FicWad

Demons Within Me

Disclaimer: See previous chapters

Warnings: Anger. A near-fight... Jay's being waaaaay Out-Of-Character (but it has a purpose)

Pairings: Archie/Atlanta, Jay/Theresa/Neil

Authors Note: Sorry for the long wait guys. 'Demons' ...just kinda... DIED on me. Unfortunately, I think I've fallen into what I like to call: 'A Creative Slump' where I can't come up with any cool idea for the life of me, and I can't write/draw anything good/worth anything either. Bleh... and summer's almost over. Ho boy...

Anyways, I hope this chapter is okay. I've never actually finished a fanfiction before (sad to say) so I'm having some trouble with how and where to end 'Demons' but to let you know- the excitement for this story still isn't over, we've got a few more bumps before 'Demons' is done. ;D

Chapter 22: Hidden

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"Archie!" Atlanta cried, springing up and rushing for the door.

Archie's face broke into a smile as Atlanta rushed at him with her inhuman speed and nearly tackled him over with a hug.

"Hey 'Lan, you still in one piece?" he smiled, giving her a hug back. Tulais really did have insight on their relationship, and if the demon was right, then maybe she truly feel the same way he did about her. They had almost kissed...

Archie and Atlanta pulled away before anyone could see them lingering in the hug. Just as they did so, Jay, followed by Theresa, Odie, Herry and lastly Neil, in that order, walked around the corner to greet Archie.

There was a strained silence. Everyone was eyeing Archie suspiciously, Hera's words from the other day still ringing clearly in their minds, and Jay's dream was like a vivid memory continuing right before his minds eye constantly.

"You're... back... earlier than we thought," Jay broke the silence, choosing his words carefully. He knew that everyone wanted to know if Archie knew he was the descendant of a demon- especially Tulais. And if he didn't know, it was a juicy secret and they were eager to spill it. Not for the sake of hurting Archie, but for the sake of knowing something 'special' about one of their own teammates.

"I... we... talked late," Archie replied slowly, trying to understand why his teammates were being so reserved. Even Atlanta seemed to have recalled something and was a step away from him.

"Where's Tulais?" Herry asked.

"Not sure. He brought me to the park a few blocks away and left," Archie shrugged.

"Anything you can tell us about him. For when he shows up again?" Jay said, keeping his face as stern as he could.

"No, just that he knew Odysseus as well. How well I don't know though," Archie eyed Jay warily. What was his 'Leader' hiding from him. Did they think he had turned on them? Or maybe they were all in on Hera's plot to kill him! Archie's eyes widened and he paled considerably.

"Archie? Are you okay?" Theresa asked immediately.

"What are you guys hiding?" he snapped. How could he have shown weakness to them, if they were going to kill him?

Jay's eyes narrowed, "The better question is, Archie, what are you hiding from us?"

Archie raised an eyebrow. What did Jay mean by that? Did Hera know he knew about her ploy to be rid of him, that he had been 'snooping' around when she'd been talking to Ares? Or- no, no they couldn't- did they know about his demonic lineage?

"Archie?" Jay demanded louder, "tell us what you do know about you and Tulais."

There were gasps in the group as everyone realized what Jay was aiming at- Archie knew he was a descendant of Tulais!

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Archie took a step back to the door, ready to run if Jay posed any sort of threat. Then, he felt the familiar burn of anger in his gut and pushed away his panic. A warrior (or demon) NEVER ran away from a fight, and he was no different. For a moment, Archie saw something akin to fear pass through Jay's eyes as he took a stance that was close to his fighting one, meaning he was ready to fight at any opportunity.

{Is he going to attack? What if he hurts the-my- what if he hurts my team? What if my dream really was a warning?} Jay didn't notice his breaths getting lighter and faster, but he was startled when his voice commanded loudly,

"Atlanta, get back here, now!"

Shocked, the redhead din question turned to look at him, and back to Archie, but as she did so Jay found himself letting out another order,

"Now!"

Confused, and almost frightened by Jay's sudden intensity, Atlanta took another step back from Archie and soon found herself beside Theresa, staring on like the rest of them with wide eyes. There was another battle going on in their group and they hadn't seen it- how long had Jay and Archie been enemies?

"How long, Archie," Jay growled slowly, "how long have you known you were the direct descendant of Tulais?"

Archie's eyes widened even more, if that was possible, but he took on his complete fighting stance as Jay took a step forwards, "How did you find out?" he nearly cried.

"How long?" Jay repeated in the same foreboding slow tone.

"A-a while. Now tell me how you found out!" Archie was on the brink of panic and rage, not a good place to be.

"Hera told us."

"She knows?"

"That's why she brought you here. To keep an eye on you-"

{To KILL me!} Archie wanted to scream, but he held his tongue as he watched Jay. Something had his Leader spooked beyond reasoning, and it was all too obvious that it must have something to do with him, Archie.

The panic and rage and other emotions conflicting within Archie were almost too much to bear and he wasn't thinking straight anymore, "So you're going to 'keep an eye one me' too? Or are you going to kick me out because that's what Hera told you too? I know she and all the gods hate Tulais, so they probably hate me too, and since you're Hera's little suck-up you'll turn everyone against me, right?"

Jay's face, once stern and almost scared, morphed into a scowl of anger and he eyed Archie ferociously, "What did you say? I am NOT a suck up you... you..." Jay held his tongue from spitting out the word he knew he'd regret.

"Say it then. I dare you to say it," Archie growled, looking ready top spring at any moment.

Jay seized up, like he was going to drop the fight, but Archie had called him a suck up, and that was one thing Jay knew for SURE he wasn't.

"You Demonspawn!"

Anger released, Jay and Archie sprang at each other, barely understanding how much their own fear was controlling them into a fight.

"Stop it!" Theresa screamed. There was a loud 'whoosh' like a gust of wind and both Jay and Archie were thrown to the floor, invisible hands holding them down.

"Stop fighting- both of you! This is ridiculous! When has it ever been okay to fight between us? Look, Archie, we know you're part demon, but you always have been- so I think there hasn't been any change. And as for you Jay- I have no idea why you're acting so... so... out of character! This is insane!" she finished, storming off angrily. Neil took one looks to the two angry boys on the ground, and back in the direction that Theresa had gone, and took off after the female.

It was still a few minutes later when Theresa probably ran out of energy and released Archie and Jay from their mental bindings and they could get to their feet. In those few moments they had both calmed down to a point, but were avoiding each other's eyes.

Jay honestly didn't know what was happening to him. He felt like he was at his wit's end trying to understand how to trust Archie, never turn his back on a demon, be Leader a team, remember that demons liked to kill, trust what Hera had told him, and know that none of it seemed very true right now. He was so confused, he needed to talk to Theresa... but she was so angry. He sighed and lowered his shoulders. Without meeting Archie's eyes he brushed past him and walked out the door.

Only to come in seconds later and grab his shoes, but then he left for good.

Archie kept his eyes on his feet and didn't look up to see the gazes of everyone else. Finally, though rather surprisingly, it was Odie who spoke up first, "So, Archie... do you know the extent of your... 'other' blood yet?"

Archie shook his head, and then remembered something, "Well... I can heal quickly."

Odie nodded slowly, "That would explain why the wounds you got form Tulais healed up so quickly."

Archie looked up, blinking in surprise. He hadn't thought of that. Wait- he still had the books in his room. He could learn some more!

"I- I need to be alone," he told Herry, Odie and Atlanta. He didn't meet Atlanta's gaze as he walked past her, he knew he'd probably spill all of the dark secrets he was holding right now if she even asked him 'what's wrong'.

Herry opened his mouth to say something, but didn't and waited until Archie had gone into the living room and the all winced at the loud thud that followed seconds later, accompanied by Archie's yell.

"Since when was there a foosball table in the middle of the room?"

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Jay blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall, his vision of the sidewalk was blurring. He didn't understand, it was so confusing.

Hera had told him that all demons were bad- and none of them would ever be good because that was why they had become demons. Yet Archie was a demon (part demon) and he was good. Jay shook his head, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. Why couldn't anything ever just be easy for him? It was hard enough that he had to think about Cronus all the time, and now he had to worry about Archie and Tulais as well.

Keeping his head down, he kept at a light jog towards the school. Jay nearly threw open the doors to the school and flew to the Janitor's Closet. He ripped the medallion from around his neck and forcefully pushed it into the strangely shaped lock. The lock seemed to take it's time ticking into place, and he pulled open the door, taking his medallion, and stormed inside, slamming the door shut behind him. He yanked down the cord attached to the 'light' on the ceiling and the wall in front of him became the portal to the Titan Wing.

Jay took a deep breath to try and regain his composure somewhat. He was shaken up beyond belief on the inside, but managed to look fairly calm as he quickly strode thrugh the halls to a familiar room. Hermes tried to say hello as he went past, but the messenger was ignored.

Opening Hera's door, Jay stepped inside.

"Hera?" he asked wearily.

She looked up from where she had been tending to some plants, "Jay? What is it?"

Jay kept himself as calm as he could, but he was already giving into the childish fear and tears inside of himself, "A-Archie's back and I had this d-dream and I... I'm so confused." He was shaking on his feet. Hera immediately came to him, wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulders and leading him to a chair where he sat down, breaths hitching slightly.

"You can tell me everything, Jay. But first, how is Archie?" Hera said in a kind tone that, had Jay been more aware, he might've detected the manipulative tone embedded in her kindness.

"I- I don't know if he's sided with Tulais. He knew he was a D-Demonspawn before y-you told u-us. He s-seems to s-still be good..."

"What does your instinct tell you?" Hera whispered.

"I don't know," Jay shook his head, "Tulais and Archie don't seem like the demons you warned me about at all, and I don't know what to make of them. You told me never to trust demons and yet you knew all along that Archie was the descendant of a demon and I still think of him as a demon but now every time he looks at someone I expect him to attack them like you said demons you and-"

"Hush. You're worried Jay, but you are thinking clearly. For now, Archie is on your side, but like all demons he will feel the bloodlust and then he must leave... or be disposed of. Athena will be staying at the dorm more to protect you, but I don't think Archie will attack just yet. Good boy though, you remembered all that I told you. Never trust a demon- or he will kill you and all your friends like in your dream. Now, go take a walk before you go home and clear your mind a little."

Jay nodded and got to his feet, "Thank you, Hera," he smiled. Slower than before, he left the school and was taking his time getting home when a thought struck him.

He hadn't told Hera anything about his dream.

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Wow, I still can update XD

So, here we have Archie back and he and Jay are at each other's throats again, Theresa used her powers (sadly) for the first time in this story. Also, we see that Jay IS a bit like a little puppet Hera is using- but he doesn't even realize it and he's also starting to figure out some things on his own.

I know a few chapters back I predicted about three more chapters, and I lied (this would be the third since then) but I know for a fact I won't be able to squeeze out... probably no more than another three more chapters until 'Demons Within Me' is over. Though I'll probably be lying about that too x.x

And hey, lookit that! I tried to add in some much-needed humor. Sadly, I can't use humor at all.

Anyways, I'll do my best to update again soon, but unfortunately I'm having some difficulties with 'Demons' at the moment.

Demenior