The other Grace/HoO fanfiction

(4) Nightmares

Back at Zeus cabin Jason and Layla were getting ready to go to bed.

"I'm gonna take shower. You'd better get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be tough day." Layla advised her brother. He agreed.

Showering didn't take her more than 15 minutes. She wasn't one of those people who spent hours to freshen up. She had never been. As I said, water just wasn't her element.

She changed into something more comfortable and brushed her hair. When she climbed at the top bunk where she was usually sleeping Jason had already passed out and he was talking in his sleep, muttering something about wolves. Layla chuckled at that.

"Goodnight, brother." Although he couldn't hear her, it felt nice saying it. Then, she close her eyes hoping that for once she would have a good night too.

Well, she wasn't that lucky.

"Get your bowsss ready." Ssssselah commanded. Layla wiped the sweat from her forehead before grabbing an arrow from her quiver. Bow wasn't her best choice of weapon but she had learnt how to use it decently.

Layla was actually glad she was using the bow instead of a short ranged weapon. Bellow them the battle was raging, demigods and monsters were being killed constantly. She would have died long ago if she was fighting with a sword down there. Luckily, she was safe up in a rooftop along with a couple other demigods and monsters.

"Aim." Ssselah shouted. Layla picked a target. A blond girl she had her eye on from earlier. She had been watching her as she slashed a huge number of monsters with just an arrow that she was using as a spear.

She pulled the string and got ready to strike. She really hated doing that but it wasn't like she had another choice. She would be killed if she tried to leave.

"Sssshoot." Ssssselah screamed on the top of her lungs and Layla let go of the arrow. The missile landed on the 'target's' chest and she immediately fell unconscious to the ground. Another girl with black hair came and carried her now lifeless body.

Layla wanted to cry. This was different than  killing monsters. This was an innocent girl that wouldn't be ressecurated. Although there were dozens of dracaena up there, she like she was the only monster there.

"Hey, are you OK?" Jason shook her awake.

Even she couldn't believe herself when she said. "I'm fine, just a bad dream."

"You were crying in your sleep." The boy pointed out.

"I'm okay, really. Sorry to wake you up." And with that she drifted back to sleep.

"You're going to regret it. Please, don't go." The blond boy tried to warn her.

"Well, I can't just stand here doing nothing."

"People are going to die, Layla. A lot of people. It's not just your safety we're talking about here."

"I swear, it's for the best."

"You're just saying this because you're angry. Give it a few days and you'll realize it's not worth it. Give yourself time to calm dow-."

"I'm trying, doc."

The boy frowned. "No need to be sarcastic. I'm just saying, I don't think this is worth killing or dying for."

"Easy for you to say, Apollo has already claimed you."

"Well, he has, but this has nothing to do with anyth-" She stormed out before the boy could finish his sentence completely ignoring his calls. She decided that the best thing to do at that time was what she did best. Run away from her problems.

She should have accepted it by now. Painful memories for her past weren't going to leave her alone.

With a heavy sign she put on a jacket and exited the cabin. She choose the top branch of a nearby tree and flied up to it. There, she sat quietly trying not to be caught by the harpies who were patrolling. Not she would have had a problem. Harpies were used to her midnight walks by now, and did nothing to stop her.

Fresh air did help her. When she went back to sleep half an hour later she didn't have anymore nightmares.