Sanctum

On Fire Drills

I started laughing, glee filling my systems as I relaxed in Nico's hold.

The taller boy sighed and opened his door again, depositing me outside and slamming the door shut, leaving me to slump to the ground in a fit of giggles that I couldn't seem to stop.

"I did it!" I laughed, curled in on myself. "I did it- oh... I did it!" I giggled, a childish smile overtaking my expression.

Callista stood above me with a concerned expression- wondering why exactly I was laughing like a madman.

"Look, look," I whispered, pulling back the neckline of my shirt to expose something I'd never thought I'd see.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Well, nothing marks-wise.

The marks on my collarbones had receded. Now they only reached my shoulders.

"Oh, Jordan," Callista breathed, kneeling in front of me with a grin on her face. "I told you we'd figure this out someday."

"It worked for Nico too." I informed her- possibly the widest smile I'd maintained in a long time stretching over my lips. "The majority of his marks are gone. Vanished." I whispered in glee.

"They're not all gone?" Callista wondered. "Who else has he seen?"

"No one." I replied, sighing in the hopes that this excess happiness would be expelled with my breath. It was making me act funny. "It's his."

She helped me to my feet, and the others in the hall- who had been watching from a safe distance away from the crazy laughing girl- found it safe enough to approach.

"Glad to see you out of the hospital." Percy greeted, tipping his head to me in his typical no-effort greetings. "Everything alright with him? You two were arguing, weren't you?" He wondered.

"Oh yeah," I sighed. "He's fine. Just as stubborn as ever." I shrugged it off, and Callista sort of sent me a glare- as if to demand why I wasn't telling them. I glared back.

Not yet.

I'll tell them all individually.

If I explained now how I had managed to get rid of my personal affliction, I'd also have to explain the emotions dump. I planned to tell them all separately so that I could then emote privately, instead of right here and now with no previous planning.

Emotions and social situations still aren't my strong point.

I'd be glad to avoid those situations if I could.

A little light in the middle of the hallway turned on, and with it a screeching noise that made me clap my hands over my ears.

"What is that?" Callista demanded, after jumping almost a foot in the air and immediately diving behind me.

"Fire alarm." Jason said, a frown tugging at his mouth. "I guess it's just a false-"

"This is not a drill." Dionysus intoned over the loudspeaker. "Everyone prepare to gather your tenants and make your way outside to your previously assigned spot."

Even in the midst of what seemed to be an actual fire, Dionysus still sounded bored.

"This basically means we can't leave our hallways until Athena comes to get us." Annabeth explained to my utterly confused expression.

"What is going on?" Nico demanded angrily, flinging his door open again- and throwing a scathing look at me as if it was my fault. When he caught sight of the flashing and screaming fire alarm that was making me wince with every shrill shout, the anger on his face slipped into exasperation.