You'll Learn to Love Me

Chapter 89: Back To New York

I absolutely procrastinated writing these last three chapters and now I'm rushing to get it all out. I wrote up until Laylana's death in FUCKING JUNE and then just simply stopped. (WE LOVE WORK) But now I am back to school and have like 5 hours of free time in between classes where I basically just write if I have no homework to do. I am so sorry this is ending on a cliffhanger, chapter 90 will be posted tomorrow, hopefully, followed by the Epilogue. 

For this chapter, there will be a lot of time skips, I'm not sure what else to write in terms of the journey, travelling, etc. And there isn't much else to write for Leo's side of it (unless I just wanna keep repeating the same things) 

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"Callie! You got those wires?" Laylana shouted across the forge, where Calypso was weaving Celestial Bronze wires for Festus' control panel. Both girls were covered with grease and oil from all the work they had been doing, but their determination was stronger than ever. Over the last month, Laylana had trial after trial of trying to build a new neck and leg for Festus while attempting to repair the navigation system. 

"Yeah, right here!" Calypso tied the ends of the wire and placed it next to the others she had twisted together on the table. 

"Great. If this works, we'll attach those and then we'll be set." Laylana had pulled the newest neckpiece from the cast. The forge was blazing with life to the point where sweat coated both their bodies. 

Calypso and Laylana worked together to lift the neckpiece over to where Festus was laying on the ground, disconnected from the broken part of his neck. The head was still active, and he was creaking away watching them excitedly. Calypso kept the neck in place once they aligned it correctly, and Laylana took to drilling the hinges and wires along the side to keep it all connected. She had done this about five times before, and every time she failed to do it. Hopefully, sixth times the charm. 

Once the neck was attached, and Laylana assured it wouldn't come loose, they moved Festus' head over together. Laylana and Calypso worked quickly to connect all the wires they needed, and slowly lead the head droop once everything was together. The girls stood back and admired their work, their hands finding each other as Laylana squeezed Calypso's tightly. 

"Come on Festus... Please..." She whispered under her breath. 

"Shouldn't he have lifted his head by now?" Calypso asked anxiously.

"Give him a few minutes." Laylana reassured her, though her hope began to sway the longer they waited. 

It was a very long five minutes. The girls stared at the dragon in anticipation, waiting for any sign of him moving. Laylana sighed, letting go of Calypso's hand as she realized it wasn't working. Her defeat weighed really heavily on her, and she almost couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks. Calypso wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.

"It's okay, we can try again." Calypso whispered softly. 

"I don't get it! I followed every instruction on this blueprint that Hephaestus gave me and it's not working. What am I doing wrong?" Laylana cried, partially upset but also angry with herself. "I couldn't fix the navigation system, the leg took me like two weeks to figure out when it was so simple... and now this?" 

"Maybe something was wrong in the measurements?" 

"There's no way Hephaestus would mess that up, he's a god." Laylana tried to wipe away her tears, but they just kept coming. "Great, now I can't stop crying. I just want to go home!" 

"I know hon, I know." Calypso squeezed her tighter, letting Laylana bury her face in her shoulder. The only sound was Laylana's sobs and the roaring fire from the forge as they stood there. Hope was beginning to drain out of Laylana quicker than ever. Were they really going to get home?