Chapter 9 – Safe & Sound

He was a mess, covered in dirt, blood and monster dust, but at that very moment, Travis Stoll was the most beautiful thing Katie had ever seen. She pushed herself to her feet and jumped for him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Caught off guard, Travis stumbled back a couple steps and dropped his sword before he caught himself and hugged her to him. He closed his eyes and breathed in, committing this moment to memory, because he was sure that once she realized what she was doing, it would be over.

Connor cleared his throat. "I don't mean to break up your little hug-fest, but shouldn't we be going? I don't know about you, but I'm sick of this place."

Katie pulled away from Travis and busied herself with grabbing her dagger and putting it away. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as she picked up her backpack and stuffed everything back inside that had been flung out in the search for something to pick the lock with.

Travis watched Katie before turning to his brother. "You don't happen to know where our friend Helen was keeping her stolen Goddess staff, do you?"

"All I know is that I woke up in this cage. Helen always came from that door," he nodded toward the other door in the room.

Katie ran for the door, her pack bouncing against her back. She pulled open the door and stopped. For living in the basement, Helen had spared herself no luxury in this room. "How did she manage to do this without anyone knowing?" Katie wondered aloud.

Travis stepped up behind her. He looked into the room and let out a low whistle. "This is a room fit for a queen, even if it is in some dark, forgotten basement." He stepped around Katie, careful not to touch her.

She was acutely aware of how close he stood to her. When he moved, she could feel the loss of his body heat and in a strange way it made her feel a little lost too. She shook the feeling off and went further in the room, her gaze touching everything, looking for Demeter's staff.

It didn't take them long to find the staff. Connor presented it to Katie with an exaggerated bow. "Your staff, milady."

Katie rolled her eyes and took it from his hands and then flung her free arm around his shoulders. "Let's get you home."

As they were making their way off the campus, trying to figure out if they were going to have to steal cars all the way back to New York, a brilliant flash lit the night in front of them. They all closed their eyes reflexively, and when they blinked them open again, none were surprised to find Demeter in front of them. Travis and Connor stood back as Katie approached her mother.

"Mother." Katie held out the staff. "I believe this belongs to you."

"You have done well, Katie. This was a difficult quest to undertake, and you completed it with grace." Her gaze may have strayed to Travis, but Katie wasn't sure. Demeter accepted her staff and looked fully at the Stoll brothers. "Travis Stoll, you have done well. You have my thanks and my blessings. Connor Stoll, I am sorry you had to endure your captivity. You also have done well. I cannot take you back to camp, but I can ensure you will get there safely."

As the goddess started to glow again, all three turned their heads away. When they looked back, Demeter was gone and they had all been placed in fresh jeans and Camp Half-Blood t-shirts. When Katie looked inside her backpack she found three tickets to take the train back to New York City.

A cab ride paid for by Demeter found them at the nearest train station boarding the last train of the night for the Big Apple. They found a car that wasn't occupied and stored their few belongings. Before they had gone two miles, Connor was sound asleep, laying across the seat on one side of the car.

"Thank you, Travis." Katie tentatively slid her hand across the seat toward him.

Travis looked down at her hand and then up at her. Was she offering her hand to him? He kept his eyes on her face as he slowly slid his hand to hers, just barely letting the sides of their fingers touch. He held his breath as he waited to see what she would do. When her small fingers entwined with his, he exhaled and squeezed her hand. "You don't have to thank me, Katie-Rose. I promised I would take care of you. I could never let anything happen to you."

The train ride was long, and all three were exhausted from their ordeal. Connor was snoring in his seat and across from him Katie was asleep with her head on Travis's chest. Travis was half sitting, his arm around Katie. He had found a pillow in the overhead compartment and had that between his head and the window. He found himself tired, but unable to sleep.

"You did well, son. I'm proud of you."

Travis rolled his head and blinked to focus his eyes on the god of thieves. He smiled slightly at his father. The one thing he wanted more than anything, even Katie Gardner, was for his dad to be proud of him. "Thanks, Dad."

"And you managed to secure Demeter's blessing. That is no easy feat, my son. She doesn't care for my children much." Hermes was perched on the end of the seat where Connor slept. "I know I don't have to tell you to treat her right, Travis. Be patient with her. She likes you, but she's not sure how to react to this. You two have antagonized each other for so long; she's having a difficult time coming to terms with the change in your relationship. She'll come around though. Maybe in time for the prom." Hermes winked at his son and stood up. "You'll be reaching New York soon. You should get some rest." He snapped his fingers and then he was gone.

The next time Travis opened his eyes he noticed two things: The sun was setting, and Katie was now sitting as far away from him as she could get and still be in the same train car. Travis yawned to hide the stab of pain that went through him at the loss of warmth her body had impressed upon his chest. "Mornin' Kitty-Kat," he said, trying to sound normal.

"Hey," she replied.

Travis shifted to sit upright, wondering if his conversation with Hermes had been a dream. And if it was, did it really matter? He studied her while she fidgeted, wondering what she was thinking. It was confusing to him how she could go from holding hands to being stand-offish. He tried to remember what his dad had said. Be patient, Katie was still trying to figure out their new relationship. "Are we almost to New York?" He asked.

It was Connor who spoke. "Yeah we'll be pulling into Grand Central soon. I hope we don't have to hitchhike to camp."

Travis shrugged and tried to stretch. "I have a feeling everything will work out." He grinned a little. It grew wider when Katie gave him a strange look.

A voice came over the intercom telling them they would be reaching the station in five minutes. Katie didn't look at either boy as she gathered her things. She wondered how long it would take her father to get to the city to pick her up. As they disembarked a few minutes later, she dug change out of her pocket. "I'll catch you guys later. Connor, glad to see you in one piece." She glanced at Travis before her gaze slid away. "Later, Travis." Before either boy could say anything, Katie walked away from them.

Chapter title song credit: – Safe & Sound (Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars; The Hunger Games soundtrack released 2012)