This story is a belated Christmas gift to my amazing friend Warrior Wyvern, also known as Fallen Spire. :)

A Little Canoe

"Hey, Seaweed Brain?"

"Hm?"

"Do you wanna go canoeing?"

Percy shrugged, a smile lighting up his face. "Sure, why not?"

Annabeth smiled in response, and, holding hands, the couple walked down to the lakeshore. It wasn't past curfew, thank the gods, but she fingered her knife hilt with her free hand, just in case. They might stay out a little too late and have to fight their way past the harpies to get back to their cabins.

Percy jumped into a canoe, and Annabeth more carefully climbed into the same one. Her boyfriend untied it from the docks, then pushed the boat into open water. Annabeth leaned back, letting Percy row—he was far better at it than she was, being the son of the sea god.

When they were out in the middle of the lake, Percy stopped rowing and let them drift. It was very quiet out here, the racket and ruckus of Camp Half-Blood left far behind them.

"When are we going to New Rome?" she asked, trailing her fingers through the water.

Percy shrugged. "Soon, I hope. I mean, I wanted to stay here for a while, to clean things up, but you've got to see the city, and Camp Jupiter."

Annabeth remembered what she had seen of the Roman camp before the quest had officially begun. It had seemed like a nice place, but the atmosphere was completely different from Camp Half-Blood, even though the architecture was superb. She hadn't had the opportunity to explore New Rome before Leo had blown the place up, but she was sure they had repaired it by now.

In the year since the war had happened, she still remembered Leo with a pang in her heart. They hadn't even managed to find his body, nor the remains of Festus.

But now was no time to grieve. She was with Percy. She moved over to snuggle with him, and he smiled, wrapping his arm around her.

"I can't wait," she told him, though really she would miss Camp Half-Blood. "We'll visit here, though?"

"Of course!" he said with a smile. "As often as we can. I don't want to leave here entirely. I've got too many friends here." He leaned down to kiss her.

A few moments later, they broke apart. Percy stroked her cheek, and Annabeth leaned into him, feeling him breathe in and out and over again.

She hummed a little tune under her breath, the melody to a popular camp song. Percy grunted thoughtfully, then asked curiously, "Is that the canoe song?"

"Yes," she answered with a smile. Annabeth began to sing. Her voice wasn't particularly wonderful, but she thought she wasn't too bad. Not performance material, but good enough for silly camp songs like this one.

"I took my boy in a little canoe, and the moon was shinin' all around," she sang. Percy laughed quietly, his chest shaking beneath her head. "We paddled, we addled in the little canoe, and we didn't even make a sound."

"I'm sure glad we didn't," Percy commented. "It's past curfew, the harpies would have killed us."

"We talked and we talked 'til the moon grew dim," Annabeth continued. Percy joined in for the next bit: "I told him he could kiss me or get out and swim!"

Annabeth continued alone, "So whatcha gonna do in a little canoe, when the moon is shinin' all around?"

The song repeated, but she fell quiet, tilting her head to stare up at the sky.

"So whatcha gonna do in a little canoe, when your boy is swimmin' all around?" Percy sang with a smirk.

Annabeth smiled and shoved him playfully. "You wouldn't," she teased.

"Oh, would I?" Percy laughed, then stood up in the canoe.

"Percy—" she protested, rolling her eyes. Once he got in the water, it took forever to get him out.

Percy didn't listen, diving into the lake with a splash that rocked the canoe. Annabeth clutched its sides and tried to stay upright as the boat rocked back and forth.

He came back up to the surface, using his demigod powers to stay dry. He grinned at her. "Well, you gonna come and join me?"

"So whatcha gonna do," Annabeth sighed, rolling her grey eyes. "Get out and swim...!"

She stood up, taking her shoes off. "You'll keep me dry, right?" she asked a little nervously.

"I will," Percy promised.

She took a deep breath and dived in.

Immediately, she felt a bubble of air surround her. Percy smiled at her and she smiled back, her hair floating all around her in the water. Her boyfriend swam toward her, embracing her again.

This was not the first time the couple had escaped to the lake to hang out, and to make out, nor was it the first time the naiads had come to spectate. As Percy and Annabeth kissed and cuddled underwater, the lake-girls giggled and gossiped amongst themselves. Annabeth rolled her eyes. There was no getting them to leave, unfortunately.

They stayed underwater for maybe half an hour, Annabeth always keeping a watchful eye on their canoe. The naiads might try to be mischievous and make it drift away, but not this time.

At last, Percy and Annabeth rose to the surface and climbed back into the canoe, blessedly still dry. Percy grabbed the oars and began to row back to shore.

"Are the harpies there?" he whispered.

Annabeth squinted toward the beach. "No, we're clear."

They made it to the shore without incident. Percy was just tying the canoe back where they had found it when Annabeth heard the noise.

It was a metallic roar, like an engine. She froze, glancing up to the sky. She knew that sound. But...that was impossible. The dragon had been destroyed in the Battle of Half-Blood Hill...

Percy dropped his rope, looking up to the night sky with eyes as wide as Annabeth's. In the distance, a glint of gold appeared, rapidly approaching the camp. It grew clearer and clearer, until at last Annabeth was sure of what she saw.

"Festus!" she gasped.

The automatonic dragon zoomed closer, his giant metallic wings flapping. To Annabeth's astonished delight, she realized there was a rider on his back. No—two riders!

Festus noticed the two of them standing on the lakeshore, then changed directions to land beside them. Annabeth grabbed Percy's arm, pulling him out of the dragon's way.

On his back was...Leo! And another girl! She could only be Calypso. The son of Hephaestus jumped off his steed, then helped the girl down.

Percy and Annabeth stood there in shock. Annabeth wondered if she was dreaming.

"L...Leo?" she stammered. "You're...alive?"

"Valdez is back in business, baby!" he exclaimed with a broad grin.

"Calypso?" Percy said, thunderstruck.

The girl smiled at him. "Hello, Percy."

"Oh gods, I'm so sorry—" Percy began. "I thought the gods agreed—"

"It is alright," she said dismissively. "It is well now." She smiled fondly at Leo, squeezing his hand.

"Leo...how?" Annabeth asked dumbly.

"The physician's cure," he said roguishly. "The one I gave to Frank and Hazel was a fake."

"Leo, it's been a whole year!" Annabeth exclaimed hotly. "A whole year we thought you were dead...and no word from you!"

"What?" He frowned. "It's only been a few days, at most."

"Time is different on Ogygia," Calypso said thoughtfully. "It must have been longer than you thought, Leo."

"Oh my gods, the others will be delighted!" Percy said, beaming. "You're alive, Leo! We've got to go back to camp and—"

"Percy Jackson!" a rough, grumpy voice shouted. "What are you doing up past curfew?"

The son of Poseidon groaned, rolling his eyes. "Mr. D, I—"

"Is that...Valdez?" Dionysus said suddenly. "But you're dead! And...Calypso? How did you get off your island?"

"It's a long story," Leo began.

"Come up here, you four," Mr. D said tiredly. Festus creaked grumpily at being left out. "You five," the wine god amended. "I can see we've got a lot of catching up to do."

THE END