cover you now ; pjo

seven ; o-o-oh child

"Ok, Gabi, truth or dare?"

They had finally gotten on a bus with two row facing seats, and now the five demigods sat comfortably as their Greyhound trudged steadily along through the North Dakota wilderness. Carolyn wondered absentmindedly if that's what the prophecy had meant by "big sky". She was wrapped in one of Gabi's many blankets in the window seat. Stef sat in her row, but on the aisle seat, munching on her breakfast (blueberry poptarts), as she had just woken up. Her headphones lay around her neck, and Carolyn could faintly hear "Piano Man". Across from her sat a bright eyed Ben, who had been the first to wake up. Anela was in the middle, legs curled up beneath her, and Gabi wore one of her blankets like a robe on the aisle seat.

"Um..." Gabi's voice faded off and she tilted her head in thought, her glasses slipping down her nose slightly. "Truth I guess? I want to save the few dares we could do for later."

"Ok." Anela let her blanket fall from her shoulders to her lap and pulled the sleeves of her sweater over her palms. "Last time you were kissed?" She smirked at Ben, who choked back a laugh.

Gabi rolled her eyes. "You guys are impossible. But..." She placed her hands in her lap. "I sort of kissed Oliver Wood."

Everyone immediately freaked out.

"Wait, when?" Stef asked.

"The night before we left."

The group erupted into babbles. Gabi shook her head, laughing.

"Five minutes till we reach Bismarck for a quick stop." A voice said over the intercom.

"Look, I appreciate how much you guys are interested in my love life, but it was just that. A kiss." She paused. "Ok, maybe we can freak out a little."

The freaking out lasted roughly around 15 seconds. Finally, Gabi spoke again. "Ben, truth or dare?"

"Truth," Ben answered, tracing shapes on the foggy window.

"Do you like Peter P. from Athena?"

He stopped tracing the shapes, and snapped his head towards Gabi, shaking his head vigorously. "N-no! What're you talking about-?" His voice cracked on 'talking' and Gabi smiled.

"Sure you don't, buddy."

"Wait, like, my brother Peter?" Stef said, mouth full of poptart. "The cute, kinda dorky one? Kinda short?"

Ben put his head in his hands and nodded sheepishly.

"Aww."

Carolyn felt the bus wheels stop rolling.

"60 minute stop in Bismarck, North Dakota begins now. The bus will depart at 11:30 AM."

"Ok, gang. We'll eat an early lunch and stock supplies and then get back on. Bundle up, it's 44° out there," Gabi said motheringly, pulling on her winter coat and backpack.

"Shit, North Dakota is cold. I'd like to go back to Sacramento, or even Long Island, please." Anela stood up straight.

Carolyn finished folding up her her blanket on her seat. She slipped on her coat, grabbed her bow and backpack, and followed the others off the bus.

•••••

Despite being the capital of the state, Bismarck was a tiny town. Well, tiny compared to New York City and Chicago. They walked up Main Street. Gabi stopped at a shop to grab some cheap mittens for everyone, and Stef stopped in another shop and grabbed 'I've been to Bismarck!' pins for everybody from a gift shop.

Finally, they reached the end of Main Street.

"Where are we going to eat?" Carolyn asked.

Gabi opened her mouth to respond, but another voice, a sweet, smooth voice, spoke.