A/N: Same drill as always (about not owning much of anything). Hope you're enjoying the insanity!

Chapter 11

"So... where should we put this?" Herry asked, glancing around the goddess's amazingly cluttered storeroom.

Harper was staring around as well, but she seemed a little lost in thought until she pointed to a shelf that had a few trophies and metals sitting on it. "I guess over there works," she said with a shrug. "I mean, it doesn't really look like there's another space for it—just... be careful putting that down."

"What's in here anyway?" Herry asked as he shoved the trophies aside and gently slid the box into place.

"I have no idea," Harper said, her eyes still large as she regarded the box. "And after hearing that in the hallway—I'd really rather not find out."

"You said it," Herry said, nodding in agreement. As his eyes traveled around the room again, spotting a bear skin draped over a mannequin that was dressed like a wild-man or something, Herry remembered the stuffed bear camped out in his cargo pocket.

"Hey," he said, pulling the plush toy free. "Uhh..."

But Harper had already turned and was just clearing the doorframe. Herry jogged after her, catching up as she reached the kitchen and went a glass of water.

"Went for a hike with Archie and Odie," he announced, joining her at the sink. "We think we found your cabin."

Harper froze. The cup she was holding under the faucet quickly overflowed, spilling over her fingers, but the girl just stared straight ahead with an expression he couldn't read, even if he had noticed it.

"Looks like Cronus got to it," he continued, feeling sorry for her as he remembered the ruins. "The whole place was wrecked."

The girl next to him let out a breath and closed her eyes briefly. "Oh."

"I brought this back for you," Herry said quickly when he noticed the saddened look on her face. "Figured you might want it."

Harper's eyes went wide at the sight of the bear and the cup clattered against the sink as it fell from her hand. The sound brought back her senses, though, and she quickly turned the water off before she reached for the bear with her dry hand.

"It, uh, might be a little dirty," Herry said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly as he waited for her to fully take the bear.

Harper shook her head with a dry laugh, her gaze low and only showing him the crown of her hair. "Dr. Huxley has had an ongoing friendship with dirt over the years."

"Huh?"

"It's ok, he just needs a quick trip through the washer and dryer," she said, then finally looked up with a wane smile. "Thanks, Herry."

"Welcome," Herry answered, smiling back.

His smile somehow made her's less forced, but she gave him a small nod and she tucked the bear safely in the crook of her arm. Then she quickly moved around the kitchen island and out of the room.

Seconds later Odie appeared, glancing back over his shoulder toward the stairs. "You know," he said, shaking his head. "She's probably the most confusing girl I've ever met."

"No she's not," Herry said instantly.

Odie raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him. "O...kay."

Herry felt his face go warm and quickly mumbled something about foozeball before he raced into the living room.

The rest of the night went a little awkwardly, to say the least. Everyone, except Neil and Herry, had been trying to get more information out of Harper. Herry would defend her when he could, earning him strange glances and exasperated sighs from his teammates. Not that she needed the help, though. Somehow the girl could maneuver her way around a conversation as easily as Teresa could weave her way through a packed highway.

"Well, this has been fun," Harper said cheerfully as laughter died away from a story Neil had told. "But I think I'm gonna head up to bed."

"I think I'll call it a night too," Herry announced when Harper got to her feet.

All seven of the other teens glanced at him skeptically, but Harper managed to smile and the pair left the room talking about board games.

"Well," Atlanta said slowly as their voices faded away. "That was... informative."

"Yeah," Teresa agreed. "About us."

Somehow they'd talked about everything from Jay's childhood to Atlanta's favorite hunting trips to Odie's earliest computer program to Teresa's first karate classes to Archie's poetry. But the only thing they'd gotten out of Harper, aside from her uncanny ability to redirect questions, was that she'd seen at least half the world before she turned 16 and she was not a fan of spiders (which was only because Herry saved her from one).

Atlanta smirked and turned to Archie. "You really have a Barry Bunny collection?"

His face instantly turned four shades of red. "They're my sister's!"

"But they're in your room," Atlanta pointed out.

Archie let out a growl. She was never going to let him live it down now and it was all because Harper had gotten him to admit his first poetry book was hidden underneath the collection of plush toys.

"Its like she's used to being interrogated," Jay said, his mind ever on topic.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Teresa asked.

"Nothing," Odie announced. Six pairs of eyes fell to where he sat on the floor. He looked up with a serious expression then held up his PMR. "We've got bigger problems. Hermes just finished checking Iris's hideouts."

"And?" Teressa pressed, though she already guessed the answer.

"She's definitely missing."

...

"You really didn't have to walk me all the way upstairs," Harper said when they had passed Teresa and Jay's doors to one of two doors that Herry hadn't noticed before.

Herry shrugged and gave her an embarrassed smile. "I know. Just helping out."

She smirked at him as he held the door open for her and flicked on the light switch. Instantly the inset focus lighting flare to life, illuminating evenly spaced spots along the walls and Herry stared into the strange space. The shelves were cluttered with a wide assortment of different objects. There was a music system in a little cove in the corner, between the window to the fire-escape and mirror with dance bar.

On the other side of the room, the walls were covered with strategical maps and villain profiles. Below all that were her desk and dresser, on which she had a computer and music boxes and photos of numerous different topics.

"Uhh..." Herry said slowly, as his mind made a tally of the room. "Don't you have a bed?"

Harper looked at him for a moment or two, then laughed. "I have a murphy bed."

"Murphy bed?" Herry repeated.

She laughed again and crossed the room to her dance mirror. Between the mirror and her bookshelves was a built-in unit that he'd thought were more dance bars, but she pressed a flower shaped knob on the built-in's side and it made a loud click. Then she pulled on the higher of the bars.

Herry stared as the bed swung down from the wall, perfectly made with a purple comforter.

"I like when things can be put away," she offered as an explanation as she smiled sheepishly at his expression. "Not that I do put things away, but I like knowing that there's a place for everything if I need it."

"That works," Herry said with a shrug, smiling at her.

"Yeah, some of the time anyway," she said, returning the smile feebly. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

"Oh, right," Herry said, backing out of her doorway. "Well, uhh, don't forget your bear."

Harper blinked at him in surprise and her smile grew strained as she held up the small teddy bear. "Got him."

"Right," he said again, rubbing the back of his head. "Good night, Harper!"

"Night, Herry," she said and closed the door.