This is a request for Artemisgirl12345. It's my attempt on bonding and depression.

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or HOO.

Leo kicked at the ground. Annabeth was on watch, and he was supposed to be sleeping, but he didn't feel tired. Instead, he was in the Pegasi stables, on the floor that could open at any moment.

He knew he shouldn't be down here alone, least of all without a weapon, but it was the anniversary of his mother's death. He didn't feel like pretending to be happy. He didn't want to think about what would happen if a monster attacked.

Leo held out his hands and watched as the fire rippled across them. Hands that had built so much. Hands that had endured the pain of a lost childhood. Hands that were responsible for the death of his mother.

Leo shuddered and put the fire out. He buried his head in hands and closed his eyes. It would be easy – so easy to just open the trapdoors and let himself fall. Down, down, he would go, but at least he wouldn't have to tolerate so much. He wouldn't have to suffer. He wouldn't have to keep holding on.

There wasn't much of a reason for him to hold on, either. He wasn't strong like Jason or Frank, or smart like Annabeth. He wasn't goodhearted like Hazel or Piper. He wasn't a natural leader, like Percy. He was just Leo. He wasn't even funny.

The others just tolerated him, because he was one of the seven of the prophecy. But he'd always felt like the seventh wheel – and of course, Nemesis hadn't helped when she'd pointed it out with a highlighter and laser pointer and everything.

Leo thought about his mom. Esperanza Valdez. She had never made him feel lost or afraid, or made him feel like his power was wrong and bad. She'd always been there for him. She was like a light in a sea of black.

And now she was gone forever.

Leo was on his feet before he could even think about what he was doing. Pain rolled off him like dark clouds. He was feeling too much, too fast.

His arms were ablaze before he realized what was going on.

No, he thought, No!

It was just like that night, so many years ago. He couldn't control it. He couldn't think. He couldn't – his hair had caught fire.

He fumbled with his tool belt, trying to call up some water to douse the flames that were now dancing dangerously close to his legs. If the Argo II caught on fire, Leo didn't know what he'd do. They weren't flying over water, so Jason and Frank would only be able to save two of them. Percy wouldn't be able to use his water abilities. And Coach Hedge probably wouldn't even realize anything was wrong until the TV got cut off.

No, no, no, no!

"Leo?" Piper's voice filtered through his panicked mind. Leo looked up to see Piper coming into the room. "Why are you on fire?"

Leo stumbled backward.

"Stay away from me!" He pleaded. I'm dangerous. I only ever manage hurt the people I care about.

"Leo, please." Piper took another step forward. "Calm down!"

It was the wrong thing to say. His body burned even brighter, and it felt like his eyes were on fire, too. (They weren't.)

Behind Piper, Jason entered the room. "Whoa, dude! What's wrong?"

"Get off the floor!" Leo yelled. "I'll burn the ship down."

He slammed toward the lever that would open up the floor. If he had to choose between endangering his friends, and losing his life, he would always let go.

"Leo, no!" For some reason, it sounded like Hazel. She shouldn't be up – why was she yelling his name?

Jason managed to get in the way of Leo and the lever. He leveled a serious look at Leo. "Leo, please, stop. Sit down. Take some deep breaths. You're going to be okay."

Leo tripped backward and sat down. He closed his eyes, hoping his friends would get out of the room. It was heating up from his fire, he could feel it. It would get too hot soon.

"Get out." He croaked. "Please."

He opened his eyes, but he wasn't on the Argo II anymore.

His mother, his beautiful, wonderful, amazing mother, was running toward him. Leo felt like he was five again.

"Mama!" He yelled. "Mama!"

"Leo." His mother wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. She smelled good. She always did.

"Mama, I'm so sorry." Leo was sobbing. "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. You'd be here today if it wasn't for me. I don't deserve to live while you're gone."

She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his tear-stained cheeks.

"Never say that, hijo. You were chosen for a very important quest – this one. It was my time to go, and that is why I went. It was never your fault. Not then, not now. Never."

"Mama." Leo held her close, savoring the feeling of safety and security. "I – I…"

His mother gently held him away from her and looked him straight in the eyes. "Leo, I love you. Looks can be deceiving, hijo, and you are the biggest example of that. You think you are unimportant, but without you, nothing would ever work. Even the smallest nail is needed for a part to work properly. Most of all, remember that I love you. I love you more than anything in the world."

Her body began to ripple, and Leo screamed. He reached for her, but she was gone.

"I will always love you, hijo."

When Leo opened his eyes, his friends surrounded him.

Piper handed him a glass of water. "How are you feeling, Leo?"

Her voice sounded eerily like his mother's, for a second, but he shook his head. "I'm fine. I'm sorry. I know I'm messed up."

"Don't ever say that." Piper chided. She pulled him into a hug.

"We know what today is, man." Jason added awkwardly. "I – uh, I'm sorry."

Leo glanced at him in surprise. "What? How did –"

"You weren't acting like your usual self." Jason explained. "So Annabeth and I did some digging. In the end, Chiron told us."

"Just call me Detective Annabeth." Annabeth smiled impishly at him. Despite everything, Leo couldn't help but give a small smile back.

"Wait." Leo paused. "If you're all here, who's running the ship?"

"Coach Hedge." Frank answered. He coughed slightly. "We uh, didn't think Coach was the best at this kind of stuff."

Leo winced, silently thanking them. He didn't know what he'd do if he woke up to Coach Hedge screaming "Get up and give thirty push-ups" in his face.

"Leo." Piper gave him a serious look. "What was that? You caught on fire, and then were adamant that we let you fall to your death. Then you passed out."

Leo took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Pipes. I really am. It's just – you don't know how my mom died, do you?"

"In a fire when you were young." Frank guessed. When Leo nodded miserably, he continued. "It must have been a bad one."

"You all know my secret power." Leo replied. He held out his hand, and the fire appeared. He made sure to keep it away from Frank and Hazel.

"Oh." Percy murmured. Everyone glanced at him, still trying to make the connection.

Percy squeezed forward and sat down next to Leo.

"Look, Leo, I'm not going to sugarcoat it." Percy began. "It's hard. It's going to be hard. You're going to feel unimaginable guilt, and it's going to weigh you down. But until you can let go of your guilt, and get on the road to recovery, we're going to be here. You can't let yourself be dragged down. Look around you, Leo. Everything on this ship, you built. You built it with your own two hands. Don't let your hands stop moving. Don't stop building. You built this bed. You built the ship. You even built the dining table. But most importantly, you built six friendships. Six pretty awesome – if I do say so myself – friendships. And we each have a life of our own. We're not going to let you go. We're not going to give up on you. So don't give up on yourself."

After his speech, Percy looked at Leo, who smiled.

"I won't." He said honestly. Then he wrinkled his nose. "Gods, Percy, you're such a girl. Inspirational speeches and all."

Percy grinned. "At least I'm not a dorkus, like Jason."

"You made that word up!" Jason complained.

"No, dorkus is a real word." Leo agreed. "And you, my friend, are a dorkus."

"Boys." Piper rolled her eyes.