The Messiah [1]

25: Jax

Incessant pounding pulled Jax from a dreamless sleep. The kind of sleep that left you more tired than when you'd gone to bed. Groaning, he pushed himself up from the corner where he had curled up. Twinges wracked Jax's body where the cold had seeped into him, stiffening his muscles.

He looked at his warm bed as he walked by - Athena's rosy face peeking out from the blankets. Her dark hair was tousled around her like a halo, with her dusky skin a warm color among all the standard white blankets. Athena's small, lethally lean body coupled with her relaxed expression gave her the ethereal look of an angel.

The pounding persisted, picking up a frenzied pace. Letting out a harsh sigh, Jax stepped over in two huge bounds, ripping the door open.

"What?" He hissed, pitching his voice low so he wouldn't wake Athena.

A surprisingly not-melodramatic Grayson stood on the other side. Jax had only known him for about the last forty-eight hours, but the grey sweatpants and black tee-shirt Grayson wore looked out of place to even him.

"Where's Athena?" Grayson asked, uncharacteristic worry pulling his brows low. "I checked her room, but she's not there."

Jax arched one eyebrow, realizing there might be more than just friendly worry driving Grayson's actions. Never one to miss an opportunity, Jax leaned one wide shoulder into the door frame, blocking Grayson's view of his room.

"Why are you looking for her?" Jax teased, crossing his arms. "You seem awfully nice for a guy who barely knows her."

Jax smiled wider as a dull red rose in Grayson's cheeks, knowing he'd hit the mark dead-on.

"What's going on?" Came a sleepy voice from behind Jax.

He stiffened in response, taking a swift step back when Grayson's look of surprise shifted into one of irritation. Jax quickly stepped next to Athena, tossing a brief look her way. She was sleep-mussed, her hair a veritable nest of curls framing her heart-shaped face. The over-sized sweatshirt only succeeded in making her look more vulnerable.

It was the first time they'd come face to face with each other since her emotional episode the night before. Jax didn't know what to say - he wasn't very good at emotional encounters if he was honest, so he stared at her in dumbstruck silence.

Athena rubbed her face, pulling her cheeks down like a little kid. It reminded Jax of his sister. The ironic memory washed away all previous trepidation. He knew Athena. It wasn't like she'd changed much overnight - she was still a brat.

"Your boyfriend is looking for you." He laughed, stepping back so she could see who waited on the other side of the door.

Jax had the immediate satisfaction of watching a scarlet blush rise in her cheeks, while Grayson merely sputtered incoherently.

"You're so childish." Athena hissed, shoving Jax in the chest as she walked out of the room.

"Honestly." Grayson agreed, following after her.

"Yet I don't hear either of you denying it?" Jax called out, waving cheerily when Grace poked her head out of the room adjacent to his.

Neither Athena nor Grayson acknowledged him, and Jax laughed when they rounded the corner and disappeared.

"Jeez - you're just a jack of all trades aren't you?" Grace deadpanned, walking forward to stand next to him in the hallway.

Jax chuckled at her joke, leaning back against the wall.

"Since it seems I will once again be stuck touring you around," Grace sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why don't you go change and I can show you around the camp. Since this is the main base, it's actually quite big, but I'll just take you around a small portion of it."