Thea was happy to be home as Hermes landed in her living room. After spending God knows how long with Apollo, she was beginning to feel like a piece of meat. That God had to be one of the sleaziest men she'd ever met. She shuddered to think what Zeus was like. Hermes had told her that Apollo was tame compared to him.

Sighing, she stretched out a kink in her neck. Her mind was reeling from information overload and she just wanted to lie down. It was hard to believe that she'd just said goodbye to Shae this morning. Everything felt so surreal. The God making himself comfortable on her couch  reminded her this was reality, though.

"What are you doing?"

Hermes reached over and grabbed the TV remote from the coffee table."Getting comfortable. I snooped around last time I was here and there's only one bed. Unless you want to share?"

His eyebrows rose suggestively and Thea rolled her eyes. "Dream on. I thought you hated me, anyway?"

"I do, but I can still utilise that hate for a more passionate release."

Thea flushed and his smile grew.

"Just stick to hating me," she muttered. "Don't you have your own home to go to?"

"Yes, but for now my home is this couch. Until you can control air, I'll be slumming it here, and then we'll move on."

She snorted. "I'm sorry you have to slum it here with us mere mortals. I didn't realise we would be starting as soon as we got back."

Hermes leaned back on the couch and put his feet on her coffee table. "Have I not mentioned numerous times that time is of the essence?"

Thea walked over and kicked his feet off her coffee table, making him frown. "You have, but you're not staying here. If you have to teach me, that's fine - we'll both suffer together - but I refuse to let you sleep on my couch - or in my bed!" she added as Hermes opened his mouth.

He snapped it shut, watching her calmly. "Sorry, Peaches, but I'm not letting you out of my sight. There are Titans wandering this realm who would love to kill you and trust me when I say this, they won't be quick about it."

Thea's resolve weakened. She hated that he made sense. She was about to reply when her phone rang. The number was unknown but she answered. "Hello?"

"Thea? Thank God! Are you all right? Where are you?"

Her heart quickened as she recognised the voice. "I'm fine, Josh. I'm at my apartment."

Hermes’ eyes narrowed at the mention of Josh and Thea turned her back to him.

"What happened to you yesterday?" Josh demanded. "You disappeared with the guy that no one knows, and I've been calling you all night."

Thea quickly moved her phone away from her ear to check the time. It was eight o'clock in the morning, the day after the funeral. She spun back to face Hermes.

"W-why is it tomorrow, today?" she stuttered. "We weren't gone that long!"

"Time varies a little with the passing between realms." Hermes shrugged his shoulders.

It irked her that he had known that and hadn't bothered to tell her.

"- ello? Thea, are you still there?"

She quickly moved her phone back to her ear. "Sorry, I'm still here. That guy is an old friend from out of town," she lied. "He came to look after me because I wasn't coping well and I turned my phone off. I guess I didn't think anyone would notice."

"Of course I would notice, Thea." His voice grew soft. "I care about you."

It felt like someone had told her she'd won the lottery. Silently, she jumped up and down, trying to suppress her glee. Hermes watched her with amusement, eyebrows raised.

Forgetting she had an audience, she stopped and poked her tongue out at him. "Sorry you were worried," she said breathlessly to Josh and decided to take a chance. "Can I make it up to you, somehow?"

Thea could hear the smile in his voice as he said, "What about a movie on Friday night? That might make me feel better. Of course if it's too soon after Shae -"

"It isn't!" She hastened to explain. "I mean, I think it will do me some good. I need to try and get back to normal."

"What about your friend?" His voice grew hard as he mentioned Hermes. "Will he be able to spare you for a night?"

She glanced at Hermes who was busy looking at the TV guide. "He'll be gone by then. So I'll see you Friday?"

"I'll pick you up once I'm off the clock around eight."

"Great. See you then."

"Bye, Thea."

"Bye."  She ended the call, feeling elated.

She had a date.

A real bona fide date with Josh Cooper!

She was grinning stupidly at her phone when Hermes decided to douse her good mood. "You'll need to cancel that date, Thea."

He flicked on the TV and started watching one of her recorded episodes of Criminal Minds. She sat on the opposite end of the couch.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because, you've got training to do. We don't have time to waste on some guy trying to get into your pants."

"He is not just some guy," she said hotly. "He is the guy! I've been waiting for Josh to ask me out for three months. There's no way in hell I'm cancelling! Anyway, we're only going to the movies - I think I can be spared for a few hours. Just think of it as a chance to be away from me."

"I'm looking forward to it already," he muttered, caving in. He turned to glare at her. "You will come back when I tell you to and just know, I'll be keeping an eye on you."

"Gee, thanks so much," she scowled. Crossing her arms, she settled into the couch to watch the episode, even though she knew she needed to sleep.

It was a re-run she had missed. The victims were suburban housewives who were raped and murdered with their eyes glued open. An image came on the screen; the victim's eyes, staring lifelessly, and suddenly it was Shae looking back at her.

Thea paled, no longer interested in watching her favourite character, Dr. Reid. No matter how hard she tried, the image of Shae just wouldn't fade from her mind.

The screen went black and she blinked, confused. She turned to see Hermes place the remote back on the coffee table.

"Why'd you turn it off?"

"You should try and get a few hours sleep." He spoke quietly. "We'll start going through the basics once you've rested."

"But what about the epis -"

"I've already seen it," he interrupted. "It's not a very good one."

Standing up, he pulled her to her feet. "Come on, time to sleep."

Thea panicked as he dragged her to her bedroom. "Wait, I can -"

"Relax. I'm only making sure you go to bed. Get your mind out of the gutter."

Opening her bedroom door, he pushed her inside. "I'll wake you in a few hours."

"But I'm not that tired -"

"Bloody hell, stop arguing with me, woman, and get some sleep!" He slammed the door.

Thea glared at the back of her door. That impatient bastard -she didn't know how she was going to live with him. Maybe if she learned quick enough, she could use the air to blast him out of her apartment. The thought of him getting knocked off his feet pleased her and she sat on the edge of her bed with that pleasant image in her head.

Laying back, she tried closing her lids but Shae's eyes were waiting for her. Happiness faded and she stared at the ceiling. It would be a long time before she could sleep.

*                             *                             *                             *                             *

After tossing and turning for two hours, Thea finally drifted off to sleep. She dreamed of running through her forest again, trying to find Lissandre. Instead she found Shae, lying in a small grove, surrounded by dead grass. The dream repeated itself before she finally slipped into a deep sleep.

She wasn't asleep for long, though before she was being shaken awake. "Rise and shine, Peaches. Time to start training."

Groaning, she slapped his hand away. "Five more minutes...and don't call me Peaches."

"No chance on both counts, Peaches. Now get up before I have to get inventive with ways to make you."

Instantly she was wide awake. Shooting up, she managed to untangle her legs and stand beside her bed.

Hermes watched her, arms crossed against his chest, his trademark smirk plastered on his face. He'd changed clothes, wearing a white t-shirt and black jeans which fit perfectly. His hair was combed back from his face. He looked like he'd had a good sleep which pissed Thea off.

"Where did you get new clothes?" she asked, as Hermes asked, "Did you actually sleep?"

"Of course I did," she lied not wanting him to know her problems.

He continued to stare and Thea snapped. "What?"

"Nothing, I just never saw Lissandre when she just woke up. It's nice to know she looked like shit every now and then."

"I'm not -"

"Lissandre, I know," he finished. "Get changed, I've made some food. Once you've eaten we'll start."

"What about your clothes?" Thea demanded. "And how do you know how to cook?"

He ran a hand through his hair, causing a few strands to fall in his eyes. "Do you always ask so many damn questions? I went back to my home to change my clothes and I know how to cook because every idiot knows how to cook! I've spent many years on Earth, Thea, and believe it or not, if you're smart enough you pick up a few things. Now, will you shut up and get changed?"

"As soon as you leave, I will!" she snapped.

Hermes strode out the door and shut it loudly. Thea made a small noise of frustration. How could one guy piss her off so much? She was almost missing Apollo's leering.

Almost.

Undressing, she went into her ensuite and quickly showered and brushed her teeth. She slipped on her favourite pair of black jeans and white Ramones t-shirt, only to strip them off when she realised she was matching Hermes.

"If I went out in that, he would have lorded it over me all afternoon." she groaned.

Throwing them on the floor, she went to her cupboard and pulled out a pair of red skinny jeans and a black singlet which said, 'Zombies hate fast food', with a picture of zombies chasing someone running, underneath. Slipping them on, she then tied her hair in a knot on top of her head.

After deciding she looked decent enough, she walked out into the kitchen. Two plates of muffins and eggs were waiting for her. Hermes was leaning against the kitchen counter as if he'd been living there longer than a day.

She eyed the food. "Just how much do you expect me to eat?"

"You'll need your strength while you train." Hermes was peering at her singlet. "Nice top by the way."

"Thanks -"

"I don't think it's nice for the reasons you're thinking, so don't thank me." His eyes twinkled as Thea flushed.

Turning on her heel she stormed back to her bedroom.

"Where are you going?" He called. "You need to eat."

"I'm going to get a jacket, you jackass!"

She heard him chuckle and she was more determined than ever to learn how to fling him out a window.