a day.

Still grunting she walked back down the hall and past her companion's rooms. She could here Neil's snoring, but no other noises were made. Theresa stopped in front of Jay's door. No sound was made; she just stood there, wondering if Jay actually decided to take a break for once. Theresa wrapped her delicate fingers around the door knob and turned it slightly. Who knows, she thought trying to be positive, maybe someone knocked some sense into that thick skull of his. Her hopes were dashed as she opened the door fully. The bed was empty. Sighing Theresa gently closed the door. Her last hoped had been dashed, Jay was still not getting the proper rest.

Well, you did not expect it to happen right a way did you? She said to herself mentally. These type of addictions take a while to wear of. But in Jay's case it might take even longer.

Theresa shook the uncomfortable thought from her head and walked down the stairs. Maybe he just needs a little encouragement, Theresa thought as she walked through the kitchen and down the stairs that led to the basement. And besides, even if he is unwilling, I will drag him to his room and bolt the door shut if that is the only way to get him to have some rest.

Theresa covered her mouth to stop the giggling and walked towards the door. Theresa stopped right in front of it. On the door there was a sign saying in big bold letters "DO NOT COME IN"

Theresa sighed; maybe she should not go in there and disrupt his work. But as quick as the thought came it disappeared, it did not make sense. Did she not want him to stop working his mind away?

Theresa opened the door fully and looked inside, and what she saw definitely surprised her.

Jay was sleeping, actually SLEEPING. Although she was pretty sure that he did not intend to. Jay had his head resting on the desk, definitely in an uncomfortable way. His back was arched over and he was snoring quite loudly. Theresa could tell that he had been working hard. Books flooded all across the desk and dropped all over the floor. Maps and papers were scattered everywhere, flying around the room by the sudden gust of wind Theresa had made when she opened the door. Theresa silently and grimly walked towards Jay, kicking and scattering papers on the floor. When she reached Jay she inspected him properly for the first time that week. Theresa had to place a hand over her mouth in order to stop her gasp from escaping. Jay looked even worse then her. He had huge dark circles under his eyes and sweat was pouring down his forehead. His arms and hands were red, almost as if he had been hitting something, or someone like Cronus. Theresa felt tears run down her cheeks as she placed one of her hands on his arm. It was cold as ice. She could feel Jay twitch from her sudden touch, and she pulled back, afraid she may have woken him. Theresa took of her pink house robe and placed it around jay's shoulders to stop his shivering. Jay seemed to relax after that and Theresa smiled.

I better leave him to rest, she thought as she walked towards the door and placed her hand on the handle. Who knows, maybe this could be the start of something good. Taking on last long look at Jay she shut the door.

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