Chapter 19

A/N: Brave by Sara Bareilles was my song for this week, and has been for a while. I kind of discover that I absolutely adore her and a lot of the music I've been doing the whole "I love this song, I have no idea who it's by but…" are all by her. I also love Bad For Me by Megan and Liz. Post your favorite song with Jane and I'll include my favorites in my A/N's.

Marcus

Jane's breathing seems to even out after a couple of minutes; her eyes are still closed and her whole body is relaxed. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that she had fallen asleep standing up. An icy breeze blows through the trees surrounding us and Jane nuzzles herself closer to me. There's a distinctive chill and Jane isn't wearing much.

"Are you cold?" I ask quietly, there's something so timid and unsure about the atmosphere, and I don't know if I should speak for fear of breaking it. She shakes her head but doesn't move from where she's tucked into me. I gently run my hands over her back again, feeling more muscle than I was expecting. What does this pixie have to do to be all muscle? I already knew there has to be some martial arts in there, but there's only one dojo in Paxton; it being the miniscule little town it is, and I haven't seen her once.

She's being less abrasive than she has been, but we aren't exactly conversing freely. It's definitely improving though. I have to be careful with my next move. If I say something wrong, or offend her then it won't just be one step backwards, or even two, with Jane as the deciding factor, it would be more like forty. Should I suggest we go back inside, no Zach's in there, I'd rather not have him get involved in…. whatever just happened. I could offer to see if I should get Anna, but I really don't want her to leave Jane, and I really don't want to know anymore about what Anna's doing with Trenton: who knows what I'd end up walking in on. I could offer to take her home, but I don't want her to think that I'm assuming anything either. When did I turn in to this indecisive, idiotic, fourth grader who has no clue what he's doing? I'm running through all the possibilities, searching for the best option, that won't offend her or make things uncomfortable, and coming up blank, when Jane pulls back a little so she can look straight up at me.

"I really just want to get out of here." She sighs, brushing her hair out of her eyes. Alrighty then, that makes things rather simple. I'm marveling at how perfectly that just solved my dilemma, when I notice the girl in question raising her eyebrow up at me, as if to say "this is where you come in."

"Oh, yeah, um sure… I parked over there." I verbally stumble, tripping and face-planting all over my words before gesturing to the trees beside us, more specifically to the concealed driveway I'm parked on. Jane steps back now, out of my arms, and starts walking in the direction I pointed. She wraps her arms around herself, whether from the temperature or air, I'm not sure, and hesitates for just a moment to look over her shoulder at me. It's only then that I realize I'm still standing here, watching her like an idiot. I quickly catch up to her, feeling like a moron, but determined move past that momentary loss of sanity. Jane spots my car even before I do, and briskly heads over to it, while I'm still glancing around. After I see the general direction she's going in, I spot it too. Suddenly, she pauses, and then sighs.

"I came with Anna, I should probably tell her I'm leaving." She sigh, turning around so I can see her face as she does so. I'm expecting some regret, maybe the tiniest sliver that can only be view by a high power microscope, but I'm not prepared for the sincere, resignation when she says that. Her shoulders slump a little lower as she starts to walk back, but I catch her before she can.

"No worries, I can just text her." I tell her, pulling my dinky old phone out of my pocket. The thing's practically an antique by modern standards, but I have the full keyboard I need, so I can't complain. Jane's eyes widen, as if she had never seen a cell phone before, and she glances towards the trees, some fear in her eyes. I don't know what she's anticipating, but I step a little closer, so we're almost touching, and softly reassure her. "I don't know why you're nervous but you can trust me, okay?"

She nods, even though I'm expecting her to cast off my promises as nothing, and starts walking back towards my car. I unlock it quickly, almost forgetting to unlock the passenger side. I hate it when people see my car, its old, its weather beaten, and it is definitely not a positive point of conversation with her a girl. I offered Jane a ride the other day, which is rare, and since Kristen decided that she just had to try this Caribbean something or other at the spa, she couldn't pick me up from work.

Jane gets in, seemingly unfazed by the slightly mangled interior, and immediately starts fidgeting with a pen she finds on the dash. I clumsily start the car, trying to watch her out of the corner of my eye as I pull out. Her ADHD is in full throttle; her foot is tapping as her right hand plays with the pen and her left drums on her leg.

"Thank you." I don't bother asking to clarify what she means, even in my slightly addled state, I know.

Jane

We sit in silence for a few minutes, as we just drive, or more specifically, Marcus drives and I alternately watch him and the road. I almost had a heart attack when he pulled out a cell phone, considering sending a text is the equivalent of me parading around in circles with a flashing neon sign that says "Free Demigod Burgers". I don't know what demigod smells like, but apparently it's rather appetizing to the various beasties out there. I personally haven't really had it described to me, not to mention, my enhanced hunter-senses are good, but not that good.

Since conversation is obsolete, there isn't a whole lot for my ADHD mind to think about. I start analyzing the various clutter in Marcus's car. There's a Pepsi in one of the cup holders and a coffee in the other. The edge of the passenger seat has a gaping rip along the seam, but honestly, I don't care. I was never rich, and I always felt out of place in Zach's shiny new car and pristine leather upholstery. Even Anna drives a relatively nice car. This is much more comfortable.

After a while, I start noticing something weird. I tilt my head a little as I listen to the fourth song that Marcus has idly put on. Turning and looking at him for a moment, I ponder the situation; I might not be the most socially savvy person, but even I realize this is a little weird.

"What?" He asks. His fingers drumming on the steering wheel, and I can't help myself from laughing.

"You've went from listening to P!nk, then Thrash Metal, then Drake, and now, of all people, Brad Paisley!" I list off, laughing at each new addition. That has to be the weirdest collection of music I've ever heard, especially considering it's a guy's music. Marcus seems surprised, as if he doesn't understand how strange that is, and he seems to even be blushing a little.

"I have eclectic taste." I can't stop myself, I burst into almost hysterical laughter, unable to stop until my eyes are watering and my sides hurt. First, Marcus just rolls his eyes at me, and then he reluctantly smiles before laughing along with me. After a minute, he has to pull over because he's laughing too hard. We must have sat there for fifteen minutes, just laughing, before both of us got control of ourselves.

"That really wasn't funny." He grins, as I wipe my watering eyes.

"It was hilarious." I contest, grinning back at him. He just rolls his eyes, but he's smiling, and I feel so much younger, and ten times more relaxed then I've felt lately. It's like I'm drunk, and I keep bursting into little giggling fits, I haven't giggled in years. Marcus is grinning at me, and he runs his hand through his hair, which only serves to make the black tresses even crazier.

"When was the last time you laughed like that?" He asks, and I pause for a moment, sobered by the realization that I can't remember.

"I have no idea." I shake my head at that thought, and I can feel my mood disapitating when Marcus speaks.

"Good, because you sounded a little crazy, I wanted to make sure you hadn't scared too many people away in this town." The smile on his face tells me he's joking, and I burst into laughter all over again, ending up wiping tears away from my eyes after a few minutes.

"You never answered my question, by the way." I raise an eyebrow as he pulls back on to the road. "What kind of martial arts?" I pause for a moment at this question. The only things I've learned are the tricks Thalia teaches all of the new recruits.

"I'm… home taught… it's Greek." I almost burst out laughing again at my own answer. I'm sure that what Marcus is picturing is far from the reality. I roll down my window as Marcus turns the car down a new street, letting the wind whirl my hair around my face. When I turn back to him, he's smiling, but when I raise an eyebrow he just shakes his head.

"You do realize that I could be taking you anywhere right now, right?" His tone is teasing, but I know I should be worried. Unsurprisingly, I just laugh, displaying what, in hindsight, is an obscene amount of trust to place in a person I barely know. In reality, I just shrug and grin at him.

"Are your parents expecting you home at any time?" He asks, sounding very much like a good old responsible Mathlete. I almost comment, but thankfully my filter kicks in before I can.

"My mom isn't exactly with us." It's hard to say, and normally I would never tell anyone any of this, I mean Michaela doesn't even know, but I'm feeling more relaxed than I have been in months. Marcus blanches, his eyes widening.

"I'm sorry." I shrug it off, hearing that sentiment way too many times for it to me much to me anymore.

"And my Dad's not exactly focused on me. " Marcus almost starts again with the pitying expressions but I wave him off, I really don't need to spend any excess time dwelling on how messed up my family life is. "The point is, we can do whatever tonight." That statement feels so true in this moment, with Marcus's goofy music blaring through the speakers of his charming little car. I'm looking out the window as we drive through a little wooded section, when my whole body freezes. A moment later, I shrink back into the seat and hiss at Marcus.

"Turn left!" He looks at me like I'm crazy, but turns on to the nearest road. My breath is racing as the adrenaline spikes. My flight or fight reaction is almost double that of a demigod, and astronomically more than a mortal. The adrenaline spike is that much stronger. I uneasily peer outside the window, thankfully not seeing any more bright red wings among the trees. I have no idea what that thing was, but I know for a fact it wasn't a rainbow unicorn coming to say "hi" to its favorite little demigod. With my Dad being who he is, there are no pleasant interactions with the godly world.

Marcus is watching me out of the corner of his eye as he makes another left, before turning into another parking lot. It's too dark to see where we are, but Marcus's body language is relaxed, so I guess we're where he was originally driving.

"I'm not going to ask what just happened, because I'm not sure I want to know, but I am going to ask that you come with me."