Hi everyone! Thanks to all the readers who have stuck it through to chapter three!

And to all my reviewers: thank you for inspiring me to continue this story! I've had so many ideas swimming through my head, I didn't know where to start but reading your reviews convinced me to keep writing :)

CA Hawkins - I'm glad you like the story! They always say to write the story you want to read, so I decided to!

Quihi - I completely agree. I tried not to make Annabeth too out of character, but she does tend to lash out when she's stressed. And yes, if he continues the way he is, Leo is going to be in serious trouble, so lets hope he gets the help he needs soon!

Irene2005 - OMG I love when stories expose pieces of Leo's past! I don't think I'm going to go too far into his past with this story, but I hope to write about it sometime.

Tala May - Thank you! It is great to know that my story isn't bad!

As a warning, there is continual description of an injury and some minor mentions of blood in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I own nothing! At all! Except the clothes I'm wearing and my iPad, which are technically mine. But none of this story is my property. ENJOY! :D

"Leo!" My cabin mates swarm around me as soon as I step over the threshold into Cabin 9.

"Hey guys! What's up? Is everyone awake?"

"LEO!" Harley runs up to me. "You were a little late and I was wondering where you were and I woke everyone up for you and I got ready and I even brushed my teeth, see!"

"Hey Harley! Great job! Thanks for getting everyone up, we wouldn't want to be late to breakfast!"

"Leo! Hey, where were you this morning?" Nyssa walks up to me, her hands on her hips.

"Oh, hi Nyssa. I was just checking over the ship a bit, and Annabeth needed to see me, so I just headed up to the Bunker a bit early today." I flashed her a grin.

"You didn't wake up too early, right Leo? You need to rest too you know!" She glares at me, full Nyssa style, demanding me to tell the truth.

"Me? Wake up early? Nah, Nys, I was up barely before any of you!" Technically, this is the truth, because I did doze off for a bit in the Bunker and wake up a little late. Raising my voice, I shout to the rest of the cabin, "C'mon guys, time for breakfast! Hurry up!"

As we head out of the cabin, Nyssa tosses me a friendly punch to the shoulder. I wince as her punch lands a few inches away from the new wound: even though my cabin mates know to pull their punches for the Scrawny McShizzle that I am, they still pack quite a blow. Spots dance in my vision as I grab the doorpost to steady myself, thanking that everyone had already gone on ahead of me as I gulped in air and blinked hard to regain focus.

I jog down to breakfast, keeping my injured arm close to my body and wincing as it is jostled with every step. At breakfast, I pick at my meal, tossing most of it into the bronze brazier and cutting the rest into the smallest pieces I can, before murmuring a quick excuse and slipping away to work on the ship.

The next few days pass almost in a blur of agony and exhaustion. All of Cabin 9 furiously works on the ship, and all of us are exhausted to the bone by the end of the day. Annabeth periodically comes in to check on us, and I dread every time that she does. Sure, she can give some helpful insights and a different perspective when something isn't working, but I know what comes every time she does. Sure, she'll smile at the rest of the cabin, appreciating every little thing that the others do, especially the younger ones. However, as soon as we are alone, she tears into me, degrading me for my laziness and stressing the importance of the Argo II. I let her rant and rave and push me around, because I know how stressed she is trying to manage the Athena campers and search for Percy, but I wish that she would just give me a break sometimes!

As time goes on, I can feel myself practically withering away. I hide my now-skeletal frame under baggy hoodies, and my pants rely almost entirely on a belt or tool belt to hold them up.

I sigh as I hoist myself upwards to the top of the ship, watching my footing to make sure I don't slip, when Jason and Piper's voices ring out. "Leo! Hi!" Startled, I slip down, thanking that I had tied a harness around my waist, as I swing to crash into the side of the ship. I cry out as I connect with the side of the frame, and my arm burns worse than the time I spilled liquid nitrogen on myself. I grapple for a handhold before lowering myself down, crumpling to the floor.

"Leo! Leo! Are you okay? Stay with me!" I blink as Piper screams in my face, and the unintentional charmspeak that slips into her voice snaps me back to alertness.

"Hey Pipes! Hi Jason! What's up? Here to check out the ship?"

"Leo... are you okay?" Jason peers at me.

"Sure, no problem, just a little startled is all!" I clench my right fist behind my back, digging my fingernails into my callused palm in an effort to distract myself from the debilitating pain radiating from the wound, which I am sure has opened up again.

"Jasonnnnnnnnnnnn" A voice rings out from nearby, and Jason swears under his breath.

"Damn it, I forgot I had offered to teach a few newbies how to fight using different styles of swordplay!" He runs out of the cabin, Piper hot on his heels.

I sigh with relief when they leave, snagging the first aid kit as I stumble over to a corner desk and drop into the chair. I unwrap the bandages carefully, wincing when the now scarlet cloths catch on patches of dried blood. I remove all the wrappings to see the gash, fiery red and sluggishly leaking trails of blood. I wince, there is no way I could stand to stitch the cut back up. I move to grab new bandages and stop as the world blurs around me. Not good. I grit my teeth and begin to wind the bandages around the open wound, but he pain begins to overtake me, and the sleepless, starving weeks are catching up to me. Before I have even finished wrapping the wound I am unable to bear it anymore, and I slip out of the chair onto the cold floor and lie there, shivering. I furiously blink and dig my fingernails into my right palm, trying to remain conscious.

"Leo? Are you there?" Nyssa and Harley's voices ring out, echoing through the bunker.

"H-Harl..." I trail off, unable to finish the name.

"LEO!" Harley runs up to me. "What happened! Oh my gods your arm!"

"Leo! You've been injured!"

"Way to st-state the obvious, Nys" I slur out. Nyssa picks me up in a cradle effortlessly, frowning when she feels my ribs through my thin shirt. She runs out of the bunker screaming for a medic.

"Stay with me Leo, you're going to be okay." That's all I hear before the world spins and I drift off into a restless slumber.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR READING!