Promises

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Uncle Rick!

Leo POV

Gaea was gone. Not forever unfortunately, but I hear a certain devilishly handsome demigod *ahem* and his sidekicks sent her back into the Earth for quite a while. No need to thank me.

The gods had called us up to Olympus, delivered their usual half-assed thank you's and offered us their gifts. Percy and Annabeth got their parents blessings, finally, and the two were over the moon. Jason and Piper were visiting Camp Jupiter and Hazel and Frank were happy together too. Heck, even Nico was happier than usual. They upgraded my workshop and gave me the tools to fix Festus, but I would give that all back in a heartbeat.

Leo Valdez may be weak and clumsy and may always manage to ruin things, but he always keeps his promises.

The minute I left Ogygia I wanted to go running back; find a way to take her with me, appease the gods. I knew she loved me; that raft came for a reason, albeit a cruel one, and I couldn't deny that I loved her. I wanted to forget it all: the way her caramel hair seemed so perfectly tousled by the sea breeze, the way her nose scrunched up when she was annoyed with me, the way her presence made me feel like nothing could ever go wrong. I couldn't forget. I couldn't lie to myself like that. I couldn't but help imagine her alone on her island, tortured again and again, never finding the love she deserved. I knew that feeling far too well.

I needed to find her.

Percy Jackson had been to Ogygia. He'd been there and that raft came him for him too. She loved him first. It's hard to get over that fact. Percy is perfect. Tall and handsome and brave and loyal, and it's not hard to see what girls find so attractive in him. He is ten times the man I'll ever be. I tried to banish the insecurities, but keeping them down was a struggle.

Percy and Annabeth were at the lakeshore, talking. They looked happy. When they noticed me walking towards them, they stood up, brushing the sand off their backs, blushing slightly.

"What's up Leo?" Percy nodded at me.

"I need to go back," I said quietly. I watched his eyebrows crease and his smile disappear. He and Annabeth glanced at each other.

"I-Leo, sometimes things happen for a good reason," Percy fumbled.

"I swore I'd go back Percy. I swore on the River Styx,"

"No man finds Ogygia twice..." Percy said apologetically.

"I'm sorry Leo," Annabeth put her hand consolingly on my arm

"You don't understand!" I shrugged her hand off. "You guys have had each other for years! All I've ever been is a third wheel. I lost my family, I've let down my friends, I can't let this go, I can't give up on her!" I collapsed onto the ground with my head in my hands. I could tell they were struggling with how to help me.

Annabeth and Percy whispered to each other for a moment, and then Percy knelt down and said,

"We may not be able to help you kiddo, but I think I know who can."'

Currently drafting Chapter 2!