Hurricane ~ L. Valdez

1.25 - Family Bonding... With Leo

I moved back to stand next to Leo, watching the two siblings carefully. For a minute, Jason and Thalia faced each other, stunned. Then Thalia rushed forward and hugged him. "My gods! She told me you were dead!" Suddenly, I put two and two together. They had similar facial features, nothing big... just little details.

No fucking way.

She gripped Jason's face and seemed to be examining everything about it. "Thank Artemis, it is you. That little scar on your lip—you tried to eat a stapler when you were two!" Leo and I laughed at that.

"Seriously?"

Hedge nodded like he approved of Jason's taste. "Staplers—excellent source of iron."

"W-wait," Jason stammered. "Who told you I was dead? What happened?" At the cave entrance, one of the white wolves barked. Thalia looked back at the wolf and nodded, but she kept her hands on Jason's face, like she was afraid he might disappear.

"My wolf is telling me I don't have much time, and she's right. But we have to talk. Let's sit." Piper did one better. She collapsed.

Hedge and I caught her before she cracked her head open. Thalia rushed over. "What's wrong with her? Ah—never mind. I see. Hypothermia." She turned to me. "And your ankle, not to mention your fever-" She frowned at Coach. "Don't you know nature healing?"

Hedge scoffed. "Why do you think she looks this good? Can't you smell the Gatorade?"

Thalia looked at Leo. "You and the satyr," Thalia ordered, "take this girl to my friend at the entrance. Phoebe's an excellent healer." I looked to Leo, really not wanting him to leave.

"It's cold out there!" Coach complained. "I'll freeze my horns off."

"Come on, Hedge.These three need time to talk."

"Humph. Fine," the satyr muttered. "Didn't even get to brain anybody."

Hedge carried Piper toward the entrance. I looked to Jason, who looked like he didn't want to be alone either. I guess he wasn't really expecting a family reunion yet. Leo started to follow Coach, before I spoke up. "Actually, Leo, could you, um, stick around?"

Leo looked to me, and I tilted my head to gesture to Jason. He wanted somebody else there. I could tell Jason was scared. Leo grinned. "Sticking around is my specialty, cariño."

He came sit beside me, casually allowing an arm to slip around me. Thalia gave me a look I knew well... one that said 'we'll talk about this later'. For a few minutes, nobody spoke.

"I missed you, Thals..." I spoke up awkwardly, fiddling with my hands nervously. I wasn't one for casual silence.

"You don't know how freaked out you had us all, Ellie. I told you, if it all got too much, you could've just joined the Hunt."

I blushed, shaking my head as I thought about the boy next to me. The Hunters of Artemis vowed to never be involved in romantic relationships, and that felt sort of wrong nowadays. Next to me, Leo took a few pieces of copper wire out of his pockets and twisted them together. "So...the Hunters of Artemis. This whole 'not dating' thing—is that like always, or more of a seasonal thing, or what?"

Thalia stared at him and I looked up at him with a confused expression.

"Don't mind Leo. He's just trying to break the ice. But, Thalia...what happened to our family? Who told you I was dead?" Jason seemed hopeful at the thought of finally getting an answer, and with each question he asked he became more and more anxious for an answer. Thalia tugged at a silver bracelet on her wrist.