CH 22-LEO.
Leo had told himself he would tell Annabeth the truth and nothing but the truth. But as she sat herself down on his hand-made swivel chair, her laptop on her desk, the USB he had used clutched in her thin hand, and those large gray eyes fixed on him he was suddenly tongue-tied.
He couldn't. She would hate him. Annabeth hated snoops and he had defintely snooped into her private business. But... he had to tell the truth.
"Uhh..." he stammered. Always a good start. "Well maybe now is not a..."
He expected Annabeth to snap at him, to question him, to punch his arm, to give him a deathstare... anything but what she did.
Her chin started trembling and she started crying. Softly, but she was definitely crying.
Leo's heart felt like it had jumped into his throat from pure surprise. "Annabeth!" he cried. "What's wrong?"
"It's all my fault, Leo," she said between sobbing.
"What is... what are you..." Leo, for once in his life was at a loss for words. For the first time, Leo Valdez did not have a comeback.
"It's my fault you guys are keeping secrets. It's all my fault for becoming insane!" Leo flinched at the word 'insane'.
How had a machine-person like Leo gotten himself stuck in a room with a crying daughter of Athena? And more importantly, what was he supposed to DO? Pat Annabeth on the back? Hand her a tissue? Pour her a glass of water?
He decided to do the last, since it would involve turning his back to Annabeth, therefore she wouldn't see the surprise written on his face. He busied his hands with the glass and yhe sink, filling it to the brim, then handing it to Annabeth.
"Thanks," she hiccuped, taking a drink from it.
"I'll just go get Percy," Leo said, still awkwardly standing in the middle of the room.
"No," said Annabeth, splashing some water over her tear-stained face. "He's on guard duty with Jason. Don't bother him."
"Um." Leo didn't know if that had another meaning. Why were girls so complicated? "Sure."
"First Piper then you." Annabeth sniffed. "It's not like I became insane on purpose. Why can't you guys understand that?"
Leo sat down on his bed. "What are you talking about, Beth?"
Annabeth looked at him and a wisp of her old daughter-of-Athena glare flashed in her eyes. "What did you call me?"
"Beth," Leo said, grinning. "It's a really sweet name, and since you're the opposite of sweet..."
"Never call me that again," Annabeth said, with a small smile.
"Fine. But what happened with Beauty Queen? Did you guys..." Leo didn't want to say the word 'fight'.
"Had a fight, yes," Annabeth finished with a sniffle.
"About what?"
"She didn't want to tell me something. Just because I went insane!" Annabeth hiccuped.
"Beth, I don't think that's why," Leo said honestly. "I think... well, we're all keeping a secret aren't we?" Leo could practically SEE the gears in Annabeth's brain turning as he said that.
"I suppose. But why won't you tell me about your USB?"
Leo took a deep breath. There was no getting out of this one.
"Fine. So, are you ready to hear about a lot of stuff?" his hands shook. He needed to busy them. His ADHD was kicking in.
"Sure," Annabeth said, her eyes puffy but bright.
"Remember when... I kind of disappeared a while ago?" Not waiting for her to nod, he rushed on, scared that if he stopped he would never say it. "Well, I went to the place no man finds twice."
Now it was said, his hands felt limp and sweaty. He could hardly face Annabeth's gaze, but forced himself to look into her gray eyes, in time to see realization dawning on her.
"Oh," she said slowly. Then understanding flashed in her eyes. "Oh!"
Leo looked back down.
"So you went to Calypso." Leo looked up at the sound of that name. It sounded musical and sweet. Just like her.
"Yes," Leo said.
"And you fell in love." Annabeth smiled sadly. "You typical Leo Valdez."
"Falling in love isn't typical," Leo started but Annabeth held up a hand to silence him.
"I know, Leo. Falling in love isn't something you can control. I've been in love before."
The past tense caused Leo to stop staring at his moist, calloused palms. "Been?"
Annabeth smiled, a small sad smile. "After all that's happened, I'm not even sure Percy loves me anymore."
"But... but that's insane!" Leo sputtered, causing Annabeth to flinch as flecks of his spit landed on her face. "Oops, sorry. But that's insane, Beth-"
"-don't call me that, I said!"
"- that you think he doesn't love you! Of course, he loves you. You were holding hands all through dinner!" Leo exclaimed, frazzled.
Annabeth ran a hand through her blond hair. Leo noticed that it had recently been washed, and brushed. "Maybe you're right. But I was in his room this afternoon-"
"What were you doing in there?" Leo interrupted, slightly traumatised.
Annabeth glared at him, and he actually took a step back. "It's none of your business. All that matters is I saw a message from one of our old acquaintances, Rachel Dare. And I know it's crazy to imagine something was going on between them - I mean, Rachel's an Oracle - but still!"
"Beth," Leo said, "You're just being slightly paranoid if you ask me. It's obvious Percy likes you okay? Calm it."
"Thanks Leo," Annabeth said. "But you still haven't told me why you had my USB."
"Oh, that." Now Leo had told his Calypso secret, the USB one seemed microscopic in comparison. "I saw a file titled Calypso, and I wanted to know more," he said matter-of-factly. "That's all."
"Okay." Annabeth smiled. "Next time you wanna take a look, ask me first, okay?"
"Will do," Leo said grinning his usual impish grin, and opening the door for Annabeth. "See you later, Beth."
She grinned, and marched around the corner. Leo closed the door of his room, still marveling that he had talked to a girl un-awkwardly for a whopping fifteen minutes.
***
The next morning, Leo was up bright and early. They were scheduled to arrive in Corinth that day, but of course, Leo's friends didn't know that. And, from a letter of instructions Dionysus had left on board, Leo was confused.
Take two person quests, the letter read. you must get to know each other better if you want to defeat the giants, it's crucial. I've taken the liberty to make the teams.
John and Annie.
Finn and Paige.
Perry and Hannah.
Next to each pairs of names, I've included a code which I hope you brats, especially Lucas Valers, will be smart enough to understand. If you don't, too bad. The trip will take place two days after I left your ship.
Lucas, you will use the day's time to return ti the place you thought you'd never return to. And I hope you are smart enough to find the way. If not, TB4U! (did I spell that right?) I mean, what am I supposed to say?
Good luck and with regards.
D.
Of course, at the beginning, Leo had been less than thrilled that he was to be, yet again, a seventh wheel, but he thought he knew where the place he thought he'd never rreturn to was. And boy, was he psyched.
As for the others, well, Leo couldn't spend all his time figuring stuff out for them, could he? I mean, he was Supreme Commander, not Supreme Servant. He had done enough for the others, and it was time for them to start figuring out their code by themselves.
He could see Corinth approaching, and felt a thrill in his stomach. The quests were probably somewhere in Corinth. Except his, of course. He couldn't wait for Beth to wake up so he could ask her for er USB - more information about how to find Ogygia was probably in there. He had devoured the information on Calypso's file in a minute and re and re read it.
And guess what he'd found at the bottom?
That's right - an e-mail address.
goddess_calypso@empirestate.ol
And so, he'd been typing furiously, trying to contact her, but every e-mail sounded wrong. And he was dying to talk to her. Literally.
He consulted his watch, which read 6:34. Breakfast was at 8:00, so he had a long time to go. But then the deck doors opened, and Hazel emerged looking pretty in her denim vest and white capris.
"Leo?" Hazel asked as surprised to see him as he was to see her.
"Hey." He grinned sheepishly. "I'm a morning person. Been up since four."
"Four thirty," Hazel teased, leaning against the railing next to him. "I heard you walk up."
"Stalking me, weren't you?"
To Leo's surprise, Hazel blushed. Woah. Had he just made a GIRL blush?
"Nah, I was just seasick so I was in my bathroom." she supplied.
"Oh." He couldn't think of anything to say, so he just stared at the horizon. The sun rising on Corinth was really, really beautiful.
Compelled by a sudden brotherly affection, he put his arm around Hazel. She didn't seem to mind, but smiled at him.
"Friends?" she asked.
"Friends," he confirmed.
And they watched the sunrise until the breakfast bell rang.
Hiiii! So I'm in Spanish class now, and I just updated. Wonderful, right? And I have fifteen minutes of time left, so I might work om CG. Meh. Uhhh, well thanks for reading. And ik you're all excited for Leo's day at "the place he didn't think he would return to" right? Well, that's the next Leo chapter! The chapters in between will be the other three quests!
Dedicated to our friend @LiinaaKh for annoying us to update and suggesting ideas. You, Liinaa, are a very annoying child. ;) But, also a very nice one.
I know you hate long A/N's, so just one more quick thing. What do you think will happen between Piper and Annabeth? We've got it mostly figured out, but your ideas are cool too! :D
Nine days left for them to save the world! Bye now! :)
Rachel xxx