"Welcome back to Chicago, Stefan." The trio finally arrived at the destination.

Exiting the car, Percy made her way over to the other side of the vehicle with Rudy in her arms. Stefan and Klaus were looking at the city.

The vampire asked, "What are we doing here?"

"I know how much you loved it here. Bringing back memories of the good old ripper days."

"Blocked out most of them," Stefan responded. "A lot of blood, a lot of partying. The details are all a blur."

Ew.

The hybrid spoke, "Well that is a crying shame. The details are what makes it legend."

"Chicago was magical," he continued.

Stefan looked unimpressed. "Yeah, well, I'll take your word for it. Like I said I don't remember most of it."

"Not having your memories sucks." Percy commented.

The blond raised an eyebrow at her. She just shook her head.

The demigod remembered when Hera manipulated her mind for the sake of uniting the camps.

"Ready to get down to business, then?" Klaus asked.

Stefan looked at the hybrid quizzically. "Why am I still with you? We had our fun, your hybrids failed. I mean, don't you want to move on?"

"We're going to see my favorite witch first thing in the morning. If anyone can help us with our hybrid problem, it's her." He answered.

Annabeth hadn't found anything relating to the hybrid problem yet. So, Percy was simply waiting.

"In the mean time, we're going to stay at another hotel for the night. Be ready to leave early." The original instructed.

Percy groaned, "But waking up early sucks. Can't we sleep in a bit?"

He chuckled, "Maybe, if I'm feeling nice, I'll let you sleep an extra hour."

"Hm," she pondered his words. "How often do you feel like being nice?"

Stefan grumbled from beside them. "Have you met him? He never feels like being nice."

Klaus smiled, "Well, in my experience, being mean is quite fun." He gestured back to the hotel in front of them. "Shall we?"

Percy grabbed her bag from the car and swung it over her shoulder. She continued holding Rudy in her other arm.

The demigod was ready to go back to another hotel if it meant sleeping in a nice bed.

Yay! Sleep!

✦✦✦

Percy couldn't fall asleep.

She twisted and turned for what felt like hours, but was only really minutes.

Dam.

She huffed and looked around the room. The demigod debated what she could do that would help her sleep.

A beautiful thought popped in her head. Food!

Percy moved the blankets off of her and got out of the bed. She was planning on letting Rudy continue sleeping in his spot on the bed, but once she stood up, the puppy jumped up as well. His tail wagged excitedly.

The raven haired beauty laughed slightly. "You wanna go on an adventure with me?"

His tail continued wagging and he licked her hand.

I guess that's a yes.

She took a step back and called him. "Come on, Rudy!"

He happily jumped off the bed and followed her.

"Good boy!" She whisper shouted. Percy grabbed her wallet off the counter.

The duo made their way out of the room and began venturing down the hallway.

Percy's hopes for food were answered when she found vending machines in the hall.

With a smile, she skipped over to one of the vending machines. Rudy excitedly ran behind her.

Once they arrived, the demigod evaluated her snack options.

She decided to get chips and chocolate chip cookies. Percy fed the money into the machine and eagerly waited for her snacks. Once the packages of food fell into the compartment for her to grab, she stuck her hand in to get them.

Yes! Food.

She and Rudy walked back to her hotel room. Her eyes were drawn to the hotel room next to hers. It was Klaus' room.

Her feet carried her to his door.

Should I-

She shook her head. No. No, of course not.

She stepped back to her own door.

But when he slept in the same room as me after my nightmare, I slept really well. She thought.

She huffed. The sea green eyed girl couldn't decide what she wanted to do.

The demigod stepped in front of his door once more, before simply returning back in front of her own.

Rudy simply sat on the ground and watched her.

She just wanted to sleep.

"Dam," the raven haired beauty mumbled.

The door next to her room opened, and the figure of Klaus was revealed. "May I ask what you're doing?"

Her head turned to him instantly and she looked like a deer caught in headlights. She blinked several times and pressed her lips in a line. Percy opened her mouth to respond, then simply shook her head. "Um," she looked at the snacks in her hand, before bringing her gaze back to him. "Food?"

He chuckled. "So the reason you've been pacing between our doors is because of the food your holding?"

Her eyes widened as she looked at him. Klaus thought she looked adorable.

"You could hear that?"

With an amused smile on his lips, he nodded.

"Dam." She turned her head to lightly glare at her own door.

Damn his vampire hearing.

A laugh escaped his lips. "Do you need anything, love?"

"Do you need anything?" She sassed.

He smiled and shook his head. "No."

"Good," she replied.

"Good."

A moment of silence passed. Klaus spoke again, "So you don't need anything?"

The demigod huffed and looked away. Dang.

"I, uh, I couldn't sleep," Percy admitted quietly as her gaze landed on her food.

"Okay," he responded.

"Okay." Her eyes locked with his again.

The most devilish smirk she had ever seen appeared on his face. "So you thought you'd rather be in my bed."

She coughed and choked on nothing.

"Psh. What? No, of course not. That would, that would be so weird." Her voice sounded the opposite of convincing. "But, also, yes, yes, I did think that."

He laughed. "Hm, so what is so great about my bed that you would want to be in it?"

"Just that the hotel people might have given you a better bed than the one in my room," she said, creating a weak excuse. "That's of course the only reason. And has absolutely nothing to do with you." She still did not sound convincing in the slightest.

He grinned, "Of course."

She narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "Hey, this is just about sleeping. Just sleeping. This is not about...other stuff." For the first time during the conversation, she actually meant what she said.

A sound of amusement left the hybrid's lips. "I didn't think it was about other stuff."

"But you're being all arrogant and weird," she pointed out and gestured to him.

Klaus replied with a playful smile, "I'm always arrogant and weird."

Percy realized how true those words were. "True."

She shook her head, as she redirected the topic to the matter at hand. "Can Rudy and I sleep in your room or not?"

The hybrid smiled arrogantly and stepped to the side, giving her space to walk in.

She playfully glared at him as she and Rudy stepped past him into the room.

Percy walked further into the room and threw herself on the bed. Rudy jumped up on the bed as well, and curled up in a ball at the end of the mattress. The demigod simply stared at the ceiling. The snacks from the vending machine were still in her hands.

Klaus smiled in amusement, "So, is the bed comfier, love?"

She sat back up and shrugged. "I dunno."

The raven haired beauty opened her bag of chips and ate one.

Standing next to the bed, the hybrid questioned, "Would you prefer me to sleep somewhere else in the room, or are we sharing the bed? I don't mind sleeping on the couch, if it would make you more comfortable."

Her face softened as she looked at him. Shaking her head, she pat the spot on the bed next to her. "No, you can sleep here." She sent him a cute smile. "I mean, I already invaded your room. The least I can do, is let you sleep in the bed."

His blue eyes looked gentle. "Love, I don't mind you wanting to sleep in here. Truly, I just want you to be comfortable."

She nodded slightly, her big sea green eyes seemed more adorable than normal. Percy pat the spot next to her again. "It's okay."

Percy sent him a small smile, and held out her bag of chips. "Do you want one?"

He made a sound of amusement as he sat down next to her on the bed. He took a chip from the bag and ate it.

She didn't normally allow others to have some of her food, let alone willingly offer it.

Her mind was arguing with itself about why.

Well, his diet probably mostly consisted of blood. So he could use some new variety in the things he's eating. I'm being charitable, that's all.

Klaus took another chip. "So, besides the comfiness of the bed, is there another reason you couldn't sleep?"

She shrugged. "I dunno." The demigod ate a chip. "Sometimes, I just can't sleep."

The demigod glanced at him, and then brought her gaze back to the bag of chips. "And I remembered when we slept in the same room after I had that nightmare, that I slept well. So I thought that maybe it would work again."

Percy shrugged again. "I don't know. Maybe just knowing someone is nearby makes me feel like I have some sort of protection from the nightmares."

He nodded. It was silent between them for a few seconds, but it didn't feel awkward.

Klaus broke the silence and sent her a teasing smile. "But you prefer that person to be me and not Stefan."

The demigod laughed and their eyes met again. "Yeah, well Stefan's grumpy."

"Yeah, he is quite grumpy," the hyb my rid smiled in amusement. She could see his dimples.

(I'm sorry. 'hyb my rid' is just too good for me to fix back to hybrid)

A small smile of her own appeared on her features. She opened up the package of cookies.

Klaus rose an eyebrow. "Please try not to get crumbs everywhere."

"I'm not gonna get crumbs everywhere," she said as she bit into a chocolate chip cookie and crumbs fell around her.

Klaus seemed mildly disappointed. "Percy."

"Nik."

He continued, "You're going to get cookie crumbs all over the bed."

"What's that? You want cookie crumbs everywhere?" She asked teasingly and started moving towards him on the bed, holding a cookie up threateningly.

Klaus pressed his lips into a thin line. "Love."

She took another bite of a cookie as messily as possible. "Om nom nom," she said, making sound effects.

"Percy."

She held out the remaining bits of the cookie over him. "I'm gonna crush it."

"Don't crush the cookie." He instructed.

"I'm gonna crush the cookie," Percy responded.

She couldn't help it. She was rebellious by nature in a way that made her want to do the opposite of what she was told—at all times.

Klaus sighed. "Why-"

She began crushing the cookie and he cupped his hands out under hers, causing the crumbs to fall into his hands.

The hybrid moved his hands away from the bed and let the crushed cookie pieces fall to the ground.

With a clenched jaw, he turned his head back to look at the demigod. She wore an innocent smile.

Klaus groaned. "Why? Why do you put me through such torment?"

Percy's laughter filled the room. "Torment? You're so dramatic."

"I'm not being dramatic." He replied.

She smiled. "Yes, you are."

The demigod reached out to the cookie package to grab the last chocolate chip cookie. Klaus lightly grabbed her wrist.

Percy grinned up at him. "You think you can stop me?"

He sighed again, "No, but I'd appreciate if you got out of bed to eat the cookie."

Laughter escaped her lips again.

Each time he heard her laugh, it got harder to continue being serious about the cookie.

Percy glanced at his hand, which was still gently holding her wrist. "You gonna let go of my wrist?" She asked with a teasing smile.

He instantly let go.

The demigod grinned and grabbed the cookie package. Klaus watched her as she got out of the bed. Standing next to the bed, she removed the final cookie from the package.

After taking a bite from the chocolate chip cookie, the sea green eyed being commented. "It tastes better on the bed."

Klaus made a sound of amusement and playfully rolled his eyes. "I'm sure it does."

Percy smiled as she finished the cookie. She walked over to the trash can in the room to throw out the plastic wrapping.

Returning to the bed, she threw herself on the mattress again. The raven haired beauty glanced up at him. "Hi."

"Hi," he replied in amusement.

Percy moved again and adjusted her position so that she was under the covers of the bed.

The demigod laid on her side, her front facing the hybrid.

Their eyes met. Klaus got up and pulled the blankets up on his side of the bed, before laying down beside her. He moved the blankets so that they were covering him as well.

The original mirrored her position and laid on his side, facing her.

Percy inched closer. The blankets were pulled up high, so they were up to the top of her head. He could only see her face because she was holding the blankets up and facing him, as the blankets covered her. "Have you ever had a sleepover?"

He pondered her question. "I've had people spend the night, yes."

"No, not like that. Just friends sleeping next to each other."

Klaus shrugged slightly, "I suppose not."

"Well, this is kind of a sleepover." She commented.

A hint of a smile appeared on the hybrid's face. "Does that mean you consider me a friend?"

She shrugged. Klaus pointed out, "You said that friends have sleepovers and you called this a sleepover, so it sounds like maybe you consider me a friend." His eyes seemed to hold a little hope.

"Do you want me to see you as a friend?" Percy asked softly.

He didn't meet her eyes. "Not many people would see me as a friend. But the idea of it doesn't sound horrible."

They were already close on the bed. So, Percy reached out and moved her arm so that it was touching his.

His eyes looked back into hers. Klaus moved his wrist and his hand brushed against hers.

Their eyes locked once more. The hybrid moved his hand so the tips of his fingers were pressed against Percy's.

The raven haired beauty regarded their hands. "You have nice hands," she commented.

He was amused by her words. "I have nice hands?"

She nodded. Her fingers moved in between his, but their hands didn't fully interlock, as she continued to move their fingers together. She gently guided their hands to move in sync.

"See?" She questioned. "You have nice hands."

A sound of amusement escaped his lips. "Thank you," he replied. "You have nice hands too."

She gently pressed their palms together, only to slide her hand away, before intertwining their fingers once more.

"And to answer your question, no, I don't think we're friends yet. But you might have a little potential to become one. At the moment, you're kind of a weird acquaintance."

He smiled a little bit, when she said he had potential. Potential, is after all, better than never.

Percy moved her hand away once more and backed up a bit on the bed. She turned away from him and cuddled back into the blankets once more. "Goodnight Nik."

"Goodnight, my acquaintance." He responded. She could hear his smile and feel his eyes on the back of her head.

Percy closed her eyes. "Yeah, okay. 'Night."

☽☽☽

The next morning the three supernatural beings went to go see that witch that Klaus knew to figure out why he couldn't make hybrids.

The three made it to a bar. Percy was carrying Rudy. Walking in, the hybrid questioned Stefan, "Looks familiar, doesn't it?" Klaus was smiling as he looked around the place.

"I can't believe this place is still here." Stefan commented.

A voice from across the bar spoke, "You've gotta be kidding me."

She's really pretty.

Klaus started speaking, "So, a hybrid walks into a bar, says to the bartender—"

"Stop." The woman cut him off. "You may be invincible, but that doesn't make you funny."

Percy grinned. "You are so right."

Gloria looked back and forth between the demigod and the hybrid. She turned to Stefan, "I remember you."

He nodded. "Yeah. You're Gloria."

"Mm-hmm," she hummed.

The vampire tilted his head. "Shouldn't you be..."

Gloria filled in, "Old and dead? Now if I die, who's going to run this place, huh?"

Ha!

Klaus explained, "Gloria's a very powerful witch."

She continued, "I can slow the aging down some. Herbs, and spells. But don't worry, it'll catch up to me one day."

"Stefan, why don't you go and fix us up a little something from behind the bar." The vampire did as he was told.

Klaus gave a pointed look to the demigod, wanting her to follow suit.

She stayed in her spot and responded, "Nah."

The blond gave up and sat down at a table with Gloria. He glanced back at the demigod and gestured to the other seat at the table.

Percy sat down and crossed her legs in a 'criss cross, applesauce' position. She placed the dog on another seat.

"You look ravishing, by the way." The hybrid complimented the witch.

She shook her head and held her hand out in a 'stop' motion. "Don't."

Klaus smirked.

Continuing, she spoke, "I know why you're here. A hybrid out to make more hybrids? That kind of news travels."

"So, what am I doing wrong? I broke the curse." He asked.

Gloria replied. "Obviously you did something wrong. Look, every spell, has a loophole. But a curse that old, we'd have to contact the witch who created it."

Klaus looked a bit upset at the answer. "Well that would be the original witch. She's very dead."

"I know," Gloria spoke. "And for me to contact her, I'll need help."

"Bring me Rebekah."

Percy's ears perked up. Elijah mentioned her.

Klaus looked away. "Rebekah. Rebekah is a bit preoccupied."

I guess being daggered in a box counts as being occupied.

"She has what I need. Bring her to me." Gloria told the blond.

"What is this?" Stefan asked curiously. He was holding something in his hand.

Klaus responded, "Well, I told you, Stefan. Chicago's a magical place."

The vampire looked back up. "But this is me. With you."

"Ooo lemme see." Percy said excitedly as she rushed toward the Salvatore. Taking the photo from his hand, the demigod examined it.

Percy laughed at the sight. A grin spread on her face. "Oh gods! This is precious."

She continued inspecting the image. "Aw, you two were so cute." Percy nudged the Salvatore's arm.

"I still am, love." The hybrid smirked at her.

The raven haired girl sent him a playful smile. "You wish."

⇀⇀⇀

They left the bar and arrived at a warehouse. Gloria agreed to watch Rudy while they were gone. Stefan continued to question the hybrid. "This doesn't make any sense. Why don't I remember you?"

Klaus responded, "You said it yourself, that time had a lot of dark holes."

"But the picture's fantastic. Steffie looks adorable." The sea green eyed girl added.

The Salvatore raised a brow at her. Percy simply smiled at him.

Shaking his head, Stefan returned his attention to Klaus. "No, if you knew me, then why haven't you said anything?"