Heroes of Olympus - The Blood of Olympus (Discontinued)

Chapter 23 - Frank

"Not more than once," Hazel's bemused reply whispered back to him.

Frank laughed with relief, kissing Hazel's cheek, and holding her close. He heard Piper slide off the bed, walking over to help Annabeth clean up their supplies. "That was brilliant you know," Frank murmured to her. "You were absolutely fantastic. I mean... you even had us fooled for a moment when you used the mist on those monsters."

Hazel grinned shyly, turning her head down but Frank could see the pride in her eyes. "Thanks Frank," she said.

Frank nodded, suddenly conscious of Annabeth and Piper still in the room, but respectively giving them their space.

"Well, I uh..." Frank suddenly stood awkwardly, seeing Hazel was fine just as Jason had said, but he was acting as though she'd just survived a plane wreck. "I guess I'll go back upstairs now. Um... get some rest, okay?"

Hazel gave him a sweet smile as he backed to the door, her golden eyes gleaming in the dim light of the room. "Thanks Frank," she repeated. "You too."

Frank nodded again, clearing his throat, then smiled at Piper and Annabeth who acknowledged him kindly, before he shuffled back out into the hall, closing the door behind him. As soon as the door clicked, he stood there for a second, before hitting himself in the head. "Nice going, Fai Zhang," he muttered to himself, sounding like his grandmother. "You stupid, thick-headed ox..."

He trudged back up the stairs to where the cabin doors were still open. It was still either very late at night, or extremely early in the morning. Frank yawned. He was exhausted but for some reason, sleep didn't appeal to him at the moment.

Entering the mess hall, he came to the ship's dining room to find Percy and Jason sitting together, speaking quietly at the table.

Frank neared the table and the boys looked up. "How is she?" Percy asked as Frank pulled up a chair.

"She's fine," Frank answered. "Thanks for getting her back safely, Jason."

Jason nodded to him. "No problem."

"Can't sleep?" Percy asked.

Frank shook his head. "Nope..."

"Well, join the club," Percy muttered. "After all that we encountered in the past day and a half, I don't think sleep is even possible right now."

Frank nodded. "Yeah, I feel you. Where's Leo?"

"He already went back to bed," Jason said. "He was saying something about having a grilled-cheese-and-monkey-wrench sandwich for a mid-night snack, but he was stumbling as if he'd chugged a gallon-full of wine. I think he's pretty tired."

Frank laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like Leo."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, embracing the warmth from the ship's heating vents, listening to the rocking of the hull.

"Why can't we just take to the air...?" Jason muttered.

"Remember?" Frank said. "The mountain gods? We're only about five miles from the coast line. They'll beam us out of the air even from that distance."

Jason shook his head in disgust. "I wish I could just fry them with lightning. Maybe that'll get them to stop."

Percy snorted. "You can't zap a mountain, Grace. If had your daddy's Master Bolt, then maybe..."

Jason scoffed, but said nothing.

"Stupid war..." Percy muttered. "Stupid Giants... Stupid Gaea... For once in a demigod's life, I'd actually like some peace and quiet..."