The Return of Leo Valdez (After Blood of Olympus)

59- Leo

Leo stepped out of the chariot. His vision was blurry from the tears.

I'm here, he thought. I'm really here.

He felt a million arms engulf him as soon as his feet hit the soft grass. His body felt warm, a feeling he hasn't felt in eons.

Arms finally released him and he stared at his friends, all beaming at him with tears in their eyes. Annabeth, Percy, Jason, Piper, Nico...they all seem so different.

Leo was speechless. Here they are. Right in front of me.

"Come here, Leo," Piper invited.

Leo wrapped his scrawny arms around the daughter of Aphrodite.

"I missed you so much," she whispered down his shoulder.

He went down the line to each demigod. Each one hugged him, his shoulder was stained with demigod tears.

They love me.

They really do.

"We're all glad you're back," Jason mentioned. "But you have a lot of explaining to do."

Leo let out a chuckle. "I'll explain it over dinner tonight. By the way, what are we having? I'm starving."

The demigod's laughed together, as they continued to wipe the tears from their eyes. It's feels good to laugh again.

"Hey Leo?" Annabeth asked. "Who's that girl behind you?"

Leo turned around, and saw Calypso, right behind him. He pulled her to the side of him to show the demigods.

"T-this is my girlfriend, Calypso," Leo announced. "I saved her from her island."

"Hi," Calypso said shyly as she pulled a strand of hair out of her face.

"The gods let you do that?" Jason asked, eyes wide.

Leo chuckled. "With some...minor arrangements."

"Really?" Annabeth questioned.

Leo smirked. "Over dinner, tonight."

"Leo!"

Leo turned around and yelped as a dozen arms gripped him tightly, pulling him into a warm embrace.

"Leo we missed you so much! Where did you go?"

Leo looked up at the faces hugging him.

Family.

"Guys!" Leo yelled as he pulled them in tighter. "I missed you all so much!"

"We missed you too, Leo," Shane said.

The cabin released him and Leo could feel hot tears stream down his face as he faced his siblings. They've changed so much since he was gone.

Then his eyes fell on Nyssa.

"Nyssa," he whispered.

Her arms and hand were black with oil.

His eyes fell on Jake.

"Jake," he whispered.

Even he had some black stains on his clothing.

Gods, it's been too long.

"Give us a hug Leo!" Nyssa yelled as she ran to him. Jake rolled in his wheelchair and gave Leo's waist a warm hug.

"We're happy you're back," Jake said, refusing to let go of his waist.

"And safe," Nyssa added.

Nyssa tried to leave, but Leo gripped Nyssa's arm, forcing her to stay.

"Hey Nyssa," Leo whispered. "Follow me. I need to show you something."

Now you get to find out what happened to our very happy dragon!