lover ≫ percy jackson

viii. a starry night

Flat lands of corn and wheat behind them, the weary travelers headed towards Montana. Beyond what happened in Chicago, they had been lucky enough to not encounter any monsters. They were somewhere in western South Dakota, close enough to the state's borders with Wyoming and Montana that Lorelai really didn't think that it counted as the Midwest anymore.

They drove through beautiful, rocky terrain that looked as if it had been painted by Apollo himself. Lorelai was driving, though she wished she was in the backseat with her sketchbook, so that she could capture the beautiful colors herself.

"You know, nature is pretty when it's not trying to attack you," Percy joked.

Grover, who was in the front with Lorelai, let out a sad bleat. "That's what I've been saying for ages."

"It's getting late," Lorelai noted. "Should we stop soon?" She looked at the clock on the van's dashboard, seeing that it was well past eleven Mountain Time.

"Maybe we can pull over somewhere around here," Annabeth said, stifling a yawn. "These rocks might make good shelter."

Lorelai would have rather stayed at a hotel again, but they had passed their last city hours beforehand. As the leader of the quest, she knew she shouldn't complain. That's what they would have expected from a child of Aphrodite, and she wouldn't let that happen.

They drove down a dirt road that exited the highway, and Lorelai parked the van behind a large outcropping of rocks in hopes that no one would see it. She wasn't sure if the road was public or not, and the last thing they needed was a paranoid mortal approaching them with a rifle.

"I can take the first watch," Lorelai offered. She was really beginning to feel like she wasn't pulling her weight as the leader of the quest. She always felt herself relying on Percy and Annabeth instead of making decisions herself. It was easy, since they were practically veterans, but it still made her feel like a phony. The least she could do was take the first watch of the night.

"I'll join you," Percy offered as the rest of the group began to set up their sleeping bags. She supposed they could have slept in the van, but if the others were feeling the way Lorelai was feeling about the van, that was the last place they wanted to be anymore. Plus, it was beginning to smell like feet.

She watched Percy scramble up what Lorelai could only describe as a tower of stone. "This will probably be a good outlook," he said, beckoning for her to join him.

Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "I don't know about that," she said. The rocks looked unstable, and the last thing she wanted to do was fall and crack her head open. They were so far removed from society that she doubted an ambulance would even make it in time.

"Come on, Lorelai," he said. "I won't let you fall."

"You're the son of Poseidon, Percy," Lorelai said as she tentatively gripped a side of the tower. "And I don't see any water around."

Percy laughed as he watched her from the edge, holding his hand out to her. She was still too far away for him to help her up.

The son of Poseidon was right — it would be a great place for a lookout. They would likely be able to see anyone coming.

"Lorelai, why don't you get some rest? You drove this whole time."

Just as Lorelai was about to reach the top, she turned around to see Esme.