Heroes of Olympus: After the War

Chapter 11

Timber 

Timber sat down beside Leo as he stared into the sky. Timber didn't really know what she was going to say, she hadn't given anyone advice in a long time. But she decided she'd just let Leo do some talking, let it all out, then she would come in.

It didn't take Leo long to start talking, Timber didn't even have to ask, he went right ahead. " I really thought we were close. " Leo said. " I mean, after all we'd been through, and they just left us. "

Leo laughed, bitterly. " We said we'd always be there for eachother, and I actually believed it. " 

Now it was time for Timber to speak up.

Timber sighed. " Leo, listen to me. I may not know much about friends, I've never really had one. But if there's one thing I know is that you don't risk your life for someone else, you don't run over to them in a storm with a wave making it's way over if you don't really care about them. If you didn't really care about Frank and Hazel then you wouldn't have tried to save them, you would've just sat back and let someone else do it. Surely someone else would've and you knew that, but you ran out to them, Leo. "

" But, that was me, Timber. " Leo told her. " What about everyone else? "

" What about everyone else? " Timber asked. " Didn't they try to save you too? Didn't Percy almost jump out into the ocean to save you? Wasn't he about to risk his life to try and rescue you, Hazel and Frank? He could've easly just stood there and acted like he didn't care. And wasn't he the one who you were about to get in a fight with, and he was going to save you? " 

" He was, but Annabeth stopped him, " Leo replied. 

" But she only did that because she though is was best, and she was right. If Percy had saved you then you never would have washed up here. " Timber said. " But, deep down she probably wanted to let Percy go get you. And Annabeth was pretty mad at you too, right? "

" Yeah, but - " Leo began. 

" So, " Timber interrupted. " If the two people who were mad at you wanted to save you than that means that the other two people who weren't, wanted to save you too. "

" They care about you, Leo. " Timber continued. " They care about all of you, and you care about them too. You guys were the seven of the prophecy for gods sake! You retrieved the Athena Parthenos, you outsmarted the sorceress Pasiphae, you killed the giant Clyteus, you closed the Doors of Death, you defeated Gaea! You brought down Mother Earth! Now don't sit there and tell after all those things you did with those people that you don't care about eachother. "

Leo was silent for quite awhile, then he finnaly spoke. " Your right, " he said. " We do. "

Timber smiled. " I'm glad you know that. " Timber began to walk back into the treehouse, when Leo reached out and grabbed her arm. 

Timber stared at him, perplexed. Then Leo, as quick as a hick - up, surprised her by quickly planting a kiss on her cheek. Leo smiled. " Thanks, " and then he was gone. 

Timber stood there for a few minutes completely in shock. What just happened? Did Leo really just kiss her? Timber reached up and touched the spot where his lips touched her skin gently. 

Was this just a way of showing his thanks? Or did Leo like her? Timber shook her head and cleared the thought out as soon as it entered her mind.

No. Leo couldn't like her. She was bedraggled, dirty, jungle girl. She was skumbag, no one liked her. Not even the gods, they'd forgotten her. Therefore no one could love her.

Ever.

No one could especially ever love her if they knew about......A gust of wind whipped her hair around and rustled the leaves in the tree, but Timber didn't shiver. The cold didn't bother her. 

It never had.

Which is why she could never fall in love with Leo Valdez.

As Timber left she didn't very well notice that the place where her hand had been placed on the balcony railing was covered with a thin layer of frost.