FicWad

A/N: I realize that I did just update this a little while ago but I thought I'd get to work on an update and hopefully have it ready for later tonight :) You guys are really fast to review and thanks so much to everyone who has, reviews are awesome and it's nice to hear that you all enjoy this story so much, which is why I have vowed to try and finish this story THIS week, before school starts. Shouldn't be hard, and then I can get to work on a sequel, which will probably be longer. I will resume updating my other fanfiction (most of which are at fanfiction.net under the same penname) soon enough.

Disclaimer: As usual, Class of the Titans isn't mine.


Arrows of Love
EilayAdnayVolieay

Chapter Six: Memories Are Precious

Archie saw Theresa walking away with Hermes and sighed. Even though he often didn't get along with the sixth-sense possessing teen, he knew that she was concerned about how he'd take this tough blow that Atlanta, didn't really like him that way. He didn't even know how he'd taken it. It had hurt him, for sure, because he really cared for her. All he had to hold on to would be a few minor memories, and they wouldn't even be real- all of them were fake. Atlanta's feelings- fake. And I blew up at Jay over that. For him being right, as usual. I wonder where he is now? I want to apologize, but... I still feel like I meant what I said. I just wish I had said it... using nicer words.

"What are you thinking about, Arch?" Atlanta asked. They were back at the dorm, sitting on the couch and watching TV. Nothing was on, but even if Archie's favourite show had been on, he felt as if he wouldn't have bothered paying any attention to it anyway. One of his friends was upset with him, and rightfully so, the other friend he cared about most didn't really love him, and he himself... was worried. Will Atlanta remember... how I feel about her, when she wakes up from this crazy dream? At least, I think of it as a dream. Probably a nightmare for her... Atlanta... why do things have to be so complicated between us? Why couldn't I have just told you how I felt before? Then I wouldn't have felt so... heartbroken now. Archie thought.

"I... nothing, Lanta. So, what's on?" Archie asked, faking enthusiasm. Despite her condition, Atlanta saw through his act. She turned the TV off and leaned back, leaning against Archie's shoulders.

"Archie... ever since we got back from the school, you've been acting so strange. What's bothering you?" she asked. Archie sighed and moved away from Atlanta's embrace. Standing up, he leaned against the doorway and shrugged.

"Nothing. Atlanta..." Archie began slowly, "Don't you remember anything that Hermes said at the school?" Atlanta stared back at him, an empty look in her eyes and confusion etched across her face.

"... Hermes said something? I just remember him asking me if I remembered a wound, as if. I have too many to remember," Atlanta added lightheartedly. She frowned when Archie turned around and began walking away, and she rushed after him and grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop walking away.

"Wait," she replied finally. "You seem so down. I want to cheer you up," she added. Archie smiled.

"There's really no need, I'm fine, really." Archie told her. Atlanta shook her head.

"Oh no you don't, don't pretend everything's okay, I know it's not!" she accused. Archie's smile disappeared and he nodded.

"Okay, it isn't," he told her miserably. "Happy now?"

"Happy that you've admitted? Yes. Happy that you're sad? No..." Atlanta forced him to turn around and face her, and she leaned forward, kissing him softly on the lips. Archie for a moment stood there, stunned, but then pulled away and threw the door open, running outside, leaving behind a startled and sad Atlanta. Archie... what's wrong with you?

"I thought he liked me..." she added softly. She was startled when she heard a voice behind her. She turned and saw Jay standing there, staring at her sympathetically.

"He does, Atlanta. He's just... having problems with a situation. That's all. Maybe you should go after him, make sure he's okay." Jay added. "I think he'd rather it was you anyway." Jay added encouragingly. He knew from what Theresa had told him, that anything that happened to Atlanta could mean damaging her memory. He didn't know about the others, but he for sure wasn't willing to take that chance for any reason.

"Maybe you're right," Atlanta replied finally. She opened the door and ran outside as fast as she could to catch up to Archie, who, himself, had been running as fast as he could to get away. When Atlanta finally caught up to him, he stopped running and just stood completely still as Atlanta hugged him. Whenever she touched him, hugged him, showed any sign of true affection, Archie's heart always leapt. But the pain he felt inside was so excruciating, that the hug wasn't even worth it. Every sign of affection Atlanta gave him just tore his heart into an even smaller bit of nothing.

"Archie?" Atlanta replied softly. Archie turned around and hugged her tightly, taking her by surprise. Archie held on to her for how long, he didn't know, and stared at everything around them. Finally he let go of her and stared down at her.

"I'm fine now," he told her. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It just took some getting used to, that's all," he added softly, too softly for Atlanta to hear. Even if she had, he didn't think she would know what he meant. And if he told her- she'd just forget, just like she had done the past few times.

"Well that's good," Atlanta told him. "I mean, you really worried me. All of a sudden you were just depressed and it hurts to see you so sad," Archie smiled sadly and shrugged.

"You shouldn't worry about me so much. Hey... before it get's late and Athena gets mad at us for being gone so long, I want to show you something." Archie told her suddenly. Before, he added in his mind, you return to normal. I might not get the chance to show you again.

"Okay," Atlanta replied with a grin. Archie grabbed her hand and lead her away- to where, only he knew.

---

Hera looked up as an unexpected guest entered the room. Before her, she saw the young youth that was responsible for shooting Atlanta, and he was staring back sheepishly at her.

"Hello," he replied finally. Hera frowned slightly and nodded a greeting. Eros stepped forward and looked around worriedly. "Mother... Aphrodite... is she near?" he asked. Hera shook her head.

"No worries. Miss Aphrodite is currently off with Neil, I believe they are making themselves over, although neither of them believe it's necessary. So, what brings you here?" Hera asked him finally. Eros scratched the back of his neck and stepped forward a few steps.

"Nothing much, just wondering how everyone is. So tell me, how are... the heroes?" Eros asked.

"You mean the young lady you shot with one of your arrows? Perfectly fine, other than the fact that it caused her to, inadvertently and purely by accident, break her best friend's heart. I didn't know that was your new goal, Eros." Hera added.

"It was an accident! I meant to shoot an arguing couple, but she didn't know who I was! She attacked me and my hand slipped, and..."

"You shot her." Hera finished for him. Eros nodded in confirmation. Hera stood up and walked away from her desk, gazing at the many things in the room she had. "Tell me, why did you come here?" Hera asked him. "You never cared to be away from Psyche before, why suddenly now? Because you shot Atlanta?" Hera asked.

"Not exactly... I came to talk to...."

"Aphrodite." Hera filled in. Eros nodded again sadly.

"And to tell you that the affects of the arrow... they'll wear off tomorrow, just before sun down." Eros turned and began to leave the room, but stopped when Hera called him. "Yes?"

"I wouldn't see Aphrodite now," she told him. "If you interfere with her beauty time, she really will never forgive you," Eros gulped and nodded.

---

Archie told Atlanta to close her eyes and slowly lead her up a hill. Finally, he let go of her.

"You can open your eyes now," he told her softly. Atlanta opened her eyes and looked around, seeing nothing in particular that she could imagine having interest in. But then, something caught her eye. It appeared to be a path, leading up a very tall but not very steep mountain like hill, but it just ended suddenly without leading anywhere.

"What...?" Atlanta began, but Archie moved forward to the path. He lifted up the branches covering it, and showed her that the path was full and complete, leading all the way up the hill. Atlanta moved forward, ready to go climb it now, but Archie stopped her.

"Tomorrow..." he told her finally, "We'll hike up there. Just before sundown." Just before you return to normal... he added in his mind sadly. Tomorrow, she would no longer feel the way that she felt now. She'd probably remember how he felt about her, and it would ruin their friendship forever, just as he had feared it would if he ever worked up the courage to actually tell her. I'm pathetic... he told himself. I... there's no way to know how she feels. Just because she never said or did anything... doesn't mean anything. And... I did get mixed signals from her. It was the reason I was going to ask her out- before Pan showed up, that is. Archie sighed and thought back to just before he had decided to ask Atlanta out.

-Flashback-

Archie gathered up his books and stood up to walk out of the class, when he saw Atlanta leaning against the wall just outside of the classroom waiting for him.

"Uh, hey Atlanta," he greeted, slightly surprised. Atlanta grinned.

"Hey Arch. How's it feel to be out of class?" she asked him. "FINALLY after a long and boring week, we can leave here." she added. She walked with Archie toward the lockers and Archie raised an eyebrow questioningly at her.

"Uh, yeah. Why were you waiting outside my class?" he asked her suspiciously. His heart unwillingly leapt at the thought that perhaps she was eager to see him- for any reason, he didn't care what. Atlanta ruffled his hair and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Wouldn't you like to know." she stated mysteriously. She walked over to her locker and concentrated on opening it, much to Archie's annoyance. He threw his books in his own locker and walked over to her.

"Seriously. Did you want to..." he was going to say "go out" but he thought that by saying that, he would give off the wrong impression. Well, not quite the wrong one- just one he didn't want to be giving off. "Go boarding, or something?" he asked finally.

"Why do you always assume I want to go boarding? I like doing other things too you know," she told him, her tone teasing. She started walking out the school doors and Archie followed shortly behind her.

"Other things such as?" he asked her.

"I don't know, things." she told him. "Like... watching movies. Playing the odd video game. Hunting. Racing people I know I can beat," she added, and with a smirk she began running (but not her fastest) past him. Archie grinned at the challenge and raced after her.

"Wait up!"

-

Later on, Archie was sitting on the couch watching a cheesy comedy he had seen a million times before, when Atlanta came in the room. She took one look at the tv screen and rolled her eyes.

"You have no taste in movies whatsoever." she told him. "Didn't you just watch this movie last night?" she added. Archie tore his eyes with difficulty from the movie and turned to her. He almost wished he had continued watching the movie, because now his eyes were glued to her.

"Yeah, and your point would be?" he asked her.

"Isn't there like, some action flick on or something? Something with a huge... BOOM!" Atlanta added, throwing her hands in the air in emphasis as she said "boom". Archie shrugged and turned back to the television.

"Probably." he told her. Atlanta frowned and stared at the screen for a few moments, trying to get into the movie. After a few minutes, she was already bored. She saw that Archie was reaching for popcorn, and she decided that while he was distracted she would steal the remote and change the channel.

Archie must have suspected what Atlanta was going to do because he grabbed her by the wrist.

"Don't even think about it," he told her. Atlanta crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him.

"I sat here last night and watched this with you!" she told him. "Do we have to watch it again?"

"It's a classic!" he told her. "Nothing beats the humor in this movie. You'll laugh no matter how many times you watch it!" he added enthusiastically.

"Right." Atlanta muttered. She eyed the remote again and dove for it, knocking the bowl of popcorn onto the floor. Fortunately, the bowl was plastic, so there was no glass shards all over the floor, but the popcorn did spill all over. Atlanta made a mental note to help Archie clean it before Athena saw it and flipped.

"What are you doing?" Archie asked her. He realized she was grabbing the remote and he grabbed hold of it.

"Archie there is no way I'm watching this movie again," Atlanta told him.

"And there's no way I'm NOT watching it again," he retorted. They fought (in a friendly way, of course...) Over the remote until finally they were unknowingly in an awkward position. Herry came in with more popcorn and sat down, at first not realizing anything. Suddenly, he turned to them and saw Archie on top of Atlanta, both of them fighting over the remote still.

"Uh..." he replied, standing up. "I'll... watch this some other time." He stared sadly at the wasted popcorn on the floor before leaving the room quickly. It was then that Atlanta and Archie had realized how bad they must look. Atlanta laughed nervously and poked Archie in the nose.

"I uh, can't... get up," she told him finally. She turned her face to look in the direction of the doorway, and Archie stared back at her confused.

"Why?" he asked her.

"Because you're kind of heavy," she informed him. Archie realized then that he was still on top of her and jumped up.

"Oh... sorry," he told her. Atlanta shrugged.

"It's uh, okay. Don't worry about it. No harm done," she added. The two of them sat in awkward silence, before Atlanta made a pleasant realization. "Hey Arch?" she replied. Archie turned to her.

"Yeah?" Atlanta held up the remote triumphantly.

"Guess I've got control over the tv," she replied.

-End of Flashback-

Archie sighed at the memory, not even realizing that he and Atlanta were halfway home already. Time flies when you're minds stuck back in time, he thought. I don't know what it was about that day, but it was the day that I thought for sure that Atlanta liked me. But if she liked me so much, why did she fall for Pan? Why, since Pan left, hasn't she done anything? Asked me out, any of it. None of this makes any sense! Archie thought impatiently. He sighed and turned to Atlanta.

"What time is it?" he asked her. Atlanta grabbed his wrist and pulled his sleeve back.

"You have a watch genius," she told him, only teasing him, he knew. Archie's expression softened. Maybe the affects are wearing off a little bit already... he thought. To his surprise, this possible fact made him smile more than he had smiled since he had learned Atlanta didn't really like him. And he had no idea why- you would have thought that he would be upset that she would return to not liking him. Yet here he was, almost anticipating it. I AM pathetic. He realized.

A/N: There's an end to yet another chapter :) You know, I normally try to avoid flashbacks since they're normally overused, but I figure if I'm having just one in the story, it can't hurt. Besides, it gave you guys a little bit of Atlanta/Archie moments that was actually real- something you won't REALLY get to see too much after this (other than -perhaps- a bit at the end) before the sequel. So, school's almost here and I find it only fair to tell you I will only be allowed online on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, that of course is only if I have no homework or I have completed it. 'Rents rules, and it's good for me anyway. I -can- go on at school but that doesn't give me much time to type. An hour? I need more time than that. So I normally work on my stories during the week since I'm still allowed on the computer, I just won't update it 'til the weekend. 'Nuff said. R&R!