Uniting As The Ten- Part Two Of The Conclusion To The United Series

Chapter Seven

Jason's POV:

So, kind of long story short, Ivan and I explained everything that happened in the room with Max, Bryce and Octavian. We explained Max being controlled by Bryce, Octavian being resurrected and the drink Bryce told us about. When we told them about Max taking the vial from me and drinking it herself, Percy, Annabeth and Eight all glared at her like disappointed parents. Leo hugged her and John awkwardly patted her back. It was a weird scene to watch.

Then Max started protesting that we should go back and help the others in Chicago, so Eight teleported him, Percy and Annabeth back to the penthouse to help them. Then Max started complaining that she should go back to help them, but of course, they refused. And let me say, it is extremely awkward when you're alone with a girl and the three guys that love her.

That night, we all had a good nights rest in John's old house. Well, most of us. Max woke up in the middle of the night, biting her lip so hard it bled to stop herself from screaming and waking everyone else up. Tears were streaming down her face and she was sobbing. She was terrified of the dream she had. I had to calm her back down to sleep, and she eventually fell asleep in my arms while I was comforting her, not to mention that she was still weak and tired from the drink. I don't know what the dream was about, and I'm not going to ask.

Now we're all sitting on the couches in the living room, doing absolutely nothing. Eight told all the others where we are, but we're staying here until we can find a way to get the reverse drink Bryce was talking about for Max.

Max is cuddling with Leo, and so are Percy and Annabeth on the same couch. Eight and John are talking quietly to each other on the other side of the small living room. I glance at Ivan sitting a few feet away from me, on the other side of the couch. Since his clothes were so ruined, John managed to find a new pair of pants for him, and it's dark blue jeans- the lightest color I've ever seen Ivan wear so far. Unfortunately, John couldn't find a shirt, so...it's just a shirtless Ivan in blue jeans. Hooray (please note the sarcasm. Please). And gods he needs to get a tan. Do these Mogs ever go out in the sun?

I glance back at Ivan again and can vividly see the scars on his chest, stomach, arms and legs where the Mogs sliced him. John can heal wounds but not scars, apparently.

"You can stop staring at me now." Ivan tells me, just low enough so I can hear. I snap my head back up to look at him and he's looking back at me with one of his eyebrows raised.

"No, no...I wasn't...I was just..." I stammer, my face heating up. Ivan chuckles and ruffles my blond hair.

"You blush easily, Jason." Ivan states, smiling slightly.

"No I don't." I reply, turning my blushing face away from him. Ivan's silent for a few moments, obviously thinking about something before I feel his soft, warm lips on my cheek. It's short and brief, and I don't even like Ivan that way, but my face heats up ten times more. Ivan pulls away from me with a smirk- his signature, cocky, bad-boy smirk- and I can tell that my face is very red.

"Yes you do." Ivan says, going back to sitting away from me. I sit completely still and I'm not even sure what to do. Ivan just kissed me- even if it was just to prove a point. How do I feel about this?

I don't even know.

I look around the room and Max is smirking at me. She raises an eyebrow at me and her eyes flicker from me to Ivan and back to me. I mouth 'No' to her, but she just continues smirking and turns back to Leo. I look back at Ivan and he's smirking at me, not a hint of red on his pale face, which makes me feel extremely stupid for blushing like a five-year old.

I don't say anything. I don't know what to say. Ivan's smirking at me, almost expectantly.

"Fine." I grumble, turning away from him. He chuckles and sighs heavily, running his hand through his messy black hair. It was cropped close the first time I met him, but he let it grow out. Now it's just a bit longer than my hair.

I glance back at Max, who's still breathing shakily and heavily, as if she's been stabbed. I've never seen her like this before, and I don't want to for any longer. Ivan notices me staring at Max and says something else.

"Okay, well, wherever that base Max was in can't be too far from Chicago." Ivan announces. Max looks up at him along with everyone else and I notice that Leo's holding her tightly to stop her from shaking so much.

"I don't know exactly where it is. They never told me." Max says, her voice quiet and hoarse. Everyone's silent for a few moments before Eight speaks up.

"I'm going to check on everyone else in Chicago." Eight announces, standing up off the couch he was sitting on, and I stand up as well.

"I'll come." I volunteer and Ivan shrugs his shoulders.

"Why not?" He asks and stands up next to me. Eight grabs both our shoulders and teleports us back to Nine's penthouse in Chicago, but no one's there. We all look around frantically but we can't see or hear anyone until we hear three pairs of footsteps heading our way.

"Don't worry, we'll find her again." It's a male voice I unfortunately recognize- Octavian.

I quietly push Eight and Ivan into a room and we all duck behind the bed, listening closely as Octavian and who I presume is Bryce and Curtis walk past the room.

There's silence until Octavian speaks up again.

"What is it, Curtis?" There's a bit more tense silence before Curtis finally speaks up.

"Someone else is here."

My heart feels about ready to burst from my chest. I glance at Eight and Ivan and they also look nervous. Ivan, though...I've only seen that look on his face a few times, and it was only whenever Max got hurt or threatened. He's scared. Of what, I'm not sure exactly. Maybe what Curtis, Octavian and Bryce will do. Maybe for Max.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts as I hear the three Demigods of Death come closer to us and I know that we're screwed. I don't know how Curtis knew we were here, but it doesn't matter now. What matters is that they do, and we have to find a way to get out of here before they find us.

I glance back at Ivan, who still looks scared and panicked for whatever reason. Seeing that look on his face, a small plan quickly forms in my head. I look back near the door and concentrate.

-INSIGHT-

Remo Helmer has the resurrection legacy because Lorien, buried deep within the earth, saw that he would grow to care deeply for Number Two and gave him the legacy to help the Garde- but it could not perfectly picture the future and Remo ended up using his legacy against the Garde, and Lorien couldn't take it away from him.

Also, actual conversation I had while writing the kiss scene:

Friend: This sounds like a bad fanfic.

Me: This is a bad fanfic.