One Too Many Heartbreaks

VI. No Escape (pt. 2)(Leo's POV)

Again, the awful dark and cold. Again, it seemed to last forever. And again, Leo fell down like an idiot on- not bricks this time, but grass.

"Dios mio," Leo said. "I don't like that shadow stuff." Nico said something Leo didn't quite catch and headed down the hill.

Rubbing his arms, Leo looked around at strawberry fields, woods, cabins, and the ocean. What was this place called? He searched the back of his mind for the words... My home, Leo thought. He smiled, suddenly full of warmth.

Unfortunately, that warmth faded almost immediately when his eyes caught sight of a gold and white figure standing at the bottom of the hill.

"Calypso," Leo whispered, full of terror. He had promised he wouldn't leave her. And he just had. For two days. Without warning.

He stumbled to his feet and down the hill. "Calypso!" He said, skidding to a stop in front of her. He felt an intense stab in his heart and his gut as he saw the pain and anger on her face.

"C-Calypso," he said. "I-"

"No." She said firmly, looking him in the face but not his eyes. "I have been betrayed by many men before. I was a fool to think this time would be any different."

"Calypso, wait! I- I would never-"

"Enough," she said angrily, and turned to walk away. Leo was ready to fall to pieces when a small black figure appeared shouting something.

"Calypso!" Nico shouted, holding out an arm toward her.

Leo was ready to lose it. What was he doing here? He had stolen Leo from Calypso. He had broken a promise he had died to keep. Leo couldn't stand the kid. "Haven't you done enough, you ghost-loving freak?" Leo yelled at him, feeling his entire body heat up.

Nico ignored him, making Leo even angrier. The kid looked at Leo's ex girlfriend. "Calypso, Leo didn't leave you. It was my fault. I- I was... Jealous."

Leo's anger faltered. Jealous? What did that mean? Did Nico have a crush on Calypso? Leo's anger flared again.

Calypso, however had not been swayed. "I have heard enough mortal excuses," she said, and started to walk away again.

"Calypso wait!" Nico tried again. It took all of Leo's willpower not to set the young boy aflame. He was going to settle for yelling again when Nico began to speak. "I was jealous because everyone I know is in love. Hazel and Frank, Piper and Jason, Percy and Annabeth, now you and Leo. I wanted to take that away. I didn't want to be the only one alone. I was being selfish. If you want to ignore me, yell at me, curse me, go ahead. But it wasn't his fault, I swear."

Leo's anger and heat faded so rapidly that he wondered if Nico was working his shadow voodoo again. But Calypso's expression seemed to change slightly, less angry now. Still, she said, "As I said before, I-"

"How would he have even gotten to China? Huh? Festus was still here! I'm the only one at camp who can teleport like that." Nico insisted.

There was an unbearable silence as Calypso thought about it.

"Valdez?" She asked, turning her head to Leo. "Is this true?"

Leo took a step forward. "Yeah!" He said quickly. "Calypso, you're like, the hottest girl ever! And multi talented! I would never leave you!"

Calypso narrowed her eyes. Leo figured that his rudimentary compliments hadn't impressed her.

He tried again. "I mean, Calypso, I know how you feel. How it feels to be abandoned, I mean. To be alone. You're one of the only people I know like me, and, and..." Leo wanted to cry, but he was hot again, too hot for water to touch his face. Steam poured from his eyes instead, blurring his vision. Still, he never stopped looking at Calypso. "I love you."

Another silence. Calypso and Leo stared at each other, and Nico stared at them, unmovingly for what seemed like forever.

Finally she reached her hand out slowly. "I am trusting you, Leo Valdez," she said as he took her hand. "With my heart."

"Ditto," Leo said happily, relief flooding him. He took Calypso's hand and pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her hair, her smell, her.

Leo felt a sudden slight coolness to the air. He cracked an eye and the Shadow Boy was gone.