Time and Earth: A Doctor Who and PJO Crossover (Bk 1)

Chapter 26: Did I Forget To Introduce Myself?

Chapter 26: Did I Forget To Introduce Myself?

The answering morning was crisp and bright. The sun burned with an intense passion and there were no clouds in the sky. It was the beginning of July, hot and radiant, the middle of the season I dreaded.

But the sun's rays served as an audience, each one pushing me onward as I woke with the certainty of what I was to do.

I'd already messaged River to say I was ok and gotten a 'good luck' in reply. I'd never told her what I was going to do, but the time stream between us was so muddled I didn't even question it.

I waited until breakfast to enter the forest, to give Leo at least some time to wake up and function as a decent human being. As I left the dining pavilion with Annabeth and Daniel both farewelling me with encouraging grins, I knew this wasn't going to be like the last time. They'd wanted to walk with me to the edge of the forest, but I insisted that this was something I had to do by myself.

The forest hummed like the bass at a concert, a vibration which blanketed me entirely as I entered. It had been there before I'd learned how to use my powers, but now it had been amplified to a nearly painful degree. It was a good sound though, like turning up the volume on earphones to the loudest setting.

I knew the way to Bunker Nine. I'd trekked there in the darkness, in sunlight, with monsters on my tail and chatting with nymphs. But none of the nature spirits resurfaced then, half of their residences had disappeared. Maybe if I'd been here during the battle, with my training to aid me, I could have saved them.

If I had the talent of painting, the first image I would have created would've been Leo's when I knocked on the bunker door. "How did you get here?"

I shrugged, for once able to control myself. "Can a girl not go wandering in the woods?"

Leo smirked and stood back, holding the door open and allowing me in.

Inside, there was the glow of the amber lights that always buzzed when it was occupied, and all of the workbenches were filled with schematics from all forms of different inventions. It was exactly the same as I'd left it, the one part of my life which had remained the same.

Except for one area.

The Argo II stood proudly and finished in the center of the hangar, shining in all of its Celestial bronze glory. There were parts of her which were badly singed and damaged, some missing, but there were clear signs of repair.

This must've been what Leo was working on all the time. I could see why.

I stopped walking upon seeing the beautiful warship, the figurehead at her mast. Festus, even throughout the quest, had somehow come out in one piece. My hands clasped around Leo's gift in my pocket; it hadn't left me since I'd left the TARDIS.

Leo continued forward, no doubt ready to brag and flirt in the midst of his greatest creation. Maybe the greatest of any demigod.

When he noticed I was staring, not at him but at the warship, he turned around and let loose a wicked grin. "This is-"

"The Argo II," I finished, walking up to meet his side, never tearing my gaze from it, never unclenching my fingers from his gift.

Leo had outdone himself.

All of the stress, the sleepless nights and scrunched up papers had been worth it. He'd put his heart and soul into that ship, and the majesty of it shone through.

Leo, again, looked confused at my knowledge, so I pulled out the usual excuse. "Annabeth told me a bit about the whole Gaia thing."

He led me over to the ship and together we boarded it.