𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐄𝐓𝐇 》 LEO VALDEZ ¹

―fourteen. sewer stores sell sundries

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐋𝐃
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐄-𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌 𝐍𝐎𝐓
𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐄?
𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐒
𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊
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CHARLIE DIDN'T END UP SLEEPING AT ALL THAT NIGHT. She had considered it, of course, she wasn't insane, not yet anyway - but every time she so much as closed her eyes for a prolonged blink, the images of war flashed before her eyelids. It wasn't just the last battle, Charlie had that memory locked up somewhere, but the smaller things got to her. Like how Annabeth's grin was even rarer than it was years before, how when she returned Will hadn't been at his desk writing songs. How they had once been taught that sleep was a luxury not many could afford, and how she had laughed at it.

Well, she wasn't calling Chiron a Drama Queen now. Her elbows on her crossed legs, knees helping support her as her fingers rested against her face in such a way that kept her eyes open. Anything to keep her friends in ignorant bliss.

Just like Luke had once done for her.

She took a longer blink once more, allowing his face to flash across her mind. Smiling ever so slightly, before a groan to her left caused her to turn towards the source.

''Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.''

''Morning?'' Came a very delayed response and Charlie grinned as Jason rubbed at his eyes, wincing. Worth it. ''Were you up all night?''

''Yeah,'' She shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal, but if it had been any lighter Jason would've seen the redness creeping into the corners of her eyes. ''You were just too cute to wake up.''

''Ha ha,'' He rolled his eyes, his elbows pushing him so he was sat up and he looked at the other two. ''They been okay?''

''Oh yeah,'' Charlie grinned. ''Piper likes to toss and turn, though, and you should hear half the crap that Leo says when he's asleep.''

Jason laughed. ''We got any water?''

''What, Sewer Water not suit your taste?'' Leo groaned, the top of his head skimming across the floor as his back left the floor in a large arc, a demonic noise leaving his chest as his arms spread out, nearly hitting Charlie in the face. Unfortunately, Piper wasn't so lucky.

''Ah! Leo, you idiot - watch what you're doing!''

Leo continued to stretch before collapsing back down with a thump. ''As far as sewer naps go, I'd say that was quite pleasant.''

''Nap? You were asleep for four hours, minimum. You all sleep like a sack of rocks.''

Jason clapped his hands together and Piper groaned, slamming her palms over her ears as she fell back down. ''Okay, time to break Camp!''

''Wow, all that's missing is 'Cupcake' being sprinkled in there somewhere.'' Charlie offered Piper a hand once she had fully stood up, the girl groaned, swatting at it for a few seconds before she clasped it, getting hauled onto her feet.

Piper was not a morning person. Noted.

They started down the tunnel.

It twisted and turned and seemed to go on forever. Charlie wasn't sure what to expect at the end - a dungeon, a mad scientist's lab, or maybe a sewer reservoir where all Porta-Porty sludge ends up, forming an evil toilet face large enough to swallow the world.

Instead, hey found polished steel elevator doors, each one engraved with a cursive letter M. Next to the elevator was a directory, like for a department store.