FicWad

Atlanta's POV

That walk home was the longest I had ever done in my life. It wasn't the distance I was measuring…it was the silence. The silence between Archie and me. The silence that had been between me and my parents.

I was so unhinged from it I was half ready to call a taxi, or a bus, or even Herry, and get him to pick us up. I couldn't do it.
Finally, we stopped for a break. Archie sat down with a groan and rubbed his soar foot. "Why did we walk again?" he said with a teasing smile.
I shrugged, feeling sorry for myself.
Archie stood up and took my cold hands in is warm ones. "Lana, please don't be upset. Honestly, we're better proving to them that it’s a good idea being together."
I looked into his eyes. "Your not mad?"
"Heck no!" Archie laughed. "Come on. Its another 2 hours, then we're back in New Olympia."
I nodded, smiled, and started walking.

No POV

Jay yawned and entered the room. "Morning guys."
Herry, Odie, Neil, Becca and Theresa were up and eating at the table. Karra was still in bed.
"Morning." They chorused back.
Jay sat next to his girlfriend, Becca, and poured himself some coffee. "Where's Athena?"
"She had to go to the store." Becca smiled. "Herry ate all the eggs again."
"I was hungry!"
"As usual." Becca got up and stretched. "I need to get going. The cheer squad is practising today." She snapped her fingers and her blue gym bag appeared. She waved to her friends, pecked Jay on the cheek and left.
Neil scowled. "I have to get started on that book report. Unless SOMEONE was to help me?" he looked at Odie pleadingly.
"Forget it Neil, I have enough work of my own to do without doing yours." Odie glared at him.
"HERRY!" It was Hercules.
"I gotta go guys, Hercules has a new training program." Herry zoomed off.
Neil slouched off to do his work and Odie wandered to his basement Computer Warehouse. That left Theresa and Jay.
"So Jay, what are your plans today?" Theresa asked flirtingly.
"Uhh…is that Hera? Gotta go!" Jay zoomed off.
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"WOOHOO TITANS! LETS GO TEAM!" Becca cheered. "Alright guys, good job! Lets take 5."
She turned around and saw 2 figures dressed fancy, albeit muddy, straggling up the street. It couldn't be. Could it?
"I'll be right back." She called to her team and ran up the street.
The purple mullet was her first giveaway that it was Archie and Atlanta. She raced up and skidded in front of them. "What are you guys doing here? Your supposed to come back Tuesday! And why are you so muddy?"
"The bridge gave way and it had been raining all day. Can you hold this?" Archie shoved his Hephaestus whip in Becca's hands and helped Atlanta stand.
"BRIDGE? Your supposed to be at Atlanta's house!"
"Becca, just let it go." Atlanta winced. "Can you heal my arm? It got snagged by this stupid coyote."
"COYOTE?"
"Becca, please! Just drop it!"
Becca muttered something under her breath and examined her arm. "Its not horrible, but it'll require some stitching."
"We figured that out ourselves, funnily enough." Archie replied sarcastically. "Can you heal it?"
"Not in broad daylight with mortals all around!"
"Fine, we'll take it to Chiron." Archie grumbled. Becca spun around to face the cheerleaders that were looking at the small group curiously. "Errr…practice is over! You can all go home!"
"Oh yeah, that was SO smooth." Archie said snidely.
"Shut up." Becca retorted angrily. "You haven't told me ANYTHING."
"What business is it of yours?"
"We're a team." Becca hissed.
"Keep your micro-mini on, I know that! What with Jay shoving it down our throats whenever we start arguing…"
Becca started to retort but stopped when they reached the school.
"C'mon Lana." Archie coaxed. Her face was ashy grey and she was bleeding.
"What happened?" were the first words out of Chiron's mouth when they entered the secret wing. Atlanta and Archie exchanged mutinous looks and said they cut the vacation early to come back and help the team and didn't have enough money for a cab, so they walked.
Becca threw a glance at Hera, who nodded the tiniest of nods. "Team, would you be so kind as to leave these two with me?"
The others nodded and left. Becca hovered anxiously, until her sister Karra lost patience and grabbed her.
"Atlanta and Archie…"
They braced themselves.
"I'm sorry."
That was unexpected.
"I never told you. You see…" she sighed mournfully. "Your parents are top competitors for a market that is now rather obscure. 17 years ago, your father," she nodded at Atlanta. "And your father," she nodded at Archie. "Engaged in a full blown fist fight outside the Stock Market Headquarters after some news about the business. It resulted in a young woman being killed. She was an employee of Atlanta's father."
The two sat, stunned into silence.
"Your…" Archie faltered. "Your from Idetech Corporate?"
"And your from Global Inc?" Atlanta was no less stunned.
Hera sensed the next scene and headed it out at the pass. "No amnesty." She said bracingly. "Forget what your parents said. This is you two, not them."
She swept from the room.
The silence was horrible, billowing and awkward.
"Well-" Atlanta started, but Archie interrupted. "Lana, we need to talk."
"Isn't that what we're doing?" Atlanta tried a joke, but her voice was high and unnatural.
"Lana, this isn't a joke." Archie said quietly. "This is serious. I love you, and I don't want our parents ruining this. So your folks hate me. I'll get used to it. I always have before."
"People hated you before?"
"Mullet."
"Ahhh…"
The two laughed, big genuine laughs. The laughing calmed, and turned to kissing. Lost in their own little world.
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"What do you think?" Cronus's cold voice asked, watching from his magic pool.
"Easy." Came the raspy reply.
"Good." Cronus chuckled. "Then let the fun begin."