FicWad

Tory: Hey there! Okay so sorry for not updating in so long. So sorry! Stupid homework! I was a little behind so I had to give up story writing to work on it. :'( And I had writer's block which sucks because I have so many stories on the go. But I'm over the writer's block and ready to jump back into my stories! Here's the next one, Enjoy! Sorry it's kinda short though.

Disclaimer: Read last chapter if you want to read it, which I doubt.

Thanks again to iheartyou07 for beta reading this. You rock so much Anolez! :D

Warning: mild spoilers in here. If you haven't seen Road to Hades and don't want it to be ruined then don't read.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Getting Back

Atlanta woke with a start, her heart pounding loudly in her ears and her breathing heavy and ragged. She looked around to find herself in a dark place. At first she thought it was the Underworld, but as her eyes adjusted to the dark she realized it wasn't.

She tried to push herself off the cold, damp ground but found that when she moved, pain shot through her body. She looked around and noticed that there were figures scattered around her. And that is when the fear washed over her. She remembered where they were. They were at the bottom of a pit, in the back of a cave.

"Guys?" she called out, her voice hoarse and cracking.

When she received no reply she stood up on shaky legs and peered into the darkness. Pain shot through her body but she pushed it from her mind as she saw Archie laying a few meters away. She limped over to him and collapsed to her knees beside his body. A few tears pricked her eyes and threatened to fall. But she didn't care. They were gone, he was gone.

"No." she whispered to herself, trying hard not to believe this horrible truth. "They can't be gone."

She rested her hand gingerly on the side of Archie's face, but recoiled quickly- he was freezing. Slowly she lay down beside him and looked at him. Her eyes glistened with tears that now made a steady tread down her cheeks. Sobs choked her as she tried to keep it together, as she tried to believe they weren't really gone.

Suddenly the damp air was pierced by coughing and groaning. Atlanta froze. It seemed as though time was standing still. She sat up and looked around, but her vision was blurry with tears and pain.

"Guys?" she called out, her voice still hoarse.

"Atlanta?" a faint voice called back.

Atlanta pushed herself to her feet then limped over to her friend. Again she fell to her knees, scraping them against the cold stone ground, but she ignored it. She wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged them.

"Theresa! I thought all of you guys were gone!" she cried.

"Where are the others? I can't see a thing?" Theresa asked, but she felt Atlanta pull back quickly.

Even through the dark she could tell that something was wrong. And Theresa feared what it was.

"What is it? Atlanta?" she asked, biting her lip, and trying to prepare for the worst.

But Atlanta didn't get to respond, because the sounds of coughing, swearing and groans filled the air. Atlanta stood up again but her knees buckled, she expected to hit the ground but instead she felt an arm support her. She smiled gratefully at Theresa then the two walked over to everyone else. Their bodies were scattered along the bottom of the pit, but eventually everyone was awake and well- well considering the circumstances they were.

After a few minutes the heroes had gathered in a circle and were trying to figure a way out of the pit. Both Atlanta and Theresa clung to their boyfriends, afraid that if they let go they would lose them.

"There's no way we'll be able to climb out with all these injuries." Archie argued with Herry.

"The walls are too steep to climb and there aren't any good holds anyways." Odie added.

"Why don't we just call Hermes and take a portal back to the school." Neil suggested.

"Neil that is-" but Atlanta's insult was cut off by Jay.

"Genius! Why didn't we think of this before?" he said.

"Then what are you waiting for Jay. Call him." Archie insisted.

Jay pulled out his PMR to find it broken. He groaned as he threw the piece of junk in front of him. The others all pulled out their PMR's as well, and too found them broken.

"I guess we need a new plan." Theresa sighed.

Suddenly a bright light flooded the cave and the heroes had to shield their eyes from it. Then the familiar voice of Hermes echoed off the walls.

"Someone call for a portal?" he asked with a grin.

Then he helped all the heroes through the blue light and they all appeared in his office back at the school. Chiron was waiting there to tend to their injuries. It took over two hours but finally everyone had been checked out and bandaged. Hermes had waited with the teens outside of Chiron's office as they went in one by one. Once they were all done, Odie spoke up.

"Hermes. There's one thing I don't get." he said.

"What's that Odie?" the messenger god asked.

"How'd you know where to find us?" he asked.

"We're gods Odie. Give us some credit." Hera's voice came from behind the short boy.

"Hello Miss Hera." he said as he turned to face her.

"We're glad to have you back here safe and sound." she smiled, " But until we can figure out Cronus' next move you will all have to stay in this wing of the school."

The comment was met with many groans and complaints. But Hera silenced that by simply raising her hand.

"I'll hear no more complaining. You are all injured. If Cronus were to attack you'd stand no chance. Now head to the gym, there are some beds set up for you." she said as Hermes ushered them off.

The heroes all claimed a bed but couldn't sleep- not with the thoughts that were running through their heads. But eventually Herry, Odie, Atlanta and Neil fell into the land of nod. Jay and Archie were up and had headed to the courtyard. They were talking about what had happened and what they were going to do.

"Well it's getting late Jay. I'm going to turn in. Hera will flip if she checks in on us and we're not there." Archie said as he got up and headed for the doors.

"I'm going to stay out here for a little while longer." Jay said as he heard Archie walking away.

Theresa walked out into the moonlight as Archie went back into the school. She quietly said good night to him then walked over to Jay. He was leaned over on the bench with his head in his hands. She put her hand on his shoulder and took a seat beside him.

"Are you okay Jay?" she asked.

"I just don't understand it." he said in a low voice.

"Understand what?" she asked.

"Everything. I mean last time our injuries disappeared and we were fine. But this time they stayed. Last time you, Herry, Odie and Atlanta nearly died... what's going to happen this time?" he said, rambling a little bit to himself.

Theresa took his hand in both of hers and squeezed it lightly. He looked up at her and smiled.

"It'll be okay Jay. We survived last time, we can do it again. We're a strong team- not even death can break us." she said, remembering the time he had died and they risked everything in the Underworld to save him.

"I know we're strong but... I'm afraid that I might almost lose you again." he said.

"Jay, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere for a long time. I won't leave you." she replied, smiling a small warm smile.

Jay wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"Promise?" he asked.

"Only if you promise the same." she replied.

They didn't need to answer it. No words were needed, they knew. After a few more minutes the two went back inside, not wanting to fall asleep on a bench. The sandman took them as soon as their heads hit the pillow and the night air was full of tranquility... at least for now.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The seven were awake early the next morning, well rested and no longer in any pain. They were all sitting around on their cots, except for Theresa and Atlanta who were on Jay and Archie's cots with them.

"Do you think it all really happened?" Atlanta asked, after no one had said anything.

"What do you mean?" Theresa asked.

"Maybe it was just a dream or some kind of sick trick Cronus played on us." Atlanta replied.

"That's what we thought last time though... and look what happened." Archie said, holding Atlanta protectively.

Everyone lowered their heads as those memories flooded their minds once more. A shudder ran through each of their bodies as they thought of what they almost lost.

The day went by pretty fast from there. The seven had training with Ares and Artemis. Then they each went to talk to their mentors. Before they knew it, it was high afternoon.

Hera came in and talked to the seven as a group. Then they were allowed to leave. Their injuries were gone and their health was prefect, so Hera saw no reason to keep them at the school.

The seven had to walk back to the brownstone because Herry's truck was being upgraded again by Hephaestus. Almost as soon as they left the school parking lot, rain sprinkled down on them. In moments it became a downpour.

Once back at the brownstone, after a very wet run, the heroes all dried off and retired to their rooms. Sleep took them almost instantly, except for Theresa. She sat at her window and watched the raindrops slide down the glass. She just couldn't shake the knot in her stomach or the vision she had had.

She didn't bother to tell anyone about it- they had enough things to worry about as it is. She had gotten it while she was talking to Persephone. Though, she didn't tell the goddess either. What could she tell them if she didn't even know what it meant. But there was that cold, dark feeling that had gripped her during the vision. She wondered what it meant. But, whatever it was... she hoped it wouldn't come true.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: Please don't hate me for not updating in a loooong time! I hope you liked this chapter. It's kind of more of a filler than anything. The next one is where things start to get a little more... complicated... and interesting. Please leave a review and I will try to update much much sooner next time. But I don't promise anything, midterms are coming up so I'll be studying a lot. Well, Cheers!;D