Starcrossed: A Leo and Calypso Fanfic

Chapter Fifteen: Hard Hetting Separated From Your Loved One, Isn't It?

Leo

"Frank!"

After the tunnel had collapsed, Hazel wept an screamed like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum. She couldn't move the debris that separated them. Instead she pounded her fists against the stones and yelled curses.

I stared at her, unmoving. Not saying a word. After all, I knew how it felt to be separated from someone you love.

"I'm sorry," Hazel said wiping her face.

"I've attacked a few rocks in my day." I said, shrugging. Then after a moment, I said, "Hard getting separated from someone you love, isn't it? Don't worry, Frank Zhang has moves. . .he knows what he's doing. He's probably gonna turn into a kangaroo and do some marsupial jujitsu on the monsters ugly faces. They don't stand a chance."

"Leo, I'm sorry." Hazel said suddenly.

"Okay. . .for what, exactly? You didn't do anything wrong, probably except when-"

"For. . ." She gestured around her helplessly, interrupting him. "Everything. For thinking you were Sammy, for leading you on. I mean, I didn't mean to, but-"

Now it's my turn to interrupt her. 'Hey, machines are designed to work."

"Uh, what?"

"I figure the universe is basically like a machine. I don't know who made it, if it was the Fates, or the gods, or capital-G God, or whatever. But it chugs along the way it's supposed to most of the time. Sure, it's little pieces break and stuff goes haywire once in a while, but mostly. . . .things happen for a reason. Like you and me meeting."

Leo Valdez," Hazel marveled, "you're a philosopher."

"Nah, I'm just a mechanic. But I figure my bisabuelo Sammy knew what was what. He let you go, Hazel. My job is to tell you that it's okay. You and Frank-you're meant to be. We're all going to get through this. Besides, Zhang coulcn't tie his shoes without your help."

"That's mean," she chided.

"Hey, what happened to you when you were on your own? Who did you meet? Hazel asked out of the blue after a few seconds of silence.

My eyes twitched at the question. I wasn't ready to tell her yet, probably someday. "Long story. I'll tell you sometime, but I'm still waiting to see how it shakes out."

"The universe is a machine," she said, "so it'll be fine."

"Hopefully." I replied thinking of my promise to Calypso.

"As long as it's not one of your machines, because your machines never do what they're supposed to do.

"Yeah, ha-ha." I summoned a fire in my hand. "Now, since we're done with our heart-to-heart and we have to save Percy and Annabeth, where to Miss Underground?"

Hazel scanned the path ahead of them, about thirty feet down the tunnel was split into four smaller arteries, each one identical.

"That way," she pointed to the one on the left. "It feels the most dangerous."

"I'm sold," I said.

Then we began our descent.