Love Games (Leo Valdez/ PJO Fan Fiction)

Chapter 10 - Progress Reports

Leo runs ahead of me slightly faster. "You should stay back here. You don't have any weapons," he tells me, concern spreading across his face.

I nod. "I'll go find some. I'll meet you back here."

Leo lets go of my hand. I hadn't realized we've been clutching onto each other the entire time. He glances back at me one last time, the moon illuminating his dark eyes. I want to lean forward and finally let our lips meet, but this isn't the time. 

"Leo, you should really get going," I put my hand on his shoulder, urging him to move on. 

"Alright then. I'll see you soon, Fallon," he gives me one last grave look before running off towards the camp fire. Immediately following Leo's departure, I take off and go to the Aphrodite cabin, that's where my sword is. The sword the my mother gave me when she told me the truth. The fact that Leo used my full name brings be back to the memory the time I first met her.

"Fallon," Aphrodite greeted me with her smooth voice. I was mesmerized by her, she was the most beautiful person, more like people I've ever seen. Her face morphed from faces of different actresses, her hair a never ending kaleidoscope. 

"Who are you?" I backed up, frightened by the sight of Aphrodite. At the time, I didn't even know if she was a threat.

Aphrodite sent a caring look, then held her arms open to me. "I'm your mother."

Instead of leaping right into her arms and crying from joy, I grabbed the hilt of my sword from behind me. "If you're my mother, why did you leave my father and I?" I asked in a threatening, nearly angry tone. 

"I'm not like most mothers," Aphrodite sighed, then waved her hand. Before us, a simple white picnic table with a checkered tablecloth and a tea set appeared along with two white lawn chairs. "Sit, dear."

I reluctantly took a seat but didn't take any of the treats in front of me. My fingers were still wrapped around the hilt of my sword, ready to strike at any given moment. "Why did you leave us?" I demanded to know, gritting my teeth and narrowing my eyes.

"I would have stayed with you if I could, Fallon. But like I said, I'm not like most mothers," she replied, taking a small, dainty sip of her tea. "Sugar, dear?"

I shook my head. "You keep on saying that you're not like most mothers. If you're not normal, what are you?"

"You're probably wandering why you are constantly being attacked by monsters, why you have to carry around that ancient sword you stole from a museum. You're probably thinking that I'm one of them," Aphrodite added. "But I'm not. I would never hurt you. Fallon, after all that had happened, you're going to have to believe me. I'm not only your mother, I'm the Greek Goddess Aphrodite."

"That's bull-" I stopped myself. A thought raced across my mind: it could be true. If all of those monsters had attacked, after all that I'd seen, it could possibly be true. "How is that even possible?" I inquired. 

"You've already seen the impossible," she answered, soothing me with her voice. "I'm a Goddess. I'm one of many Goddesses. There are Gods. Do you remember learning about Greek Mythology?" Aphrodite questioned, but didn't let me answer. "All of it is true, sweetie. Nearly all of it. The Gods exists Zeus-" She was interrupted by a crack of thunder. Aphrodite followed it with some inaudible mumbling. "But yes the Gods exist, along with all of the monsters."

"How can I believe that you're my mother? I'm just me, and you're well, apparently a Goddess!"

"Have you ever looked in a mirror, sweetie?"