I'm so soooooorry! But I'm back :D Not dead and back xD

Disclaimer: I've had too many coffees this morning and now I'm really tired. Too tired, in fact, to write a really creative disclaimer. And so, I'd like to offer you something else in trade. Please go google a blobfish. Trust me, its a lot more interesting than this long disclaimer xD

The water falls in heavy drips. The sound of it falling on the tent is almost lulling like a child's lullaby whispered into scared ears. My hand reaches out for the softness and warmth of my blanket but finds something softer and damp.

My eyes flutter open in surprise, arm springing back from the mysterious figure before me. All I see is a head of soft blonde curls. I sit up quickly, eyes falling on the young boy before me.

I smile as I recognize the young figure. His blonde hair is still damp from the rain, pale skin still covered in mud. His damaged hand lies on the pillow as if dropped there. His mouth is slightly parted and one curl of hair has fallen into his eyes. I attempt to brush it away but it just flops back into place.

Noticing that he's still deep in slumber, I pull the blankets up around his small body and plant a small kiss on his forehead before slipping into my jacket. The poor thing. Marcus must have had some kind of nightmare. Why else would he sneak into the girl's tent?

Wait.

Marcus wasn't with us when we first left.

My thoughts wander as I attempt to understand the boy. How did he know we had gone? We had only just left. And even if he knew, how did he know where we were going? How did he reach us?

The moisture in his hair meant that he had most likely just arrived. Although the idea of him walking such a distance seems almost preposterous.

As I step into the morning air the first thing I notice is the cold. It's as if the cold spell that had befallen us yesterday were to worsen, freezing our wet bodies and causing the air to be thick with moisture.

"Layla?"

I spin around quickly, realizing how strange it must be for me to be standing in the rain so early in the morning. But at the sight of Malcolm, I quickly relax. He's just starting to leave his tent, still in his grey pyjama bottoms and black muscle shirt.

"Hey Malcolm." I smile half-heartedly, waving him over, into the dripping rain. He smiles softly, pulling a blanket around his strong shoulders. His eyes meet mine, questioning my reasons for being out so early. I hit him with the same look.

"I'm an early riser," he explains, hiding under his now soaked blanket.

"At five in the morning?" I ask, giving him a weird look.

"Fine," he smiles. "Not that early. Usually I get up at about six or seven. But I got up a bit early today."

"And why's that?" I smirk. "You have a reason to be up at five A.M?"

He smiles again, walking closer until he's beside me. His hands fiddle with the blanket, trying to keep it on his head despite the violent, warm wind that threatens to pull it away. Eventually, he gives up trying to control it and wraps it up in his arms. "Perhaps not."

"Should've put on a hat, though." I unzip my jacket and pull of my sweater quickly, handing it to him while attempting to zip my jacket back up. He takes it but doesn't put it on. "It'll fit," I chuckle.

"I know," he laughs. "But won't you get cold?"

"Nah," I smile, finally tugging the zipper on the jacket. "I took Annabeth's jacket. I trust she wears sensible, climate appropriate clothing."

He laughs softly at the comment, slipping the over-sized sweater over his head. His eyes meet mine for a moment and I look away. I feel like my mind is racing, trying to pull together ideas and thoughts to keep my mind off the grey eyes that seem to linger on me.

"We should start planning strategies," Annabeth yawned, snapping me out of my thoughts. She stares at us awkwardly, but eventually gives another yawn. I take a canteen of coffee from the cooler and toss it to her. She catches it, nodding in thanks as she pours herself a cup of the cold drink. I watch in amusement as she takes a sip and wrinkles her nose but downs the drink quickly. Her eyes fall on Malcolm and I once more and she frowns for a split second but soon her frown disappears and she smiles again. "Have a nice morning?"

Only then do I take a moment to look around. The rain seems to have actually stopped in the last few minutes. She clears her throat, expecting an answer. I nod a hint too enthusiastically and she tosses me a strange look.

"How's your ankle?" Malcolm asks nonchalantly, taking the canteen of coffee from her hand and pouring himself a cup as well. He manages to take it down without looking too disgusted by its cold temperature.

"Urg," Annabeth grunts. "Don't get me started on that thing."

Malcolm smiles softly, chuckling to himself. "Can I take a look?" he asks, pointing to her foot. She shrugs. "I don't know how much good that'll do."

"I could call out Alisa..." I offer, watching as Annabeth hobbles over to a park bench and sits down.

"No," Malcolm answers, helping Annabeth sit. "I'll be fine. Athena has many different aspects. Most people just think of us as architects and battle strategists. But Athena was wisdom in all areas and her children vary." He smiled softly, pulling off Annabeth's shoes and socks before compairing one foot to the other. "It just so happens that I'm better with anatomy and science than architecture."

Annabeth smirked and then winced as Malcolm put some pressure on her foot. "It depends on what side of Athena you caught on with. But whoever your father really affects it too." Her look hardened slightly at the word father but she pushed it away and her regular smile returned.

He probes her foot gently, earning another wince. He sets it down gently and turns to Annabeth. "Just ice it regularly but I recommend you get Alisa to take a look at it too."

She smiles down at her brother, patting his head as if he were a dog who had just mastered a trick. "Fine, fine. But I'm not going to keep you guys from making progress just because of this. We'll go back to walking as soon as everyone's up."

As if on cue, Alisa walks over. "Somebody call my name?" She smiles widely, pulling her iPod out of her sweater pocket, changing the song and putting in her earbuds. She practically dances over to Annabeth, taking the coffee, flipping open the lid and wrinkling her nose. "Is it cold?"

I nod, laughing slightly at her reaction to the cold coffee. She shrugs, pouring herself a glass anyways. "What the heck, I might as well get some cold coffee while it's still around." She sips it quietly, sitting down on the bench beside Annabeth. "When are we gonna start moving again?"

"Not until Annabeth's foot heals," Percy yawns, dragging himself out of the tent and walking over to Annabeth. He rests a hand on her shoulder, kissing her forehead gently.

"You aren't one to get up early," she teases, handing him the last of the cold coffee.

"None of us Big Three kids are," he says, winking at me. I laugh, knowing how hard it is to drag Nico out of bed in the morning. "Where are our dear friends Nico and Thalia anyways?"

"Thalia's still getting some z's," Alisa says, somehow still able to hear our outside conversation despite having her earbuds on full blast. "And Nico is never awake before eight."

I laugh, knowing that what she's said about Nico is true. If truth be told, I've never seen him up before nine.

Then I remember Marcus. "O-Oh, does anyone know how Marcus got here?" I ask, brushing my wet hair out of my eyes. Malcolm points to my left, raising an eyebrow.

"You really didn't see the hippalecantryon?" he asks, laughing slightly. It's been there all morning.

My eyes turn to the creature, recognizing it instantly. It's the same animal I had found only a week or so ago. But it feels like ages. So much has happened since then. My life has gone completely upside-down.

I must have zoned out a bit, because Alisa runs a hand in front of me and I snap out of my trance. "You okay?"

I nod, still silent, feeling somewhat awkward having everyone stare at me.

"Why's it here?" I ask. "How did Marcus find it again?"

"When we found you guys at the border, we decided we might as well keep him around," Annabeth explains. "Strategic reasons. He'd make a great ally."

"But isn't it a monster?" I ask sceptically, raising an eyebrow.

"I suppose it is," Percy smiled. "But so is Mrs. O'Leary. They can be tamed, you know. Just don't get too attached unless you really know how they are."

"Plus," Annabeth continues. "You tamed it once, didn't you?"

I laugh softly. "I suppose I did."

Marcus steps out at that moment, rubbing his eyes. His oversized, stereotypically yellow raincoat looks so absolutely adorable on him that I have to fight the urge to pick him up and twirl him around. He yawns, blonde hair floating freely in the warm wind. He seems angelic, as always, and adorable. The cuteness practically assaulted my thoughts.

"Morning," he yawns. "Are we going over battle plans?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Annabeth snaps, throwing her arms up into the air in frustration. "I thought I told you to stay at camp! What did I tell you about coming with us?"

"You told me to keep myself away from the Apollo sharp-shooters when they're mad, keep away from an angry Aires kid and 'tread softly and carry a big stick'," he smirks, earning a laugh from all of us but Annabeth.

"And...?" she asks impatiently.

"Hmm..." he says in mock concentration, rubbing his chin. "I think you also said something about not following you."

"Yes, I did, Marcus," she sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "And why didn't you listen?"

He pulls his puppy dog eyes from nowhere, standing there like a poor, begging homeless kid. "I-I didn't want to be alone..."

Malcolm awww's and I clutch Marcus to my chest, rubbing his hair like I would a little child.

"Can we keep him, honey?" Percy smirks, acting as if we were trying to adopt an adorable mutt off the streets.

"Shut up, Percy," she answers, trying to look serious but, at the same time, trying to stifle a laugh. Then she turns to the boy in my arms, fully serious once more. "You're only coming with us because we can't turn back now."

She huffs, turning her back to us and walking back to her tent. "I'm going to go wake up Thalia. You guys... do something."

There, as promised, a much longer than usual chapter xD I'll try to write them a bit longer although, if in a rush, they will be short as usual. Remember to R&R! :D